This is an article in Sporty Seniors, a bi-weekly column celebrating M-A senior athletes’ dedication to their sport.
“I love the satisfaction of dribbling and shooting the ball through the net,” senior Aiden Atkins said.
Atkins is currently a power forward for M-A’s varsity boys basketball team, but his journey with the sport spans over a decade. At the age of six, his love and passion for basketball took over. “I played soccer growing up, and it was actually my first sport. But it wasn’t the same love I had with basketball,” Atkins said.
Atkins was born in Atlanta Ga., which will always be in a special place in his heart. “It’s where I came from, born and raised. The food, culture, and the people are way different than any other place.” His inspiration for basketball came from his father. “I would go from watching the NBA on TV to shooting with him at the park,” he said.
In 2022, Atkins moved from Atlanta to Menlo Park, but his passion for basketball didn’t falter. In his freshman year, he attended East Palo Alto Academy (EPAA), but in October, he transferred to M-A. “I wanted a different experience. EPAA was a smaller school,” he said.
Moving across the county was difficult for Atkins. It was intimidating to start fresh in a new city and school, but it quickly felt like home. He learned to love the community. “I was a little nervous at first but when I got here it instantly felt like home and I ultimately got used to it,” Atkins said.
Atkins has played basketball for all four years of high school and has been on varsity since his junior year. “It’s been a great four years. I’ve met a lot of people, and grown a lot as a person playing basketball,” he said. On his journey at M-A, Atkins said he wouldn’t change a thing. “It feels great, we all get along well and have so much chemistry.”
His favorite memory is from last season, when the team won the Windsor Tournament. “That’s where we bonded the most and we won the championship,” Atkins said.
After high school, Atkins doesn’t plan on quitting on basketball. “I plan on going to a junior college to play basketball and transfer out for four year,” he said.
Atkins’ advice to any high schooler is to “Cherish your time as long as you can because you only get to go through the high school experience one time in your life, so cherish every moment.”
