Varsity:
The OHS girls varsity basketball team started their season off strong, beginning with a winning record. They are playoff bound and finished the regular season with a record of 16-8 overall.
Adversity has been a common factor of the year, as the team began their season with many players that had to sit out due to transfer rules.
“It’s been tough to keep everybody happy- it’s a lot of comfort. They [the players] know that I have their back; having that communication with them is a big deal in building that off-the-court relationship, so that on the court everything is a lot easier. Just a lot of communication, a lot of honesty, a lot of transparency, a lot of sacrifice- for me as well as a coach,” said Charles Wilson, varsity coach.
Communication is something that many players agree is important to the team, as it helps to keep them unified.
“To be able to get along with my teammates, I think it’s important to understand things from their point of view, not just my own,” said Bella Overlock, sophomore.
Working together and simply understanding each other as people is an important value held on the varsity team. One of Coach Wilson’s biggest goals is to create a good culture among his athletes, and he claims to value it even above winning.
“Winning is not as important as culture. I love winning, obviously, and competing with the girls that we have, but I learned very quickly that the foundation that you stand on when winning doesn’t last as long as the culture that you have. So just having that ‘buy in’ from everyone: that sacrifice and that willingness, it definitely goes a long way,” Wilson said.
While many people may think that winning is all that matters, OHS girls basketball finds other values that are just as important.
“Winning is definitely the ultimate goal, it’s just not our ‘end all be all’. We want to make sure that we keep our culture intact, our foundation, our consistency, and togetherness,” Wilson said.
That togetherness is what keeps the team close and forms such meaningful bonds.
“I have a good relationship with all the girls so it’s really fun. Even though we’re all really close already, it’s nice being able to get even closer,” Overlock said.
Bella Overlock is not the only player to agree that the team environment is strong, with numerous other teammates to share similar thoughts.
“My favorite part of being on the team is the environment. I love my team and I think that we can win this year for sure,” said Alana Gewargis, junior.
JV:
As the season progresses, the JV team continues to battle it out and play hard. Part of what makes their game play so good is the connections that have been formed between players.
“We get along really well, we’re all good friends. We also do a lot of team bonding which includes hanging out after school,” said Simone Russell, sophomore.
Combining so many different personalities may seem challenging to some people, but the team is quickly figuring out how to get along.
“Some people are different on the team, not my usual type of friends, and even though I don’t really understand them yet, I kind of just got used to them, and we get along well, you know?” said Alana Haddad, sophomore.
The team has had many opportunities to get close to each other. The bus rides to away games are frequently used as another time to strengthen their connections.
“Being on the bus; it’s just so fun because we’re going to be quiet for half the time, then the other half we’re going to be screaming and it’s just so great all around,” Haddad said.
Having a positive attitude around teammates seems to play a big factor in the spirits of the athletes, which ultimately affects their gameplay.
“Starting off strong with the team and just trying to be a good team player. If you do that at first, it will rub off on them [the rest of the team],” Haddad said.
Overall, the season has been going well for the Eagles, and they are expected to continue to do well as the year goes on.
“I actually feel pretty confident, honestly. Our team is good, we’re getting our chemistry. Even though we’re just starting off, we’re doing well,” Haddad said.
Freshman:
For the freshman team at OHS, it is their first year of playing for a high school team. While this can be a scary experience as a first timer, they are getting through it together.
“We all just kind of clicked and got along really well,” said Brinley Bagby, freshman.
These types of teammate relationships are huge motivators in some athletes’ decisions to join the team. They make playing basketball for OHS such an amazing environment.
“I just love basketball and it’s really fun and the community that we get; it’s great because we all connect and have fun,” Bagby said.
These freshmen are doing their best to put in the work in hopes of eventually playing on JV or even Varsity in future years. They recognize that doing so will require lots of effort, and getting playing time means trying your best all the time.
“If you don’t practice hard, or if the coaches don’t feel like you’re trying or you’re being lazy then they won’t give you playing time. If you work for it, then you’ll get it,” Bagby said.
Luckily, the team is able to get through hardships together, and players admit that they are enjoying being part of such an accepting group. The friendships being formed are some that will last for many years to come, and will continue to have an impact on and off the court.
“We all kind of are just like best friends,” Bagby said.
