From Newberry and Washington Elementary to Orchard Middle School, then to Wenatchee High School, Connor Christensen has become a stellar student, a stellar athlete, and a stellar friend.
Many people say life is short, and Connor took this to heart. In the past four years, he has become very involved in activities at the school. From student sections, rallying his school forth and being on the field, he always supported his team.
“Being in the student sections was fun, I really made a point to go to all the games, because you can only be in the high school one time, and you only get four years,” Connor said.
Connor was surprised by how high school seemed to fly by.
High schoolers start to branch out in the four years at WHS. It starts to show them and the world their true colors. Many people try to get through as fast as possible, but Connor made sure to make the most of his time.
Connor mainly devoted himself to Football and Baseball.
“I played football for four years… I was a linebacker and running back, and even though the record wasn’t the best it could be it was still great to be a part of the team… I remember I got a tick-for-turn touchdown against Eisenhower, it was the only touchdown I scored in all four years. That was an all-time high moment,” Connor said.
Connor’s time on the WHS football team did not come with many wins. However, he sees more than just wins and losses.
“Football gave me a really good work ethic. Even if I didn’t want to do something, I still had to show up and do it for my teammates. It was good because it taught me how to work harder. Without football specifically, I wouldn’t have been able to work as hard,” Connor said.
One thing that can define a sports team is the coach and player connection. Without that, teams struggle. Connor sees his coach Scott Devereaux as a mentor and inspiration.
“He’s been the number one guy, as a coach he has been one of those guys that has pushed me, supported me, and always been there for me,” Connor said.
Devereaux has been around Connor his whole life, as he first met him back in little league baseball.
“He is a terrific young man. He is passionate, dedicated, smart, tough and cool. He grew the most as a leader. He became a vocal leader, willing to say what needed to be said. He held himself and his teammates to high standards,” Devereaux said. “He’s a person that just gets it. He understands what is important.”
The best moments are not the only ones that make a team successful. It’s the extra effort and time a coach will give to his team. Devereaux devoted time to his players to improve the experience of the whole team.
“My sophomore year, when I couldn’t leave for lunch, I would go to Devereaux’s office, and there were three other guys that would go there with me, and we just hung out. I had a class with him the next period. I just stayed there for lunch, joking around. There was a group of three or four of us that would go in there every day and hang out,” Connor said.
Because football is only in the fall, Connor also had time for baseball in the spring, which he participated in with just as much fire and passion. A lot of his teammates from football joined him in baseball, one being sophomore Ryan Rainbolt.
“I’d met him a couple of times, but I got to know him last football season,” Ryan said. “We stuck together well because of our love for both baseball and football as well.”
A great team can connect outside their sport as well. Ryan was not just a teammate, but a good friend to Connor in the last few years. They enjoy the same music and participate in the annual senior assassin.
“A memory that sums up Connor is going hunting for senior assassin. It was funny how good he was at it,” Ryan said.
Ryan and Connor plan to go to a concert and play in the same summer baseball league this summer.
“We will definitely hang out a ton but then he’s gonna go to college and I won’t see him as much, but I’ll still drive to Moses Lake to go see his games every once in a while,” Ryan said. “He’s polite, respectful, and funny. He has a strong sense of leadership. I’ll miss pretty much everything about him… The pre-game speeches before football, and when we are talking about our reps at 3rd base at practice. You don’t find guys like Conner anymore,” Ryan said.
Another team member planning to play in the baseball summer league is senior Joe Schuyleman. “We met when we were about seven playing baseball and have been good friends ever since. We have been teammates our whole lives. Him being a catcher and me a pitcher we always had a special bond together. We will play summer baseball together, and then against each other in college baseball,” Joe said. “He’s always been someone I can talk to for advice or just hang out with. He is the type of teammate every successful team needs. He is serious when he needs to be but knows when he can have fun and joke around. I’m going to miss Connor catching my bullpens the most. Even though I know he never wants to, he always says yes,” Joe said.
Connor believes his time playing for WHS was beneficial for him and his team. “It’s that work ethic that’s built, and it’s not only that, it’s being a good teammate. There have been times I have looked back at the way I have acted in the past and cringed really, and it helped me grow as a person, and that helped me grow a lot. And in all life not just athletics,” Connor said.
Connor has maintained a balance of academics and sports. The WHS baseball team won the 4A academic state championships this year. “I always found a way at the end of the semester to pull it out,” Connor said. I have maintained my GPA pretty well. School came easy, but not so easy I could take advantage of it. I always had to find time to do both.”
Connor knows he will miss WHS and the simple things that high school brings. “Just walking around the hall seeing a bunch of people, and as soon as you are done talking to one guy there is another guy you can talk to. And that is something I’m probably never going to have again, I know a lot of people here.”
Connor hopes WHS students stick to this advice. “Do as much as you can as a high school student because you only get four years, and it goes by faster than you think it might. Do as much as you can, fill up your time, and don’t ever just be sitting around all day. Do stuff.”
Though he will miss his high school team, Connor’s baseball career has not stopped. He plans to play baseball in Moses Lake for the Big Bend Vikings. Some of his teammates will be playing against him for the first time. And some of his former teammates will be in the stands, rallying him as he once did to them all.