Have you taken in a Middle School basketball game yet? If not, our Boys Middle School and Girls Middle School teams this winter are providing some must-watch entertainment! Sure, they’re posting some impressive statistics, but the real joy in watching them comes from the way the players and their coaches have embodied FA’s ideals of teamwork, commitment, resilience, and sportsmanship.

Several players on both teams are trying basketball for the first time, compelled by FA’s policy requiring all Middle School students to participate in at least two seasons of after-school activities. If the cheers of support these new players receive from their teammates are any indication of the success of this policy, there’s little doubt about its value.

One of our eighth-grade Boys Middle School players—a standout who could easily have posted a triple-double in a game before vacation—quietly spoke to Coach Hamilton and substituted himself out of a game against predominantly sixth- and seventh-graders to let his less experienced teammates get some time and to level the playing field. I can’t think of a better example of leadership.

Upon scoring her first-ever basket, a Girls Middle School seventh-grader’s smile as she raced back on defense was upstaged only by the congratulatory roar of her teammates. For this player, stepping onto the court and trying something new—a positive risk—is clearly paying off, building her confidence and earning the admiration of her peers.

Seventh-graders on both teams are bringing the ball up the floor, posting up on the block, grabbing rebounds, icing free throws, and shooting the lights out. In fact, in one Girls Middle School game, every player grabbed a rebound or scored a basket. How’s that for balanced offense and defense?

Our varsity players are manning the clock and the statistics books for all Middle School home games, thanks to a terrific initiative spearheaded by our Athletic Director, Jesse Brown. Having the older athletes actively support the younger players is a practice that builds community and elevates everyone’s game.

You could hear a pin drop in Coach Hamilton and Coach Lupo’s timeouts, as the mutual respect between players and coaches is without exception. Teachers as coaches is a tradition that Falmouth Academy athletics has honored since its inception—and for good reason.

The start of this season has showcased not only the skill and determination of our student-athletes but also the camaraderie and sportsmanship that define FA athletics. Whether it’s on the basketball court, the soccer field, the cross-country trail, or any other arena, the values fostered through sports at FA resonate far beyond the games themselves.

To find game schedules for all FA sports, please refer to the school calendar at https://www.falmouthacademy.org/calendar and follow FA Athletics on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/fa_athletics.

Go, Mariners!
Ben