The season after: youth movement

It’s a Thursday evening and the St. Thomas University Women’s basketball team is hitting the hardwood in a big way. Over the din and echo of yells and squeaking shoes, a banner hangs on the wall proclaiming the team Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) 2008-2009 Women’s Basketball Champions.

This year's team features six returners bent on winning another championship.

That team, the one that earned the banner and left their mark on the league, is almost half gone. Five girls have moved on since then, including ACAA MVP Alicia Sterling and former All-Conference selection, Pam Carvell. In their places are six new faces.

Coach Fred Connors has emphasized that this year’s edition of the squad is very selfless and dedicated to winning.

“We are prepared to do what it takes to be successful, and that is what is most important,” said Connors in an interview earlier this week. “We have filled the roster with good people, who are likable and want to win because they believe in the group and want the group to win. When you hang a banner, it is enjoyed by all the members who put it there, not just one. This group realizes that.”

It usually takes time for a team to gel as a unit, but in the  Tommies’ case, this bond was forged early, but not without adversity. The Tommies lost five of their first seven games to teams from Montreal, P. E. I., and Halifax. As easy for it is to get discouraged, the team refused to fold. They have since won seven straight and are looking to add to the streak when they play Kings College on Nov. 14.

After the success of last year's team, the girls have a big challenge ahead of them.

“We have now played 14 games. In those 14 games we have had 9 different players lead us in scoring,” said Connors. “We feed off togetherness and standing unified, with no one player being more important to the group than another. We all fill different roles, but they are all very valuable to the team’s success.”

But can this team defend their title? After losing key contributors from last year’s team, an outsider might be able to quickly write off this year’s edition of the Tommies, saying, “they are too young and inexperienced.” But Connors says the team is unwilling to listen to doubters and have focused their collective energies on one thing.

“Our goals are simple, to win. I don’t see any reason to play for second or less,” said Connors. “We feel if we practice like winners every night, then winning will be a habit when it matters. We are not focusing on winning a title, we just focus on winning every time we are together as a group.”

And on this Thursday evening in the South Gym, it certainly seems like the players have bought into this winning attitude. Despite the youth of the team, the new team members have brought with them intensity and a willingness to work hard; two keys to winning at the university level.

Coming back together as a team after a tough practice is one of the things that makes this team so successful

“We are happy with our progress to this point,” said Connors. “We are fortunate to have girls with great work ethic and want to get better every night, so that is really helping our growth as a team.”

As the growth continues, this team hopes to peak when it counts: at the ACAA championships on March 5 at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. It is there that the team will show what they are made of, because, as Connors says, they definitely aren’t playing for  second.

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Posted by Matthew Robertson on Nov 15, 2009. Filed under Features, This Week's Edition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.