Most Popular Sports at NorthStar: What Students are Actually Playing
By Andrew W.
It is easy to assume that students at an online school spend more time typing and calling rather than kicking soccer balls or jogging around a running track. However, here at NorthStar, that is not the case. After sending out a form and collecting responses, I discovered that our school has a very vibrant and active athletic spirit. Once I found out which sports were most popular, I did a little digging on what those sports look like; here is what I found!
When I checked the form, it was pretty obvious that soccer, otherwise known as football, is one of the big favorites. Of the sixteen responses, there were four votes for soccer, blowing the other sports out of the water. It is competitive, fast, and easy to set up and play anywhere. Some students join designated clubs while others prefer to keep it laid back and just play with a group of friends. Many people prefer the strategic, fast-paced nature of the game, while others enjoy the fact that you only need a ball, an open space, and maybe a friend or two willing to play. Regardless of how it is played, soccer remained at the top of the list this year.
One of the other more popular sports is tennis and there are plenty of reasons why it is up near the top. Tennis strikes a balance between speed, strategy, and stamina, which makes it appealing to beginners and seasoned players alike. With tennis communities, clubs, and groups being present all over the world, getting involved is amongst the easiest parts of playing tennis. Another thing that draws people to tennis is its flexibility. You can play anything from recreational all the way to professional. According to the form, two out of sixteen votes were for tennis.
A sport that was not quite as common as the other two but still had a presence is Taekwondo. Originating in Korea thousands of years ago, Taekwondo is still amongst the most popular martial arts. It is a unique blend of discipline, focus, and flexibility, a combination that is also popular and appealing to online students. Finding a dojo to practice in is a relatively easy task as they are becoming increasingly more popular all around the globe, growing significantly in recognition. Along with being physically challenging, Taekwondo requires a massive amount of mental strength which, to many students, is a welcome challenge to overcome. Taekwondo had two votes out of sixteen.
Even without a physical campus, students continue to show that school and sports can co-exist even without being in the same place as they often are at a brick and mortar school. Through personal commitment, clubs, and a ton of coordination and discipline, NorthStar athletes have continued to thrive in their respective sports, furthering the athletic community.
Columns: 🧑🚀NSA Culture, 🔎Informational
Andrew W. lives in the state of North Carolina in the United States. He has been a student at NSA for seven years and is working on his eighth. He has three siblings, all older, who have either graduated from NSA or are still currently attending NSA. Alongside writing for Navigator, Andrew is a part of student council, serving as one of the club coordinators. He enjoys hiking, playing ultimate frisbee, hanging out with friends, and writing down random stuff in his many notebooks.