The start of spring sports marks the return of the West Ranch boys’ volleyball team. The team has an impressive record, holding the title of Foothill League Champions for six consecutive years and winning 64 straight Foothill League games throughout 2015 to 2023.
Before the league season started on Feb. 27, the team went up against many teams outside of the Foothill League. As runner-ups in the Crescenta Valley First Serve Match Tournament, the Wildcats dominated over teams such as Simi Valley High, Bravo High and Temple City High.
The Paw Print had the chance to speak to junior varsity head coach Andrea Sinclair. When reflecting on the previous season, she said, “Almost all of the JV team moved up to varsity this season. Nobody got cut, and I think that’s a very big achievement.” The junior varsity team focuses on building strong fundamentals and creating a team bond, which is essential to their gameplay. “I think our biggest strength is how connected each player is to one another,” Sinclair explained. “Trying to figure out who works with who on the court and going from there is a key step to ensuring our success.”
Team spirit is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of playing a sport, and this sentiment was echoed by junior varsity captains Peter Everitt and Isaac Lane. “We make sure that everybody is excited to play volleyball and feels included,” they said. The captains expressed that they achieve this “by reassuring the team that they’re going to keep improving and do better next time.”
Varsity coach Brandon Johnson has faith in the Wildcats’ abilities for this season. “I truly believe that we have the talent to be at or near the top of the Foothill League,” he said. Living up to the word, the Wildcats kicked off the league season strong against Castaic, with varsity winning 3-1.
With two-hour practices five times a week, the team is training hard. According to varsity player Parker Rappoport, the Wildcats have been mainly focusing on their offensive play. “We’ve done lots of drills and lineups in practice so that we can improve our hitting,” Rappoport shared. “We’ve already improved a lot in our back-row defense.”
“Our goal is to win league, but the smaller goal is to take each game in strides and win,” Sinclair concluded. With high hopes and enthusiasm going into the season, make sure to come out and support the boys’ volleyball team in the coming weeks!
