Sophomore Abigail Long is one of the three current Girls Varsity Basketball team captains. Long also plays on the Missouri Phenoms, a club team outside of East, and hopes to continue playing basketball in college.
When did you start playing basketball?
“I started pretty much from the time I was born because my dad played in college, and my mom played growing up. It was just something that [my siblings and I] all started playing when we were younger.”
Did you play any other sports growing up?
“Yeah, I still play tennis and swim. Growing up, I played ice hockey, soccer, golf, lacrosse — pretty much every single sport.”
How does the training that you undergo with the Missouri Phenoms compare to the training you undergo at East?
“I’d say our club practices are longer, but we don’t have them as often because I’m on the state team. Since our team’s from all over the state, it’s hard for our entire team to get together so we only practice three times a week. So outside of that, I do individual training.”
How many hours a week would you say you practice basketball?
“During high school season, it’d be like the two-hour practices six times a week plus probably four extra hours. So like 16-20 hours a week during the high school season depending on the week.”
What does a typical practice look like?
“We usually spend the first hour working on defense. And then our plays, and then we’ll do conditioning in the middle. The last bit of practice is usually like scrimmaging or working on our press.”
What’s it like being a varsity team captain as an underclassman?
“I was on varsity last year. So then [I] felt more like an underclassman, but I’ve been on varsity much longer than or the same amount as most of the girls on the team now so I don’t want to say I don’t feel like an underclassmen. Honestly it’s just the fact that I’m really good friends with everybody on the team that it makes me feel like I’m not an underclassman.”
What do you think your biggest strength and biggest challenge is when playing?
“My biggest strength is probably shooting threes. My biggest challenge is probably driving to the basket or defense. My defense isn’t as good as it should be.”
Do you think you would look into going into the Women’s National Basketball League?
“I might, I think it would depend on how much I still love it when I’m in college. Because if I don’t [love it] as much as I do now, I probably wouldn’t go to the WNBA.”