Playing four games with teams in fellow districts on Monday nights has prepared the girls basketball team for the long season ahead since fall ball season has come to an end.  With that kind of preparation behind them, the team’s tryouts are the next obstacle, Wednesday, October 17.

“These girls are not only athletic but great kids and their hard work is translating on the court,” head coach Sarah Simmons said.

This preseason gives the players an effective way to learn how to play as a team and to be more prepared for what will be occurring during the season.

“The better they can read each other and learn the easy stuff will dictate how the season will flow,” Simmons said.

Returning varsity player senior Kendall May agrees with her coach.

“I feel like it allows us to see where we’re at without the pressure of a real game,” Kendall said.

These athletes are playing this game on their own time and are better preparing themselves to work together and harder for when district starts.

“It isn’t mandatory, so it really does show a lot about the kids being willing to put in the extra time to play some games,” new assistant varsity and head JV coach Nicholas Hiebert said.

Not only does fall ball help the players, but it also helps the coaches see what they will need to work on most for when the season starts.

“Defense is going to be a big focus once practice starts,” Hiebert said.

May expresses her view on what the team should work on during practice.

“I think we need to get better at rebounding because I feel like that’s an important part of our game,” May said.

Most of these girls play together over the summer in the Amateur Athletic Union, or AAU, so they are really picking up from where they left off last year and even more from over the summer.

“They have worked really hard and [made] great strides in their individual play,” Simmons said.

This team is more than just a group of girls playing on the weekends, they are a family who gives it all for each other.

“When your playing with your sisters on the court everything seems to matter just a little bit more and that pushes me just a little bit harder,” returning varsity senior Hannah Eggleston said.

Ultimately, fall ball is a beneficial system that helps the team as a whole get ready for the season in all different aspects and highlights the team’s strengths and weaknesses.

“Any time the girls have a ball in their hands, they are getting better. They are improving with every dribble and more importantly — learning how to win as a team,” Simmons said.