As we all know the ongoing global pandemic keeps throwing new obstacles our way, and for winter sports, such as girls basketball, the setbacks aren’t stopping them. The girls basketball team is maneuvering their way around these obstacles with changes to their program to ensure the health and safety of the players. The girls are not only determined to battle covid, but also their competitors out on the court.

The biggest change is having to play in masks, which is one of the safety protocols required by MSHSL. Having to play in masks is in everyone’s best interest but definitely is not ideal. The girls are finding ways to make it work even with conditioning. “It gets easier everyday and you forget about it after a while,” junior Lindsey Layton said

The team dynamic has also changed as they welcome new players from younger grades and other schools. JV and Varsity have been practicing together in order to build unity throughout the program. Practicing together is what’s most practical for them, as their first game was on Thursday the 14th, which they lost. “We practiced together last year and it was beneficial when it came to game time,” Layton said.

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Even with setbacks due to covid, they’re still finding ways to have good team dynamics. They are all excited to get back on the court with their teammates since it has been a long time since they’ve really had the chance to play as a team. “The friendships we have with each other from off the court can make us a better team on the court,” junior Sophie Sohm said.

This could be a difficult season for the girls and their schedule is pretty similar to last years with slight changes but similar competitors. They plan to work hard to beat some of their previous teammates or challenging teams from past years. The general consensus is that most teams could be hard to beat. “All of them, [could be hard to beat]” said senior Sophie Coleman.