Student Athlete Spotlight

Though OHS athletes pursue a variety of athletic endeavors, ranging from fencing to surfing to jiu-jitsu, all of these student-athletes share one thing in common: their dedication and commitment in pursuing academics and athletics to a high level. Below is a quick peek into the lives of eight of our OHS student athletes. 

Chandler Nelson - Tennis 

Three and a half years ago, Chandler Nelson picked up a tennis racket for the first time. Since then, Chandler’s enthusiasm for tennis has only grown, as he now plays at a competitive level. As only a seventh-grade student, Chandler manages four OHS classes while training and competing for 30-32 hours a week. This demanding schedule is a lot to manage, so Chandler has had to develop time-management skills at a young age. In order to succeed both on the court and in class, Chandler has to “stay organized with a clear schedule... [by] calandariz[ing] my times to study for school.”

During the strict Covid-19 regulations in the United States from March to June, Chandler’s training academy was temporarily shut down. Though he was occasionally able to play one-on-one with his coach, his standard weekly playing times were cut down significantly. Now, however, Chandler’s academy has opened, and with “a lot of precautions… we are still able to play our usual number of hours.” Tennis has captivated Chandler because he finds it “super fun,” as well as he “love[s] that burning feeling in all of your muscles at the end of the day after a day of competing/training.” Chandler’s future plans are to become a professional player, so make sure to keep an eye out for his name on TV in a few years!

Riley Revilla - Swimming

For as long as she can remember, Riley Revilla has spent hours of her week in the water. Though she is just a sophomore in highschool, Riley has already been swimming for ten years. As a part-time OHS student who spends fourteen hours a week training, Riley has become a pro at managing her time and being productive. Riley explains, “I have found it super helpful to keep a list of assignments due for the week on my desk. When I’m having trouble with one of them [I] just skip to the next one due so I can use my time as efficiently as possible and give my mind a bit of a break.” Definitely a good tip for student-athletes and students alike!

Due to Covid, Riley has had to cut her training in half from fourteen hours to seven hours a week; because of social distancing restrictions, there is limited capacity at the pool and thus she cannot train as often. Her swim meets have also been cancelled until at least the end of 2020. Though this is a bummer, Riley maintains her passion for swimming, explaining, “I really enjoy swimming because it is a way for me to stay healthy and also get all my energy out.” As of now, Riley uses swimming mostly as an opportunity to take a break from school and “take some time for myself.” Riley is excited to see where things go, as “of course things can always change!”

Knox Choi - Jiu-Jitsu

Seeking to challenge himself both mentally and physically, Knox Choi joined jiu-jitsu two years ago. For Knox, jiu-jitsu is a source of stress relief rather than a professional competitive endeavor, and he currently trains for about 5-6 hours weekly. Knox utilizes Jiu Jitsu as a break from the stressful school atmosphere, noting, “I just set certain times to train and I use it to focus my mind on something outside of school.”

While Knox was planning to compete in a few tournaments this summer, the restrictions due to Covid-19 did not allow for this. As he has not been able to train or compete as much as expected, Knox explains that the current circumstances “[have] definitely impacted my ability.” Though the circumstances interfered with his athletic opportunities, Knox still values the lessons that sports can teach. More than just the “challenge and competition” that athletics provide, Knox enjoys how “they are great for character development in areas such as diligence and self-control.” Knox plans to continue utilizing athletics as a challenge and for stress relief, as he does not plan to pursue jiu-jitsu beyond high school: “My ultimate goal in athletics would be just to enjoy them and bond with people over them.”

Halle Hunt - Rugby, Basketball, Horse Riding

As a hardworking and dedicated individual, one sport doesn’t cut it for multi-sport athlete Halle Hunt. Halle has played rugby for four years, basketball for six, and has ridden horses for ten. Attending OHS as a part-time junior while managing her many athletic endeavors, Halle is a great example of a productive student athlete. She currently dedicates around ten hours a week to training and competing, and notes that to have enough time to succeed in both, she has had to “make social sacrifices, but … it’s worth it to play.” 

Covid-19 has inhibited Halle from playing her main sport, rugby, but currently she can still horseback ride. In order to stay in shape, Halle has spent her time training and working out on her own, so that whenever she can compete she is as physically prepared as possible. Halle enjoys athletics because they make her, “feel clear minded. I feel healthy and always happier after playing. I also LOVE the community of sports.” Halle aims to pursue rugby after highschool, hoping to play Division 1 NCAA (National College Athletics Association) and potentially go pro.

