The Dollarway Lady Cardinals enter this season after finishing 12-17 last year, and missed the playoffs after a fifth-place finish in the 8-4A Conference.
“The only approach I can take is rebuilding,” Dollarway coach Paulette Bell chuckled. “Rebuilding, learning, all of that. We’re a young team.”
Bell is in her 17th season of coaching at Dollarway. Her approach to the season isn’t as much focused on winning and losing as it is on development. The Lady Cardinals only return two players, Jacqueline Rice and Aaliyah Jackson, who’ve been on the floor.
“They are really the only two that have any experience playing organized ball,” Bell said. “The rest of them are pretty much new to it.”
Dollarway has only one senior, Dijonaise Pryor. Pryor is returning from a torn ACL, but hasn’t been released from the doctor for practice yet.
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In the meantime, Bell is only concerned with teaching and instilling winning values into the young Lady Cardinals (0-5).
“Working hard,” said Bell of her approach. “My goal for this season is for the kids to actually learn the little things. That is what’s going to make the difference.”
Ridgway Christian
• Head coach: Karen Lee, second year
• 2010-11: 23-2, Arkansas Association of Christian Schools state runner-up
Lee and the Lady Eagles (7-1 as of Friday) are returning from a close finish in the state finals, losing to Life Way by one point in the championship game.
Star player Bailey Weatherford transferred from Ridgway in the off-season, leaving room for doubt, but also for another player to potentially fill her role.
“We lost a significant player,” Lee said. “We were a young team last year; we had three junior high people, and two of them were starting. While I would have loved for her to be here, her loss hasn’t hurt our chances of being state champions.
Even with the loss of Weatherford, Lee believes Ridgway has improved as a whole, and is prepared to return to dominance in the Arkansas Association of Christian Schools circuit.
“They’re a better squad this year than they were last year,” Lee said. “They understand the concept better, they play better team ball; don’t get me wrong, they’re still growing so they have their lapsing moments. But they’re just a better team.”
A team lacking a proven star can only succeed if the approach is focused on strong, unselfish role-playing.
“The first thing we got to do is we’ve got to be on it on defense,” “When you hit the floor, you’ve got to be prepared to give 100 percent, from beginning to end. That’s just a life lesson for them; whatever you do in life, you’ve got to give your all. Whenever you don’t give your all, then you will never reach your full potential.”
The most unselfish of the bunch, according to Lee, is sophomore Hailey Wilkins, who saw playing time at all five positions last season.
“Hailey Wilkins has definitely stepped up a lot in that role,” Lee said. “She was really important to us last year. She was our best offensive player and defensive player.”
Eighth-grader BethAnn Rodgers, the Lady Eagles’ sixth woman, is “quite crucial,” Lee said. “She’s a wonderful hustler. It’s important when you need to sub to have somebody that won’t skip a beat putting them in.”
Ridgway is also expecting strong contributions from senior Dyimond Anderson and freshman Madison Heflin.
“I think the motivation is doing what nobody thinks that they can,” Lee said. “Most people think ‘private school, poor competition,’ but it really isn’t. When others don’t believe in you, you got to learn to believe in yourself and just go after it.”
White Hall
• Head coach: Mike Upshaw
• 2010-11: Finish not available
White Hall is off to a 3-1 start after winning the Fordyce Bank and Trust Classic championship Saturday. Upshaw could not be reached for further information on his team.
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St. Joseph is not fielding a girls basketball team this season.