Tuesday, January 6, 2009

30 Wins and Counting

I was recently sent an update on South Gray's girls basketball team. The subject of the email, "30 Wins and Counting" The sender of the email, "Rebel Fan." The content of the email,"South Gray girls have won 30 games, and they only have 8 players."

I first thought,"Really, that's it." Who sends an email with only 15 word, two of which are numbers. Not to mention a lot of team have won 30 games.

So being the inquisitive reporter I am I looked into it. What "Rebel Fan" failed to mention was that the lady Rebels have won 30 in a row. Now I know a lot of team are capable of doing that but not that I have heard of this season.

Let me give you some background... Last season for the Rebels was one not to be forgotten. The ladies won state and they did so with a young team. Coach Trundle started only one senior, the others were two juniors, a sophomore, and a freshman. That can only mean great things for the team this year.

27-1 last season, a near perfect record, but not perfect and the ladies know it. Knocked off by a team just over 20 miles away, Cimarron. A team who went on to be runners up in the 3A state game. However, one down side for the Jays... they graduated nearly their entire starting lineup.

And this season the Rebels got their sweet revenge when they put it to the Jays in the Bluejay invitational beating them in the championship game by 40 points.

Learning all this persuaded me to make a trip to SGHS. In doing so I talked to Coach Trundle and both captains and found out what really motivated this team.

So as "Rebel Fan" told me the team only has 8 players, which made me think they would be hurting later in the season with the lack of subs. I asked the girls how that worked out for them and they said they would have it no other way. They liked that they only have 8 players because that gives everyone a chance to play and feel like a sub not a scrub,(which were the exact words of coach Trundle.)

So then I moved onto what kept the girls motivated to keep playing every game like it's the state championship game. I thought their answer was going to be a cliche most 17 year olds say when put on the spot. Something like "we love winning." To my surprise I got three different answers. Answers I did not expect.

1. "We want the little girls who watch us on Friday nights to have something to look up to."
2. "We do it for coach, she's the best inspirational person we have ever met."
3. "We like to prove people wrong.

They play hard for reasons beyond themselves. I remember thinking,"WOW." What modest, not conceited, all around good girls.

So I guess the point I'm trying to make to all athletes out there is you can be good, you can be great and still be humble!

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