Basketball at Oak Hill Academy is more than a sport. It’s a community.
You can almost physically touch the excitement on campus on game day.
What makes basketball at Oak Hill Academy different from other schools? The most obvious reasons are the dozens of NBA players who have come through the program and the legacy of national championships our teams have won — 9 by the Gold Team and 3 by the Red Team. More than that, though, is the fact that students of a variety of skill levels are encouraged to get involved. You don’t have to be Gold Team to play and enjoy basketball at Oak Hill and to benefit from a high level of strength and conditioning coaching.
Students who may not be interested in playing basketball still have opportunities to be involved in other ways. The broadcasting club in particular helps students feel like they’re an important part of school-life. They learn how to operate cameras and build photography and cinematography skills as well as relationships with each other. Those in the broadcasting club feel like they are part of the teams.
Students at Oak Hill describe their teams as confident, hard-working, competitive, and unbreakable.
While watching home games, students feel a sense of community. There’ s so much school spirit and energy. “Watching Jordan get a breakaway is the best thing,” one student said. “It’s not a good game without it!”
As Oak Hill Academy was gearing up for its most recent game to be broadcast on national television last Thursday on ESPN2, these words from some of the students summed up the feeling on campus:
- Oak Hill basketball is so successful because “the coaches are invested,” and “can turn around attitudes” to build a strong team spirit.
- Students reported their favorite parts about going to games include “the energy,” “school spirit,” “the dance breaks,”… and of course, “the pretzels!”
- The games bring a real “sense of community” on campus that all students can enjoy, no matter their interests.
- Even if you don’t know anything about basketball, you still have fun!