The girls hustle to the gym. Basketballs bounce down the court. Shoes squeak as they quickly pivot to pass the ball. The ball goes in the hoop, and the net swooshes. The girls cheer as they run to start the next play. The varsity girls’ basketball team is ready for this season.

As winter approaches, the girls’ basketball team heats up. In order to be as prepared as possible for this season, the team has practice everyday after school plus an 8-10 am practice on Saturdays. The first game will be part of a tournament hosted at Orchard Farm High School, starting Dec. 1 through the first week of the month. The normal season games will start the following week, with the first official game on Dec. 9.

“I’m just excited to get out there, start playing with my team and have fun,” senior Madison Kelly said.

Including Madison, there are only a few players on this year’s team that had varsity playing time last year. The nine player team consists of mostly new players due to seven seniors leaving last year, even one freshman. Although the players didn’t necessarily play with the graduated players, they were all close and the new atmosphere with new players feels weird for some team members. This also leaves many questions on what players will lead the team and add that needed experience that may have been lost with the seniors’ absence.

“I think every season is different,” Assistant Coach Dawn Hahn said. “You have different girls; you have different leaders, and those leaders have different personalities. I would say this year seems a little more fresh and new because we have so many unanswered questions about who our contributors are and the fact that we have so many people that could be contributors.”

However, the team’s players are not the only fresh aspect to this year’s season; the team also has a new head coach. Coach Matt Watson had previously coached the team but quit this year. The new head coach, Jamal Thompson, jumped at the open position.

“It’s a good opportunity for me,” Coach Thompson said. “I was a JV coach in the past for the last 3 years, so this gives me a chance to coach at a varsity level.”

Thompson has been coaching basketball for 10-15 years in which the last three have been at the high school level. Previously, he coached boys of all age groups. Thompson started coaching after he finished his career, playing high school basketball and then moving up to playing at North Central College in Illinois. He wanted to still be involved as well as give back to the kids, so coaching was the perfect opportunity.

“So far, he’s been amazing with his focus on teamwork and building not just basketball players, but I guess citizens,” Coach Hahn said. “He is all about character and doing the right thing, making the right decisions and being unselfish. I think that’s what he is all about, and I think it’s been hugely positive for our group of girls.”

Overall, the team is pumped to start playing and getting back into the swing of the season. The coaches see great things for the team this year, based on the chemistry, positivity, and energy the girls already show. The seniors hope to win districts this year and beat their rival teams like Howell and Central. They believe the new coach can impact the team’s success and hope that this season is better than ever.

“I look forward to all of it,” Coach Thompson said. “The practices the games – the only thing I guess I wouldn’t be looking forward to is the end. It will be a fun time; we’ll enjoy each other.”