Senior Ryan Hyde made the decision not to go out for shot put, a team he has been on since freshman year, this year. He did so to try new things like participating in the play and competing in Mr. FHN.

“I did have some really good times with my friends there,” Hyde said. “But I feel like now I’m just on to bigger and better things.”

Seniors deciding against doing sports they’ve been doing is not as uncommon as you would think. Senior Kevin Rudberg was unable to return to Varsity Boys Volleyball this season because of a shoulder injury.

“I have a job so I’m just gonna work and I go to the gym a lot,” Rudberg said. “I just wanna chill before college and not have a lot of stress.”

While the decision against returning may seem simple, many students come to regret quitting their sport in high school, according to shot put coach John Brune. These sports can become a big part of students life and this may be his last chance to do it.

”The opportunities that they have, such as being a part of sports programs, is only going to be here for a short time,” Brune said. “So it breaks my heart when I see them walk away from sports when they’re in high school. I’ve never met a kid who has walked away in high school who has come back later and not regretted it.”

That being said, Hyde remains optimistic about his decision.

“Honestly, I feel like I would regret the decision if I did do shot put,” Hyde said. “I think you should try to get your full high school experience and try different things because what’s the point if you’re not going to try out everything that the high school has to offer.”

Rudberg feels similarly about his decision.

“If I were to have played I could end up doing something to my shoulder that could end with me needing surgery,” Rudberg said. ”That’d be a real buzzkill.”