Winter sports are in full swing at Damascus High School. There’s indoor track, basketball, swim, and much more. Be sure to cheer on the following student athletes are their upcoming games, matches, and meets.
Sithuka Karasnagoda
Karasnagoda jumps for the Damascus track team. He has jumped for three years, both indoor and outdoor. His favorite aspect of being on the team is being able to practice and compete with other teammates. Karasnagoda is a long and triple jumper. His favorite thing about track is all the new people he’s gotten to meet. His relationship with the coach and team is good, when something happens with a teammate he makes sure to see what problem they have and see if they can fix it. When something doesn’t usually go his way he asks for help from people he trusts, he then focuses on it and makes sure to get better. If you want to join indoor track he says you should join to see how you like it as it’s a great opportunity to try something new and meet new people.
Kennedy Scott
Scott jumps and runs for the Damascus indoor track team. Scott ran and jumped for five years, and she says she likes playing for the school for its big learning experience and the community is very supportive. Her favorite aspect of being on the team is how the community is caring and welcoming; people will help you when needed. Scott ran the 400m and high jump. The main thing Scott likes about track is the friends but mainly the competitive nature. Her relationship with the coach and the team is very integral to her success. When something not so good happens, she distances herself to make sure she doesn’t bring any teammates down and figures out what goes wrong, improves on it during practice, then goes to show what she worked on in a meet or event. If you want to join, Scott says to do it, you wont regret it the amount of friends and close bonds you make will change for the better.
Christian Kekadu
Kekadu jumps for Damascus on the indoor track team. He has been participating in track for two years now, and loves being a part of the team with his teammates. His favorite thing about track is that he gets to work out with friends. Kekadu jumps, triple jumps, and long jumps . He likes how the sport of track is an individual sport, no excuses if you mess up. His relationship with the coach is great and so is his relationship with his teammates. When he messes up on something he encourages himself to fix what needs to be fixed, he doesn’t stop until he gets it down . If you want to join indoor track, Kekadu says to surely join, try some events and meets to see the experience. It is a fun experience.
Paul Couch
Couch runs indoor track and he’s been a member of the team for about three years. He loves playing for the school, especially if it’s with close friends . His favorite aspect of being on the track team is how the team always makes everyone feel like family. Couch sprints the 55/60m, 200m, and 4×400. The thing Couch likes most about track is how it makes him feel determined and gives him the dedication to get better. His relationship with coach Fletcher and the rest of the team is special. Sometimes when something doesn’t go Paul’s way, he shrugs it off and tries to turn the negatives to a positive to keep a good mindset for the next meet. If you think of joining indoor track, Couch recommends it. He says running track is very fun, a good way to make friends, and an effective way to workout during the winter.
Zakai Hardrick
Hardrick runs on the Damascus indoor track team. This is his third season and he plans to continue with the team next year . He enjoys track very much as his favorite thing about it are the friends he’s made throughout the three years he’s been on the team. He runs the 55/60m, 200m, 300m, and 4×2. You might think he likes running because he’s on track, and you’re right; he loves to run. His goal is to try and get the record of 6.7 seconds . As he tries to get that record he may have some road blocks, such as an injured hip, he will continue to push through as he hypes himself up with the coach and friends also helping him have confidence to achieved his goals. If you’re thinking of signing up for track, Hardrick says that you should because you will make many friends and it is fun.
Logan Galiano
Galiano on the boys Varsity wrestling team. Currently a junior, Galiano has been wrestling for about two years now and he is enjoying the experience. Galiano says that he loves playing for the school and wants to continue playing until he graduates, while he wrestles for Damascus, he wants to continue the team’s status by continuing to win matches with the team and win the State Championship. His relationship with the coaches and teammates are well, noting his favorite thing to do with the team besides win are team dinners . Sometimes when things don’t go his way during matches he doesn’t quit, he pushes himself to be better and focuses on what he needs to learn on what he needs to do to win match after match . If you’re thinking of joining the wrestling team he claims that it’s a fun sport to do but you have to be determined and committed to the team.
Ethan Capati
Capati swims for the Damascus Hornets. He’s been swimming for about four years right now, since the Summer of ’21. He really loves swimming for the school because it has allowed him to connect with others, as well as make friends with not only people within his grade level, but lower and upper class men throughout the years. His favorite aspect of being on the team are the team’s socials every few Fridays a day before the meet. He swims (strokes) freestyles and butterflies sometimes just for the event or relays . He likes how supportive people are within the sport. No matter how slow you are, if you beat a personal record, your friends and others will be happy for you and support you for it. He loves everybody on his team and tries to cheer everybody on. When something doesn’t go his way during a practice or meet, he tries to get better and practice a lot more to be prepared for next time. If you want to join the swimming team, Capati says that it’s a very fun sport to play, it’s a healthy sport, and it’s a very humble sport . It’ll drive you to be better and faster.
Maddison Frimpong
Frimpong plays girls Varsity basketball for Damascus. She has been playing basketball for three years. She says playing for the school has been very interesting, with the new season and players there’s a lot of things that have changed this year than from last year. Her favorite thing about being on the team is how the team helps everyone improve as the season progresses. Frimpong plays shooting guard and small forward. One thing she likes about basketball is the physicality and competitiveness. When something doesn’t go her way, she will think about what she could’ve done and practice it to become better and move on. As a basketball player, Fimpong shares that you need to be ready to communicate at all times with your teammates.
