Boy’s varsity basketball fans should expect to see a hard working team, this year, under the direction of Jesse Hayes, the new head basketball coach.

Hayes took over coaching the team when former head coach David Peavy announced that he would be taking on athletic coordinator responsibilities full time. Hayes said he is happy to be the new head coach and can’t wait for their first game.

“I was able to become head coach because Mr. Girard thought I could do a good job,” Hayes said. “ I bring hard work and willingness to the team.”

Before Hayes became head coach, he was an assistant coach under Peavy. Hayes said he hopes the team won’t judge him on wins or loses. He said he hopes they will think of him as the same person because he hasn’t changed.

“I do a lot. It’s just like being an assistant coach, but I make the decisions instead of just carrying out,” Hayes said. “And I also put the kids education first before the sport.”

Hayes said there haven’t been many changes since he became head coach. To him the kids are just the same but they are improving everyday.

“Something that I could improve on, as a person, is to improve my patience with everything in life. And something the team can improve on is to continue looking at itself as a team not an individual,” Hayes said.

Senior Christian Newton, who has played basketball since 7th grade, agreed that the team should look at itself as a team instead of a bunch of individual players. Newton said he believes Hayes will do a great job as the head coach.

“Hayes knows what he is doing,” Newton said. “He has experience with this sport, he has played college and high school basketball.”

Newton played for Hayes before, while he was still an assistant coach, when he was a sophomore and is excited to practice with him.

“I think the team right now is successful and I think coach Hayes will boost the confidence of the players,” Newton said.

Sophomore Cameron Ivey said he can’t wait to start the season and is looking forward to practice with coach Hayes.

“I am definitely excited to practice with him because he shows us new things that we didn’t do last year and that is going to be exciting,” Ivey said.

Ivey said he believes that Hayes will do a great job because he is a good coach. He said he thinks he will bring a “good change.” Ivey, who has played basketball since he was three,  said the team has room for improvement.

“I think that we could improve on our defense and we could be more disciplined and Hayes will do a great job because he has been in this position before, and has worked with tons of coaches,” Ivey said.