The Varsity girls basketball team has continued to grow and improve this year. We interviewed head coach Billy Smith and two seniors on the team about their season so far.
We asked Coach Smith what his goal was for this basketball season and he said, “To get better and double the win total from last year, and we are only one win away from doing it. We would like to make the state playoffs, and we are on the way to do that.” When asked about coaching the girls, he said. “ It’s been a lot of fun and they work really hard and were
in the gym all summer. I look forward to coming in and coaching everyday. They listen, work hard, and there’s no drama. I love them, so it’s been a great year.” The final question we asked him was what he is trying to teach the girls outside of basketball. He explained, “A work ethic and mental toughness when getting out of high school and college is important. You’re going to face hard times and trials. Ultimately, I want them to learn to be mentally tough and give all glory to God.”
Point guard Anna Gray shared her perspective about the season. First, we asked her ho
w her senior season was going. She said, “It’s going really well. I wouldn’t want to spend my season with anybody else. Obviously we’ve had some losses, but we’re really doing a lot better than last year.” We asked her how it feels to be a captain/leader of the team and she expressed, “It’s honestly a lot of pressure because I’m expected to do a lot, and when I don’t do what I’m supposed to and maintain a good atmosphere on the team it can really mess with the chemistry.” Finally, we asked her how Coach Smith impacted her as a player and she said, “He tells me to eat more, worry less. He has impacted me by always believing in me, and he is one of the first coaches to believe in me, especially with last year being the first time on varsity basketball. I had to step up and be a point guard, and I was like ‘Dude, you’re crazy!’ I had never done this before, but he believed in me and helped me along the way. He pushed me to my full potential, and he always encourages me.”
The final person we interviewed for girls basketball was AJ Verme. The first question we asked her was how many points she scored in a game, and she said “31 or 32.” We asked her if she was planning to play any sports after high school, and she said she plans on playing softball or volleyball once she gets to college. Finally, we asked her how Coach Smith impacted her as a player and she said, “Honestly I wouldn’t be the player I am without him. He has pushed me to my max, even when I hated it. In the end, he really saw the potential. And he didn’t give up on me.”
We are so proud of our girls basketball team and all they have accomplished this season. They show their leadership through wins and losses and, we couldn’t be more thankful for their effort and dedication to the team.
