This week marks the first official week of the CLHS Girls’ Basketball Team’s season as they take on Palmetto Ridge and North Fort Myers High School. The Panthers have something to prove following their previous season where they only won two games, both against Riverdale. Though last season proved to be a struggle for the team to get back on their feet after the loss of many key players, the Girls’ Basketball program here at Cypress has a legacy to rebuild. Just two seasons ago, the girls were district champions, and the team and coaching staff are seeking another victorious season.
The girls are led by Head Coach Hannah Weldon, who joined the program last season. When asked what she’s learned since coaching at Cypress, Weldon said, “Cypress has a lot of untapped athletic potential within our female population. What we are trying to do is capitalize on that.” One way the program has begun to make this leap is by implementing a JV team. In the past there were limitations surrounding this, but now that it has been made possible, coaches and players alike will reap the benefits.
Senior Chloe Grosshuesch explained, “A lot of the other schools didn’t have a JV team, so we couldn’t either. I think having a JV now will encourage other girls to come out because it’s less intimidating than only trying out for the varsity team.”
Head Coach Weldon elaborated on this by saying “We’re taking over – that’s the goal. I want to get more girls involved in athletics here, and I’m just excited to get new girls playing basketball.”
Going into the season it’s the consensus that the girls’ game against the Fort Myers High School Greenwave is one of the most anticipated games on the schedule. Weldon expressed “It’s going to be a good one. They got the best of us last year and they caught us lagging a little bit and they definitely shouldn’t have.” Heading into these games, Weldon explained that her goal for the season is to refine the skills they’ve already been building upon. Having a relatively new group of basketball players, Weldon plans on “taking a lot of the rough skills that we started with last season and continuing to build on them. She continued, “It’ll be nice to be able to hone in on certain skills, it’s just fun to see such a great group of young ladies grow.”
This season definitely won’t be one to miss as the Lady Panthers continue to show their effort and growth mindset. Their schedule can be found on MaxPreps, make sure to support the team throughout the rest of the winter season!
