While most students were enjoying their winter break with family and friends, athletes in winter sports still had ongoing practices and games. One of the sports still active during the break was girls’ basketball. The girls’ basketball season started in October. Since then, the JV and varsity teams worked hard to win several games before the season ended in February. Players from both teams were interviewed to share their thoughts about the season and goals for the future.
The varsity team only had one senior player, Delmy Alvarez. When asked about her experience being the only senior, Delmy said that “Being the only senior is kind of sad since I don’t really have anyone who I’ve came up in the program with or has been in the program as long as me, so I feel way older than I actually am sometimes.” She also shared her thoughts about her last basketball season at West by saying, “I think the season has been full of ups and downs, but it’s been so much better than every other year I’ve been playing.” Delmy led the varsity team with confidence and serves as a role model for JV and varsity players alike. Senior Night was renamed “Delmy Night” in her honor.
Although the varsity team lacked seniors, they still managed to endure against rival teams. When asked about her thoughts on the season, freshman varsity player Emma Bravo said, “The hardest team we’ve had to face was Lincoln. I think that some improvements that can be made to our team are sportsmanship and communication on the court.” Emma has the unusual experience of being a freshman on varsity. She mentioned that, “Our upperclassman are very welcoming, but it can be stressful being a freshman on varsity because there is some pressure. The upperclassman make the stress manageable.” Despite going against older and more experienced opponents, Emma still manages to prove herself on the court. She finds that the support from her team makes her basketball experience more fun.
The JV team had a tougher season this year, but they showed exciting potential as upcoming varsity players. Freshman JV player Scarlett Meagnan noted that some improvements that can be made included teamwork and communication. She said, “I think we need to be more of a team, we don’t really communicate well but I understand since we’re not all familiar with each other.” Her overall thoughts about the season were optimistic and hopeful. She commented that, “I think it’s been an okay season. We do our best every game and no matter if we win or lose, we always come back more prepared!” She also
added that her favorite part about basketball is the social aspect of it, such as bus rides to games and team bonding.
When asked if there was anything that could be improved, freshman JV player Arianne Quiambao shared a slightly different opinion than her teammate. “I think we have good team chemistry, but I think there’s a lot of improvements to be made between all of us.” She feels that they have yet to reach their full potential in skill. Both varsity and JV teams feel that they can improve on teamwork but are positive about this year’s season. Like most sports, Girls’ basketball requires hard work and dedication. The passion displayed by players on both teams and their willingness to improve their flaws shows promise towards the future of the sport at West.
