Winter SPC Takes Place in Dallas

Greenhill+Upper+School+students+cheer+on+the+Boys+Varsity+Basketball+Team+during+the+white+out+game.+

Photo Courtesy of Robert Jackson

Greenhill Upper School students cheer on the Boys Varsity Basketball Team during the “white out” game.

Cole Feldman

This year the Winter Southwest Preparatory Conference championship will be taking place in Dallas, Texas. The championships rotate locations between Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin, which are all major hubs for SPC schools.

Students have much less on their plate with the tournaments and meets being held in Dallas for the Winter SPC Championship. With less travel and home-court advantage for some sports, Greenhill teams will be looking to bring home many trophies.

“I think I’ll play better in our gym being comfortable with the setting,” sophomore basketball player Dillion Watt said. “The team works out here every day, there’s no gym we are more comfortable with.”

Greenhill’s Athletics Board has been adding extra pep rallies and other activities to gain more school spirit. With free t-shirts, they hope to attract more students and families to important SPC games.

Junior cheerleader Jasmine Herlitz talked about the opportunity to have more students at games.

“With the events all being close to Greenhill I think more people will come out to games, leading to even more school spirit,” Herlitz said.

With Greenhill having extremely young winter sports teams, the adjustment to a home tournament should be a less rocky road for these young athletes.

“With this being my first SPC tournament being close to home will definitely be an advantage,” sophomore basketball player Bryson Watt said. “Playing at home is an opportunity to win big games in front of our fans.”

During counter season teams play an average of two games a week. Another adjustment that these teams must make is playing multiple games a day.

“Proper recovery is crucial to our team’s success,” said sophomore soccer player Liam Fagelman. “These games are not going to be easy, so discipline and rehab are two important factors we need to win games.”

A downside of the tournament being held in Dallas is players look forward to traveling. The long bus rides and team bonding are many players’ favorite parts of the year.

“If it’s the bus ride to Houston or wherever is always a good time,” senior soccer player Ali Medhi said. “The activities and dinner during SPC are always one of the highlights.”

The seniors who run the Hornets Nest account on Instagram look to broadcast all the games for the students who won’t be in attendance.

“I’m excited because hopefully more people will come out making it more like a home game,” Hornets Nest Leader Gabe Rudelman said. “The Hornet’s Nest hopes to stream the games for the students who can’t come to the games.”

Overall, student-athletes are looking forward to the advantages that come with a home SPC. Greenhill looks to win big in all four winter sports competitions