Hills, California Volume 141 - Issue 3
Building a legacy through perseverance
Pierce College women’s soccer coach reflects on team’s 500th game
By Nathalie Herrera Reporter
Coach Adolfo Perez and the Pierce College women’s soccer team hit a milestone of playing their
500th game — and reaching their 333rd win — on Sept. 17.
The Brahmas beat Los Angeles Harbor College 2-1 at Shepard Stadium. For Perez, the win added to a legacy of more than 20 years at Pierce.
Perez has been coaching soccer since 1995, when he started at Mission College. After the Mission College program was shut down due to budget cuts, he began working at Pierce in 2001.
“I started the program in 2001,” Perez said. “Soccer’s a fall sport. I got hired in March, therefore we didn’t have time to recruit. I remember my first athletic director saying we didn’t even have a soccer ball.”
In his time at Pierce, there was one game, the state championship against Long Beach in 2005, that stuck with
Saturday on Dec. 10, 2005,” Perez said. “If we won, we would have played [in the final] and I would have missed the birth of my son. That game was impactful in so many ways.”
Although the team did not become state champions, the loss allowed Perez to be there as his son was born.
The soccer program has had many challenges, however Coach Perez expressed that this year a big issue is budget cuts.
Despite the lack of funds, Perez said there are certain things the team does in order to go to away games and to make the team still look put together.
“We’ve gone through budget
“I remember my first athletic director saying we didn’t even have a soccer ball.”
Adolfo Perez Pierce women’s soccer coach
Perez the most. A big takeaway for him was “everything happens for a reason.”
The Brahmas were up 3-1 and “were basically gonna win.” Then Long Beach switched goalies, scored four additional points and took home the win.
“If we would have won that game we would have won our first state championship, but the final was the following
cuts and I’m very proud to say we’ve always found a way,” Perez said. “We are able to fundraise. You would never think with how professional we look that there were budget cuts.”
Perez’s legacy at Pierce has continued with one of his very own players becoming his assistant coach. Joandra Ramirez was a part of Perez’s team from 2011 to 2012 and later joined as assistant coach in 2019.
Ramirez explained the change in dynamics and understanding she had for Perez after becoming a colleague.
“We may not understand who he is as a whole or as a coach, but he wouldn’t be putting so much love and passion into not just practice, [but also] the minor details and how organized he is,” Ramirez said. “Now as a colleague, I see that side and as a player I didn’t. I understand him a lot more”.
Team captain Lily Rang has been a player for two years at Pierce and became team captain this year. Rang explained that a memory she cherishes the most is Perez’s fun spirit getting her through a tough time.
“I had found out that my grandfather had passed away, and I didn’t really mention it to anyone,” Rang said. “Adolfo didn’t know either, but the practice that we had as the team, he was just kind of bringing this fun energy to it, and everything. It kind of helped get my mind off of it so that was really special to me.”
A big factor that Perez said keeps him coaching at Pierce are the student-athletes, especially those who have a passion for it but lack the funds to follow their passion for soccer.
“You know I coached clubs and they have different dynamics, they can afford it and these kids cannot, I think that is the number one reason,” Perez said.
As far as when Perez will retire, he said he has no date planned, but he has the passion and energy to keep coaching the team. Perez said he doesn’t plan to stop any time soon.
“I have always said the day I do not care about it, then I am done,” Perez said. “I don’t know when it is going to be, but the day I stop believing and having that feeling in it is when I’m done.”
Women’s soccer coach Adolfo Perez walks across the field after a win against East Los Angeles College at Shepard Stadium at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 14, 2024.
Abraham Elizalde / Roundup News
Victor Montiel / Roundup News
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Editorial: From the desk of the Roundup Expanding the promise of affordable higher education
Community college can serve as a door to getting a higher-paying job or transferring to a four-year university. But for nontraditional students, especially those who work full-time or care for family members, the cost of a two-year education often slams that door.
The California Promise program, which allows community college districts across the state to waive up to two years of tuition for fulltime students, is an excellent expansion to college access — with a massive caveat. Only fulltime students are eligible for the program, so many nontraditional students are left out.
The California Promise
program was first funded by the state legislature with $46 million through Assembly Bill 19 in 2017, according to the California Community College chancellor’s office.
