Dragon Echo Staff Reports
The end of football season means all the participants on and off the field will finally get a break from an intense fall schedule. Tonight is the last football game NHS will play this season, against Mt. Pleasant.
Whether students are athletes, performers or working as support staff for the game, they would all agree that the time they spend practicing and attending games is demanding.
It’s even more demanding for students who participate in additional sports and activities.
Six students on the Dragonettes Drill Team not only dance but participate in other extracurricular events at the same time.
Kate Esparza, Joana Castelan and Whitley Howell dance on the drill team and march with the Golden Dragon Band.
Jasmine Weng and Kayla Whitaker dance and play volleyball, and Lily Choi dances and swims.
These students dedicate themselves fully to all their events.
Kate and Joana, both seniors who play clarinet, said they have been in band since sixth grade – so staying in band was a “no brainer,” and “quitting band wasn’t an option.”
Both girls had wanted to do drill team, and they decided to go for it their senior year.
“It’s hard doing both,” Kate said. “It takes a lot of time at school and the summer. There were days I couldn’t get home until 8:30 at night. I couldn’t have done it without Whitley and Joana.”
Whitley is a freshman who plays flute, and she said she also couldn’t pick between band and drill team as she was coming into high school.
“I love band and music, but I also love dance,” she said. “I just did both! Being in both is hard, because both are huge time commitments. The middle of football season was the worst, because we were preparing for marching competition and had two-hour practices. I spent one hour at drill team practice and the second hour at band every day.”
The girls said they try to split their time evenly between band and drill team.
Whitley has danced for 11 years, and this is Kate and Joana’s first year to dance. All the girls said being in band and drill team lets them see the best of both worlds.
“I love the relationships I’ve made with both groups of people,” Whitley said. “Both groups are so supportive when I’m performing with the other.”
Kate said she feels like she is part of two big happy families.
Whitley is also in the SFA STEM Program, Model UN, Key Club and dances outside of school with the Gobel School of Dance. Kate is in Interact Club and French Honor Society.
Sophomore Jasmine Weng and Kayla Whitaker balanced drill team with volleyball throughout the fall semester.
Jasmine said it was hard at times to do both, but her volleyball coach, Cotina Evans, and drill team sponsor, Mrs. Lisa Fuller, worked with her to make it doable. Jasmine has played volleyball for five years, and this is her first year as a dancer.
“I love my teammates on both teams and the vibe of both groups,” she said. “Everyone is different and special in their own way.”
Kayla said both groups have similar work ethics, and she has enjoyed getting to do both volleyball and drill team – even though it could be stressful at times.
She has played volleyball for nine years and danced for six years.
“I love both activities, but I never have a break,” Kayla said. “I have to thank Coach Evans and Mrs. Fuller for helping me keep everything in place. Sometimes I want to give up, but I know they won’t let me. I’m truly grateful for these beautiful women for staying by my side and helping me figure everything out. Even though sometimes I shut down, I want them to know how truly grateful I am. Coach Hand and Coach A. help me out a lot as well.”
Kayla is also involved in Bea-You-tiful Girls, and she runs track.
Junior Lily Choi swims on the Dragon Swim Team and dances. Read more about Lily in an upcoming article in The Dragon Echo.