Coach Browne surrounded by her team in January 2013.
The Varsity Girls basketball team finished the regular 2012-2013 season with a league record of 10-6. They secured the fourth seed position, making it the second year in a row they would go to the playoffs. This year’s team had six juniors, Fiona, Rebecca, Margot, Mayssa, Hannah and Sarah, and five seniors, Rhea, Mathilde, Olivia, Jessica and Sierra.
I knew that if we remained healthy and played together as a team we would have a decent shot at making the playoffs. In the first two months of the season we secured several league wins and no injuries. We returned from the winter vacation with a demanding schedule, playing the top teams in the league. Despite losing twice to BFS, York Prep and LREI, we still were able to make the playoffs.
These girls were not going to lose without putting up a fight
Our league playoffs took place during the Lycee’s February break, and so we would play York Prep, the number one seed, having only seven of the team’s 13 players! Olivia, Jessica, Sierra, Fiona, Mayssa, Rebecca and Margot stepped foot on York Prep’s court meaning business. These girls were not going to lose without putting up a fight. Our Team Captain, Jessica, said it best, “Basketball is all about battling against everything and realizing at the end it was all worth it, no matter if you win or lose. The best feeling is knowing that you did it with your team!”
At the end of the first quarter, LFNY was leading 13-11 thanks to four points scored both by Fiona and Jessica, two points by both Mayssa and Sierra and an important foul shot by Olivia. The first quarter came to an end, and the Lycee girls took a seat on the bench trying to catch a breath. In the minute or two we had in between quarters, I told the girls to keep up the good work and to keep playing with the same intensity. I said that we needed to slide our feet on defense and not reach, as we were beginning to get into foul trouble.
The buzzer went off starting the second quarter, and within the first few minutes three of my players each earned another foul. Our biggest difficulty continued to be defending Phoebe, a top player at York. Now that all of my players were in foul trouble, I needed to rotate who played defense on Phoebe, otherwise my girls would foul out very quickly. Despite some players having two and three fouls at halftime, we remained in the lead with a score of 23-21.
It’s all about fun, hard work and commitment
The third and fourth quarters were the final battle, and the Lycee girls played their hearts out, giving 100% for the remaining 16 minutes. In the fourth quarter, we ran into more foul trouble, and, one by one, the girls earned their fifth and final foul. Despite losing player after player, as each successively fouled out of the game, and despite ending with LFNY having only three players on the court versus York Prep’s five-player squad, we fought until the very end and lost by only five points. The final score was York Prep 42, LFNY 37.
Senior starter Olivia said, “I am incredibly proud of us this season. We came in missing a few valuable players but we still managed to make it to the playoffs. This, I believe, is because of our team – a great group of girls who are funny, hardworking, and committed. Our playoff game is when we really showed our heart and our courage. We managed to keep up with a team that was considered to be much better than we were. The game made me realize that if you play hard enough, you can beat any team.”
An incredibly rewarding experience for the coach
In the eight years I have been coaching basketball, five of which have been at LFNY, I have never been more proud of a team than I was at the end of this game. This season was very special for both the seniors and for me, as it was the fourth and final season we would all be together. This year’s senior class will be the first set of girls whom I have had the pleasure of coaching for their entire high school basketball careers. I have spent the past four years watching these girls mature into young adults both on and off the court. The most important lesson I instilled in all of my players was being responsible for their actions and learning the importance of time management.
You could speak with any current or former basketball player of mine, and they will tell you that I am a demanding coach, who has high expectations and who will yell while coaching, but the reason I am that way is because I am confident in each of them, and I know they each have the potential to be very successful. The player-coach relationship I have built with each senior will be cherished forever.
About the Author :
Hillary Browne joined the Lycee in 2008 as a Physical Education teacher and Head basketball and soccer coach. She has 8 years experience as a Head Basketball Coach and 19 years experience as a basketball Player.