Emily Falanga and Karina Lee have spent their senior seasons building connections with their teammates while balancing the responsibilities that come with being high school athletes. Emily, a freestyle sprinter on the girls swim and dive team, has learned how to approach leadership by understanding her teammates’ needs. Karina, who has competed in cross country throughout all four years of high school, values the time she spends with her teammates outside of competition. Their experiences have helped shape what they value about their sports and what they hope to pursue after graduation.
For Emily, one of her favorite memories came from seeing her team win its first race together. As a captain, she has also learned that leading a team means understanding how different people learn. “How to adjust my learning techniques to ensure that everyone is able to understand the drills and equipment,” Emily said when describing what she has learned from being a captain. She has also learned to look at disagreements from a broader perspective rather than immediately taking sides.
Emily’s role as a captain extends beyond practices and meets. She takes pride in being someone her teammates can approach, even when their questions have nothing to do with swimming. “I’m never actually off the field. When my swimmers come up to me in the halls or message me questions just about life, I can always be there for them,” Emily said.
Karina’s favorite memories from cross country come from the time her team spends together after meets. Rather than focusing only on the races, she enjoys the opportunity for everyone to choose a place to eat and spend time together. “We all chose a place to eat and we chose a meet day to do it. It’s like a big family dinner,” Karina said.
Outside of running, Karina is proud of her ability to balance school, practice, volunteering and work. Although managing everything can be difficult, she finds the effort worthwhile. She has already completed more than 100 hours of community service and plans to continue volunteering. Her experience balancing these commitments has been an important part of her high school years.
Both athletes also have plans to continue pursuing their interests after graduation. Emily hopes to continue swimming in college while majoring in cybersecurity. Her interest in the sport also has a family connection through her sister, Kaelyn Falanga, who served as a swim team captain four years ago. “She taught me the techniques I use to swim today,” Emily said.
Karina hopes to attend college in Florida, where she would like to continue running cross country. She also plans to study marine biology, with a particular interest in shark behavior and oceanography. Along with pursuing her academic and athletic goals, she hopes to remain near her mom and sister.
Family has played an important role in both athletes’ journeys. Emily credits her sister, Kaelyn Falanga, who was a captain of the swim team four years ago, with helping her develop as a swimmer. “She taught me the techniques I use to swim today,” Emily said.
Karina credits her dad for helping shape who she is today and giving her the confidence to be herself. “He taught me so much of what I know today and gave me the courage to be myself without being afraid,” Karina said. She also appreciates his continued support, explaining, “He supported every decision I made and was there for me through it all.”
For Emily and Karina, some of the most meaningful parts of their high school athletic experiences have come from the people around them. Whether it is Emily helping her teammates through challenges or Karina finding a sense of family in her cross country team, both have found value in the connections they have made along the way. Those relationships have become an important part of their high school sports experiences.