Zephyrus reached out to 10 senior athletes to talk about their high school athletic career. This included early inspiration, post-secondary plans, and everything in between.
All interviews have been edited for length and clarity, though each sentiment remains the same.
What influenced you to start playing your sport?
Raya Hou: I used to do gymnastics at this gym, and after COVID hit, I couldn’t go to that gym anymore, so I wanted to stay active. There was a tennis court right next to where I used to live. So, me and my brother and my family would all just go there and start hitting balls and playing. And, I just got really into it during COVID.
Kelly Sprague: I think my dad, because he was my coach, like the first three years when I played at Edina, so I think that influenced me, and also my older brothers both played soccer too.
Lauryn Schenck: My dad originally started with tennis when he was younger in his high school years. He didn’t have as many opportunities as me in getting to hit as often, but he loved the sport. He introduced it to my brothers, and lastly me.
Cooper Drake: At first I played [football] because my dad played growing up, and so my parents kind of put me in it, and then it kind of became something I really liked to do.
Liv Peterson: I had a cousin who also played volleyball, and I really looked up to her and thought she was super cool. So I feel like she inspired me to keep getting better, and I always wanted to be as good as her. I eventually just got into it and made a lot of friends.
What is one of your favorite memories from playing your sport?
R.H.: Winning state doubles was my favorite part. It felt like a good ending. It felt like all my hard work on the team and in the offseason had paid off.
L.S.: One of my favorite memories is just getting to know the new people, the people that join. Everybody has a different way of showing their style on the tennis court, in ways they deal with emotions, since tennis is such an emotional, mental sport. I think that was my favorite thing.
Eric Zhao: [On the swim team], in freshman year, it was right after the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts game where the Vikings came back from thirty-three down. One of the seniors made a bet that they would jump into the snow and do snow angels in the middle of the winter. And yeah, the rest is history. It was really fun to witness.
K.S.: My junior year going to state was my favorite memory, although we didn’t win. But also, being with those teammates, that was an unforgettable experience.
Natalie Anderson: I loved going to Wisconsin, which was our only [ultimate frisbee] away tournament for this season. It was super fun to play teams there. We got to play a bunch of college teams, which was really a challenge.
What is one of the most valuable life lessons you’ve learned from playing your sport?
Malachi Sweeney: One valuable life lesson [in soccer] I’ve learned, well, is that you can’t always win. You can always try and put one hundred percent of your effort no matter the result.
R.H.: I think persistence and perseverance because a lot of the time, you’re down when playing an opponent, or your opponent is just really tough. Or, you’re just not having a good day. I feel like tennis has really taught me to persevere throughout these times. Don’t give up, even if you’re down by a lot. Just keep on hitting the ball, keep on focusing on one point at a time. And I think that’s really made me persevere and made me someone who doesn’t give up after one bad thing happens.
N.A.: Respect goes a long way, like respecting your teammates and coach. It really creates a good foundation for the team to build on, like trust.
Ally Hahn: The biggest thing I’ve taken away from swimming in general is the importance of a strong work ethic. Also, I’ve also learned to finish the path you started on, regardless of how hard it gets. That’s the most rewarding part for me, for sure.
How do you feel about high school sports coming to an end?
C.D.: It’s a mixed bag because I’ve always played football every fall for a number of years now. And so I’m not excited for it to be over, but I’m just like, grateful for all the memories. Everything has to end eventually. And I think going out with this group of guys is pretty cool to me.
Finley Tooley: I think it’s definitely hard, but I’m glad I had the experience I did with the people that I did, and I’m excited to see how the [cross-country] team does once I graduate.
M.S.: It’s really sad that I will be wrapping up my high school soccer season and my high school career, but I am also grateful for the opportunities I have and very optimistic about playing soccer later in my life.
What are your plans for the future involving your sport?
A.H.: I honestly don’t really have any concrete plans for the future as of now. I definitely am not ruling out coaching or helping younger athletes in the future.
R.H.: I hope to keep playing. I don’t think I’m gonna play college competitive tennis. I do want to play club. I think that tennis is really fun, and I’m really excited to keep on playing even though I won’t be playing college, and in the future, I hope I still play even out of college, even when I’m in the working industry and all of that.
L.S.: I hope to reach other kids who might not have an opportunity to play as much tennis. I know that I work during the summer with kids who live in places where tennis isn’t as popular or they don’t have much access, so I would love to be able to work, continue to work in that field, in tennis.
M.S.: I’m still considering playing soccer in college, but I know wherever I go, soccer will still continue to be a large part of my life.
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on Nov. 6, 2025
