Girls basketball dynamics change without seniors

By stepping up and taking on leadership roles, juniors on the girls basketball team have lead the team in the absence of senior players. The team focuses on communication.

Posted+up%E2%80%A6Widening+her+stance%2C+sophomore+Brooke+Fenchel+%28left%29+plays+defense+against+the+opposing+team.+Fenchel+is+currently+a+varsity+starter+for+Souderton.

Arrowhead Photo by Maya Dobson

Posted up…Widening her stance, sophomore Brooke Fenchel (left) plays defense against the opposing team. Fenchel is currently a varsity starter for Souderton.

Due to the lack of remaining senior players on the girl’s basketball team, younger players have taken on leadership roles and goals throughout the season.
Many players worked to unite and strengthen the team by playing on the court with the team’s goals in mind. “We want the whole team to succeed rather than just ourselves,” junior Erin Bohmueller said.
According to Coach Lynn Carroll, one of these goals includes not only improving as an individual, but as a team as well.
“They have the collective goal of getting the best they can,” Carroll said.
Players who have been on the team multiple years are also dedicated to the improvement of their skills and communication.
“I like to think of what I can improve on each game,” junior Mikayla McGillion said.
By keeping this mentality in mind, some players hope it will make the team stronger and more successful as a whole.
“[Our] mindset is to play unselfishly,” sophomore Brooke Fenchel said. “That’s the key to a successful team.”
According to Fenchel, one word the girls committed to showcasing on the court was “determined.” “If players are so focused on creating success for themselves, it’s going to ruin the dynamic of the team and defensively our keyword is determined,” Fenchel said. “[We] are determined to play together and help each other and try and communicate and get the job done together.”
According to Carroll, the team had their “biggest victory of the season” on January 13.
They beat Pennsbury High School “who at the time was undefeated” and “ranked first in the district.” This was a big win for the team. Although their dynamic did change, this did not stop players from achieving their goals, specifically juniors.
“We have six juniors and they’re all representing us,” Carroll said. However, that did not stop them from being a team. “[They] commit to getting better,” Carroll said.
The players taking on leadership roles have committed themselves to improve communication and motivation. “They’ve taught me how to handle situations where you’re under pressure,” Fenchel said.
The girls try to help each other to make each other better. “They’re there for each other when they need help,” Carroll said.
For some, the term failure isn’t always losing a game, but “not playing the game how we want to,” Bohmueller said.
After the first loss of the season, players worked to focus on what they could do to improve and then carry that into practices.
“I think those two losses ended up being a good thing for us,” Carroll said.
Carroll tells them to take a step back and evaluate themselves so that they can play better in the future.
The team beat North Penn to win the SOL Colonial Championship on February 4.