Going into his freshman year, Parker Stoffer had no idea what to expect, but who could blame him? Transitioning from Lakeland Middle School to Lakeland High School has been one of the oddest experiences Stoffer has encountered. With no expectations, he went to LHS on the first day of school, open-minded to all possibilities.
“It is a good place to hang out with my friends when I can’t see them while I’m not in school. I like the school’s new remodel due to a fire in the ceiling this summer,” Stoffer said.
At least he knew one thing: the sports he would participate in throughout his high school career. Stoffer is excited to see what the upcoming baseball and basketball season will look like for him. Being an underclassman means having respect for the upperclassmen no matter what the case is, and Stoffer will lead up to his promises. Stoffer is willing to step up and rise to any challenge thrown at him during LHS athletics.
“I’m doing baseball this year, and I look forward to the new baseball coaches this season. I think the program will grow a lot because of the changes,” Stoffer said. “I am going to play basketball this year with the hopes of making junior varsity or varsity.”
There are several differences between middle school and high school that students can expect to encounter. Firstly, high school’s academic workload increases considerably, with more complex coursework and longer assignments. This can be overwhelming for some students, especially if they struggle with time management, but Stoffer is willing to manage both sports and academics.
Additionally, high school often comes with more extracurricular activities and opportunities to get involved in sports, clubs, and other organizations.
Socially, high school can be more competitive and cliquish than middle school, with students vying for popularity and social status.
Finally, high school students are generally given more independence and responsibility, with more opportunities to make their own decisions and take charge of their education.
Stoffer likes that the teachers are more respectable and work with him more than the middle school teachers from the previous year.
Overall, he likes high school better than middle school despite the academic challenges to come.
Stoffer’s friends describe him as a good, reliable, and athletic friend. Many are excited to see him play during his baseball and basketball seasons.
Stoffer is essentially excited to have his favorite cousin, Delilah Zimmerman, come to his games and support him.
“I’m really happy and excited for Parker because he works so hard to get where he is, and he goes to the gym and shoots and plays basketball for hours,” Zimmerman said.
One of Stoffer’s good friends, Griffin Tamagni, enjoys spending time with him as well. During the interview, he seems to be a good friend and there for others, which is going to take people a lot farther than being rude. Tamagni enjoys Stoffer’s dad’s honey. He would not stop talking about the honey. He appreciates Stoffer being a great friend to him and always having his back.
Other freshmen are also excited for their high school sports careers and the growth that will be made.
Hunter McMurray is planning to play basketball this upcoming season.
“Being a student-athlete is tiring and fun but overall the best feeling,” McMurray said.
She is currently in Kiefer’s weight and athletic conditioning class to prepare for her sports. McMurry is essentially excited to be playing basketball with her older sister, Jersi McMurray.
“I hope I get to play on varsity with Hunter this year,” Jersi McMurray said. “I think it would be so much fun, and I’m excited to see where the team goes as a whole.”
She played basketball all throughout middle school and wants to continue playing in high school. McMurray is preparing for her upcoming season by going to the local gym, Rathdrum Fitness. She spends hours and hours practicing her shooting, dribbling and ball-handling skills.
She knew basketball was for her when she started playing at other competitive schools during middle school. Over the summer, she played for LHS’s summer league team at Gonzaga University. She plans on playing basketball collegically, but she does not know where yet. One of her best friends is her sister, and she is very appreciative of her. She enjoys doing everything with her, anything from playing basketball to going on rides together.
Both Stoffer and Hunter McMurray have a couple of things in common.
They both have family members at LHS who are always there for them and love them no matter what. Having family members can influence them to make good decisions, and they have someone there for them.
Both Stoffer and McMurray share the desire to be the best athlete they can be.