Athletics
Academic Eligibility
In order to remain academically eligible to compete in athletics, students must be passing FIVE of their seven classes.
By IHSAA rule, an “I” (incomplete) is considered a failing grade when determining eligibility. Grade checks are made after 9 weeks and at the semester. Any student-athlete who has not passed FIVE (5) credits on the following date(s) at 4:00 p.m., will be declared ineligible for the remainder of the next grading period.
End of Grading Period Dates: March 15th and May 29th
Boys golf
With the golf season ramping up for the spring, the boys are preparing for a good season. The team has high aspirations for the post season, so they are working hard every day to make those goals a reality. Senior Noah Lancz is looking forward to helping underclassman get adjusted to high school golf because he knows "how important it is to feel like you belong." Over the course of the years, he has learned patience and discipline and to take things one shot at a time. Noah is motivated by his team to get that 1% better everyday. Junior Ryan Parker, who has been playing golf competitively since 4th grade, feels very inspired by the team to push hard every single day. He feels that he would not be the same golfer today if he did not have his teammates. He picked up golf after playing with his dad and grandpa as a kid. This sport has given him a good source for learning discipline, as this game can't be perfected, but he is constantly problem-solving and working around the things he can't control. Senior Jack Burda has credits golf for helping him take on challenges with patience and a good work-ethic. Good luck this season, boys!
Girls Tennis
The girls tennis team had a great start to their season with a win against Northwood! They have continued to be strong through their matches, including a win against Bishop Luers. While the team has goals of success, they also have goals for the organization of the team. Adelyn Hower has been playing tennis recreationally since she was 5 and started competitive tennis in middle school. Her goal for the team is to strengthen the friendship bonds they have and reach out to the freshman to make them feel welcome. She also wants the Homestead tennis team to have a positive presence on the court by demonstrating good sportsmanship to other teams. Adelyn has learned a lot from her time playing tennis, including how to move on from mistakes and focus on solutions rather than past faults. "To continue to succeed, you have to let go of your mistakes and frustration and focus more on how you will fix your errors."
Macy Parker
Gabi Silkworth
Softball
The softball season has officially begun and the girls are off to a quick start, and the team is 6-8. The team has many underclassmen players, as four key seniors graduated last year. They are learning how to work together as a team game by game. Senior Gabi Silkworth's main goal for the season is to compete and have fun. She has been playing softball for 14 years, still playing on the school team with players that she began with in Don Ayres Little League many years ago. Over her time playing softball she has learned good sportsmanship and patience at the plate. Freshman Macy Arnold has been on the pitching mound for the varsity team on multiple occasions so far and has settled in nicely. She realizes the importance of trusting herself because for players it is "easier to succeed when they have confidence in themselves." When she gets in a pitching slump or a hitting slump, she does not allow it to change her mentality at the plate because the game is constantly filled with subtle adjustments. On April 15th, Macy pitched a full game that went into extra innings against a tough Huntington North team that the Spartans came up short against, but Macy gained some very valuable experience shutting down Vikings inning after inning.
Baseball
The baseball team has started off with a record of 8-6. There is a large senior class this year made up on Mason Weaver, Caleb Bradford, Sam Sosebee, Brady Minnick, Alex Graber, Jacob Bardwell, and Nathan Bardwell. Bradford's biggest goal for the team this year for fostering success is creating team chemistry. Bradford says, "the best teams are player led and playing as a team has and will help us play to the best of our abilities." He has been playing baseball on a team since he was 5 years old, beginning at the tee ball level. He was inspired to play by his dad who would play catch with him and help him hit off of a plastic tee. His teammates today motivate him to do everything to the best of his ability. As a senior, Caleb hopes to push the younger players to want to compete and leave it all out on the field whether it be at practice or at a game.
Mason Weaver is also a senior looking to lead the team deep into the post-season. Mason's dad introduced him to baseball from a really young age, and sports are big in his family. His dad played in college, so he had a ball in his hands from the start. Mason is a pitcher who has committed to play baseball at Wofford, but for now, his sights are on this season. With a really talented team, Mason is hoping to be a good example of good work ethic for the younger players and show them how hard work can pay off. Mason is motivated by how much time the team has put in both during the season and out of season to get better.
Good luck, boys, as you go through the rest of your season!
Brady Minnick
Boys Track and Field
Track and Field is off to good start for both the boys and girls. Britton Shumard is a senior runner for the track team and has been on the team for 3 years. He is now in the leadership role where he has the opportunity to lead by example with a quiet presence. It's important for a team to have the intense leaders who motivate with their words, but Britton wants to be the type of leader that is steady and a calm person to turn to for the underclassman. The team goal for the year is to win regionals, and Britton is excited to work toward that goal. Homestead has already set the indoor 4x800 relay record and the boys have it has a goal to break the 4x800 relay outdoor record as well.
Owen Warner is a junior who has thrown shotput and discus since his freshman year. The team has an emphasis on learning from their mistakes and "getting after it the next day." Owen has a very strong desire to win, but track and field has also provided him with some very valuable skills of patience and work ethic. He says, "If you are mad that you aren't performing well, the last thing you need to do is slack off and get further from the very source that will make you better." He has recognized the tendencies that keep him from his goals so that he can combat the things that keep his team from being as good as they can be.
Girls track and field
On the girls' side, junior London Harris started running for track in 6th grade. She was looking for something fun to be involved in, and she has stuck with it ever since. London values the team practices where the girls have lots of fun together but still work hard. She has learned to "find her own pace" and not compare herself to others. She looks up to her teammates rather than beating herself down for not being as good as some of the better runners. It pushes her to practice more in her off time with endurance training.
Elsie Loshe is a freshman who has also been running since 6th grade. She is ready to learn from the upperclassmen and work to be mentally tough. Track and Field is providing a good way for Elsie to try something new, but also to keep her friendships that she fostered throughout the cross country season.
