For the first time in Potomac Falls history, the Girls Varsity Basketball team does not have any seniors on their roster. Their fresh team hasn’t stopped them from dominating opposing teams so far this season with a 3-2 record.

Head coach, Lynn Ewald, has been a part of the girls varsity basketball team program for 20 years, and for 17 of them he has been the head coach. In those 20 years Ewald cannot recall there ever being a time without seniors on the Girls Varsity Basketball team. It’s unusual for our school to be under this type of circumstance because it’s been open since 1997. “The only instances [of this happening] in the county I remember are the new schools in the first years they open and that’s usually because there isn’t a senior class in the school,” said Ewald.  

Ewald explains that not much has changed with his coaching despite having no seniors. “We might have to go over things a few more times or explain things in a little more detail. That’s really more about the overall lack of experience we have,” said Ewald. Traditions for seniors such as senior night will also not take place this season, which has never happened before for Girls Varsity Basketball. 

In spite of there being no seniors, the three returning varsity players this year are setting an example for the younger and new members of the varsity team. “Usually we’ll let the seniors take more of a role in practices to explain and go over certain drills and such, but like I said earlier, our girls have really adjusted quite well to what we need them to do,” said Ewald. 

Along with Ewald, players agree that even without seniors on the team, the leadership has stayed strong and the team has worked together functionally. Returning player, junior Ceci O’Grady, has been able to have the opportunity to lead her team more this year. “I do think that while the juniors are taking charge, and leading most of the team, it’s more of the returning players,” said O’Grady. Returning players to varsity this year are O’Grady, junior Meagan Njamen, and sophomore Brynn Hunter. 

New varsity player, sophomore Hallis Morris, shared that at practice the team is continuously trying new things to improve upon their almost completely new lineup. “The team has had its troubles at first because we are a younger team, but we are working together and finding our chemistry,” said Morris. 

Every one of the ten girls on the team have had multiple years of basketball experience, and for most of them, basketball is their one and only sport. “For the majority of our team, basketball is their first and only sport,” said O’Grady. O’Grady added that this is different from last year’s players because contrastingly, the majority of the team played another sport during another season. “We are more focused, because we’re all basketball athletes. I think that will really help us in the times when we’re out-talented by other more experienced teams,” added O’Grady.

Like any sports team, this season for the girls varsity basketball team will require lots of teamwork and communication among the coaching staff and players. “The girls this year have really done a good job making up for [no seniors]. It’ll certainly be a learning process as we move through the season,” said Ewald. Every girl is taking charge to make the team the very best it can be, being not just teammates, but becoming friends in the process.