With a mix of returning talent and young rising stars, the UC High Girls Basketball Team is looking to start the season off strong.
Preparing for the upcoming season, Sophomore Jennifer Lopez has big goals for the team as a whole. She said, “Some of the goals for the team would be to make it as far as we can into the playoffs, and to communicate more as a team both on and off the field. Having open gyms with the team and getting to know the new players on the team have helped us prepare for the season.”
The life of a student-athlete is not as easy as it may seem though. “Balancing school work with the demanding schedule that comes with basketball can be very difficult at times. You have to be able to put your body on the line, sometimes putting your personal goals aside to benefit the team is necessary,” said Lopez.
“This year I am excited because we have moved up a Division. I believe that we will be able to keep up with all of the other teams,” said Varsity Player Senior Amara Whitehurst.
The girls basketball community is like a family to the players. “We are good as a whole, and everyone has space for improvement and learning to become better while getting to know each other as well,” said Lopez
. Whitehurst said that the coach fuels the team’s success. She said, “Our coach is really motivated and wishes nothing more than our team’s success in and outside of basketball.”
Junior Kianna Lefear expressed her eagerness for the season. She said, “My goals for the season are to win more than we ever have, and our talent will allow us to do just that. Teamwork and playmaking are some of the few things that have and will continue to help our program.”
“Our bond of friendship throughout the team is much bigger than just basketball,” said Whitehurst.
“Time, work, and commitment go into playing basketball, but if you are dedicated to the sport, then those are not sacrifices,” said Whitehurst. “We have worked hard through the offseason and are excited to see our hard work pay off this season. There is so much that we have been waiting to show and we are ready to prove ourselves to the rest of the League,” said Lefear.
“Everyone on our team is competitive and wants to win so we try our best to win as a team while also becoming better people,” said Lopez.
“The Girls basketball program is more than a team; it’s more like a sisterhood,” said Whitehurst. She said that the program at UC High is like no other in terms of community and environment. “Self-work and determination have helped us to prepare for this upcoming season,” said Whitehurst.
With any new season comes new talent and players. “With the environment that our coach has built, it will be easy for any incoming player or transfer to join our team and still feel at home,” said Lefear.