After a season filled with perseverance, determination, and dedication, the GA Girls’ basketball team emerged victorious as the Inter-Ac champions. Winning was not easy, but setting the right mindset propelled the team to success.
“It took a lot of practice. We came into the season with winning the Inter-Ac as our number one goal,” senior team captain Izzy Casey ‘24 said. “We knew we’d have to show up every day and practice as hard as we could if we wanted to make that goal happen,”.
Practices were difficult; however, the team’s collaborative actions and each player’s drive to win allowed the team to persevere and achieve their goals.
“We held each other accountable with this mindset of ‘play the way you practice’ and ‘do everything with a purpose,’” senior team captain Jessica Aponik ‘24 said. “To win, we practiced tirelessly even when our bodies were so physically tired, we kept motivating each other and pushing each other. Positivity was key to our successful season.”
With teamwork being critical for the team’s success, captains Casey and Aponik worked hard on and off the court to boost the team’s spirit.
“I consistently attended practices, games, film, etc. with a positive attitude. I always cheered loudly and tried my best to have a vibrant atmosphere filled with positivity and energy,” Aponik said.
“The season can get long and pretty tiring, so making sure the girls are all on the same page is really important,” Casey said.
While teamwork was an essential part of the Inter-Ac-winning team, the new first-year head coach Lauren Power’s, positive effects on the girls cannot be overstated.
“We wouldn’t have been able to have such a successful season without Coach Power,” Aponik said. “She impacted me as a player and person. I am grateful for her and all of the hard work she put into our team. She made every player on the team believe in themselves and play with confidence.”
With Aponik and Casey’s high school basketball careers coming to a close, they wish the best for the future of the program and relish their win.
“My hope for the future basketball team is to continue to carry on GA girls basketball’s rich history of winning,” Aponik said. “Work hard and give it your all.”
“[Winning the Inter-Ac] definitely means a lot,” Casey said. “GA is a program that has won the Inter-Ac over 20 times, but not a single girl on our team has ever won it. Since it was the first time for our whole team it made it even more special.”
Overall, GA girls’ basketball’s victory means a lot to the team, especially to the departing senior captains. Furthermore, this great accomplishment has capped off an extremely important season during the transition from long-time coach Sherri Retif to Coach Power. As the season comes to a close, the team cherishes their win and hopes to carry that positive energy into the next season.