West Field High School Seniors Aleena Navarrete (girls wrestler) and Slade Erickson (swimmer and SBO) set the bar high for the future generations here at West Field High School.
Seniors at West Field High School, Erickson and Navarrete were given the choice to attend senior year at their current High School or West Field High. The choice to stay would have meant less disruption to their sports career, but moving to Westfield gave them the chance to begin and lead legacies.
The move affected both athletes’ sports. Erickson said that he was glad his assistant coach from Fremont moved to West Field as head coach, making it possible to still work with him. Erickson is the only senior male swimmer this season. The other swimmers on the team are all younger and, for the most part, less experienced swimmers, giving him the opportunity and responsibility to set a good example of hard work and dedication.
Navarrete said that jumping from a large team at Fremont to a small team at West Field was the biggest change she had to deal with, but it was also rewarding. The smaller numbers helped with bonding and sisterhood, making a big difference in their team relationships and their social interactions. “I like that there is more bonding and trust with the smaller number of people on the team,” Navarrete said. “I am most proud of not letting my circumstances hurt me and get me down,” she added. Navarette has also felt the stress of transferring to a new school and working with new coaches.
In preparation for their comps and meets, both Erickson and Navarrete have their mantras that help them get through tough and trying times. Erickson, before racing in preparation for his meets, quotes Lightning McQueen’s famous pep talk, “Focus. Speed. I am speed.” He also jumps up and down hitting his legs, getting himself psyched for the race to come. Navarrete has her style of preparation and says to herself, “ Trust in yourself, trust in your coaches, you’ve come this far because of your hard work and it will pay off.”
And, of course, it has. Erickson made it to state, placing 9th out of 32 swimmers in the 100-meter breaststroke and held all but two of the school records this season. Navarrete placed first in all of her tournaments but one where she wasn’t present. Even more impressive, both student athletes credited their successes to the support systems around them. “I have the best support system in the world with my parents, my teammates, and my coaches,” she said. And Erickson, giving way to his religious background and character, said, “I have God to thank; he has blessed me with opportunities and strength in my races.”
Being good examples and leading the legacy that future Longhorns can look up to for generations to come, Erickson and Navarrete have made a difference. “I just hope I could be an inspiration to other girls,” Navarrete said. “That’s all I hope for. I want to be just like Aleena. I want to wrestle like her, I want to win like her,” she added. For Erickson, he wants to inspire future swimmers. “There’s nothing you can’t do if you work hard enough. It’ll pay off; don’t doubt yourself. Anything is possible.”
One thing is for sure: these students are the epitome of strength, determination, and will power, setting the bar high for sports, but also for how to be successful in life.
