From the field to the rink, Redhawks take on sports outside of school
Courtesy of Wesley Brodeur (#9) and the McKinney Ice Hockey Club
While a variety of sports are highlighted across campus, there are certain sports in which students take part in after the school day. These athletes range from playing lacrosse to ice hockey, and each of them share a common passion for their sport.
From football and baseball to diving and wrestling, there are a multitude of sports offered on campus and across Frisco ISD. But for some students play sports that take place outside of school.
I was looking for something to do outside of school, and found lacrosse to be very fun,
— sophomore Landon Reygadas
One of the more popular non-UIL sanctioned sports is lacrosse, with the Texas High School Lacrosse League having nearly 90 member schools featuring 145 varsity and JV teams.
Among the many high school lacrosse players in Frisco is Redhawks sophomore Landon Reygadas, who has been the long-stick middie on a local lacrosse team for the past three years.
“My friend convinced me to get started in playing,” Reygadas said. “I was looking for something to do outside of school, and found lacrosse to be very fun. It is just as physical as football, and the best parts are the tackles.”
Another non-UIL sport with a presence in Frisco is ice hockey, with at least two students playing on teams outside of school: freshman Danila Melnikov and sophomore Wesley Brodeur.
“I love the fact that it is a physical and fast paced sport, and the game can change in a matter of seconds,” Brodeur said. “I’ve been playing as a forward for 6-7 years. I started watching Stars games and got really intrigued. It made me want to play.”
It is the same physical aspect that appeals to Melnikov, who has been playing as a hockey center for around a year after finding a similar source of inspiration.
“Hockey is a really good way to have fun and exercise because you are always bending down and using a lot of muscles at the same time to coordinate maneuvers,” Melnikov said. “I would definitely recommend hockey to any fanatics wanting to play it.”
The best part of any sport is of course doing it with your friends, especially if they do it on the same team as you.
I started watching Stars games and got really intrigued. It made me want to play,
— sophomore Wesley Brodeur
“If you’re going to play any sport, my advice would be to practice and do private lessons as much as possible before you try out for a team,” Brodeur said. It really made me stand out against the other new players.”
Although they play different positions on different teams, the one thing uniting these three athletes is a burning desire to see their sport offered by the district.
“Lacrosse is something that absolutely needs to be offered as a school sport,” Reygadas said. “A lot of people would like it, and it would be more popular if offered.”
Zachary Moland is a sophomore in his second year on Wingspan as a sports reporter. He is also a member of Academic Decathlon. Outside of school, Zachary...
