THE ECHO

by Addy Bean

As one season ends, another begins. At least, this is the case for most high school athletes who have chosen to join a club or travel team outside of Avon High School. 

Plenty of athletes at our school participate in a club or travel sport. Some join to improve, and others join to get touches before their next high school season. Sophomore Tyler Ramey said he plays lacrosse outside of Avon to stay consistent. 

“It keeps me in the sport and helps spark more interest in what I’m playing,” Ramey said. 

Competition has become a common topic among athletes. While playing a sport for the school can be exciting, your competition tends to stay the same every year. Club and travel organizations, however, introduce athletes to new teams and players each season. Junior Lilly Heath said that the predetermined competition of AHS softball doesn’t compare to the fresh competition of travel. 

“We play great competition in school, but for club, you play teams from all over the country, and sometimes out of the country, therefore you tend to see much better talent than you’re used to,” Heath said. 

Traveling for a sport takes commitment and time, but it also makes tournaments and games all the more fun. Junior Abby Young said she enjoys the aspect of traveling for volleyball tournaments due to the time she gets to bond with her teammates. 

“Traveling to other states is fun with my parents and involves lots of bonding time with my teammates. We can all get to know each other a little more during our hotel stays,” Young said.  

With travel often comes absence in the classroom. Some athletes must leave during the week in order to make it to an out-of-state tournament on time. As we all know, homework can pile up. Heath said that the balance is difficult, but the rewards are worth it. 

“Balancing travel softball is difficult for me because I am on the road constantly and have zero Wi-Fi for online assignments. Despite the lack of sleep, I know that the better I do in school, the better the scholarship money I can receive. It’s hard to balance, but not impossible,” Heath said.
 
Regardless of the mental strain, club and travel organizations bring dedicated athletes together to improve their skills and create lasting friendships. Ramey said that it’s one of the reasons he enjoys club the most. 

“I enjoy club a lot because it makes me a better player and keeps me active with my friends,” Ramey said.