It’s not often that freshmen play in the homecoming game, but this year a 9th grader did. The Harvard-Westlake football team played their big homecoming event on September 27th playing against Birmingham High School.
Kasra Maghami ’29 is on the varsity football team. Football is a sport that he loves, and he hopes to continue playing in college. When he first joined the school in 7th grade, he was part of the middle school team. He joined with the intention to make friends and wasn’t too serious about it. However, he continued to play on the team in 8th grade, and joined the varsity team in 9th.
“I kept doing it because I fell in love with the sport.” Maghami said.
Over the years, football slowly turned into a passion that he loved.
For the first couple of matches, Maghami felt a little pressured. Being one of the few freshmen on the team and playing with older guys was intimidating. However, his teammates were very friendly and easy to be around which allowed him to grow his confidence.
“Being out there with the other guys, they are really good role models,” Maghami said. “It’s really all about doing what you’ve done in the past, just on a bigger stage.”
As he continued to practice with them, he grew confident in himself and in his ability to do well.
On September 27th, playing as a punter and a kicker, Maghami was one of the 22 players on the field.
“It’s one of the biggest games in the player’s minds,” he said. “Homecoming is a big showcase for the team.”
Maghami viewed this game as an opportunity to show other schools what the football team was capable of. He knew that the team had greatly improved over the years and that they would be able to play to the best of their abilities. Alongside this, he was also excited to be in an upbeat, hyped atmosphere. The homecoming game brings students together as a community to support one another.
“It’s not an environment that you could experience for the rest of the year. And this empowers the team to push, to do their best, and to make the school proud.” he said.
Unfortunately, the team lost the game. The final score was 8-44
“We were all disappointed,” Maghmi said.
However, despite this, the team is making sure to keep their heads up and work hard for the rest of the season. This loss seemed to motivate them more.
“The only thing we can do is keep our heads up and focus on the rest of the season. These next five games count the most.” Maghami said.
Maghami’s personal goal is to gain experience, and become consistent, reliable, and mentally strong. He wants to help the team succeed by being the best he can.
