Player Profile: Fairfield Lions
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
This season, the four Fairfield seniors will not only be playing for themselves and their overall success, but will be playing with a heavy heart as they will be playing for the memory of one of their own in Stephen "Peanut" Barcus, as he passed away this past summer.
The group spoke about how Fairfield basketball is more than just being on a team with a number on a jersey, but their program is about being a family and playing for the community of Leesburg.
The Lions have dedicated their season to their beloved teammate and classmate, as seniors Cole Putnam, Austin Hildebrant, Austin May and Wesley Willey each said this season is for Peanut.
"We are all playing with him in mind. Over the summer, I know personally, I've matured more than I ever have because of the incident. I really want to go out, carry myself and play with the type of passion that Peanut played every single game with," Hildebrant said. "I want to do good this season for him because that's what he would want."
"I'm always going to remember all the times we've had and the crazy bus rides, getting along and laughing with each other. Remembering Peanut … a lot of memories come back there and just remembering he was in our lives more than we knew," Putnam said. "We are dedicating the season to him. Just those times of just having a good time and playing basketball.
"It was a twist in life we weren't expecting. It made us mature more as people and value life. We are grateful for the games we get to play this season and treat it with respect."
"Freshman year … little Peanut," Willey said. “He has a remembrance in my mind. Just seeing him out there with us, and not having him this year has been really different."
As they enter their season with their fallen teammate in their thoughts, the Lions will also be playing this season back together for the first time as a team, since they were in junior high. Those years they were also coached by their current varsity coach, Matt Carson.
"It’s a great privilege to play for Coach Carson. We didn't have to go through all the coaching changes. He's a good person for us to look up to. We want to play for him," Putnam said. "I'm looking forward to being coached by Coach Carson one last time. When we were in seventh grade, he was a good coach to have. I also want to give one last shot for friends and family … I want to give them everything we got one last time."
The others agreed about playing for their coach.
"I think he's going to be a great leader for our team. We are going to have a lot of team chemistry this yea, and be a very family-oriented team," Hildebrant said. "He's going to make sure everybody's mind is in the right place and keep us dedicated so we can strive and push ourselves."
"Ever since he was our coach in seventh grade, he's been a good role model, and I've always liked him as a person," May said.
May even remembered one game, his favorite basketball moment back in junior high when the Lions were trailing and they had Carson as their coach.
"During our seventh grade year, we were all together. Going against West Union, we were down 20 points headed into the fourth quarter and Coach Carson was our coach," May said. "He gave us a good talking before the quarter. We came back and won in overtime."
"Coach knows our strengths and weaknesses as a team and as individuals too," Willey said. "He can put us out there at pristine times and knows what we need to do and believes we can get the job done."
Hildebrant spoke in detail how their great their seventh-grade year was for this group and thinks it can repeat itself once again.
"In seventh or eighth grade was the last time we were all together and had the type of chemistry that were going to have this year. Back then, every single one of our games was a barn burner," Hildebrant said. "Every game was exciting, we had a passion for every game, and we really supported each other, and I really feel this year will resemble those last junior high years."
For all four seniors who will suit up for the Lions this year, they all had to begin somewhere. That somewhere all brought them together for this season … their last season as Fairfield Lions.
"Just watching the sport growing up I gained a love for the sport," Willey said. "I began in third grade and worked my way up since then."
"I started in grade school. My dad (Brian) played in high school and I always had a real interest in basketball, so that's what initially led me to basketball," Hildebrant said. "He was my coach until seventh grade, and he basically got me into it and taught me everything I know.
"Basketball has always been the sport that I've picked over any other sport. I've played traveling AAU basketball ... as far as Leesburg basketball, it is a sense of pride. My dad played all four years in school, and I'm kind of carrying on the traditions, and my brother will be too. It’s just something I'm pretty passionate about."
"All my friends started playing in grade school, so I figured I would too," May said. "Then I ended up liking it and just continued to play."
"In fourth grade, everyone said they were going to try it, so I went out and tried," Putnam said. "I had fun with the guys and had fun being taught how to play."
In making it this far in their high school basketball lives, each player has also gained a certain respect for the game because to them basketball is more than a game.
"It teaches you how to be mentally and physically strong," Putnam said of basketball. "It gives you something to work for and do every day to stay mentally and physically strong. It teaches me to work hard."
"What I love the most about basketball are the friends I have and my teammates," Willey said. "They are like a family."
The respect for basketball also brings out their passion to be competitive.
"I enjoy the fact all my friends were playing and I enjoy the competition spirit about it," May said. "Basketball is the most competitive sport that I play as the competition seems to be more intense."
