The Augusta Woman Panthers have been taking over sturdy competitors this summer season.
Beneath the path of their new head coach, Todd Kelsch, the Augusta Woman Panthers have returned to the basketball court docket early this 12 months to get in some practices, and tackle some contemporary opponents in summer season basketball video games. The first focus for the Woman Panthers this summer season is to get a few of their newer teammates some on the court docket expertise, and get used to the management of their new head coach.
Management is one thing coach Kelsch finds most necessary. Though the crew most frequently seems to crew captain Kenzington Hinson, coach Kelsch maintains that everybody on the crew should fulfill a management function to be able to achieve success.
“Everybody has stepped as much as present that management high quality that I search for in every participant. It’s been a problem for a few of them that weren’t used to being in that function. Most individuals suppose in case you have one chief, you’re good to go, however that’s not essentially the case. I really feel that if everyone seems to be keen to guide, we’re all on the identical web page and we are able to get to the place we have to go.” mentioned coach Kelsch.
To this point this summer season coach Kelsch and his Woman Panthers have taken on 4 groups, the Pendleton County Woman Cats and Boone County Woman Rebels on June 6, and the Robertson County Woman Devils and Bracken County Woman Bears on June 8.
“We’re kinda shorthanded. We’ve seven highschool women, we have now some seventh graders that come to apply, in addition they have center college apply occurring proper now, in order that they received rather a lot occurring. We performed effectively, we’re making an attempt to be extra aggressive on protection, so we’re getting drained extra shortly. We’re trying to enhance our spacing on offense, and we’re doing a extremely good job on that. We’ve some excessive IQ varsity gamers and it solely took me about two practices to assist them perceive what we’re searching for. We’ll rating a whole lot of factors subsequent season.” mentioned coach Kelsch.
The Woman Panthers have 4 extra video games developing subsequent week at Fleming County Excessive Faculty. On Monday, they are going to tackle the East Carter Woman Raiders and the Fleming County Woman Panthers, and the Rowan County Woman Vikings and Morgan County Woman Cougars on Tuesday.
Though the crew is brief handed, and dealing with a youthful roster than most, coach Kelsch is assured in his groups means to convey house constructive outcomes. Whether or not the crew brings house a win or not, Augusta is discovering positives in each recreation they play. Switching up roles, and taking part in completely different types successfully have been issues the Woman Panthers have labored on of their practices this summer season, and have been capable of pull off of their video games.
“I’ve been centered on producing not simply victories however a constructive outlook and constructive outcomes and it will not be a win. Like Pendleton County beat us, however there have been some constructive outcomes from that recreation. We guarded twenty minutes full court docket, and the women informed me they performed a whole lot of zone protection final 12 months so these constructive outcomes are one thing that’s good to see.” mentioned coach Kelsch.
Kelsch took over as head coach of the Woman Panthers close to the tip of the 2022-23 college 12 months, and has been engaged on constructing his crew, and getting them within the place to win video games since he started.
He commends his groups’ constructive angle and work ethic. Though summer season ball will not be a requirement for the crew, a number of of his present, and future gamers have proven up persistently and excitedly, able to be taught from their new head coach. Because of the Augusta fitness center present process renovations, the Woman Panthers have been pressured to apply outdoors on the native park. In response to Kelsch, this has not affected the women angle within the slightest. He mentioned that they proceed to indicate up, and are desirous to be taught. An simply coachable crew is all the time an amazing plus for any coach, particularly one getting his first few head teaching video games below his belt.
The most important challenges Kelsch and the Woman Panthers have confronted to date, is discovering a time to get everybody collectively.
“Children wish to be youngsters, and so they have plans for the summer season. A variety of our women have jobs, so scheduling practices which can be handy for all of our gamers has been difficult.” mentioned coach Kelsch, “We solely have a two hour window the place everybody is out there.”
Regardless of a brief bench and a younger roster, and the scheduling conflicts, Augusta is nothing however excited for the remainder of their summer season ball schedule, and to get again into the fitness center when the season begins again up in October. This weeks video games might be a problem for the Woman Panthers, however they’re assured in their very own means heading into the competitors.
“We play a whole lot of sixteenth area groups this week, so I’m anticipating some extra bodily video games than we’ve seen to date. We’ve performed largely opponents we’re accustomed to to date. We’re gonna face some groups we’re not accustomed to. What I’m wanting ahead to probably the most is seeing how we reply to physicality, and the way does that have an effect on what we wish to do. We will’t enable bodily groups to take us out of our rhythm, and drive us to play a method we’re not comfy taking part in.”