Basketball Feature: Whiteoak Lady Wildcats
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
For three Whiteoak seniors and their teammates, this season is about changing the culture of the program. The trio of seniors that include Morgan Campbell, Amber Gorman and Brittany Luman have been through the grind of seasons that didn't meet their expectations. This year, they've worked to improve on that.
"We haven't had a very good past three years," Luman said. "We've won six games the past three years, and we are working to bring the team back up. It's fun to be a part of something good by helping change the way we do things here so far this offseason with all the work we've put in to improve the team."
"Being a senior, now I notice everyone is looking up to us," Campbell said. "Our younger teammates follow what we are doing, and in the stands, we see all the little girls, and we want to help make this program something they can look forward to being a part of one day. You want to do good for them."
Gorman spoke about the rebuilding of the team and what it has been like.
"It has been fun seeing all the girls come in under us and work at it," Gorman said. "The competitiveness of the practices and all that goes with that has been fun to be a part of."
With Campbell and Luman telling their beginnings of basketball last season, Gorman has a bit of a different path, playing in elementary school but not playing again until her sophomore year, at the urging of coach Mike Cooper.
"My mom played in high school, and my uncles had played, so basketball was a part of our family," Gorman said. "I started playing in the fourth grade, and I didn't like it.
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"During my freshman year, Coach Cooper came and wanted me to play, and I was like 'no, it is just not my thing.' Then, before my sophomore year, I went out and played during the summer and I really liked it, so I have played since."
As Coach Cooper explained in the preseason preview, the girls know it is a "culture change" within their program, and they welcome that.
"It is always like 'Just Whiteoak' … even at the preview, we were 'just Whiteoak," Luman said. "Everyone is like 'they are just Whiteoak' and expect to win against us. We don't want that anymore. We've worked to move our program upward and to be competitive against our opponents.
"We aren't the same ol' Whiteoak we used to be. You just can't come into practice and just 'be there.' You have to show up every night and work."
Campbell spoke about the competitiveness of practices this year.
"You don't walk into the gym anymore, knowing you have your spot," she said. "You go into the gym knowing you are going to compete and fight for your starting spot or to have a varsity jersey anymore.
"You have to earn your spot and not just expect it. It is a good feeling. This year will be different."
Gorman seconded the comment about the competitiveness.
"Practices are really competitive now," she said. "We've played well this preseason, and we are leaving all we have out on the court this season."
The ladies said they started to really put work into their improvement the week following the Highland County Fair.
"Monday through Saturday, we work," Campbell said. "We come in every day and put in the necessary time."
"It wasn't like this before," Luman said. "If we would practice on a Friday night, we got Saturday off. Now we are here working, and you can tell the difference and how it has helped.
"We worked a lot this summer, and it is paying off. It has taught us a good work ethic. We are held accountable for our actions, and that teaches me responsibility."
"We haven't had a very good past three years," Luman said. "We've won six games the past three years, and we are working to bring the team back up. It's fun to be a part of something good by helping change the way we do things here so far this offseason with all the work we've put in to improve the team."
"Being a senior, now I notice everyone is looking up to us," Campbell said. "Our younger teammates follow what we are doing, and in the stands, we see all the little girls, and we want to help make this program something they can look forward to being a part of one day. You want to do good for them."
Gorman spoke about the rebuilding of the team and what it has been like.
"It has been fun seeing all the girls come in under us and work at it," Gorman said. "The competitiveness of the practices and all that goes with that has been fun to be a part of."
With Campbell and Luman telling their beginnings of basketball last season, Gorman has a bit of a different path, playing in elementary school but not playing again until her sophomore year, at the urging of coach Mike Cooper.
"My mom played in high school, and my uncles had played, so basketball was a part of our family," Gorman said. "I started playing in the fourth grade, and I didn't like it.
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"During my freshman year, Coach Cooper came and wanted me to play, and I was like 'no, it is just not my thing.' Then, before my sophomore year, I went out and played during the summer and I really liked it, so I have played since."
As Coach Cooper explained in the preseason preview, the girls know it is a "culture change" within their program, and they welcome that.
"It is always like 'Just Whiteoak' … even at the preview, we were 'just Whiteoak," Luman said. "Everyone is like 'they are just Whiteoak' and expect to win against us. We don't want that anymore. We've worked to move our program upward and to be competitive against our opponents.
"We aren't the same ol' Whiteoak we used to be. You just can't come into practice and just 'be there.' You have to show up every night and work."
Campbell spoke about the competitiveness of practices this year.
"You don't walk into the gym anymore, knowing you have your spot," she said. "You go into the gym knowing you are going to compete and fight for your starting spot or to have a varsity jersey anymore.
"You have to earn your spot and not just expect it. It is a good feeling. This year will be different."
Gorman seconded the comment about the competitiveness.
"Practices are really competitive now," she said. "We've played well this preseason, and we are leaving all we have out on the court this season."
The ladies said they started to really put work into their improvement the week following the Highland County Fair.
"Monday through Saturday, we work," Campbell said. "We come in every day and put in the necessary time."
"It wasn't like this before," Luman said. "If we would practice on a Friday night, we got Saturday off. Now we are here working, and you can tell the difference and how it has helped.
"We worked a lot this summer, and it is paying off. It has taught us a good work ethic. We are held accountable for our actions, and that teaches me responsibility."