Written By: Simranpreet Kaur, Staff Writer, and Ariel Connell, Staff Writer
DEDICATION: Poly Girls Basketball works hard towards a productive and new season full of wins.
The dedication and discipline of Poly’s Girls Basketball Team is not only just a defining feature of the team but an ideal they all strive towards. When it comes to rigorous running practices and creating new formations, every player contributes to the overall success that Girl’s Basketball has seen this season. The coaches and team members are not only phenomenal and committed to the sport, but give their all on and off the court. Although we know that the students of Poly that make up the team are hard-working, there are so many questions about what it means to be in a sport that requires so much dedication. What are the practices like? How do they get ready for games? What are some of the struggles they face when it comes to playing basketball or just being a part of the sport? These are the questions we will explore in this article.
Practices are usually changing around a lot when it comes to 6th-period practice until after school focusing on just basketball to other days focusing on weights and building stamina. The priorities usually center around gaining endurance and developing skills when games are near though former team captain of the freshman girl’s team and former JV point guard and shooting guard Lilly Matus Vargas says that “when games were near though, the practices were more focused on technique and memorizing game setup!” Although demanding practices are still enjoyable and a crucial part of basketball, Olivia Steele, a JV player for all positions, gives us a great perspective explaining that “practices are a lot of fun: they are challenging and everyone is exhausted by the end of it.” Truly capturing how much dedication it requires to be involved in being a student-athlete. Practice times are different for Varsity and Junior Varsity (JV) players. Varsity practices are typically around two hours and start from 6th period while JV practices are usually whenever the gyms are available. The coaches are always helping their players, making sure to explain things thoroughly and help improve their game as much as possible.
A typical practice before games “gets a bit easier,” says Steele, meaning that the majority of practice is going over plays and talking about the upcoming game. The coaches don’t want their players to get injured so usually it’s more easy going. On game days it’s not a surprise that things get very competitive which usually impacts the sportsmanship of not only the players but the parents that show up to the game! Although the Poly girls stay good sports no matter the game’s results, the same cannot be said for the opposing teams and parents of those players. Many team members feel that there is a lack of sportsmanship and an increase in fights that happen at games. They believe that we should all have good sportsmanship while also still using a balanced amount of fight to keep the game going. Yes, basketball does get aggressive however our team makes sure to keep steady even when the opposing team tries to get into their heads. Players recall an account where once they were playing a game and a “mom on the other time started cussing out one of our players.” They say that when parents get hostile towards them, which happens more than expected, the parent will be escorted out of the gym, so they don’t hurt the players. They say that the mom in question kept “trying to fight us.” Even though things get crazy on court they still try to do their best when the parents yell at referees and the players use more force than necessary.
“The team bond is strong regardless of their challenges,” says Olivia Vassale, a freshman on the team, “we have a connection that I don’t see on any other team.” The team is going places this year. These girls have worked hard and long to be where they are at, and one hundred percent deserve to be proud of themselves. The dedication and crucial hours that go into just being involved with the sport and the amount of practice and stamina these girls have to build are not only amazing but inspiring. When dealing with rude parents and hostile teams they still find a way to let their sportsmanship and love for the sport thrive and shine through more than the circumstances and challenges they face. Girls Basketball has been doing amazing things this year and the new talent that has been seen from all of the girls is one we have not seen in very long. 2025’s Girls Basketball team has shown us the hard work that comes with being a part of a team and successfully winning games, it is clear that the support and practices have paid off.