Intro
As underclassmen step into the world of high school sports, it’s always easier to have a helping hand guiding their way through their journey. Across a variety of Viking sports teams, many upperclassmen act as mentors for their younger peers, building special connections both in and out of the sport.
Dale Liu and Preston Kao kick off a lasting bond
Sophomore Dale Liu and senior Preston Kao first met on the field at the beginning of the boys soccer season this school year. Although both knew of each other previously, their first interaction was a formal handshake during their first practice together, which the two still continue to do.
“My first impression of Dale was that he was a very smart person who knew where to move on the field,” Kao said. “I often found myself passing the ball to him.”
During Liu’s first year on the varsity team, Kao often helped Liu adjust to the new environment. Through their interactions, Liu became more comfortable and the two soon became good friends, forming a strong connection.
“When I first joined, I was intimidated because I didn’t know most of the people,” Liu said. “But Preston was really welcoming to me, and he also showed me how to be a good player.”
From their time together, Kao proved to be both a mentor and a teammate to Liu, taking the initiative to impart soccer techniques and methods drawn from his past experiences.
“I taught him a lot about the timing of certain runs in soccer,” Kao said. “When I pass the ball to him, he needs to time his run perfectly so that defenders don’t intercept it.”
As the soccer season went on, Kao and Liu grew closer to each other on the field. They became a strong attacking duo on the team with Kao assisting many of the goals Liu scored during their games.
“I was once able to score a hat trick, which is three goals in one game,” Liu said. “Preston assisted every single one of those goals.”
Unfortunately, Liu injured his arm in a collision with an opponent during a game, causing his season to end early. Despite these difficulties, their friendship is still strong.
“I really enjoy providing him with advice and allowing him to realize that at the end of the day, our goal is just to have fun while playing soccer,” Kao said.
Nikhil Nair and Aidan Phattanaphibul build strength and support
Sophomore Nikhil Nair and senior Aidan Phattanaphibul met at the beginning of the wrestling season in October 2024. Phattanaphibul was entering his fourth year in wrestling as the team’s captain, while Nair joined as a first-time member of Lynbrook’s wrestling team.
“When I first met him, I thought he wouldn’t really talk to me or remember me, but he turned out to be a really good leader,” Nair said. “He got my phone number in the very first week of practice and is always checking up on me to make sure I am alright.”
Despite knowing each other through wrestling, their interactions were not limited to just in the wrestling room. Outside of regular practices, the wrestling team would schedule team lifts in the weight room to work out and get stronger together. Although most wrestlers do not always go to these team lifts, Nair and Phattanaphibul were very consistent about showing up, and it was during this time at the gym that they bonded with each other.
“We are in different weight classes so we don’t wrestle each other during practice, but in the gym, we are always working out together,” Nair said. “There was one day when only Aidan and I showed up for lifting, and that was the day we really started to get to know each other.”
Phattanaphibul mentors Nair along his wrestling journey by teaching him specific techniques for wrestling as well as methods for lifting. Under the guidance of Phattanaphibul, Nair has improved his skills in executing a double-leg takedown, which involves grabbing the opponent’s legs and pushing them to fall back. Phattanaphibul would help Nair by walking him through the proper technique and fixing any of Nair’s mistakes.
“One thing about Nikhil is that he is always open to criticism and really wants to get better,” Phattanaphibul said. “He is always showing up to practice, showing up to lift and asking questions about how to improve.”
Through their time together in both the wrestling room and the gym, Nair and Phattanaphibul formed an unbreakable bond that continued throughout the entire season.
“The fact that Nikhil is so dedicated makes me excited to come to practice and be able to work with someone who is trying to get better,” Phattanaphibul said. “It’s great to have someone who appreciates what I am trying to do for them.”
Aditi Sabari and Sarah Wei’s assists on and off the court
Sophomore Aditi Sabari and senior Sarah Wei initially met during the summer before Sabari started high school in 2023. The two were participating in summer conditioning, which included many training drills and exercises. While the players were doing bleacher runs, Sabari tripped on the stairs and twisted her ankle. Witnessing the event, Wei helped Sabari with her injury, and this initial interaction marked the start of their friendship.
“I was a little scared of her at first because she was a lot older and more experienced than me at basketball,” Sabari said. “I didn’t really know what to say to her as she’s been on the team for so long, and I was just figuring out what to do. However, once we started playing together, she helped me a lot and was a really good captain.”
Throughout the basketball season, Sabari and Wei spent a lot of time together and would talk to each other about anything and everything. With practices and games almost every single day, they bonded over basketball and their shared experiences. Whenever Sabari faced any struggles with basketball, Wei would always be there to comfort and care for her.
“I remember once she was really frustrated with how she played after a game, and it was pretty much the same thing I went through before,” Wei said. “I told her I knew exactly how she was feeling and that it takes a while to get to where you want to be. Most importantly, I wanted her to have fun playing basketball and to enjoy her time on the court.”
Wei often gave Sabari advice on various topics, from basketball techniques to general life tips. For Sabari, having a mentor and friend to guide her was very helpful in her growth.
“In basketball, it’s good to have someone older than you who can walk you through your struggles, especially after a tough game,” Sabari said. “With her, I can talk to someone who has been through what I am currently going through.”
