[Editor’s note: Every Wednesday during the summer, we will ask Oregon high school athletes to answer a question pertaining to summer. The best and most interesting responses will be published. In this edition we ask about the meaning of summer. We received more than 25 responses. A dozen appear below…]
“To me, summer is a time to rest and have fun, but also a time to work. Summer is a time to enjoy life and spend time with your family. When I think of summer, I think of when I was a kid, running through the sprinklers when it got hot, and eating popsicles on the steps with my family. I also think of the long days cleaning my dad's office so I could make enough money to go with my dad, my older brother and my grandpa to Israel.” --- Cole Seaders, basketball and track & field, Class of 2023, Corvallis HS
“Summer is a time I look at as a refreshment. We have a lot of time to do the things we want to do and enjoy the sunshine. It’s a time to find things out about yourself, explore your interests, and maybe learn a thing or two. Summer means that I have more time to make memories with people I truly treasure in my life, but also meeting new people as well. Unfortunately, this summer is not the summer most of us envisioned. We had trips planned, large gatherings, and festivals we were excited for. This summer I’m hoping to gain perspective on ways I can reach out, ways I can serve the people in my community. Don’t get me wrong: I’m extremely frustrated that things were canceled, but we can find joy in the little things. We can learn to be grateful for the things we DO have. We can humble ourselves in this odd situation, and we can encourage the people around us to do the same.” – Lindsey Larsen, cheerleading, Class of 2023, Santiam Christian
“Summer for me is time to see my grandparents, extended family, hang out with friends and train for the upcoming season.” – Kona Makai, soccer, Class of 2021, Ashland HS
“To me, summer is all about living life to the fullest and to soak up as much of your childhood as possible. I spend a lot of my summer with friends and doing outside activities, such as swimming, soccer, and the GHS Cross Country team. My friends and I love to follow social media trends, make silly videos together, and eat an unhealthy amount of ice cream while we cry and watch the full Harry Potter series. Summer to me is all about the memories my friends and I make.” – Mary Volk, cross country, swimming and track & field, Class of 2023, Gresham HS
“Summer to me means that I have time to train and mentally prepare for the next season and relax and be happy.” – Phoebe Appah, volleyball, basketball and tennis, Class of 2023, Corvallis HS
“Summer is a time for me to partly relax and enjoy myself, but also to engage in activities that I don’t have time to do during the school year. This summer, I plan on volunteering at OHSU multiple times a week, playing tennis, and taking an SAT prep course.” – Peter Gentry, tennis, Class of 2022, Lakeridge HS
“Summer is a time where you can take a break with your friends and family. It’s like a reward for all your hard work during the school year.” – Jocelyn Hernandez, soccer and basketball, Class of 2021, Toledo HS
“Relaxation, and lots of time to make money.” – Davidson Graham, soccer, Class of 2022, Ashland HS
“Summer is the time of year I can relax and really enjoy still being a kid. For example, my family takes an annual rafting trip every June and I look forward to it the whole year. I also spend summer preparing for next year’s sport. Currently, I’m doing CrossFit and spending some time working on my ball handling for both basketball and soccer.” – Sadie Dannen, soccer, basketball and track & field, Class of 2023, Lebanon HS
“Summer is a super special time for me because I get to build my own schedule. I can pursue new interests of mine and refine the skills I’ve already worked on.” – Simon Cropper, soccer and tennis, Class of 2021, Ashland HS
“Summer means a two-week long adventure with my family and a pop-up trailer. Every two or three days we take down the trailer and set it up in a different national or state park.” – Anna Eby, cross country, Class of 2021, Santiam Christian
“To me summer means to let go of the stress of school and enjoy our free time and make memories we’ll have for a lifetime. I spend my summer time working on my athletics and spending time with my closest friends. I try my best to stay relaxed and just have a good time and stress about nothing.” – Kendall Smith, volleyball, basketball and softball, Class of 2023, Toledo HS