Ballard Gymnastics won the State Championship February 20 at Sammamish High School. Read all about it in Coach Stephanie Gundel's report! Congratulations to all!

Congrats also to the Cheer Team, celebrating their back-to-back USA Spirit National Championship in High School Varsity Fight Song and Chant!

Cheer Repeats National Championship!

Following the passing of senior Cheer Team member Ingrid Pharris due to a heart arrhythmia event this summer, Ballard Cheer has been #allinforIngrid. And the team harkened their guardian angel in their effort to attain their second, back-to-back USA Spirit National Championship Feb. 16 in Anaheim, CA. And they reached their goal, earning 1st place (and highest scoring) in Varsity Band Chant and 1st in Fight Song. They also received 3rd place in Crowdleader and 4th in Traditional.

"This season has been one of the hardest our program has ever faced," the team posted on their Instagram page. "We were overcome with a wave of emotions as we entered this weekend knowing the opportunity to be here together, doing what we love is a gift."

Lead by Coach Brandi Mattila, congrats to Ballard Cheer on their hard work and accomplishments! Photos c/o and follow the program @ballardcheer.

Start Studying and Gather Your ABC Friends!

It's Back! April 30 Trivia Night Fundraiser at Ballard Elks

Thanks to the energetic sell-out crowd of Beaver boosters who attended our Winter Trivia Night fundraiser February 5 at the Elks Club! Special thanks to Trivia Hosts, Kelly Jones and Cindy Peterson, and event coordinators Senta Howren and Deborah Frieze.

Thanks to the ABC Beaver Gear team, participating coaches, student and ABC volunteers, and our raffle donors: Fringe Hair Salon, Lisa Vanderford-Anderson Photography, Annie's Art & Frame, the Angry Beaver, and the Ballard High School Foundation.

Want to Join the Fun Next Time?

We'll have another opportunity for trivia fun on Wednesday, April 30 at the Ballard Elks. Doors open at 6 p.m., trivia starts at 7 p.m. Register today before it sells out again! Your registration fee is a tax-deductible donation to further our mission, supporting quality athletics at BHS.

See YOU at Golden Gardens March 22!

Running of the Beavers 5K Fun Run & Walk

The Athletic Booster Club is teaming up again with the Ballard High School Foundation to present the 6th Annual Running of the Beavers 5K Fun Run and Walk at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 22 at Golden Gardens Park. Enjoy a scenic course along Shilshole Avenue, all the while raising money for Ballard Athletics, Performing Arts, Cheer and Dance Team. Together with Bucky the Beaver, the Pep Band and Cheer Team will bring the spirit at the Golden Gardens start and finish.

Save $5 on the adult registration price by registering through February 28: $30/adult, $20/student, $20/BHS staff member. (Staff discount code available in Main Office. On March 1 the adult registration price will go up to $35.) All entrants will receive an official Running of the Beavers t-shirt and will also be eligible to win a drawing for a $100 gift card to Duke's Seafood.

The class with the most participation gets $500 toward their ASB class account! Last year, the seniors won and used the funds to help pay for prom expenses! At publication date, the senior class is once again in the lead! More event info and sign up.

Gymnastics State Champs!

Congrats, State Champions! The Gymnastics team WON the 2A/3A State Championship on February 20! So proud of the work this team has put in since the minute last season ended to get to this point. It all came together last Thursday when they won and accomplished two historical feats along the way. First, they became the first Seattle Public School to ever win a state championship in gymnastics! Second, they became Ballard's FIRST WIAA team sport state champion in any sport! 

We are so proud of our individual medalists as well! The team won 7 individual medals, with one more state title coming on floor from sophomore Mari Puckett! This is only the third state event title a Ballard gymnast has won. (Lianne Kistler won vault and bars in 2019.) It's also the Beavers' first state title on floor! In addition, Brooke Adkins placed 2nd on bars, Caitlyn Adkins and Claire Spinosa tied for 4th on bars, and Caitlyn was 4th all around and 7th on beam. Dylan Kelly was 6th on vault, and Mari added a 10th place finish on beam. 

