As winter sports season approaches, athletes on the basketball, soccer, and wrestling teams are gearing up for the tryouts. The anticipation is high as athletes push themselves to make teams and perform at their highest level.
Soccer is known for being one of the most competitive sports at Berkeley High School, and for freshman Isabel Bernasconi, training and putting in time and work is how she plans to stay prepared for tryouts. “(I’m) just trying to train as hard as I can at practices so I feel ready when they come up, and challenging myself,” Bernasconi said. BHS sophomore Vivien Chiu, who has already been a part of the BHS soccer team, has mixed emotions going into tryouts week. Chiu said, “I’m really excited to try out but also super nervous because there have been a lot of changes from last year.” Chiu also expressed the ways she plans on coping with stress going into the upcoming season, saying, “Personally I think that I do worse under pressure and when I’m over thinking it, so I usually just try to focus like a normal practice.”
As for BHS junior Joaquin Jackson, soccer tryouts are a way to have fun with friends and he’s looking forward to having a successful season with them. “I’m pretty excited and nervous. It’s a mix, but probably more excited because I know a lot of my friends are trying out. Soccer has always been a nice time to just connect with all my friends because we’re usually always on the same team,” Jackson said.
With wrestling season also coming up, wrestling athletes are determined to begin the season on a high note. “I’ve been wrestling all summer, going to practices, going to off-season tournaments, just sticking with wrestling,” said Vincent Longmire, a junior at BHS. Longmire commented on the upcoming season, saying, “Since it’s my junior year, it’s a lot more competitive. It’s one of those years where things get more serious.” For another wrestler, BHS junior Eloise Thomas, jumping straight back into the season after a long break can be difficult. “I think that one of the most challenging parts in terms of wrestling is going to be returning from the summer, just getting back up to the level of conditioning that we’ve had before, (and) making sure that we’re all in shape and ready for the season,” Thomas said.
The third winter sport at BHS is basketball. With the tryouts process approaching, energy and eagerness fill players as they enter the week. Basketball is an incredibly fast paced sport, and tryouts can be intimidating for many. Athletes like BHS sophomore Ezra Tornallyay have their own guides to follow during tryouts. “(I) try to be confident and not worry about other people, because then if I worry about other people it’ll reflect into my game,” he explained. BHS junior Kavi Jivan focuses on the offseason as a way to prepare for tryouts. Jivan said, “In the offseason, I have been playing basketball and working out pretty much daily, as well as club games and practices. To me, the offseason is almost more important than the season so I take it very seriously and try to get better during it to prepare for the season.”
Winter athletes are ready to put their hard work and skills to the test. With all the excitement in the air, the season is sure to bring tough matchups, memorable plays, and plenty of opportunities for athletes to showcase all their determination and dedication.