While WHS is recognized for its many successful sports teams, there also exists a world of alternative athleticism available through two groups who meet during activity blocks. As unique as they are, disc golf and ping pong are enjoyed by many and offer a refreshing escape for students who may seek both the competitive aspect of sports and the camaraderie among members of a club.
The disc golf club is currently small, but its members enjoy spending time playing together.
“Disc golf at the high school is a pretty chill sport as it’s mostly just me and Noah [DeBouter] on the team, and we’re pretty good friends since we have a lot of things in common,” said freshman Kevin Han. “Supporting each other on the course isn’t too hard; it’s mostly just about being respectful.”
Both the players and their advisor hope to expand interest in the sport in the future due to the positive experience they have had playing.
“The thing that drew me to be involved is that it is a sport that I really love, and I feel it’s really accessible to anybody who wants to play it,” said disc golf club co-advisor John Kelley. “I just really enjoy sharing that with young people who are interested in it, young athletes who may discover that passion.”
The ping pong club at WHS is mostly led by students, but one teacher recognized the demand from students and decided to volunteer their time, which proved to be harder than expected.
“The club was actually started a few years ago by students; I was not involved then but I am this year,” said ping pong club advisor and Mandarin teacher Maya Tao. “I saw the demand of many students’ interests, and knew it had been difficult to find teachers who can afford so many hours after school and almost three days a week.”
With dedicated advisors overseeing both clubs, students have been able to join in these sports during activity blocks and after school. For one disc golf club member, the start on his disc golf journey was due to a need for a change in the way he sees himself.
“Back in middle school, I was always the unathletic kid, and I could never play any sports well. I thought that I could never play a popular sport, like soccer, because I was uncoordinated and honestly really weak,” said Han. “To me, disc golf was the best option because it’s a very casual and relaxed sport where you can play with a lot of friends, no matter the skill level. However, it’s still a very competitive sport if you want it to be, and it relies a lot on technique and experience rather than raw strength.”
Some students who helped start the ping pong club were inspired to do so due to a desire to share their love for the game.
“I really enjoy playing ping pong with different people and friends. Ultimately that’s what motivated me to lead and create this club, so others can have the same experience and have just as much fun playing the game as I do,” said sophomore and student leader of the ping pong club Grace Xue.
Although at times it is challenging for the advisors of the disc golf club to attract members, they have found strategies to help recruit for the club.
“When students get to the high school, they suddenly find themselves over-booked and already committed to more traditional sports,” said disc golf co-advisor and art teacher Chris Fehl. “Each year I have offered Disc Golf as a June Academy course, and in addition to introductory training, students get a set of discs to play on their own. I have received emails from students who now play at the Cape in the summer.”
For those interested in giving disc golf a try, the club members have advice to help anyone enjoy the game from the beginning.
“Don’t be pressured to actually get the par straight away. Personally, my average is double-bogey/bogey, so it’s more to have fun and learn,” said freshman Noah DeBouter. “Once you gain more knowledge, you can start on the competitive aspect of the sport, but before that is mainly just learning the technique and tactical aspect of the game.”
Both clubs strive for inclusivity in order to make everyone feel welcome and accepted.
“We welcome every student who is interested in joining our club. It doesn’t matter your skill level; you don’t even have to know how to play ping pong in this club to be a part of it,” Xue said. “This club was created to allow students to have fun playing a great game and with the possibility of making friends and connections with their peers.”
The future of disc golf does not only exist within WHS, but beyond, as the community continues to expand use of the course.
“I definitely think that the course getting finalized, here at the school, is going to be really good for this community because this general area of Massachusetts does not have many courses,” said Kelley. “I think we will see continued growth as a lot more courses go into the ground, a lot more opportunities and places to purchase discs open, and people just go out and enjoy the sport.”
Players also hope interest in these clubs will continue to grow, and encourage their peers to try them.
“If you can’t decide whether to try it or not, just give it a try and I think that you’ll have a lot of fun with it,” Han said.
