Strong finish, stronger future for Samo wrestling

Samo Girls’ beach volleyball team began their season on Feb. 10 with a game against Santa Barbara, with a score of 0-5. After finishing their ’24-’25 season, 2-4, the team is trying to put a new emphasis on growth.

Girls’ volleyball plays in the bay league, an exceptionally difficult league with teams such as Redondo ranking fourth in the nation, expectations are bound to shift. Team leader Laila Ghaffari delves into team goals.

“Since we’re in a really, really high league, it’s expected that we’re going to be losing against good teams,” Laila Ghaffari (’28) said, one of the team’s leaders. “The teams we’re playing are top 10 in the nation, so they’re really challenging. I think we’re just trying to grow as players and have fun.”

Growth for the Vikings extends beyond improving their serves, or stamina. Competing against these hard teams forces the team to develop composure while under pressure. With the bar set very high, the mental side of the sport becomes just as important as the physical. Another leader on the team, Kaeli Horwitz (’27) delves into the mental aspect of the game,

“In order for us to play well and do our best, it consists of a lot of preparation emotionally.....we need to focus on the game ahead, instead of focusing on the ones behind us” Horwitz said.

This focus on mindset is exactly what head coach Liane Sato emphasizes, highlighting that progress isn’t just measured in wins or stats.

“If everybody has a good mindset, then we can improve as a team, have good intention, a disciplined focused intention” Sato said.

Isabella Hillier / Contributor

Scott Limon (’28) pins a Redondo High School opponent during a home match.