In basketball, coaches have to overcome new challenges every season. For some, this means more training, for others, different plays.
For the Lynnwood girls basketball team, the challenge is the team itself. Next season the Royals will have a new lineup. Only three girls will return from last season.
The team isn’t exactly coming off a great year. The Royals went 1-19 in 2005-2006.
But the new players are ready to go farther than the team has in the past, Lynnwood Coach Jody Schauer said.
“We’ve got an up-and-coming program,” he said. “The future of our basketball program is bright.”
Schauer said next year he’d rely on senior-to-be Alex Kilmer, junior-to-be Abriana Hill and sophomore-to-be Alanna Eddy. The last couple of years for the Royals have been tough, but Schauer hopes the infusion of younger blood into the team will get it going again.
“It’s an improved team, but very young,” Schauer said. “Varsity consists of mostly freshmen and sophomores.”
This is Schauer’s third year coaching the Royals, and his 20th coaching basketball. Although most of last year’s team either graduated or moved away, Schauer said that it’s been rewarding. He attributes this to positive attitudes and good parental support.
In high school ball, having freshmen in starting positions is unusual for a varsity team. Schauer said he recognized that his team will have a lot to learn.
“Anytime you lose that many players, you’re hit hard,” he said.
Kilmer, team captain, agreed, saying it would be an interesting year. She added that most of the junior varsity girls who will move up next year have been playing with the team during summer practice.
“Already over summer we’ve improved a lot,” she said.
The team has trained hard this summer, practicing several times a week and taking part in multiple tournaments. The Royals took seventh in their bracket in the Mount Vernon Basketball Invitational and will travel to Western Washington University for a camp at the end of July. Then, after one last tournament, they’ll have a couple weeks of rest until the start of the school year.
Fans should definitely keep an eye on a couple of the younger players, though. Schauer said incoming freshmen Kari Hella and Laycee Hill have already adapted to the team’s style of play and are likely to take on some big challenges next season.
“With new 3A/4A alignment, we have a shot to get to district and win some games there,” he said.
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