California Promise has already shown strong results, and the state legislature should expand the program to include part-time students, as well as a broader range of returning students.
California Promise students don’t have to pay tuition for two years, which eases the financial burden of attending community college. These students can focus on learning, not on whether they will be able to pay their next tuition bill.
For part-time students who aren’t included in California Promise, the $46 per unit charge can mean dealing with financial stress and having less available money to pay for food, housing, childcare and other essentials.
As of the Fall 2022 semester, only 26 percent of California community college students were full time, according to state data. By excluding part-time students, the California Promise program’s scope is too limited in who it supports.
According to an article in EdSource, all 116 community colleges in California offer some form of tuition-free education. However, most of these programs are overly
specific in who is eligible for them. Students who can’t attend college full time due to work or other responsibilities are often the students who need tuition waivers the most, yet they often aren’t eligible.
Now that California Promise has been around for more than five years, it’s clear that it should be expanded. The state legislature should act to do so.
Part-time, returning and nontraditional students are all demographics that contribute to the important socioeconomic diversity at California community colleges. They deserve a more financially accessible education.
A look into
the archives: 70 years of the Roundup
On this day 49 years ago, the Roundup published Volume 43, Number 1.
On the front page, thenpresident of Pierce Edward J. Liston said that the “Open Door” policy held by the Los Angeles Community College District was in danger of being shut down. The Open Door policy allowed all California residents to pursue a free post-secondary education at the community college level.
Governor Jerry Brown limited the amount of money the state could provide the LACCD, covering up to a 5% increase in enrollment across all campuses. At the time of the article’s production in 1975, Pierce’s enrollment was up by 14.2%.
Liston stated that a community college completely controlled by the state of California could never properly function. Roughly 80% of the funds the LACCD received came from taxpayer money, with the remaining 20% being supplied by the state. While Brown never officially stated that enrollment should stay at or under 5%, his lack of financial support was seen
by Liston as an attempt made by the state to increase control over the district.
At this time, the LACCD asked the Post-secondary Education Commission to recognize Mission College. Restoring funds to extend the Pierce library was also proposed for the next budget season.
Alongside these projects, Pierce applied for a $460,000 grant from the state to pursue a solar energy project. Solar receptor pans, a form of green energy that involves the sun heating water which would be stored for later use, would be installed on the roofs of certain buildings around the campus. It was estimated by the dean of college development, Richard Gearing, that the product could potentially reduce the annual cost of water and heating in the gymnasium from $45,000 to $7,000.
An archived front page of the Roundup Volume 43, Number 1, from Sept. 25, 1975, laid out in the newsroom on Sept. 24, 2024.
Photo by Delilah Brumer.
Copy by Daisy Malone.
Should students study abroad in college?
Building bridges and character overseas
By Jonathan Wheelock Reporter
Studying abroad is a great option for students to experience different cultures and academic opportunities, as well as become immersed in a second language. By studying abroad, students get all this while also gaining real world experience that will help them later in life.
Experiencing new cultures has long been the main pull of studying abroad. According to an article from Pepperdine Seaver College, “Learning about different customs, traditions, and beliefs provides you with a better understanding of the world
learn language skills by being surrounded by the language they are trying to learn.
Immersing oneself in a language is the best way to learn it, something that can be done by traveling to the home of that language. According to a Cambridge University article, “... students who are exposed to the language they’re learning in an immersive way, be it through a bilingual immersion programme at their school or a study-abroad experience, exhibit higher levels of fluency.” While textbooks can be helpful, communication remains one of the best ways to learn a language. The article also goes on to say that the increased level of fluency was especially apparent in those who wanted to
Don’t overlook the costs and cons of going abroad
By Ryan Kassebaum Reporter
Studying abroad is often a glorified vacation, and can be misunderstood since many won’t explain the potential drawbacks of it.
While there are upsides to studying abroad, it can lead to financial burdens and cultural disorientation.
to feel isolated, confused or feel homesickness.
Where would you want to study abroad and why?
The University of Southern California details that the cost of tuition at several campuses in its study abroad program is lower than at its home campus. Even though tuition is cheaper, it still isn’t cheap. Unfortunately, this is true for most schools around the country.
