Basketball is a world-renowned sport. Including all types of people and genders, allowing everyone to experience the joys of the game of Basketball.
Before the basketball season starts, coaches take time to get everything and everyone ready for the season. Coach Basit, Lakeside’s Boys Basketball Coach, said, “I prepare for the season by making sure gyms are open and having all players’ information, i.e., physicals and whatnot.” While players focus on conditioning, getting mentally prepared, etc.
Basketball players here at Lakeside are now playing the sport they love, which can also provide them with many opportunities later in life. Both of our Lakeside coaches played basketball in high school and college, which led them to their careers that they have a passion for now.
Balancing school and basketball can be challenging at times, but most student-athletes manage it just fine, even when taking AP and/or advanced classes. Sam Shapiro, a Lakeside basketball player, says that being a student athlete is easy to manage, stating, “No, it’s not hard balancing school and sports, I take microeconomics & AP African American.”
Staying focused on the court is a vital part of the game. Some players block out noise from the crowd, and others use it to push themselves to play better and harder. Sam says, “I use the noise to motivate myself to play harder and reach my full potential.”
Home and away games have different feelings for both players and coaches. At home games, the team has a lot of support, a familiar court to play on, and playing in front of your family, friends, and faculty can boost their confidence.
For Coach Basit, there isn’t pressure for either home or away games. While for Coach Morton, the pressure is more on the players. She said, “I don’t feel pressure for either, but for players, probably home because they are influenced by their friends being there and want to play well in front of them.”
Practice is an important aspect of improving in-game performance. For our star player, Sam, he states, “All practice leads to muscle memory and better performance.” He later explained that, “When I practice, I put just as much effort into bettering myself as a player in practice as I would in an actual game.”
Both our girls and boys’ basketball coaches believe the same, that all practice leads to muscle memory, just as Sam stated. Coach Morton likes to believe that “When our players practice, it leads to improvement in the game that you can actually witness happen. When they come back from the off-season, and are out of shape and not playing to their full potential, to then fast-forward to the end of the season, you can really see a big improvement in each player as an individual.”
Before, during, and after the basketball season, it is important to watch what and how you eat. According to Sam, he will “Eat loads of protein, and no junk food. Protein and a high fiber diet keep me energized throughout the entire day, even on game days.” For our coaches, they advise players to “stay away from junk food like hot chips and candy, and stick to high-protein foods like meat and dairy.”
When it comes to our coaches and players’ strengths and weaknesses, Sam says, “Defense is probably my biggest weakness, while communicating and building a bond with my team is probably my biggest strength as a player.” Coach Morton explains that her biggest strength is “Helping each player reach their full potential, while my biggest weakness is probably wanting to step in and play for the team when I sees a mistake in a play.”
The reason many people play sports is to build bonds and create memories that will last a lifetime. For Sam, his favorite memories include “Hitting a clutch and hyping up the crowd and my team.”
When it comes to our coaches, they don’t necessarily have favorite memories, but they do have favorite seasons that they have coached. Coach Morton’s favorite season that she has coached was 2018-2019, when Lakeside went to state. She says, “That was my favorite season thus far, down to the players, students showing pride at games, and faculty supporting us in everything we do. Hopefully, this upcoming season will be my new personal favorite!”
In conclusion, basketball is a sport many enjoy, whether it’s playing, watching, or just supporting a local team; it’s a pastime all can enjoy!
