Inside Cate’s Winter Athletics: Basketball, Climbing, Soccer, and More

By Josie Song '28

As the spring season jumped into full swing this past March, with track, lacrosse, and swimming among other examples, it also marked the end of winter sports. With both women's and men’s soccer teams going on CIF runs, and a memorable boys basketball senior night crushing Thacher at home, there is much to recap over these last few cold months. 

Each team faced trials and tribulations this year, with many athletes facing injuries on the field, but that didn’t stop the Cate athletes from shining through. The Rams’ varsity basketball team was an example of one of these teams, with young players filling in the large shoes left behind the senior-dominated team in the ‘24-’25 school year. Jackson Steele ‘27 noted, “Although the team had initially faced some hardships, we pulled through. One of my favorite memories from this season was beating Thacher at home on senior night. From the neck to neck game to the crowds’ enthusiasm, there wouldn’t have been a better way to end the season.” When asked about how he would like to improve on and take away from this season, he said, “I hope to be more confident in my shots. As a senior this coming year, I want to make deliberate decisions that can help us use our team’s skills to our advantage.” 

On the other side of the basketball court, the Girls Varsity team ended with their first CIF playoff game in three years. Ending second in the league, the girls stepped onto the court for their first CIF playoff home game. Throughout the game, they battled with tenacity, led by Dr. Moore’s strong leadership and determination, and were up by 7 with three minutes left. However, in the final minutes, with one drained three-pointer and a drive to the basket, the girls had lost by one point in a heartbreaker at home. However, this loss was only a testament to how far they had come, and the future of girls' basketball looks bright thanks to hours of dedication and the leadership of the senior class. Chelsea Newlove ‘28 expressed how much this team meant to her this past season, when she stated, “From the CIF playoff game, running play after play, executing hours of hard work in the gym to the court, I will miss the dynamic of this very team next year.” 

Over by the tennis courts, Cate’s climbing program was hard at work. Taking advantage of Cate’s unique location on the Pacific coast and the surrounding environment, the climbing team went to Ojai for a camping trip, making many memories along the way. Seth Lee ‘28 described the trip as the “highlight of his season”, when he said, “One of my favorite recollections from this trip included the second day, I had initially done a 5A, crossed a river, and worked on completing a 10A.” 

This past winter season was a reflection of the hard work and determination of the Cate student body. Through hours of dedication on and off the field, we can truly see what Curtis Cate meant when he said, “the spirit of this place.”