Focused on boxing out the competition, the girls basketball team is getting ready for a slam dunk of a season.

The girls basketball team starts another season, this one with high hopes for their record and the new faces they are welcoming onto the court this winter.

Coach Ellen Allen started coaching the Girls Varsity Basketball Team last year and is hoping for this season to be one of their best yet after having a rough season last year. The team has been working on basic skills training and building up endurance in the preseason in order to get ready for the games they face this winter.

“I am very excited about this season,” said Allen. “Many of the girls dedicated time to working out in the off season and I know it will pay off. We are way ahead of where we were last year. I expect to get better every game and to be very competitive this season.”

The team only lost two seniors last year and this year they are welcoming three freshmen to the court. Allen shares what skills some of these new players, as well as returning players, are bringing to the lineup.

“[Senior] Nicole Bayliff brings us another post players, the sophomore are very versatile playing both forward and post, and the freshman bring us strong guard play and speed,” said Allen.
Allen isn’t the only one hoping for a successful run, many of the returning players feel the same way and are looking forward to facing off against the competition.

“We all have been practicing very hard, learning new skills, and building strength,” said junior, Lauren Leonard. “I hope that the team becomes one on the court because I feel that this will help us to be successful throughout our season.”

Junior Sammie McCoy agreed. “I hope that this year our team will work together a lot better, and we will win more games,” said McCoy. “I’m excited for this season because I feel we will do a lot better, and hopefully we will have a lot of wins. We have had open gym after practice since the beginning of September, and most of the team went to those.”

“I hope we improve our game and grow together as a team,” said junior, Grace Small. “I think that we will definitely improve from last year because we gel and are closer as a team. I’m excited for singing on the bus rides and game days!”

The returning seniors are hoping to finish out their final year of high school basketball on a high note and have been dedicating their time to improving their game in preparation for that.
“I’m looking forward to having fun and building friendships during my last season,” said senior Julia Robertson. “I’m also looking forward to winning games!”

In preparation for that, Robertson shares how the team has been training.

“We do active drills and go over player every day. We also go to the weight room at least three times a week.”

The girls are working on gaining their momentum after losing 47-31 in a close match in their first official basketball game against Brentsville, but they’re only looking to improve that and take their skills to the next level in the games to come.