What if I don’t make the team? What if I don’t know anyone else trying out? I can’t try out, I’m too nervous. These are some thoughts almost every single person has when they’re considering trying out for a sports team.

In the fall, there is football, softball, and boys soccer to try out for. Tryouts for each sport typically last a week before the coach decides who makes the team or not. Although you fear you won’t make the team, athletes and coaches encourage students to still try out.

According to Daniel Burns, who’s currently trying out for boys’ soccer, “It’s just fun to be with your friends and get in shape as well.”

During the tryout week, Burns said, “Play as hard as you can and hope you don’t get cut.”

Once an athlete makes the team, the majority of the players accept the new players as part of the team. Athletes may even find that a decent amount of their close friends are on the team. Even if a person isn’t part of the team, they can still go to the games and cheer them on.

“The games are full of excitement,” Burns said.

As of right now, the boys’ soccer coaches consist of Dan Woehrmann as the freshman coach, Tom McDaniel as the JV coach, and Ray Stahl as the varsity coach.

Soccer practice, and any sports practice, usually lasts until 5 p.m.; that doesn’t give many athletes much time to do homework.

But Burns has figured out how to manage his time.

He said he will attempt to work ahead in classes or finish the homework in class if possible. It’s not impossible to be an athlete and a good student at the same time, it just takes a lot of dedication and determination.

“You feel a part of the school when you join a sports team.”