Here at last, North Atlanta’s annual Hoopcoming is the long-awaited fast break to bring the heat amidst the gloomy and frigid month of February. This thrilling week-long tradition brings students and faculty together to highlight the Dubs’ basketball team. This year’s agenda features a mix of new and returning festivities. In conjunction with the recent debut of ‘’Sarden’s Court,’’ Hoopcoming is bound to be a success.
Preparations for Hoopcoming have been underway for months per North Atlanta’s Student Government Organization (SGA). After a thorough evaluation, SGA announced this year’s themes and their corresponding dates. Starting with a classic, students and staff can show support for their favorite sports teams on Monday’s jersey day. Tuesday and Wednesday will showcase the most recent theme additions: meme day and country vs. country club. Thursday is grade-level color day: white for seniors, black for juniors, gray for sophomores, all three colors for freshmen, and orange for staff. Finally, on Friday students can sport their NAHS gear while staff wear college apparel. ‘’We are looking forward to seeing everyone dress out,’’ said 10th grade class president Mia Yoo.
For Friday’s game against Denmark High School, there will be a preliminary pep rally to get the Dubs amped up. On the itinerary will be the customary introduction of both teams, as well as a performance by the cheerleaders. Nevertheless, the true star of the show is the highly anticipated student vs. staff basketball game. Coached by current Dubs basketball players, this intense face-off to determine who will dominate Sarden’s Court is bound to be a crowd-pleaser. ‘’I have high hopes for the students,’’ said Nehemiah Michael, a men’s varsity player and coach for the game.
Hoopcoming is a celebration of something larger than just the finale of basketball season: the bittersweet farewell of the senior basketball players. Friday’s game, deemed ‘’Senior Night’’, will recognize eleven male and female players who have dedicated their high school sports careers to represent North Atlanta through basketball. While the legacy and unparalleled impact of former men’s varsity basketball and golf head coach, Kerry Sarden, has made previous seasons difficult to surpass, interim men’s head coach Krystal Wells attributes this season’s success thus far to North Atlanta’s long-standing seniors. ‘’There is no way to teach leadership,’’ said Wells. ‘’And we’ve been fortunate enough to have incredible senior players who have guided us through the good and the bad this season.’’
If there is one thing that North Atlanta students can’t pass up, it is an excuse to celebrate. Hoopcoming is a week full of new and old pastimes to glorify North Atlanta’s prestigious basketball program. Whether or not Friday’s matchup against Denmark ends in triumph, the Dubs can take pride in memories created throughout Hoopcoming that will last for years to come.
