Basketball season is underway at EF Academy. The International Changemaker spoke with junior varsity players and coaches about their love of the game, the funny things that happen on the court, and the benefits of high school athletics.
As Ingram, an 11th grader, said, “I enjoy playing basketball because there are lots of funny things that happened when I was having fun with friends, and training basketball makes me have a better life and healthier body.”
According to Ben, a 12th grader, “I started to play basketball because my ex, she is a really good player. And the main thing I think when I am at the game is to win. I am already good at playing basketball but I still need to improve my shooting skill.”
Damon, an 11th grader on the basketball team said, “when I play basketball, I always think about playing the ball well and getting every point steadily. And the funniest thing that happened in the training was once somebody shot an airball.”
“I was inspired by watching professional players like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Their passion and skills made me want to play and improve,” said Tyrese, an 11th grader. When Tyrese plays the game, he focuses on staying in the moment: “Reading the defense, making smart plays, and helping my team win. It’s all about teamwork and execution.” “I think my performance was varied. Some games I feel great about my performance, especially if I contribute to the team’s success. Other times, I know there’s room for improvement, and I try to learn from my mistakes. Oh, and the funniest thing that I met when I was playing basketball, is once, during a game, I went for a fast break layup and tripped on my own shoelace. I fell, but the ball bounced off me and went into the hoop. Everyone laughed, including me!”
The International Changemaker also had the chance to interview the coach of the basketball JV team, Mr. Lazarus. He told us that being able to assist young men acquire the mentality and abilities necessary to succeed on the court, in the classroom, and—above all—in life was a major factor in his decision to become a basketball coach. He can accomplish those things as a basketball coach that are not possible when teaching in a classroom.
The team practices one and a half hours each day, five times a week. Training starts on Monday 3:45PM and 5:45PM on the other days.
About the training, Coach Lazarus said,“the students work on increasing their overall stamina, offensive and defensive skills, and they also train their minds to think and believe in themselves and their teammates through hard work over time.” The main thing needed for a good basketball game, he mentioned, is “practicing the things that an individual and a team should be good at in order to prepare for the game. When a team knows they are prepared to compete, they will be more confident. Being confident in yourself and your team is critical in competition and that’s one of the things we’ve been working on since our season started.” And the basketball team is ready for the next game!
The basketball team at EF Pasadena campus was established in the 2023-24 Winter Season. Last year was EF Academy’s first year of competitive athletics as members of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). The teams are now in the second year of competitive CIF athletics and looking to continue building upon our history and culture of athletics at EF Academy. EF Academy invests in all of our sports programs to ensure that all student-athletes, regardless of the sport they play, are well supported and have a safe, positive, and fulfilling athletics experience.
