Shane Rabacs ’18

Every Friday, several students wake up at the wee hours of the morning. They get to school at 6:15 a.m. Are they here to make up a test? Meet with a teacher? No, they’re here to play basketball against their teachers.

Faculty and students play five-on-five basketball against each other. Games are to 21 and they play two to three games per session.

“Students play because it’s a great opportunity to win and have a good time with your teachers,” Ben Van Der Merwe ’18 said. “After going once or twice, it’s become something we all look forward to.”

Friday morning basketball used to be for just teachers, but they couldn’t always find enough people to play.
The teachers decided to take matters into their own hands and recruit some students.

“Mr. Giolitto had mentioned the morning hoops to one of his Sports Lit classes last year that had a couple of junior basketball players in it,” Andrew Carroll, ninth grade level assistant, said. “We then invited the students to come play on Friday mornings.”

Everyone participates for different reasons. “In general, most like to stay in shape and work out before school,” Jonathan Shepro, social studies teacher, said. “I’d say we all like the competition as well.”

The players who participate change from week to week.
“There are several teachers and students that participate; it’s never the same group,” Shepro said. “There are some teachers that have come once or twice while others come every time we play.”

And while it is just for fun, games do get intense.
“I’d say the purpose isn’t for us to keep a running tally of who won which game on which day with whom on their team,” Carroll said. “Is the level of play competitive? Yeah, I’d say we have our moments. Do we have fun when we play? Yeah, I’d say so, and I’d hope everyone else feels that way.”