With the winter and spring seasons approaching quickly, students playing baseball and basketball start to prepare for a normal season with the hope of success. 

With Bruin basketball starting in the winter and baseball in the spring, players are already starting to practice and get in shape for the regular season. Bruins that are playing fall baseball have practice Monday, Wednesday, and Friday while Bruins playing fall basketball are practicing Monday and Wednesday. Students being able to have these opportunities to be playing the sports they love in the off season is not only good to develop skills, but also a great way to form a strong team culture and learn respect for their teammates. 

Sophomore varsity baseball player Ethan Tague explained the layout of the baseball practices.

“Our fall practices are going over the fundamentals of high school baseball, which is really good for some of the new freshmen that have been coming out,” he said. “With a large influx of new players comes people who don’t know all of the ins and outs of playing at the more advanced level of high school sports.”

Players are ecstatic that they are able to have a season this year. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Bear River basketball team was unable to have a season last year. 

Senior basketball player Carter Nunnink expressed his excitement for having a regular season.

 “[I’m glad for] just being able to play, because last season we didn’t get a season, so really it’s all about putting our all into this season,” said Nunnink.

There was a baseball season last year, and the returning players are jubilant about beginning the fall pre-season.

Varsity player senior Kenny Baltz conveyed his eagerness to start practice up.

“We’re all just really excited to get back out on the field,” said Baltz. “This is a really great group of guys who care about each other and the success of the team as a whole, not just their own success.”

With players being able to have a fall preseason for their sports, hopefully the Bruins will dominate the field and court with baseball and basketball this year. Being able to prepare so early in the year is something that not all schools have and it is very fortunate Bear River coaches are down for the cause.

Senior Tristan Smith showed confidence for this season’s basketball success.

“We’re hoping to win some games, because this is a team that has been together for a while now so I think we’re going to do good this year,” he said.