Spring Sports Recap

Spring symbolizes transformation, renewal, and growth. As we wrapped up the winter athletic season with happy moments and sadness, the Tusitala team was curious about the different sports teams competing in the spring. I conducted interviews with coaches who shared their teams’ goals for this season. Although at the time of publication, many sports teams will be wrapping up their seasons, these coaches’ insights nevertheless provide a clear picture of each team’s approach.

Boys’ Swimming & Diving:

Winning four consecutive championships, the Boys’ Swimming & Diving team aims to compete hard and repeat last year’s achievements. Coach Franco Pacheco reflected on the ups and downs our Pirates have gone through. He mentioned that the loss to Carmel was still in everyone’s heart. Despite the disappointment of losing, the Pirates haven’t been defeated: the loss “exposed areas where we need to be sharper,” Coach Pacheco mentioned. Coach Pacheco stated that “the focus has been on tightening execution, showing up consistently in practice, and committing to doing the small things right so we are ready to respond at Championships.” Pirates’ efforts and coaches’ support have brought them wonderful results and memories, including victories over Hollister, York, and more. Coach Pacheco expressed the Pirates’ win over Hollister High School as the most memorable moment of this season so far. He stated that “the energy, the team support, and the way the group showed up for each other in the season opener felt like what this program is supposed to be.”

Softball:

The Softball Varsity Team has shown impressive growth, particularly among new athletes. Many players who were inexperienced last season have developed strong fundamentals and confidence. Varsity Head Coach Aubrey Cousins explained that one factor behind this growth was “learning to trust the process and trust one another.” The time and effort that the athletes have put into this program have helped the team become more unified. However, the journey is not always smooth or easy: Coach Cousins expressed concern about the limited pitching staff, a consistent issue for our Softball program. To tackle this issue, the team has responded by emphasizing trust, teamwork, and defensive support. Coach Cousins also appreciated and praised senior athletes who have made great contributions to this program as Pirates. Whether celebrating small victories, maintaining energy in the dugout, or encouraging one another through difficult moments, the Pirates continue to foster a culture rooted in trust, resilience, and joy. As the season progresses, the Pirates are aiming to continue growing in their fundamentals, supporting one another, and embracing pressure as an opportunity rather than something to fear. Small improvements can spark a huge difference.

Boys’ Golf:

The Stevenson Boys’ Varsity Golf team has been known as a traditionally powerful team. Last year, the boys brought the State Championship back home after 2013. However, the team experienced a significant shift this year: Head Coach Justin Bates stated that “Last year we graduated four of our seniors in our top six varsity spots.” Although it was hard to lose those players, their graduation means that players like Calvin Etcheverry have to take on the responsibility of leading the team as “veterans from last year’s varsity team.” These changes will also provide players who haven’t played at this level with opportunities: the top ten players all have a great chance to fight for their spot on varsity with their excellent performances. “The younger players gradually become more comfortable with this type of environment and its expectations,” Coach Bates mentioned. Coach Bates hoped to “build a stronger and more well-established team, ultimately aiming to win CCS.” He expressed that CCS is the “entrance ticket” for the team to compete in the next couple of levels, such as the NorCal and State Championship. Seeing incredible moments from each player, he hopes to “have these moments collectively together,” expressing his excitement toward the team. As he puts it, the team’s mindset is simple: “control the controllables.”

Track & Field:

The Track & Field team had some great moments last year, with many athletes breaking school records that had stood for years. Looking ahead to this season, Head Coach Ron Provost emphasized that the team’s focus is on continuing improvements and maintaining consistency. One of Coach Provost’s favorite memories of the season so far this year was the Pacific Grove Rotary Invitational. The girls’ 4X800 team broke the school record by over a minute and set a new meet record for that event. “Landyn, Julianna, Sonya, and Marley were so excited with both of those achievements - that was a special moment,” said Coach Provost. He stated that setting records is simply a “byproduct” of the hard work the Pirates put in. He explained that the team’s “first goal is to continue to improve and to do well in the League Mission Division finals,” while also aiming to “qualify several individuals to move on to the PCAL individual championships and to CCS.” Success in competition is indeed important, but the team also values the experience during the meets, as Coach Provost emphasized. With hard work, resilience, and enthusiasm, the Stevenson Track & Field team will continue to build on its achievements while striving for even greater success.

Go Pirates!