The season was full of successes. The Beavers finished the season undefeated (5th consecutive undefeated regular season!) while winning their fourth straight Metro League title, first District Championship (only the third for any sport at Ballard), and first State Championship! All this happened in the context of a team full of supportive, kind individuals who cheered for each other's successes and put in countless hours to make this team so fun to be a part of. We're all sad to see this chapter come to an end!

Congratulations to all our team members Brooke Adkins, Caitlyn Adkins, Viviana Corsini, Dylan Kelly, Claire Spinosa, Ruby Stan, Mari Puckett, Aspen Pfeiffer, Ella Carter, Carli Pecoraro and Heloise Priolet!

Watch the winning moment here! Congratulations also to Coach Stephanie Gundel, who provided us with these photos and recap. Follow the team @ballardgymnastics. 

Wrestling

Ballard Boys Wrestling

The program took another step in growth and reaching our goal of being one of the best teams in the state. To reach that goal we must start with making sure we are one of the best teams in Metro teams. We went 10-5 in duals vs Metro teams, in those duals we had 76 wins, 44 losses, 35 matches we forfeited, 36 matches that were forfeited to us and 19 double forfeits.

As for tournaments, we took 3rd at Return of the Seahawk to kick off the year. We had at least one finalist in every tournament we went to during the regular season. Hayden Wiggins (157) made it to the finals in every tournament this year. Miles Price also made it to the finals in every tournament he competed in, including the Gut Check Tournament held at the Showare Center in Kent. Gut Check is one of the biggest regular-season tournaments around in the best in the state and some from other states, no matter if their classification competes against each other.

Postseason brought more history to Ballard! We finished 3rd in Metro but left with the most qualifiers for state (13), the most finalists (7, including both wrestlers at 138) and the most champions (4) as we won 4 consecutive championships from 138-157. The state tournament was one for the history books for your Brawlin’ Beavers. We got 10 pins, 5 tech falls and Miles Price was the first Ballard wrestler to make it to the semifinals since Josh Barnett in 1996 (2nd place) – he lost that match 5-4 to the eventual state champ (match was won 15-0) but he bounced back to win his next two matches and take 3rd place.

As a team we finished 23rd overall out of 70+ teams, the best state finish by any Ballard wrestling team. Even though we left with one wrestler placing, there was amazing growth on the mat, 6 of our wrestlers made deep runs and two others lost their winner medals round. We saw the emergence of some young sophomores and freshmen who we expect big things out of in the future!

The group of returning seniors we had this year is one of, if not the best, to come through Ballard. Captain Miles Price (2x Metro Champ, 3rd place at state, pictured above), Captain Hayden Wiggins (Metro Champ), Luka Sadder-Miller (Metro Champ), Tommy Megal (Metro Champ), Jona Shull (Metro finalist vs Luka). These Seniors were amazing competitors and mentors to the younger group of wrestlers we had. We were lucky to have a group like them and they will be hard to forget as they have left a significant mark on the program as they lifted to heights never seen before!

The only thing standing in the way of this program emerging as one of the best in the state, is our ability to fill out a whole lineup. If you look at the outcomes with the weights we had, there is no doubt we are a force to be reconned with, in Metro and the state. However, not being able to fill 3 of the weight classes during the year cost us hardware. If you’re reading this and have a young man around 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157, 165, 175, 190, 215, 285 and you want them to be part of something big, part of the oldest and greatest sport that teaches hard work, responsibility, determination and mental toughness, we’re here for you!

