Basketball season has begun with both the boys and girls teams preparing for competition. Players and coaches alike have spent the preseason bettering and preparing themselves for the season ahead.
“I think the simplest explanation is usually that we wanna get better every single day,” Boys Basketball varsity assistant coach Travis Snowden said. “It’s such a long season, it’s really a marathon.”
The girls varsity team enters the upcoming season after having set school records last year.
“We made it further than any team in Highland Park girls basketball history. So we’re incredibly motivated not only to meet where we went last year, but to exceed it.” Senior Girls varsity basketball captain Cate Young said.
Both programs are bringing back experienced varsity players and welcoming new players to their rosters. The girls have eight returning varsity players on their ten person lineup, and the boy added two freshmen and a sophomore to varsity.
“We’ve got a really good combination of returning players with experience and new guys that have really shown that they belong,” Snowden said. “They’ve all proven to their teammates that just because they’re a little bit younger, they still deserve it.”
The girls team came into the season with strong team chemistry, hoping to strengthen it throughout the season.
“I hope that our team chemistry continues to build. The most special thing about this is getting to battle with your sisters—your friends—every single day on the court,” Young said. “I’m excited to see the ways that can grow and strengthen as the season progresses.”
The girls team follows four core values throughout the season, using these principles as a guide for both game days and practice.
“Coach Muncy always tells us energy is contagious — what you bring spreads to everyone. Effort is about controlling what we can,” Young said. “Execution is trusting our coaching staff — they’re here for a reason, and even though many of us have experience, we know success comes from trusting them. And empowerment is believing in the girls to your left and right, knowing that if I’m working hard, they’re working hard too.”
HP Boys Basketball highlights and focuses on the team’s selflessness both on and off the court.
“We might score 25 baskets, usually somewhere around 18 or 20 of those baskets are led by an assist, meaning someone had to give them the ball to get it open,” Snowden said. “Immediately what we have is if you score, you immediately point to the guy that threw it to you, the assist man, just to kind of show that selflessness that we try to instill in these guys.”
Both the girls and boys basketball program focus on hard work and team work with the same goal in mind.
“Everyone comes to practice and we all want to win. We just work hard on the court and keep each other accountable.” JV boy basketball player junior Ryan Shearer said.
Preseason for Girls varsity Basketball included back to back tournaments for the past 2 weeks, and focusing on staying healthy through this demanding schedule.
“Our coaches have done a good job taking care of our bodies. We did team yoga the other day good for stretching but also a chance to laugh at ourselves,” Young said. “We’re always making sure we’re eating good food, taking ice baths together, and keeping our energy up.”
