From March 20 to March 24, West held its exciting and competitive annual Olympics. Each day featured a different competition between grades, with the Sophomores taking the crown at the end of the week. 

   Monday’s sports were tug of rope and track. First, students of each grade met in the middle of the stadium to pull as hard as they could against their competitors in the fierce tug of rope game. Due to their size and strength, the Seniors dominated the rest of the grades in a landslide. Next, students competed in a relay race around the track. The close sprint ended with the Sophomores victorious, giving them their first win of the week. The sophomores also won Tuesday’s game, 3 vs. 3 basketball, dominating the rest of the teams with their impressive shots.  

   Wednesday’s game was simultaneously funny and intense. Each grade participated in Toilet Ball, a game in which four players from each grade passed and threw a toilet paper roll into another team’s goal. The soccer and basketball mashup deeply invested the audience as they cheered on their team. Sam Estrada (11), a player on the junior team, recalled his grade’s “play with about 15 consecutive passes leading to a goal.” He stated that he had a great experience participating in the activity, believing that the Olympics is a great way for “students to feel more connected to one another.” His team did very well in the beginning of the Toilet Ball event. However they lost their second game against the Seniors. “After we were down 2-0, we started to lose hope and began slacking off on communication,” Estrada explained. The Seniors won the game, achieving their second win for the Olympics. 

   Thursday’s sport was Super Smash Bros., held in the gym and played by West’s Esports team. The event had the most active crowd out of all of the sports, with students cheering for their grade to be the last character standing. In a close and suspenseful game, the Freshmen achieved their first win of the week. 

   The final sport was played on Friday: the obstacle course. Students met on the track and participated in a series of difficult challenges including running back to back with a basketball, racing on tricycles, throwing footballs through hula hoops, and sliding down a slip and slide. The event did not go to plan, with many mess-ups and a few organization mishaps. Viewers could not distinguish which grade won the sport, with many debating between the Juniors and the Seniors. Activities Director Mrs. Eriksen determined that it was actually the Sophomores who won, crowning them the winners of the Olympics as a whole. 

   Alexis Lee (10), who played in the back to back activity, explained that although the event was messy, “seeing all [her] classmates play light hearted games throughout the week was really cool.” She believed that the Olympics offered a sense of teamwork and school spirit that every highschool needs. “It brought something small but fun to look forward to throughout the week.” 

   Mrs. Eriksen stated that the main reason for hosting the Olympics is to “bring in some class enthusiasm” when watching and rooting for players. 

   As the week came to a close, the Olympics proved to offer students a great way to participate in school spirit, whether that be playing or watching.