The girls basketball season started November 8. All the girls were very excited, especially the JV team because most of them are freshmen and it is their first time playing at the high school level. Blanca Molina was also very excited because she is an exchange student and it is her first time playing in an American high school and one of her dreams here in Amherst was to play “real” American basketball.

“When I was eight years old I went to a sports summer camp, and one coach saw me playing basketball,” said Molina. “He asked me if I wanted to be on his team.” And since then she has been playing basketball for about 10 years; playing here in the states makes it all the more special, she added.

The girls were asked what basketball has taught them and their answers were some of the following: “….it has taught me to be stronger,  when I first started I was physically weak, also to be more competitive, do not give up never, be stronger…”. All agreed with these thoughts.  

The girls share many of the same goals and have high expectations: “I really want to compete and try to go to state. I think it would be an amazing experience,” said one baller.  

Becoming a successful basketball team requires teamwork, communication, and preparation and this team has the potential to achieve all of that and more. “I think all the girls are so nice, they help you if you need it and they do not judge you if you do something wrong,” was one reply when asked why this team is a good one to play for. 

There are two teams of girls in the high school, varsity being the best, and of course a lot of girls want to be there, so I wondered if they would like to be on varsity in the future. “Yes, I would like to be in varsity. I have been playing for 10 years now and I would like to join a more challenging group,” said Molina.