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Focus Basketball Teams Learn Winning is About More than Just a Final Score

Posted in News on April 8th, 2010 with Comments Off

The Focus basketball program began as nothing more than open gym time at Driving Park to give students an opportunity to play with others. With over 60 participants though, not everyone was getting court time, so an intramural league was stared. Geary Godfrey, head coach, says the six team names are representative of the leagues’ core values: Courage, Unity, Loyalty, Respect, Integrity and Pride. This season, teams played every Tuesday from January 27 through March 9.

In addition to the intramural teams, a traveling team comprised of students from all three Academies traveled to high schools and recreation centers around central Ohio and play scrimmage/games with other teams. Head Coach Godfrey says one of the team’s most notable games was against Harvest Prep. While the Focus team lost, they still scored an impressive 67 points and were never far behind, playing their hardest until the last buzzer. “It’s not just the points on the board that defines how a team performs. We were down pretty much the whole game, but our kids fought. They never thought they were out of it,” said Godfrey. The traveling team played ten games this season and finished with the record of 8-2.

Focus North also has a team in a league with other charter schools and recreational teams at New Covenant Believers Church. They are currently 6-2 and doing a great job. Two players from the team where even selected to play in the all-star game at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland and were also invited to watch a Cavaliers game.

All of the Focus players were celebrated and honored at the Focus basketball banquet on March 26 at the Driving Park Recreation Center.