Yearly, FHC fields many sports teams, from football to baseball, and basketball to equestrian. Though our sports teams mean a lot to the community of FHC, the siblings on those same teams mean more. The Cargills, Roskams, and the Murdocks are all examples of siblings in our own FHC sports. No matter the sport, siblings stick together through it all.

Uniquely, there are three pairs of siblings that play within the same program this year. The Roskams, Reece and Orion, play within the FHC football program. Reece is a senior and plays on FHC’s varsity football team, while Orion is a sophomore and plays on the JV football team. Orion does get pulled up to varsity on Friday nights in a reserve role on the sidelines. The Cargills, Raymond and Brendan, play within the FHC basketball program. Raymond is a senior and plays on the varsity basketball team, while Brenden Cargill played on the freshman team last year and plans to play on the JV team this season. Finally, the Murdocks, Philip and Matthew, both play on the varsity golf team together.

On the hardwood, the Cargills say they have developed a sense of togetherness on the court. “It’s great. He’s a good influence and I can learn from an older sibling,” says Brendan when asked how it feels to have Raymond in the Rangerball program.

Basketball is a very demanding sport, and it requires a certain amount of physical and mental capacity. Having an older and wiser sibling who has lived a little bit longer can help in all areas of the sport.  When asked if his older sibling ever helps in-game, Brendan said this about Raymond: “He does. He plays the same sport and he always has tips for me when I’m doing something wrong or if I can improve on the skill.”

On the golf course, the Murdocks have a very special situation: Philip, an avid golfer, is on varsity and Matthew, a freshman, is also on the varsity team. Philip has been on the golf team since last season, but in Matthew’s first year playing golf for the school, he made the varsity roster.

When Philip was asked about how he likes playing with his younger brother Matthew, he said, “It’s cool because at the end of the day we’re family, and when we play golf together we can bond as brothers.” Brotherly love is a very special thing, and the bonds that are created on the sports fields are unique and unsurpassed.

Friday night is when the Roskam brothers really shine. Even though Reece starts on varsity, and Orion is a reserve player, the relationships that have been formed between them mean more than just football.

“I ask him for tips on stuff that I don’t do that well and he shows me how to do the skill. He has really helped me become a better player during this season and last off-season,” said Orion.

Any sport requires an ability to ask questions to improve the small skills. For example, both Orion and Reece play in the trenches, otherwise known as the offensive line, and it does take small swim moves or specific footwork to exploit the defense. When asked if there’s ever communication about advice or tips to help younger brother become a better player, Reece offered, “It feels great. I love that he’s getting experience on varsity as a sophomore. It also gives me a chance to take him under my wing and help him out when he has questions about plays.”

Siblings have that special bond to be able to know when each other needs help, and all three big brothers mentioned that they have a unique ability to know when the other sibling needs tips to succeed or just wisdom that comes with being older. In the end, family is family and siblings stick together no matter what they go through. These siblings all show what it means to be united, and everyone at FHC, regardless of being an athlete or not, needs that. Everyone in Ranger Country can learn from the close bonds of these siblings in order to become more of a united and integrated community.