"Basically I love basketball more than any other sport because it is a game within a game itself," Hildebrant said. "You are playing with a team and a coaching aspect, but it is also a very mental game. There is a lot of pressure on yourself and a lot of perseverance and a lot of personal trying that you to achieve. I like that aspect of it."
They also understand the community loves their team as well. Go to any Fairfield boys basketball event and you will see in the sea of red T-Shirts sitting in the stands the passion they too have for their Lions.
"They (the community) get just as excited and involved as passionate about the game like we do," Hildebrant said. "Their passion and involvement leads to more wins than I think we would have without the community type atmosphere we have here."
"I would say it (FHS basketball) is very intense and community oriented, because so many people in the community attend the game no matter if we are home or away," May said. "That feels good to have the community behind you."
"Fairfield basketball is a very family friendly atmosphere. You seem to know everybody," Putnam said. "You can walk down the hallway and interact, talk and just get to know the people. Its a relaxing setting, but fun at the same time.
"No matter what game we are playing or if we are losing the fans are just fighting as hard as we are with their spirit and you can hear them cheering you on. They give us that extra boost of courage and confidence to keep on going and fighting."
Not only are the Lions representing their community in a positive way, but they are leaders and they thane that responsibility seriously as well.
"I want when we are gone for the underclassmen to be like "Wow, those guys were awesome to be around.' We want good role models and just strive to get better. I want them to want to push people to get better when they are seniors like we are doing," Putnam said. "I want them to encourage underclassmen on day, and a couple years down the road to remember us and what we accomplished and did for the team."
"I hope to leave a high standard for any oncoming underclassmen. I want them to look up to us, see us as leaders and see us a people who encourage them and not tear them down," Hildebrant said. "Hopefully we set an example to have the underclassmen to want to carry themselves like us."
The group had some final thoughts about their upcoming senior season.
"We are all going to be parting different ways after this season going to different colleges and places like that so this is one last year to do the best we can," May said.
"Playing at Fairfield is a since of pride. I've grown up with these guys and want to finish it out," Willey said. "I say just playing one final time this season. We've started out together and we are going to finish together."
"I want us all to play together, win a lot of games and have the community really support us," Hildebrant said. "I want us to leave the Class of 2012 in Fairfield's history as a class to look up to."
Putnam ends it by saying this is a brotherhood.
"We've grown up playing basketball together and this is kind of a brotherhood for us," he said. "You learn to know what each others strengths and weaknesses are and you play like a family."[[In-content Ad]]
The group spoke about how Fairfield basketball is more than just being on a team with a number on a jersey, but their program is about being a family and playing for the community of Leesburg.
The Lions have dedicated their season to their beloved teammate and classmate, as seniors Cole Putnam, Austin Hildebrant, Austin May and Wesley Willey each said this season is for Peanut.
"We are all playing with him in mind. Over the summer, I know personally, I've matured more than I ever have because of the incident. I really want to go out, carry myself and play with the type of passion that Peanut played every single game with," Hildebrant said. "I want to do good this season for him because that's what he would want."
"I'm always going to remember all the times we've had and the crazy bus rides, getting along and laughing with each other. Remembering Peanut … a lot of memories come back there and just remembering he was in our lives more than we knew," Putnam said. "We are dedicating the season to him. Just those times of just having a good time and playing basketball.
"It was a twist in life we weren't expecting. It made us mature more as people and value life. We are grateful for the games we get to play this season and treat it with respect."
"Freshman year … little Peanut," Willey said. “He has a remembrance in my mind. Just seeing him out there with us, and not having him this year has been really different."
As they enter their season with their fallen teammate in their thoughts, the Lions will also be playing this season back together for the first time as a team, since they were in junior high. Those years they were also coached by their current varsity coach, Matt Carson.
"It’s a great privilege to play for Coach Carson. We didn't have to go through all the coaching changes. He's a good person for us to look up to. We want to play for him," Putnam said. "I'm looking forward to being coached by Coach Carson one last time. When we were in seventh grade, he was a good coach to have. I also want to give one last shot for friends and family … I want to give them everything we got one last time."
The others agreed about playing for their coach.
"I think he's going to be a great leader for our team. We are going to have a lot of team chemistry this yea, and be a very family-oriented team," Hildebrant said. "He's going to make sure everybody's mind is in the right place and keep us dedicated so we can strive and push ourselves."
"Ever since he was our coach in seventh grade, he's been a good role model, and I've always liked him as a person," May said.
May even remembered one game, his favorite basketball moment back in junior high when the Lions were trailing and they had Carson as their coach.
"During our seventh grade year, we were all together. Going against West Union, we were down 20 points headed into the fourth quarter and Coach Carson was our coach," May said. "He gave us a good talking before the quarter. We came back and won in overtime."
