Marion Kimble
Ending the semester doesn’t mean ending sports. Though the spring season has come to a close, fall brings soccer, football, basketball and women’s volleyball back to Pierce College.
Little news is available from the majority of next semester’s teams, but new developments were available for volleyball and football.
A new conditioning program is pumping up Pierce players in hopes of keeping their hands on the pigskin.
“Our players have been going four days a week since the start of the second semester,” said Jim Thorton, assistant football coach, referring to their new vigorous training program in the gym.
With new coordinators for both offense and defense (Thorton for offense and Reggie Smith for Defense), Thorton, who coached Birmingham for seven years and lead them to three state championships, believes the team is in position do much better than in the fall.
The new coaches were brought in by head coach Efrain Martinez not only because of their skills, but their local ties.
“We’re not recruiting out of state anymore,” Martinez said. “We’re looking for local guys from local schools.”
The team ended its 2007 season 5-5 in conference, but according to the Pierce athletics Web site, under coach Efrain Martinez, a record number of players moved on to four year schools.
Among the 18 players, Kyle Visiglia, wide receiver, was accepted to University of California, Los Angeles, and Kameron Yancy, center back, went off to California State University, Berkley.
Last semester, the women’s volleyball team took its seventh Western State Conference title with 12-0 in conference and 24-4 overall.
Looking to lock down the Elite Eight championship, sophomore Kameron Ward has stepped up to the responsibility of team captain in the hope of inspiring fellow teammates with her dedication to the game.
“I told (Nabil Mardini, women’s volleyball head coach) I was willing to do whatever it takes to improve me and my team,” Ward said.
“I’m all business when it comes to volleyball,” she said.
The team won’t be making any commitments to players till July, but according to Mardini, the sophomores are working hard in preparation for next semester.
Soccer is also beefing up it’s players over the summer.
According to Stephanie Weaver, sophomore, an intense summer lies ahead.
“Summer is when we do drills and Scrimmage,” Weaver said.
Don’t miss out on what’s to come.
Sebastian Scott trains in preparation for next semester. “I train for one and a half hours a day, five days a week,” he said. ()