Playing four different sports may sound grueling and awful to some; for Apex High Multi-Sport Athlete, Weston Freiling, it sounds like just another day. This past Monday I interviewed Weston about his different experiences, challenges, and thoughts related to playing three school sports and one club sport. 

Q: How long have you been active in sports? 

A: I have been playing sports pretty much my whole life, but I’m pretty sure I started when I was about four. My parents signed me up for baseball because my older brother, Hayes, really enjoyed it. From there I just tried new sports while still playing baseball.

Q: What sports do you play at the moment?

A: I play three school sports-JV Soccer, JV Basketball, and JV Lacrosse. Baseball season takes place in the summer when the workload isn’t so immense. I play for a club travel team.

Q: How seriously do you take your sports? 

A: Sports are my whole life. I take them very seriously, sometimes more seriously than my schoolwork. Because I have been doing sports my whole life, I have always had a competitive nature in me. But not like a sore loser. Instead it’s more like a give-it-your-all type of mindset. I always try to play to my best ability, despite whatever the circumstances are. 

Q: What is the most enjoyable part of playing 2+ sports at once? 

A: The most enjoyable part is that playing four sports keeps me busy year round. I’m always out practicing and keeping my body in the best shape possible due to all my training. I spend less time on my phone and fewer hours playing video games, which is a positive thing.

Q: Are there any setbacks you have faced during your sports seasons? 

A: Well I don’t get injured, so I would say that one of the setbacks I’ve faced is not doing homework. It’s a bad habit, but after practices and games, I’m just too tired to sit down and study or do a worksheet. But I obviously still try my best to complete homework when I can because it can bring down your grade fast, and my parents get frustrated when my grades drop.

Q: What is the most challenging part of playing multiple sports? 

A: I’m always tired. Playing multiple sports is exhausting. Sometimes we can have late games and late practices. One time during baseball I didn’t get home from a game until eleven, and I slept for thirteen hours after because I was so tired. It can be really difficult sometimes, especially on the days where I feel lazy. But the positive thing about the different sports I play is that they never overlap with one another. So there aren’t days where I’ll have like, a soccer practice and then a lacrosse game after, because they are all played in different seasons.

Q: Which is more demanding, school sports or club sports and why? 

School sports, definitely, because they are every day. Every single day we either have a practice or game; sometimes we even have to travel up to forty-five minutes just to get to one of our away games. Club sports still have immense amounts of traveling, but since it takes place over the summer when we don’t have school, there is never an issue with it.

Q:  How long do you plan to continue playing sports? 

A: I would like to play sports all throughout High School but not in college. Throughout my time in college I would really just like to focus on my academics and succeed, given how important college is to your life. I will always watch sports though and my passion for them will never go away.

Q: How competitive are you and your siblings when it comes to sports? 

A: Both my brothers and I are insanely competitive, sometimes too much. We still support each other, but there are times where we will make fun of one another and brag about ourselves. It’s pretty much inevitable that if one of us messes up in a game, we will hear a sibling run their mouth. I feel like it’s a brotherly thing. Our parents hate when we argue with each other, especially over little things that may have happened in games. However, we are so close-knit that we will always root for one another and be there for each other.

Each day Weston is able to spend time doing what he loves the most-playing sports with his friends, who are almost like his brothers. Some obstacles are apparent, but they are far from getting the way of Weston’s love for the games; determined is an understatement to describe him. Often times the passion for each of the sports he plays may vary, but he wouldn’t change anything. Overall, Weston has become an astounding athlete and team-player and will continue to play throughout his high school career.