Lady Gators get enough players out to keep program alive
The Geibel Catholic girls will return to the basketball court this winter.
There were doubts if the Lady Gators were going to field a team at all because of low numbers, but head coach Steve Mittereder said about seven girls showed up wanting to play to keep the program going.
鈥淭here were a lot concerns this year between the numbers and COVID, but there was a group of girls that wanted to play,鈥� explained Mittereder. 鈥淭he girls are excited and happy to be playing, and have come in with a great attitude.鈥�
Mittereder said girls are working hard to learn everything he is trying to teach and have some fun. He said it鈥檚 a carryover from last year, where the girls saw the team learning and getting better during the season by just playing as hard as they could.
鈥淲e celebrated a lot of small victories during the season,鈥� said Mittereder. 鈥淭his team wants to keep that going to help build this program. I think overall, we might be a little more athletic than we were last year.鈥�
He said if the girls continue to give the effort the game becomes more fun. It might not show up in the number of wins versus losses, but Mittereer told the girls if they stay focused and dedicate themselves to play as hard as they can, good things will happen.
Among the girls on the roster are juniors Morgan Sandzimier, who is probably their most experienced player and team leader. Alex Caldwell, whose play has really improved over the last two years.
鈥淪he is understanding the intensity you have to bring to the floor every night,鈥� Mittereder said of Caldwell.
The other junior is Holly DeOre, who is showing a lot of improvement over the previous year.
Sophomore Amanda Hofer has come over from the soccer team. Mittereder says she is a very good athlete and is picking things up fast and showing good instincts on the court. Sophomore Abby Karas is new to the program and is working hard to get up to speed. Freshman Haley Hart played basketball in middle school and is showing good athletic ability.
The Lady Gators are in the same boat with other teams as the virus is dictating when, and if, games can be played and practices can be held. Mittereder says he would like to see his squad improve during the year to help establish a good foundation for the program in the future.
鈥淚f we can hold it together and get as much as we can out of this season, it will be a building block for the future,鈥� said Mittereder. 鈥淚 told them a little bit of success is like a snowball. You start to see things work it grows from there. The more success you have the more confidence and fun you have.鈥�
Mittereder said right now the Lady Gators have to focus on conditioning and fundamentals, because most teams did not do anything over the summer because they were shut down by the coronavirus.
They Lady Gators were on the receiving end of several blowouts last year, but improved enough to get a section win.
鈥淚 think that win was important for a lot of reasons,鈥� Mittereder said. 鈥淚t proved to the girls, they can compete. a lot of times if you don鈥檛 have success you think to can鈥檛 compete and you struggle. So, that win was very important to us.鈥�
Mittereder has seen some positive signs at Geibel. He referred to a group of elementary school girls playing before they took the floor, and would like to see all of them come through the Lady Gators鈥� program in the future.
鈥淚 think I see the interest in girls basketball growing here,鈥� He said. 鈥淚f we can put a product on the court that is fun and rewarding for the girls and they come out with a good experience, that positive energy grows. We鈥檙e trying to do what we can to show that girls can come out and compete at Geibel and have a lot of fun.