Boys varsity basketball team works overtime in offseason
While the team took a water break, freshman Ariel Gershman practiced his shot. Gershman is the only freshman on the varsity boys basketball team for this season.
As the school year begins in September, the boys on the varsity basketball team lace up their sneakers, head to the gym and sharpen their skills with weekly team workouts.
Ever since boys varsity basketball coach David McCloud came to CESJDS in 2010, he has organized offseason workouts to get the team in shape for the annual Cooper Invitational Tournament in Memphis, Tenn. each November and the upcoming season.
These workouts, which vary from year to year, focus on fundamental skills as well as building strength in the weight room.
“We try to get everyone to shoot, pass and dribble the ball better than they did the year before,” McCloud said.
According to McCloud, these workouts prepare them physically and mentally. It allows the players to understand the seriousness of playing the game the correct way.
Junior Max Stravitz, who has been on the boys varsity basketball team for two years, also thinks that the workouts are crucial for developing skills as well as team chemistry.
According to Stravitz, this year’s team has not played together in a while so these workouts are crucial, especially with the Memphis tournament coming so far before the actual season.
“We wouldn’t be able to run plays well enough once we got to Memphis if we didn’t [practice],” Stravitz said.
McCloud also sees long-term benefits in holding these offseason workouts. He attributes the team’s success to the hard work the boys put in well before the season starts.
“I think it prepares us for the season better than most teams which is why we are so successful,” McCloud said. “We have had a better record than most teams in the league because of our skill and development program.”
Director of Athletics Mike Riley sees other benefits to holding workouts before the season begins. He believes that the more time an athlete spends preparing for the season, the less likely they are to get injured later on.
“If you are doing things the right way, conditioning wise, that can be an injury preventer,” Riley said.
According to McCloud, the workouts are open to everyone, but are “not easy.” He says that many people may see a fun opportunity to play basketball with the team, but often back off when they realize how challenging the workouts actually are.
In Stravitz’s experience, mostly students who are planning to play on the team and at the Memphis tournament attend. He feels as if attendance is stronger this year than in previous years because the team has a lot of new players who want to make sure that they secure their spot on the team in the coming season.
“People that want to be on the team are willing to do it [the workouts] because otherwise you probably won’t get much playing time,” Stravitz said.
This story was featured in the Volume 35, Issue 2 edition of The Lion’s Tale, published on Oct. 20, 2017.
