As another year of fall sports begins, some upperclassmen decided they would not make a return. Common sports upperclassmen left were football and volleyball.
Senior Cameron Schmeling is a former football player. He played football from sixth grade to junior year, accomplishing many goals, and forming special connections with coaches and teammates. Leaving this sport was not the first thing on his mind.
“Well it wasn’t a very easy decision and I’ve been thinking about it all summer. I wanted to give it a chance but it just ended up being that I want to focus on golf, and football could put me at risk of getting injured,” Schmeling said.
Schmeling’s thought process behind quitting went “day by day” while he sorted out the pros and cons. His parents were supportive of any decision he made, and made sure whatever he did kept him happy.
The only regret he has is that he no longer spends as much time with his friends and misses seeing them. While he is no longer playing football, he plans on playing golf and competing this spring, for his final year at Newton High. Schmeling hopes to continue golfing through college.
Even though he chose to leave football, he said he learned a lot and benefited from being part of the sport.
“Just making memories and connections with the coaches and players and I learned a lot of discipline. “
Senior George Bates has also left football to enjoy his last year in high school. Bates played football from seventh grade to junior year. He didn’t want to return to the sport his junior year but wasn’t allowed to quit.
“I didn’t enjoy the game anymore, and I wanted to have as much fun as possible in my last year of high school … I wanted to quit last year but my mom wouldn’t let me. I don’t like being out on the field or anything about the game besides watching it,” Bates said.
Bates said he misses seeing his friends but also enjoys having more freedom and extra free time. Bates plans to compete in track and field in the spring.
Junior Jaeann James is a multisport athlete who used to play volleyball. She quit volleyball after playing for eight years and her first two years of high school. Reasons she left were based on issues brought by coaches.
“I decided to step back from volleyball because of the coaching at the high school, the punishments for being involved in other activities, and the sport was draining because of coaches,” James said.
With a full schedule of extracurricular activities, James had to choose between which one she would quit.
“I was given a choice of quitting band, jazz, club soccer, horse shows, or quitting volleyball. I chose the route that held better opportunities for scholarships and happiness,” James said.
James said she misses playing the game with her friends but it was not fun during her sophomore year, making her decide not to return for her junior year.
Moving forward into the school year and her senior year, she plans on wrestling in the winter and playing soccer in the spring.