Some people inherit their mother’s striking green eyes, their father’s smile, or their grandfather’s chiseled jaw line. Others, such as Cory Gehr (12), are passed down something a bit different. From his family, he did not inherit a smile or a defined bone structure. Instead, there is one passion Gehr shares with his father and grandfather that has been a part of him since the day he was born: basketball.

With an inherent ardor towards the sport, Gehr entered West High as a freshman and naturally, joined the basketball team. He dribbled on through the next couple of years until he finally earned his spot on the varsity team this year as a senior. Throughout the years, Gehr has come to realize his strong areas of play. In his opinion, he is “a good shooter, can jump pretty high considering [his] height, and can use [his] length to tip passes and get steals on the defensive end.” Like any skilled and conscientious basketball player, however, Gehr is aware that with strengths come weaknesses. For him, these faults are “in the dribbling category, and in the post, due to [his] size.”

Though he may not be a perfect player, he clearly is able to work past his weak spots and succeed with the rest of his team. This season, the team made it into the play-offs for CIF, and considering the fact that “our league is tough, I think we did well,” Gehr commented. Yet the highlight of the season, according to Gehr, was the team’s trip to San Diego over winter break, which “gave [them] a good chance to bond and come together as a team more, and in the end helped [them] on the court as well.”

When Gehr is not on the court, he can be found playing guitar, listening to music, or just hanging out with friends; “all the ‘normal’ high school stuff,” as Gehr described it. He also enjoys the occasional football or soccer game with a few friends.

Though “basketball will always be a part of [his] life,” Gehr does not plan on pursuing basketball in college, other than perhaps as an intramural. His reasons are that he “wants to focus on [his] studies, and ultimately [his] future” proving that not only is Gehr a dedicated athlete, but he is also a focused, ambitious student who will definitely go far in life…with or without a basketball in hand.