The magic of a strong sports team having a secure and powerful bond within each other is a key in sports at Kennedy High School. In the world of sports, success often hinges on more than the individual talent of the players. Success also takes into account the team chemistry and bonds that players have between each other, which makes the sport much more valuable to Kennedy athletes.
Kennedy athletes share deep connections and trust with each other, which helps them communicate, support, and celebrate together. Team bonds and chemistry can elevate a sports team to new heights, both on and off the field.
Athletes at Kennedy share these similar opinions in their different sports. “Our team builds chemistry by holding each other accountable,” said Daniel Cuarenta, football player at Kennedy. “I won’t lie, sometimes it brings some frustration. But it’s all about getting each other on the same page. That’s what builds our chemistry. Working together and holding each other accountable gets us to where we want to go.”
Kennedy’s football team is a large team, consisting of about 130 players and practices can be long and crucial for them when football season hits. But also, it has been a fun ride for them being in a harsh sport while being in high school.
“I enjoy the competition and work ethic that football brings me. It pushes me to work harder if something doesn’t go my way,” said Cuarenta. “I know that the competition is high, and if I mess up, it gets me to work harder knowing someone else is fighting for the same spot.”
Jayvon Carter, former teammate of Daniel Cuarenta on the football team, also has similar experiences. “We bond by hanging out outside of practice and games too,” said Carter. “We try to talk all the time outside of school so we can bond easier.”
Alongside football, other sports have experienced similar qualities when it comes to bonding with their teammates. Diego Zavala, basketball player at Kennedy, also has experienced similar traits to getting closer with his teammates.
“We tend to bond when we practice together, and against each other,” said Zavala. “We also all try to hang out together so that we understand that we’re not just teammates but friends also.”
Kiara Straughter, track and field athlete at Kennedy, also has a co-ed team, which some think would have a different way to bond with their teammates. “We build chemistry with each other by the events we do, which we have to work together, such as relaying,” said Straughter. “Most of us have been on track for all four years of high school, so we’ve naturally gotten really close.”
Although the teams grow as every new year starts and incoming underclassmen start joining Kennedy’s athletics, “We still try to build bonds with underclassmen by just talking to them since they might be new to the team or just shy and in need of guidance in regards to how they can improve and what events they should do,” said Straughter.
Colin Chong, volleyball player at Kennedy, also has similarities between him and his teammates to get closer to one another. “My team builds chemistry between each other with team bonding through spending time together on and off the court,” said Chong. “Through this, we are able to connect with each other and play at a high level with each other, without the fear of criticizing each other when needed.”
Managing school on top of a strenuous sport can be a challenge, but Kennedy athletes have gotten some advice on their sport to show how much it means to them.
“The most memorable piece of advice I’ve gotten is you only get four years to create the most memorable moments with your brothers,” said Cuarenta. “Taking advantage of every practice, drill, and weight room sessions should have been on my To-Do list a while ago.”
Also, watching how teammates react can help a person get a good look at the importance of the sport to the team as a whole. “A memorable event that changed my mindset about football and my teammates was when we lost against King Drew,” said Carter. “I saw how much it affected everyone, especially the seniors and knowing that it was their last game seeing them cry showed me how much football matters to me and my teammates.”
Athletes not just bond, but get memorable advice from experiences that they encounter during their games and practices. “I’ve learned that great teammates focus more on building their team’s confidence, energy, and remind each other about what path to take to help the team,” said Zavala.
Athletes at Kennedy share similar qualities and all want the same positive outcome within themselves and their teammates. “When Jalen Hurts said ‘I had a purpose before anyone had an opinion’, it really showed how having purpose and not letting anyone affect the outcome of my situation is crucial to success in me and my teammates,” said Chong.
Kennedy’s athletes manage to work on their substantial work for their sport and balancing school life on top of it, and they all get through it with the bond and chemistry between their friendships within their teammates, and the advice that they’ve received. Which all make it seem worth it in the end to the hard-working athletes at Kennedy.
