Tennis
Girls tennis ended the season with a win-loss record of 13-5. Berkeley High School junior Elanna Kunis attributed this season’s success to their positivity going into matches. “Even with a loss there was no negative attitude, we always tried to do our best each time,” Kunis said. The team aspect of tennis also provided a great support system for her. “Being on a team brought me so much happiness when it came to competing. It has also taught me how to work with a group and share ideas on how to improve,” she said.
Field Hockey
This year, field hockey experienced a change in leadership with a previous assistant coach stepping up to become head coach, joined alongside two additional side coaches and a team manager. Ailsa Collier, a BHS junior on varsity, said, “(This season) was really different, but we had a lot more work outside of the team. We had assigned runs and we had a lot more team bonding, which was fun.” Additional program changes, such as adding a practice team alongside the varsity squad and more frequent conditioning, also contributed to the team’s achievements.
Water Polo
Boys water polo had a successful season this year, winning the West Alameda Contra Costa (WACC) Championships against Castro Valley 16-7. Eamonn Kaufer, a BHS senior varsity player, said, “Our success came from our drive to work hard and really want it. Most of us have been playing club year round for four years outside ... but playing together helped us grow a lot inside and outside of the pool.” This hard work showed in a win over James Logan High School. Kaufer recounted, “We had lost to them by one earlier in the season and when we played them again emotions were high ... We had one of the biggest turnouts at home. We went into overtime and beat them by two and it was electric.”
Football
While the football season is yet to fully finish, players are extremely proud with the outcome of this year. “Our reason for success was everyone buying into the program and everyone working together as a team,” said Gunnar Chock, a BHS junior football player. He explained how being on the team this year was a new experience for him. “I feel like being on this team has made me more disciplined both in and out of school, and as a first year player I feel this team has really helped me play the best I can,” Chock said.
Cross Country
BHS senior cross country runner Abraham Lee credited the cross country team’s success to the whole team being super close. “We really feel like a family. People go on runs with each other outside of practice, and the friendly competition motivates us to try our hardest,” Lee said. Running can be a mentally challenging sport, so having companions to practice with can support success when competing. Lee feels that ending his last season on the high school team was a bittersweet experience. “The bonds I’ve made with my teammates over the years have been some of the strongest I’ve ever made, and the community was always super supportive,” he said.
Volleyball
BHS’s girls volleyball team had a victorious season, ending as the third seed in their WACC league. The team grew closer throughout the season, with players sharing they felt the team was becoming more like a family than a sports team. According to Lily Schultz, a BHS senior on varsity, “(This season) helped us empathize with each other and understand how we feel and why we feel it, and it’s made us way better as a team.”