Author: Sharen Cervantes
The academic year may still be fresh at Occidental College, but for those students who compete in a fall sport, now is the time for rigorous physical training and intense mental preparation. The 15 women who make up the Occidental Women’s Volleyball Team are no exception. With seven returning players and eight fresh faces taking to the court, these Tigers meet the new year with gusto as they prepare to put their disappointing 2007 season behind them and make 2008 a year to remember and celebrate.
The Tigers are already armed with an arsenal of powerful weapons-including the addition of new full-time coach Mike Talamantes, who brings with him novel game tactics and a fresh, inspired perspective. Add the return of top players Kathryn Bockmon (sophomore), Ashley Rosenbaum (junior), and Lahela Cleveland (sophomore) to the mix, and the up coming season is sure to be one of full of victory and distinction for the Oxy Tigers.
However, the most powerful weapon yet may be those eight new Tigers who joined the Women’s Volleyball team this year.
“I’m most excited to be playing with all of our first years,” returning player Ginger Grimes (sophomore) said, who in a previous season added 96 assists and 106 digs. “There’s a lot of talent in that class.”
This season, the squad will maximize efficiency with the addition of four outside hitters, two middle blockers, and two defensive specialists.
And how are these talented Tigers preparing for the upcoming season? By being typical Occidental students: hardworking, dedicated, and unwilling to let a less-than-perfect 2007 season sour the new one.
“As any fans of ours, and players, can admit, there were plenty of low points last season,” Rosenbaum said. “This year we are coming together and building a strong team, from the ground up.”
Personal motivation is also a key ingredient in Oxy’s quest for athletic success. “I’m trying to push myself this season,” Grimes said. “I want to move faster, hit harder, and jump higher, so I’ve been working out every day in addition to practices.”
With such motivated individuals and such a strong sense of team responsibility, Talamantes has little to worry about. That doesn’t mean, however, that he hasn’t become an integral part of the team in the short time he’s been a member of the Oxy community. “Coach Talamantes pushes us,” Grimes said.
“He has high expectations for us, which pushes us to meet them, even when we’re tired during 7 a.m. practices . . . He’s introducing a lot of new things to us, as individuals, as players and as a team.”
Rosenbaum agrees. “Mr. Mike Talamantes . . . is the best thing to happen to Occidental volleyball,” she said. “He . . . works us hard and makes us better, [and] he instills in us the desire to win while making each practice fun and different.” Coach Talamantes may be just what these Tigers need in order to achieve victory.
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