Resilience on the Diamond: The Palisades Dolphins’ Unforgettable Season
LOS ANGELES — Picture this: a baseball team without a home field, a school reduced to ashes, and a season spent entirely on the road. This was the reality for the Palisades Charter High School baseball team, who gathered at Fairfax High on a Friday afternoon to wrap up a regular season that was anything but ordinary.
As the sun cast its golden glow over the field, eight seniors from Palisades Charter emerged from the dugout, each holding a rose for their mothers and a personalized baseball for their fathers. These young athletes, whose middle school graduation was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, now faced their final high school semester amidst the chaos of Los Angeles’ unprecedented wildfires. The school’s athletic director, Rocky Montz, introduced them one by one, pausing to reflect on the tumultuous year they had endured.
“Quite a year,” he remarked, capturing the sentiment of a season marked by resilience and determination.
The Palisades fire, which raged for the last 24 days of January, left 6,837 structures in ruins and displaced 15 of the 42 players in the school’s baseball program. Initially, the idea of staging a baseball season seemed impossible. Yet, against all odds, the team persevered, transforming what seemed like a distant dream into a near miracle.
Practices were held in public parks, and the team relied on a rival school to host their Senior Day. Their schedule, which included the start of the playoffs on Thursday, required them to play as the home team on 15 different fields. For these players, who now attended classes in an abandoned department store, baseball became a sanctuary, a safe haven amidst the chaos.
“I don’t know where I’d be without baseball right now,” confessed Ian Sullivan, a senior first baseman and pitcher who lost his home. “People say it’s not healthy to be so obsessed with something, but with my life turned upside down, I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t have baseball.”
The future of Palisades Charter High School remains uncertain, with full operational status not expected for another 3½ years. The baseball program’s fate hangs in the balance, as the field that survived the fires was paved over to make room for portable classrooms. Many connected to the program fear this could be the Dolphins’ last competitive season for some time.
Despite these challenges, the team finished the regular season with a 17-10 record, capped off by a mercy rule victory over the Fairfax Lions. The highlight of the game was senior first baseman Roman Hawk’s impressive 370-foot home run, which soared over a 20-foot chain-link fence and beyond a parked SUV. Hawk, who lives in Brentwood and was forced to evacuate twice, was moved to tears as he embraced his teammates and posed for photos.
“Each day brought something new, and we just did it,” Hawk reflected. “I don’t really know how we did it; I’m just glad we did.”
For junior pitcher and third baseman Jett Teegardin, the journey began with a phone call from his mom on the morning of January 7, urging him to evacuate their home. Initially dismissive of the threat, Teegardin soon realized the gravity of the situation as he watched flames engulf Temescal Canyon on television.
As news of the devastation spread, head coach Mike Voelkel received an outpouring of support from coaches and friends across the country. The California Interscholastic Federation simplified transfer rules for athletes displaced by the fires, allowing the team to continue their season.
However, the logistical challenges were immense. Three of Palisades’ four uniform sets were destroyed, along with essential equipment. Finding a new place to play was a top priority, as the Palisades baseball field, though unharmed, was inaccessible due to surrounding damage.
Voelkel spent countless hours on the phone, piecing together a schedule that required cooperation from multiple schools, booking umpires, and coordinating travel for players. Practices were held at public parks, often with makeshift equipment and unexpected obstacles.
- Practices held at public parks
- Games scheduled during school hours
- Constantly changing schedules
Despite these hurdles, the players found motivation in representing their community. “We’re not just winning for us; we’re doing this for the Palisades community,” said Joseph Stanley, a freshman third baseman and pitcher. “They lost everything, right? And we’re representing it. I take so much pride in it.”
Voelkel, who has coached baseball for nearly 40 years, emphasized the importance of playing, regardless of the circumstances. “When we would lose, obviously it would eat me up,” he admitted. “But then I would have to stop and go, ‘That doesn’t matter. It does, but it doesn’t.’ So when you talk about the challenges, that was a big challenge for me. But the season — I didn’t care if we were playing on the moon; we were playing.”
For Teegardin, who lost his home in the fire, baseball provided a much-needed distraction. “It’s the best thing I have in my life,” he said. “I’m so happy for the season right now.”
Senior Ian Sullivan, a die-hard Red Sox fan, found inspiration in a pep talk from Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Roberts, who famously stole a base in the 2004 ALCS, encouraged the players to embrace the challenges they faced and grow stronger together.
Roberts’ support extended beyond words, as he invited the team to Dodger Stadium for a special experience. Teegardin threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and four junior varsity players participated in the pregame ritual of announcing, “It’s time for Dodger baseball!”
“These are formidable years for these kids,” Roberts said. “Sports, high school, is a big part of my memories. And so I was just very sympathetic toward these young men that this tragedy that happened — I just was trying to encourage them to not let it define their high school years.”
Sullivan, who will play baseball at Emerson College in Boston next year, dreams of playing at Dodger Stadium for the City Section Finals on May 24. “We got a taste of it [in April], and I can’t get that taste out of my mouth,” he said. “I want to play there so bad.”
As the Palisades community rebuilds, the future of the baseball program remains uncertain. The field, once a symbol of pride and dedication, has been paved over to accommodate temporary classrooms. Parents and players alike are left wondering what lies ahead.
Voelkel, who has dedicated nearly two decades to the program, expressed his concerns. “I really don’t have words to express the future of the baseball program,” he said. “That’s probably the most disheartening thing. I think from my standpoint as well as the hundreds of former players that I have is, ‘What’s going to happen next?’ And there’s really no for-sure plan. Just some ideas. That’s the part that really stings is all the time — money, support, work, and all the stuff that goes into it, to be in this place right now is kind of a tough pill to swallow.”
As the team navigates this uncertain future, the players remain resilient, drawing strength from their shared experiences and the support of their community. For Teegardin, the decision to stay or transfer looms large, but his love for the school and the team remains unwavering.
“It’s just a lot to think about,” he said. “Although I do need to worry about it, I’m just trying to push it off just so I could keep my sanity a little bit. But I need to worry about that. I’ve definitely thought about transferring, but I’ve thought about staying. I love this school. I love Pali so much, and it sucks that I have to think about leaving.”
Originally Written by: Alden Gonzalez
