For Buxbaum, softball isn’t just a sport, it’s something that has been integrated into her family since before she was born.

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It can be difficult for many students to adapt to the increasing pressures of academics coupled with athletic opportunity. Senior Shavon Pennie has not only adapted, but has also grown stronger from his effort.

The pitcher walks up to the mound feeling the weight of the ball in his hand. He takes a deep breath focusing in on his target. He tightens his grip on the ball, winds up, and releases. The catcher frames the pitch perfectly as the crowd waits to hear the umpire call strike three. Another win recorded and one step closer to the championship. It’s more than just a game, it is a part of who they are and a career path they look to explore.

Discipline, leadership and determination are only a few qualities that make an athlete great. After years of playing soccer, junior Jaime Thompson has developed all of these characteristics and more.

Checking the wind speed and direction, choosing the correct club, stepping up to the tee and swinging, hoping to make it to the green – those are just some of the steps junior Clayton Hudson goes through each time he steps on a golf course. For the past three years he has participated and excelled on the high school golf team.

ESPN is a fixture in most households across the nation, but few viewers have the chance to personally know the athletes featured on the television channel.

Bryan High students are an exception, as senior J-Mychal Reese has not only been featured on ESPN, but in numerous sporting publications and scouting organizations for his success in basketball.

In fact, ESPN.com ranked Reese as their No. 28 prospect nation-wide for high school basketball players overall.

To some, tennis is just a hobby or a sport, played just to exercise. But that’s not the case for one particular senior mixed-doubles tennis player.

Most people who find themselves splashing in the water do it to pass the time in the hot Texas summer, but some take this pastime to a competitive level. Senior Haley Clark is an example of this. Not only is she a competitive swimmer on campus, but she is also ranked as one of the top five swimmers in the state and one of the top one hundred swimmers in the nation.

Under the glow of the stadium lights and behind the roar of the crowd, senior Lance Graul can be seen each Friday night snapping the ball into play for the Vikings and marching alongside the band.

Yet, for Graul, the work doesn’t begin on Friday nights.

Determination is an important value on and off the court, and one student who possesses that ability is senior volleyball player Alyssa Micheletti.

Micheletti has been on the volleyball team since her freshman year, and she says the sport plays a significant role in her life.