Update on coaching and COVID precautions for girls basketball

Amid COVID-19, the girls basketball team lost three of their coaches leaving them with two for all four teams, putting them in a crunch to fill the the positions before the season picks up.

The coaching staff typically consists of head varsity, varsity assistant, head junior varsity, head C-team and head freshman coach. Due to the conditions regarding COVID-19 and other personal reasons, a few of last year’s coaches have decided to not return.

With these absences, last year’s JV coach Archer got promoted to Head Varsity Coach for this year.

They plan on having four teams this year — varsity, JV, C-team and freshman. Just finding two replacements, Including Archer, there are currently four coaches and they’re in the process of hiring a final coach.

“The staff size isn’t a concern,” Archer said. “We have hired some great new coaches that I’m excited to work with, and they all bring different things to the table.”

After putting out the word that East was in search of new girls basketball coaches, Archer and Athletic Director Debbie Katzfey looked through the candidates and contacted those who would be good fits for the program. 

“This year I know that Mr. Archer is varsity head coach,” Varsity player and junior Tess Roman said. “Other than that, we don’t know who’s going to be coaching which teams or who the rest of the coaches will be.” 

According to Roman, the coaches are keeping the players informed the best that they can about the schedule and season, but none of them are really sure what’s happening until the district makes an official decision. 

“I have no clue what the season will look like,” Roman said. “I know that people have been talking about playing in masks and taking precautions like that but I don’t know if that’s what will happen.”

The team will be wearing masks, sanitizing basketballs, sanitizing in-between games and limiting game attendance for COVID safety.

“I think the players need a good support system for this year and people who understand the situation, which I think we definitely [have] coaches like that this year,” Roman said. 

Usually 60 girls try out each year but, according to Archer, they won’t know the exact number until the first day of tryouts. Nonetheless, he’s optimistic about the turnout. 

There will be traveling this year, however it may look a little different because the team has to limit the number of players and coaches on buses.

“I think one of the biggest obstacles this year will be trying to keep everyone healthy during the season,” Archer said. “As well as keeping up with all of the COVID-19 guidelines that we must follow because they are constantly being updated and changed.”

Archer is hoping to improve from last year, where they finished the varsity season with a 14-11 record at the varsity level.

Three senior starters will be returning — Reese Althouse, Sarah Bingham and Anabelle Merchant. The team also has other seniors returning that didn’t get much varsity playing time last year, but are solid players and will be on the court a lot, according to Archer.

“We have a good group of girls returning for this year,” Archer said. “We also have some freshmen and sophomores that could potentially get some varsity minutes as well. So I am excited to see them compete with each other every day in practice and get better as a team.”