Dance wins national title

Senior Victoria Senderzon suits up as she prepares for the nal routine. She eyes her team around her, everyone teeming with nerves as they wait for their turn to go. e applause from the last dance team’s performance ends, signaling that they will go on soon. e team steps out into the bright lights, and suddenly, the nerves are gone, and only smiles and con dence emerge from behind the curtains.

Senior captain eresa Hart said the team was nervous during the awards ceremony but elated when they found out they had won rst place. “ e second-place teams were announced (as) teams we had consistently beat before,” Hart said. “When they read out our name we all stared at each other with our mouths agape. en, there was a lot of screaming, and we had a couple of us run and grab the banner and the trophy.” e team participated in ve local competitions including a regional tournament in order to qualify for nations. Once they did, they competed against other teams within their size and style section.

Head Coach Alanna Williamson said deciding on a genre was easier this year, as she realized quickly that small hip-hop would cater best to the skill and chemistry of the team.

“ is year, a lot of the dancers were really good at hip-hop,” Williamson said. “And last year, the people who I knew would be returning talked about really wanting to do that style. So, it felt like a good t for us because they were going to have fun and I knew that it would make sense for their skill levels as well.”

Williamson also said the team’s strong chemistry helped its success and that this was especially notable when traveling for competitions.

“Since we have been working so hard for so many months and put in so many hours together, they are really well-bonded,” Williamson said. “ e way that I can tell when a team has good chemistry is when I know that I can pair anybody up and they’re going to not only behave but have a good time together.” e dance team last won Nationals eight years ago before Williamson became head coach. Williamson, who was the assistant coach at the time, said the biggest advantage the team had at that time was individual expertise. “ e win that year had more to do with the raw talent of the girls on the team,” Williamson said. “It was only a group of ve girls on the team that were in the piece (that won).”

Williamson said this year’s win felt more validating as she saw the dancers progress both individually and as a team throughout the season.

“It’s been a lot of rebuilding in terms of culture and commitment and fostering the type of people we wanted on the team that want to work hard,” Williamson said. “ is year feels a lot more well-deserved and validating because it’s the whole team that won rst place, not just a small group of a few girls.”

Hart said she is excited for the future of Paly’s team even though the competition squad was senior-heavy.

“ e competition team is eight girls, four of which are seniors,” Hart said. “But the other four are planning to continue, and we’ve been having a lot of open practices. I think the team is in good hands, and I trust the next season will go smoothly.”

After defeating Los Altos in an away meet on March 17, the varsity swim team is in rst place and still undefeated in its league.

Head coach Danny Dye said both varsity teams are thriving.

“It’s going great for all the teams,” Dye said. ey’re undefeated in leagues, they’re swimming really well and competing really well. ey keep getting faster and stronger.”

Dye said his favorite part about coaching the swim team is the players he gets to work with.

“We have good leaders,” Dye said “ ey know how to push each other. It makes it fun to see athletes that are committed and dedicated.”

Senior and team captain Milla Cleveringa said she loves competing in swim meets because of the sense of community they bring.

“I enjoy the meets at the end of every week,” Cleveringa said. “We have a tight-knit, well-rounded group of girls, and we all bring a lot of energy to the races. We are all very supportive of each other, and it’s an overall fun, positive environment to be in.”

With the championship season coming in just a few weeks, Cleveringa said she is optimistic.

“We have a lot of strong swimmers who can score many points by nishing in multiple places in every event,” Cleveringa said. “I honestly do not think this team has any weaknesses.”

Dye said he is satis ed with the work the swimmers are putting in before the championship season.

“I’m really happy with where they’re at,” Dye said. “We’re looking forward to a couple more weeks of hard training and getting ready for our championship season.” e thing I enjoy least about swimming is the grueling practices, especially morning practices when we have to get in a freezing cold pool when it’s still dark outside,” Cleveringa said.

However, Cleveringa said there were many tireless practices that went into the team’s success.

Despite the di cult practices, Cleveringa said she hopes they will help her break her personal records.

“My personal goal for the season is to achieve personal best times at SCVAL leagues and CCS,” Cleveringa said.

Dye said he also has high hopes for the end of the season.

“(We want to) win SCVALs, win all four (competitions) and sweep in JV and varsity,” Dye said. “Our goal should always be to go into CCS wanting to win it.”

Feelings were high after track and eld’s last home meet of the season on March 24, senior captain Elizabeth Fetter said.

