For the Class of 2026 at Kathleen Macdonald High School (KMHS), this spring is the last time they will compete in the jerseys they’ve worn for our school. While the season is busy with practices, meets, and games, many seniors are looking past the scores to focus on the friendships and personal growth they’ve found along the way.
Some of these athletic careers started by total accident. Tehya Taylor had no initial interest in sports until her freshman year P.E teacher, Mr.Codera, noticed her speed during a 40-meter dash in class. Witnessing her speed prompted him to encourage her to sign up for the track team and after winning her very first 200-meter race, she decided to stick with track for the rest of high school.
Taylor said, “Track honestly gives me motivation, even outside of the sport itself. I would say I give up very easily and track has taught me I can’t do that and I have to just keep running.”
While track is often seen as an individual sport, she found that the team environment is what kept her going. She recalled a moment during a 4×400-meter relay where she “hit a wall” at the 300-meter mark. She saw her teammates running alongside the fence and yelling for her to try her very best. She said, “Seeing everyone cheering me on reassured me that I really do love the team and the sport.”
That same sense of team loyalty is what brought Carmella Ortiz back to the pool this year, though in a different capacity. After years of swimming for both KMHS and a local club, she transitioned to a leadership role as the swim team manager. She now handles the technical side of the meets to ensure everything runs smoothly for her peers.
Ortiz said, “Swimming helps me feel like I can take initiative and have confidence in myself.”
As she prepares to graduate, she hopes other students aren’t intimidated by the sport. She said, “I believe [people] think they have to be good swimmers, but actually you can use the experience [of joining the KMHS swim team] to learn.”
While Ortiz found a new way to lead her team, senior Natalie Salceda spent her final years at KMHS discovering a brand-new sport. After playing volleyball and soccer earlier in high school, Salceda joined the school’s first softball team during her junior year. This year, her focus shifted away from the other sports she participated in and put her focus on softball.
Salceda said, “I love softball. It gave me a community of people that I love and gave me an opportunity to find my place as an athlete.”
She noted that the team has improved significantly since those early days. She is proud of the work they have put into this season. She said, “Our team has been doing well so far, so that’s been something to look forward to as the team has truly been giving it their all at all the games we’ve played.”
For others, the end of high school marks the conclusion of a lifelong journey. Pablo Guzman, a self-proclaimed “funny guy” has played baseball for 14 years, began his journey when his father first taught him how to play at 4 years old. Now a third baseman and power hitter, he is navigating the reality of his final weeks on a high school field.
Guzman said, “This sport has impacted me so much that it’s hard to let go of high school ball.”
He spent his final season taking on a mentorship role; as he passed on his knowledge to support his other teammates. He said, “This sport has allowed me to affect some of my teammates with some knowledge [I got from] over the years I’ve played.”
As the school year winds down, these seniors are leaving KMHS with more than playing time. Whether they started by accident or played for over a decade, the persistence and leadership they have practiced this spring are the tools they’ll take with them after graduation.
