Fall sports are coming to an end and winter sports are coming right around the corner. Players are already preparing for this by practicing in the gym or lifting weights. For one sport in particular, basketball has had a very productive off-season. 

Starting in June, Patrick Hanley and the author of this article played for an Amateur Athletic Union team for two months. This allows players to compete against a variety of people during the offseason. Most teams travel as far as Indiana to compete against different teams. 

Varsity coach, Jason Luneack said, “I’m looking forward to restoring the energy into the Shark Tank. My main focus is on developing a communicating, lockdown defensive team.”  

Boys’ basketball started open shoots and individual practices for players at the beginning of the summer. These practices have been hosted by Luneack, Paul Barnaby, and Nick Gibbons. The coaches use this as an opportunity to work on drills and prepare basketball players for what is to come during the season. 

Junior Cade Pestrue said, “I’m looking forward to the season ahead of us. If we put in the work, we can make it out of districts.” 

Not only is the boys’ varsity preparing for winter, but so are the middle school girls. Coach Gibbons started running open shoots for middle school girls as well. He has been teaching fundamentals and getting them prepped for the season to come. 

Players were also allowed to attend the fall showcase camp at Alma college. The camp was run by varsity girls’ coach Steve Schwanda. It was an exposure camp to help kids from around Michigan meet different competition and be scouted by college recruiters. 

Additionally, the sports coming this winter include: men’s bowling, pom-pon, basketball, and wrestling. Each team is preparing in different ways. To see schedules for High school and Middle school sports, access https://www.stlouisschools.net/domain/14.