Every game, the girls soccer team has a simple ritual. They’ll warm up on the field, figure out their roster, and get ready to play, excitement thrumming in each movement. And then, it’s time for the team to huddle. 18 hands go into the middle of their impromptu circle.

It has to be their left hand, though, for the left hand is closer to the heart. And though soccer is a brutal game, full of abrasive tussles over the ball and body slams that can earn a yellow card—the team is serene for this one moment, before they begin their chase towards victory. 

“It’s just a special thing,” Zoe Tarbell ’28 said. 

In her second year on the team, Tarbell finds these little traditions—including In-N-Out runs after practice, group viewings of game footage, and various fun carpools—extra exciting. The team morale cultivated with these moments then flows into their season, which has been victorious so far. 

“Our team spirit during games is high,” Tarbell said. “All the seniors are definitely a big part of it. It makes me want to do this more, when they’re there and they’re showing up for the team.”

For Nancy Graham-Martinez ’26, that consistency in support and with practices has been one of her main objectives as team co-captain. 

“As a senior on the team, I really want to be present,” she said.

On the field itself, Graham-Martinez is focused on continuing to build up the team chemistry, as players push themselves to improve. Already, she’s seeing changes amongst the underclassmen.

“The really nice thing about soccer is that you have to communicate when you’re on the field. And in a lot of ways, that brings younger players out of their shells,” Graham-Martinez said. 

Looking ahead to the future, the team intends to continue their dominance over their league, and emerge victorious in CCS. In particular, both Graham-Martinez and Tarbell are excited for their next game against Crystal Uplands High School, their rival. 

For Graham-Martinez, the season is a bit bittersweet, as the next month will be her last one playing with the team before she graduates. 

“Nueva girls soccer as a team has changed me so much, as a leader, as a person, as a teammate,” Graham-Martinez said. “Now, I really want to celebrate how much I’ve grown the past 4 years and all the friends that I’ve made. And also just celebrate how much fun competition is.”