Earlier this year, the players of the Boys Varsity Basketball team welcomed Assistant Principal of STEM Abid Choudhury as their new head coach.
This has been a year of new roles for Mr. Choudhury, as he became STEM Assistant Principal this past fall and is now also serving as head coach after previously working as an assistant coach for the team.
So far, Coach Choudhury has helped lead the team to an undefeated 8-0 record.
“I see [all] roles as opportunities to impact lives, and that’s what keeps me motivated,” Mr. Choudhury said, highlighting his commitment to being a reliable support to students on the court and in their academic life.
Mr. Choudhury said that he’s played the sport since he was young and it’s important to him.
“Basketball has always been a passion. I love playing it, watching it, learning it, and teaching it. Coaching gives me the chance to share that passion while mentoring young athletes to grow both on and off the court,” he said.
Speaking on Mr. Choudhury’s coaching style, Senior Sebastian Morales, the team captain, said, “Not only are practices more effective for our player progression, but they definitely are more fun. In games, we also have more structure, which leads to bigger and better wins.”
Similarly, junior Dylan Sugrim, a player on the team, said, “Practices are much more organized and focused on getting better both as a team and individually. Game strategies are also different because of Mr. Choudhury’s offensive and defensive mindset.”
Mr. Choudhury said, “As a player’s coach, my first step is to listen to my players. I want to understand their needs, strengths, and perspectives because the best teams are built on collaboration and mutual respect.”
New players also shared their thoughts on Mr. Choudhury’s coaching style.
Sophomore Aidan Alleyene, a new player on the team, said, “I’ve learned from Mr. Choudhury the value of maintaining positivity both on and off the court. He taught me how self-talk and the way you communicate with teammates can significantly influence individual and team performance during games.”
Junior Muhammed Bhutta said, “Mr. Choudhury changed my mindset on basketball by helping me focus more mentally on playing the best basketball I can.”
Senior Timothy Chan, another new player on the team, spoke on how Mr. Choudhury’s “kindness reflects on all of us, making us desire to do better as teammates and players.”
“It’s deeply rewarding to build a positive team culture rooted in trust, brotherhood, and effort, and to see that translate into success on and off the court,” Mr. Choudhury said.
