Spring sports have taken off at Great Neck North. Baseball, softball, lacrosse, track and field, tennis, and badminton – you name it, North has it.

Students are training rigorously each day to represent North in their respective sports, while also finding enjoyment in working with peers. Games not only serve as opportunities for athletes to showcase their skills and athletic abilities, but also serve as a chance to cheer on teammates and peers.

Practices are often challenging for each sport, consisting of warm-ups, stretching, footwork drills, and scrimmages.

In badminton, each practice day is different, whether it’s a challenge day or a regular practice. Generally, the team prepares for matches by warming up with partners and playing against each other. Doubles pairs are ranked within the team, and to warm up, pairs play against the pair ranked directly above or below them. Singles players play with other singles players and work together to improve their skills.

“My favorite part about being on the team is how close we all are together,” said junior Kaitlin Lam, a member of the Girls Varsity Badminton Team. “I just joined the team this year and I already feel so close to all the other girls and it is just an overwhelmingly welcoming environment where everyone is accepted no matter what level of experience you have.”

Similar to the badminton team, lacrosse practices consist of passing drills, shooting drills, and full-field scrimmages. The girls’ varsity team usually ends their practices with a seven vs. seven scrimmage with the junior varsity team.

“My favorite part of the team is the people,” said junior Christine Zhou, a member of the Girls Varsity Lacrosse team. “My teammates make lacrosse so fun and the jokes they make are always hilarious.”

However, as the school year slowly comes to an end and finals and other exams are creeping up, it can become a challenge to balance sports and academics. Especially in the spring, students must be able to maintain their performance both on the field and in the classroom.

“Balancing school and sports is probably the most difficult part of being in a sport and was definitely a huge factor in considering whether I wanted to be on the team or not, especially during AP exam season,” said Lam. “I’ve been able to maintain a relatively stable review schedule for AP exams by buying review books and organizing them into sections so that each night I have a certain amount of review to do and get my homework done efficiently.”

Regardless of these stressors, athletes continue to strive for excellence every day by working hard in practices and proudly representing North in their games.

Be sure to keep an eye out for opportunities to cheer on your peers and show some North spirit