Tennis

This year’s tennis team looks forward to the upcoming season, with the goals already set in stone. Tennis coach Keith Pipkin has high hopes for his team.

“My goal for the team this year is to have our league and conference view us as the hardest competing, strong minded, and hungriest team they’ve ever seen,” Pipkin said.

Though the tennis players hope to work hard and win, they also hope to have fun on the court.

“I’m excited to work with my teammates (and) I have had a lot of fun with other people on my team,” junior Harrison Heeb said. “I’m mostly just doing tennis for fun.”

The next tennis match will on be on Saturday April ninth where they play in the varsity invitational at Goddard High School.

Track

Free State’s Track team hopes to win the State Championship after placing 2nd in the State meet last year. Track coach Jordan Rose is excited about the season and hopes to help each student improve.

“As we continue into our season, our main goal is to help our athletes improve in  technique and strength,” Rose said. “They will be at their best levels of competition by the time we get to our championships meets.”  

Senior Grace Bradshaw hopes to improve personally to make sure that the team is where they need to be.

“[I hope to] just [improve] maybe more in personal records [and] improving at our racing skills,” Bradshaw says

The Firebirds will be back on the track Friday April 15, where they will host the Varsity Invitational at Free State High School.

Soccer

The Girls soccer program  hopes to have a winning season this year with all of the team on board. Coach Kelly Barah envisions a successful season ahead.

“Our goals for this season would just be improving as a team as always,competing together and working as a group and supporting each other always,” Barah said.

Junior Molly Bryant is excited for this upcoming season and hopes that the team’s performance is as great as ever.

“I’m excited to see how we actually perform against another league team and how we can perform on certain things,” she said.

The Soccer team will kick the ball again on April fourth, where they will travel to play against Manhattan High School.

Golf

The Free State Boys golf team, after a 6th place win at State hopes, to have a hole-in-one season starting with having their goals in order.

“We want to build upon the success the team has had in recent seasons,” Coach Chuck Law explains. “If we can match that level success, it will certainly be a good year.”

Sophomore Tate Steel shares similar objectives to his coach, as he explains his version of the team’s goals

“We just want to try to place as high as we can (and) we have pretty good people this year,” Steel said. “I think we have a good chance.”  
Baseball

Last year Free State Baseball shattered expectations by winning State. This year the team and coach Mike Hill hope to repeat the win.

“Our goal is to repeat as State champions,” Hill said. “Along the way we hope to win the Sunflower league and continue to be a presence in the national rankings.”

Senior Trevor Munsch hopes that he is able to leave a mark for the Free State baseball team.

“For me it’s to get better as a person and get better as a player obviously, but also to make the younger kids better players. After this year I’ll be gone and I want them to (be dedicated to the Free State Baseball Program) too,” Munsch says.

Swimming

Free State Girls swimming caused some big waves last year when they became state champions. Now back and more excited than ever, coach Annette McDonald has a plan for her winning team.

“We’re hoping to have a completely undefeated season in terms of the regular varsity season up until Sunflower League,” McDonald said. “[The swimmers]contribute in work ethic, they contribute in modeling good behavior sportsmanship I just think we have a lot to offer and we look like were proud to be part of Free State.”

Free State will take be on the pool again on Friday April eighth where they compete in the Varsity Olathe Invitational at Mission Trail Middle School.

Softball

Free State Softball had a successful last season but is always looking for improvement. Senior Kathryn Stanwick explains the team goals

“The definite goals would be to make it to state but there are teams along the way we would like to beat,” She said.

Stanwick believes the team’s dynamics could help them win future games.

“I’m really excited to see how we play as a team we kinda had some iffy practices. But I’m ready to see how it all comes together,” Stanwick said.

The softball team will travel to state on Tuesday April fifth when they will be versing Leavenworth.