The school is renowned for its academic achievement: consistently ranked among the top public schools in the nation, students strive to reach new intellectual heights. However, a tour of campus may convey an additional tradition, that of athletic excellence.

A quick walk around the school at any time could reveal a group playing basketball on the outdoor dream basketball courts, a team bulking up in the weight room and one of many teams practicing on Benny Pierce Field.

Undoubtedly, the school also boasts an athletic tradition: a culture affected by seniors who spent much of four years dedicated to various sports. From college recruits to those merely seeking recreation, every senior athlete has made an impact on Saratoga athletics.

Fresh starts

Seniors began playing school sports for a multitude of reasons, and with diverse levels of experience and talent.

Sean Walsh, a lineman on the football team who moved from Ohio before his freshman year, used football as a head start in acclimating to a new school environment.

“Before the school year, I knew absolutely no one,” Walsh said. “Football introduced me to people and made me close with people even before school had began.”

While many freshmen began as relative newcomers to their sports, a precious few arrived as valuable contributors to varsity teams.

Tennis player Lisa Asai was a freshman varsity player, and learned much from the experience.
“I always looked up to older players and they were like sisters to me,” Asai said. “They made it easy to be new on the team.”

Today’s seniors began athletics as freshmen in diverse circumstances; however, they remained constant in their enthusiasm for participating in sports over their high school careers.

Winning … and losing

While many seniors’ sports teams found great success, others struggled for victories. Asai was an integral part of a girls’ tennis team that reached the CCS finals every year of her high school year, and won back-to-back CCS titles, as well as a CIF NorCal championship.

“We were blessed to have such strong players,” Asai said. “We were able to win every title that we competed for. It was great to experience the joy of winning a big title.”

Other teams, such as the boys’ volleyball team, achieved relatively little success, but basketball and volleyball player James Huang found that even losses presented many positives.

“We played Homestead once, and although we lost, it was the most exciting game I played,” Huang said. “The whole team was pumped and going hard for the win.”

Lasting relationships

Perhaps the most lasting effect of sports on senior athletes was the camaraderie created among teammates who fought, sweated and sometimes even bled for each other. Coaches, teammates and even opponents work to bring out the best in every athlete, and often as a result, have lifelong influence on those players.

Huang found that basketball coach Trevor Naas’ willingness to work with him privately vastly improved his game.

“Coach Naas has spent a lot of time with me off the court to help me improve and watch film,” Huang said. “For me, spending the time to do this was the best thing a coach can do, to help a player who wants to improve and to give up his own time to work with that player.”

Talia Sisco, who played volleyball, basketball and softball, found that her relationships with teammates flourished as her career progressed.

“It sounds cliche but there really is no relationship like a team,” Sisco said. “The basketball program has influenced me the most throughout high school. It’s like a second family. Even though I never really loved the sport, all of the people and coaches in the program are so dedicated, and everyone is just really close.”

Although league titles and winning records often fade to the depths of memories’ reserves, there is no doubt that many relationships created in Saratoga athletics will last entire lives.

Moments of glory

When it comes to glory, the 2011 football team’s curse-breaking victory over Los Gatos and the 2011 girls’ tennis team’s undefeated, Northern California champion season come to mind.

However, many athletes found significant memories in less momentous moments. For Walsh, his favorite moment came when he was carried off the field by senior players at the end of a freshman team game.

“I had no impact on the varsity game, and they only carried me a few feet, but that memory will forever be locked in my mind,” Walsh said.

While Walsh’s greatest memory occurred at the beginning of his football career, Sisco’s favorite moment came during her last home volleyball game, senior night.

“Since I was the only senior it felt pretty special having everyone come watch,” Sisco said. “It was pretty sad to know that was the last time I’d play volleyball for Toga.”

Like Sisco, Huang’s special memories arose due to crowd support, namely at the boys’ basketball team’s several contentious games against rival Lynbrook.

“It was always a packed house and I would love playing in those games,” Huang said. “They were always exciting and I love and thank our Saratoga students for coming out to support us.”

Four unforgettable years

Walsh, Asai, Huang and Sisco are only a small sample of dozens of athletes who sacrificed their time, effort and energy for the betterment of the athletic program. Senior athletes took time from a rigorous curriculum to participate in sports, allowing them to suffer the joys of victory and the pain of defeat, as well as the building of chemistry and friendship that will surely continue past high school.

“There are thousands of memories that I have accumulated from playing high school sports,” Walsh said.

While every athlete has a different story to tell, everyone agrees: Given the choice, they would do it all over again.

“I'll never forget the memories and lessons I learned from sports in high school,” Huang said. “I wish it never ended.”