By Alex Akins ’18
Swimming:
Practicing since the 2nd week of school in August, the Swim Team has made excellent progress to improve upon its members’ already near perfect form.
I once saw a swimmer in the locker room shaking and coughing horrifically mid-practice. When I asked him what was wrong, he said: “I cannot talk. I have to get back to the pool before coach [Perry] thinks anything. (sic)” He then proceeded to sprint back in a full gallop.
With solid additions to the team in new freshman and the upperclassmen getting better with every practice, the swim team looks like it will make a run for states. The swimmers will use their extreme confidence to help them all season. Hopefully they can carry this confidence into every swim meet of the year.
Squash:
Squash—the gentleman’s game—is probably the least respected sport in the school. Nonetheless, the Squash team will look to improve upon last year’s nationals’ finish.
Squash is somehow able to bring out everyone’s inner demons. You do not know someone until you have played them in squash. I played squash against one of my friend’s dad. Not only did he win, but also he obliterated me and celebrated every point with a little laugh.
Basketball:
We have someone who is 6’8”. We all know that height is everything in basketball. I learned this while playing basketball against my 6’3” father when I was very young. He would bounce the ball over my head, sprint past me, and slam the ball into the hoop. Also when he would post up, he would back into me so hard that I would fall down. He would then ask me if I was bleeding. When I responded “No” he would then say, “Chicago rules, no blood no foul,” and then go in for the layup.
If the basketball team is able to embody the strategies of William Akins they should be able to dominate, foul, and break down the other teams they will face this season.
Wrestling:
The wrestling team should continue to improve on last season and look forward to an excellent season.
My Dad and I also used to wrestle. I mostly ran around the living room trying to impersonate WWF moves, my dad grabbed his back in pain, said something about not going to Yoga, and motioned for a timeout. But his efforts at calling a timeout did not stop me. I attempted a Shaolin Monk original move known as, “The People’s Elbow.” This resulted in worsening my Dad’s extreme back pain. He shouted at me: “What did you that for!” I responded: “Chicago Rules, no blood no foul”.
If the wrestling team can take on this same level of tenacity as I had when I was 7, they should be able to win it all this year.
