Within sports there is a common held belief that the coach is the leader of the team.

However, Boys Varsity Basketball Coach Jesse Hayes is working to bust that myth among his players this year. Instead, Hayes is trying to instill the belief that the best teams are led by the players.

After a rough start to district play and a record of 0-8 district record, Hayes is hoping his players come together behind this idea to turn their season around.

“My high school basketball coach used to tell me that the greatest teams were lead by the players,” Hayes said. “I’m not going to say anything. I expect you guys to hold each other accountable.” And the players agree that in order to accomplish their goals this year, they’re going to have to come together and play as a team.

“We all just have to buy into what coach Hayes is saying,” junior KJ Robinson said. “We hear from coach all the time that the best teams are led by the players, and I agree with coach 100 percent.”

Junior Isaiah Landers said that for the team to be successful everyone has to do their part.

“We all have to come together and play for each other,” he said. The team’s difficulties this year have been mostly about mindset and not for a lack of talent, junior Nelson Whiting said.

“It’s all a mental thing, once we figure out that it’s up to us to get on the court and perform until the final buzzer goes off, then I think we could be very successful,” he said. “We have to realize that we control our own destiny and it’s us out there playing not coach Hayes. So I feel when realize these things we can secure our playoff spots.”

The Girls Varsity Basketball team has had more success in internalizing the idea of a player led team. With a district record of 4-2 and a secure spot in the playoffs the girls basketball team under the coaching of Jane Martin, has found a way to enter this district season strong.

Team captain Denae Lofton said the team believes that their success has come from playing together and playing for each other. “I think our success has come from us playing hard and coming together as a team,” she said. “We knew that playing those tough teams during preseason would help us in district.”

Co captain Analise Perez believes that her teammates have done a great job playing for each other and with each other.

“I think we knew that in order to get where we wanted to go we all had to play as one team instead of individually, because at the end of the day we’re a team and we’re a family.” She said Junior Arielle Varela said that the team’s hard work in preseason is paying off in the district games.

“We all have worked hard in practice and all of our hard work in practice transitions to the games,” Varela said. “And even during games if we’re down, we’re a good second half team and we were always able to come back and make it a game.”

The Girls Varsity Basketball Team took on Cedar Ridge Raiders at Lake Travis at 6 pm Monday in their first playoff game.