Filly Basketball Looks to Make Name for Themselves

WINTER SPORTS SEASON IS HERE. THE CODY FILLIES BASKETBALL TEAM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF FIRST YEAR HEAD COACH CHRIS WAGNER TOOK TO THE HARDWOOD MONDAY FOR THEIR FIRST OFFICIAL PRACTICE OF THE 2019-2020 CAMPAIGN. LAST YEAR THE FILLIES OPENED UP PLAY IN CLASS 4A WITH A RESPECTABLE 12-11 OVERALL RECORD AND WOULD WIN A GAME AT THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT. HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TURN-AROUND FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR. THEY GRADUATED FOUR SENIORS, ONE OF WHICH IS PAIGE POWELL WHO CURRENTLY PLAY FOR UW. I SAT DOWN WITH COACH WAGNER AND HE GIVES HIS INITIAL OUTLOOK ON THE SEASON.

“THE BIG THING IS JUST GETTING EVERYONE USED TO THE STYLE OF BASKETBALL THAT WE LIKE TO PLAY. I REALLY LIKE THE UP-TEMPO PLAY OFFENSIVELY AND DEFENSIVELY. WE’VE GOT A VERY YOUNG TEAM. YOU KNOW WE’RE ONLY RETURNING ONE SENIOR, NOT A LOT OF VARSITY EXPERIENCE. SO, I MEAN RIGHT AWAY THOSE YOUNGER GIRLS ARE GOING TO GET THROWN IN AND TRY TO ADAPT TO THE STYLE OF PLAY. YOU KNOW IT’S GOING TO BE A PROCESS FOR SURE BUT WE’RE GOING TO BE PATIENT AND TRY TO GET BETTER WITH IT EACH DAY.”

WITH SO MUCH TALENT THAT WAS LOST A YEAR AGO THIS FILLY SQUAD DOES RETURN A STRONG CORE. WHILE THEY LOOK TO BE A BIT UNDERSIZED THEY CAN MAKE UP FOR THAT WITH SPEED AND ATHLETICISM. COACH WAGNER HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THOSE RETURNERS THAT WILL BE KEY THIS YEAR.

“COMING IN AS AN OPPOSING COACH TO CODY LAST YEAR TORRIE (SCHUTZMAN) WAS DEFINITELY THE GIRL THAT WE KNEW WE’D HAVE COME BACK AND BE A BIG PART. TEAGAN THOMPSON WILL BE OUR SENIOR AND WE’RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT SHE CAN DO THROUGHOUT THE FULL SEASON. BRITTAN BOWER IS ANOTHER SOLID PIECE THAT WE’LL SEE COMING BACK. WE’VE GOT A FEW SOPHOMORES THAT ARE GOING TO FILL IN SOME SPOTS. VERY PHYSICAL TEAM I FEEL LIKE, WE MIGHT BE A LITTLE UNDERSIZED BUT THEY MAKE UP FOR IT WITH THEIR ATHLETICISM.”

WITH COACH WAGNER BEING NEW TO THE PROGRAM OFTEN TIMES IT TAKES SOME TIME TO BUILD A RAPPORT WITH A TEAM AND ADDS WHAT HE’S LOOKING FOR FROM THE PLAYERS EARLY ON.

“WE’RE JUST REALLY EMPHASIZING THAT THEY COME IN WITH EACH DRILL AND EVERY SECTION OF PRACTICE WITH A LOT OF FOCUS. WE WANT THE PHYSICALNESS, WE WANT THEM WORKING HARD BUT I NEED THE MENTAL CONCENTRATION MORE THAN ANYTHING BECAUSE SO MANY THINGS GETTING THROWN AT THEM. LOT’S OF KNEW DRILLS, LOT’S OF NEW OFFENSIVE, DEFENSIVE CONCEPTS. SO YOU KNOW THE FOCUS IS GOING TO BE THE BIG DRIVING FACTOR BEHIND HOW MUCH WE GET OUT OF IT.”

AS FOR WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE ON THE COURT, COACH WAGNER IS AN UP-TEMPO GUY WHO WANTS TO PUSH THE PACE.

“I MEAN, I’M A TRANSITION GUY. THE MORE POINTS AND THE MORE OPEN LOOKS WE CAN GET OUT OF TRANSITION I FEEL IS GREAT AND THEN IF WE HAVE TO RUN A HALF COURT OFFENSE, YOU KNOW I STILL LIKE TO STAY IN THAT ATTACK MODE. DEFENSIVELY, PREFER MAN-TO-MAN. THAT STYLE MATCHES UP WITH OUR OFFENSIVE STYLE OF PLAY. MOST TIMES I WANT TO PICK UP FULL COURT. WE WANT TO BE PLAYING AGGRESSIVE ON BOTH SIDES AND ROTATING GIRLS IN AND KEEPING THEM FRESH.”

THE CODY FILLIES HAVE BEGUN PRACTICE FOR THE 2019-2020 BASKETBALL SEASON AND WILL OPEN THEIR SEASON ON THE ROAD DECEMBER 12TH-14TH WHEN THEY TAKE PART IN THE GILLETTE TOURNAMENT. THEIR FIRST HOME GAME WILL BE DECEMBER 20TH VS. POWELL.