An Unforgettable Year for Palisades Baseball: Between Ashes and Hope
In the midst of a season marked by adversity, the Palisades Charter High School baseball team, known as the Dolphins, faced unimaginable challenges. With their field destroyed and their school in ruins due to the devastating wildfires, the team found in the sport a refuge and a source of strength.
The regular season, which was played entirely away from home, culminated at Fairfax High. There, eight senior players were honored. This group of young people, whose high school graduation had already been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, faced a final semester marked by uncertainty following the unprecedented fires in Los Angeles.
“It was a very tough year”
Rocky Montz, Palisades Athletic Director
Of the 42 players in the baseball program, fifteen were directly affected by the fires. The season, which seemed impossible to hold, became a testament to resilience and determination. The Dolphins, despite the difficulties, managed practices in public parks and played as locals in fifteen different fields.
For many players, baseball became a sanctuary. Ian Sullivan, a first baseman and pitcher, who lost his home, expressed the importance of the sport in his life.
In the regular season finale, the Dolphins achieved a mercy rule victory over the Fairfax Lions. The highlight came with a home run by Roman Hawk, which sent the ball an estimated 370 feet.
Description: Top: Max Miller and Isaic Buenrostro celebrate with their families on Senior Day for the Palisades Charter High School baseball team. Bottom: Certificate of recognition for a graduating player, a flower for his mother, and a personalized ball for his father.
Jett Teegardin, a junior player, shared how baseball provided him an escape from harsh reality. Coach Mike Voelkel, with almost 40 years of experience, described the season as a challenge, but also as a necessity.
Description: Jett Teegardin, junior pitcher and third baseman, prepares with his teammates before the game against the Fairfax Lions. He lost his family’s home in the Palisades fire.
The loss of their home and the uncertainty about the future of the baseball program did not prevent the Palisades players from giving their best. The team showed that baseball was more than a game, it was a representation of the community.
Coach Voelkel, who has been at the helm of the program for 18 years, emphasized the importance of the season, despite the difficulties. The Dolphins finished the regular season with a 17-10 record.
Senior Ian Sullivan was inspired by a motivational talk from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Roberts urged players not to make excuses and to use challenges to get stronger.
Description: Above: Dolphins coach Mike Voelkel has coached baseball for nearly 40 years, the last 18 at Palisades. Below: Amid all the uncertainty, baseball has been “a sanctuary, a safe haven” for the Dolphins, Voelkel said.
The future of the Palisades baseball program remains uncertain. The decision to pave the field to build temporary classrooms has generated concern among parents and the community. Despite this, the players and Coach Voelkel remain focused on the game and the hope for a better future.
The situation has complicated the search for an alternative field, and the possibility of players transferring is a constant concern. The team faced many obstacles in this extraordinary year, but the passion for baseball remains the driving force of the Dolphins.
Description: Above: Hudson Ramberg and Sammy Dun watch during the Dolphins’ season-ending victory. Below: Buenrostro shares a moment with his extended family after the game.
