Most wake up in the mornings with warm showers and an overall tranquil feeling, but the girls? basketball team welcomes the morning with lay-ups, suicides and defensive drills.

The girls? team has been preparing for league games even prior to Christmas vacation. They have been dedicating time and effort in hopes of a successful season.

The team is improving with every game, despite their overall league record. While there are only three returning varsity players this season, responsibility lays on their shoulders to help lead the team.

?I think the team is getting better every week,? coach Josh Tosland said. ?We are climbing. For the areas of improvements we need experience and fundamentals. Our main strength is the girls? commitment and the willingness to learn.?

In the West Sierra League [WSL] the team has the record of 1-4 and 3-10 overall. The team opened their season with a loss against Liberty-Madera Ranchos on Jan. 3, but two days later the team beat Tranquility.

?The difference between our first two league games was playing more as a team,? Kim Swift, ?08, said. ?We ran our plays a lot with defensive pressure, we also went over lay-ups the day in between.?

Many believe a teams? success is tied to the fellowship among teammates. Bonnie Hansen, ?07, thinks this is true about the teams? victory so far this season.

?We are really working as a team,? Hansen said. ?We are doing things outside of basketball like going to teammates houses before games to psyche ourselves up.?

Hansen began playing on varsity her freshmen year.

?I have been playing basketball since I was in seventh grade,? Hansen said. ?Basketball runs in my family, and my dad was the coach.?

Like Hansen, Larissa Hensley, ?09, she began playing high school basketball on the varsity team.

?Larissa Hensley has shown the ability that many coaches hope for,? Tosland said. ?She has excelled at the varsity level and has made the jump to the varsity level.?

Hensley is the starting point guard for the varsity. Not only does Hensley complete normal point guard duties, she often is the highest scoring for team, with a game high 25-point against Fowler.

?I have been playing since I was six,? Hensley said. ?I started playing for my church. My favorite part about basketball is scoring and playing offense, the worst thing about playing basketball is conditioning we have to do.?

Hensley attributes her basketball skills to her father?s constant encouragement and his knowledge of the game.

?My dad has help me a lot,? Hensley said. ?He has always encouraged me the whole time and kept my head up and has also taught me other stuff involving the game.?

The girls? next game will be against the Firebaugh Eagles? on Jan. 20 at 6 P.M.

For more information regarding girls? basketball email Tosland at [email protected].