Basketball Program Continues Growth in Third Year
At Visions In Education, education doesn’t stop at the classroom door — and this basketball season proved that once again. Now in its third year, the Visions Basketball program continues to defy expectations, showing that a virtual charter school can deliver a first-class athletic experience that shapes students on and off the court.
For the coaches and staff who make this program possible, Visions Basketball has always been about more than wins and losses. Every practice, every game, and every moment shared as a team is an opportunity for students to build the skills they need to succeed in life after high school.
“Even if our students lose a game, they are winning in life. Our students are learning meaningful life skills, managing their stress, increasing their confidence, developing critical thinking abilities, and increasing resilience,” shared Sergio Fuentes, Visions Athletic Director.
Coaches Sander Salguero & Nicole Tannous
This year brought a fresh energy to the program, as School Counselors Sander Salguero and Nicole Tannous stepped into new roles as first-year coaches at Visions. Already trusted mentors to many of the students they work with every day as school counselors, Coaches Salguero and Tannerous brought their passion for student development to the hardwood.
For Coaches Salguero and Tannous, playing in team sports is more than just after school fun. These moments create memories for students to learn from and help cultivate socialization opportunities amongst peers.
In competition, students communicate, practicing critical thinking skills, and helping one another on the basis that they are working together towards a bigger goal: team success.
“What drives my passion for coaching is the opportunity to connect with students who share a love for the sport I care deeply about. Even more meaningful is witnessing each athlete’s growth—not just in their skills as a player, but in their development as a person,” said Coach Tannous.
“I love the game of basketball and working with students. It’s rewarding to see how a team grows over the course of a season, how they learn to work together, overcome adversity, and share in their success,” said Coach Salguero.
When the call went out to form this year’s roster, thirteen students answered, forming Visions Team A and Team B. What followed has been a season full of competitive games, personal growth, and moments that none of these student-athletes will soon forget.
Game 1 Recap: Visions Team B V. Daylor
“Hustle on me… Hustle on three.. 1, 2, 3, HUSTLE!”
With that rallying cry, six Visions Team B players took the court against William Daylor High School, a team that had nearly double the players on their bench. Rather than be intimidated by the numbers, the Visions squad leaned into their greatest strength: hustle.
The final score of 40–42 tells a story of grit and determination. Despite the roster disadvantage, Team B stayed competitive throughout, executing strong defensive plays, generating open looks through unselfish passing, and fighting for rebounds when it mattered most.
After the game, Caleb S., Visions In Education 10th grader and third-year player, reflected on the team’s performance and spoke to the camaraderie of the team to be able to keep the score close and push through the difficult challenges on the basketball court.
“I think we played really well together. We had some strong rebounds and strong passes. We played well defensively,” said Caleb. “We had great open looks. We just missed a few open shots, but I liked the looks that we got and how we created open shots for our teammates.”
When asked if other students should consider participating, Caleb spoke towards the structure that the team has continued to build from the steady foundation that saw success in the first two years of the program.
“It’s a great way to learn teamwork, a great way to learn leadership, the coaches are great and very helpful. We play together as a team and there’s a lot to learn so I’d definitely recommend it,” Caleb said.
Congratulations to Team B: Jay M., Caleb S., Samuel Y., Hanan B., Timothy Y., Diego D., and Julian L. (DNP – Did not play).
The season isn’t over yet. If you’d like to come out and cheer on our players in the playoffs, upcoming games can be found on the Visions Athletics Wire page.
Keep an eye out for our next recap when we spotlight Visions Team A and talk more with our basketball players and staff.
