The JV girls basketball team at Kent is a dedicated group of girls who play hard and have fun while doing so. With an especially young team this year, the group has learned a lot of new skills throughout the season and developed in their basketball knowledge. 

In their most recent match-up against Westover, the team pulled out an impressive win after an especially hard-fought match. The score switched back and forth many times, with both teams fighting to take the lead. Co-captain Sarah Smith ’20 kept a grin on her face as she dribbled the ball, constantly cheering on her fellow teammates and bringing positive energy to the court. 

Fellow co-captain Sally Yu ’20 also stood out as her quick movement created numerous passing lanes for her teammates. Though Kent was up in the first quarter, they were then down in the second. But they then tied it up in the third, and the girls were eventually able to get the points necessary to clinch the win with a score of 15-13.

Following their win, Coach Parsons reflects, “It was a great win. It was a little hard as we were missing a couple of girls due to illness, but the team just had a blast. You heard a lot of laughing and craziness, but that’s the team in general—they like to have a good time and whether we win or lose they seem to always be happy.” 

With a more inexperienced roster this year, Coach Parsons stresses her priorities as improving the girls’ skills, making sure everyone is having fun, and encouraging positive teamwork. When asked what makes this year’s team stand out, Coach Parsons responds, “There is a lot of laughs. I think that is my favorite part, we laugh a lot during practice and even in games. They just want to have fun. Their basketball skills are improving and that’s important because then they’re having fun and enjoying the game.” 

Co-captain Smith reflects on the team’s goals for the rest of the season. “We’re really happy about our latest and first win. We really want to finish the season off strong and hope to win another game soon.”