The squeak of shoes on the court fills the gym. The shot soars, arches, and drops right through the net. Swish. Etowah’s girls’ varsity basketball team has been scoring big time this year in what could rightfully be called its comeback season.  

With only six wins last season, the team has almost doubled that with a current record of 11-14. Rob Graner, the team’s new head coach, spent his summer preparing for the ‘18-’19 season by running camps and scheduling training as well as trying to revamp the overall dynamic of Etowah’s basketball program. 

“There was a lot of things that had to go into it [the season] before we even stepped foot on the court,” Graner said. 

However, no team experiences greatness without some difficulty along the way. After a four-year break from coaching, Graner had to adjust to leading a team he was still unfamiliar with. Despite minor struggles and bumps in the road, Graner says it has been rewarding seeing the team grow. 

“They’re a lot further along than I ever expected they would be. Our seniors all the way down to our freshman are learning as they go along,” Graner said. 

The success from this season did not happen on its own. Hours of hard work, scrimmages, individual drills, and running plays against each other during practice prepared the girls for the challenges ahead. The team watches film before games to study the opposing team’s plays, so they can prevent them from scoring. 

“This year everyone on the team pushed to get better individually and then when we all came together as a team, we worked for each other,” Ally Zazzara, sophomore varsity player, said. 

With the growing support at games among the student body, the Etowah girls’ varsity basketball team hopes to continue its strong season when the girls play in Regionals and move on to the State playoffs.