Emily Duvall

Opinion Editor

This year, the LGHS Soccer Program geared up for their winter season beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Following the first day of tryouts, the girls’ side of the program extended tryouts to the following Thursday and Friday, after which the girls’ coaches began to make cuts to decide their final rosters. For the boys’ teams, the tryout process began the week of Nov. 7. The teams are undoubtedly in good hands, with Coach Jessica Ingram leading the Varsity squad and Coach Patrick Cushing heading the Junior Varsity team. Ingram and Boys’ Varsity team Coach Joel Fumia are already rooted in the town and its soccer environment, as the pair coach together at the local soccer league, Los Gatos United Soccer Club.

Junior Caitlyn Simons, competing with the Girls’ Varsity squad this year, is ready to pick up as soon as possible after last season. Going into the season, she mentioned, “being an upperclassman hasn’t really changed anything, but it’s fun getting to know the sophomores because I didn’t really get to know them last year. It’s exciting because I have the seniors above me and sophomores below, so I have such a good chance to meet new people!” Simons, also a commit to the Division I soccer team at the University of California at Santa Barbara, expressed her excitement for the upcoming season, and how she is “definitely looking forward to what [the] new coaches are going to bring to the table, and [she has] a strong feeling the team chemistry will be great this year. ”

Another member of the Varsity Girls’ team, senior Malia Yamamoto, is thrilled to be partaking in the upcoming season. Although she has not played in previous years for LGHS, Yamamoto has endless roots in club soccer, and is committed to Santa Clara University to play Division I soccer. She explained her decision to play high school soccer this year stating, “I wanted to play for my last year because I started to realize that high school was coming to an end and I didn’t want to have any regrets about not playing. I thought it would be a lot of fun to be part of the team and make new friends this year.” Coming in as a senior, she hopes to “be someone that the lower classmen look up to on and off the field. Playing soccer I always had people to look up to, whether that was the older teams in my club or college soccer players and that meant a lot to me.” Yamamoto hopes to bring in her enthusiasm, excitement, and drive onto the field this year for the soccer team.

After a tough season for the Girls’ Varsity team last year, they are ready to bring it all to the field for this year’s winter season and hopefully bring home a trophy. As for the Boys’ Varsity team, they saw a good amount of success in the previous year and hope to bring even more energy to the field as the season commences. Be sure to look out on the field for the first games of the season here at LGHS!