Cameron Palmer is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Betty H. Fairfax High School for AZPreps365.com

Betty H. Fairfax, one of the newest high schools in the Phoenix Union High School District, has won a state championship in the past. Its 2011 boys basketball team won the school’s first title.

The school's athletic programs are working to add more.

Fairfax has created many successful, hard-working sports teams since that first championship in 2011. But the prime goal for each team is to win the championship, so that Fairfax can gain ultimate recognition for its sports programs.

In her first season as boys volleyball coach, Tracie Gallegos has seen the potential of her team in the early portion of the season with its overall talent. But she has also witnessed that it will take time for the team to build camaraderie, which will lead to success.

“We have something very special in the young men that we have,” said Gallegos. “We have a lot of seniors and these seniors, a lot of them, it is their first year of playing volleyball. But they’re talented, they’re raw, they’re talented, so it is just honing that in.”

Boys track coach John Shalongo shared multiple perspectives on how he could get his team to be championship contenders and maintain focus.

“I think in order to win championships, a lot of things have to happen, a bunch of stars have to line up. I think we probably need a bigger number coming out, which means the enrollment would maybe have to increase a little bit," said Shalongo. “And then a bunch of other things have to happen. Kids have to get involved in, I believe, a second sport. They need to do football, they need to do basketball, they need to do cross country, they need to do volleyball. They need a second sport to just keep them focused. And I am a multi-sport guy, so I think if they get involved other than just coming out for us in the spring, I think that would actually help our track program."

Girls basketball coach John Trujillo, who has observed his team’s success within the last couple of years, has noticed the overall growth of his team and understands that another year with the same group will likely continue its success and help the program reach a higher goal.

“Staying together, having a great offseason, just bringing the team back for another run,” said Trujillo. “Now they will be juniors. We added a lot of stuff from Year 1 to Year 2, so even in Year 3 now, that will be three years that they have played in this system. So, they should be even more comfortable running in it, and we’ll add a lot more stuff like that to the system as well.”