By SIMONE YU AND CAROL LI
STAFF WRITER AND ONLINE EDITOR
PHOTO BY CANDICE LEE Swim
Charley Jackson (12)
How did you get into swim?
“I’ve been swimming since I was about six and decided to continue through high school.”
What is your favorite part of this sport?
“I like trying to improve my times and hanging out with my friends during meets and practices.”
Do you have any role models that you look up to?
“I look up to Sidney Wong because she is SO speedy and always tries her best in everything she does.”
You have 24 hours to live. How do you spend it?
“I would spend time with my family and friends.”
If you could be any crayon, what color would you be and why?
“Purple, because it’s my favorite color.”
PHOTO BY CANDICE LEE Jonathan Han (12)
How long have you been playing this sport?
“I have been playing for 9 years.”
What is your most memorable achievement in swim?
“Going to CIF.”
How do you balance your sport with your academics and other extracurriculars?
“After school, I do all my homework and stay up all night.”
Would you rather be alone for the rest of your life or be surrounded by annoying people?
“I’d rather be surrounded by annoying people because I just like being around people.”
Would you rather be the smartest or the most charming? Why?
“The most charming, so I can get all the ladies.”
Baseball
PHOTO BY CHRIS CHANNick Quiroz (12)
How do you balance your sport with your academics and other extracurriculars?
“I try to get everything done as soon as possible so I have time to play baseball [stress-free].”
How has baseball impacted your life?
“Baseball has impacted my life by being my ‘get-away’ place.”
Why did you decide to join this sport?
“Baseball is something I really enjoy and I believed I would be good at it.”
Would you rather be alone for the rest of your life or be surrounded by annoying people?
“I would rather be alone!”
Would you give up all your favorite foods to be with the one you love?
“Yes, I would give up everything.”
PHOTO BY CHRIS CHANNick Barrera (12)
What is the most important part of being captain?
“The most important part is being a leader and example to your teammates.”
How do you motivate your team?
“I yell at my team to motivate them.”
When did you start playing baseball?
“I started playing baseball when I was five years old, and I just loved playing and wanted to continue.”
Would you rather always be ten minutes late or an hour earlier?
“I would rather be an hour earlier, because I do not want to be late to anything important.”
Would you rather be the smartest or the most charming? Why?
“I would rather be the most charming.”
Softball
PHOTO BY CHRIS CHANEmily Bracamonte (12)
What is the most important part of being captain?
“Getting to know the girls and making them stronger players, it will lead us to success.”
Why did you decide to join softball?
“I have been playing since I was three, and I just fell in love with it since then.”
Is there anyone you look up to as a role model or inspiration?
“Mark Campbell. He was one of my softball coaches, [but more importantly,] my dad, and he recently passed away.”
You have 24 hours to live. How do you spend it?
“I would fly to Bora Bora.”
Would you rather have a pet hippo or pet rattlesnake?
“Gosh, I would rather have a rattlesnake.”
PHOTO BY CHRIS CHANJanelle Meoño (12)
What is your favorite part of softball?
“My favorite part is meeting all the new people and creating friendships and bonds.”
Are there any obstacles you came across during this sport?
“Just recently, I lost one of the best coaches I’ve ever had. It has only been a few days, but it’s been really tough. Working together as a team is also something I have to overcome.”
How do you balance softball with your academics and other extracurriculars?
“I always have to put school first, because that is what gets me going anywhere. I manage my time well.”
Would you rather always be hot or always be cold?
“I love the heat, I’m going to Arizona! I hate the cold.”
If you could be any crayon, what color would you be and why?
“I would be the color yellow because it’s such a happy color.”
Boy’s Tennis
PHOTO BY CHRIS CHANMichael Tran (12)
What is your favorite memory from tennis?
“During one of my games in sophomore year, the game was tied up, so one last set was played to determine the outcome of the match. Both teams were cheering for their teammates on the side, which I thought was really great because it showed the comradery that [Wilson] had.”
Do pineapples belong on pizza?
“Pineapple DOES belong on pizza. If anyone thinks otherwise, then they are lame.”
Who inspires you to play tennis?
“All my past captains starting from freshman year have given me the motivation to also put my best efforts in tennis. [My captains] always cared about the team, and from them I have gained the inspiration to also help others on the team who may be younger or have less experience.”
Biggest goal for the season?
“For the team, the biggest goal for the season is to win league championships and qualify past the second round of CIF; personally, I [strive] to be the best singles player in our league.”
How do you prepare for games?
“[The team] practices drills and conditioning exercises on days we do not have games, and we always warm up and hit different styles of shots and serves with each other before our matches. Not overworking ourselves is also important, because that way we will not feel [lethargic] on game days.”
PHOTO BY CHRIS CHANDiego Quezada-Chao (12)
Morning person or night person?
“If morning people wake up at eleven, then I definitely am a morning person.”
If you could choose another sport to compete in, what would you choose?
“I like sprints and running, so I think I would enjoy track and field or football because they correlate with my interests. These are good sports for me because enjoy the feeling of running, but not for a long time. Sprinting is my strength, and I think I could use that to my advantage for football and track.”
Best joke?
“I will have to consult my book of jokes first.”
What is your comfort food?
“My comfort food is hamburgers, because I never get tired of it.”
What is something that you look forward to for this season?
“I am looking forward to compete in CIF because it is an opportunity that I have not experienced yet, and since this is my senior year, I want to optimize my last year at high school. I plan to achieve this by working with the team and improving any aspects of my playing that may result in the opponent taking a lead.”
Track and Field
PHOTO BY CANDICE LEE Trinity Gau (12)
What is one thing you could not live without?
