The sneakers squeak on the shiny floor and the bouncing of the ball rings throughout the whole gym. After hearing Coach Mac yell phrases such as “that’s a treat’ or “oh my lanta”, one may be wondering what is going on, but this is just a normal basketball practice for the girl’s freshman basketball team. Nicknames like Butters, Brooner, Doug, Shoe, and Wrench are yelled all throughout the gym during the daily practices of our team. This team is very fun and has been a great opportunity for everyone involved.
Maya Langin, a point guard on this team, says she has loved playing this season so far because “I get to play with all of the friends I grew up playing with.” The team is composed of many girls who have played together since elementary school, and as a result, the team has great chemistry and works together very well. The freshman basketball team is incredibly selfless, and those involved are just as content with setting a teammate up with a good shot than taking the ball in themselves. “This team has so much fun together,” says Jessica Brewer, the starting center on the team,“the team atmosphere is fun, however during practices and games when it is necessary, everyone is there to focus, work hard, and get better.” The main goal of the team is to get better, but having fun and getting a cool nickname from Coach Mac is just a great side-effect!
Every person on this team has individual strengths and works to bring out each of them in order to benefit the team. When the players all work together and combine their strengths, they become unstoppable. By combining the passing abilities of some of the guards and the shooting abilities of others, they are able to cut and pass, finding perfect, open shots. The team’s forwards’ ability to rebound and be strong with the ball helps the team get the ball back for offense, and the entire team has the ability to play defense, stopping even some of the best offensive players. Even without their abilities, the players’ hustle, heart, and great attitudes towards the game is what really allows their team to achieve and win.
This season, the freshman basketball team has played a total of 6 games, even though 2 games had been canceled due to snow. The team is currently undefeated, having won all of the games it have played so far. The members of the freshman basketball team are all eager to play their games coming up, even against some of their best opponents such as Springfield and Radnor.
