Mead multi-sport athletes power several girls programs to success

Frantic searches are a seasonal scene for Maddy Wright and Elena Gomez as they prepare to leave for school in the morning.

As multi-sport athletes at Mead, there’s no breathing room for Wright and Gomez.

One season ends and the other begins.

So while they are sure of the location of their gym bag that totes their basketball shoes, practice jersey and everything they need for practice on the hardwood, when the final jump ball has been called and the last basket of the season has passed through the net, it’s time for soccer.

That means an entirely new set of gear. Shin guards, tall socks and cleats. As seconds tick away in the morning, they’re scrambling to find everything needed for the pitch.

Wright and Gomez are part of a group of Mavericks who refuse to specialize. Instead of committing to a single sport, they embrace diversity.

Wright is a basketball and soccer player who will take the pitch next year for Montana State. Gomez is a volleyball, basketball and soccer player that will play collegiately on the hardwood for Fort Lewis.

They are not alone.

Emmy Tecu is a player for volleyball, basketball, lacrosse and a golfer. She’s headed to Tufts where she’ll play lacrosse. Rylee Klatt is honorable mention all state in Class 4A volleyball and track athlete that signed with Northern Arizona. With the state meet just three weeks away, she’s currently No. 1 in the 100-meter dash (11.79 seconds), fifth in the 200 (24.64) and second in the 400 (55.78).

“It’s one sport, right after the other, which kind of makes it really busy but I never get too fatigued from one sport,” Gomez said. “It’s easy to simply focus on the fundamentals of that sport and the goal of always trying to get better. It allows time for my body and mind to breathe. What I enjoy is stepping away from the mentality of perfection and enjoy being young and able to play multiple sports.”

They’re part of a growing movement pushing back against early specialization in athletics. The challenge their muscles, bodies and minds face as they adjust and adapt as the seasons change – it’s something Mead has embraced for nearly two decades.

While they’ll build a wide variety of relationships with teammates, coaches and opponents, playing multiple sports hasn’t been a setback. Each of the Mead athletes is still playing collegiately next fall.

“My main sport is soccer,” Wright said. “The transition is what is so important for me. Sometimes I’m still hanging my head about basketball but it’s almost a big relief when we get soccer started. I’ve always had such a great relationship with our teams. And the soccer team is such a cool group to kick it around with.”

The Entrepreneur

Hours before the sun creeps over the horizon and its rays christen a new day, Tecu scours the family pantry.

Before workouts. Before school. Before most of her classmates are even out of bed.

She’s quietly scouring the kitchen, preparing for the day.

Her go-to lunch is simple: a sandwich made on Dave’s Killer Bread. Praising her dad’s “amazing cooking skills” she spreads homemade hummus between two slices. She opens the refrigerator, grabs a bag of cheese and whatever deli meat she can find.

A panini press brings all the ingredients together and then it’s time to find some fruit and vegetables; a honey crisp apple, perhaps some carrots. Athletics represent a fraction of Tecu’s day.

“I try to think about what I can do today to make tomorrow easier,” Tecu said. “Packing lunch early, getting extra sleep, doing laundry…just staying ahead of things.”

Such is the demands of her schedule.

She’s in the National Honor Society, National Math Honors Society, Student Council President and the Athletic Leadership Committee. She’s the Student Council President with a 4.36 GPA which makes her an AP Scholar.

On the field she’s been first-team all state and a four time All-Conference honoree in lacrosse. Just for good measure she mixed in honorable mention all-conference for basketball.

“If I wake up early and get a workout in, I feel way more productive,” Tecu said. “It’s like, ‘Heck yeah, it’s 7 a.m. and I’ve already been to the gym.’”

For years, Tecu thought basketball would be her path in college. But after playing both club basketball and lacrosse, she found clarity.

“Lacrosse combines so many things,” she said. “All the sports I play contribute to it in different ways.”

That versatility helped shape her future. At Tufts, she plans to pursue a pre-med biology track while continuing her lacrosse career.

In what spare time she has, Tecu founded Event Banners by Emmy (@eventbannersby_emmy). She crafts handmade celebratory banners. Whether it’s a birthday, graduation or simply a special occasion, Tecu helps make for an unforgettable experience.

Whether packing a lunch, excelling in academics, scoring goals or painting a banner, Tecu leads a multifaceted life.

The Mead Culture

Mike Ward marvels at the lines Wright sees.

The Mead girls basketball coach believes her vision and anticipation come from time spent on the soccer pitch. On a much bigger field, with more ground to cover, Wright has to plan out an angle of attack well in advance.

As a result, Wright racked up a team best 22 charges this winter. She cut off opponents, planted her body and wasn’t afraid of contact.

“The angles in soccer that she can see translate from the court to the pitch,” Ward said. “A lot of kids might not see those. Taking 22 charges in 25 games?

“That’s her seeing the angles people are coming from and the fact that she doesn’t mind taking a hit.”

Success like Wright and others have experienced has only bolstered the desire for Mead’s athletic programs to continue to work together.

“We wouldn’t be as successful if we asked kids to focus on just one sport,” Ward said. “If you want the best athletes in your building, you have to share them.”

That mindset created a culture where coaches collaborate rather than compete for athletes.

“What we’ve done a great job of starts at the top, from our athletic director on down,” soccer coach Shane Adler said. “The culture we’ve built helps shape these kids. We tell them not to be selfish. Playing multiple sports is good for them. We share athletes, make it work and make sure they’re happy being part of both programs.

“They learn how to communicate with different coaches, build chemistry with two teams and maintain those relationships. As a school, we’ve done a good job encouraging athletes to handle all of that.

“We’re very open as a coaching staff. We want them to play multiple sports, and we’ll support them if it makes them happy and helps our culture.”

In the spring, girls soccer starts a little later. There’s a week of intensive skill work as players like Wright and Gomez can begin the neuromuscular process of transferring the hand-eye skills needed for basketball to the foot-eye skills of soccer.

“It’s interesting for us because we do a lot in the winter with preseason workouts,” Adler said. “Obviously, we don’t have our basketball players for that, but it’s worked out great. They come in already in shape. Basketball is 94 feet of sprinting, so conditioning isn’t an issue.

“They step on the field and are right where we need them physically. It might take a week or two to get their touch back with their feet instead of their hands, but we don’t have any issues with it.”

Why It Works

For the athletes, the benefits go beyond performance.

“It’s special because you get to be around different groups of teammates,” Wright said. “You meet more people and build more relationships.”

For Gomez, it’s about perspective.

“You never get too caught up in one thing,” she said. “You’re always growing.”

And for Tecu, it’s about preparation. In sports and life.

“Being busy teaches you how to manage everything,” she said. “You learn how to take care of yourself and stay organized.”

At Mead, that lesson is part of the culture.