The girls varsity basketball team spent their season working on camaraderie and trying to increase attendance at their games in addition to playing basketball.

Kennedy McGrath, a freshman on the team, says she worked hard to improve herself this season: “working outside practice and…just playing my game.” 

When watching the team, they play with an intensity, but also talk about each other with respect, which seems to be part of the team’s culture.

Coach Natalie McGrath, who is in her first year coaching the team, says that she hosted something called Sunday Success during preseason where they would meet and talk as a group on how to get your mind in the right space. 

“I feel like that’s really brought us together, spending time together, just outside of the court,” she says.

The way the team plays has shown the benefits of this work.

“The highlight of my season was senior night,” says Senior Taegan Whitaker. “It was a really good game, and it was a whole team win.”

One of the other goals for this season was to gain more community and student support.

“The starters throw out free T shirts at the beginning of the game,” says coach McGrath “and then we also have this 50, 50 raffle going.”

While attendance might not yet be where they want it, the team is moving in a positive direction.

“We had a new coach this year and a lot of new players,” says Whitaker. “Despite our record, I am proud of our season and our team.” 

Natalie McGrath says her main goal is to be there for the players as people. “At the end of the day, it is just basketball,” she says, “Like, I’m about the winning, but I wanna make them, you know, better humans off the court too.” 

The first tournament game was on Wednesday, February 12 against River Valley, hosted by River Valley and ended in a close win for our team 44-42.

Their next tournament game will be against Columbus International, hosted by Columbus International, on February 14 at 7 p.m.