For many students, the week of March 23 may just be a typical school week.  But for athletes, these five days take on a whole new meaning: tryouts.

The evaluations for Staples’ 13 spring sports teams begin on the Monday of this week, often times worrying those who roam the halls of the school every day.  Often times, the number of students vying for a spot far outweighs the number of places available.

Because of this, many students start preparing well in advance, with some playing their respective sport through the winter.  Jackson Delgado ’18, a baseball player is one of these.

“I took about a week off at the end of the season,” Delgado said.  “Since then, I’ve been practicing in a clinic and individually so I’m ready for tryouts.”

In addition to practice, student athletes are hitting the weight room in order to be as prepared for the season as possible.

“Even though I don’t have tryouts in the spring, I’m still doing a lot this winter,” Griffin O’Neill ’17, a soccer player, said. “I work out before school on Tuesday and Thursday and play futsal on Sundays.”

While tryouts tend to preoccupy students, there are also many who see no need to worry as long as they’ve practiced enough.

“I’m working with teammates every week to prepare for the season,” Kat Vartuli ’17, a softball player, said. “But I’m not at all worried for tryouts though. I’m confident in my skills.”

And while many students have different takes on tryouts, most can agree on one thing.

“I’ve practiced all winter to be as ready for my tryouts as possible,” Jean-Luc Lefebvre ’17, a tennis player, said. “And like almost all kids, I’m sure that my hard work will certainly pay off.”