It's the beginning of the holiday season so the majority of the Basketball schedule is just about to be tipped-off. The next coach who was kind enough to take some time & answer this year's questions was Kurt Motschenbacher, Park's girls Basketball coach. You can also jump over to the boys preview after your done.
Before looking towards the upcoming season, I'm curious which memories stand out as the highlights of last year?
"Towards the end of the season, just prior to our game vs Underwood, I became ill with influenza and was not able to coach or attend that game. Prior to that week we had a couple tough losses and were just out of sync. We were able to set up a live stream of the game so I could watch. The girls really came together and stepped up to play one of their best games of the season. They all then immediately used facetime after the game to call me and share their excitement. I was very proud of how the girls responded to preparing for that game!"
Coming off one of the most impressive individual performances that I've ever seen, albeit in a loss, by Karley Motschenbacher and returning most of the roster that you had from a very successful season overall, how do you think your team will manage to be even better this season?
"We return our top 3 scorers from last season and will bring up some very key players from our JV last year that will overall improve our shooting and quickness as a team. Last year we had a lot of inconsistent play from our key players that are returning this year. I think they really gained some valuable experience from those moments and understand their roles better going into this year. They all have worked hard this offseason and have made some notable improvements. Experience leads to confidence, with greater confidence I believe it will lead to more consistent play as a whole for this new team. This has been one of the most cohesive teams I have coached. They really care about their team and play for each other."
How do you plan on building upon what you taught your returning players last season? Did you take your team to any camps this past Summer? If so, how did your team benefit from that?
"The actual X’s and O’s don’t change much. We focus heavily on team building and leadership to start the season. Developing a strong sense of team unity is a key part of what we do. One of the key Camps we attend is at Mayville State University. They have a great program philosophy and go beyond just basketball. The girls get to stay in the dorm for a few nights and the team unity that generates really shows up for them on the basketball floor."
Have you already had players in the gym working on their game this Fall?
Thinking about the roster that you will have, who will need to step up to really make it a great season?
"Once the summer season is over for the girls we step away from basketball. It is the girls' time to recover or work on their own if they want. We have a number of multisport athletes and fall is a great time for them to focus on something different while getting refreshed and excited for a new season."
Thinking about the roster that you will have, who will need to step up to really make it a great season?
"Our top 3 scorers need to have better balance and consistency on offense. I believe they now have the experience and confidence to help this team reach the next level. We will have some new faces moving up from our JV team that will have very specific roles. Understanding that will be key. I am confident in an experienced group of 5 seniors that are ready to take ownership, support each other, and help the new players in those roles gain the needed confidence to be aggressive and have success."
As things are today, is there a certain aspect of the game that you think will be the strength of your team, be it the guard play or in the post or transition offense/defense, etc.?
"From graduation last year we lost a lot of height, but as a whole, I feel we will be a significantly better perimeter shooting team which will really help stretch a defense and open up the floor for us. We will be a quicker and an overall more balanced team that will really be able to push the tempo. This is a high energy group that really takes pride in their ability to play defense and will make it difficult for teams to transition up the floor."
Are there other players that have already shown you that they will be leaders both on and off the court this Winter?
"Karley is now entering her senior season of basketball. She continues to improve in all areas and is committed to helping her team become successful. Senior guard Ashley Hansen is our best 3 point shooter and continues to improve her overall game. Junior forward Eden Tofibam really has the ability to find the rim with an exceptional feel for the game. She just needed experience to bring more confidence to her game. I expect big things from her this year and believe she will really compliment Karley’s game making it difficult to cover them both.
Senior guard Allie Lien and Senior Forward Bria Larson will add an improved defensive quickness to our game that I am excited about. Senior guard Mady Reimche has a very quick and accurate shot that will improve our shooting range well beyond the arc providing additional balance and keep defenses stretched out."
Ultimately, what do you hope to accomplish this season?
"Success really is not defined by a set number of wins or losses. We define it more by our actions and ability to create a unified team that competes well. We work on the actions, effort, and emotions that we can control and accept the results that occur win or lose. Hopefully we can grow enough as a team to make a successful and unified run come tournament time."
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