The Free Lance’s roving reporter sits in with the Hollister High
girls soccer team for the Balers’ annual Spirit Breakfast.
The Free Lance sent its roving reporter to Flapjack’s Country Cafe in Tres Pinos to find out what makes the Hollister girls soccer team (12-4-2, 5-1-1 Tri-County Athletic League) click. The team was there for it’s annual Spirit Breakfast.
Baler head coach Michael Schurig on the purpose of his team’s Spirit Breakfast: “It’s a team-building, bonding situation. The girls bond both on and off the field. They’re like family. Flapjack’s makes this possible. That’s why we’re here. Girls being girls, they talk about everything.
“The girls work hard. We had a very physical practice Friday with the intention we’re going to get together and have some fun here. The wins are great, but what’s great is the tenacity and spirit the girls are playing in and how much they have improved. With one club player on the team, their skills have improved tremendously. I look at girls that are just where they were runners or athletes their skills were very basic. They could touch the ball, but that was it. Now they’re dribbling. They’re making moves, making great shots. It’s incredible. It’s really fun to be right in there.
“Look at the Live Oak game, yes, Live Oak won 4-0. They definitely dominated that game, but they couldn’t play their game because our girls were in it the whole game. Live Oak was playing kickball. Their coach talked about us playing kickball in that game, but they were doing it too because we took them out of their game. There are good things to come from us this year and in the future.”
Allison Felice on what sports she likes better, soccer or tennis?: “I like soccer better because it’s a team sport. It’s a lot more running.”
Nereyda Garcia, one of two freshmen on the varsity, on what sport she likes better, soccer or cross-country?: “I like both. I’ve been playing soccer my whole life, though. I’m happy I made varsity. I was really looking forward to it this year.”
Jennifer Vandenberg on dances at her high school: “I like the dress-up dances better, the more formal ones. It’s more of a special thing. The other dances not very many people go. It’s still cool. I think the last dance was a good one because it was a good cause.” (The dance in question was the annual Benefit Ball, which raised money for a local man with diabetes and kidney failure.)
Amy Baxter on when she’ll return to action after being sidelined following knee surgery: “Hopefully soon. As soon as I get my brace that I ordered then I have to go to the doctor to get released, but we’ll see whenever I can get in. It has been frustating.”
Briana Colorado on life, in general: “Life in general? I’m happy. Our soccer team is winning. We’re a good soccer team.”
Kory Case on life, in general: “It’s all about the pancakes.”
Vanessa Gowett on her greatest thrill in life: “It’s the chocolate chips.”
Sophomore Julie Broyer on what she would do if she had all the money in the world: “I’d buy a car. I’m old enough to drive.”
Lorenea Villagomez on what really makes her mad: “People. People who don’t listen. People who don’t have their heads together.”
Brianna Griffith, the team’s on-field vocal leader, on whether she yells enough during the game: “Oh, my god! Do I yell during the game? I scream my head off in the game and everyone says they can’t hear me and I don’t know how they can’t hear me.”
Freshman Martha Navarro on whether or not she’s going to be a superstar when she gets older: “Yeah.”
Mary Von Urff on what her greatest thrill in life is: “I like snowboarding and wakeboarding. I get excited when I just shut down the other team’s forwards.”
Chanin-Rae Maka on what she did on her 18th birthday, which was Friday: “I went to the Benefit Ball Dance. And at practice, the team was nice enough to let me stand in goal all hunched over and they shot balls at me. It didn’t hurt because not really anybody hit me.”
Jenny Maheu on the big spiel she wrote in the “girls soccer” section of the Monterey Bay Preps (mbaypreps.com) message board: Don’t accuse me of that! Nobody knows it was me. Well, Notre Dame needed to be shut up, so I figured I’d put in my two cents.
Allison Schmidt on what she likes better, track or soccer: “I like soccer better because it’s a lot more fun and more of a team sport, not individual. It’s more fun than running around the track in circles. I’m pretty excited about the track season and I’m hoping to have some PR’s.”
Chantelle Guajardo on if she’s glad she transferred from Anzar High to Hollister High: “Yes, I’m glad I transferred because I don’t like Anzar. Jessie Martinez is a good coach, though. We beat them 13-0, but it could have been 14-0.”
Jill Merrigan on what her story is and whether they should have the team breakfast every week: “I don’t have a story. This team breakfast is awesome, but if we’d have it every week, we’d be fat.”
Flapjack’s Country Cafe owner Phil Barrett on why he has these Spirit Breakfasts?: “We believe in high school sports. We believe that when the kids give 100 per cent we should give them something back. We do this for, not only the girls soccer team, but for the water polo teams. We pick those teams because budget-wise they’re shorter than the other teams and we enjoy going to the games.”