Ballard Girls Wrestling

This year we had a small girls’ team with only 3 wrestlers. They had a great season, one that had the cards stacked against them to make it to state. Based on numbers from our area, the girls had to take 1st place at the district tournament. All three girls made it to the finals but fell short in their matches. Throughout the season they all made great improvements and all medaled in at least one tournament. Girls wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports in the country and next year the NCAA D1 schools will have their first National championship tournament for the sport. If we can boost our numbers dramatically, just like the boys, we will have a chance to start bringing home some hardware! Weight classes for the girls start at 100 and end at 235, if you have a young lady interested in the sport, we are excited to have them!

Thanks to Coach Jared Daniels for these recaps. For more information on the programs, you can reach him at [email protected]. Follow @ballard_boys_wrestling and @ballard_girls_wrestling. Photo by Phoebe Price.

Boys Basketball

This winter, the Boys Basketball team finished up the season 3rd overall in a tough Metro Sound Division with an 11-5 record, finishing the season with an overall record at 11-8. Even though the Beavers didn’t accomplish their goal of making it to State, they still have things to be proud about, like 6’-5" sophomore forward Nolan Larson who had a solid season making 2nd Team All-Metro. While 6’-9" standout, junior forward, Gavin Matuska had an outstanding break out year before taking a scary fall and dislocating and fracturing his elbow that sadly ended his season against Chief Sealth. Gavin still made 1st Team All-Metro. These are great individual accomplishments and a good look for the Ballard community. The future is looking very bright for the Boys' program.

Thanks to Coach Lorenzo Durant III for the season recap. Photo by Ed Tanaka. Follow the team @ballardbball.

Girls Basketball

This was a very successful season for the Girls Basketball program. The Varsity team led by second year Head Coach Jennifer Anderson and Assistant Coach Ani Garaventa finished the season with a league record of 11-4 and an overall record of 13-8. The team made it to the second round of the District Qualifier Tournament before losing to Holy Names Academy. Two players were named to the Sound Division All-Metro Team: Kyli Meyer (sophomore) - First Team and Alexa Hunt (freshman) - Honorable Mention.

The Junior Varsity team led by Valerie Bell and assistant Aynika Nuckles finished the season with a league record of 13-1 and an overall record of 15-2.

This year’s community engagement included two Theme Nights: a Food Drive for the Ballard Food Bank and a Kick Cancer Night to raise awareness and donations for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.

This year’s Varsity team consisted of 7 seniors (Mahlia Muwero, Clara Haynes, Brynn Cziesla, Ella Heverly, Josie Rough, Ruth Tinker and Vivian Gregory) who received a memorable send off from teammates, coaches, parents and fans on Senior Night against Ingraham. Thank you, seniors, for your years of dedication to Ballard Girls Basketball – we will miss you and look forward to seeing where life takes you.

Thanks to Coach Jennifer Anderson for the season recap. Photo by Mac Jahn. Follow the team @ballard_girls.basketball

Boys Swim & Dive

Boys Swim & Dive had a hugely successful 24-25 season. We grew the team to a record 45 boys. We were all motivated by the installation of the new Ballard record board on the pool deck, created a new vinyl team banner, participated in the Kentridge Invitational and hosted our first Alumni Meet during Winter Break. We accomplished all 5 of Coach Morean’s 5-year plan goals!

We finished the regular season 7-1 with our only loss coming down to the final race against West Seattle. Though we are graduating 9 awesome seniors – we qualified a Ballard record number of 9th and 10th graders to both the Metro and Districts Championships. We are excited to keep growing as a team and coaching staff!

Thanks to Coach Kyle Morean for the season recap. Photo by William Matsuoka c/o and follow @bhsboys.swim.

Flag Football

As Girls Flag Football wraps up their third season, we continue to see ourselves as a Family who are still growing in our knowledge and experience as individual players and a full team. We found ourselves playing against difficult teams through all types of weather and found that we performed the best when we trusted each other and our knowledge of the plays as designed by Coach Joe Subido. This season did not end with a ton of wins, but a lot of very close games and a lot of learning. We are excited to grow the team with younger players as the majority were seniors this season. Thank you for supporting our growing team!

