This year’s team is in place and ready to go. The girls open at Pingry on Tuesday at 4pm followed by the first home game on Thursday against Mt. St. Marys – JV at 4:00, Varsity at 5:30. 

With experience, leadership, skill and depth this team has the potential to do good things this year. The key will be turning potential into performance. In the words of former Giants coach Bill Parcells, “Potential means you haven't done anything yet.” Of course, there are players on this year’s team that have accomplished good things in their previous seasons, but this is a new year without last year’s seniors and with new additions. Each year is a new beginning, complete with new challenges and new opportunities.

Many in this group have worked hard in the off season to be in a position to excel now, as the season gets under way. They have worked to improve their skills and they have added new skills. Learning new skills is only part of the learning process. Real learning occurs when the skills are consistently applied in competition. To assure that work pays off they have to bring those skills to the court – and assure that effort is integrated with the skills of the other players.

There is some risk involved. Players are sometimes afraid to fail, concerned about consequences and scrutiny from coaches, parents and fans. If they feel pressured they may “play safe” and comfortable. Playing safe and comfortable is not playing to your potential.

"Basketball is a game of failures. The team that fails the least usually wins"

                                                                                                      Bobby Knight

Failure in basketball, like many sports, is part of the game. Failures occur constantly through the course of a game – failing to make a shot, failing to make the correct pass, failing to catch a pass, failing to stop your opponent from scoring, failing to execute the plays…… From tip off to the final buzzer players and teams struggle to succeed more than they fail. That’s what makes the game so compelling. Over and over again, the game puts us in a position to move on to the next play, to succeed again or get past a failure and be better. The game tests our character and our mental toughness.

If we dwell on our failures the cost to the team is likely compounded. While we are angry, frustrated, or embarrassed the game continues. When we don’t recover quickly and move on to the next play the team is essentially playing without us. The team needs all of us to be in the game both mentally and physically. It has been said that “change is doing something different. Improvement is getting better at doing the same thing.” For this team to reach its potential each player must do both – change and improve. Each has to find the courage to move past their comfort point and use the skills they have demonstrated in practices.

Psychologist and author Adam Grant says, “Potential is not a matter of where you start but how far you travel…. What counts is not how hard you work but how much you grow.”  Sometimes even good teams struggle to get started in a new season. If this group can commit to changing and improving there is a chance they will grow and move past potential to achievement and in the process create some life long memories. We’re wishing them the best of luck in the ‘24-‘25 season.

 Come out and support the team and the program!