Balancing school and a sport can be challenging. However, imagine playing two sports at once while taking on school and caring for others with composure and grace. For sophomore Bryn Yoder, she is currently in the middle of both the soccer and track & field seasons. To add another challenge, Bryn has not played soccer for three years.

“It’s been such a long time,” Bryn said. “I’m still a little bit rusty, but I did miss it. I’m happy to be playing again.”

After doing track her freshman year, Bryn planned to participate again her sophomore year. But a new opportunity arose when the JV team needed a goalie. Bryn used to be a goalie, but she stopped playing soccer in middle school in order to take on other activities. When this spot opened, Bryn decided to give it a shot. After trying out with the team and talking to her track coaches, she decided to be a member of both teams.

While both of these teams are a great opportunity for Bryn to get involved and stay active, she has to prioritize her time. Both soccer and track & field have the same practice times. In order to do both, Bryn practices with the soccer team, but stays late to practice her field events. Bryn believes her coaches help accounts for her success in both.

“[The coaches] have been really flexible,” Bryn said. “The track coaches have been very understanding with how they just needed a goalie, so I stepped in.”

Aside from track and soccer, Bryn has also played volleyball and basketball at the high school level. When Bryn entered the high school, her first experience with high school athletics was volleyball. While Bryn did not play this year, she knows volleyball was a great first experience.

“[Volleyball] was a really fun experience,” Bryn said. “I loved the girls on my team, and I feel like we did a lot of team bonding. It was nice going into high school with a group of friends.”

Bryn credits volleyball for keeping her involved in sports now.

“If I had had a bad experience with volleyball, I don’t think I’d be playing all these sports right now,” Bryn said. “Because I loved it so much, I’m playing all of these high school sports.

Basketball was Bryn’s second brush with athletics. While Bryn has been playing basketball her whole life, she had the opportunity to have her dad as a coach in high school. From a young girl and throughout her two years of high school experience, Bryn’s dad has been her head basketball coach.

“I really like having my dad as a coach,” Bryn said. “He’s been my coach all of my life. I think I’ll kind of miss that next year when I have a different coach.”

While sports keeps Bryn busy, she also makes sure to cut out time for her sisters. Bryn’s older sister, senior Emma Yoder, has helped her in her athletic endeavors.

“It’s kind of been nice because she’s set me up for success in [basketball, volleyball, and soccer],” Bryn said. “She kind of told me what to expect when I was going into it; she’s helped me become a better athlete. She helps me train a lot and she pushes me.”

Bryn has also looked up to her sister as a role model. Emma has been very involved in the high school, and Bryn hopes to mirror some of her accomplishments. As Bryn looks to her older sister for guidance, she also hopes to be a role model for her younger sister, Claire Yoder.

“It’s kind of hard because I feel like my sister is such an awesome person and she’s done so much,” Bryn said. “It’s kind of hard to live up to her standards. For my younger sister, we’re so different, like our personalities. I just try to be there for her and show her how to get through high school and middle school.”

Bryn makes sure to care for her sisters and show her support for them. Her sisters call her their “second mom.” Since Bryn is a morning person, she wakes up early to pack her sisters’ lunches and make them breakfast. Through all of her commitments, Bryn makes sure to receive and give support to her family.

“It’s kind of nice focusing on someone that’s not you because we all have hard times,” Bryn said. “I feel like focusing on someone else and helping them out can really help get you through that.”