For the 2022-23 Boys Varsity basketball season, the team was exceptional. With a group of promising young athletes and excellent veteran players, the team will enter the season as a top tier team. This bright class of competitors includes four sophomores. Coach Dan McKendrick is entering his 20th season as a basketball coach at Deerfield High School and 11th as varsity coach. The overall team looks great as they fight for a conference title. 

McKendrick and his team are excited for this season and the upcoming competition. The coach feels very confident in the athletes this year. He mentions, “I don’t try to get into the wins and losses but I try to get into the ‘how we look’ aspect. Everyday we come to practice, there is a group that’s very serious and plays really hard and it’s fun to coach. I think we are going to be competitive and a fun brand to watch.” This unique coaching style has demonstrated that the players are excited for the playoffs and competition in the future. The varsity teams look different than usual this year with an addition of several underclassmen. He says, “There’s actually four sophomores on the varsity team. We think they have a chance to make us better, some skill, some competitiveness, some toughness. Obviously they fill a need that the varsity team wouldn’t have without them.” The sophomores are there for a reason; rather than the team being just seniors and juniors, the underclassmen bring a unique element to the team. Coach McKendrick feels grateful toward the seniors for being flexible with the situation,teaching the younger players, and demonstrating leadership and experience. 

Quinn Schimanski, a sophomore, is thrilled to be on the varsity team. Although the team has not worked together before, their chemistry is improving with every practice.  Schimanski states, “Our team has been coming together very well and we’ve been getting better chemistry because it’s a new group we’ve been playing with and none of us have played together before.” He thinks that the team is cooperating extremely well and benefitting from their experience together. Taking a deeper look into the team aspect, Schimanski adds, “I would say I’m definitely a team player and we got a lot of team players on our team, that’s why we are a great team because we are very unselfish.” This teamwork is a core reason to their success and how they have been playing well. Schimanski expressed his excitement about sophomores being on the team this year. He thinks that the early varsity experience will help their performance in future years because of this sense of early participation. 

Miles Cohan, senior captain of the team, is excited for the season and playing with the younger team members. He is looking for a conference and state championship. He gives a lot of credit to the coaches because they have encouraged his growth and confidence as a  leader. Cohan notes, “The coaches have a lot of impact but I think they are pushing us as players to become more leaders and to be a player-led team rather than a coach-led team.” This environment has played a large role in Cohan’s success, and, by extent, that of the team as well. Cohan also acknowledged the sophomore class and their role on the team. He states, “The sophomores are awesome athletes. We have four sophomores on the team and I can’t wait to see what they are going to do in a couple of years.”  Cohan and Schimanski both mentioned their excitement about the bright futures of these younger players. Although Cohan is thrilled for the playoffs, he also feels sentimental about the end of his high school career. He mentions, “It’s pretty bittersweet. I love the role I have on the team but obviously basketball has been a huge part of my life and I’m really sad to be in my last season ever.”. Cohan feels content with his four years in the program, and he anticipates playing basketball in the future.