Change is Never Bad

By Max Phillips and Fa Siale Many students enter high school with big goals, imagining the kind of future they want for themselves. Like Brayden Marino and Landin Phelps, they both came in with a plan, but most of the time they learn more about who they are, and this alters the course of their plans. 

At O’Dea, this happens a lot with sports. The school expects a lot from its athletes, and when students see how many strong players are in their sport, they start thinking about whether they will get much playing time or improve. Tough practices and strong coaching can also make them realize that another sport might fit them better. Sometimes they even find out they are good at something new once they try it.  

Another reason students switch sports is because O’Dea gives them many chances to explore. Being around hardworking athletes makes students want to try new things. Some switch because they want a sport that feels more fun or matches who they are, while others follow friends or discover a new interest they didn’t expect. With so many choices, students look for a sport where they feel confident, supported, and happy. 

This is exactly what happened to juniors  Brayden Zipp-Manio and Landen Phelps. Brayden started high school thinking he would play basketball, but that changed when he tried track and field. At first, he just wanted to see what it was like, but he ended up liking it a lot more than basketball. He said, “Track made me feel more motivated than I ever felt in basketball,” and he also said, “I liked seeing myself get better every day.” Track helped him become more disciplined, more sure of himself, and more focused. Switching sports helped him grow into a better version of himself. 

Landen’s story is different but still important. Before coming to O’Dea, he ran cross country, played basketball, and played baseball. When he got to high school, he stopped cross country to play freshman football and didn’t play basketball so he could focus on baseball. Then, in his sophomore year, he tried wrestling because he thought it would help him get in really good shape for baseball. But wrestling became more than that. Landen said, “The team made me feel welcome from the start,” and he also said, “Wrestling helped me become my best self.” Doing too many sports stressed him out and hurt his schoolwork, but wrestling helped him find balance and feel stronger inside and out. 

In the end, O’Dea helps students learn who they are, what they enjoy, and which sport truly brings out their best selves and really helps them grow. When Brayden was asked why he stopped playing basketball, Brayden said: “I discovered track and field when I came to O’Dea, and I started to enjoy it more than basketball and to me it felt more motivating.” when asked how did he end up trying track Brayden said: “I tried it out at first and grew to love it.”