by: Julia Valencia

Opinion Editor

Entering her second semester of high school, Maya Sprich is no stranger to hard work and dedication. This freshman seeks constant activity, particularly playing one of her many sports, spending time with friends, or reading whatever she can get her hands on.

Sprich is on the JV basketball team and recounts one of her favorite memories being “at the pasta feed. It was really fun to hang out with Varsity.” After the basketball season is over, Sprich plans to join either the lacrosse team or the swim team, both sports that she has previously competed in. Sports play an especially meaningful role in her life as she follows in her dad’s footsteps, participating in practically every single sport he has ever played. As she points out, “It’s something we have in common and bond over.”

Her family spends one month every summer in Santa Cruz, a place that helped spark and nurture her love for the ocean. Surfing, one of her favorite pastimes, is something that Sprich does a lot in the summer after her dad taught her when she was six. Giving insight into how she views the activity, Sprich explains that “people think that you have to be really good at surfing, like that you have to be the best and go to competitions, but honestly, it’s just fun to have time out in the ocean. It could be a flat day, and you could just be lying on your board, but you would still have a good time.” 

As she looks towards her future, Sprich aspires to learn more about the ocean, saying, “I have wanted to be a marine biologist for most of my life.” As for what Sprich wants to do after getting a degree in marine biology, she shares, “I want to be out scuba diving, surveying the kelp forests, and discovering new things.” Sprich remarks that as she has gotten older and is beginning to take her sea-based interest more seriously, she realizes the importance of protecting the ocean, saying that “people really don’t understand that an ecosystem underwater is just as lush as any forest on land. There are millions of species coexisting and working together to keep the habitats alive, and it would be such a shame to let those die.” 

Sprich has been a part of the Junior Guards lifeguard program in Santa Cruz since she was six. Now older and more experienced, she has the opportunity to be part of their youth-aid program, which happens every summer as an assistant instructor to the head lifeguards, helping guide and support the kids in Junior Guards.

When she is not at the beach or on the basketball court, Sprich can be found hanging out with her friends, enjoying a book, or bedazzling random objects in her home. Through her dedication to sports, passion for the sea, and creative spirit, Sprich continues to balance her many interests while building a strong foundation for her future.