![Held up by a group of cheerleaders, flyer sophomore Leyu Yonas poses as part of a stunt, also supported by flyer junior Shayne Mitchell behind her. (Left) Prior to the pink out football game on Oct. 13, the athletes practiced in the aux gym from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Right) On Oct. 19, the cheerleaders competed in their District Championships at Woodgrove High School. “We definitely put all our effort on the mat [at Districts], and it showed,” Mitchell said. Left: Photo by Nadia Shirr. Right: Photo by Steve Prakope via Victor O’Neill Studios.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/feature-image-1200x823.png)
![Sophomore Xavier Smith (6), the Phoenix quarterback, runs the ball as his teammates help hold up the defense. “My [offensive] line collapses, so I just [have to run], and its a good way to get first downs because [Tuscarora’s] defense was really good,” Smith said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_5383-1200x897.jpg)
![As the referee throws the ball up for the tip-off, freshman Simone Diby leaps towards the ball to get it in Phoenix possession. Diby is a new member of the Phoenix girls basketball team, and despite it being a change, she finds it enjoyable. “It’s definitely a different experience if you’ve never played on a team, [but] I think it’s still fun.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DSC_0057-1200x662.jpg)
![With the energy and effort the Bolts were bringing to the game, the Phoenix had to step up and match them to make it through their first game of the season. Many of the girls on the team, including freshman Nazly Rostom, have been playing soccer since their childhood and have grown a love for the sport as a result. “It was fun to see how we actually played in a [real] game,” Rostom said. “Even though the outcome was not what we were hoping for, I’m still happy we got to play together.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_0154-1200x800.jpg)
Excited to foster change, Coach Ousmane Barry joined as an assistant coach for the Phoenix football and softball teams this year. In his high school career, Barry was quite the athlete. He played football, baseball, basketball, and soccer. Once his days as a player ended, his passion and love for sports naturally led him to become a coach.
Despite recently joining the Phoenix coaching staff, Barry has already been able to make an impact on many athletes. This past National Signing Day, seniors Darien Ferrell and Demarius Stewart, both of whom Barry coached, signed to go play at their respective colleges. “It was probably one of the single most important things to happen to them in their lives and knowing how much it meant to them filled me with pure joy and excitement,” Barry said.
Barry is very passionate about coaching and is eager to help out all of his players both on the field and off of it. “It’s my biggest wish to be the sort of coach/mentor that I myself never had and needed as a kid, with the goal being to provide kids with opportunities for improvements of themselves and their careers,” Barry said. He views coaching as a way for him to be exactly who he needed when he was a kid.
Barry understands that a good coach has the ability to change a player’s life and be their role model. “I also get to be a huge, and hopefully positive, influence on future generations, providing them with the necessary guidance, reassurance, and love that so many young people need at this certain point in their lives,” Barry said.
It’s my biggest wish to be the sort of coach/mentor that I myself never had and needed as a kid, with the goal being to provide kids with opportunities for improvements of themselves and their careers
— Coach Ousmane Barry
Even with all the memorable moments that come with the job, coaching is not as easy as it seems. Through both wins and losses, Barry finds valuable lessons from each experience. “It’s an extremely humbling experience that constantly reminds me of the virtues of empathy, compassion, and patience,” Barry said.
Despite this being Barry’s first year as a coach, he has found a true love for coaching and feels at home in the Phoenix community. “I see myself coaching for a very long time and inshallah (if God wills) it’ll be as a Phoenix,” Barry said.