Thanks to Coach Laura Lehni for grabbing the team's update from the team members! Photo by Elliot Stoller. Follow the team @bhs_girlsflagfootball

Bowling

The Ballard Bowlers just completed our third bowling season, and it was our best season yet! We had 29 girls compete and we awarded 18 varsity letters. We finished the season with seven wins, with big wins coming against Holy Names and Chief Sealth. Colette Howren and Team Captain Zoe Thompson advanced and competed in the State Championships in Tukwila and both finished with very respectable scores. Our defending champion JV Squad had another great season and won second place in our Metro League “roll-offs!” All in all, everyone had a great time competing this season and did a great job representing Ballard High School! Thanks to everyone who supported the team!

Update by Coach Scott Cachopo. Photo by Senta Howren. Follow the team @ballardgirlsbowling

Mixed Season Ultimate Frisbee

The BUF Mixed Winter Ultimate season just wrapped up and both Varsity and JV teams made it to the playoffs. Both teams gave it their all. Varsity finished with a fabulous 4th place and JV with an excellent 3rd place. We welcomed many new players and saw great player development throughout the season in both teams. We are now preparing for the culmination of mixed season: the Spring Reign tournament in Burlington at the end of April. Thank you to our amazing coaching teams. See you on the fields for the upcoming GX spring season.

Thanks to team representative Susanne Fischer for the photo and recap! Follow the program @bufballard

Spring Training & Recovery Tips from BHS Trainer Loka Murphy

With the spring season upon us, it is important for athletes and coaches to recognize where they are at in their current fitness and health. The start of each season brings a multitude of possible overuse injuries that are often very preventable. Our coaches do a great job of providing opportunities for preseason conditioning through our Beaver Strength Program. Consistently participating in strength training along with cardiovascular exercise and sports specific activities can all go a long way towards preparing individual athletes for a successful and hopefully injury free season ahead.

Each athlete's preparedness for the upcoming season will look a little different and their ability to recover from tryouts, workouts, etc will not all be equal. There is no real substitute for a gradual progression into an activity that allows our bodies to adequately prepare for the physical stresses ahead. It is important that our athletes are listening to their bodies and communicating with their coaches about abnormal aches and pains. Oftentimes, ignoring these aches and pains can lead to further or extended injury recovery. The start of a season can be stressful for athletes as they try to impress their coaches, earn a spot on the team and perhaps demonstrate improvement from the previous season. With that in mind, athletes are more likely to push through things with those added factors in mind. In order to avoid carrying those injuries into their seasons, it is important to be honest with their coaches to create a healthier balance that will allow them to participate without making a current issue worse and extending the recovery time. 

Recovery ... If you were to ask ten people their opinion on how to best recover from sore and stiff muscles, you will most likely get ten different responses. Healing and recovery can look different from person to person because we have all had our own individualized experiences with what has worked and what hasn’t worked for us in the past. I think most importantly when it comes to managing sore and still muscles is to make sure you are listening to your bodies. In a perfect world, when we are feeling super sore and struggling to move around, we would get a few days of recovery before easing back in. That isn’t exactly realistic for high school athletics and the start of a new season. It is too late to rewind back a few months and start doing all the workouts to improve strength and fitness, but we can recognize where we are at currently and do our best with the current level we currently have.

Here is a wide-ranging list of things to draw from knowing that something is better than nothing. Gone are the days where laying on the couch will help us recover for the next day of practice. What can help with recovery?

