The basketball season is finally underway and the seventh-grade boys are learning to play with new teams. Seventh grade is the first year that the teams are eligible to break up into A and B teams. The two teams are overcoming difficulties by learning to play with new teammates, new coaches, and different competition.

This is the first year with A and B teams and many of the players on both teams have mixed emotions. The head coach for the A team is Sam Halama and the assistant coach is Bryan Frieseke, who is a brother of a St. Robert 7th grader. Mitchell, one of the seventh graders on the A team, states, “I would rather play against harder competition to prepare us if we want to play basketball more competitively in high school.” The A team plays against all the other A teams in their league, so all the teams are better competition.

Most of the players enjoy having the opportunity to play on the A team, but some players would also love to be on the B team because they might get to play more. The B team coaches are Mr. Frieseke and also his son, Bryan Frieseke, who also assists the A team. While the A team plays against other A teams, the B team plays against other B teams, so the competition is even and fair. Matt Hayes, another seventh grader, who plays on the B team states, “I enjoy playing on the B team because the people who might not be as good as others get a fair chance to play and score against not as competitive teams.”

Both teams have their own advantages and disadvantages. The A team is trying to learn more by participating in three tournaments this season. Tournaments are great for teams, and they let players play against other competition from other leagues. Facing different competition is also a great way to branch out and play teams they may have never played before, teams outside the regular league. The B team also has a tournament and the majority of the players are excited to play against new teams.

The seventh-grade boys are overall excited to play with their new teammates and cannot wait to get back onto the court against the competition. They are preparing for the more than just middle school, but what comes later such as the Padre and high school basketball.