The article Examining Losses and Recoveries in Community College Enrollment: Lessons from the Los Angeles Community College District from Harvard University says, “Though finances and affordability played a large role in student enrollment and persistence even before the pandemic, the initial shock of the pandemic caused a major disruption to enrollment as students lost employment, took on additional caregiving responsibilities, or increased their employment and intensity.”
home,” the Pepperdine article adds, “Horseback riding through Hyde Park in London, fencing in Heidelberg, and sailing in Buenos Aires.” While students learn physical skills through these experiences, they also
Students want to travel abroad to study. “By summer 2021, the Institute for International Learning reported a 523% increase in U.S. college students going abroad…” a CNBC article reports, “...with 83% of schools expecting an increase in the
Students know the reasons to go study abroad. For those who aren’t so sure about leaving home because of economic concerns, there are ways to experiment with traveling to try it out for a fraction of the price. The Council on International Educational Exchange, a third party nonprofit that has long been trusted, has courses ranging from six weeks to a full semester.
The article How Much Does It Cost To Study Abroad from Nerdwallet explains, “The average semester abroad costs between $7,000 and $15,000 in total, while a one-month summer program runs from $3,500 to $6,000.”
Community colleges often serve as gateways for students to enter four-year institutions, but financing abroad opportunities at the community college level would waste money that could be used to help make entry-level secondary education accessible.
While scholarships and financial aid are often offered, as is evident on certain school websites, they are often limited and highly competitive. In addition, the cost of living in the most popular destinations such as Japan, the United Kingdom or even Australia can be much higher, which would provide a financial burden on the student.
Although the United States of America is a diverse country, students often feel a sense of cultural disorientation or culture shock when studying abroad.. Language barriers, new environments, and different cultural norms can lead students
“…But the largest and most prolonged decline was among students who received only the California Promise Grant,” the Harvard article states. “These drops likely reflect the importance of unmet financial need as a key factor driving enrollment declines.”
While studying abroad can have its benefits, the downsides are often overlooked leaving students feeling a sense of culture shock upon arrival, and a financial burden to both students and the schools. It is important to detail the good and bad when proposing studying abroad, instead of just the benefits, because the downsides are ones to strongly consider as well.
“I would like to go to Barcelona, Spain. The culture seems very colorful and beautiful, and I would like to see the parts that the public doesn’t know about.”
“I would want to go to China. I’m a business and economics major and it’s very high-tech there, so I think that’s cool. I also want to experience cultures that I’m not used to.”
Jaclyn Ho - Business & Econ
LEFT: Award-winning actor Danny Devito stars in a Jersey Mike’s Subs commercial, filmed in the College Services building at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 19, 2024.
“I would be hesitant to study abroad. If I were to study abroad, I would probably go to Spain, but I’m not very fond of Spain. I would just go there to see what it’s like.”
”I would be interested in Japan. I like the landscape, it’s very green, lots of mountains, it’s not as hot out there and from what I think, it’s pretty clean.”
Jayden
Quintero - Film
Interviews by Matthew Stewart Photos by Hanna Vandergugten
Isaiah Magana - Political Science
Roxana Sanaeenia - Undecided
Star-studded commercial filmed at Pierce
Moses Murga / Roundup News
Private company hired to enforce parking
Students can purchase parking passes from the business office for $20
By Oscar Silva Reporter
The parking lots at Pierce College are once again bustling during the school week, now that more students are coming to campus post-pandemic.
With the hopes of managing campus parking, Pierce has required students to purchase $20 parking passes from the business office. Cars without passes can be subject to a ticket.
To carry out parking enforcement, Pierce has hired the company Peak Parking, spending $52,790 for this school year. This marks the first time the college has contracted a firm for such duties.
Pierce Vice President of Administrative Services Rolf Schleicher explained that all colleges in the district are implementing stricter parking policies. He said the college is trying to keep its fees as low as possible.
“Parking is a very contentious issue, and we don’t want to be punitive,” Schleicher said. “We never want to put a student in that situation.”
David Bayless, a parking enforcement agent with Peak Parking, said his job is straightforward.
“The only training I’ve had was just on how to use our app to do the tickets,” Bayless said. “It’s pretty self-explanatory.”
His daily tasks include
ensuring the students are parking correctly, by avoiding parking in staffing areas or double parking. He noted that another common infraction includes failing to pay for parking passes.
