No regrets. Whatever happens, don’t leave the season having regrets.
That was one of the goals that the Girls Varsity Basketball team came up with before they kicked off their final season in the Flint Metro League.
Head Coach Al Poynter allowed the girls to select the goals for the season, and with it being their last year in the FML, it came as no surprise when they listed their first goal as winning a league title.
Poynter said fhe girls also indicated that they wanted to win districts and create lasting memories from the season.
‘They picked their goals…I could tell them they were going to do this, this and this, but if they don’t buy into that, they aren’t going to work as hard towards goals I come up with as they are going to work towards goals they are going to come up with,? said Poynter.
The team finished 12-6 in the FMLlast year after winning four out of their last five games, but fell to Waterford Kettering in the first round of Districts.
The Wildcats hope to build on the momentum they had at the end of last season.
‘The girls have been working hard, we’ve had really great attitude and gotten alot done in practice,? said Poynter. ‘I don’t think we have had a bad practice yet, which is a nice sign.?
One of the things that he can count on is the leadership from the seven seniors on this year’s team.
Leading that group is Allie Laidlaw, a four-year varsity member and Emily Brooks, a three-year varsity player. The rest of the seniors, Megan Tilley, Taylor Medel, Rikki Jarvis, Susan Reynolds and Kara Charles were on the team last year.
‘I think they bring a sense of stability and calm,? said Poynter. ‘They know how we do things both offensively and defensively and in general with practices and games.?
In addition to the seven seniors, there are three juniors, two sophomores and two freshman on the team.
The captains, Laidlaw, Brooks and Tilley, were selected by their teammates. In his mind, Poynter thinks the girls selected them because of their hard work and the positive attitude they bring every day to the basketball court. According to Poynter, the FML is wide open this year.
‘Eighteen of the 30 all-league players from last year graduated; there are four new coaches in the league this year, and just about every team, with the exception of Lapeer East and Linden, lost alot of their key players,? said Poynter.
‘If we can get off to a good start or at least continue to get better all season, we have a chance to have a good league standing at the end.?
Poynter noted that since it was the team’s last year in the FML, every game was going to be important, espically in the second go around.
‘The FML games take on a little more meaning this year, simply because its our last year. Most of these teams we’re not going to play again, or we won’t play them for a long time, or if we play a couple it’s going to be in a non-league situation.?
‘I’m optimistic. This is a fun group to work with and they’ve been really getting after it,? Poynter said. ‘I’m excited that it is basketball season. I think that we are going to get better and better as the year goes along.?