I recently talked to Andale girl’s basketball coach, Clint Robinson, about the 2023-2024 season.
“How is this season compared to last season?” “We have a fresh group of players this year. No returning varsity players means opportunities for the next group of players to step up and take on the challenge. The expectations remain the same. We’re going to compete in practice and every game. There will be a learning curve for this year’s group, but once we start to gel and figure it out, I think this will be a fun group to watch.”
“What are your goals for this year?” “Our expectations are pretty simple – play hard and compete every game. Do the little things in practice to make us better players and a better team. As far as team goals we want to put ourselves in a position to be successful throughout the year and into the postseason. Everyone has the same ultimate goal, to win a state championship. We want to make sure our goals throughout the year get us closer to it.”
“What are your practices like?” “We’ve installed a new offense this year so some time has to be dedicated to learning how to play within that offensive scheme. We are mixing the teams up to find our groups that work well together and that will compete with one another. We’re trying to make ourselves better by pushing our teammates to be better.”
“What are some big opponents you will be facing up against?” “The top of our league is competitive. Wellington has built a strong program over the past few years. Clearwater is always a tough matchup for us because of their height. We’ll play McPherson, one of the top teams in the state, and our mid-season tournament at Haven is loaded with good teams.”
“How do you think the jamboree went?” “It was a great opportunity for us. We tried to get as many girls in as we could, so it felt a little rushed, but overall it was a good learning experience for us. Another couple minutes in a quarter would help, but I’m glad we were able to find a couple teams to play against.”
“What are some strengths that this team has?” “One of the strengths we have, and you can see it in the older girls, is the toughness they possess. We’re not going to back down from anything. We’ve talked about taking things one step at a time and not getting frustrated if something doesn’t go our way. Nobody jumps to the top, you have to work your way up. Toughness will help you get there.”
“What are your core values as a coach?” “I want to do things the right way. I want to teach my players how to be better basketball players, and how to be a team and count on one another. But I think the most important part of this experience is how to be a better person. What it means to have character, poise, toughness, and discipline. Show them how to become a better human being in the process.”
“What are you excited for this season?” “I’m ready to watch us compete. We’re young and lack varsity experience, but we have competitors on the team. I’m also excited for the opportunity for some of the older girls to work into a leadership role and see what they can do with it. I’m excited for the younger players working to get better and compete for playing time. I think we’re going to be a fun team to watch with our aggressiveness and energy on the court. We’ll have ups and downs like every team does, but if we can learn from our experiences throughout the season, we’ll be a tough team to play in the postseason.”
Everyone is excited to see all the hard work to pay off this season! Make sure to come support!
