Five girls. One dream. The ball flies down the court as the dedicated ballers sprint after it. Droplets of sweat whisk every which way, and the team of girls face their opponents head-on. Basketball, for some, remains a sport to show out in. For these girls, it ensures much more than wins, fame, or glory. Basketball becomes an outlet, a passion, a dream.
There were only five members on the girls junior varsity basketball team. Despite such a low player count, one singled herself out as a girl after her own heart. Sophomore Ally Walker stayed determined to create for herself a reality from her basketball dreams. Each girl had come a long way and had been able to contribute a distinct feature to the team.
“My teammates are like sisters,” Walker said. “We accept achievements together. They are always there to support me.”
This year, the team experienced major losses as well as wins. They won against Lancaster highschool. despite the tough season the girls didn’t stop working hard. The feeling of being apart of something bigger than herself remained Walker’s favorite part about basketball.
“Being part of a team teaches you hard work and how to support others,” Walker said.
Walker and her teammates looked up to the Varsity Basketball girls team throughout their season because they pushed themselves and each other past their limits.
Sophomore Madison Mieczkowski admired the Varsity team because they were always willing to give tips on how they could tweak their performance. They JV girls appreciated it.
“As a whole, everyone challenges each other to do better than the day before,” Mieczkowski said. “We’re always helping one another out and pushing them forward during tough games.”
Sophomore Tiara Sutton had turned some habits into traditions as she played on the court. Where some who liked to hold a good luck penny or secret handshake with their friend after a shot, Sutton added a musical flare.
“I sing a song during every free throw,” Sutton said.
She felt like sometimes basketball interfered with her school life outside of the sport, but still input her very best on and off the court.
“It’s very time consuming and you have less time to actually do work,” Sutton said.
Sophomore Colleen Shaw had plans for her future concerning her basketball career. Although she had only developed short term goals, she continued her diligence and determination.
“I plan to work hard and try to play varsity basketball my junior and senior year,” Shaw said. “Our team is extremely competitive because we want to work, become better and win.”
After all had been said and done, defeat remained a controlling factor in the outcome of the team’s effort and plays.There were a few games that the team was close in, but they ended up getting blown out. However with all the losses they got, the girls never bowed their heads.
“When defeat happens, at first it’s depressing, but then I know there are things I could fix and become better on,” Shaw said. “In practice, I then try to correct and work on those problems so it doesn’t happen again.
The girls had maintained a growing bond, and Mieczkowski personally thought throughout the season the team had grown to see everyone do incredible things, which tended to contribute highly to their success. The girls planned to continue showing out to make Legacy high school proud.
“To be the best, people have to have the dedication and drive in order to succeed.” Shaw said.