“One thing that I cannot live without is the McDonald’s Big Mac, because it is my favorite food.”
Biggest achievement?
“My biggest achievement was biking around Taiwan in six days. It was a really eye-opening experience, and gave me an opportunity to push boundaries and grow my love for sports.”
How do you take responsibility as captain?
“I take responsibility as captain by setting up everything for warm ups and jump team while making sure everyone is not only enjoying themselves but also doing the right things when it comes to jumping. Jumping for track requires a very specific technique, and as captain I teach other jumpers how to optimize their timing and jump to perform their best at competitions.”
Best pickup line?
“I do not have any good pickup lines.”
What legacy do you hope to leave behind as a captain?
“When I graduate, I want to be remembered as the best jumper on the team, a friend to many and someone who knew how to make others laugh.”
PHOTO BY CANDICE LEE Jonathan Soloman (12)
Is water wet?
“Water is NOT wet.”
What do you enjoy about track and field?
“Participating in track and field allows me to meet new people and compete with friends from different schools, which is definitely a worthwhile experience. Whenever there is a competition or invitational, I have opportunities to expand my social circle and go out of my comfort zone.”
Morning or night person?
“I am a morning person, because I naturally wake up early and feel energetic.”
What is one thing you could not live without?
“I could not live without my friends and family, because they are always motivating me to do the best and are in every aspect of my life.”
What is your best joke?
“Mexican pickles.”
PHOTO BY CANDICE LEE Ethan Syaifulah (12)
Is a burrito a sandwich?
“Burrito is not a sandwich.”
If you could only eat at one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?
“If I could eat at one place for the rest of my life, it would be Ajison Ramen because all the dishes [that they serve] are delicious.”
What are some goals for this season?
“A major goal this season that I want to achieve is for the team to work on perfecting our form while in the air. Not only does that affect the way we jump, but jumpers can potentially harm themselves if they have incorrect form, which is why I want to spend more time and teach others to have a smooth jump.”
As captain, who do you work with to make sure everything is going smoothly?
“I communicate with other members who also compete in pole vault to inform them when practices are, and what to work on. That way, everyone can improve on their individual weaknesses and perform better during competitions. I also know that I can rely on Varsity pole vaulter Chase Tam, because he is dedicated and always shows up to practice early and stays late to help clean up the pole vaulting pit.”
Describe your best memory with track and field.
“My best memory would be when my friend’s pole broke in the middle of vaulting for an event. [Unfortunately], he ended up seriously injuring himself, but I was very shocked at the time and that moment became something I will never forget.”
PICTURE BY CANDICE LEE David Barrios (11)
Who is your biggest inspiration?
“It is difficult to say because there are so many people in my life that I look up to. I would say that my greatest inspiration is my sister because she always motivates me to believe that there are a lot of people in my life that I look up to, but my greatest inspiration is my sister, because she always motivates me to believe that anything is possible as long as I put my best efforts.”
What are some responsibilities as captain?
“I motivate my team to make sure they perform to the best of their ability and encourage them to persevere by recognizing the individuals who may not have been the fastest but definitely put in hard work during practices and competitions.”
Why did you decide to join track and field?
“I saw the sport as a way to be involved in school activities and thought it would be fun to meet new people that I would not interact with in my classes. When I was looking at other members of the track field, I thought the sport was very [intriguing] because there were so many events that members could compete in, which is what sparked my interest to join.”
What is your go-to comfort food?
“I really enjoy eating straight up salad.”
One person you could not live without?
“My mom is such an important part of my life. She is a great parent and constantly supports and motivating me to do my best in anything that I do.”
Badminton
PHOTO BY CANDICE LEE Crystal Yang (12)
Describe the team in one word.
“Hardworking. During practices, everyone consistently gives their best efforts to play well and work on technique and footwork. At matches, the team is focused and determined to succeed, and teammates cheer on each other when matches are played. The dedication and teamwork that everyone has while playing shows our great chemistry and love for badminton.”
How is badminton different from other sports?
“Unlike other sports, [badminton] requires a lot of stamina and endurance to constantly keep up rallies throughout the [entirety] of the match. Players also have applied teamwork [in multiple ways] such as motivating teammates, or communicating if players are paired as doubles for a game.”
Do pineapples belong on pizza?
“I personally think that pineapples do not belong on pizza, but I do know that there are a lot of people who enjoy the combination and that does not bother me.”
What is your greatest accomplishment?
“I believe that my greatest accomplishment was winning CIF in both my sophomore and junior year. When I won, I felt ecstatic and could not believe that I had gone so far with my badminton skills.”
What motivates you to play your best?
“I play badminton to win. Succeeding in this sport is what pushes me to keep going no matter how tired I am.”
PHOTO BY CANDICE LEE Luke Li (12)
What is a untrue stereotype that people have about badminton?
“Many people think that badminton is an unpopular sport. This stereotype is not true, because many people are Wilson are interested in badminton and have joined our team.”
What are some responsibilities as captain?
“During practices, the coaches want to utilize every minute we have in the gym before it is time for other sports to practice, so I have to make sure that every player is ready to exercise and warmed up each day before the end of sixth period. Because teamwork is important, I also try to incorporate bonding when we play matches together.”
Why do you enjoy playing Badminton?
“The competition in badminton is unlike any sport. With the birdie flying back and forth between rallies, I believe that badminton keeps me on my toes and is an interesting sport to play, because I do not know what to expect with each hit between the opponent and me.”
If you could choose another sport, what would it be?
“I would choose basketball because I have been on the team for three years.”
What is your favorite pick up line?
“If you were a triangle, you would be an acute one.”