Starting the season off with a 2-4 record, the Girls’ Basketball team continues to adjust to their new coach and his philosophies.
“It (early struggles) is just because of the new coach and we are readjusting,” Megan Zabrecky, junior, said. “We are learning a lot of new plays on offense and defense. Once we get the hang of it we will be much better.”
Coach Jim Davidson, engineering teacher, understands the adjustments the girls have to make with a new coach.
“I am a new coach. I am bringing a different attitude,” Coach Davidson said. “These girls have never won. We are trying to break some habits. When you lose, it becomes a norm. I want to break that.”
Despite the team’s early struggles, Coach Davidson believes the girls respect him and his coaching ways.
“I think everything has been good,” Coach Davidson said. “I try to stay positive. The girls have been playing hard for me.”
Despite adjusting to their new coach and his philosophies, the team respects him.
“We like him a lot,” Zabrecky said. “It is a really good change. He taught us a lot of new stuff.”
Although the team holds a losing record, they have improved compared to last year, according to Sammi Buvala, junior.
“We are doing better than last year,” Buvala said. “I think it is partly because we have a new coach.”
Coach Davidson tries to take it one game at a time and focus on the team's play after each game. He wants the team to improve their play after every game, but understands that the team can only do so much each day.
“At the end of every game, we look at the things we don’t do well,” Coach Davidson said. “We can’t get better at everything at the same time.”
Buvala enjoys how Coach Davidson treats the players in both a respectable and critical matter. The team can shoot well though.
“He is very positive and gives us good constructive criticism,” Buvala said.
Buvala believes the team needs to improve on offense in a few areas.
“We need more ball movement and need to be more patient with the ball as well,” Buvala said. “We have some good shooters like (seniors) Natalie (Vellutini) and Jordan (Cole),” Buvala said. “I think everybody has their own individual skills that they bring to the team.”
Coach Davidson’s main goal is to instill defense into the team. Some of the team’s strengths come from the defensive side of the ball, according to Buvala.
“We talk well on defense,” Buvala said. “We are good at making adjustments. If someone needs help or if we need to switch the defenders. If the team cannot communicate then we will never get any stops.”
Despite the early struggles, Coach Davidson believes the team still possesses the ability to finish the season as one of the best teams in their conference.
“We have a chance to finish high in our conference,” Coach Davidson said. “It is still a goal for us.”
Photo Credit: Ray Ojel, Munster High School senior