EL CAJON — During Ramadan, Muslims fast during daylight hours to symbolize their spiritual reflection.
A meal known as suhoor is usually consumed just before dawn, and another meal — iftar — takes place after the sun has gone down.
At sunset, families and friends break their fast with a meal that often begins with water and dates.
It’s a simple tradition, but one that took on greater meaning this year for the El Cajon Valley High School boys volleyball team.
More than half the Braves are of the Muslim faith.
It’s one thing for them to fast during school days and even when practicing right after school. Fasting on match days brings another level of physical and mental challenge. It can make a Muslim athlete feel isolated.
“That’s where we struggled for a little while,” senior outside hitter Kaden Porter said. “Ramadan would come, and half of our team would have to fast during games. It was really challenging.”
El Cajon Valley’s non-Muslim players stepped up during the holy month, which ended March 29. They provided not only iftar meals after matches but offered , brotherhood and a curiosity about the traditions of Islam.
“It made me feel proud because our team has fully accomplished the goal of becoming one,” senior libero and captain Faisal Kakar said. “Basically, it just shows how much closer we’ve gotten as a team in a way that we’re now learning each other’s cultures.
“We show our appreciation in our multicultural-background team.”
The tradition began last year for the Braves. Danielle Porter, a volunteer assistant coach and Kaden Porter’s mother, set up a food table in the team storage room during home matches. The potluck-style setup was waiting as soon as their matches ended.
“Our team’s diversity honestly feels like one of our biggest strengths,” said Sayed Hashimi, a junior opposite hitter who is on the 2025 AVCA High Risers List. “We all come from different backgrounds, but instead of dividing us, it brings us closer. We’ve learned to really respect each other’s experiences and cultures, and that shows on the court.
“There’s a kind of unspoken bond. We’re not just teammates. We’re like family. That trust and unity has played a huge role in our success this season.”
Breaking through
The journey for this team began four years ago, but 2025 has produced some eyebrow-raising results.
The Braves sit at 28-7 overall and 5-2 in the Grossmont Hills League, trailing only Granite Hills. MaxPreps.com has El Cajon Valley at No. 13 in San Diego, surrounded by the traditional powerhouses and North County blueblood programs.
El Cajon Valley has split its two matches with Granite Hills and has defeated Sage Creek, which was in the Open Division last season, and La Costa Canyon, the defending CIF Southern California Regional champions in Division 3.
The Braves took No. 3-ranked and undefeated Canyon Crest Academy to the edge before losing 25-21, 25-21 at a tournament in mid-March.
Josh Gonzales, in his third year in the program and second as El Cajon Valley’s head coach, is succeeding with a senior-laden roster.
“We pride ourselves on being a very wholesome and very dynamic team,” Gonzales said. “We do put an emphasis on our serve, receive and blocking. We’re able to shut down these big hitters with our block.”
Kaden Porter is the big hitter on the outside. Porter is the first player in program history to commit to play at a four-year university. He’s headed to Bluefield University in Virginia.
Mustafa Sarferaz played libero last season and moved to the other outside spot this season. Gonzales refers to him as the heart and soul of the team. El Cajon Valley also has players of Latino, Filipino and African American descent.
Micky Marcelo Perez, a 6-foot-2 middle blocker, is the Braves’ other captain. Mohammad Afzali is a 6-3 setter. Both can play multiple positions.
Team chemistry isn’t just built at practice. Gonzales’ arrival three years ago is a story in itself.
While working for the city of El Cajon’s Parks & Recreation Department, he helped set up the first community volleyball league in city history. One day, he noticed of an Afghan Muslim community playing grass volleyball at Kennedy Park. It became a weekly event.
Gonzales, who played at Mira Mesa High School and Mesa College and was part of the club program at San Diego State, introduced himself and offered to keep score.
Before long, “I started playing with them every week,” he said. “They were very welcoming. Mustafa told me they had a new coaching staff at El Cajon Valley and they needed a JV coach. I said, ‘Why not take it to the high school level?’”
The boys playing grass volleyball at Kennedy Park were all born in Afghanistan. They all started playing volleyball in middle school to time with their families.
It has become not only an origin story for the Braves, but something Gonzales jokes about when talking to other high school coaches.
“Your guys came from club,” he said. “My guys came from grass.”
Gonzales its his line isn’t entirely true. Porter played for Coast Volleyball Club last year, and this year he and three others play at East County Volleyball Academy in Santee.
Better together
Diversity is a strength for the Braves.
Kakar and his Muslim teammates started using Farsi to communicate as a way to confuse the opposition. They quickly realized it was best to teach their entire team some of the key phrases.
“It’s great to be a part of a team with so much diversity in our cultural backgrounds because it allows us to understand one another in a way that it makes our connections between one another stronger,” he said. “We’ve taught and shared our cultures with teammates as they’ve done the same. This way it allows our chemistry with each other to grow as a team.”
The formula wasn’t invented during Ramadan. But it’s hard not to point to the holy month and the coming together of various cultures as an event that will positively change the life of a volleyball team.
“It meant everything to me,” Hashimi said. “Fasting can be physically and mentally tough, especially while training and playing at a high level. So when some of our non-Muslim teammates chose to fast with us, it was really touching. It showed how much they cared not just as players, but as people. It was a powerful moment of friendship, and honestly, it made our bond even stronger.”
