You breathe deep, close your eyes, and imagine winning the race. This is the season’s first race, at the Westlake Early Bird Invitational. You remember your friends, and imagine them, during their first faceoff in their first lacrosse game of the season. Spring sports are here.
Drew Moss ‘23, starting varsity pitcher throwing a fastball on February 8th, 2023, vs Newnan Highschool.
Photo courtesy of Maggie Nievera.
At Woodward Academy, there are a variety of spring sports including boys and girls soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls track and boys baseball. All of these sports just recently started, most of their games or meets kicking off in the first few weeks of February.
One of Woodward’s main spring sports is baseball. The baseball team is full of community and hope for a good season.
“Baseball has given me a community and friends that stick around for a lifetime,” starting catcher Bill Rubenstein ‘24 said. “My favorite part about the team is the community and the friendships.”
The hope for the 2023 baseball season is to make it to state. First basemen Austin Mance ‘24 focused on their hope for making history.
“Go all the way to state and win,” Mance said. “We want to bring one back to Woodward for the first time ever.”
Along with baseball, boys and girls soccer also have huge hopes to bring back a state championship. Casey Cullen ‘23 has the same picture for girls’ soccer. Cullen has been on the girl’s soccer team for four years.
“Our goal is to go to state and win it,” Casey Cullen said. “We will definitely make it to the state and playoffs.”
The team has had five wins and three losses within the season, but their hopes are high to be able to pull through and secure a state championship. The boys’ soccer team also has the goal of doing well this season, as starting varsity defender Max Sard said.
“The best part about their team is how well the team gets along,” Sard said. “The team is also fun to play with.”
Along with soccer, another huge spring sport within the Woodward community is lacrosse. Both girls’ and boys’ lacrosse is a huge deal, especially to the players and coaches. Head Coach Mike Terry talked about the different types of goals and conditions that are going to help the team.
“It’s all about buying into each other, and playing for each other,” Terry said.
This type of motivation is similar to the leadership skills captains Sophia Mortan ‘24 and Liza Mobley ‘23 use to help start leading their team to victory.
“We really just use communication and hope to incorporate upper and lowerclassmen,” Mortan said.
Both lacrosse teams have huge goals for this season. For boys’ lacrosse, everyone must do their job.
“Our goal is to be competitive and the guys stepping up and doing their role,” Terry said.
The Woodward Upper school looks forward to a great season for both lacrosse teams, as well as the track and field team who have similar goals.
“I want to win state this year,” Chealse Williams ‘24 said. Williams runs the 100 M, 2000 M, and 4×100 M races.
“If we come together as a team and work hard in our individual event, it will happen,” Williams said.
Seth Jackson ‘24 is a thrower for the boys’ field division and has high hopes just as Williams does.
“This season, I want everyone to achieve their personal goals,” Jackson said. “We’re a team, a family.”
Jackson gives motivation to not only the team but to everyone else participating in the sport as well.
“It might be tricky at first, but as you continue to participate, your love for the sport will grow every day,” says Jackson. “Your love for your teammates on the team will grow every day, and I would definitely recommend you participate.
