Recovering from last year’s shaky season, the JV girls’ basketball team is prioritizing team communication and morale, as well as ensuring they run through plays to have a more successful season.
The JV girl’s basketball team faced struggles throughout the 2024-2025 season, finishing with a 0-11 record. JV captain Yanji Wang said, “We were just all not really in the right mindset and we didn’t remember to have fun.”
Despite facing losses last season, the team managed playing to the best of their ability and enjoy the process. This year, the team is aiming to move forward. Tryouts were held on Nov. 15 and 17 by coaches Emma Winstein and Laura Garrett, and the team chose sophomores Wang, Nicole Matcharadze and Hannah Louis as the team captains.
To prepare for the season, the team is working on ball-handling and shooting drills during practice. By memorizing plays and conditioning on Saturday practices, the players are aiming to be in the best shape. Wang said their main goals include “to win games, make our free throws and get better as a team.”
Team goals, such as winning more games, and personal goals give the girls the strength and motivation to continue practicing and prioritizing individual improvement. In her second year on the JV team, Louis said, “One of my personal goals is to improve offensively and set a good example for the team.”
One aspect of the team that stands out from the rest is their team spirit. The team makes sure that they have activities in order to encourage closeness with each other, such as spirit days, team breakfasts and team dinners. Matcharadze said, “I think our basketball team stands out because we all connect on a deeper level outside of basketball, and we try to keep up with each other and stay friends throughout off-season.”
The team’s connection with each other allows them to maintain morale no matter if they win or lose. Having such a deep connection Matcharadze said, “Last season, I think we had a great group of people, but we struggled to win; however, everyone still had a good time, so that’s all that matters.”
On Dec. 5, the team played their first game against Poolesville, where they lost 29-9. Starting off the season with a loss, the team has decided to shift their strategy by combating weaknesses to bring out the best in every player. Wang said, “We lost to Poolesville, but that is not stopped us from improving ourselves and preparing for harder opponents.”
Ultimately, the JV girls’ basketball team is optimistic about future games and are looking towards uphill improvements. Moving forward, the team puts in the effort to play to the best of their abilities in every single game, which is what students should expect to see in future games. Wang said, “Our team is very resilient: we will fight until the last minute. We also love each other no matter what.”
