The state tournament is one of the more intense times in high school sports. For lake stevens, that pressure is even bigger because of our history. Recently, football has won two state championships, and volleyball and girls soccer have each won one. With that kind of success, everyone expects our teams to go far every year. That expectation becomes a huge part of how we practice, how we think, how we play. With a legacy like that, expectations rise every season. Athletes feel it in the way they practice, the way they think, and the way they step into the field of court.
Every good team has something they repeat all year- something that becomes their identity. For football, they kept the phrase simple.
“Team first,” Okayama said.
That attitude shows. Whether it’s on the field, at practice, or even off campus, the teams at Lake Stevens try to stay connected. Volleyball players hang out together constantly, and soccer teammates often talk about playing together. That bond makes it easier to handle the weight of big games, because no one feels alone.
The truth is, state isn’t just about the championship or chasing a trophy. It’s about who you are as a team, who you play for, and what you represent. It’s about the families watching from across the country, teammates who feel like brothers or sisters, and the name “Lake Stevens” written across your chest.
That’s what makes the pressure intense, but also what makes it worth it.
When the pressure gets heavy, Lake Stevens athletes don’t just think about the scoreboard- they think about who they are playing for.
“Our family, especially like my family across the country for me, like they always watch every single game, like they pay for the subscriptions and everything. So I just like, I know that they’re watching,” junior football athlete Brayden Slezak said.
For athletes, knowing that people miles away are tuning in makes every moment feel bigger. Volleyball and soccer players express that same feeling, they play for the name on their jersey and for the community that fills the stands.
Knowing that people across the country are supporting you makes every game feel bigger. It’s the same feeling volleyball and soccer players talk about too. They play for the name on their jerseys and the community that fills the stands.
“I just remember why I played the sport…playing for my family and the last name on my back, and with our city, Lake Stevens, across our chest,” senior football player Kekoa Okiyama said.
For many, that sense of purpose transforms pressure into pride. This kind of motivation makes pressure feel more meaningful instead of overwhelming.
State brings teams together in a way that regular games don’t. When we asked if the team grows closer during the tournament, Slezak described the bond the football team built throughout the year.
“Beginning of the season, you know, start out in the summer with all our summer conditioning … Like, we’ll have, like, every Thursday we’ll do like a church thing, right? With some teammates will go and just [do] stuff like that. Like, yesterday we baptized somebody,” Slezak said.
Moments like that highlight how connected the team is beyond athletics. Whether it’s football, volleyball, or soccer, each program at Lake Stevens has traditions that turn teammates into family. That closeness is what helps athletes stay composed when the stakes get high..
Even though state is a big deal, athletes here try not to overthink.
“Just keep doing what we’re doing, starting at practice, playing fast, playing hard, making sure we’re all positive and we’re all in the right headspace,” Okiyama said.
It’s simple, but it works. Volleyball keeps practices sharp and focused. Soccer players try to stay locked in mentally and stick to the routines that got them this far. No team tries to change everything just because of its state. They trust the work they’ve put in all year.
