Math Team’s Drive for Excellence

The Math Team recently secured third place overall in the state. The team regularly places well (top-10 most years), but this marked their strongest performance since the team’s inception in 2006.

At the competitive test-taking events, participants answer twenty questions in fifty minutes. In this high-pressure contest, the Northridge Freshman-Sophomore Eight-Person Team won first place for their level. Sophomore Carl Mazzone reflected, “It’s one of the most rewarding feelings to succeed in something you’ve worked for the entire year.”

Credit goes to the entire team. Math Team Coach Mr. Connor Boyle pointed to several factors. First, a much higher number of Freshmen and Sophomores tried out, which was important for winning the grade-level competitions. Second, the team as a whole is strongly committed to attending every practice, which occurs twice a week during lunch. Mr. Boyle praised the young men for holding fast to that commitment all year long. And finally, the team decided to begin their practices – which consisted of taking past practice tests – about 6 weeks earlier in the year. Mr. Boyle credits all three factors for their performance.

Three years ago, in his first year at Northridge, he was reluctant to take on the coaching role; he was eager to focus on teaching. However, now he is grateful for the opportunity to mentor these young men. “I just love math and pushing the students further than they might otherwise go is my passion and where I find the most satisfaction,” he said. Furthermore, Mr. Boyle noted that attending the Math Team competitions has helped him see where the Northridge math curriculum might have gaps, and ensuring Nothridge covers well what is expected on the SAT and ACT.

The team is already devising strategies to achieve the Math Team’s ambitious goal of winning State next year. Best of luck, men!