The year has just begun but the basketball season is in full swing.
Already making strides is the senior boys basketball team at Grand Forks Secondary School (GFSS) with a 5-3 record.
Of the 10 high school students on the team, seven are in Grade 11 and three in Grade 12.
“I’m quite pleased with the way things are coming about considering most of our kids are new,” said Coach Michael Wirischagin. “It’s a real learning curb for the Grade 11s coming in from the junior team.”
Wirischagin stated of the three Grade 12 students on the team, only two previously have played for himself and the assistant coach.
“The rest of them are coming in fresh,” he said. “The fact that we have a winning record so far is quite a feat for them.”
Along with new faces, the team is also challenging different teams, as last year most games were against Mount Baker Secondary School in Cranbrook and the teams in the East Kootenays.
“This time we’re playing a little more in the Okanagan,” Wirischagin stated. “So other than Kimberly, who we’ve played and beaten before, everybody else is new.”
The senior boys’ team aims to qualify and win the Kootenay Playoffs, which GFSS will be hosting in February.
“We play to win and if we don’t have that mindset there’s no point in coming up to play,” explained Wirischagin. “When you get to the senior level of any sports, including basketball, you have to play to win.”
The senior boys basketball team is hosting the Kootenay Playoffs on Feb. 24 to 25 at GFSS.
GFSS also has basketball teams for Grade 8 girls, junior and senior girls. Coaches for Grade 8 boys and the junior boys teams were also found in time for the season.
There was previously concern over cancelling the Grade 8 boys and junior boys teams due to a lack of coaches in the new year.