• Getting 8-9 hours of sleep per night (keeping phones and other screens out of the bedroom would be a game changer)
• Drinking half your body weight in ounces of water per day. For example, a 100 lb. athlete would strive to drink 50 oz of water per day. (Don’t count the water consumed at practice.)
• Consider bringing snacks that are easy to consume an hour before practice starts and making sure there are three defined meals throughout the day to help with energy, focus, recovery and repair.
• Stretching warmed up muscles, rolling out on a foam roll, using a massage stick, lacrosse ball, easy pedaling on a stationary bike, rowing machine, treadmill, elliptical, taking your dog or cat for a 15-20 minute walk after dinner, laying on your back with legs elevated against the wall for 15 minutes, a warm bath with Epsom salt, or a cold plunge if that is more your preference. Joint mobility can go a long way towards improving movement and function and can be a nice activity in the evenings for 15 minutes before bed (check out Coach Green PT on Instagram for some easy-to-follow exercises).

There are plenty more items to add to this list, but the important thing is to be consistent with whatever it is and recognize how your body is feeling. It is understandable to be sore with warming up before activity early in a season, but we want to avoid feeling worse as practice goes, limping, favoring one side over another and feeling worse at the end of practice than you felt at the start. 

Hope you are all excited for the upcoming spring season and that some of these tips can come in handy!

PS- Bringing a water bottle to school each day can greatly increase the amount of water an athlete will drink throughout the day! BHS has become a graveyard for water bottles as they get left everywhere … Perhaps our athletes can write their names on their bottles to increase the odds of them getting back to them? 

Loka M. Murphy, LAT, ATC

Certified Athletic Trainer

Department of Orthopedics & Sports Medicine - Seattle Children's Hospital

Ballard High School Athletic Trainer

[email protected]g

Spring Athletics Tryouts Start Next Week

With a few glorious sunny days this week, we're getting eager to head outside and cheer Ballard teams this upcoming spring. And the athletes are getting ready too, as Ballard Spring Athletics tryouts and practices start next week!

Team Schedules: Baseball | Fastpitch Softball | Boys Soccer

Girls Tennis | Boys Tennis | Girls Track | Boys Track

Girls Lacrosse | Boys Lacrosse | BUF Gx

Ballard Metro Schedule

Spring Sports Night March 6 in BHS Gym

Spring Athletics Parents and Guardians: Mark your calendars for the Spring Sports Night at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6 in the BHS Gym! Learn more about this season’s athletic programs and participation requirements from Athletic Director Eric Ensign (right). Meet Athletic Trainer Loka Murphy and Strength & Conditioning Coach Colin Matthiesen. Hear an update from Athletic Booster Club President Suzanne Dale Estey, followed by breakout sessions for individual teams led by coaches. Check out the Beaver Gear BHS logo spirit wear on sale too! The ABC team will also have a drawing for a few BHS giveaways! See you there!

SUPPORT BALLARD ATHLETICS!

ATTEND OUR NEXT MONTHLY BOARD MEETING:

Monday, March 10 at 6:30 p.m. Staff Lounge

The Ballard High School Athletic Booster Club is a volunteer group working together to support, promote, and advocate for all BHS athletes. We are especially interested in promoting school-wide community and helping remove barriers to play.

We meet monthly during the school year, alternating between in-person (in the BHS Staff Room) and online via Zoom, and everyone is invited to join us.

Join the ABC Board!

Our awesome Beaver Gear co-chair Phoebe Price is graduating in June and we're looking for someone to join the equally awesome Erica Jamir to manage Beaver Gear. We’re looking for a representative with a younger student(s) to fill this role for multiple years. Few “live” sales events per year plus assisting with online sales and duffel bag sales. ABC provides additional volunteer support (as needed) during busy in-person sales events.

We are still looking for a Website Editor (general upkeep and posting on existing site) and Community Outreach Chair (fundraising event planning and support). The Website Editor position is only a few hours a month, while the Community Outreach Chair has seasonal events to plan for and is a great role for party planners. Thanks to the outgoing and amazing Beth Sylves for bringing the energy to the Community Outreach position!

For more information on either role, please reach out to ABC President Suzanne Dale Estey at [email protected].

Questions? Email President Suzanne Dale Estey. Go Beavers!