“There’s also double parking, which I see a lot in Lot 7,” Bayless said. “Everything’s straight tickets now.”
Each citation carries a fine of $35, which escalates to $42 after 30 days if unpaid. Unpaid fines are eventually sent to the Department of Motor Vehicles, which could further complicate matters for students.
Bayless suggested the college should get clearer signage, especially in staff parking areas, because students often park in these restricted spots.
Students expressed mixed feelings about the parking enforcement.
Biology major John Larios said he thinks the money spent on Peak Parking could be better invested into resources for students.
“I’m not too happy about schools charging for parking,” Larios said.
Marketing major Jonathan Arouh said he thinks the parking passes and parking enforcement make sense. He said he thinks the $20 cost for a pass is reasonable.
“There’s obviously a lot of people who drive here, and we need some way to filter out the supply and demand of everyone who wants to park,” Arouh said.
Academic Senate discusses budget deficit
By Daisy Aguinada Reporter
Pierce College Vice President of Administrative Services Rolf Schleicher discussed his focus on the facilities master plan and dealing with budget cuts at the Academic Senate meeting on Sept. 23 in Building 600.
Schleicher addressed the college community about the ongoing process of revamping the facilities master plan, recounting having done these exercises multiple times.
“This time we’re doing it with a different approach, more centered around the students,” Schleicher said. “We’re trying to bring an atmosphere where the pedestrian traffic is really engaged. We’re also looking at our transportation, and those transportations that can help serve the campus better.”
Schleicher talked about the importance of how the college uses its properties. He pointed out that many facilities are being underused, and said that
increasing their use is a longterm goal.
”Each property needs to look at how to maximize performance,”
Schleicher said. “We’ve been asking for this for years, and we’re happy to finally move forward with these plans.”
Schleicher also highlighted the importance of having representation on the District Budget Committee (DBC).
“That representation is extremely important for us,”
Schleicher said. “And again, the budget is really tight.”
He mentioned a challenge Pierce College faces with budget cuts, adding “How do you grow enrollment when you’re tightening the budget?”
Previously facing a $15 million deficit, the college now anticipates closing this year with approximately a $7 million deficit, indicating ongoing financial challenges.
Distance Education Coordinator Wendy Bass also shared her thoughts on the budget cuts Pierce has experienced and
how it can have an impact on students.
“The budget cuts are awful,” Bass said. “I want to make sure we are able to offer classes so students can continue to progress toward their certificates or degrees and not be stuck waiting because the class they needed was canceled for a semester.”
Academic Senate President Margarita Pillado discussed new courses for the Academic Senate to vote on, including classes in the anthropology, computer information systems and automotive technology departments.
“These courses are part of the move that the state of California and in fact the entire nation is going into electric vehicles, pure emission vehicles,” Pillado said. “These courses provide the training for the students to learn how to service those kinds of vehicles.”
The next Academic Senate meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 7 in Building 600.
Vice President of Administrative Services Rolf Schleicher addressing the senate regarding budget within the school as well as the district at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 23, 2024.
Parking Enforcement Agent David Bayless prepares his equipment in Stadium Parking Lot 5 at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 18, 2024.
Moses Murga / Roundup News
Kenneth Chan / Roundup News
September 25, 2024
Pierce hosts Hispanic Heritage Month discussion and book signing
By Tim Lewis Reporter
Angel Aviles was once known by many as Sad Girl, but they don’t say that to her anymore.
Pierce College’s Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) held their Third Annual Chicano/Latino Heritage Month Speaker Series “Platica & Book Signing” on Sept. 17.
The series featured Angel Aviles, who starred as Sad Girl in the 1993 drama, “Mi Vida Loca.” Aviles discussed her life with students and shared excerpts from her self-help memoir “Too Happy to Be Sad Girl: Surviving Sadness, Ditching Anxiety and Learning to Thrive.”
“What I learned from living in the hood is there are levels to it,
there are people who live well, and are community focused,”
Aviles said. “It wasn’t just the terror. If you focus on the bad you’ll miss out on everything it has to offer.”
Aviles’ book covers many pivotal moments throughout her life that have shaped her into the individual she is today. Although she has spent time on the big screen, some may find her life story relatable, hitting topics like living in poverty, dealing with loss and the importance of individuals seeing themselves represented in art and literature.
