Because of the lack of players for the 2012-’13 season, the FC athletic staff decided to cancel the varsity girls’ basketball season and put the program on hold until next year.

Athletic Director Mick Fuller was disappointed to cancel this year’s season, but he is hopeful that next year will be a strong season and appreciates the commitment that parents and returning players have shown. He expects to see success as the girls rebuild and gear up for the 2013-’14 season.

“Fresno Christian girls basketball has been a strong program in the past and will be again in the future,” Fuller said. “We have individuals and groups of people committed to seeing that happen. The new coach is energetic and motivated, the female athletes in our school are talented, and the most important elements are in place to serve as a foundation for a new era of FC lady Eagles basketball.”

Because last year’s head coach did not return this season, FC athletic staff was required to find a new coach for the team. They began looking in May of last year, but were unable to immediately hire someone for the program. It took months to find the right person, but they were rewarded with Coach Jared Kaiser, fiance of campus history teacher Jordana Siebert.

Kaiser is a graduate of Chapman University, where he was a four-year starter and a three-year team captain, received the Perkins Senior Leadership Award and was a part of the first team to reach the Division III NCAA Tournament. In addition to this experience, he is also an assistant coach for the Clovis North High School junior varsity boys’ basketball team and a personal trainer at Chapman for kids ages 8-13.

Fuller is excited to have him on staff because of his experience as well as his ability to coach and encourage his players. He also appreciates Kaiser’s capability of relating to the students and fostering team unity, which is crucial to success in any sport.

“Coach Kaiser has extensive knowledge of the game and the ability to teach basketball concepts and skills to players with a wide range of abilities,” Fuller said. “He knows how to encourage and motivate players to push themselves. He is enthusiastic yet even tempered. He knows how to build positive relationships with students, which is the most important factor in getting them commit to a sport and be part of a team.”

Kaiser was frustrated that the season had to be cancelled, especially since there were girls who wanted to play and had committed from the beginning of the season but are now unable to play for this year. He was definitely looking forward to having a team and strengthening the basketball program, but now must wait until next year to accomplish this.

“Next year I look to see a bigger emphasis on the importance of athletics at FC,” Kaiser said. “I look to see more girls come out and have possible travel teams in the off season, but I was looking forward to having a team this year.”

Junior Hannah Avila, the team’s only returning varsity player, was disappointed to hear that the program is being put on hold until next year, especially since she and the other girls put a lot of work into the sport at the beginning of the season.

“The main reason was because they were busy and didn’t have time,” Avila said. “Everyone realizes that the majority of girls were interested in playing soccer, so that’s why there was a lot less interest in basketball.”

Even before the beginning of the season, Fuller and the athletic department made multiple efforts to find enough girls to fill a roster, including extending an invitation to play to the girls participating in other winter sports, even though that is usually not allowed.

“In September, the athletic department began talking to students about playing,” Fuller said. “We continued trying to encourage girls to play on the team through November, talking to individuals and groups, when we were able to complete the hiring process for a new coach. We tried to get girls to meet the coach and begin preparing for the season. After the Christmas break, we continued to talk to other girls and even tried to get some of the soccer players to take on a second sport in order to keep the team going.”

In the end, however, not enough girls responded to the need, and FC athletics was required to cancel the team, even though there were a few girls who had practiced since the beginning of the season. Fuller is sad that there is not a Lady Eagles team this season, and he hopes that it will help the school realize the need for commitment to the sports program.

“I am extremely disappointed that we couldn?t make it work this year,” Fuller said. “I feel sad for the girls who wanted to play but were not able to. This may serve as a wake-up call for our school community.”

Although she was unable to play this season, Avila looks forward to next year and being able to play for her last year of high school. She knows it will be a rebuilding season because the team will have to get back into the sport, but she is excited to be a part of it.

“Obviously I’m looking forward to a team since it will be my senior year,” Avila said. “I know that next year will be a growing year since we didn’t have a team this year. Basically I’m just looking forward to improving my basketball skills.”

Kaiser has told the girls on the team that he is available for private lessons should they desire to work on their skills while they wait for next season. Campus teacher Rob Foshee, who coaches the junior high girls team, is also helping to prepare the eighth graders for high school ball.

Fuller believes that FC’s motto, “We are One”, carries over into even the athletic department, and hopes that parents and students will see that and respond differently next season.

“I hope people will see that if we are ‘one,’ as our school motto says, we need to get involved ? students, faculty and families ? to support the whole mission of the school,” Fuller said. “That means participating in and promoting athletics, performing and fine arts, academics, community service and outreach, all with equal fervor, because we are doing all for the glory of Christ.”

Avila would like to encourage FC’s high school girls to participate in next season, no matter their skill level. Having played with her friends last year, she knows that it can be a blast to get a group of friends together and play ball, so she hopes to see more students come out to practices and try the sport.

“I know basketball may seem hard or intimidating, but just give it a chance,” Avila said. “Next season, all I ask is that the girls would come out to just one practice before they decide they won’t play. Basketball is really fun, especially if you play with friends, so get some friends to play too.”

For more information on the basketball program, email Fuller.

For more sports, read the Jan. 30 article, Girls’ soccer sport shorts: Eagles travel to Fowler.