Sophomore Luke McFaul has played basketball for almost his entire life, starting at five  years old. Last season, he played his first year of varsity basketball at Gunn after playing on the junior varsity (JV) team in his freshman year.  McFaul has enjoyed playing basketball for Gunn, something he plans on doing for the rest of his career. “Basketball at Gunn has been one of my best experiences in high school so far,” he said. “The season is full of ups and downs and it’s an exciting challenge of mental perseverance and teamwork.”

On top of playing basketball for Gunn, McFaul has been playing on an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team called KOPA, which was founded by the Gunn varsity basketball coach.  For the past three years, he has continued to play over the summer as well as in the fall for the team in order to further his development as a player.  “I play KOPA basketball because it’s really fun as I’ve been playing with the same guys for multiple years now, many which are Gunn students,” he said. “We have developed close bonds [with] each other and our chemistry is off the charts because of it.”

When comparing and contrasting his experiences on both teams, McFaul says he has liked both teams in their own unique ways.  “I think AAU basketball tends to be more focused on development,” McFaul said. “In contrast, Gunn sports are more focused on winning games and [are more] competitive.”

Although it is sometimes a challenge to play all year round, McFaul has embraced it and will continue to play both teams as he loves the game. “I’m looking forward to working hard and competing in KOPA and showing the work I put in during the summer in preparation for the Gunn season,” McFaul said.