Wilbur Wright College's men's basketball team, the Rams, practicing in the gym for upcoming games.
Photo taken by Caitlin Cabanas.
Basketball season is in full swing; Wright College's student athletes work hard on and off the court all the while trying to better the records of previous years. As of 11/21, Malcom X College’s basketball team, the Hawks, are leading in the conference with an undefeated season. As for the Rams, so far, we are winless. However, Ram’s Basketball Coach, Mike Harris, believes that will change, “Our expectations as a college basketball team is to compete at the highest level of sportsmanship and represent the college as model student-athletes. We will prepare and practice hard every day. Our objective is to be in a position to win every game and accept winning and losing with grace.”
Wilbur Wright College's men's basketball team, the Rams, practicing in the gym for upcoming games.
Photo taken by Caitlin Cabanas.
Wright College athletes are held to high standards by the school, but an even higher set of standards by Coach Harris, “I expect our student-athletes to be accountable to themselves as well as the team. Our student-athletes have commitments and responsibilities as college students to complete every academic course they attempt, in good standing, for the Fall and Spring semesters… I would like 100% of our student-athletes to pass every class with at least a B average. We would like to place as many of our student-athletes in a position to graduate with an associate's degree in May of 2017.
Wilbur Wright College's men's basketball team, the Rams, practicing in the gym for upcoming games.
Photo taken by Caitlin Cabanas.
Coach Harris explains that preparing for games happens both on and off the court - not just exclusively in practice, “100% of our players will be given instruction and feedback so that they can measure performance and make the necessary adjustments to improve. On any given team there will be student-athletes from different cultures and backgrounds. Our objective is to embrace differences with respect and tact by modeling effective communication skills. This will help shape attitudes and behaviors that are grounded in selflessness.”
Harris’ goal is to create a culture in which student athletes grow in every aspect: academically, mentally and physically. He wants to build confidence and trust within the team members in order to help them learn, grow and work together more efficiently. “The most effective strategy for improving teamwork for two-year college student-athletes is establishing boundaries and guidelines that are transparent and rooted in fairness” said Coach Harris.
Wilbur Wright College's men's basketball team, the Rams, practicing in the gym for upcoming games.
Photo taken by Caitlin Cabanas.
The returning Rams players are looked at to model the expectations for the team, connect with the freshman to create a smoother transition from high school to college and display effective communication within the Wright community. Coach Harris elaborated and said, “This is extremely important for the classroom and academic obligations. Our sophomores are usually the captains of the team and are extensions of the coaching staff.”