Foothill High School (Palo Cedro) Girls Basketball Season Preview

But of course, we have high expectations for this season, coming off of a successful year where we made it to the NorCal Final Four and lost to the eventual state champions. This was a huge accomplishment for our team and our school, as we were the first team to go that far in the state tournament. And that success has fueled our motivation for this season, as we hope to go even further and potentially bring home a state championship. Our top returning players from last season are senior Kalli Smith and Riley Sedlak. Smith, who was an all-league player last year, has a relentless drive and determination to make both herself and her teammates better. She is a strong scorer and is always willing to give up the ball for the benefit of the team. Sedlak, also a senior, has a killer instinct when it comes to getting to the hoop and is an unparalleled competitor. With her years of experience in our system, she is poised for a standout season. However, we also have some new players who we believe will make an immediate impact on our team. Sophomore Kyndal Whitehouse is stepping up to fill the point guard spot and can create plays for both herself and her teammates. We are also excited to have Mj O’Rorke, a transfer from Uprep, on our team who will contribute to our scoring with her shot-making ability. When it comes to selecting team captains, I look for players who have a strong sense of leadership and can motivate their teammates to reach their full potential. This year, we have a battle for the captain role with Whitehouse, Sedlak, and O’Rorke all showcasing their leadership qualities. Motivating my players is all about building a strong team dynamic and creating a sense of closeness off the court. We have numerous team activities throughout the year, including during holidays when we miss out on spending time with our families. But it is all worth it to strengthen our bond and trust. I am a strong believer that the closer we are off the court, the better we perform on the court. The biggest challenge this season has been our tough schedule. We are playing in all Division 1 or 2 tournaments in the preseason, even though we are a Division 3 school. But we see this as an opportunity to prepare ourselves for the rigorous competition in our league, with teams like Pleasant Valley and Chico being strong contenders.