With the regular season winding down, Outside the Huddle reached out to a handful of area senior boys basketball players. These players have spent 3-4 years on the varsity level. We asked them to tell us, in their own words, what they’d do different if they could go back to the start of their varsity careers, reminisce about their legacy and look forward to their final prep postseason. This is one such story:
IF I COULD GO BACK
If I could tell myself anything as a new varsity basketball player, I would tell myself to not be so nervous. Later in my freshman year when I was first called up to play varsity basketball, I was far too nervous and too scared to perform at the level I wanted to. I put a lot of pressure on myself and I did not play the same kind of basketball that got me to the varsity level. I second guessed myself and hesitated all the time when I was on the court and, as a shooter, you should never second guess or hesitate. But as a freshman, and even into the beginning of my sophomore year, I constantly did. I wish I could go back and tell myself to relax and play my game and not overthink so much.
I would also tell my younger self to give it your all, one hundred percent of the time because you don’t get to play forever. Now being a senior, I realize that my time to put on a jersey and represent my school and my hometown is coming to an end. It goes by so fast. I did not realize how fast my senior night would come my freshman and sophomore season.
MY LEGACY
When I think about how I want this team and I to be remembered, I always come back to teamwork and energy. When people come to watch this team play, they should leave saying that Woodlan just wanted it more tonight, because that’s our goal every game. We also want to be known for moving the ball and having good teamwork. It’s much harder to guard a team that plays with energy and moves the ball and that’s what we try to do every game.
This year I feel like Coach Baker did a great job of including the younger kids in our basketball program. At the beginning of the season, every Saturday morning, we would have a kids camp for 3rd-6th graders to attend. The kids loved it and it got the kids excited for basketball. Coach Baker also allowed us to coach our own teams with the younger kids. This got the kids into the program and got them coming to our games.
MY FINAL POSTSEASON
Outside of winning the ACAC tournament I hope our team can compete for a sectional championship. We have a great group of seniors and a lot of talent on this team. If we can find a way to blend it all perfectly, and at times we have, I truly feel like we can compete with really good teams.
– Trevor Wiedenhoeft, Woodlan Class of 2020
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