As the fall season for sports comes to an end, there is the start of the winter season for sports such as men’s and women’s basketball. It is always refreshing to have a new wave of athletes showcase their talents and have new events for other Loggers to attend.
With the longest season of all the sports, through the months of November to February, the women’s basketball team is ready to start playing games. Their first game took place in a three-day tournament in Santa Cruz, Calif., where the team ended with two wins and one loss.
The Loggers have an overall strong and experienced group of players that they hope will lead them to success this season. The team has a strong group of captains, which is crucial to having an effective and successful team. There are a lot of leadership roles and everyone can rely on one another.
So far, the team has shown how cohesive and dedicated it will be for the upcoming season. Because everyone interacts together both on and off the court, it will prove to be beneficial during not only practices, but also for games.
A bonus for the team is the influence of the head coach. Coach Loree Payne seems to leave a positive impact on all the players, and she was a major role in some of the captains’ decisions to attend Puget Sound.
Collectively, the captains are looking forward to the season because they have such high hopes for the team. Each player has the potential to have standout moments and have opportunities and the ability to show off their skills.
Junior Katy Ainslie (Redmond, Wash.), who has been playing since joining a club league in fourth grade and has never stopped since, has never regretted her time here as a Logger.
“I think one of the great strengths of this team is the talent we have all across the board. All 17 of us can score, rebound and play solid defense. That makes us a difficult team to play because every player on the court is a threat. I think that other teams will have a tough time matching up against us defensively,” Ainslie said.
Since the women’s basketball team has formed such a strong bond already within the time they have been here, there is no denying that will be seen in their games through effective communication and smoothness of their plays.
“My favorite aspect of being on the team is the fact that we are a family. I know that no matter what, my family has my back. And I have theirs. Through the ups and downs of our five-month-long season, I take comfort in the fact that we are striving to achieve something special together,” Ainslie said.
Continuing her passion for basketball by choosing to play at the University of Puget Sound, junior Amanda Forshay (Moraga, Calif.) has high hopes for this team as each year is a new beginning.
“We have a lot of new faces this year. We’re relatively young, but still have a lot of experience. No team is going to be the same from year to year, but what’s important is that we work with what we have. We have a lot of energy and plan on utilizing that to our advantage,” Forshay said.
Playing basketball since the second grade, Forshay has understood what aspects are necessary in team sports, whether it is team chemistry, leadership or even taking each game as it comes.
“We haven’t singled out one game as the most important game. We just try to focus on the next game and take it one step at a time. Once we get to season, however, that’s when the rivalries come to life and conference standings become a much bigger deal. Like I said, we don’t think too far ahead. We’ve broken our record up into preseason and regular season games and within those time frames we take it one game at a time,” Forshay said.
With a lot of basketball experience along with strong leadership qualities, junior Erin Stumbaugh (Loveland, Colo.) is ready to show off the strengths of the team. She takes on her role as captain with passion and dedication, and knows that she can rely on the team as they are all supportive of one another.
“The other captains, upperclassmen and I strive to consistently lead the team to reach our goals. Our roles as leaders are vast from setting the tone at practice, to pulling the team through during hard times or lulls. Our captains and leaders this year are a unified front and we are excited for the season!” Stumbaugh said.
The women’s basketball team is ready for their season to start off and have a lot of potential for a winning season. Each member is crucial to the team whether it is for their skills, support or dedication that they provide. Captains Ainslie, Forshay, Stumbaugh and senior Taylor Jones (Keizer, Ore.) are a strong set of players that will lead the team to a successful season.
