During his first year coaching, Jesuit High School Head Varsity Basketball Coach Rotz ‘92 asked Kris Zaki ‘17 to be the manager for his team. Kris knew this job would be keeping track of uniforms and basketballs, helping Coach Rotz with his whiteboard before the game, and making sure all the players are hydrated.

“To be honest when Coach Rotz asked me to be manager last year, I wasn’t too thrilled about it,” Kris said. “But after a week of managing, I just fell in love with it.’’

Kris thinks he brought a lot of joyfulness and cheerfulness to the team. He said when the players were “hanging their heads” he made them feel better because there is a tight bond on the team.

“Everybody is looked at as a brother, and no one is let down if they are in need of something,” Kris said. “Whether it’s basketball related or anything else, we don’t ignore it. We help each other. It’s family oriented.”

Last year the team went 16-13. Kris thinks the young team tried their best, but they could have done better in some areas. After a year of playing together, Kris thinks that the team will benefit from having better chemistry. Kris also appreciates the innovative ideas and cheerful vibe that Coach Rotz brings to the team.

‘’We did well with our positivity,” Kris said. ‘’Every time we lost a game, we didn’t hang our heads, we didn’t get upset, and we were always ready for the next game.”