For any student athlete, senior year is the most rewarding and full-circle experience. As each season progresses, team dynamics change with new players, game intelligence strengthens, and mentality changes. Who the athlete was in the previous season is not the same as in the most recent season.
At AFS, basketball is one of the most influential sports, attracting cheering crowds and fueling school spirit. The energy of basketball games reflects the hard work and dedication the seniors have put into crafting sportsmanship and leadership. As Ella Hawkins ‘26 and Christine Lahtaw ‘26 step into their final season, they leave behind a legacy, memories, and lasting connections.
How has time changed between when you were a freshman and now, as you are a senior?
Lahtaw: I feel for me the team dynamic has changed because obviously when I was a freshman, it felt like it was just freshmen and older girls, there wasn’t that much of a cross between them. But now there is. Maybe it’s because Ella and I, as seniors, want to be more welcoming. Personally, I am not more extroverted. Ella and I do a good job of talking to everyone. Obviously, our team is better and more well-rounded than when we were freshmen. Back then, it was 1 or 2 players carrying the team, and now it is a team effort.
How has it been adjusting to new coaches each year?
Lahtaw: I guess it was hard for me because I wasn’t with them over the summer, and new players were with them over the summer. I met Coach Tiff [Tiffany Davis] before, but with a new team, I kind of had to practice by myself without Ella because she had a concussion. It was hard trying to find where I fit in. The team is nice, and the coaches are not serious in a good way. It’s good because the kids on our team are able to be comfortable with them. It doesn’t feel like coaches and players; it feels like a family.
Hawkins: It has been a challenge, like being a part of a team every year, even though you have been there every year. Everything surrounding you is new.
Did you expect the team to be so different from when you were a freshman? What did you envision, and what is the reality?
Lahtaw: Well, I feel like this year I already knew what it was going to be like. Obviously, it is a big adjustment because everyone is new to me, and I only know a few of the players who played last year. Even though they are coming onto the team, it feels the opposite way. Other than chemistry, we are on a 5-0 winning streak, which is so different from years before because our record was not that good. I didn’t expect it because I expected to be better with well-rounded players, but not an undefeated record.
Hawkins: I honestly don’t know. It was different when I was a freshman because I couldn’t guess the new team changes and the new coaching staff all the time. I feel like there’s no second power to expect this. I expected Alana Son to [stay] on the team. I expected her to play the spin move into a layup.
How do you, as a senior, maintain relationships with underclassmen and build chemistry?
Hawkins: I try to act my age or even younger, like loosen up because they are younger, and find points of connection with them. I think it can be intimidating if someone is older than you, but in reality, we are all high school students.
What was your favorite moment from all 4 years?
Lahtaw: My favorite moment… I like moments when the team is all talking and watching the boys’ basketball games or coming back from games on the bus in a good mood, and playing around.
Hawkins: When, during a JV game our freshman year on senior night against GFS, Lana did a spin move into a layup and made it, and I was just so proud. And we won.
If you could tell something to your freshman self, what would it be?
Lahtaw: I would say don’t be scared to make mistakes and don’t doubt yourself.
Hawkins: To just finish out. I feel like since my freshman year, I would like 3 more years till senior year. But now that I am here, just finish it out and push through the whole thing. It will be worth it.
Emmett Kubersky • Feb 18, 2026 at 11:24 am
For me as a freshman, the senior authority can be daunting. However, learning from them has been crucial to development, as they can show you the ropes and set a strong baseline foundation. They are never as scary as you think either, as stated, we are all high school kids, united under a common interest. I think what resonates with me the most is how fast the seasons go, and we are about to enter spring, and it felt like yesterday I was fall time. I think that we should look fondly upon our upperclassmen, as they have been there longest, and they deserve their credit for sticking with it for so long.
Josh M. • Feb 18, 2026 at 10:58 am
What resonates with me the most is the question about adapting to new coaches. This is my first year at AFS so it’s been hard getting to know the coaches during the season instead of talking to them prior. But, making the connections lead to having a better future on the team and a network to fall back on. Senior players influence me to be a better player and they are living proof of how much work and consistency can get you. They inspire me on the tired nights to keep on working on your craft and continue to become a better player and student. I will continue to work towards my goals and encourage my teammates and friends to do the same.
gabriel • Feb 18, 2026 at 9:04 am
The article offers a great perspective on how much time and experience can transform a student-athlete. It’s interesting to see how Christine highlights the way a team becomes more connected over time, proving that strong leadership and genuine chemistry are things that have to be built gradually rather than appearing overnight. Ella also made a great point about how every season still feels like a fresh start. It’s a good reminder that you never really stop growing or learning, no matter how long you’ve been part of a group. These insights give me a lot to think about regarding my own personal growth and how I approach my goals. It makes me realize that leadership isn’t just a title you get when you’re the oldest or most experienced person in the room, it’s a mindset you can start practicing right now in any environment. Seeing how the players value the process of building connections shows me that I can focus on being a supportive peer and a hard worker in everything I do. It’s motivating to know that I can start building those habits today, so I’m ready to step up and lead whenever the next big opportunity comes around.
Ezra Sileshi • Feb 3, 2026 at 9:56 pm
This article really shows how much time and experience can change a student athlete, and reading it as a junior makes it feel more meaningful. I liked how Christine talked about the team becoming more connected over time because it shows that leadership and chemistry don’t happen right away. Ella Hawkins comments stood out to me the most. When she said that every year still feels new even as a senior, it showed that growth doesn’t stop just because you’ve been on the team for a while. As a junior, it makes me think about how I can start being be a good leader now before senior year despite me not even being on the basketball team this year.
[email protected] • Feb 3, 2026 at 9:23 pm
I am a senior, and I have been on two AFS sports teams for all four years of high school. I reflect back on my freshman self and remember admiring the seniors so much. They were talented, they were kind, and they knew how to lead and inspire the teams. And as the years passed, I watched my teammates grow up and graduate, and it was such a bittersweet feeling, knowing that the team would never be the same without them. Now, as a senior, I wonder if I became those seniors who I once admired. I do hope that the underclassmen see me as a talented, kind, and inspiring leader, and that when I eventually graduate, it feels like I left an indelible mark on those who remain.
Percy • Feb 3, 2026 at 4:37 pm
As a senior athlete – I understand looking back on being an underclassmen on a team and being super nervous to the point where I should’ve just not cared. The moments that stand out to me in both frisbee and swim include being apart of a team and just like being a part of that kind of welcoming community. I also often think of my first goal in frisbee – it was one of two points of the game and we lost the game. However, this season, I can look back on how much work my fellow seniors has done with the team and we see this when we start winning games.
Robert Spruill • Feb 3, 2026 at 12:07 pm
I can resonate with this whole article to be honest, with me also being a senior and on the basketball team, I can directly relate to the things that were said. The first sentence is so true. “For any student athlete, senior year is the most rewarding and full-circle experience.” That is something that I have really noticed this year, everything does really come full-circle, and certain moments really hit hard for me. Spirit night, Senior night, and I don’t overlook the small moments either, joking around with my teammates, idle time before games or practice, all of that stuff. In your last year you have to soak it all in and don’t take it for granted!