The hectic life of a Colorado Academy student-athlete becomes even more complex when trimesters stop and start and bookend sports clash. When sports overlap, like swimming and lacrosse or basketball and golf, the challenges are amplified, but there are a few who relish the full schedule and do well under fire.

 

Senior Kate Rydberg, who was a member of a state-qualifying relay on the girls swim team in the winter is also a starter on defense for the top-ranked CA girls lacrosse team in the spring. Rydberg handles the responsibilities of both sports well, along with the fact that she is a member of the All-State Choir and highly proficient in the classroom. Rydberg says, “The transition is pretty challenging. Swimming and lacrosse are completely different sports, and being in top shape for swimming does not translate to being in shape for lacrosse. It also makes the end of the trimester hectic, with tests, essays, a choir concert, and finishing one sport while getting ready to start another.” Rydberg is making the most of her time at CA and does so with grace and humility.

 

Juniors Winston Palmeri and Kacey Godwin both play basketball in the winter and then take up lacrosse and golf, respectively, in the springtime.

Palmeri and Godwin were both starters on their JV basketball teams. Palmeri was a call-up to the varsity late in the winter season as the basketball team headed to the state tournament and eventually played in the state championship game. Godwin was also an integral part of her JV hoops team. The success of JV teams is contingent upon strong upper classmen like Godwin and Palmeri who can lead younger players and who are humble enough to compete at their highest possible level even though they are not on the varsity team. This winter, Palmeri could be seen running from the basketball court to the lacrosse field and from a state championship tournament game to an early season lacrosse contest. Palmeri says, “It was interesting balancing the preseason of spring sports and the post season of winter sports.” Similarly, it isn’t often that Godwin is without her golf clubs, and many times, she played in golf tournaments during the winter in warm weather. Godwin says, “The transition between the winter and spring seasons was fairly fluid for me because golf is my year-round sport.

 

They are both so different fundamentally, which is actually a very cool experience and perspective to gain. I think the key to balancing it all has a lot to do with communication with teachers, who are absolutely incredible and accommodating.”

 

Finally, sophomore Evan Reiter was also a standout on the JV basketball court and like Palmeri, was summoned to Steve Hyatt’s varsity basketball team for its playoff run. Reiter is also a phenomenal pitcher for JT Putt’s CA baseball program. Reiter could be seen in the latter stages of the basketball season arriving on campus at 6:30 a.m. to throw and get his arm in shape for the spring. Those pitching sessions would end around 7:55 a.m., and Reiter would scamper off to class by 8:10 a.m. Reiter is a rising star for Putt’s young squad, and it will be fun to watch him juggle his interests in the years to come. He says, “Transitioning from basketball to baseball was very easy and simple because of my coaches. When spring sports came around, basketball was getting right into playoffs. I had to miss a couple of weeks of baseball practice, but my coaches were very understanding and supportive. Each coach understood my commitments and allowed me to participate in both sports. It was an easy transition academically and socially. My coaches also understood that school came before sports and supported me by making sure I wasn’t getting stressed from sports and school. Overall, I’m glad I got the experience to play both sports.”

 

All four of these students are examples of multi-sport CA student-athletes who love to compete with their classmates and represent their school. Their hard work and humility is refreshing in today’s world. The support offered by their teammates, their teachers, and their coaches is equally refreshing. Enjoy the spring and I hope to see you at a game on campus soon.