Meet Chris Ozgo, junior point guard on the varsity basketball team. He has been on the varsity team since freshman year, a feat that can be very difficult to accomplish.

While basketball may seem like training consists of knockout or simple drills, W-L’s practice demand focus and dedication.. For Ozgo, his practice schedule is hard. It gets even more difficult on game days, especially away games. If it is a game day, and they are playing at home, Ozgo’s schedule can be hectic. “For a home game I would go home right after school and I’d try to take a one hour nap” says Ozgo “then eat, talk to the assistant coach, and go to TJ to get warmed up.”  Then it is straight to the game, and then when the game ends at 9:30 p.m., he goes home and tries to do his homework so he can get some “solid sleep”.

Not only are game days hectic, but the basketball team practices almost everyday, Monday through Saturday, for one to two hours. It’s a big commitment, without even a weekday off.  But the schedule works well for Ozgo. “Well I like it, because that’s just what I do” says Ozgo “I play basketball in my free time.”

Ozgo also practices year round. “I mean, I try to take one day off a week, but other than that I’m always out practicing in the gym,” Ozgo said.

Conditioning and getting a trainer is important, as any rigorous physical activity takes strength and endurance. “I try to lift a lot, like lift weights, and then occasionally I’ll do conditioning,  like running up hills and stuff,” Ozgo said. “I’ll also get a trainer occasionally but that’s just basketball stuff.”

According to Ozgo, “I definitely think basketball has been worth it for me. While in the short term it takes up a lot of time and requires a lot of hard work to be successful, it has many benefits that I have enjoyed thoroughly throughout the time I’ve played and I believe it also helps instill important life lessons such as teamwork, leadership, hard work and sacrifice.”

According to Chris though, this is the year that we go all the way. “I’ve been on three W-L teams, and this team has me the most excited for this year,” Ozgo said. “So this is like the most excited I’ve been for like a team for W-L and i think if we really put the pieces together I can make district championship.”