TWCA Reflects on Hoop Success

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Warriors Reflect

The Woodlands Christian Academy Hoopers Look Back on Accomplishments

By Austin Staton

Success doesn’t come easy. It takes hard work, dedication, self-sacrificing players and a coach that cares about his or her student-athletes. For The Woodlands Christian Academy, the aforementioned criteria makes up the backbone for their tradition of excellence.

On the hardwood this winter, the Warriors (28-8) finished the year clinching another TAPPS Class 3A state championship – this time over Calvery Christian. The title marked the program’s fourth in the past five years and the second-straight under head coach Reid Gettys.

“I am extremely proud of the program and where it is today,” said Gettys. “The success of our school is the result of the commitment from Julie Ambler (Head of School) to recognize the importance that athletics can play in a student-athletes life.

“The last two years, we’ve had really talented student-athletes. The success we’ve enjoyed is because the team is unselfish and has set aside individual goals for team goals. That is how you define success – when individuals buy into being a part of something bigger than themselves.”

A big reason for the Warriors’ success over the past few years has been due to the stellar play of multi-sport standout, senior Todd Eaglin.

During the fall, Eaglin led the Christian Academy to a solid season on the gridiron that ended with a berth in the TAPPS Division IV semi-finals. As the quarterback for the Warriors on the football field, Eaglin played a similar role for the Warriors on the basketball court as the standout floor general.

“The Christian Academy gives you a lot of opportunities that you might not get at a lot of other schools. The school strengthens your relationship to God, stresses academic excellence and allows you to play multiple sports,” said the 5-foot-11 standout. “I can’t really explain my experience in words. I never thought I’d win two state championships and to be able to play my last high school basketball game and do it while winning a championship – it’s indescribable.”

In his senior campaign, Eaglin averaged a team-best 15.1 points per game while accounting for nearly 170 assists and 100-plus rebounds. All together, the Warriors had four additional players average in double-figures scoring with three of them set to return next season.

Following their state championship run last year, Gettys wasn’t sure that his team would have the same abilities on defense. However, a lock-down defense become perhaps the most notable feature of the 2011-12 Warriors.

In their 39-31 win in the state title game, the Warriors held a two point lead at the half but strung together a fierce defensive effort in the second half that limited Calvery to just two points in the third quarter.

“Coach Gettys always tells us that our scoring might not be there every game so if we play a strong brand of defense, the offense will come,” Eaglin explained. “We started clicking on the offensive end during the second half against Calvery but it all started because of our defense.”

As a student-athlete that is “unselfish, teachable and one of the hardest workers”, the Warriors will miss Eaglin’s unique skill set as he is expected to continue his athletics career following graduation.

“Todd is a special kid,” said Gettys. “It has been an absolute joy to have the opportunity to coach him.”

With a trio of standouts returning next year in standout juniors Bob Sievert, Jeremy Swisher and James Bento, the Christian Academy is quietly becoming one of the more dominant athletics programs in the private school ranks. The talent developed within the school can match many of the area’s best public schools and has led to some of the student-athletes asking to play those teams next winter.

For Gettys, he’ll put his team up against anyone. They’ve proved that hard work breeds success and that success takes a backseat to nobody.