After a long day of school a group of girls start to gear up to play their hearts out on the court on the Liberty’s Girls Basketball Team. Off the court the girls are also showing great dedication in order to perform their best.
For their Monday practices, the team is laser-focused on their individual improvement and effort in strengthening their skill work.
Their great commitment to the team and practice has been shown in their games, since they have been winning 16 in season games and winning first place in 3A KingCo Districts.
“We have team dinner every Sunday where we are able to hang outside of basketball,” Whitaker said.
Mallory Leavitt, a fellow varsity teammate positioned at shooting guard, says that team dinners created strong bonds that brought great chemistry on the court. These team dinners consist of fun games and playful competition between the girls .
“They give us some fun things to laugh about later,” sophomore varsity guard Ai-vi Tran said.
Many of the girls have been playing basketball together for years and still choose to play, not only in official practice, but recreationally together as well.
Whitaker shared that some of the girls spend their free time announcing games and working the clocks at select youth basketball games.
Some of the girls’ involvement in basketball has been since they were in fourth grade and younger with some of them playing on teams together. Their deep level of involvement with the sport has led them to also develop strong connections with each other.
“The environment is more welcoming and helps with playing on the court because it’s like playing with your best friends,” senior varsity player Kyndall Tokish said. “We have a lot of trust and faith in one another because we want everyone to succeed.”
Many of the girls’ favorite part of being on the team is its dynamic and its culture. The girls have created this through their support for each other on and off the court.
“My favorite part of being on a basketball team at liberty is the community it creates. I’ve met some of my best friends through basketball, and I feel like I am part of one big family who will always support me,” Tokish said.
