
By Robert Balajadia
As St. Paul Warriors guard Kirsten Silva hoisted up her second straight high school basketball trophy a few very familiar faces in the crowd couldn’t wait to share in the congratulations. Mom, dad and her two older brothers Kent and Kurtis, a pair that many high basketball fans of the past decade can easily recognize.
But what is it about the Silva family that had them all gravitate to basketball over any other sport?
“It started when we were young. Our parents were always supportive and took us to every single practice and attended every single game. I watched my brother growing up and thought, ‘man he’s good, but I want to be better’ and my sister watched all of us and she wanted to be good herself,” said Kurtis.

Kent, a graduate of the FD’s Class of 2010, used to lace it up for the Friars basketball team. And though he’s since put basketball on the back-burner, he still gets his runs during the Alumni Tournament. Kent spends his days as a barber, who is also a competitive cross fit athlete at Unified, finishing at the top of his gym in points from the previous Open.
Kurtis was named the MVP of Boys Basketball back in 2014 as a member of the JFK Islanders and gets his chance to ball on at an annual pace, taking part in the varsity leagues on island. Even though a title eluded him during his playing days, seeing a Silva become champ, his little sister none the less, is a different kind of feeling.
Each of the Silva siblings brought a different skillset to the game and the youngest found her own way to play. Not once did she rely on her older brothers to help her and despite their attempt to do on-court coaching, Kirsten strives to get things done her own way.
“Not at all,” answered Kurtis on whether Kirsten comes to them for advice. “I’ll give her tips and scream from the sidelines, but at the end of the day she’s going to do her own thing and it’s worked out,” added Kurtis.
And it’s unfair to call their in-house basketball history a sibling rivalry, especially when only one of them is a high school champion.
“I’ve had my time and had my chance,” laughed Kurtis. “Two Championships is better than whatever I’ve got.”


GPS Sports Calendar
January 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Events for December
31st
Events for January
1st
Events for January
2nd
Events for January
3rd
Events for January
4th
Events for January
5th
Events for January
6th
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
Events for January
7th
Events for January
8th
Events for January
9th
Events for January
10th
Events for January
11th
Events for January
12th
Events for January
14th
Events for January
15th
Events for January
16th
Events for January
17th
Events for January
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL
Events for January
21st
LIFT HEAVY + LIFT FAST – BFF SERIES
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for January
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for January
24th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for January
25th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for January
26th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for January
27th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
GLORIFIED SPARRING X
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL
Events for January
28th
5K DASH FOR ASH
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for January
29th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 1
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL
Events for January
30th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for January
31st
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL

Running/Track
’23 TRACK SEASON OPENS

Basketball
TAKUMI SIMON MAKING THE BEST OF PRO LIFE

Volleyball
H.S. BEACH VOLLEYBALL IN FULL SWING
COMING SOON …
- 3rd Quarter Sports