By Ruby Bennett

   Middle school sports this fall had success across the board! 

   The MS Cross Country team, coached by Coach Wilkison, had a pretty decent season. Eric Ramirez Rivera, one of the five members of the cross country team, says that his team, “(does) very well. We could do better, but we do good.” 

   Tempe Prep’s flag football improved incredibly over the course of the season. “At the beginning, most people didn’t even know how to catch and throw a football, ” said Xander Irizarry, a seventh-grader on the team. “Now most of us can play pretty well.”

   The other middle school sports, volleyball and golf, were both successful this year with the volleyball B team winning a little more than half of their games this season.  Players attributed much of the team’s success to their coach. “She didn’t work on conditioning like other coaches, but more on game play, which made it easier to learn,” said Vada Hester, a member of the B team.

   TPA’s golf team has always been victorious, but this year they performed even better, winning all 11 of their matches.

   Although the performance of these middle-school sports is important, it is also significant that students enjoy these extracurricular activities. Every player interviewed not only appreciated the positive effect on their athletic abilities, but also took pleasure in simply participating. “You get to be a part of a team,” said Eric. “There isn’t much stress. It’s very calming.”