Wins have been somewhat difficult to come by for the Apalachee High School Lady Wildcats this season.
However, if one looks beyond the record for the 2008-09 campaign, a bright future is on the horizon for a program that is still attempting to establish an identity. Competing at the Class AAAA level, AHS coach Michael Parks is having to go into basketball battle with perhaps one of the youngests teams in Northeast Georgia.
COLUMN: Parks builds AHS program the right way
This past Saturday against Heritage, three freshman were in the starting lineup. While earning playing time as a freshman on the varsity level can mean positive things down the road, it also means you are going to take your share of lumps in the present.
Parks knows this. However, the Lady Wildcat coach is in the process of building a program step by step. Like a quality mason who is skilled at his craft, Parks is building his program piece by piece or brick by brick.
Consider the following: the Lady Wildcats currently have four freshman on their roster. LaCresha Mayweather played varsity exclusively while Kiarra Sanford, Stephanie Calhoun and Saboyce Shelton do see some playing time on the junior varsity as well.
Sophomores include Amanda Hamilton, Amy Kelley and Aliya Ballard. While all three have seen time on both varsity and JV, Kelley has been in the starting lineup for the varsity team. She was in the starting five, in fact, for the Winder-Barrow contest.
Juniors on the roster include Kaitlyn Madlam and Qualitta Bailey. Only senior Kelsey Montgomery was a returning varsity player this season while fellow senior Ashley Goley is in her first season in the program. Goley has also been a key contributer for Parks this year.
The overall youth of the AHS squad is going to lead to a learning curve, and a rather wide one, at times. Still, Parks has not gotten down or given up on this team or this program. It’s the mark of a strong leader.
“Our younger players have already been involved in a great deal of basketball,” Parks said. “The more game experience they get, the better they will be and the better the program is going to be.”
The coach foresees a couple more building seasons before the Lady Wildcats are set for their breakthrough effort. Quality players will feed in from the middle schools which will also benefit the program.
“I know the players want to win more but building success takes time,” Parks said. “It’s a gradual process. Our players represent their school and community well. I am proud of them.”
To be successful in basketball, or any sport, a program has to have players with the right attitude and a coach with the right leadership abilities. The AHS Lady Wildcats have those necessary ingredients to make their program a winner.
Yes, it will take time to reach the desired goal, but in the long run the effort — and wait — will be worth it.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. E-mail comments about this column to cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
Parks knows this. However, the Lady Wildcat coach is in the process of building a program step by step. Like a quality mason who is skilled at his craft, Parks is building his program piece by piece or brick by brick.
Consider the following: the Lady Wildcats currently have four freshman on their roster. LaCresha Mayweather played varsity exclusively while Kiarra Sanford, Stephanie Calhoun and Saboyce Shelton do see some playing time on the junior varsity as well.
Sophomores include Amanda Hamilton, Amy Kelley and Aliya Ballard. While all three have seen time on both varsity and JV, Kelley has been in the starting lineup for the varsity team. She was in the starting five, in fact, for the Winder-Barrow contest.
Juniors on the roster include Kaitlyn Madlam and Qualitta Bailey. Only senior Kelsey Montgomery was a returning varsity player this season while fellow senior Ashley Goley is in her first season in the program. Goley has also been a key contributer for Parks this year.
The overall youth of the AHS squad is going to lead to a learning curve, and a rather wide one, at times. Still, Parks has not gotten down or given up on this team or this program. It’s the mark of a strong leader.
“Our younger players have already been involved in a great deal of basketball,” Parks said. “The more game experience they get, the better they will be and the better the program is going to be.”
The coach foresees a couple more building seasons before the Lady Wildcats are set for their breakthrough effort. Quality players will feed in from the middle schools which will also benefit the program.
“I know the players want to win more but building success takes time,” Parks said. “It’s a gradual process. Our players represent their school and community well. I am proud of them.”
To be successful in basketball, or any sport, a program has to have players with the right attitude and a coach with the right leadership abilities. The AHS Lady Wildcats have those necessary ingredients to make their program a winner.
Yes, it will take time to reach the desired goal, but in the long run the effort — and wait — will be worth it.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. E-mail comments about this column to cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
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#1
A FAN
on
01/23/09 at 12:28 PM
[Reply]
KEEP IT REAL CHRIS, MICHAEL PARKS STINKS.HE MUST GO ! INTERVIEW HIS TEAM AND YOU WON'T GET ONE PLAYER THAT WANTS HIM THERE NEXT YEAR AS THEIR COACH.HE IS NOT A LEADER AS STATED IN YOUR ARTICLE AND HE HAS NOT CALLED TIME OUT IN ANY THE LAST 4 GAME. ALL BLOW OUTS OF 30 OR MORE POINTS.HE'S AFFRAID THAT DURING THE TIME OUT HE WOULD HAVE TO TEACH OR MOTIVATE,NEITHER IN WHICH HE KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT.16 WINS AND 124 LOSES IN HIS COACHING CAREER @ AHS.A CHANGE IS NEEDED.NO ONE WANTS TO LEARN FROM A LOSER