“We would like to do the same as last year,” said varsity coach Jenele Martin, referring to the previous squad’s 22 wins. As a former Pirates’ starter during her own sophomore-senior years, Martin will participate in the Santa Ynez alumni game slated for Saturday at noon. She said the past week had been spent “weeding out” any athlete who isn’t dedicated to working hard and winning. But the taxing, early-morning workouts also serve a unifying purpose.
“These practices bring us together as a team,” explained Martin, kicking off her third season at the helm. Because of the brisk, pre-dawn temperatures, the coach rents out parkas for the Lady Pirates and makes certain their feet are covered outside the pool. Santa Ynez has lost three starters from last year’s team, but a trio of seniors — Sarah Millard, Amanda Read and Jenna Berbernes — are expected to provide leadership. Martin also has high hopes for juniors Jen Snow and Alex Savage, the latter of whom is projected to be goalkeeper.
“Other players will fill in the gaps,” the coach said, noting she has numbers on her side with a large freshmen class. Lisa Boyer serves as the Lady Pirates’ junior varsity coach. As is often the case, Cabrillo is the favorite to capture the Los Padres League crown, but that hasn’t dimmed Martin’s outlook. “I’m looking forward to the season,” she said. jluksic@syvjournal.com