Going into spring sports this year, Sanger High coaches have been working hard to prepare their teams for the spring season. We heard from a few spring coaches that they feel confident and are ready for the challenges coming ahead.
Boys volleyball coach, Scott Okada, says, “The team has been working over the fall club season building chemistry and preparing.”
Making a close relationship with your teammates is important especially when attempting to make it to state championships.
Preston Montelongo, first year boy’s golf coach, says, “I’m looking forward to doing my part in helping the team improve and grow their game this year”.
Another coach that is back in the spring season is Raymond Eggert, coaching the boy’s swim team. The boys swim team are learning and practicing their techniques for the challenging season ahead.
Looking at last season, many of our teams made it to CMAC and states championship games. By looking at last season’s successes and opportunities, coaches have been working to make improvements to their team and build stronger and better connections.
Last spring, the volleyball team finished with a 40-8 record.
“We won CMAC and won the Northern Californian Division 2 State Regional Championship – first time in school history,” said Okada.
The boys volleyball team is ready for this season and feels better than before.
Okada says, “We are looking forward to the next few weeks to really gear up for the school season. We will be ready!”
There are high expectations for our student athletes,but it will also raise the bar for all of our teams. Our Sanger High teams practice hard and correct any mistakes as the season progresses, but they are also there for each other in supporting each other.
“I expect them to grow and learn, I also expect them to enjoy swimming more than they have in the past” said Eggert.
It’s important that students love the sport they are playing, and to not be bring down the spirit of the team
Montelongo also has high expectations of his team also and states, “My biggest expectation is that our student athletes dedicate themselves to being the best teammate they can be while committing to working as hard as they can to be the best player they can be as well.”
Boys volleyball has won CMAC, CIF, Northern California Division 2 State Regional and state championships.
“We are expecting to compete with the top teams in the CIF Central Section Division 1. Our goals include winning CMAC, winning the CIF Div 1 Championship and making another run at the state title,” said Okada.
There are many other teams that they will face and will like to win against.
Montelongo says, ”This may sound cliche, but our biggest challenge will be against ourselves. Golf is a mental game.”
He also wants to give a message out to his players saying, “My message to our players will be to only worry about their own game and forget about everything else. The rest will take care of itself.”
There are so many teams that we go up against such as Bullard, Clovis, Clovis East and Clovis North.
“Clovis East is in the returning section and state Div 1 champion. Clovis West has a strong class of 12 seniors on their varsity. Clovis, Buchanan, Clovis North and Bullard will also be tough as usual,” said Okada.
Having a tough competition builds up great sportsmanship and will show each other the mistakes made and how to improve them.
Okada says he has his boys “Strengthen their skills, compete against all-star teams, and build our team chemistry”.
This year boys volleyball has a special group that possesses a lot of skill but also good communication.
Boys swim will take on this season and have themselves ready to go up against Clovis.
“Clovis is always fast and will be a challenge,” said Eggert.
They have been practicing and going over many techniques, including various ways to better themselves and their teams.
We wish our senior players good luck this season and will miss their talent once they graduate.
