Mild mannered Eric Andres is a true competitor on the court.
Fans watch on as senior Eric Andres competes for the tip off. Photo by Rachel Uyemura
Varsity basketball player Eric Andres first started off playing hoops when he was nine years old, and he says he was interested in the game because of his parents who both played basketball in high school, as well.
Eric and Felicia Andres always wanted their son to carry on the family tradition of being a star basketball player in high school, and that’s just what he and his brother are doing. “My older cousin started playing basketball for the Colorado Hogs team, and then his coach wanted us to play for the team. I was really excited because I’d always wanted to play for a team. Even was I was a little toddler, I watched basketball on TV and Shaq O’Neal inspired me to play. I wanted to be just like him,” says Andres. The Colorado Hogs team is an AAU group that travels to Las Vegas and Dallas every year to compete with other teams.
Today Andres plays for Thomas Jefferson High School as a power forward and center. Power forwards are expected to rebound well for, but centers use their height to make baskets. “I personally like the position of power forward better because I have more options on offense of what to do, and it’s an easier position for me because when I have a bigger guy on me it makes the plays easier for my team and for myself,” says Andres.
Studies show that sports also affect the way kids perform in school. To participate in a competition, athletes at TJ must get the job done in the classroom first. “Basketball affects my grades because it helps me keep track of them, and to keep them high. I know if I don’t keep them up I won’t be able to play the game of basketball, and that would crush me,” Andres says.
Andres also has many other activities, in which he is involved outside of school. He watches football during his free time, and also follows a lot of basketball. “I watch football because my dad is a big football fan and he got me watching it since I was little. My favorite football team is the New Orleans Saints, because I am from Louisiana and that team was the first team I ever watched playing football. But I also watch a lot of basketball, and my favorite NBA team is the Miami Heat. They’re my favorite because Shaq played for that team, and I always dream about playing for them if I ever get drafted in the NBA.” He also says he loves hanging with his friends and family. Treyvon Andres (Eric’s brother, who also plays for the Thomas Jefferson varsity basketball team) is his best friend, because he knows he will always be there for him. He also says they also have a lot of fun being around each other, even though they might not always admit that. “That’s what brothers are for,” says Eric, who also says that he loves eating pizza and Chinese food, doing a little bit of cooking (mostly European food), traveling to warm places, and shopping for Nikes and Adidas shoes.
CSU is the college that Andres says he is hoping to attend after graduating high school. “I want to get a masters degree in computer engineering and build my way up in a company such as Sony, Apple, or Microsoft,” says Andres. He also wants to play college basketball and hopefully get drafted in the NBA. Andres says he wants to get married to his high school sweet heart, Cleora Koepke, and from there build a family of his own. He says he wants to live in Los Angels or Miami, because it would always be warm, and it will never snow. He would like to have a Mustang and a Beamer, and help his parents out, whether he’s successful or not. Andres says, “I’m thankful for what I have, and ready for the future!”
