For those not interested in team sports, there are three options of individual co-ed sport in the fall season for students.
For those that like to run, they can be a part of Kenwood’s cross country team, as there are races for boys and girls. Cross Country is great preparation for those longer races you maybe hope to pursue sometime in your future as 5K, half marathons, and marathons as they have all become a popular adult pursuit.
For students that have thought about exploring life long activities like tennis or golf, badminton or golf is a great Fall sport to take up while in high school. Students can match up in badminton either individually, with a same sex or co-ed partner. Badminton is a great sport to prepare for exploring things like tennis or pickle ball in the future as the rules and skills are similar.
Kenwood offers golf as an option for both boys and girls and is often something once a golfer, always a golfer as golf is something many adults engage in throughout life. All three of these are lifelong sports that can keep you active and outdoors for decades.
The badminton team this season was 3-5-1. “Though we had a tough year for team wins, our boys doubles team, Remelle Lucien and Prosper Olujide, were the most consistent players and really developed well as teammates. Elijah Thomson gave 100% every game! We had some great first time players that played fabulous: Isaac Fuentes, Destiny Imo, Ni’el Faison, and Anthony Guzman Pacheco. Hopefully, we will have players returning that are not graduating!” shared Badminton Coach Rodier.
Yen who recently decided to try badminton found it a sport she hopes to continue. “I like this game because it gives me a sense of accomplishment when I get the perfect number, and it also helps me relieve stress and pressure at work,” shares Yen.
Students who participate in cross country train and run a minimum of half a dozen 5K races. This year the team consisted of ten runners. Team Captain Jay Kent was proud of the effort he saw from this year’s runners. “Every race everyone PRed, meaning each race they did better than the last race and was constantly working to improve,” shared Jay.
Cross Country is a sport where though you do race against others, the biggest race is often against yourself and beating your past time so it often becomes a race against the clock. “As we tell our athletes before every meet, cross country is all about you versus that clock. Every meet is about a chance to get a little better. Our runners succeeded in this as each runner shaved minutes off their time by the end of the year, ” adds head Coach James.
If looking for a sport next year to not just be involved with but prepare you for something you can participate and engage in years and even decades after leaving KHS, give golf, badminton, or cross country a try.
