Women’s Basketball on end-of-season streak
by Beth Walton
Staff Writer

The Albion College’s Women’s basketball coach Annamaire Wyant has a non-conventional way of going about things.

Jocelyn Zappala, Mount Pleasant freshman, will never forget the day her coach came into the locker room with an egg and a tennis ball and dropped both on the floor. “She challenged us. She asked us if we were like the egg that cracked in the face of adversity or the tennis ball that bounces back. It really helped us get our spirits up after a rough start to the season.”

With a 1 and 16 record, the team got off to a disappointing start this season, but with the encouragement of their coach and the continual development of the team, the players have altered the stats with a recent three-game winning streak.

Zappala credits the team’s turn of success to her coach. “She makes us do a lot of drills: communication drills and things that most coaches wouldn’t take advantage of,” she explained.

“Communication is one of the most important aspects of being a part of a team,” Wyant said. “It is the key to get any job done with more efficiency and to get it done right. If you don’t communicate, things don’t get done properly.”

Wyant believes in both physical and mental conditioning. “You practice physical but not many people work on the mental aspect of the game,” she said. These mental exercises are intended to improve the team’s focus and concentration. “We know there will be distractions when we play a game. As a team we need the ability to focus,” said Wyant.

The team tarnished its winning streak with two recent loses to Kalamazoo College and Calvin College. They are, however, not about to let this set them back. “We are nearing the end of the season. Of course our goal is to win more games,” Wyant said. “But also, we want to play the rest of our games as competitors, fighters, and people who will not give up.”

“Our number one goal was to win the MIAA. So we were a little disappointed at first, but our program is getting stronger. We know you have to start small and work your way to the top, and that’s what we are trying to do,” Zappala said.

There are definitely no eggs on this team. It has been a harsh season for the women’s basketball players.

With the combination of intense mental and physical training, the team continues to bounce its way to the top. “They are gaining perspective,” Wyant said. “They have got heart, and they aren’t giving up.”