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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 13, 2022
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Valley Christian basketball setting sights on gold ball BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor
Greg Haagsma had to rebuild the entire boys’ basketball roster at Valley Christian heading into the 2021-22 season. The head basketball coach and school athletic director graduated 10 of the 12 players on a team that lost just one game all year. But that lone loss came during the playoffs, cutting short the Trojans’ bid for a 3A state title. Haagsma welcomed in a number of new players to the varsity level – four of which are freshman that see a considerable amount of playing time and have made a dramatic impact. He also welcomed in transfers Caleb and Luke Shaw from PHH Prep and Jaylen Lee from Canada. The result: Valley Christian is now one of the top teams in the state, let alone the 3A Conference. “We’re a little more athletic at the top this year,” Haagsma said. “We’ve had teams that were just as skilled. But when you combine all the different aspects of what makes a basketball team good, I would say this team probably has it in the athleticism category. That’s what makes them different from some of the teams in the past.” Valley Christian took the summer cir-
For us, sharing the “ basketball, sharing the
From left: Valley Christian sophomore Luke Shaw, senior Caleb Shaw and junior Jaylen Lee have been leaders for head coach Greg Haagsma’s program this season as they prepare to enter the playoffs as one of the top teams in 3A and the state. (Dave Minton/Staff)
cuit by storm, competing at a high level at Section 7, the massive multi-state tournament that returned this past year after being canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. The Trojans faced a variety of out-of-state teams at State Farm Stadium and neighboring Kellis High School in Glendale for the tournament. They later went on to play in more
contests outside of Arizona in the fall to prepare for the winter Arizona Interscholastic Association season. Haagsma believes playing in multiple tournaments helped his team mature and build chemistry. Afterall, only one player from last year’s roster remained. Only one player – senior Austyn Gerard – was at the school when Valley Chris-
load I think is important, The other thing is capitalizing on how good we can be defensively. We’ve had the tendency at times to lapse defensively. You combine those things, we have an opportunity to do some damage at state.
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– Greg Haagsma
tian won its most recent boys’ basketball championship in 2019. “We had a lot of growth to do,” Haagsma said. “We aren’t a school that practices every day in the summer. We had so many new pieces that had to get to know each other a little bit. See
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Chandler teen among those honored Super Bowl week BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor
Diego Foster was admittedly shocked when he was told he would be one of just 10 Hispanic student-athletes honored in Los Angeles during Super Bowl week. He had applied on a longshot, knowing that his chances of being picked out of the more than 30,000 applicants would be slim. But he remained hopeful. The Chandler native and senior at Tempe Prep spent the last week in Los Angeles, home to Super Bowl LVI. On Tuesday, Feb. 8, he was a part of a ceremony where one student-athlete was named a national recipient of the annual Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards. “It feels amazing. When I found out I was a finalist in the first place, I was like, ‘Oh, wow,’” Foster said. “I worked really hard on the essays because I knew that was how they would really see me as a person. Finding out about it was so shocking. Even then, when I realized I was a finalist and found out about the Super Bowl experience, I was in disbelief. “I knew working hard in high school and even before that would bring me good things.” Foster first heard of the Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards last year as a junior in high school from one of his friends. Every year different categories of students have the opportunity to
receive the award. A guidance counselor at Tempe Prep walked him through the process. He didn’t hesitate to get going. A quarterback on the football team and Monmouth College commit in baseball, Foster applied under the Sports & Fitness category, which is hosted by the NFL this year. He went through a rigorous application process, which includes a resume showcasing his 4.3 weighted GPA. He also had to answer five essay questions. After a few months, he received the call. It was a special moment for the senior, who had the opportunity to bring a guest. He chose his grandfather, Kevin English, who he said has made a dramatic impact on his life both on the Chandler native and Tempe Prep senior Diego Foster was field and in the classamong the 10 applicants chosen as finalist for the Hispanic room. Heritage Youth Awards in the Sports & Fitness category. “The most exciting Foster flew to Los Angeles and took part in the ceremopart is I get to spend the ny, which was held Tuesday, Feb. 8 at the Los Angeles time with my guest, my Convention Center as part of the Super Bowl Experience. grandpa,” Foster said. “It (Courtesy Diego Foster)
was a no brainer who I picked as my guest. He’s kind of the guy who taught me how to play baseball, taught me how to play football and basketball, all the stuff I’m interested in now.” The Youth Awards were founded in 1998 by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation to honor Latino seniors in high school who excel in the classroom and community. The first-of-its kind ceremony is expected to draw several Hispanic athletes and celebrities, with the national winner rewarded grants to help fund or support an idea or project in the health and fitness space. Foster said before the event he planned to use the award toward his education at Monmouth if he won. Before heading to Los Angeles, he was on the school’s campus in Illinois applying and interviewing for another prestigious scholarship offered by the school that would cover his tuition. Along with playing baseball, Foster plans to major in kinesiology. He said he was eager to meet the other finalist for the award who have similar interests. Some of them came as far as New York, Florida and Hawaii for the event. “That’s one of the coolest things about this opportunity is I’ll get to meet people who are as interested in this kind of stuff as me,” Foster said. “I’m very overjoyed to have that connection with those people.”