“I was using the book as a way of creating a process for my coaching practice while also finding a way towards wellness for myself,” Aviles said. “It took tens of years to become emotionally naked enough to
finish the book.”
Aviles spent much of her childhood living in the Bronx and she learned about what it meant to be part of a community.
As Aviles grew up, she eventually moved to Los Angeles to follow her acting career and during that time her brother Rick died, which forever left a hole in her heart. Aviles shared her experience of dealing with grief to students.
“People live through us in our memory of them. I don’t think death is something to overcome as much as it’s something to be accepted,” Aviles said. “The beauty of being a keeper of one’s story is a privilege and a way I found to navigate the pain.”
Angelita Rovero, Professor of Chicano Studies and Advisor to MEChA at Pierce was also in attendance at the event and shared how special it was to have Aviles present to speak.
“I think it’s important for students to be exposed to certain personalities, icons and legends,” Rovero said. “Not because they’re in the industry, but because they have a platform where they can actually share within a wider range in our community.”
Aviles shared with the crowd that “the most important story you’ll hear is the one you tell yourself.”
Rovero shared how she navigates her own narrative.
“It’s a balance,” Rovero said. “I made sure I dominated both
cultures. I felt like I had to, but now I see it as a blessing. I think it is learning about who you are and where you come from, embracing where you come from regardless of where from, connecting to it, loving it, and having pride.”
MEChAs’ mission is cultural diversity and to continue the college curriculum of Chicano Studies. It was originally founded in the 1960s and is now found in nearly every university in America, according to Rovero.
MEChA Secretary Oscar Rodriguez said he has learned about his own ethnic background and history since joining.
“I’ve understood more about what it is to be Mexican,” Rodriguez said. “I’m a first generation Mexican-American, so me doing service for four years gave my parents the opportunity to have residency, but now that my task was done, I wanted to see what else I could do.”
Rodriguez recently retired from the military and took the opportunity Pierce provided to learn more about Latino culture through the Chicano Studies courses offered and encouraged others to do the same.
“All these cultures should embody the opportunity for other people to explore and understand their culture, if they enjoy it they could relate somehow and explore further to develop something for their life from that culture,” Rodriguez said.
Democrats club knocks on doors in Nevada
Students worked on the ground for the Harris-Walz campaign
By Alfonso Vargas Reporter
The Pierce College Democrats club went on a trip to Reno, Nevada from Sept. 20 to 22 in hopes of convincing locals to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and learned more about how democracy works along the way.
Denise Robb, a political science professor and the club’s adviser, led students as they went door to door in groups of two, encouraging people to register to vote and trying to convince them to vote for Harris.
“We’d ask them who they’re planning to vote for, and if they are not sure, and most of them weren’t sure, then we asked them what issues are important to you,” Robb said. “If they have certain issues, we kind of explained to them why we thought Kamala Harris would be a better choice than Donald Trump.”
Robb said she believes it was
a positive experience for the students, because they get to learn more about the political system.
“Overall, it was positive, because a lot of young people had never campaigned before,” Robb said. “Some of my students have told me they’ve never left California, so they got to experience how democracy works. It’s hard work, but it’s important to participate.”
Owen Harwig, the club’s vice president, said he thinks it’s important to get people active and start voting for the election.
“It’s a really important election coming up, and I think by going door by door knocking and incentivizing people to vote, giving them reasons, helping them if they’re unsure about candidates, you know, don’t know the facts,” Harwig said.
“It’s really important to do that.”
Harwig added that it was a special experience being a part of the campaign and feels great that he is doing something to help.
Political Science Major
Marcelo Cabrera said his favorite moment was helping out a woman who turned out to be unregistered and convincing her to become a registered voter.
“We told her specifically, even if you register as an Independent or Republican, like we’re not going to criticize you, we’re just, more than happy that you’re even willing to register,” Cabrera said. “So we got her filled out, and it turned out she ended up registering as a Democrat, so that felt pretty good.”
Robb said she believes undecided voters can help be a deciding factor to winning the election.
“Kamala Harris could end up winning Nevada by five votes,” Robb said. “We could be the five votes if we just got a handful of people to change their vote, or not even to change their vote, to go from an undecided to a yes, that could do the election, that could seal the election.”
Reporting
by
Delilah Brumer
An act of vandalism occurred in Parking Lot #7 on Sept. 17.