Finn Boyle - Track

When not training at the track, Finn Boyle can be found strength conditioning and recovery training for multiple hours a week. As a competitive track athlete, OHS junior Finn Boyle has been running track for two years so far. Finn has a demanding training schedule, committing seven hours to running, three hours to strength and conditioning, and four hours to recovering and stretching every week. As this is his fourth year full-time at OHS, Finn has gotten in a groove for managing academics and athletics, and has found the key to succeeding is “careful time management and completing school work efficiently.”

With the current pandemic, Finn has found the largest struggle athletically to be the lack of pacing from fellow athletes. As he has had to race alone and train without teammates, Finn admits that this “makes it significantly more difficult to run well.” Though training has proved tougher during these times, Finn still loves the sport as he enjoys the simplicity of running. He states that “running is one sport that truly rewards hard work with success: the more and harder you train, the faster you get,” which is ultimately “inarguable and fulfilling.” With his hard work and dedication, Finn hopes to run Division 1 NCAA (National College Athletics Association).

Sophia Panigrahi - Fencing 

Fascinated by how fencing requires both strategy and strength, Sophia has been sabre fencing for four years and dedicates ten hours weekly to enhancing her skills. As a now full-time OHS student, Sophia has found “for me, striking a balance between academics and athletics has always been a challenge.” As a bright and passionate student, Sophia notes that “academics have always been my top priority because I truly love to learn! … That said, I truly love fencing, so I have also worked hard to make sure I can do both.” As she has become more competitive, training and competing have demanded more of her time; this, just as she’s a pro on the fencing strip, Sophia has become a pro at managing her work and scheduling her time.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sophia’s ability to train and compete has been hindered significantly. For many months, due to the lockdown in the United States, all practices and competitions were cancelled. Sophia notes that her coaches did a great job of keeping the athletes motivated during this period, as “they hosted many Zoom meetings to analyze videos of high-level fencing for strategic purposes.” Once lockdown restrictions eased up, Sophia was able to attend conditioning sessions and practice outdoors while wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. Sophia notes that though staying optimistic has been a challenge, “my coaches have encouraged me to continue to train and remain positive!”  Sophia loves the fast pace and unpredictability of fencing, voicing that “I have found that while I constantly practice drills, each time I fence, I am presented with a new style of fencing by my opponent, which is something both challenging and interesting about fencing!” Sophia hopes to pursue athletics and compete at the highest level that she can, and is excited “to see what the future holds!”

James Arnott - Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, Skiing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Diving, Swimming

An all-around athlete, on any given day James Arnott can be found up on mountain tops to down in ocean swells or anywhere in between. Drawn to sports since he was little, James has been playing for twelve years so far. As a current junior, James has been attending OHS full-time since the eighth grade. Estimating that he participates in sports around a whopping 45 hours per week, James admits that managing academics and athletics can be quite tough at times. As two of James’ greatest passions, surfing and skiing, are weather dependent, he often travels multiple hours to train; James outlines that balancing “school and athletics becomes the hardest when he has to travel,” but has provided a great opportunity to improve time-management skills.

Luckily, James’s training has for the most part been unaffected by the pandemic. James finds opportunities to train outside on open roads, in the ocean, and in his friend’s gym. As can be seen by the variety of sports he plays and the considerable weekly time he commits to them, James loves everything about athletics, including “the sheer stoke and elation I get from situations the sports put me in. I am having the best time without a doubt when I am doing one of those sports listed.” James has many large athletic goals for the future, hoping to travel to “ski Niseko [in] Japan and hike Mt. Fuji.” James also intends “to surf maxing size hurricane swells in Hawaii at pipeline [and] double backflip Corbet's Couloir.” 

Ryan Lee - Fencing

As a fencer for six years and counting, Ryan Lee dedicates thirty hours a week to fencing alongside his five OHS courses. By devoting his time to two significant pursuits, academics and athletics, Ryan has been forced to effectively manage his time. When asked how he finds a balance between the two, Ryan jokes, “I don’t.” On a more serious note, he states, “It’s very difficult to manage your academics during competition periods… multitasking and time management [are] extremely important.”

Like most of the other student athletes, Ryan’s ability to train and compete have been affected by Covid-19. The entire season for fencing has been cancelled, “which is really unfortunate.” Ryan’s fencing studio has also been shut down due to state regulations. Ryan maintains his motivation, however, by cross training at home whenever he can. Though the pandemic has provided obstacles, Ryan’s dedication to fencing has not waned. Ryan loves how the sport challenges him both physically and mentally. He explains, “In a one-on-onesport, the only person who can affect the course of the game is yourself. The psychology, technique, and strength needed to succeed in the sport is fascinating, and I want to try to get even better.” Ryan is committed to pursuing this athletic endeavor for as long as possible, with the impressive goals of winning NCAA (National College Athletic Association) championships and one day attending the Olympics.