How About Those Returning Sophomores!!!!

It is amazing the difference a year can make in a player. Last season we had a freshmen class of five who received valuable minutes of playing time. There were moments when they showed flashes of brilliance along with other bumbling, fumbling, almost tumbling moments of looking like true freshmen.

It was a tough year for them as most freshmen years are. They arrived fresh from high school where they were all the stars from their teams to a place where they were challenged. When they thought they were fast, somebody was faster. When they thought they could make a move that always worked for them in high school, they found their shot blocked. When they thought they would steal the ball from an opponent, they were left with in the dust.

Then they had to learn the Golden Eagle system which is not the most simple system in the world of basketball. It requires thinking, concentration, movement with a reason. They learned they couldn't watch the ball on offense but had to watch their defender and react to what she did. They had to constantly be aware of spacing and teammates, watching and moving in conjunction with their movements. Defensively, they had to learn positioning and team defense rather than just worrying about their player.

I've had freshmen tell me that they thought they were playing basketball in high school only to discover once they hit our court that they knew nothing about the sport. It was a traumatic experience for our young, yet they survived.

A year later as they walk into the gym, they are a different group. Lindsey Kentner no longer has the frigid stare which plagued her last season. She is confident, aware of her talents, and assured that she can shoot the ball with the best of them. Ali Tobias, once timid with her limited speed, has learned that intelligence can best the fastest player. She has turned to deception and her brain to play with the speedsters. Tarenna Dixon, a 5'11" athletic player, has learned the powerful lesson of getting beyond her mistakes. Last year when she made a mistake, her body language drooped and her play diminished. She has been determined this season to become stronger mentally. Moneka Slaughter, a powerful post, has come out of her shell. In 2007-08, she hid inside her strong, muscular physique as if she were afraid to be an athlete. Now she stands tall, shoulders back, and head held high. Our 114 pound small forward, Tiana Beatty, has worked out all summer in the weight room putting on 15 pounds of pure muscle. With her biceps bulging, she runs the floor as quick as last year but with more power behind each stride.

The sophomores arrived this fall stronger, wiser, and more confident. It can be seen in the way they carry themselves and in the way they meet each challenge during our preseason conditioning. As I watch them in individual practices, I am amazed at how much they improved during the summer and I am assured their moments of brilliance are no longer going to be just mere moments but minutes which stretch throughout the game.

Oh, I am so looking forward to watching them in action!