Throughout the winter sports season at
Friends, many fellow Quakers find themselves at
both boys and girls basketball games. The fun,
and competitive environment is often enjoyed
after school and on weekends; students love to
see their friends play against rival schools. One
of the most exciting aspects of the basketball
season at Friends is the Quaker Classic tourna-
ment: a series of games that allow our school’s
basketball teams to compete against teams out-
side of our conference, inside our home gym.
This year, the girls basketball team
was able to play Red Lion and Seaford High
School. After their game against Red Lion, a
field hockey recognition ceremony was held to
acknowledge their accomplishments during the
season, and making it to the state champion-
ship.
The basketball games often feature a
fundraiser, including bake sales hosted by the
Prom Committee. These events are enjoyed by many
students, and help to foster a strong sense of commu-
nity at school. Girls’ Basketball Team Captain Ryan
Weigand ‘26 says, “The Quaker Classic brings a lot of
support every year, because it is super fun, and con-
venient to be able to watch both the girls’ and boys’
teams play in the same place.”
Not only does the Quaker Classic highlight
our school’s community, but it also allows for the
players to play teams that they might be up against
again in the state tournament. “Last year we played
Seaford in the Quaker Classic, and then met them
again in the first round of the tournament.” says
Weigand ‘26. “This was really beneficial for our team,
because we were able to face competition outside of
just our conference which is super helpful for tourna-
ment play.”
Boys Basketball Team Captain Joey Winchell
‘25 says, “We played Glasgow and MOT Charter,
which are two competitive teams that could poten-
tially be in the state tournament.” Because of the
Quaker Classic, players are able to gain experience
with specific in-state teams.
The Quaker Classic has been a tradition at
Friends for many years, and has a rich history of
showcasing our schools sportsmanship and compe-
titiveness. Since its establishment, the games have
provided the players with opportunities to get to
know other teams. Coach Tattersall (Coach T) says
that the tournament has always had many benefits for
the players, athletic organizers, and spectators alike.
These benefits include getting a few extra
games in, and bringing the number of games per sea-
son from an estimated sixteen to twenty games.
Coach T also says that the timing of the
Quaker Classic tournament aligns with the
time most families and alumni are home for
the holidays, and allows for a larger spectator
turnout, and for siblings home from college to
watch exciting games.
Winchell ‘25 says “The Quaker
Classic attracts more fans than usual as we
tend to have lots of younger kids, families, and
friends come to watch. There also tends to be
more hype around the tournament since we are
the school hosting it which I think brings our
school community together as a whole.”
The WFS Sports Department always
works hard to create fun environments that fos-
ter community within the students at Friends.
Not only does the Quaker Classic allow for
fans attending the games to have an enjoyable time, it
also provides a climate for both Boys and Girls teams
to support each other and build camaraderie.
“Both boys’ and girls’ teams that play in the
Quaker Classic cheer each other on, and this helps
build our community, even beyond basketball,” says
Girls’ Basketball player Sylvia Green ‘27.
In review, the Quaker Classic games garnered
much support from students and faculty at Friends,
and provided the players with many opportunities.
