Some of the most well known stories throughout schools are those of the successful and popular varsity athletes. People know of their achievements, faults and upcoming events, but what about the younger siblings living in the shadows of these athletes? What is it like to have to live up to the name that these older athletes have made so well known?

People deal with stress and pressure differently. When pressured to recreate the success of older siblings, the younger sibling may go about recreating that success differently. Some people try to be like the person that was successful, while others choose to try something completely different, and some may try a combination of both.

The Schoenfelders

“I was proudest of Niall when he decided that he was going to go his own way in terms of sports,” Sequoit alumnus Patrick Schoenfelder said. “He didn’t feel the need to follow me or [our older sister] Erin. He’s going to make his own path.”

Niall Schoenfelder, the younger brother of 160-pound IHSA State Champion wrestler Patrick, has a plan to create his own chapter in the story that his older brother already began.

N. Schoenfelder does however try to learn from his brother’s mistakes, and also observes the way his older brother acts and handles situations. Even though there are still some skills that N. Schoenfelder would like to learn from his brother, there are some things he can do that P. Schoenfelder wishes that he was capable of doing.

“There is a lot of pressure on me when I wrestle, because Pat was so successful,” Niall said. “I worry that I will not be able to continue what he has accomplished.”

Although stressful, being P. Schoenfelder’s younger brother has had some benefits for N. Schoenfelder, such as an obvious advantage in wresting like having P. Schoenfelder help him whenever possible, whether it is with technique or even a drill. P. Schoenfelder challenges N. Schoenfelder and constantly pushes him past where N. Schoenfelder believes to be his own limit, thus making him a better athlete.

“Niall would do anything you ask, and I think that the biggest impact on his life is that Pat has really tried to spend a lot of time with Niall, allowing him to get better,” father of P. Schoenfelder and N. Schoenfelder, and athletic director at Antioch Community High School, Steven Schoenfelder said.

The Espinosas

Being in school together and sharing the high school experience with a sibling is always a treat. Playing the same sport, however, can be even better. Sophomore Emmanuel Espinosa and his brother, senior Ezequiel Espinosa, both play offensive guard, and are able to share some of the excitements of high school together on the football field. Ez. Espinosa tries his best to always be sure that Em. Espinosa is always healthy and performing his best, both while playing football and in the classroom.

“He is a great example because he is always pushing me to do better at everything, such as sports and academics, and he always wants me to stay healthy,” Em. Espinosa said. “He is an amazing person for me to be able to look up to and I want to be just like him.”

Ez. Espinosa has always felt he has been viewed as somewhat of an underdog, and a reason that he feels Em. Espinosa looks up to him is because he has been able to ignore the label people put on him, becoming one of the most talented athletes on the Sequoit varsity football team. Despite being an amazing role model, Ez. Espinosa’s success has made some things difficult for Em. Espinosa. Much like N. Schoenfelder, Em. Espinosa feels pressured to be just like his brother, or even better.

“I feel that I set a lot of high standards for him,” Ez. Espinosa said, “If he can meet or beat those standards, I feel that he will feel accomplished and be able to do a lot.”

The Lynns

Coaches are always looking forward and figuring out what players will become an asset to their team in the near future. It is important to know who will be joining the program and how they play because when they arrive in high school, the coach may already have a set place for them. This is the case for fifth grade soccer player Josh Lynn, younger brother of sophomore varsity soccer player Adam Lynn.

“Josh is a very talented soccer player,” varsity soccer coach Marni Polakow said. “And I would be willing to take him on the varsity team right now, even though he is a fifth grader.”

J. Lynn’s level of skill continues to impress everyone that watches him, including his older brother. Even with his high level of skill, he does not have an easy life having A. Lynn as an older brother. A. Lynn has high hopes for J. Lynn’s future, not just in high school, but also at the next level.

“I feel that he could definitely play college soccer and possibly go even farther than that,” A. Lynn said.

The Bargamians

Having a sibling to look up to in a sport is always an advantage, but being able to look up to and learn from two people is even better. This is the case for freshman cheerleader Kaitlyn Bargamian. Alumna Alexandra Bargamian and junior Rebecca Bargamian have participated on the Antioch cheer team. Having A. Bargamian and R. Bargamian as sisters has not only helped K. Bargamian cheer wise, but it has also made her transition to high school a lot smoother.

“Having them has helped me a lot,” K. Bargamian said. “They both did cheer, so coming into high school most of my teachers and fellow classmates knew who I was because of them, and it just made my transition a lot easier.”

Being the youngest of the sisters, K. Bargamian has had many opportunities to learn and grow from her sister’s achievements and mistakes. A. Bargamian and R. Bargamian are always trying their hardest to keep K. Bargamian best set up for success.

“I try to be a role model for Kaitlyn and show her how to represent Antioch varsity cheer,” R. Bargamian said. “We are both on the varsity team together this year, so I try to do my best and give her someone to look up to as an older sister and as a teammate.”