Free State senior Weston Wiebe goes up for a shot in this file photo against Shawnee Mission Northwest.

Free State's Wren Wiebe, front, looks for help under pressure from a Hutchinson player in this file photo from a first-round Firebirds Classic game.

There’s a special little something circulating throughout the Wiebe family that makes for an interesting story: the 23rd letter of the English language.

From father Wade to uncles Warren and Ward, Free State basketball player Weston and younger sister Wren have a special bond that has spanned generations.

But starting their first names with the same letter that begins their surnames is about much more than providing a unique ring for the name. It’s about tradition.

“I think it’s just unique,” said Wren Wiebe, a sophomore and varsity starter for the Firebirds. “It’s just something special for our family.”

That’s putting it mildly. Weston, 18, and Wren, 16, are joined by siblings Whitney, 19, and Winston, 10. Other than sharing the large W at the beginning of their names, all four also have middle names that begin with the letter T: Tyler for Weston and Tara for Wren.

The only one in the immediate Wiebe family without a W in her name is Wren and Weston’s mother, Jan.

“She’s missing out,” Weston said. “We make fun of her for it all the time.”

It’s possible that’s the only time any of the Wiebe children even have approached being mean. Weston and Wren are regarded by nearly everyone who knows them – friends, teammates, coaches and teachers – as polite, genuine people. But, Weston says, inside the comfort of their own home, the Wiebes are just like any other ordinary family.

“In everything we do, whether it’s playing Xbox or a board game, there’s always a fight that breaks out because we’re all so competitive,” he said.

And therein lies the reason the Wiebes have become such successful basketball players – they’ve worked at it.

Coaches say that Weston, a starting forward for the Firebirds who averages 19 points and nine rebounds per game, has improved as much in his three years of high school basketball as any player to come through the Free State program. His senior season has been by far his most productive year, and Free State coach Chuck Law said Weston’s work ethic has inspired his teammates to try to match him.

“Weston’s a big-time player,” Law said. “He’s the hardest worker, he’s the best attitude guy, and he’s a senior leader. You can’t ask for much more than that, to have your best player be your hardest worker.”

It also has inspired Wren, who routinely works out with her brother, shoots with him and matches his arrive-first, leave-last mentality in the gym.

“He has more experience than I do, and he definitely knows more than I do, so it’s good to listen to everything he says,” Wren said.

It wasn’t always that way. There was a time, in fact, when Weston and Wren were so competitive in basketball that Wade and Jan had to ban them from competing against each other.

“That’s a true story,” Weston said. “She would always get so mad when we played each other, but I guess it was because I kind of bullied her. I stole the ball from her every time she dribbled and never let her score even a point. After that, they kind of outlawed us from playing against each other.”

That didn’t stop them from playing together, though.

This summer, Weston invited Wren to join him every time he grabbed a ball and headed to the court. She went nearly every time.

“I always wished I had someone to take me to the gym and make me better,” Weston said. “And I try to be that person for Wren. In my head, when she’s playing, I always think about what she should do or what I would do in her situation, and I try to help her after the games. Last year, when I watched the girls games, I was just kind of waiting for our game and didn’t really care that much. But this year, I cheer for Wren and watch for things that will make her better.”

Wren, who tips off first on most nights, returns the favor when her games are finished. It’s usually while watching her brother that she feels her first hint of nervousness on game nights.

“I definitely get more nervous for him than I do for my games,” Wren said. “When he’s playing, I actually have time to think about things and process what’s going on.”