Emotions are on the rise as the Varsity Girls Basketball team starts their 2017-18 season.
The beginning of the season is bringing mixed emotions for many Bruins. Players are excited for the prospect of what they could accomplish, but seniors are feeling glum about this being their last season at Bear River.
“I am pretty excited for this season,” said Kayla Toft, wing and guard. “It’s my senior year so it’s gonna be a good year and it’s gonna be sad when it ends. Being on a team is just getting to know everyone and being able to rely on other people and always having other people’s backs when we’re on the court or off the court.”
Other Bruins take pleasure in being on the team because they like the family experience that comes with it.
“I enjoy the family aspect of being on a team and having teammates you can always count on and I enjoy the running surprisingly,” said Karinne McDonald, a senior who covers several positions on the team. “I enjoy the running; I enjoy the thrill of it, it’s exciting. I’ve always been a part of a team since I was about three years old so I’ve grown up around it and it’s something that I am naturally attracted to.”
Mallory Rath, a senior post player and shooting guard, agrees with McDonald and Toft.
“Just the family that is intertwined in being in a team and having that ability to work with other people — that will help you in the future with work and just being able to play on a team,” she said. “… Just the support in general and just dribbling the ball and making it into the hoop.”
Rath said she enjoys the thrill of the positions she plays.
“I play post and shooting guard,” Rath said. “I enjoy playing the post because I like being down in the key and being able to get all those rebounds and racking up the points. (And as a shooting guard) I like shooting the threes and then making them and everybody saying that I can make a three.”
Junior Varsity Wing Player Faith Phillips feels the nerves being on a new team.
“I’m a little nervous because I’m on the JV team and coming from 8th grade basketball all the way to JV is big change,” she said. “I’ve been playing for six years, because my dad was a basketball player and he wanted me to try it and I fell in love with it and I’ve been playing it ever since.”
McDonald likes other aspects of the game, including her positions.
“I am a post player, a five, or a power forward, a four and I like those positions because at the post, the five I get to hit people and post on people,” she said. “…I like playing the four because I like to shoot on the outside perimeter and it’s something new to me which I like and it’s a different position than every other position because you’re the one that has to get the ball in and out as fast as you can. You’re the one that kinda starts off the offense.”
