Senior Josh Spurgeon, is a 2 year varsity basketball player who plays the position of small forward here at LHS. Just like every other teenager, he is stressing about his last year of school, college applications, and SAT’s and ACT’s. But what a lot of us may not know, is how dedicated he is to the sport.

He’s played for a staggering 12 years. Almost his entire life, he has been devoted to a sport that apparently runs through the family.

“My dad and my brother are also basketball players,” said Spurgeon. “My dad played at George Fox University and my brother plays at Seattle University, so it’s in the family.”

Spurgeon said that it is his favorite sport. That is the biggest reason he has played for so long. “I don’t know why it’s been this long, it’s just I like to play with friends,” said Spurgeon. “I have a lot of friends that play basketball as well. So that’s part of the reason.”

Although it is fun to play, it isn’t harmless. Many people have been injured by playing the sport.

“I’ve broken my thumb, I think it was in fifth grade. I broke my foot, I think that was freshman year,” said Spurgeon.

He’s even dislocated his shoulder, “many times, and it still comes out.”

Despite the injuries, his love for the game is greater than the pain.

“I’ve had some injuries, but I’m still playing,” said Spurgeon.

There are times though when the game isn’t fun at all, and he becomes disappointed. Spurgeon has faced these disappointments first hand.

“I probably have two, sophomore year not making varsity,” said Spurgeon. The second was last year, the team went 7 and about 17, “which is not a good record,” said Spurgeon.

“Greatest challenge, probably just to keep working in the off season,” said Spurgeon. “Try to get better every year and keep a starting spot on the team.”

Even after those disappointments the same year he didn’t make the varsity team, that was the year that his most memorable game occurred.

“When we beat West Linn, who were the state champs, I was on the bench, I didn’t play,” said Spurgeon. “It was on a buzzer beater too.”

Basketball has plenty of things that are good about it, but it also has benefits in the everyday life of players.

“I guess my work ethic, because for basketball you have to work hard to get better.” said Spurgeon. “I’ve used that in school to get better grades.”

Although basketball has shaped much of his life, he has greater plans after high school than playing the sport.

He wants to major in business, possibly marketing, said Spurgeon. This will give him lots of opportunities for different jobs and more opportunities to become successful.

Spurgeon also has other extra curricular activities that he is not only a part of, but good at too.

“I’m good at hunting, I go hunting every year in Montana. That’s fun to see the rest of my family, spend some time with them,” said Spurgeon. “I’m playing golf this year, and I go to YoungLife, every week.”