Graduation 2021 Edition

The Blue and Gold
June 2021
Sports
maldenblueandgold.com
21
Girls Volleyball
Field Hockey
Members of the volleyball team celebrating a good play. Picture taken by Hadjar
Yousfi.
Hadjar Yousfi
Lead Reporter
Earlier last month the much-anticipated
girls volleyball season
began. Due to the current situation
with COVID-19, the experience has
been slightly different for the players.
But overall, the requirements for
the safety of the students are seen as
“reasonable,” by Nyandang Yak, a
sophomore at Malden High School,
who also mentioned that overall,
volleyball has not changed much
because it “[is not] really a contact
Players Corinne Holness and Marla Candido
block a play from the opposing team. Picture
taken by Hadjar Yousfi.
sport.”
Head Coach Dan Jurkowski
mentioned that “there was certainly
an adjustment period” for the players
but they seem used to the changes
by now. As a whole, he assumes
that they are “enjoying the season.”
Though different all the girls seemed
to agree that they were enjoying
it. Corinne Holness, a freshman
who is new to the Malden
High School Volleyball team,
mentioned that the season has
“been really, really good.” Even
though there have been “a lot
of new different things,” for her
to experience here at Malden
High School.
Of course keeping morale
up can be somewhat of an issue
especially since as Isabella
Ivy, a Sophomore, mentioned
they can only “allow so many
people in the gym at one
time.” Jurkowski added that
he “[misses] the fans the most.”
Due to COVID restrictions
“each player only gets one family
member for [their] home
games.”
This of course can disappoint
players, some like Makay-
la Preston, a senior who mentioned
that because of this “[it is] harder to
stay positive, even when [the team
is] down.” Preston also added that
just having each other around is
great because “with the girls on the
sidelines [they are able to] keep each
other up.”
COVID has not stopped the
team from bonding and getting to
know each other more personally.
Meryem Hakkaoui, a sophomore
student, admits that it is a “new
feeling to play with girls [she] never
played with before, especially since
[there are] a lot of freshmen.”
To Hakkaoui it is important
to see how the others
work as a team player, because
that “signifies [to her]
who they are as a person, ”
which is why she and a lot of
the others rely a lot on “practice
times [... to get to] know
each other.”
Currently the team is
winning, which Jurkowski
mentioned “always makes
things more enjoyable.” All
in all the team is just glad
to be back, and are enjoying
each other’s company, and
as Hakkaoui mentioned “especially
during COVID.”
Thankfully for new
players it is easy to adapt
into the team with a group
of girls that, as Preston mentioned,
are “going to treat you like
[you have] been [there] forever.”
Although the season has been cut
down to a short amount of time
Hakkoui hopes that next year when
they come back “[they] can be an
even better team.”
Senior Melissa Tan preparing for a serve.
Picture taken by Hadjar Yousfi.
The Malden High Field Hockey team posing for a photo after their 3-0 victory
over Revere. Photo taken by Julie Yu.
Sandra Rivadeneira
Print Editor in Chief
The field hockey season is in full
swing, the team with a current
score of four wins and zero loses.
Usually a fall season sport, this year
field hockey games take place during
the springtime, after a switch
with high schools sports in accommodation
to how the city adjusts
with COVID-19 guidelines.
During a year where many
students are choosing
to opt out of playing
sports this season, senior
Bonnie Kuang, one
of the field hockey team
captains, explains how
the MIAA guidelines
make her “feel safe
enough to play.” She
sees that the necessary
precautions have “not
affected how much [she
enjoys] the season.”
Senior Elaine
Du, another one of the
team’s captains, has
played on the field
hockey team since her
freshman year. However,
when it came to
the decision of playing
this season, she had to
look at all the logistics.
“Of course, [it is her]
senior year, [she] really wanted the
experience,” Du explained before
making her decision to participate
this season she “wanted to make
sure everything was safe for the
season.”
In addition to having to play
with masks on and socially distant
practices, a field hockey game is
now divided into four quarters
rather than two halves. According to
MIAA regulations, only seven members
of a team can be playing on the
field at a time, a change from what
used to be eleven players on a field
per team. In order to be able control
a breakout if a student were infected
with COVID-19, the field hockey
Senior Bonnie Kuang fending off a Revere Defensive player.
Photo taken by Julie Yu.
team will only play two teams during
their season, Revere and Everett.
Senior Ronald Batista, sees that
the team understands that “without
all of these precautions [they] would
not be able to have the chance to play
this season,” regardless it makes the
experience different.
“[It is] a lot harder to be able to
celebrate with the team after a win.”
Batista explained that the team used
to hug and jump on each other all
Senior Kenny Nguyen running after Revere Defensive
player. Photo taken by Julie Yu.
the time,” however due to not being
able to be in too close of a proximity
to each other, that is not an option.
“COVID has really separated
[them] and [they have not seen]
each other in a long time,” Du said.
While team bonding used to include
pasta parties, Batista shared that
they “[are not] really able to do that
considering the circumstances,”
nevertheless they do their best to
“try to get to know each other in different
ways.”
Kuang agrees that regardless
of the circumstances the team is ”an
amazing group of people who make
a positive mood.” Despite some
hardships in adapting to their new
and limited
ways of
playing and
celebrating,
the field
hockey team
is on a winning
streak
and it is
looking like
an excellent
final season
for the seniors.