With the arrival of the winter season, students and faculty alike bustle with the excitement of the upcoming sports season.
Two years ago, there hadn’t been enough interest in wrestling to have a team. Now, the team is booming with a whopping 16 members, a combination of both experienced players and those new to the sport, all excited to play. Kadija Bah ‘23 has been wrestling for the past four years. Kadija says that although she hasn’t yet developed a closeness with the team that she’s had with past teams, CA's team is very welcoming of the new members. She also adds that the coaching is drastically different here at CA, saying, “They’re more flexible here. Although they’re still strict, they understand that you might have had a rough or tiring day.”
Thomas Ysrael ‘23, on the other hand, had never done wrestling before attending CA commenting “I’d wanted to try something new.” Although some might find joining a new sport intimidating or just outright impossible, Ysrael says that it’s a learning experience. “When I lose a match, I get told why I lost. It’s incredibly helpful.”
In addition to the wrestling team, led by head coach Zach Bloom, CA’s winter sports teams include Boys and Girls Varsity Squash, led by Martha Soper and Laura Kaye respectively, Boys and Girls Varsity and Junior Varsity Basketball led by Terrell Hollins, and Boys and Girls Alpine Skiing led by John McGarry. For those who weren’t familiar with squash or basketball, there had been the option of Intramural squash and basketball in the fall to prepare prospective players for the winter season. Although the ski team patiently awaits the arrival of more snow, the rest of the winter sports have hit the ground running after the try-out process.
Besides these competitive sports teams, CA also offers a wide variety of IM sports, which include Running and Conditioning led by Ed Rafferty, Strength and Conditioning led by Jen Brickley, Yoga,led by Peter Kelly, Individualized Strength and Conditioning led by Vince Webb, and Martial Arts led by Narcyz Latecki.