SPORTS JOURNIES
water polo, rock climbing, and cheerleading
Water Polo
I play for Hillsboro Heat Spartans during Fall Season
Girls JV team freshman year, but played in many Varsity games
Was given "bandit" award at the end of the season because I was known for stealing the other side's ball
Girls team won 2nd in state
I train during off season for Newberg Club Water Polo
I played club water polo a little in 8th grade alongside being part of swim team, but started taking it seriously in freshman year and I prioritized it over swim. I joined the Hillsboro team mid-season. Since my high school didn't have a water polo team, I thought I would only be able to play club. But one of my swim team friends told me I could try out for a high school team close by my house, which ended up working out. It was really hard at first. All my teammates already knew each other and knew all the strategies & game plans our team uses. It took me a couple weeks to catch up, but once I did, I looked forward to practice every day.
Cheerleading
I had no prior experience with dance or gymnastics, unless you count the free classes my mom signed up for when I was 5. But for some reason, I wanted to try out for the Cheer team at the end of my Freshman year. The three-day tryout took about four hours each day and was right before finals week, so it was really hard prioritizing both studying and practice. However, once I made the JV team, I was really proud and excited for the season because of the bond I formed with the girls on my team. After a couple practices in the summer, to my surprise, my coach asked me to join the Varsity girls at cheer camp and moved me up to a JV/Var swinger, making me eligible for Varsity competitions and football games. I am so looking forward to the season and am curious to see how i will grow from here!
My Climbing Journey:
I started rock climbing at the Nike gym near my house the summer before freshman year. I had no expectations for myself and saw climbing as just another way to pass the summer. The gym had two walls: ropes and bouldering. I only stayed on ropes though because I was terrified of falling from the bouldering wall. As I improved, the gym staff recommended I try out for a team, so that winter I tried out at the Portland Rock Gym. But to my horror, every assessment was based on the bouldering wall. I wanted to show them the form and tricks I learned from admiring professional climbers at the Nike gym but I just couldn't get over the fear of falling. So inevitably, I wasn't chosen. Frustrated, I set out to overcome my fear of the bouldering wall. With the help of Allyx, the head routesetter, I learned how to fall safely. I kept practicing until I genuinely began to enjoy bouldering. Now, my goal is to keep making progress until tryouts next year, where I can boast my interest and ability to boulder!
Progress!
