Athlete Of The Month

Athlete of the Month: Paul Ingram

By: Christine Babayan
The most dreaded part of a physical education class for most students is running. So why would some kids choose to take classes and spend hours of their day doing just that?
For track and field runner Paul Ingram (’12) it is the accomplishment he feels after a good run that motivates him to continue. It is knowing he had enough willpower not to listen to the little voice inside his head begging him to stop, or give in to the muscles getting more and more sore with each step.
When Ingram started running four years ago, he never imagined it would turn out to be such a big part of his life.

“It’s a grueling sport, I have to admit that,” Ingram said. “But over the years it has made me stronger, both mentally and physically.”

According to Ingram, to be a good track runner, the first thing you have to have is a positive perspective about the sport. After that you must motivate yourself to “give it all you got,” whether it’s during practice with your teammates or by yourself at home.

Ingram has created incredibly strong bonds with several teammates throughout his years on the team.

“They feel like a family to me now,” Ingram said.

Former captain Brian Trejo (’09) is one of the people Ingram looks up to every day for motivation.

“As his teammate and captain I could always rely on Paul to put forth his best effort,” Trejo said. “Now he is captain himself, which is a job that entails an extremely motivated person and someone that is absolutely passionate about the sport.”

Although the sport may not be “the most enjoyable,” it teaches him something new about himself every time he is on the field.

“Every day holds another challenge,” Ingram said. “You have to be tough; after all, you can only get out what you give into the sport.”

Determination is one of the many things he learned from Coach Jack Sallakian. Sallakian taught him that if he is not willing to put time and effort into running, he won’t achieve anything from it.

“Paul is a very knowledgeable team captain,” Sallakian said. “He keeps his teammates relaxed and constantly setting new personal records for them.”

Sallakian also noted his admiration of Ingram since “he is not afraid to try new events, which is both inspiring and encouraging to the rest of the team.”

In their last meet against Glendale High School Ingram ran the 110m hurdles, 300 hurdles, one-mile race, and then completed the long jump.

Fortunately for him, Ingram has never experienced a bad physical injury from the sport, and he plans to keep it that way.

“For me it’s always about what I can do to keep from getting injured,” Ingram said. “That means frequently buying new shoes, stretching properly and, of course, resting.”

Aside from his dedication to running, Ingram also holds a strong passion for acting.

“I like exploring the different emotions of my character,” Ingram said. “I use those emotions to bring a character I’m playing to life and experience things I usually wouldn’t as my normal self.”

Ingram plans to continue running during his college years while he majors in fire science studies.

He hopes his experience on the team will give him an upper hand on the field when he becomes a firefighter.

“It’s something that I’ll always love to do,” Ingram said. “It’s a part of me now.”

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Athlete of the Month: Briana Manzanero

By: Christine Babayan

“Let the bodies hit the floor! Let the bodies hit the floor! Let the bodies hit the floor!” This is the repetitive chorus of the song “Bodies” by metal band Drowning Pool that softball player Briana Manzanero (’12) uses to mentally prepare herself before every game.

“I listen to the song and it gives me a sense of ‘play hard or go home,’” Manzanero said.

Manzanero has stuck with this mentality for 13 years. Her first experience began in kindergarten when she joined a newly formed t-ball team and immediately fell in love with the game.

“Softball is 95 percent failure and five percent success,” Manzanero said. “You have to teach yourself to persevere throughout the whole game.”

According to Manzanero, good hand-and-eye coordination, quick feet, team spirit, and knowledge of the game build a good softball player.

She was recently offered full academic and athletic scholarships to Odessa and Frank Phillips College in Texas but decided to accept from La Sierra University in Riverside so she could stay close to home.

“She’s extremely fast,” softball coach Rich Henning said. “It’s her speed and hitting skills that turn her into an outstanding player.”

Not only does she pitch for the school team, but Manzanero also plays for the Easton Elite 18u Gold team, which she joined at the age of 11.

Throughout her years on the team, Manzanero has received many different awards. From the school team she has been nominated team captain, won the Silver Slugger Award two years in a row by having the best batting average in 2010-2011, earned 2nd in league for the most amount of stolen bases and on base percentage, and 4th in league for batting average.

Manzanero also coaches an 8u softball team called Ruthless along with her father Angel.

“When Briana first wanted to play softball I thought she was too girly for the tough sport,” Angel said. “But as soon as she stepped onto the field she turned into my little all-star.”

One of Briana’s favorite memories is a bet she made with her father during a game in 6th grade: if she hit a home run he would finally buy her the contact lenses she asked for. By the next day, she wasn’t wearing glasses anymore.

The two have grown closer while spending a lot of time together traveling across the country for various softball tournaments. A tradition while on the road for the two is having an early breakfast at McDonald’s.

Being a pitcher, Manzanero has to depend a lot on her teammates to set up plays for her.

“Good communication is the key to teamwork,” Manzanero said. “Even if we’re in the middle of a personal fight or just dislike each other, being able to communicate on the field goes a long way.”

Manzanero makes an effort everyday to encourage her teammates to trust their instincts on the field and “never give up.” She’s constantly cheering for them during games whether they’re winning or losing.

“I’ve learned a lot from watching Briana play,” teammate Lilian Rivera (’12) said. “She’s a supportive teammate both on and off the field and knows the game extremely well.”

As much as she enjoys softball, Manzanero plans on taking a break during her college season to start her nursing career.

For now she focuses on perfecting her game, Manzanero even taking private hitting lessons with softball Hall of Famer Sandra Durazo.

“Throughout the five years I’ve worked with her, Briana has always strived for excellence,” Durazo said. “I know she will have a bright future at La Sierra University because of her strong work ethic and dedication to the game.”

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Athlete of the Month: Elizabeth Dardov

By: Ani Kirakosyan

Determination, leadership, and passion are all characteristics of a great athlete—all qualities Elizabeth Dardov (’12) possesses.

Since her freshman year, Dardov has worked her way through many struggles and pain to becoming the captain of the girls’ varsity volleyball team.
“I feel she is being rewarded for her hard work,” parent Gina Dardov said.

Dardov initially planned on trying out for the water polo team because she already knew how to swim, but “randomly” decided to give volleyball a try and ended up liking it “so much that I didn’t even want to go to the water polo tryouts anymore.”

“I was also pushing her towards swimming,” Gina Dardov said. “But once she started volleyball she became so attached.”

“I can’t choose what I love about volleyball the most,” Dardov said. “It’s a mentally challenging and skill-oriented sport.”

Dardov injured her ankle several times during her sophomore year, causing concern over how the injuries would affect her jumping. However, she was able to continue working towards her goal on overcoming her injuries, continue playing volleyball, and becoming captain of the team.

“She keeps us up when we’re down,” teammate Shania Barrett (’13) said. “She is an inspiration to all of us.”

Although her performance has been “rocky” due to her injuries, coach Charles Min appreciates her talent and diligence. Min suggested Dardov, in her sophomore year, to join Formula One, a team outside of school that plays from February to June. Dardov played as an outside hitter and passer for a season and a half, and is currently playing the same positions on the school team.

Besides playing at Formula One, Dardov has worked as a lifeguard at the Burbank YMCA for the past three years.

Not only does Dardov juggle work and volleyball, she is also a four-year member and president of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) club.

“There are two things that stand out in Elizabeth ,” AVID teacher Rae Etta Emmett said. “She is independent and she always gets it done.”

Dardov, at the beginning of her volleyball career, planned on playing throughout college, but is currently undetermined, as she wants to pursue a career in the medical field as a doctor or nurse, helping people in third-world countries.

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