A petty theft was reported in the industrial tech building on Sept. 18.
An act of vandalism was reported in the industrial tech building on Sept. 18.
A burglary was reported on Sept. 23 in the Applied Technology building. A suspect has been arrested and charged.
The crime log is made publicly available at the Pierce College Sheriff’s Office.
campaign in Reno, Nevada from Sept. 20 to 22, 2024.
The Pierce College Democrats club worked to knock on doors and spread the word about the Harris-Walz
Photo courtesy of Denise Robb
The “Platica & Book Signing” event at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 17, 2024.
Victor Montiel / Roundup News
All the vintage things you’ll see
The Pierce College campus buzzed with shoppers of a variety of generations as they perused vintage clothing and antiques on Sept. 22. The Topanga Vintage Market, which visits the Pierce parking lot on the fourth Sunday of each month, offered a vast selection of antiques,
paintings, toys, clothes, records, CDs, maps, guitars and candles. The heat didn’t stop lovers of all things vintage from coming to campus, searching the wares and enjoying each other’s company.
(Left to Right) A vendor shows kindergarten teacher Barbara Taupier his puppets from 1970’s “Muppets” that are for sale during the Topanga Vintage Market event at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif,. Sept. 22, 2024.
Daria Kim-Percy browses through a a rack display of different colored tops during the Topanga Vintage Market at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2024.
Karla Delgado / Roundup News
Copy by Karla Delgado and Delilah Brumer.
Hanna Vandergugten / Roundup News
A set of vintage cars on display during the Topanga Vintage Market event at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2024.
Karla Delgado / Roundup News
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
(Left to Right) Judy Diep and Jeannine Diep look through blouses from one of the clothing racks during he Topanga Vintage Market event at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2024
Hanna Vandergugten / Roundup News
A crowd of shoppers during the Topanga Vintage Market at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2024.
Karla Delgado / Roundup News
LEFT: A skull of a horned bull for sale during the Topanga Vintage Market at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2024.
Hanna Vandergugten / Roundup News
(Left to Right) Jewelry Business owner Karly Laguna shows her vintage ring selection to Anna Smith during the Topanga Vintage Market at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2024
Karla Delgado / Roundup News
Michelle Gracy smells a sample of homemade soap from the Spirit Spa Soap stand during the Topanga Vintage Market event at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2024.
Karla Delgado / Roundup News
Lancers score over Brahmas, beat Pierce 3-0
By Raquel G. Frohlich Copy Editor
The Pasadena City College Lancers beat out the Pierce College Brahmas 3-0 in their Sept. 17 game, scoring twice in the first half and once in the second.
Pierce Head Coach Julio Castillo said the men’s soccer team is dealing with a situation that arose recently, but they are working to mentally prepare themselves in a stronger way.
“How to get the best out of them, how to get them to believe in each other,” he said. “Things are going to happen, some positives, some negatives. We have to learn how to compete through adversity. That’s the
biggest challenge for us. Soccerwise, we can compete, win games and then one mental mistake and all of a sudden we go down.”
One path to improvement involves getting the members of the team together, explained Castillo.
“Last Friday, they got together, the whole team went to one of the player’s houses and they hung out, they had a great time,” he said. “More things like that that can bring the team together is probably what we need the most.”
Assistant Coach Julian Lopez said the coaches have work to do as well, and they will go back to the drawing board.
“It started well, and after those first two goals on them, mistakes
on our part, not going up for a ball, that’s where it all turned around,” Lopez said. “It’s hard to play from that, it’s hard to keep your momentum up when you have those types of goals.”
Brahma Carlos Ruano (#10) joined the team this year as a forward, and said the team did well in the beginning before mistakes cost them.
“I feel like we all need to get together, focus,” Ruano said. “We all got to start coming to training.”
Continuing into the season, one challenge for the team is to not dwell on a mistake, but to move on from it, explained Castillo.
“The biggest thing for us is to start believing in ourselves,” Castillo said.
Diego Nava (#14) maneuvers the ball down the field at Shepard Stadium at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 17, 2024.
Jonathan Wheelock / Roundup News
Gilberto Chavez (#7) lines up for the kick at Shepard Stadium at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 17, 2024.
Jonathan Wheelock / Roundup News