Freshman Claire Kaifes joined the girls basketball team to continue her family’s legacy in the program following her older siblings’ participation in the program.

Claire’s siblings — sophomore Cooper Kaifes, senior Catie Kaifes and 2015 graduate Conner Kaifes — have all been a part of the basketball program since their freshman years.

Being on the girls basketball team will give Claire a chance to play with Catie in a competitive setting.

“I’m looking forward to spending practices together,” Claire said. “Just being able to play with each other will be nice because we’ve never been on the same team before.”

Catie said being in the same program as Claire will be an advantage on the court.

“I feel like it’ll make us work together more and we’ll become closer as sisters and players,” Catie said. “We both know each other’s skills, and in the games we’ll just be able to click.”

Having siblings in the basketball program means proving her abilities as another Kaifes, Claire said.

“There are a lot of expectations,” Claire said. “Everyone knows who I am, so it’s a lot to live up to sometimes.”

However, Claire admires her siblings and their abilities, despite the expectations from others.

“I look up to my siblings so much. Catie, whenever I have a question with like drills or anything, I always go to her,” Claire said. “Or like Cooper … he always gives me advice on what to do, so I just look up to them so much.”

With basketball running through the Kaifes family, it’s become a way for Claire and her siblings to connect.

“Basketball is really something to bond over. We all play together,” Claire said. “It just brings us together and we can spend more time with each other.”

In addition to growing closer with each other, Catie said Claire and her want to achieve the same goal: making it to state.

“We want to accomplish the same thing,” Catie said. “Going to state together and just becoming closer as sisters.”