Even though Maine Coast Semester doesn’t have any official sports teams, students still find ample time to pursue their interests. My friend James is very serious about basketball, and in our free time, I help him practice. We sometimes arrange games with other students. In fact, some of my best memories are playing basketball here.

Personally, my favorite sport is fishing. I brought my fishing rod, my fly rod, and a net. Towards the beginning of the semester, when it was warm, I frequently went down to the water to fish and explore. I quickly realized that there are few fish this far up Montsweag Brook, yet I still devoted hours of my day to finding fish. Much of Montsweag is muddy and a poor habitat for many fish, however, I found the perfect spot: Hoit’s Point. It’s open enough for casting and the tidal river narrows and deepens into a rocky bottom. Eventually, I caught 3 fish in total: a mackerel, a striped bass, and a winter flounder. Each time, to the delight of my friends, I made an announcement at dinner. The fish were incredibly beautiful and fought well. My fishing exploits motivated me to explore the neck in search of a good spot, contributing to my knowledge of Chewonki Neck. I also saw some really beautiful sunsets while fishing. 

Other students utilize our tennis courts. My friend G attempted to teach me how to play tennis, but it ended catastrophically when I tripped over my own heels! My friend Inez brought a skateboard and taught a number of friends how to skateboard. However, the most popular sport is running. Students frequently run for fun and for exercise. Many teachers also share this passion and go running with students.

Overall, I am excited to bring my new appreciation of sports and the connections I make with them to my home community! 

Andrew Lee, Boston Latin School, Boston, MA