After a well-fought season, the Varsity Girls Basketball Team went undefeated in the Trinity League. Each player showcased grit, sportsmanship, and overwhelming passion for the game throughout their lossless campaign. This season greatly challenged each individual player mentally and physically, yet with help from one another, the team persevered despite the competition.

Following the beginning of the season, however, the Monarchs overcame countless obstacles to become the disciplined and refined team they are now. At first, they had a hard time finding the rhythm needed to establish chemistry on the court. Junior Harmony Golightly reflects on the biggest problem and comments on their main struggle. 

“Our struggle in the beginning was definitely having leaders,” Golightly said. “[None of us] really had a voice. Now everyone’s starting to get used to speaking up, speaking our minds, encouraging others, and leading.”

Senior Amiah Lewis reflects on the tactics Varsity Head Coach Jody Wynn instilled into each player. Her strategies helped Lewis build a strong mentality while also preparing her to fulfill leadership roles in games.

“Our coach definitely held us down at practices,” Lewis said. “We had to learn a lot, so we just had to stay in the right mindset.”

Knowing and understanding the team’s quiet traits, Wynn purposefully pushes her players to resolve situations through their own problem-solving techniques, rather than simply offering solutions. This tactic enables each athlete to become independent and develop their own critical thinking habits.

“I [often] put them in leadership opportunities,” Wynn said. “I’m really big on team leadership and player-led teams, it gives them responsibility within the team. [I put] them in situations where they have to work their way out of an adverse situation, whether it’s on the court or not.”

For Wynn, high standards play a huge role in a team’s success. Without clear expectations, it is hard for players to stay disciplined and fulfill their roles.

“There’s a standard of excellence here, and we’re upholding a tradition of [greatness] and legacy,” Wynn said. “How we do one thing is how we do everything, whether it’s in the weight room, in the classroom, or on the basketball court. We’re expected to do everything to the best of our abilities.”

Along with their high expectations during practice, the team’s overall unity benefited their journey to success immensely. Although each player is very talented individually, they were able to depend on one another during tough moments in games.

“The culture that we have with our team [is a huge part of who we are],” Golightly said. “We have a great bond. We know each other on and off the court, so just having that is the biggest thing when things are tough in a game.”

As the team prepares for tougher battles in the CIF playoffs, Wynn anticipates the challenges they’ll soon face. 

“We’re gonna be playing in the open division in Southern California,” Wynn said. “It’s the number one girls’ high school basketball playoff bracket in all of America. [We’ll make sure to] take it one day at a time, be thankful for our opportunity to play at such an elite level, and play with heart and hustle and passion and grit, no matter who we face, we’re just trying to get better at each and every day, individually and collectively as a group.”

Under Wynn’s leadership, the team has thrived and developed significantly under her coaching style. With young, gifted players and a tight-knit culture, the program is set to move forward and retain the legacy of greatness.

“The future of this program is in great hands,” Wynn said. “We’ve got some really talented young players on our roster. We’ve got a great culture, and I have a group of young women who aspire to play collegiately. It’s fun to come to work and coach for them every single day.”