DANIELLE

As another semester comes to a close, student athletes have a chance to reflect on their transfer success. There are many factors that go into one’s decision to attend a community college. However, training is part of the formula for success. By starting practice two days a week, the team has adequate time to gain technical skills.

“In the summer, we increase it. We go to three trainings for three hours a day we increase the intensity,” he said.

Perez said a key part of this year’s training is ensuring that the team avoids getting hurt.

Veliz Team Captain

“We’re trying to stay away from injuries, if at all possible,” Perez said.

Strength training as a means to ward off injuries may make all the difference given the obstacles the soccer team faced last season.

“We had a very successful season, but we started with 21 players and we ended up with 12, and 11 play, so you can imagine that,” Perez said. “We had three concussions and we had two ACL injuries. But we’re trying to do a better job, consciously and physically to prevent that.”

Jennifer Veliz, team captain and sports medicine major at

Pierce, said she remembers the challenges her team faced last year, and is eager to take measures to prevent a repeat of the past.

“We only had one sub, so that’s one of the things we’re going to be in the weightroom for — strengthening our legs to prevent injuries. We had a lot,” Veliz said.

Veliz said after the departure of five sophomores, she is looking forward to team bonding as part of the training.

I’m excited for all the new talent coming in, all the younger girls coming in. We have a couple of girls who are here who were here last semester but didn’t play,” Veliz said. “We just met but we’re already starting to get close, so that’s really cool.” despite their reasons for coming to Pierce, the school acts as a roadmap to higher education.

Gisell Cruz, team captain and kinesiology major at Pierce, said developing working relationships on an off the field before the real season starts will help her players’ headgame.

“We’re preparing our mentality first, so we’re getting our bodies used to the heat. Making sure that all the little things are in place to focus on the bigger picture,” Cruz said.

Veliz and Cruz said they look forward to taking the team further this years.

“I feel like we want it a little more just because we’re a little bitter from last season,” Veliz said.

Their first game is on the road against San Diego Miramar on August 28.

Athletic Director Moriah Van Norman said that she constantly reiterates her mantra of education first because athletics will end, and you need to be prepared.

Van Norman who was a student athlete herself, says that this is the time when students must not forget to prioritize their education.

“Academics has to come first,” van Norman said. “I understand the irony of an athletic director saying that it’s not really important to me if you win or lose on the field. It’s more important to me if you win in life.”

For Van Norman, who is an Olympic silver medalist, one lesson