The days are getting shorter and the weather is getting colder, which means winter sports are coming back into play!

First up, our basketball teams! All Terra Linda basketball teams have practice and games six days a week, with Sunday as a rest day. 

This year we have three boys’ teams; freshman, junior varsity, and varsity, in addition to two girls’ teams, varsity and junior varsity.  

Junior Marco Gregoire, shares that other than playing the game, his favorite part about the varsity team is “building friendships with people I meet on the team.” Junior Grady Bowers agrees, “I like going out to eat with the team after games, win or lose.”

As for the varsity girls’ team, Senior Nikko Sasaki, reflects on her past four years on the varsity team, concluding that the bond between the players is what makes the team so special. “We do a lot of team bonding, whether it’s hikes or sleepovers and breakfasts, and the games are also so fun.” Head Coach of the Terra Linda Women’s Basketball Program, Mary Dong, says she is most looking forward to seeing how the team grows together throughout the season. 

Terra Linda Linda’s soccer program consists of two girls’ teams, varsity and junior varsity, and three boys teams, varsity, as well as junior varsity 1 and 2. 

Sophomore varsity player, Josie Quinby, shares, “My favorite thing about playing soccer is getting to meet all kinds of people from our school in every grade.” Having blended teams with a variety of students from different grades is a great way for students to meet new people they otherwise wouldn’t cross paths with. Sophomore Hayden Biesiadecki, a junior varsity player, agrees. “It’s always really fun to play with new friends.” 

Sophomore, Maddox Lien, a varsity player, says it’s important for the team to have good connections with one another. “Our team has really good chemistry and we’re all really good friends which makes it easy to communicate.” He feels this makes things go much smoother both on and off the field. 

Last but not least, wrestling! All Terra Linda wrestlers practice together or compete six days a week, excluding Sunday. Although the teams practice as one group, some players are junior varsity while others are varsity, and what separates them at competitions is weight classes. Sophomore, Olivia Zabierek, says “The best part of the wrestling team is having a group where everyone supports each other.”

Head Coach, Alex Wahl, adds, “My favorite part about the job is seeing a student transform from a very scared, both physically and mentally, person, to a much stronger and in shape human being.” 

Combined with hard work and motivation, players from all three sports highlighted the importance of strong bonds with teammates as well as a sense of community. As the goals return to the field, basketballs hit the court, and the wrestlers take on the mat, players are getting amped up for the season ahead!