As the freshman basketball team progresses the team reflects on their journey, balancing challenges, and growth. With a developing record, players and staff weigh in on their experiences and the transition from middle school to the high school level.
“I haven’t really played a lot so far,” freshman Seth Bautista said. “I’m doing okay, but the playing time sometimes has been limited because of some close games and the starters are playing more.”
For Bautista, the jump from middle school to high school basketball has been significant.
“The competition feels the same,” Seth said. “I have played against many of these players before and now I am teammates with players that were in competition in middle school, but overall, the ask for more effort is much higher. There is more conditioning, earlier practice mornings, more weight training, and more frequent practices.”
Despite the challenges, Bautista remains open-minded about adapting to the raised demands. Other players, like freshman Roman Valdez, greets the new level of competition in high school.
“I know I can improve, especially since most of the time I am a starter,” Valdez said. “The games are taken more seriously here, and there’s definitely a lot more competition compared to middle school.
Valdez’s work is showing, his averages are increasing and helping the team be more successful, going regularly to practice and trying to enhance his performance emphasizes his commitment to the team and the sport.
Freshman team manager Raymond Reza, sees improvement on the team’s progress.
“The team could perform better, but I’ve seen a lot of improvements in stats, especially in the bench players,” Raymond said. “They are always there to run both sides of the court when our starters need a rest.”
Unlike middle school, where players often face familiar opponents, high school introduces a wider range of competitors.
“The competition is different because there’s an array of new and better players now,” Raymond said. “Some players that I have gone against in middle school now that I see in high school, I can tell that they have improved a lot skill wise.”
His role as manager allows him to see both the team’s strengths and areas needing growth and point out to coaches’ certain things the team needs to work on.
While the season has had its difficulties, the freshman basketball team remains focused on development. With dedicated players like Seth and Roman adjusting to the high school game’s demands, and supportive staff like Reza monitoring their progress, the team is destined for improvement.
