For many, a new year symbolizes a new beginning. Some choose to make resolutions or strive to accomplish goals bigger than those in years past. For athletes, it is no different. The winter sports season is underway, and each game is a chance to work towards certain rankings and goals for many teams.
In particular, the Girls Varsity Basketball team has been training and working hard for its current season.

Over the winter break, the girls were busy with several games a week, alongside the multiple practices they also had. Each season, the team starts off fresh and renewed from the previous year. Since older players have graduated and new players have joined the team, it is important that the athletes learn how to adjust to each other as well as adjust to a new game setting. However, with such a young team last year, the athletes have grown into experienced players, and Head Coach Adam Conover is hoping to “mold the team into a Pacific League Champion”.

The Lady Apaches team played in three tournaments prior to the start of its league season. One of its highlights of the year so far has been placing second at the San Dimas High School Tournament, where it lost to Lakeside in the championship game with a close score of 46-68. Arcadia maintained a record of 8-5 in its preseason alone, showing it had strong potential for its upcoming League matches.

The team had a rough start to its League season but definitely showed progression from where it initially started. The team’s first game took place on Jan. 3 against Glendale, where it played a great game, but fell just short with a final score of 44-52. Following its first game, it next played John Burroughs as well as Pasadena but also lost both games. These games were also close, with scores of 32-46 and 54-57, respectively. However, despite the losses the team encountered during the start of the league season, it bounced back quickly to claim a victory against John Muir.

Point Guard sophomore Ashley Sue shared that her “team has a lot of talent, but in the beginning of the season, [we] struggled to put it all together.” However, despite the challenges her and her teammates faced, she admits that they are “finally starting to work as a team, and we have great chemistry on and off the court.” She hopes to finish the season 9-3 and make it to playoffs.

With its successful plays and strong improvement just in the start of its season, there is no doubt the players’ hard work has definitely been paying off. We wish the Girls Varsity Basketball team the best of luck throughout the rest of the season!

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Photo courtesy of PIXABAY.COM