With the Arcadia High School (AHS) Boys JV Basketball season starting, their practices are filled with hard-work and excitement. Kenneth Martinez, a junior at AHS, is overjoyed to take part in and engage in both the growth of his personal skills and his team.

Martinez’s first experience with basketball was when he was in the fourth grade; he played the sport primarily as a hobby up until high school. For Martinez, the fact that he is currently playing on the JV squad for AHS is a source of great pride.

“I didn’t try out for freshman year due to COVID-19,” said Martinez. “But during sophomore year, I made the JV squad and was welcomed with open arms by my teammates and coaches.” 

This year is his second year being on the team, and Martinez states he “absolutely love[s] the team”.

Nonetheless, playing basketball at AHS requires a huge commitment. The JV practice routine requires waking up early for the two hour practice before school starts. Waking up at 5:30 a.m. is certainly not an easy thing to do, especially for Martinez, who’s currently trying his best to balance academics and his own part-time job.

It is undeniable that many athletes struggle immensely with time management; however, this is not the case for Martinez. He indicated that his busy schedule is “so fun,” that he barely had any problems with following his own schedule. 

“I’m lucky enough to [be] able to have my boss work with my schedule, and I’ve never missed basketball for work because I like it so much,” Martinez expressed. “In my opinion this is the most valuable thing I’ve learned, time management and sacrifices. Much like my other teammates, I sacrifice my free time to become the best basketball player I can be. I’m always going to continue playing basketball till I can’t lace up my Jordans anymore.”

Martinez enjoys basketball because it encourages friendship development and teaches the value of working well with others. He has made some of his best friends and had “countless great experiences with them” whilst on the team.

The AHS Boys JV Basketball team consists of many more bright and self-assured individuals, just like Martinez, and we can already tell that they are going to have a fantastic season as a result of their combined efforts. Good luck on their future games, and make sure to support the AHS JV Basketball team for all the great things they are going to accomplish!