An array of pure talent and dedication does not even begin to describe the Los Osos girl’s basketball team. After claiming the title of Division III state champions last year, our girls accomplished what has by far been the most renowned impact on our high school’s basketball program.
Due to our players’ tireless battles throughout last year’s season, they have now set expectations for the program at a level higher than ever before. Just recently, I spoke with Varsity player Harsh Brar, regarding how she feels that the team will continue to work to the maximum of their abilities to maintain their current legacy. During our interview, Brar said that she believes that her team will continue to only become more successful from here on out, specifically when she said, “After winning state finals, our team learned that hard work and teamwork can allow us to accomplish anything we set our minds to.”
While reaching success at the hands of strong teamwork is often much easier said than done, our girls have demonstrated an incredible amount of grit and determination during their previous season that they hope to carry on into their next. In order to understand how these girls will continue such an avid trend of hard-earned success, I asked about the key strategies that our players will use this season to maximize their success for the upcoming season this year. During our interview, Brar said, “One of our key strategies is “beating the ghost”, which coach D talks about a lot. It means to put whatever we have accomplished behind us and to keep striving by being in the present moment and chasing the big goal.”
In addition to Brar’s comments regarding this “beating the ghost” method, Varsity Senior, Halle Brieva, also added that this strategy also allows the coach and players to become one. During our interview, she said, “Coming from a player who understands her coach and program’s perspective very well, we all agree and share the mutual feeling that our success from the last year does not define our program as we are beginning with a clean slate and a brand new team.”
After losing a small amount of players from last season according to Brieva, the team dynamic has completely changed and transformed into something new that will not play the exact same as last year. However, this is not to say that our team will play with any less effort and determination than last season.
With this in mind, in combination with several difficult drills that the players practice after school, they are also constantly being taught specific mental skills and strategies to utilize as they play.
Aside from the mental strategies that our girls practice when they play, during our interview I also asked Brieva how she believes that the team will maintain team morale and cohesion in order to sustain success. To which she said “ The team’s energy is most definitely the key factor in maintaining team morale and cohesion” as well as that, “Being loud and only bringing positivity pushes our team to continue turning it up a notch in order to sustain success.” Therefore, there is much to be said about how truly impactful being consistent with a team’s energy is and how a strong amount of energy has the ability to constantly uplift the team.