Xan Meyer-Plettner, captain of the Oakland Tech boy’s varsity basketball team, aspires to follow in his parent’s footsteps and play basketball at a collegiate level. Athletics, which were a big part of his parent’s lives, also became an important aspect of his. Xan began playing basketball at the young age of 4 and joined his first team at age 6. His love for the sport grew when he played with his dog in the backyard every day.
Now a senior at Tech, he balances varsity-level sports (basketball and volleyball) with his academic and personal life. When asked how, he said “You just gotta try. Call out a little bit of time for yourself when you need breaks, but remember you’ve made a commitment.” He actively implements this throughout the season, taking mental and physical breaks, and making sure not to burn out.
Xan is very excited about the upcoming season. Last year, the boy’s varsity won the state championships, and he hopes they will be able to do so again this year. Xan believes that they have a good group of players this year, and he hopes that they will be able to play well together as one unit. He intends to continue playing to the best of his ability this season for college recruitment. Many D2 and D3 schools in California have already begun showing interest in him.
Because of the many hours he’s put into basketball, the sport has become a large part of Xan’s identity. At some point in the future, he expects to become a coach. Altogether, he intends to take the skills he learned from being on a team and apply them to everyday life.
Olivia Pernice, captain of the Oakland Tech girls varsity soccer team, has been playing soccer since 5 years old. Over the years, soccer has grown into an integral part of her life. Introduced to the sport as a child, Olivia fell in love with the sport thanks to the strong sense of community it offered. “The soccer team became my family,” she said, adding that her competitive nature made the sport more enjoyable.
Olivia Currently plays center forward but notes that for highschool soccer, she often plays wherever she is needed on the field. One of her biggest achievements has been earning the role of team captain. “It’s been really cool leading stuff, helping everyone out, and having a voice on the field,” she expressed. This leadership role has allowed her to make a significant impact both on and off the field.
Balancing academics, personal life, and sports isn’t easy, but Olivia has found ways to manage it. “Honestly it’s pretty hard,” she admitted, but using a calendar app helps her stay organized and on top of everything. One of the biggest challenges she faced has been rebuilding the team’s chemistry every year as new players join and seniors graduate. “It’s like starting from scratch all over again,” she said. Yet, Olivia views this as an opportunity to grow and foster a supportive environment for her teammates.
Olivia is thrilled for the upcoming season. A recent win against Alameda, which the team hadn’t expected to win, brought them closer together and gave her a sense of pride in their progress. “I’m really proud of everyone,” she expressed. Before games, Olivia prefers to take a moment to breathe and relax, alongside joking around with her teammates to shake off any pre-game stress.
Motivated by her father, who is her number one supporter, Olivia strives to play well and make him proud. This season her personal and team goals include improving communication on the field, which she identifies as one of their biggest challenges.
Soccer has deeply shaped Olivia’s identity, teaching her valuable life lessons. “I have good people skills because of soccer,” she explained, noting how the sport has made her more organized and given her a strong work ethic. While she doesn’t plan to play soccer at the collegiate level, Olivia hopes to join a club team depending on the school she attends. No matter what, soccer will continue to influence her life beyond high school.