With many fall season sports coming to an end, it’s that time of the year where winter sports like soccer and basketball are starting up again. Many students at Arcadia High School (AHS) are excited to get back into the swing of things to kick off their sports seasons again!

As for Girls and Boys Soccer, training started at the beginning of the school year. Both the Girls and Boys teams have trained separately, putting in their hours on the field.

“We started sixth period training right as school started, but it was really light since we still have club training going on,” Sophomore Girls Varsity player Jade San Jose said.

Jose is a left fullback, and along with other Varsity players, trains at Los Angeles Soccer Club. Despite just joining in March of 2021, she has already improved a lot to be on the Varsity team. As for the girls training at school, the team kicked off their official training after school on Nov. 1.

“Our first practice was a little iffy, because it’s always the first practice,” Jose mentioned.

It seems the same goes for the boys side as well.

“The first couple weeks of training have been a bit unusual since our team is new, and we haven’t had much time to develop together. We’re all very unfamiliar with each other, but I look forward to growing with the team this season,” Sophomore Boys JV center midfielder Zachary Chung remarked.

Now, as games are approaching, many of the soccer players can’t wait to show off their training. After having their season cut short by COVID-19, this time proves a chance for many of them to shine.

“I’m excited to have a good season, since this season we get to actually know the players and see how we are as a team,” Jose described.

“I wasn’t able to play in sophomore year after tearing my ACL, and last year’s season was cut short due to COVID-19, so I’m extremely excited to return back to normal. As a senior, this season is extra special, and I’m really looking forward to making new memories and enjoying this last year,” Senior Girls Varsity center midfielder Joyce Pang expressed.

Besides from soccer, the Girls and Boys Basketball teams have been able to get the rhythm going with their training as well. As the season is starting, both teams have been doing a lot of conditioning to get everyone back into shape, including everyone’s favorite, running.

“During preseason, we had about an hour of practice dedicated to conditioning with box jumps, ropes, weight balls, and so much more. Now during the season, everyday we have the last 10-20 minutes of practice reserved for conditioning, mainly running. We’ve also been working on teamwork on and off the court, communicating through plays and press and cheering each other on as much as we can,” Junior Girls Varsity point-guard Cayla Shu described.

Both the Girls and Boys Basketball teams also have high hopes for their games. The Girls team has their first game on Nov. 15 against Glendale High School.

“I’m excited for this season, as a lot of our team was injured for a while, including myself, but the majority of us are back and ready to play. I think we have a great chance at coming out on top this year if we work hard and work together,” Shu explained.

“We were practicing a lot starting from October, and I’m pretty excited to see what we can do during the season,” Senior Boys Varsity point-guard Ethan Weng said.

All in all, both the Girls and Boys Soccer and Basketball teams at AHS have gotten off to a strong start. From training to team atmosphere, it seems that there will be an eventful winter season of sports ahead of us!

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