George Mason High School, with all seasons combined, offers sixteen sports each school year. Usually a student might play one or two a year, but there are a select few who play in all three seasons. Senior Daniel Reinfurt is one of them.
During the final moments of summer, when Virginia weather is sweltering, Daniel and his football teammates return to George Mason’s athletic field to begin tryouts and practice. School has not yet begun so the campus is bare but you can hear the shouts of direction and orders echoing from the field.
Football season runs through the fall and ends right in time to ring in the winter sports season. Here Daniel trades in the outdoor tackles for the indoor flipturn. While it is cold outside, Daniel and his swim teammates can compete in the tropical warmth of a well ventilated pool deck. And as a true competitor, he continues to improve his swim times each year, proving to be one of our swim team’s most valuable assets.
After swimming at Virginia’s 2A State Championship he hangs up his swim goggles and reaches for his baseball bat. Tryouts for George Mason’s baseball team start at the end of February and the season runs through mid May. After a winter indoors Daniel springs into action with him spending the remaining school year in the cool evening games under the florescent glow of our athletic field lights playing America’s favorite pastime.
When I asked Daniel why he spends an entire school year playing sports he stated that “I really enjoy all three sports. I have played them for years and I wanted to continue to play them in high school.”
I also asked him if he would enjoy continuing to play one of these sports in college but he is skeptical about whether or not he’s skilled enough to play at the college level. “I would enjoy playing a sport in college, though I’m not sure I’m good enough.”
Studies have shown and proven that sports help in many ways it can improve a child’s social skills, keep them physically adept, protect them from getting involved with bad influences and be an overall boost for a young adult’s self esteem and confidence. Daniel believes that sports can teach important life lessons and skills as well as “build character and grit.”
I would agree with this statement. When you play a sport you must adhere not only to the rules of the sport but to the practice schedule around it and that takes some self discipline. When you play a sport you are responsible for being a good teammate, this means showing up for practice, supporting your fellow athletes and helping to create both a competitive and supportive atmosphere in which to play. When you play a sport you learn to not only how to work with others but how to do so in friendly and fair manner. Sports indeed can help you grow as a person.
With Daniel graduating this year, he will be leaving some big shoes to fill in our George Mason athletic community. But with all of his experience in school and sports he will bring with him a wealth of knowledge and skill. He will be attending the Air Force Academy in the Fall, here he can put to use all of the lessons learned at George Mason both in school, on the field and in the water.
