Sports 8
The Pearl Post
Boys tennis sets in season
March 13, 2019
Martin Garcia Staff Writer
Their first preseason game was on Feb.28, but the boy’s tennis team hardly has past experience to go by. In this season of the Birmingham Community Charter High School boys tennis team, there’s one returning varsity player, two returning JV players, and no Frosh team due to lack of members. For a month, training and conditioning have been separated into three courts. “If you were on court one you were varsity, which was more advanced so you did stuff quicker,” said Evan Gleason, a varsity freshman. “The second court was like the middle, like your probably varsity and the third court they do basic stuff.” It wasn’t until Feb. 25, that the team started doing match plays against each other. “A lot of the kids, we’re all basically new, (and) we’re not, our expectations are very low,” Gleason said. “Because we’re a brand new team. So our goal is just to make playoffs.” That means unless the team pulls a surprising underdog season, they may end up with a score lower than last year’s overall score of 8-7. The main problem is that the seniors on the team last year graduated, and left the team with less experienced players. All three of the DPMHS players on the team are new, with varsity freshmen Gleason, Ethan De Barraicua (JV) and senior/ Managing and Special Reports editor of The Pearl Post Rudraj Koppikar (varsity). Gleason joined to switch out of P.E. and De Barraicua joined because his father wanted him to. Koppikar has a friend in the girl’s tennis team, Karina Mara, but he joined for his own reasons. “She influenced me,” he said. “But also I didn’t want to be bored second semester. You know, seniors leave. Otherwise, I’d just go home and be bored.” Gleason thinks that the current four seniors on the team are doing well, including Koppikar. “All the seniors are actually pretty good,” Gleason said. “None of them are like, awe we’re not going to win anything, we might be able to win a few games.” Twitter: @nothingthatwill
Photo by Christine Valenzuela Freshman Evan Gleason practices volleying on March 7.
Photo by Itzel Luna Senior Ben Sanchez performs his backstroke during BCCHS swim practice on Feb. 27. Sanchez has been swimming for seven years.
Athlete of the Month:
Sanchez pulls through in new season Mahali Sanchez Staff Writer
Although water polo and swimming weren’t his only choices, senior Ben Sanchez found his calling for a high school sport. Sanchez first started with swimming when he was ten years old and later transitioned to to water polo. His swimming coach encouraged him to try out for water polo but his brother influenced him to try out since he played as well. “ I have been playing for about seven years now, but I used to do cross country,
track and soccer before really choosing water polo and swimming,” Sanchez said. Although he enjoys water polo and swimming Sanchez also understands the importance of balancing school and sports. While he maintains good grades Sanchez makes sure that he talks to his teachers for his missing assignments and does all his homework on time. “I really just try to stay on top of school because that’s what I know I’m going to do in the future,” Sanchez said. Although Sanchez does not plan on continuing water polo or swimming in college, he did enjoy the time he spent in the
water and all the games he played with his teammates. “I wish next years season the very best win or lose,” Sanchez said. Statistics: Games Played: 22 Points: 69 Goals: 47 Shots: 82 Assists: 22 Steals: 56
Instagram: @mahali.sanchez
Volleyball spikes into new season Harlow Frank Staff Writer
With new and returning players, boys volleyball is on its way to a great and successful season. In preparation for this season, Birmingham Community Charter High School Patriots have been working on passing, setting, hitting, and learn their rotations. As for junior varsity, it’s a lot of the players first time playing and learning the game. “We practice passing, serving, hitting, and just working as a team in general,” junior varsity outside hitter Rami Charr said. At practice, they start of with two laps around the main gym, and they group into a circle for stretching. They warm up with passing throwing the ball to each other. Then after they’re done passing they go into the butterfly drill, where they line up in 2 lines on each side of the net and one lines throws the ball over the net and the other passes the ball to the person in the center. After that they rotate to the next spot. After that they get into practice where they practice passing and hitting an working on communication,
“Every day I do 500 passes and 300 digs, that’s when you dive for the ball, and that’s on my free time,” varsity sophomore Om Patel said. “At practice we focus on hitting, potioning, and formation.” Making their way to championships and obtaining rings are their top priorities for this season and plan to due so through teamwork and communication on the court. “Going through our rotations that our coach gave us and communicating is very key in volleyball,” said junior varsity middle blocker Christopher Sarenana said. Currently, the Patriots have a record of 1-1 with a loss to Francis Polytechnic Senior High School with a score of 3-0 and a win in their latest game against James Monroe High School with a score of 3-1. With Junior varsity with a record of 0-2 with both loses to Polytechnic Senior High School and James Monroe High School. The boys varsity and JV season opener will happen on Wednesday March 13th against Granada Charter High School. “Our biggest challenge during this season is probably El Camino Real Char-
ter High School, because they always go against Palisades Charter High School and that’s like the championship so we really have to prepare ourselves,” varsity middle blocker Antonio Serrano said. Instagram: @haloharlow_252003
Photo by Martin Garcia Freshman Janna Holley positons to make a pass against Mira Costa High School on Nov. 28.