A strong wind flies through the breezeway as you enter the Puma Dome. The sound of squeaking sneakers envelops you. Exhausted players fill the court. The final day of tryouts is completed and the 2022-2023 winter season is underway. Senior Trevor Zell made varsity after being on junior varsity in previous years. He noticed that the intensity was higher than normal.
“The coaches make you go hard because they know a lot of people haven’t ran or played basketball this hard in a while,” Zell said.
After the team was finalized, the flaws became apparent.
“We need to defend as a team and bring up the intensity just because this is the first time that a lot of the guys are playing on Varsity,” Zell said. “They are not used to the intensity level.”
Zell’s lack of Varsity experience added to the pressure.
“I was a little nervous because I did not know if I was going to make it on Varsity and I had to make my running times,” Zell said.
However, Senior Katherine Jackson felt comfortable with her place on the Girl’s Varsity Basketball Team.
“It is my fourth year of varsity basketball and I felt like more of a leader,” Jackson said.
It was also the first time that Jackson could see the team’s potential.
“It was motivating once we started to make good plays,” Jackson said. “It was cool to see what the team will look like.”