Everyone has a favorite thing, whether it be a hobby, job, or a sport. Basketball is by far my favorite thing in the world. Being on the court is where I feel most at home. It’s the place on earth I can be where I know what I am doing, and what I am talking about. Here in Crownpoint, sports are very common; almost every student here is an athlete. The main sport that Crownpoint is known for is basketball–both girls and boys are each very talented in the sport. Graduates often miss playing high school sports, especially those who put their heart and soul into the sport they loved. FirstClass Basketball is a team made for those who miss playing high school basketball here in Crownpoint.
How did FirstClass Basketball begin? I’ve asked two members of the team, my older brother Taye Harvey and our mutual friend Jerrickson Largo. Taye graduated from Crownpoint High in 2023 and Jerrickson graduated from Crownpoint High in 2018. They both missed playing basketball, especially on a team. These athletes and a few others decided to make the team. “It all began after high school basketball was over and it started last summer and then it carried on into men’s tournaments because we couldn’t play in high school tournaments anymore,” said Taye. As more members are actively joining, the team can begin expanding.
The team enjoys playing together and building themselves up to become an even better team. FirstClass Basketball plays in tournaments throughout the summer and winter, trying to constantly put their name out there. As of right now, there are players from other teams that are starting to recognize FirstClass Basketball. What went from just playing rez ball with a few friends led to a new family on and off the court. Jerrickson is the lead member of the team, and he helps glue the team together, making sure everyone is good to play and just being that older brother figure to his teammates.
What would you do to change FirstClass Basketball? “Get better jerseys to display when we play, and to make our team well known,” said Taye. Crownpoint High has three colors to represent: black, red, and white. Even just having one of these colors to represent Crownpoint is good enough for the team. Taye stated, “We would want to get red jerseys to represent the school colors of Crownpoint High. The designs we would like are native designs that would symbolize our culture.” Making sure to represent not only their hometown school, but their hometown in general, helps to make a name for the small town of Crownpoint.
Jerrickson being the leader of the team, I had a couple of questions. When asked any of these questions Jerrickson kept it plain and simple. Does the leader like his team? “Yes,” said Jerrickson. The team has been together for what is leading up to almost a year now, of course he must like his team by now. Are there standards for playing with FirstClass Basketball? Jerrickson responded, “Yes, because it holds the student athlete accountable.” This demonstrated that not only is he a team captain who cares for his players, but a team captain who pushes education. A lot of players love to play this sport. When asked what he looks for in a player he simply said “Heart!” and that’s all you could ever need to compete.
Interviewing the captain and a member of the team gave me a better insight on how FirstClass competes. Having members who put their heart and soul into this sport helps the team flow and thrive on the court. Personally, I also believe that having a teammate who puts their all into the sport they love, such as myself, and a person who continues to try to become better, is a teammate worth having.
Basketball is not just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. I can accept failure, but I can’t accept not trying. In hopes of their success in expanding their team, I asked the captain one last question: “What do encourage your teammates to do? He emphasized, “Have fun and compete with first class!” he stated. Although FirstClass Basketball is just starting to grow, there is no doubt that this team will surely become one of the greats!
