Toilers Senior Girls Looking For Gritty Play This Season
Photos and story by Robert Thomas
Despite suffering a loss in their home opener to the Vanier Spirits there is a lot of optimism when it comes to this season’s edition of the Peacock Toilers senior girls basketball team.
The team has a major number of returnees mixed in with some talented newcomers.
“This team is going to be good. We have a lot of vets coming back and our team we have six grade twelves back and we have two grade tens back with us and a grade eleven. We have two new girls so it is good,” Toilers co-coach Micaela Williams said.
The Toilers will field eleven players on the bench this season.
It is no problem for Williams and actually an advantage.
“We would rather run eleven players than twelve it gives the girls more reps.”
Asked if there were any players who stood out Williams said “our whole team stands out this year. There is not one person on my team that stands out compared to the others.”
Despite the initial home opener loss Williams sees a lot of potential for the team in the city league.
She said she expected the five team senior girls city league to be highly competitive this year with a lot of close battles.
“I’m fully expecting them to make a run for the money in our city league. We know that both Central and Vanier have short benches so I think it is going to be fun games against Vanier and Central in the city. And then Lumsden last night gave Central a run for their money so we’re exited to play Lumsden. And of course we have powerhouse Swift Current so that will be a good game too,” Williams said.
Asked what the Toilers shortfall is this season she said it was the size of the team members.
“We are small. We are a small team we don’t have a true big post so we are going to have to learn how to defensively and offensively rebound and learn how to box out,” Williams said is the solution for the team’s short stature.
“We are definitely the shortest on average (sized team).”
She said despite the team’s small size the problem can be overcome.
“(We can overcome this) not if the girls work hard and decide if they want to box out. It’s all about grit.”
The six grade twelves returning this season have a good rapport, she said, adding “they have been playing together since grade nine.”
Asked for a reason why the Toilers are short one player in what is usually a twelve player roster Williams said it is because of many girls playing other sports at the club level.
“At the end of the day we know at the end of the day women’s basketball is going down now we are competing with the volleyball world. But me, (co-coach) Brendon (Fedoski) and coach Deanna are happy just to take eleven.”
Other female teams may have problems with players showing up due to other extracurricular activities but the female senior Toilers have not run into that problem.
“We have everybody showing up but we do have dual athletes who play volleyball and curling but we make sure we can schedule accordingly. But our athletes show up.”
Thursday practices the team is short because two of the players are involved in high school curling. Thursday is the day the curlers always practice.
“So we make sure (they can play both sports). We support dual athletes at the end of the so that is OK. Usually we don’t have them missing.”
Williams said the games in the city senior girls league are going to be exciting for the team as well as the fans. Their home opener had just over 50 percent of the bleachers at Peacock Collegiate filled.
“I think we are neck and neck in our city league. It is in both leagues this year. Obviously with Swift Current being a 5A powerhouse that they have been in the last few years but everyone else in the league I believe it is going to be super neck and neck. It is going to be exciting to see what it is going to be like. We know how it started last night it is going to be exciting at the end of the year,” she said.
“I think it is super exciting to see the Moose Jaw League back in that super competition being neck and neck and you know having a competitive night. It will be fun for the fans, the players, coaches and referees.”
About the large contingent of fans at the home opener Williams said she was excited to see so many fans come out to watch and cheer on both teams.
“My only hope is that it gets better,” she said.
