With the beginning of the fall season, both the Girls Varsity Volleyball team and the Girls Varsity Swim team have started competing in their respective leagues. Players from each team shared their expectations as the new school year gets underway.
Girls Varsity Volleyball
After finishing last season with an 11-2 record, the Girls Varsity Volleyball team opened with a loss against Francis Lewis High School.
Despite the loss, coach Elvis Hanif said he is looking forward to practicing with the team and seeing his athletes become better versions of themselves. “I plan on developing their mental game and being their biggest cheerleader,” said Coach Elvis.
With seven seniors departing from the team, the current players have to fill in their shoes and have personal goals of improving their game and preparing underclassmen for a successful season.
Senior Gabriella Renzi said, “My goal for this season is to help teach underclassmen more about the game and prepare them to do amazing for the 2024 season after losing seven senior players.”
Similarly, junior Mila Servania said, “I also want to become a better leader on my team and in the community. …The reality of the seniors leaving finally set in and there [are] plenty of shoes to fill.”
A new addition to the team, junior Victoria Truchel, said that she hopes “to have a successful season” and “create memories that will stick with the team.” She defines a successful season as one where “no matter the outcome, the team sticks together, supports each other, and enjoys themselves.”
Victoria said she believes that every player “must remain positive and never let one small mistake or mess up completely take them over.”
Girls Varsity Swimming
The Girls Varsity Swim team won its first in-season meet on Thursday against Benjamin Cardozo High School with a score of 52-41.
After their success of reaching the quarter-finals last season, the Turtles are striving to train vigorously this season with a combination of beating their personal records and bonding with their teammates.
Senior and captain Pema Sherpa said, “A successful season on paper would be getting to the playoffs and ranking higher than we did last year.” As a captain, Pema said that she will “lead the pep talks before [the] meets to boost the team’s morale and make sure everyone is cheering along.”
Junior Jasmyn Pillay is looking forward to taking her commitment to the team to the “next level as one of the team’s managers this year.” She also hopes to show off the work she has put in over the past summer in her race results. Similarly, junior Aurelia Liu hopes to beat her time for “100 backstroke” and make it to the playoffs.
Junior Ava Pusing wishes that by the end of the season, every member of the team becomes “stronger not only as swimmers, but also as student-athletes.” Ava believes that “working hard, working together, and having fun” is the secret recipe for a successful season.
