Even as they are icing their sore limbs, athletes can’t imagine a life without sports.

Frustration, friendship and perseverance are what they know; it’s who they are.

Lexi Buzzell.

Thomas Burns.

Jolie Waddell.

Manav Shah.

Gracie Newbauer.

These five athletes go above and beyond being in a single sport. For them, there is never an off-season and never a break, yet they can’t imagine their life without a sport and they would never quit.

“I never have wanted to quit because there are always rough times in sports but they pass,” Thomas Burns, sophomore volleyball and basketball player, said

“I have never wanted to quit because it is something I feel really passionate about. We all have those feelings where you get upset and you think I should just quit but, I would never want to because I work so hard and it’s important to me,” Lexi Buzzell, sophomore basketball, soccer, and volleyball player, said.

“I’ve always known that I was going to play three sports year round even if that meant I was going to be new at something senior year,” Gracie Newbauer, sophomore volleyball, basketball and lacrosse player, said.

“I always felt like playing multiple sports. It is something I have wanted to do because I love the sports I play,” Manav Shah, sophomore basketball and soccer player, said.

“Sometimes I get bored of repeating the same thing every day and I get frustrated when I mess up but, I decided that I would like to continue doing sports because they are fun,” Jolie Waddell, sophomore basketball, cross country and lacrosse player, said.

Their teams are like a family to them; they need to be.

“Volleyball is very tight because if you can’t play as a team you lose. Basketball is much the same way,” Burns stated.

When you meet people who play sports you know they have similar goals and similar values that you have.

“We practice so often and does have a culture of working hard it bonds us. We all respect as hard workers. We spend a lot of time outside of basketball a week because of the long season,” Buzzell said.

Sports build friendships amongst people that last forever. The friends they make will be with them through it all.

“Sports allow me to talk to new people and they help create long term friendships,” Newbauer said.

All teams are close; however, sometimes a smaller team can have more interaction and become closer.

“My basketball team is close because there are only 14 girls. Having a smaller team allows more interaction and for me to become friends with everyone on the team,” Waddell said.

Sports can help with past friendships as well. They allow athletes to be with the friends more and continue to be with them.

“Because my friends play the sports I play it builds our friendship by allowing us to hang out more,” Shah said.

Playing multiple sports does not come without its hardships.

“Things can get more than competitive in basketball, its trash talking and playing angry,” Burns said.

There are injuries, personal struggles and school issues.

“I definitely have frustration and sometimes feel like I’m overworked or overtired. Then I’m also really tired and busy with homework. So getting it all done and hanging out with friends is difficult,” Buzzell said.

The thing that makes someone an athlete is not the skill they have but the willingness to keep going.

“There was a time when I wanted to stop playing basketball because of how the environment of the program affected me and those around me, but i never did and am glad I didn’t,” Newbauer said.

“I wanted to stop playing basketball sometimes because If I have a bad game or practice it makes me frustrated and sometimes I have to give up parties for sports,” Waddell said.

School and sports year round can put a strain on student-athletes.

“I wanted to stop playing basketball sometimes because if I have a bad game or practice it makes me frustrated, and sometimes I have to give up parties for sports,” Waddell said.

Multisport athletes have to work hard and push through obstacles that get in their way.