Winter Sports Offer Their Share of Pain
With football season over, winter teams compete for the title of most painful sport.
Varsity wrestler Jeron Gaskins, a junior, said his sport is a contender. “Compared to other sports, it’s definitely up there; it’s dangerous, to me,” Gaskins said. “Players know the risk they take when they step onto the mat.”
However, varsity hockey player Jordan Davenport, a junior, countered this with his description of the game. “It’s dangerous because we’re all on our skates skating really fast, and you’re getting hit into rock hard boards with a lot of force,” Davenport said.
No matter which sport is the most painful, athletes strive to prevent injury. “You have to work hard in the offseason and the regular season; you need to know what to eat, your whole lifestyle goes into the season. It’s my favorite sport, and I make sure my weight is right to go into the season,” Gaskins said.
Junior varsity basketball player Matt Mahoney, a sophomore, described a similar approach. “For physical, we have to go to the weight room and be consistent with working out and doing yoga and stuff. Intangibles go into basketball because if you’re messing up in class, you’ll be messing up on the court, and that’s a big factor.”
The painful reality of wrestling is one of Gaskins’ most memorable moments. He said, “Winning a tournament –like when you slam someone so hard they can’t wrestle anymore — it’s beautiful to me.”
To check out the painful reality of winter sports, see the Raiders at home:
Nov. 30 men’s basketball v. Toledo St. Johns Jesuit at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 6 men’s basketball v. Strongsville at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 7 women’s basketball v. Stow at 2:30 p.m.
Dec. 11 women’s basketball v. Garfield Heights at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 13 men’s and women’s swimming and diving v. Willoughby South at 6 p.m.
Dec. 27 men’s and women’s swimming and diving v. Brunswick at 6 p.m.
Dec. 5 wrestling v. Normandy at 7 p.m.
Dec. 19 wrestling v. Brush at 7 p.m.
Dec. 6 hockey v. Hudson at 7 p.m.
Dec. 14 hockey v. Rocky River at 4:45 p.m.
