“I streamed rivers of red into the clear pool.”

The joking tone of sophomore Timothy Pai has a tinge of vehemence as he recalls last year’s frosh-soph water polo game against Saratoga High School, when he was hit in the face by the JV captain of the opposing team. The Matadors had beaten the Falcons 10-1, and according to Pai, SHS’s captain was furious. He got the ball on offense and, as if intentionally, hurled it into Pai’s face. The rush of the blood from his broken nose into the swimming pool ensued.

“And that is why I have this crooked nose thing here,” Pai said, raising his voice. “Yes, actually. My nose was not crooked before last year. But all because of that stupid..”

However, Pai is far from intimidated or discouraged. “I was really looking forward to this season, to play Saratoga, to break his nose,” he said. Then, with dismay, added, “But then I found out he’s playing football.”

Field safety

“I saw it coming, but I didn’t think it was going to hit me,” senior field hockey player Julia Lu said, laughing. “I thought I was going to duck or bring my stick up, but I was a little too slow on the reaction.”

It was the toughest, most anticipated game of the season: the Matadors against the Los Gatos Cats, the number one team in their league. It was during a short corner, a penalty given against the defending team and an excellent opportunity for attacking players to score, when an opposing senior lifted the ball in the air and into Lu’s face. Despite the protective goggles and mouthguard, Lu’s face streamed with blood and embarrassment.

From realizing the danger of the field hockey to emphasizing the consequences of carelessness, this experience has reshaped Lu’s perspective on the sport.

“It has helped me become more careful. This is a dangerous sport, and I need to be more cautious to not get hit,” she said.

Just sun protection

It never occurred to senior Sarah Lim that a tennis private lesson at Brookside Club would leave her with a bloody nose and temporary fear of volleying. In the midst of practicing volleys with her coach, Lim hit the the ball with the frame of her racket, bouncing the ball onto her nose and surprisingly, over the net.

“I was wearing a shirt with sheep on it, and then it was like bloody sheep because my nose was bleeding all over my shirt,” Lim said.

For a while after, Lim was more hesitant about advancing to the net in fear of getting hit again. She’d learned the hard way that tennis, since the only protection a player has is protection from the sun, was very dangerous.

“Eventually, I got over it because volleys are super important in tennis and also really fun to hit,” Lim said. She is now more prepared at the net, thus enhancing her skills and confidence in tennis.

Lessons learned

To junior football player Rohan Sarang, getting hit wasn’t surprising. But what he didn’t expect was a trip to the hospital, a sprained neck, a two-day neck brace and a week’s break from football.

“It’s a collision sport,” Sarang said. As a cornerback last year, he had to be prepared to defend passes and make tackles. During a game against Los Gatos, the opposing team ran the ball into Sarang’s side while another opposing player came up to block him. Their face masks clashed, and Sarang fell onto the ground from the impact.

“When someone blocks you, you’re supposed to get low to engage the block,” Sarang said. “I didn’t really do that.”

Instead of letting this affect his mentality, Sarang acknowledged the severity of getting hit and sought to improve his game even further, in the aspects of skill and safety.

“I’m now a little more cautious on defense and able to engage all my blocks correctly,” he said.