The Two Rivers Raiders boys’ basketball team is preparing for a new season with a familiar face leading the program.
Jeff Schmid is stepping into the head coaching position, bringing years of coaching experience and a focus on teamwork, hard work, and developing his players both on and off the court.
Schmid began his coaching career in 1998 and has coached at several schools, including Monona Grove and Westfield, before coming to Two Rivers.
During his time with the Raiders, he has coached at the freshman and junior varsity levels, giving him experience working with many of the players now on the varsity roster.
As he enters his first season as head coach, Schmid hopes to build a hardworking team while helping his players develop skills they can carry beyond basketball.
“I hope to build life skills that they can use for the future,” Schmid said.
With a younger roster this season, the Raiders are focusing on building chemistry and improving as a team.
Senior Colton Pyles believes the team’s willingness to compete will be an important factor in its success.
“I think our willingness to play, it’s like everybody wants to play, so I think that matters more than anything else,” Pyles said.
Pyles hopes the Raiders can finish near the middle of the conference standings and earn a playoff victory.
He also believes leadership from the upperclassmen will help the younger players develop throughout the season.
Senior Tyson Yang is also looking forward to the season and believes the team’s speed could give the Raiders an advantage against opponents.
“I think we can run the floor. We have more guards than we do bigs,” Yang said.
While the Raiders may lack size compared to other teams, Yang believes their ability to move quickly up and down the court will be beneficial.
The team has spent time preparing through open gyms and shooting sessions during the offseason.
Junior Sully Engh is hoping the Raiders can improve their team chemistry after facing challenges working together last season.
He believes the players have already made progress in building stronger relationships and including everyone.
“I think the team’s biggest strength is all of us are gonna have good team chemistry,” Engh said.
Engh has high expectations for the season, hoping the Raiders can finish in the top three of the conference and advance beyond the first round of the playoffs.
He is also looking forward to the team’s season opener against Mishicot.
Although the Raiders are entering the season with a new head coach and a young roster, many players are already familiar with Schmid from his time coaching junior varsity.
That familiarity could help make the transition easier as the team prepares for competition.
With an emphasis on teamwork, leadership, and determination, the Raiders are hoping to make progress throughout the season and build a strong foundation for the future of the program
