“Hey, you want to join our team?” There, sitting in Introduction to Engineering class, Noah Hempkins was offered a spot on a newly-formed basketball team, and now has an inseparable group of friends.
The Brooklyn Beefcakes are a group of seniors who play basketball for the Allen Sports Association (ASA). The team, together for over a year and a half, is developing a case of senioritis after closing out their final fall season.
“At the time the team was made, I wasn’t friends with them, but I took up the offer,” Hempkins said. “After a while on the team, we all became really close, more like a family”.
The group, composed of seniors John Falco, Berk Sahin, Walker Sims, Riley Showah, Hempkins, Maddox Willard, Tyler Doyle, Connor O’Dowd and Alex Williams, collaborated to make this team a bonding experience filled with much fun.
“Our team is really light-hearted,” Hempkins said. “We didn’t care about winning too much and never really took it too seriously. It’s more for fun that we put first.”
John’s father, Brian Falco, has coached the team through the roller coaster of wins and losses.
“John came up to me and said he had a group of guys that wanted to play basketball but needed a coach,” Brian said. “I liked the idea of them being active and playing. They are all seniors, which is both exciting and a little bit of a bummer.”
Brian attests to the involvement of the team, describing them as a close-knit group that thoroughly enjoys their time together.
“By far the best part of being involved with the team is the cohesiveness of the guys,” Brian said. “Every single one of them seems to have fun playing regardless of whether we are winning or losing. They put the time in together, practicing as a group often even though we don’t have official team practices.”
The Brooklyn Beefcakes rely on the hype of the crowd, composed mostly of parents and students, to push them to another successful win. Senior Sarah Salsgiver is a familiar face in that crowd.
“It’s fun to cheer and be loud,” Salsgiver said. “I enjoy seeing them improve.”
The Brooklyn Beefcakes made it to the playoffs this year. Hempkins described this season as the best yet.
“We had some difficulties and some conflicts, but we went to the playoffs and played our hearts out,” Hempkins said. “In the end, unfortunately, we lost by one point. Though this season was great compared to others.”
Hempkins has felt a significant impact from the team, expressing the bond formed as a loving family brought together by basketball.
“I love all of them,” Hempkins said. “I’m going to miss these guys so much. They are all like my brothers. It’s so sad thinking about leaving for college and not being able to play basketball anymore.”
Although the team intends to “come back better than ever” in the upcoming winter and spring season, many teammates are beginning to feel the sentiments of leaving.
“The beefcakes will dismantle as they each head to the next stage of their lives,” Brian said. “It will be exciting to see where each of them head after this.”
As the seniors close out the season and turn a page to a new chapter of life, they look back fondly at their memories with each other.
“I’m in tears thinking about parting ways with this chapter,” Hempkins said. “This has been such a fun experience to have. If I was able to go back, I would do it all over again. I’m just so grateful for this.”
