Fall sports are the opening to the school year; however, winter sports are a refuge from the cold winter air.

Football and Basketball: High Popularity

Two of the most popular sports at Antioch Community High School, football and basketball, are also the most comparable to each other. Football has the benefit of comfortable fall weather and basketball can be seen as a hideaway from winter’s fury. Both sports also have multiple coverage outlets, such as Twitter accounts, and are debatably the most popular sports at Antioch. Also, both sports have the biggest fan sections and the Cardinal Crazies to cheer them on.

Popularity of a sport can be determined either by the number of athletes participating or the amount of fans attending the event. During the fall season, the stands are packed with families and friends and the student section is filled with Cardinal Crazies in order to cheer on the Sequoit football team.

“I believe football is more popular than basketball because football is a contact sport,” junior Tommy Maloney said. “People enjoy watching people hit each other and try to out-compete each other.”

On the other hand, basketball is a sport of constant action with consistent results.

“The competition [in basketball] in general is fun, but the bond you make with teammates on and off the court is also one of the most enjoyable parts for me,” junior Jack Gillespie said.

In the end, both sports are fun to attend or to participate in, no matter the circumstances. Basketball is a fast paced sport that always keeps players and fans on their toes and football is a strategic game that has the most school spirit.

Cheer and Dance: Tryout Process

The winter season also brings up the unique “re-tryout” process, which the cheer and dance teams both require. The repeat tryout process consists of a new reevaluation. Dancers are required to learn three combinations to be performed in front of the coaches in groups of two. The coaches then call out each dancer individually. Cheerleading competition tryouts require stunting, tumbling and different jumps.

Many say that it’s a fair evaluation because it allows for the best to remain on the team.

“I definitely think it’s necessary for dancers to re-tryout because it gives them a chance to achieve more skills and allow the coach to set higher standards for the competition season,” freshman Kara Galarneau said.

Senior dancer Danielle Bay finds the extra tryout process to be beneficial for the team.

“It gives [one] the opportunity to grow as a dancer and makes sure that everyone is placed where they should be as the season begins,” Bay said.

Freshman cheerleader Grace Acello loves the challenge of trying out a second time.

“For me, I know my weak spots,” Acello said. “I strived to be on varsity and made sure I did everything I could to be placed where I wanted to.”

The similar repeat tryout process for both sports allows for a fair evaluation of each athlete and allows for a fresh start to the next stage in the season.

Boys Soccer versus Wrestling: Physical Activity

Soccer is a fast-paced sport that requires high intensity intervals as well as mental strength capabilities. Wrestling is a demanding sport that involves endurance and pure strength.

Both sports mean different strengths and weaknesses. Boys soccer requires more endurance and wrestling requires more physical strength. There are pros and cons to both cardiovascular and muscle building exercise. Cardiovascular exercise allows for decreased blood pressure and greater endurance while strength training allows for increased muscle mass and healthy blood circulation; however, each sport requires different levels of each.

“I think [wrestling strength conditioning] helps you gain strength because you are constantly using your whole body whether it be in a match or at practice,” junior varsity wrestler Blake Juszczyk said. “Most of your muscles are being used throughout and I just think that helps make you stronger and improve your physical ability.”

On the other hand, soccer is beneficial for endurance-based training because of the running it requires.

“Soccer is more than running,” senior varsity soccer player Gabriel Tijerina said. “It’s lateral movement, jogging, sprinting, walking and different levels of intensity throughout a game. This simulates interval training which is the best and fastest way to build endurance.”

Even though both sports ask for different types of strengths, they each use them to their benefit for what their sport requires.

Girls Tennis and Bowling: Underrated

Finally, there are also teams that are not the most well-known such as girls tennis and bowling; however, both are underrated sports. Girls tennis had senior Kelsey Neville being the fifth person in Antioch’s history to qualify for state all four years of her high school career. Bowling also raised their participation numbers and alumna Jayme Bailey and senior Sam Knab moved onto sectionals last year. Tennis and bowling are sports just like any other—they both require determination, commitment and teamwork. Both sports also have unique and different results for each athlete.

“You don’t worry about what is happening in your life you get to relax and enjoy having fun with your friends,” freshman Alyssa Olsen said.

Junior Emily Gardner has been playing tennis for her entire high school career and finds the fun in the sport.

“Tennis is more of a mental game and I love having to fight for every match,” Gardner said. “The winner is determined by who wants it more and who is willing to play harder.”

The two sports deserve to be well-known because they both include hardworking athletes and require commitment, just as much as any other sport.

Fall and winter sports differ in countless ways. Not only do they differ in their requirements for exercise, tryouts and popularity but they all also offer a season of passion and commitment.

Sequoits go into sports for different reasons, but at the end of the day, whether it’s a fall or winter sport, the blood, sweat and tears are all the same.