Once upon a time, in a suburb known as Saint Clair Shores, there lived a senior titled JJ Tackett and a sophomore called Carly Best. JJ and Carly are motivated souls, always seeking excitement and new experiences. But sometimes, these teenagers find themselves trapped in the clutches of boredom.

After they exhausted all their usual sources of entertainment, they decided to try new sports, which coincidently, both take place in the Spring. JJ decided to play lacrosse when his hockey coach encouraged it in 6th grade. Carly, a standout volleyball player, chose to play soccer because of the conditioning.

Playing soccer promotes physical fitness, agility, and coordination. It requires players to be quick on their feet, have precise control over the ball, and possess tactical awareness. These skills led to a conference division win in 2023.
Coach Gwozdz wrote, "The recipe for a successful season again this year will be some underclassmen stepping up into much larger roles. Losing 4 college-caliber now-LS alum players is tough, so there is a lot of opportunity for the returning players. They need to dedicate themselves to improving and playing with a new level of intensity."

For JJ, playing on two united teams, both hockey and lacrosse, has given him the opportunity to meet good people and form bonds with Lakeview. He said, "We come together and are a better team because of the unified aspect. My teammates are mostly the same group from both sports so our friendships are strong."

Easy is not an option. No days off. Never quit. Be fearless. Talent you have naturally. Skill is only developed by hours and hours of work.

With 70 participants at Lake Shore High School, Varsity Track and Field athletes are well represented. Senior Ethan Poxon is one of them. Ethan, like the 2 athletes mentioned before him, wanted to find something to do so he began running in 7th grade. He explained, "I enjoy running with friends, the rewarding feeling after finishing a race, and breaking goals."

During the season, he tries to eat healthier by avoiding his favorite order, 2 McChickens and a large fry, from McDonalds. He knows this "trick" will make him faster. He also trains 5x per week after school, running at least 3-4.5 miles per day and Saturdays on his own. Freshman Tommy Leahy has inspired him to continue moving him feet and to become even faster. Ethan's personal best in the mile is 5 minutes, 35 seconds, but watch for him to beat it this year.

With each step, their boredom melted away like morning dew under the warm embrace of the rising sun. JJ loves his attack position and versing good teams for the challenge. For Carly, she combination of running and sprinting activities fills her desire for fitness. This endurance sport is a perfect way to prepare for volleyball. And Ethan's goal for 2024 of running 5 minutes, 10 seconds in the mile will pay off if and when he stays disciplined.

To follow schedules and view rosters, visit https://shoriansports.com.

Bonus: Congratulations to the following LSHS students for their school record in their Track and Field performances:

-Megan Morell - 300 hurdles 47.4 & Pole Vault 11"
-Ryann Lambert - 200 dash 26.6 - She was also the Girls' MVP MAC Gold Division Meet on 5/14
-Megan Morell, Holly Aja Thompson, Zaire Williams, Ryann Lambert - 4x200 relay 1:51.9 
-Holly Aja Thompson, Zaire Williams, Ryann Lambert, Anniyah Downer - 4x100 relay 52.66 - FOUR FRESHMEN!
-Division 1 State Finals Qualifiers: Megan Morell (pole vault) and Anthony Woods (110 meter hurdles)

Double Bonus: Congratulations to our Kennedy Middle School Track team for an undefeated year, 6-0! They are back-to-back Champions! We are so proud of our team and coaches!