Cata LittrellFor senior Cata Littrell, lacrosse became a part of her life in the spring of third grade and quickly grew into a large part of who she was. She has played on her school team and for club team Grit Dallas, envisioning herself one day playing collegiate level lacrosse. She has also participated in many other sports and has loved the different opportunities offered at Hockaday.

“Hockaday is really nice because you get what you put into sports at Hockaday so if you want something that’s really intense or you want to win some championships and practice every single day then you can do that.” Littrell said. “If you just want a fun sport where you can meet new people and you want a lowkey thing, then you can get that too.”

A learning curve appeared for her when she reached high school and other players were beginning to catch up to her with height and athleticism.

“Lacrosse recruiting happens really early and as I mentioned earlier, that learning curve really tested my mental strength,” Littrell said. “As a middle schooler I based a lot of my personality around playing lacrosse and being this athletic girl, and not seeing the reward in that anymore as a freshman in high school was very difficult.”

After years of playing lacrosse and envisioning her future college experience as an athlete, Littrell said that the stress and pressure of recruitment began to take away the joy of her favorite sport.

“Going into my sophomore year summer, thinking about recruiting, I was really worn and exhausted and I kind of saw it as once I committed to a college I was just done; it took me a long time to realize that that is when the work really starts,” Littrell said. “You need to start preparing yourself to play at that next level, and I realized that that wasn’t something I was really able to do and wasn’t something I wanted to do, so mid-way through my recruiting summer I officially decided that I didn’t want to play in college.”

Littrell found this decision incredibly hard as lacrosse had been such a large part of her life for so long.

“It was definitely a difficult choice, and it took me a lot of time to come to terms with it,” Littrell said. “I had to step away and find myself as a regular girl.”

But even now, with her final season and her time as a captain coming to a close end, Littrell doesn’t see it as a true ending.

“I don’t feel like it’s ending, I just think it’s changing,” Littrell said. “I feel like this season is just making sure that I give it everything I have and make sure that this team strives to leave an impact.”

Lily Roberts

Senior Lily Roberts’ experience was very different but also came from a place the love for her sport. A track and field athlete and captain, Roberts never truly explored the path of running in college.

“I didn’t really ever consider it as an option,” she said. “I was thinking more about what college I’d be happiest at.”

After seeing a significant improvement in her performance from her sophomore year to junior year, Roberts’ view on her potential of running at the next level changed.

“There was a big jump for me between sophomore and junior year,” Roberts said. “And by then, recruiting had already started.”

Despite her uncertainty in the recruiting process, Roberts’ experience with track and field has still been incredibly meaningful and impactful to her. She recently beat the school record for the long jump, and although her events are individual, she feels that none of it could be accomplished without the support of her team.

“You don’t always think of track as a team sport, but it’s one of the most encouraging [sports],” Roberts said. “You get to uplift your teammates, and they do the same for you.”

Still, even as she steps away from her track and field career, she plans to stay active in other ways, running and exploring other forms of fitness.

Peyton Johnson

Although she only began in freshman year, for senior Peyton Johnson, rowing quickly became a central part of her high school experience.

“Rowing has taught me to take my work ethic to the next level,” Johnson said. “It made me more organized, more focused and better at managing my time.”

As a two-season sport with year-round demands, rowing required a level of discipline and commitment that shaped her daily life. At the same time, it taught her a balance between independence and teamwork in sports.

“You’re only in control of yourself, but you’re all working together,” Johnson said.

When it came time to consider college, she approached the decision with a clear priority of academics over athletics.

“I wanted to pick my school for my school, not for rowing,” Johnson said.

Although she explored the possibility of recruitment, she ultimately struggled to see herself committing to a college based primarily on athletics. However, that process helped her feel confident in her decision.

“Going through recruiting made me realize this was the right decision for me,” she said.

Now, as her final season unfolds, her relationship with the sport has shifted. Without the pressure of recruitment or the need to prove herself, she has found a new sense of perspective.

“I always felt like I had to prove my worth,” Johnson said. “Now I can just enjoy it.”

At the same time, she feels sad stepping away from something that has been such a significant part of her life.

“I’m sad that it’s coming to an end, but I’m excited to try new things,” Johnson said.