Chasing accolades: Spring sports preview

With winter coming to a close, Blair is saying goodbye to basketball, bocce, and indoor track and opening its doors for lacrosse, baseball, cheer, and outdoor track. As each spring team prepares for a competitive and successful campaign, the methods they use as preparation lays the foundation for expectations heading into the season, with their training and mindset setting the tone for what’s to come.

Baseball

Baseball

Photo: Pitcher winds up during a home game.

Pitcher winds up during a home game. Photo courtesy of Zach Carter.

Although being in one of the most competitive regions in Maryland, Blair's baseball team is coming off a commendable regionals win last season. Now, with a team full of experienced juniors, the expectations for the team are high. “Last year we won a regional championship. I want to do that again. I'd like to go further than that, be a dark horse that can upset some teams that think they're better than us,” head coach Kyle Wannen says.

The atmosphere and culture of this year's team are going to be an key part of success throughout the season. Wannen acknowledges the hard work and mental toll it can take but believes that the team’s welcoming environment aids in this. “Baseball can be a grind. It's three months, six days a week, so it can be tough mentally,” he says. “We’re gonna work on developing an honest and positive culture, where we can give each other feedback and have fun going out there every day.”

Another key part of having a successful season is how much support athletes receive from peers. A supportive student section amplifies the intensity of games, making them more competitive and enjoyable. This, in addition to other factors like a top-of-the-line baseball field and under-the-light games, will help the team reach a desperately sought-after state championship. “Baseball is special. We get to play on one of the best fields in the county, night games, and under the lights consistently, so not only does that provide a unique experience for the players, but it allows the community time to enjoy a professional baseball experience,” Wannen says. “We hope that the Blazers come and support us as we march towards a state championship.”

Track and Field

Track

Photo: Blair boys’ track after a flawless victory.

Blair boys’ track after a flawless victory. Photo courtesy of @tinothanhpham on Instagram.

Coming off a dominant indoor track season in the winter, winning the county, regional, and state championship, by a total win margin of 84.5 points, Blair's track and field team is looking to carry on the success. 

The outdoor track comes with some differences and similarities to the indoor track. While both seasons feature sprinting, distance running, jumping, and throwing events, the outdoor season introduces additional challenges, like the shift to a 400m track compared to the shorter indoor one, which requires student-athletes to adapt. This can be difficult at first, but it opens doors for untapped potential that was not addressed during the indoor season. “Our distance team has a lot of potential that didn't show indoors. It was mostly our sprints. I'm hopeful about it,” junior distance runner Evan Blenkinsop says.

Having a dominant indoor season has some difficult problems. Firstly, there are high expectations, and the likelihood of burnout can negatively affect how the rest of the season is going to play out. In preparation, head coach Terry Johnson looks at different outlets, which makes the team have fun while performing. “We make sure they enjoy team bonding. Of course, the workouts are hard, but winning is fun, so once they get that flow, they don't want to stop,” he says.

This mindset sticks with the players. “We are taught to overcome adversity and be more positive, to never take a loss as the standard, and to stay with the grind. These types of things stick with me when I don't have a coach present,” senior and team captain Abigail Mokosso says.

Keeping this in mind, coaches and students are making sure that they recognize the challenge of maintaining their dominance but are hopeful for a successful season. “The biggest challenge is trying to keep our momentum going. If people have peaked indoors, going out and trying to do the same outdoors is going to be hard. Hopefully, we can ride the momentum and continue winning all through the outdoor season,” Blenkinsop says.

Cheer

Cheer

Photo: Blair's cheer team hypes up crowd ahead of home basketball game.

Blair's cheer team hypes up crowd ahead of home basketball game. Photo courtesy of Zach Carter.

Cheer operates multiple times throughout the year, with the spring season concluding the year. Motivation and a strong connection with gymnasts are vital to keeping team morale high throughout the year. “I am strict but not overbearing. I allow the student-athletes to try what they are comfortable with but push them to do more,” head coach Amanda Pierce says. “From day one, they understand that they need to be self-motivated, but I am always there to help and guide.”

In comparison to the fall and winter seasons, the spring season is much shorter. To make up for the lack of time, the team starts off strong from the get-go. “We have a short season with few practices, so it is go, go, go from the beginning,” Pierce says.

Returning to in-person coaching is a new challenge for Pierce, who worked behind the scenes last season. “Half the team is new this season, and I did not coach in person last season. That’s going to be a big shift,” she explains. As the players and coach adjust to the abbreviated schedule and intensity from day one, the focus stays on building team chemistry.

Lacrosse

Lacrosse

Photo: Blair lacrosse player warms up during practice.

Blair lacrosse player warms up during practice. Photo courtesy of Zach Carter.

The Blair varsity boys' lacrosse team is looking to build on last season’s 7–5 record and regional championship, aiming for a deeper run in the state tournament. With a mix of returning players and new players from junior varsity, the team is focused on making a cameo in the championship game. “We have a lot of great players returning this season and some players making the jump to varsity from JV, so our squad is cut out for competing,” coach Brian McGeeney says.

Now in his second year at Blair, and his 23rd overall as a lacrosse coach, McGeeney believes the team is more in sync and prepared for the season. This season, he hopes the players will work with him better, as they have built their understanding of each other together. “It was my first year coaching Blair last season, so the players were still getting used to me and what I want from them. But this season, now being my second, we should be more connected,” he says.

Preparation has been a key focus, with the team scheduling multiple scrimmages. The overall goal of McGeeney is to refine what they have worked on throughout last spring. “We are not looking to make a difference from last season, but hoping to build upon what we already have set,” he says.

Looking at the season, the team is prioritizing a solid regular-season record to set itself up for a better playoff path. This means avoiding early matchups against top-seeded teams to have that extra luck in making it to a state finals. “Making sure to have our record secure so that we don't have to play maybe a one, two, or three seed can help ease us through the playoffs and make it to the state championship,” McGeeney says.

All Blair spring teams are finalizing their preparations for the broader season with scrimmages and tryouts across sports. To find out more information regarding games, recent scores, and how to support the teams, make sure to check out Blair Athletics and support your peers.