Although this is his first year on the varsity boys’ basketball team, junior Ryan Neufeld has already earned recognition for his work on the court: He was named All-Tournament for the Liberty Hawks Classic Tournament, held Dec. 15-18, 2010.

After having little knowledge of basketball, besides playing it for fun as he was growing up, Neufeld was encouraged by his peers to participate in the sport this season.

“I chose to play basketball this year because it’s pretty easy to pick up,” Neufeld said. “A lot of my friends play, so I thought it would be a good time to play. Plus, I didn’t want to join soccer because of all the running.”

Head coach Josh Justin, ’03 alumnus, acknowledges Neufeld as a joy to be around and a talented basketball player.

“We are very blessed to have a young man like Ryan on this team,” Justin said. “Every day he sets a perfect example of how an athlete should act: He works hard in order to improve and help his teammates improve. Ryan is always willing to sacrifice his body in order to help his team. He dives for loose balls, battles much larger post players in the paint and always runs as hard as he can, regardless of how tired he is.”

Neufeld relishes the experience of being part of the varsity team, saying he and his teammates work well together. Among his team members, Neufeld says he admires junior Cooper Belmont for his support.

“It’s always good to have Cooper there because we’re good friends and we get to just mess around with each other,” Neufeld said. “He’s always there to help me whenever I need help, and we are able to motivate each other to do better than the other.”

Similarly, Belmont takes advantage of playing alongside Neufeld to improve his abilities.

“I never have to worry about Ryan because I can always count on him to work hard and give it his all,” Belmont said. “During practice, we usually battle because it makes us both better, because we work hard and are willing to improve. We’re always talking to each other and helping each other build our skills.”

Although he added basketball to his sports interests, Neufeld considers baseball to be his main activity. He was involved with baseball at Computech Middle School and has played on summer teams like the Outlaws and Sand Gnats.

Neufeld has also participated in the campus baseball team and was part of the League Champion team in 2010. He has received the First-Team All League award twice, and earned MVP during his sophomore year.

“I’ve been playing baseball my whole life,” Neufeld said. “It’s something I’m used to, but I love the challenge and anticipation of where the ball is going to go. Baseball is much slower than basketball and there’s more pressure, because you don’t get as many chances to make up for stuff you did wrong. I think it’s harder and a little more difficult, but I enjoy both sports.”

Apart from his enthusiasm for baseball, Neufeld is known for his agressiveness on the court. However, he still demonstrates an amiable spirit, according to senior captain Stephen Grimes.

“Ryan is a very committed player,” Grimes said. “He goes hard every play and he brings leadership to the team by telling us what to do and how to do better. It’s fun to play with him on the court because he’s always running up and down and is very competitive, as well.”

Although his skills have progressed, Neufeld says there is still room for improvement. Learning to have patience with his teammates during practice and throughout games is one area in which Neufeld believes personal growth is needed.

According to Justin, Neufeld has developed into one of FC’s top basketball players. He sees him as a gifted athlete who possesses speed and jumping ability. Justin asserts that an intense work ethic has helped Neufeld develop faster than most players.

“He is always one of the first boys in the gym and he is always the last to leave,” Justin said. “He is constantly working on his skills during his spare time, which has enabled him to become a very talented player, even though he does not have a lot of basketball experience.”

Coach Justin also appreciates that Neufeld brings more to the team than just basketball skills, he said.

“He is always willing to pray with the team before and after practice and constantly volunteers to pray with the opposing team after games,” Justin said. “Ryan’s character and work ethic epitomize how a Fresno Christian athlete should act.”

For more information on basketball, read the Boys’ basketball sport shorts, 2010-11, Part II. For more sports profiles, read the Jan. 12 article, Team values junior’s athletic prowess, dedication.

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