Boys volleyball
“This year’s turnout of freshmen has to be the biggest one yet. A lot of talent and height,” varsity head coach Azariah Hill said. The Berkeley High School boys volleyball team has seen many new faces this preseason, with the largest number of freshman athletes trying out for the team. “If we commit to consistency and leadership development, this group can be dangerous,” Hill said. With three new experienced staff members added to the program, his main goal is to grow and establish it the right way by developing leaders and raising expectations, creating consistency year after year. “I want this program to be known for discipline, competitiveness, and resilience,” Hill said. With dates spanning back to November, the team has utilized preseason training to become a tough competitor this upcoming season.
Swim
Both the girls and boys BHS swim teams implemented a new color-based team system this season. The varsity team is now labeled “Gold,” and the junior varsity team “Red,” with a dynamic system that allows players to transfer between teams. “It’s to make people feel like there’s not like a barrier between them getting into varsity … like, you can swim in this league if you work hard enough,” BHS junior Samishka Chitnis, an athlete on the varsity girls swim team, said. The team lost many strong veteran senior swimmers last year, and is looking to make up for the loss this year. “We obviously lose a little more points because they’re gone, but I think a lot of our new freshmen are looking very promising and will make up for them,” senior girls varsity captain Adriana Ovalle Rojas said.
Softball
To prepare for the upcoming spring softball season, the softball team has been holding weight room sessions and preseason workouts organized by the seniors who were on the team last year. “There have been a lot of new people showing up, so it’s been good,” Riley Pritchard, a BHS senior and softball player, said. With limited coach involvement during the preseason, leadership has primarily shifted to the upperclassmen. Because of an increase in the number of new players this year, seniors have taken an even greater responsibility in helping their new teammates adjust. Despite the extra responsibility, Pritchard is eager for the season ahead, with high hopes for his final season on the team as a senior. “I’m excited to spend time with my teammates and play. I’m a competitive person, so it’s nice to have an outlet for that,” Pritchard said. With the season ahead, he expects that it will be unforgettable for the whole team.
Baseball
Senior athlete Isaiah Mays is looking forward to playing baseball for BHS this year, and thrilled to enjoy his final season with his friends and teammates. Before the season started, the athletes have been putting in work, both individually and as a team. “We had open fields three days a week from the beginning of January,” Mays said. Last season, the team didn’t end the season as they’d hoped, however they are looking to apply everything they’ve learned to improve in this upcoming season. “We’ve been doing a lot of just getting together as a team … and looking at where we came up short and making sure it doesn’t happen again this year,” Mays added. Despite last year’s shortcomings, BHS junior Kyonosuke Yura is anticipating this year’s victories. “Our team’s gonna be pretty good this year. We kind of ended off in a bad way last year. So I’m hoping that we’ll get pretty far and playoffs, especially this year,” Yura said.
Lacrosse
The BHS girls lacrosse team has been meeting for weekly wallball practice and weight room sessions. “We play wall ball as a way to get our stick work prepared for the season,” BHS junior and varsity captain Whitney Borovicka said. “I’m most excited about getting close with my team and just getting to play more lacrosse, because I miss it when we’re out of season,” she said. The boys team follows a similar schedule, with weight room sessions and additional captains’ practice each week. “I’m hoping for another league championship win, a couple NCS wins, and having a great time with some great people,” BHS senior and boys varsity captain Kenzo Egawa said. Looking ahead, both teams are are focused on building team chemistry and honing fundamentals as they prepare for a competitive season.
Track
“We basically hit the track every day of the week,” BHS junior Xavier Ruffin said. The BHS track team has held practices almost every day of the week, including optional Sunday runs, giving track athletes additional opportunities to build speed and endurance. Weight room sessions have also been implemented for injury prevention and to improve overall strength. “I’m trying to get faster times in the 100, 200, and I’m also trying to get a better jump in high jump,” Ruffin said. Along with the consistent physical preparation, Ruffin also credits the track coaches for helping athletes stay focused and motivated. “They always get to know you very well before you even start running, and they make sure that you’re accomplishing your goals and you’re doing it to the best of your ability,” Ruffin said. With the season approaching, Ruffin is optimistic that hard work will translate into personal bests and wins for the whole team.