![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
- Boys Water Polo
- Cheerleading
- Cross Country
- Football
- Girls Tennis
- Girls Volleyball
- Girls Water Polo
- Online Exclusive
- Sports
Fall sports kick off preseason in early August
Abby Lim (10) raises an arm to block Kyra Hawk (12) in a passing drill. Girls water polo practiced on the morning of Aug. 13, one of two Saturday practices.
August 26, 2022
Upper school fall sports, boys water polo, cheerleading, cross country, football, girls tennis, girls volleyball and girls water polo, kicked off preseason in early August.
Afternoon practices began for boys water polo on Aug. 8 at the upper school. After two weeks practicing from Monday to Saturday, the boys water polo team played their first scrimmage against Saint Ignatius on Aug. 20. Coming back from a successful CCS win last season, the team seeks to continue their winning streak. Head coach Lee Mcbride feels optimistic about the coming season despite the challenges that come with maintaining a high level of play.
“Our goals are focusing on the smaller details that add up to make a big difference.” Coach Mcbride said. “It’s hard to maintain a high level of competition. The boys are experienced and we’re fortunate enough to be returning [with] the majority [of last year’s team]. We’ll be up for the challenge.”
Girls water polo began preparing for this season on Aug. 8 as well. Following regular practices, the team played their first scrimmage against Archbishop Mitty at the upper school, winning with a score of 10-3 on Aug. 19.
“Our team is pretty bonded together because a lot of us played club during the off-season last year and we’ve been doing preseason for a couple weeks,” Abby Lim (10) said. “[Integrating freshman] hasn’t been difficult because we already knew a couple of them.”
Conditioning and gear distribution for the football team began on Aug. 1. Preseason ramped up with practices everyday from Monday to Saturday beginning Aug 8, and the team played their first scrimmage away against Harbor High School on Aug. 26. One of the football captains, Freddy Hoch (12), reflects on challenges the team may face continuing into the season.
“The main anticipated difficulty is that we are low in numbers. A lot of our guys are already getting dinged up because of small injuries here and there,” Freddy said. “It’ll be tough because people will have to play offense and defense for extended periods of time, so we’ll have to be well conditioned.”
After one week of tryouts beginning on Aug. 8, the girls volleyball team results were released the following weekend. The varsity, junior varsity and freshman-sophomore teams all played their first scrimmages after matriculation on Aug. 19 against Sobrato High School at home. Claire Kampmeier (12), one of the four returning seniors on the Varsity team, offers insight into how the season looks for her.
“Time management [will be difficult] especially with college apps and school, but it’s worth it for me to play,” Claire said. “The team dynamic is great. We all have really good energy that matches each other, and I’m excited to see how each person blossoms when we play games. My goal is to create an environment where volleyball can be fun for the younger girls, instead of putting a lot of pressure on them.”
The first day of school marks the first day of practices for cheerleading. The team’s season extends beyond fall, continuing through winter and into spring for the spring rally. Sarah Westgate (11) looks forward to working with the new cheerleading Coach Chantell Rodriguez to build a solid foundation for the team.
“We have a new coach and we’re all excited about her and what she’s going to bring to the team,” Sarah said. “My personal goal is to become more of a leader this season. I’ve already started working with my teammates and coaches, and I’m really excited to just get back into the swing of things.”
