FHS senior and athlete Jiyah Caban is the definition of a star athlete. From varsity basketball to softball, she is both a strong athlete and teammate, bringing many valuable qualities to both teams.
Caban has been playing sports since she was a young child. She started softball at only five years old, and joined basketball in second grade.
“[I got into basketball because] I always watched my older brother play, so I was inspired by him,” Caban said. “[For] softball, my parents just randomly put me in sports. They wanted me to figure out what I wanted to do and keep me active.”
Caban has become an important part of both FHS’ basketball and softball teams. Her softball coach, Hector Zuno, describes her as a talented athlete, selfless, caring and a great leader.
“[Jiyah] as a captain [is] talented, doesn’t want the center of attention, but gains it,” Zuno said.
This year, Caban was the captain of varsity basketball and is currently the captain of varsity softball, which highlights her leadership skills. Being both basketball and softball team captain means a lot to Caban.
“I mean, I get to lead a great team of girls,” Caban said. “One thing, though, being team captain is seeing everyone improve throughout the few months we have with each other. It’s like one of the best moments that I have […] seeing everyone getting together and improving.”
Throughout her career playing for FHS’ softball team, Caban has developed a batting average of .477, an average on-base percentage of .558, over 200 strikeouts as a pitcher and 85 runs scored. Caban also made second team for varsity basketball this year, further showcasing her athletic talents. Second team is decided on by all of the league coaches and the coaches create two dream teams, with the best being put into first team and the second best being in second team.
Caban’s favorite memory at FHS was making Central Coastal Selection (CCS) all four years for basketball and also making the last three years for softball. CCS takes place after the season concludes, and it is where all of the best teams from each league are placed in a division where they play tournament style.
“[Making CCS for basketball this year] felt amazing,” Caban said. “It was my last year and we made it the farthest we’ve had the last few years. We made it to the quarter-finals, fell a little short, but it was the best experience spending my last year with my favorite team.”
As a multi-sport athlete, Caban has to balance school and sports. Caban is able to do this by keeping a routine schedule.
“I try to get as much as I can get done throughout the day,” Caban said. “Get school done, right after school, go to practice. It also helps that I don’t have a sixth period, so I can get stuff done and then I go straight to practice, after practice try to knock down some homework and go to bed at a good time.”
Overall, Caban is a very well-rounded person and athlete. From basketball to softball, Caban’s athletic capabilities and leadership shine through.
“I think she’s really fierce, like especially on [the] basketball court and everything, and she puts in a lot of hard work and makes sure other people are included in that hard work and all that kind of stuff,” FHS junior and varsity basketball player Nora Whelan said. “As a person, she’s really nice and funny, welcoming and all that kind of stuff, and it makes it fun to be at practice.”
