The varsity girls basketball season has come to a close. With a tough district schedule, the team was uable to earn a playoff spot. The after school and Saturday practices may be over for this season, but the experiences and bonds formed on the team will endure through the years to come.
The season did not go their way this year, but that doesn’t change their team dynamic. Through all the practicing and school work the team continues to make an effort to spend time together and support each other in outside endeavors. Recently, some of the team traveled to see former teammate and Brandeis graduate Gabby Connally play with her college team, Georgia, at College Station. The team also goes to girls JV and boys varsity basketball games together.
“We all get along like sisters; we may fight, but we all love each other,” sophomore Alyssa Aultman said. “We always have each other’s back.”
The team is composed of all different age groups; they have one freshman, three sophomores, four juniors, and five seniors. With so many varying ages, each girl has to adapt to her teammates and learn to play with their abilities.
“It is a lot of fun being on varsity. Sometimes I forget that I’m younger,” freshman Sophia Haberer said. “Being younger than everyone else makes me want to work harder so that I can compete at the same level.”
While the team has won more than half the games in their district play, they have had some losses too. They try to stay positive after a loss, they sleep it off and get back to practice the next day.
“After a loss I take time coming back on the bus to reflect on what I could’ve done better and what we need to do as a team to get the win next time,” said senior, Denay Griffin.
Despite losing a game, it has always been important for head coach Jennifer Brewer to remind the girls what matters most.
“Coach Brewer is really good at keeping us calm and focused” Aultman said.
Through all the trials of playing basketball, Brewer tries to teach the girls that they are on the court doing what they love. So regardless of the hard times they have to push themselves to be better.
“One thing that coach Brewer and Coach A have taught me during my four years at Brandeis is how to overcome adversity,” Griffin said.
As a coach, Brewer has treated her team like they were her own kids. She loves what she does and enjoys being able to wake up and come work with an amazing group of hardworking girls everyday.
“My goal is to see progress in all the kids” said Brewer. “Just to make the kids better than when they first walked in the door.”