Since second quarter has started, West High’s basketball team is gearing up for its first competition. Coach Danny Walker is combining a series of intense workouts with great emphasis on drills and the basics. During Varsity practices, players are sprinting and moving constantly as they work on their offensive and defensive games.
With the loss of three key players from last year’s team, Sean Hinkley, Moiz Khan, and Garrett Overbey, the varsity team had to pull up various freshman and sophomore players to integrate into their varsity season. Chris Partida (12) said, “As the season progresses, the team will begin to develop better chemistry. With Coach Walker working on our skills, we’ll become a faster and more efficient team.” Coach Walker has made it key to “reward the hardest working players instead of the most talented ones.”
Coach Walker has prepared his varsity players with grueling practices and exhibition games against tough teams such as Fairfax High. Alex Clavel (12) stated, “The harder you work in practice the better reward you get in the game. If you don’t work hard you never can improve.” Coach Walker enforces the idea “that hard work pays off and great practices leads to greater success in the games”. Gary Arquines (12) exhibited that attitude by saying, “If we continue practicing our best we can win league and potentially even go further.” As the basketball season is beginning, West has shown that it is confident to face upcoming challenges.