Considering that two of the three sports seasons during the school year are over after the seniors graduate, and several seniors go on the annual Israel Capstone trip, CESJDS never considered the possibility of allowing graduated seniors to play spring sports, until this year.

After senior Aaron Waldman decided he was not going on the Israel trip, he reached out to Director of Athletics and Upper School Health and Exercise Science Chair Becky Silberman and the administration to see if he could play baseball as a graduated senior. Reaching out to Silberman and the administration started the conversation about seniors playing spring sports.

“We knew that others would be interested in playing but him reaching out kind of sparked us to have that conversation about what that would look like,” Silberman said.

Spring baseball didn’t stop Waldman from going to Israel, but after figuring out that he might not go on the trip, Waldman felt strongly about returning to the team. Waldman’s goal is to finish the season differently than the team did last year.

“We lost [the baseball championship] and that was a bit of a disappointment because I thought we had a really good squad,” Waldman said. “ …The last two seasons, it’s been a little annoying. That’s basically the whole reason I’m back. I want to win a championship.”

Senior Todd Lazoff is also not attending the Israel trip, and is joining the volleyball team for one last season. Similar to Waldman, playing volleyball was not a reason Lazoff didn’t want to go to Israel, but he knew he wanted to play once his teammates asked him to rejoin the team.

“I decided to play once I realized other people on the team wanted me to play,” Lazoff said in a written interview. “I actually wasn’t going to play even though I was able to, but when the other kids on the team asked me to play, I agreed.”

Lazoff’s goal is to win the championship again this year, and he especially wants to win it with his teammates from last year who won the championship with him.

“I really want to win a championship this year,” Lazoff said. “Especially with the guys from last year’s team.

While having seniors playing on spring sports teams is new for the JDS community, Silberman believes that this can be a policy going forward. However, she thinks it will only affect a few seniors as most of them will prioritize going on to Israel with their grade over their spring sport.

“I think [playing spring sports instead of going to Israel] might be a factor for one or two kids here or there,” Silberman said. “But I don’t think it will be a consistent thing.”

Waldman and Lazoff’s teammates aren’t used to playing their spring sport with a senior, but the two seniors will now give more of a senior presence in the locker room and the game. Both the volleyball and baseball teams hope to have improved outcomes this season with their seniors on the team.

While Waldman decided not to be a captain this year to give his younger teammates the opportunities he had without senior players, he said he still hopes to play a role in the team’s leadership. 

“I want to step back and not lead with my voice but lead by example,” Waldman said. “I want [the baseball team] to see that there’s a kid that’s been here for three years in this program. He knows what we’re about, and he can help us win.”