"Coach knows our strengths and weaknesses as a team and as individuals too," Willey said. "He can put us out there at pristine times and knows what we need to do and believes we can get the job done."
Hildebrant spoke in detail how their great their seventh-grade year was for this group and thinks it can repeat itself once again.
"In seventh or eighth grade was the last time we were all together and had the type of chemistry that were going to have this year. Back then, every single one of our games was a barn burner," Hildebrant said. "Every game was exciting, we had a passion for every game, and we really supported each other, and I really feel this year will resemble those last junior high years."
For all four seniors who will suit up for the Lions this year, they all had to begin somewhere. That somewhere all brought them together for this season … their last season as Fairfield Lions.
"Just watching the sport growing up I gained a love for the sport," Willey said. "I began in third grade and worked my way up since then."
"I started in grade school. My dad (Brian) played in high school and I always had a real interest in basketball, so that's what initially led me to basketball," Hildebrant said. "He was my coach until seventh grade, and he basically got me into it and taught me everything I know.
"Basketball has always been the sport that I've picked over any other sport. I've played traveling AAU basketball ... as far as Leesburg basketball, it is a sense of pride. My dad played all four years in school, and I'm kind of carrying on the traditions, and my brother will be too. It’s just something I'm pretty passionate about."
"All my friends started playing in grade school, so I figured I would too," May said. "Then I ended up liking it and just continued to play."
"In fourth grade, everyone said they were going to try it, so I went out and tried," Putnam said. "I had fun with the guys and had fun being taught how to play."
In making it this far in their high school basketball lives, each player has also gained a certain respect for the game because to them basketball is more than a game.
"It teaches you how to be mentally and physically strong," Putnam said of basketball. "It gives you something to work for and do every day to stay mentally and physically strong. It teaches me to work hard."
"What I love the most about basketball are the friends I have and my teammates," Willey said. "They are like a family."
The respect for basketball also brings out their passion to be competitive.
"I enjoy the fact all my friends were playing and I enjoy the competition spirit about it," May said. "Basketball is the most competitive sport that I play as the competition seems to be more intense."
"Basically I love basketball more than any other sport because it is a game within a game itself," Hildebrant said. "You are playing with a team and a coaching aspect, but it is also a very mental game. There is a lot of pressure on yourself and a lot of perseverance and a lot of personal trying that you to achieve. I like that aspect of it."
They also understand the community loves their team as well. Go to any Fairfield boys basketball event and you will see in the sea of red T-Shirts sitting in the stands the passion they too have for their Lions.
"They (the community) get just as excited and involved as passionate about the game like we do," Hildebrant said. "Their passion and involvement leads to more wins than I think we would have without the community type atmosphere we have here."
"I would say it (FHS basketball) is very intense and community oriented, because so many people in the community attend the game no matter if we are home or away," May said. "That feels good to have the community behind you."
"Fairfield basketball is a very family friendly atmosphere. You seem to know everybody," Putnam said. "You can walk down the hallway and interact, talk and just get to know the people. Its a relaxing setting, but fun at the same time.
"No matter what game we are playing or if we are losing the fans are just fighting as hard as we are with their spirit and you can hear them cheering you on. They give us that extra boost of courage and confidence to keep on going and fighting."
Not only are the Lions representing their community in a positive way, but they are leaders and they thane that responsibility seriously as well.
"I want when we are gone for the underclassmen to be like "Wow, those guys were awesome to be around.' We want good role models and just strive to get better. I want them to want to push people to get better when they are seniors like we are doing," Putnam said. "I want them to encourage underclassmen on day, and a couple years down the road to remember us and what we accomplished and did for the team."
"I hope to leave a high standard for any oncoming underclassmen. I want them to look up to us, see us as leaders and see us a people who encourage them and not tear them down," Hildebrant said. "Hopefully we set an example to have the underclassmen to want to carry themselves like us."
The group had some final thoughts about their upcoming senior season.
"We are all going to be parting different ways after this season going to different colleges and places like that so this is one last year to do the best we can," May said.
"Playing at Fairfield is a since of pride. I've grown up with these guys and want to finish it out," Willey said. "I say just playing one final time this season. We've started out together and we are going to finish together."
"I want us all to play together, win a lot of games and have the community really support us," Hildebrant said. "I want us to leave the Class of 2012 in Fairfield's history as a class to look up to."
Putnam ends it by saying this is a brotherhood.
"We've grown up playing basketball together and this is kind of a brotherhood for us," he said. "You learn to know what each others strengths and weaknesses are and you play like a family."[[In-content Ad]]