Next Chapter: “Friday starts now”

You could hear a pin drop as Waelder Head Basketball Coach Jarvin Hall reiterated his words of wisdom. All eyes were peeled on the 6th year head coach and athletic director of this small basketball town.

After a long, thorough practice, even the aching muscles and sweat didn’t keep any one of the varsity players unfocused in what he had to say.

It was a simple message to follow – “Friday starts now”.

What Hall stressed was focus. And that focus is the UIL basketball playoffs for the Waelder Wildcats, which begin Friday.

Waelder (26-6) will face the Leakey Eagles in a class A-D2 area playoff on Friday at 7 p.m. in Poteet to begin its playoff run.

“This team knows exactly what is in front of them,” said Hall. “They show a lot of signs of maturity and feel focused about this season. Everything we teach them, they listen and they do. We do a lot out there and they take it all and apply it.”

Waelder is no stranger to the playoffs under Hall. In the last six years, the Wildcats have claimed the district championship five times and made it to regionals two times.

This season, the Wildcats simply ran all over District 30-A to claim the championship and feel primed for the next chapter.

“We had some good tests in district,” added Hall. “No one wants to just sweep through district and win every game by 20-30 points. I teach them to do what needs to be done and they know that. And as long as they know that, the scoreboard will speak for itself.”

Hall instilled his idea of the season as being “chapters”. The first being preseason, then regular season and district. Now the playoffs begin a new chapter.

The Wildcats are no slouch by any means, making statements this season was all done with only two senior starters Deondrae Houston and Torrey Fields.

Waelder reached the regional quarterfinals last season before dropping a decision to nemesis Burton.

But the Wildcats are eyeing a different outlook this season and are hoping for Austin.

Ranked 15th in the state on the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches poll, Waelder earned  a bye in the first round and was automatic bidistrict champs.

On Tuesday, the Wildcats played the Shiner Comanches in a warmup game and won 59-39 against the Div. 1, 1A team.

Houston led Waelder with 25 points including three 3-pointers. Fields finished with 12 points.

“I’m very strong about coaching discipline and just playing the game,” said Hall. “Even as the years have gone by, I have grown to be a better coach, and I have matured. I feel that a team is a direct reflection of its coach. And this team has grown to become mature.”

This team is mature alright. After a grueling 2 hour practice on Wednesday, Coach Hall simply said if anyone wants to stay to focus on free throws or anything else, he would be happy to stay longer.

When it was all said and done, 90% of the team remained after practice.

“See what I mean?,” he continued. “This is dedication. This is focus.”