By Xa’riyah Mitchell ’25
DHS has announced that Robert Sweirbitowicz has been named head varsity basketball coach for the 2023-2024 season. The team is excited to see where this season is headed with Sweirbitowicz by their side.
Sweirbitowicz is also the Derby High School finance and business teacher. He says he’s excited to be the new coach of the boys basketball team. His plan for the basketball team this year is to set goals, and his main focus is that anyone who starts with the team finishes with the team. He is going to achieve this goal by staying together and building up, he says. He believes he will be a good head coach because of his leadership and involvement. Unfortunately, there have been three different basketball coaches in the last three years. Sweirbitowicz says “the team has been fortunate to meet four different head coaches.” He goes on to say how this is good for networking and gaining different skills from each coach. “I don’t want to take that as a negative, I want to keep that as a positive thing,” Sweirbitowicz said.
The team this year is ready for Swierbitowiz’s coaching and believes this season will have a positive outcome. Xiare Lappots ‘24 says, “There being a new coach affects the team in many ways because this is the third time there has been a new coach.” He goes on to say that he knows Sweirbitowiz personally and he believes he’s a good person and friend of his and he’s excited for these new beginnings. I asked Lappots his hopes for the team and he said “We are going to the playoffs and we’re going to win games and were going to be good.” He ends of by saying “i believe Sweirb was the best option and i’m excited to see where this goes.”
Jahmir Person ‘24 says, “the coaching Sweirb applies to baseball he can use that for us and it can be beneficial for us as a team.” Person says he hopes that this year the team is able to win some games and he wants to build team chemistry to be stronger and more successful. He goes on to say that he’s excited for this season and excited to see how Sweirbitowiz coaches and manages the team.
Jayzair Barbera ‘25 says he believes that Swierbitowicz as the new coach is good because he knows the team and how to coach a team. Barbera says, “My hope for our season is to win a game this year since it’s something we lacked last year and I think with Coach Swierbitowicz we can do that because he knows us and can keep us up and going.”
As the new season approaches, the Derby Red Raiders are ready to prove themselves. With their confidence, determination and guidance from new coach Swierbitowicz, This team is committed to rise and grow and turn the game around. This season should be exciting and full of screams and seat jumping. DHS is ready for this comeback.
The Raider Press 