Athletics are a significant part of student engagement at Natick High School (NHS), with many students participating or spectating each year. There are three seasons: fall, winter, and spring, each with about 10 different sports. 

Girls’ Indoor Track

The track team represents NHS in a variety of events, including sprints, middle/long distances, hurdles, jumps, throws, and relays. Led by Coach Zamarra, Coach Fleming, and Captains Alison Warren ‘24, Sophie Johnson ‘24, Angelina Wing ‘24, and Lea Adelmann ‘24, the girls indoor track team is one of NHS’s most successful teams. Coach Z shares, “our team has had a lot of success in the past years. We have had athletes compete at the state and national level in the high jump, pole vault, shot put, javelin, 4x200m relay, 4x400m relay, and the Sprint Medley Relay. Many of the athletes on the team have gone on to compete at the collegiate level…I think that all of the athletes currently on the team are just really nice people. I have enjoyed being able to coach all of them!” In addition to their achievements, the team is cohesive and supportive despite their size and individual nature of some events. Captain Alison Warren says, “the team environment is very fun, inclusive, and passionate. Everyone on the team really supports and encourages each other. The track team is one of the biggest teams at Natick High but every athlete is extremely valuable to the team's successes.” With daily practices at NHS and weekly meets at Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, “everyone is very determined and motivated to help the team do well. I like how you can focus on achieving better times for yourself while also supporting your teammates when they are competing!” shares Captain Sophie Johnson. Whether it is achieving a personal record in running, reaching a new height/length in jumps, or throwing a certain distance, the girls indoor track team pushes their limits and strives to improve everyday. 

Nordic Ski

The nordic ski team is one of NHS’s two ski teams. Led by Coach Alwan and Captain Lena Atake ‘24, the team is “a welcoming group that's adaptive to everyone's experience and goals!” Captain Lena Atake says, “we're more like a club in that we're very low-commitment (we understand if you can only go to the races and one or two practices per week), but we're still able to go to States and earn varsity letters!” One of the highlights of their season is the States race in Vermont on Valentine’s Day to close off the season. The nordic ski team hopes to welcome new members and aims to have all current members qualify for and participate in the States race.

Varsity Dance

The varsity dance team is one of NHS’s newer sports, with this year only marking its 6th year. Led by Coach Quinones, Coach Zebedeo, and Captains Avery Mann ‘24 and Vanessa Oskonbaeva ‘24, its growth is remarkable. “We’ve definitely grown a ton as a sport, from a small team dancing in classrooms and the cafeteria and not placing at competitions, to now having 19 members and being able to take home trophies,” says Captain Avery Mann. In addition to running practices, the captains create and teach a routine themselves, promoting collaboration and team bonding. “We have always been a really close knit team as we spend a lot of time together and have a lot of time to talk to each other at practice. We’re very welcoming and friendly to new members, and we always cheer each other on!” The team also does the cheer they created to hype themselves up before each performance. Each season, the team competes in two competitions and performs at basketball games. In the 2021-2022 season, the team placed 4th in the varsity jazz division, 1st at their competition at Endicott College, and 3rd at Bay States. From stepping up their choreography by adding skills, moves, and tricks, to working on synchronization, the dance team always gives their all for the best performance possible.

Wrestling

The wrestling team is one of NHS’s most rapidly growing sports teams, especially with increasing freshmen participation in recent years. Led by Coach Anniballi, Coach Thomas, and Captains Ethan Opela ‘24, James Balderson ‘24, and Diego Montero ‘24, the wrestling team holds new potential. Despite being a rough sport, Captain James Balderson says his teammates are “like brothers” and “we push each other but we only push each other because we want to see each other go farther.” Varsity and junior varsity (JV) practice together but they compete in separate events. Additionally, the team’s showmanship around meets is notable. Wrestling competitions feel like professional sporting events, making them more enjoyable for both athletes and spectators. For example, varsity walks out to the song “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses. The wrestling team continues to work on creating the best lineup possible and is pursuing 1st place at the state tournament.