Why I love high school sports, especially at Mayfield
I love high school sports! The valuable lessons of this past week showed me why.
An exciting roller coaster ride for our Varsity Volleyball team began on Thursday, Oct. 11, when they played their senior night game in the gym and we had the great honor of celebrating the eight members of Class of 2019 and their parents. The girls were riding high as champions of the Prep League. Then we lost a great five-set match to Gabrielino.
Fast forward to Wednesday night, two days ago. The girls hosted their first home playoff game in three years against a very talented Villa Park squad. After dropping the first two sets it would have been easy to roll over. However, the Cubs refused to go quietly and won sets three and four with great team play. In a thrilling fifth set, the Cubs ultimately came up short, losing 15-13, ending their season. There were undoubtedly some tears at the end of their remarkable season. However, I had at least six parents and players from Villa Park come up to me after the match and say how impressed they were with our girls and our program. Even on their school Twitter account, Villa Park thanked Mayfield for being so gracious in defeat.
It’s why I love high school sports and why I particularly love working at Mayfield Senior School. Our girls represent us and our “Actions Not Words” motto even in the most difficult defeats. I know we see it all the time and perhaps take it for granted, but it is nice to have someone outside of Mayfield recognize it as well. The team went from the highest of highs, winning our first league championship in four years last week, to a really hard low—ending their season sooner than we wanted. And through it all, our girls never changed—Mayfield to the end. I am so proud of them and their accomplishments.
I am also proud of our golfers! They followed up their team championship by placing five golfers in the top 16 at the Prep League Individual Championships. Chloe Kessel '19 qualified for this Monday's CIF Individual Regionals by placing 2nd overall! The team will be back in action in Riverside on Oct. 29 in the CIF team tournament.
Our Athlete of the Week, Lauren Panajotovic '19, led our tennis team once again. The team defeated Westridge yesterday in a terrific match to clinch third place in league. The team travels to take on Maranatha in a non-league match today.
Cross Country is a week away from the Prep League Championships and will run in Riverside tomorrow on the course where the CIF championships are held. They are preparing for a VERY BIG few weeks.
As we get closer to the end of the fall sports and start our winter sports, please don't forget to support our student-athletes in any way you can. Getting to a game, buying Cubs gear, purchasing a beautiful Christmas tree, and following us on Twitter—are all ways to help our Cubs.
Thank you for all your support. See you on the field!
Steve Bergen
Athletic Director
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Established in 1931, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, CA is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 28 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which also encourages commitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. The nurturing environment at Mayfield Senior School allows each student to flourish in an atmosphere of personal attention.