“I think we’re pulling through, especially (with) this being our last home meet, energy is high (and) emotions are high,” Fetter said.

Senior captain Kyle Park said the team did well overall.

“People have been doing really well,” Park said. “I haven’t seen too many (personal records) so far, but it seems like people are looking really smooth out here.”

Long distance track coach Casper Vroemen said the team won many races even though there were multiple factors playing against them.

“We have a little wind on the backhand,” Vroemen said. “Plus, there are a couple important meets coming up on Saturday, so we’re trying to have kids only run one event. But overall, we won quite a few races.”

Park said the varsity boys 4x100 team had a key, smooth hando “ ey nailed the hando going from leg three to leg four” Park said. “One of the Tutor (twins) outkicked their last round against Lynbrook because the hando was so clean.”

Park said throughout the season, the team has xed many mistakes.

“At the start of the season, there were a couple slip-ups here and there,” Park said. “But we xed most of them. I’ve seen a lot of people trying their best, they recognized their mistakes and tried to x (them).” e team also participated at the Stanford invitational, where junior Grant Morgenfeld placed rst in the 1600 meter run, and seniors Hillary Studert and Elizabeth Fetter along with sophomore Kinga Czajkowska and freshman Amaya Bharadwaj won the Girls Distance Medley. At

VARSITY SPIRIT/USED WITH PERMISSION e dance team performs its Championship Division Contemporary piece “Fragile” and Small Hip-hop national title-winning “Rock the Mic” at the USA Dance Anaheim convention on March 18. Senior captain eresa Hart said the team was elated when it found out it won rst place. “When they read out our name, we all stared at each other with our mouths agape,” Hart said. the Arcadia Invitational, the quartet also broke Paly’s school records for girls Distance Medley Relay and girls 4x800, and Morgenfeld broke the boys 3200 meter record.

Senior Eoin O’Connell runs past teammate and senior Alex Gao. Long distance track coach Casper Vroemen said he thinks the team will improve as the season goes on. “I think (we need) just a couple of more races to build more experience and stamina,” Vroemen said.

Vroemen said the track athletes have started to hit records leading him to feel good for the upcoming meets and invitationals.

“Lots of athletes actually started PRing or started getting close to their PR, so I’m starting to feel better about (the season),” Vroemen said. Park said the team could stand to work on cheering each other on when they are not competing.

“I see a lot of kids sitting down right now, not cheering,” Park said. “I think it’s good (to) get up and support our teammates even when our event isn’t going on.”

Vroemen said he thinks the team will improve as the season goes on as some athletes are still getting into the groove of track and eld.

“Some of us are still guring out how to really run races, especially in bigger meets where there’s a lot going on,” Vroemen said. “So, I think (we need) just a couple of more races to build more experience and stamina.”

Although varsity boys lacrosse su ered a 9-6 loss to Menlo-Atherton earlier this month, coach Edward Hattler said the team played well in this di cult match and will continue training the many newer players on the team.

“We played tough, but we ended up losing, so we’re working on getting better,” Hattler said. “I’m proud of the improvements that we’ve made as a team so far. I’d like for us to continue to improve each day and each week.”

Hattler said that as a new high school lacrosse coach, teaching the players the game has been challenging.

“ ere’s a lot of kids that don’t have many years of experience playing.” Hattler said. “Everybody learning their positions and where they need to be has been a big challenge.”

Hattler said he hopes the team will perform well in its league. Additionally, Hattler said he plans to focus on the players’ determination and integrity.

“I’d like to create a culture where the team plays super hard, and we’re able to beat a more talented team based on our work ethic,” Hattler said.

Co-captain and senior Drew Ozgen said the team is persisting through troubles because many players lack experience.

“We have a lot of new and young players on our team,” Ozgen said. “It’s de nitely a lot to learn in a few weeks. Fundamentally, we’re not as great as we could be, but we bring a lot of energy to our games.”

Ozgen said he looks forward to the potential of the current sophomores.

“A lot of our team is sophomores, so in two years, when they’re seniors, they will be able to bring a lot of talent to the team,” Ozgen said.

Despite having several inexperienced players, Ozgen said the team has made major improvements since the beginning of the season.

“I remember the rst few weeks we were in shambles,” Ozgen said. “But we’ve grown a lot as a team and it’s de nitely shaping into being a good team this year.”