San Luis Obispo High School students have been working hard all year to prepare for competition in their favorite sports. Student-athletes from SLOHS Expressions showed great dedication to their sports and show that they truly love what they are doing. We took the time to talk to them to see what their favorite sport is and why.

Expressions: What are your favorite sport(s)?

Freshman Kaya Burden: Waterpolo.

Freshman Liberty Massman: Water polo.

Freshman Scout Carr: Swim.

Freshman Sonia McSwain: Volleyball.

Freshman McKenna Cassidy: I like soccer and volleyball.

Expressions: Why is this your favorite sport(s)?

Burden: I love swimming, exercise, and the challenge.

Massman: Because it is good exercise, and I love the water.

Carr: I like being in the water.

McSwain: Because I really enjoy being on a team with my friends and I really enjoy the fact that we all have to work together to win. Also yelling. Yelling is great.

Cassidy: I have played soccer since I was really little, so it has been something that has always been in my life. I tried out for volleyball in eighth grade. I had never played before, but I ended up loving it and putting a lot of work into it.

Expressions: How long have you been playing this sport(s)?

Burden: It’s my first year.

Massman: I have been playing water polo for three years.

Carr: I have been doing swim for one year.

McSwain: I’ve played volleyball since I was in fourth grade, so for about six years.

Cassidy: I have been playing soccer for eleven years, and volleyball for two.

Expressions: What motivates you to play this sport(s)?

Burden: I had an uncle almost go to the Olympics so I’m trying to live up to that.  

Massman: I hope to play water polo in college and for me to be able to do so I need to continually train as hard as I can.

Carr: It helps with stress, so when I’m stressed out I always go to the pool and swim.

Mcswain: It lets me relieve a lot of bottled up emotions and helps me with my mental health.

Cassidy: Soccer is a really aggressive sport, so it is where you can let everything out, but then volleyball makes it a good balance between the two.  

Expressions: What is your favorite part of the sport you love?     

Burden: I love to exercise and it has introduced me to a lot of new people.  

Massman: My favorite part is that I get a good tan and I have made a lot of great friends through water polo.

Carr: Swims chill and there’s not a lot of pressure that goes into it.  

McSwain: I love the friendship I form with my teammates, they are basically my second family and getting to know them is really cool. I also enjoy the rush that you get by playing volleyball because it is a lot of quick decision making in stressful situations.

Cassidy: I like the relationship that forms on the team. The girls on my soccer team are all my best friends. We spend five days a week together for the entire year, so they are all like sisters to me. My favorite part of volleyball is the intensity that will come out of people, that makes it so fun.