Girls basketball team sharply improves
Catherine Brown, Reporter
  This year, the girls basketball team’s hard work has been met with clear success. The girls have proved to be a strong team on and off of court. They are winning more games this year than they have in recent seasons and are building a strong team relationship.
  The team has won 10 of the 16 games they have competed in, a sharp improvement from last season. Head coach Rob Kearns says part of this success can be attributed to the team’s willingness to compete in games and tournaments outside of required play. Last year, players missed games a total of 31 times.
  Beyond this, the team has been working to improve their bond with one another, strengthening the group dynamic.
  “Their ability to work together, communicate, and make the team come first this year, as opposed to last year, is stronger,” Kerns said.
  The girls work together during games and practices. The team takes time off the court to bond with one another as well, through team dinners and lunches, neither of which they have done in recent years. The team feels as though these activities have led to them becoming closer throughout the season.
  “We’re all really connected, and we all get along really well this year, and I think it’s making our team a lot stronger as a whole,” sophomore Bella Medvillia said.
  Sophomore Tamsen Henry shares a similar sentiment.
  “Compared to last year, I think we’re doing a lot better, team-chemistry and attitude wise,” Henry said. “Our outlook on the season is a lot better than last year.”
  This dynamic has helped the team on-court during games.
  “We’ve been in games where it’s a tough situation, and it’s kind of hard, and then we’ve come through the other end with a win, and that has increased our trust in each other,” Henry said.
  To further build this sense of community, the coaches brought in Maya Battisti, head of the Dove Project’s youth advocate program, to lead lessons with the team.
  “She comes in and talks to us about what it’s like to be a female athlete, stereotypes, and healthy relationships,” Henry said. “It’s really cool, and it helps us bond, and it helps us talk and … trust each other more.”
  Henry has applied these ideas to her own mindset while playing.
  “I’ve been practicing a lot how I view things mentally because it can really change how you view the game and how hard you try and how you play …. Even if you aren’t able to see it as much, you can still really feel it when you’re playing,” Henry said.
  Kearns believes that the season’s success has come from the positive team atmosphere.
  “This is a great group, and I love working with them,” he said. “They have been a lot of fun this year …. This has been my favorite year, not just because of the wins but because of the group. It’s just a great group.”