As we are finishing up another Lady Trojan Basketball season, the team is generally young. Despite this, four seniors are finishing out their last season this year. Suttyn Douglas, Abigail Pearson, Charlotte Knoph, and Elliana Smith have been part of Trojan Basketball for all four years and will leave a lasting impact on the team. Here is what they have to say about their final season.
Suttyn Douglas, a four-year member playing post this year, is wearing number #22, and she has become the player she is today by getting in the weight room and putting in the work on her own time, as well as in the offseason. Her favorite part of Lady Trojan Basketball is her teammates and the culture of the team. Her favorite memories are the team dinners and summer league games, and her goals for this season are to win the Sterling tournament and win the league! Lastly, when asked what advice she would give to underclassmen that she wishes she had known, she said, “It does get easier, just don’t give up and keep showing up with a good attitude. Also, giving your best effort goes a long way.”
Abigail Pearson, a four-year member playing both guard and post this year, is wearing #33, and she has become the player she is today by playing every opportunity she gets, learning from her mistakes, and using them to improve, all while consistently practicing. Her favorite part of Lady Trojan Basketball is building bonds with her teammates during and outside of practice. Another thing she loves is celebrating victories in the locker room, especially after a big game. Her goals this year, along with the rest of the team, are to win the Sterling tournament and make it state-bound! Lastly, when asked what advice she would give to underclassmen that she wishes she had known, she said, “I would tell them to learn as much as they can, and ask questions if they don’t understand something. Also, I would tell them to play with confidence and trust themselves in all aspects of the game.”
Charlotte Knopf, a four-year member playing post this year, is wearing number #44 and has become the player she is today by getting in the weight room, working hard in the summer, and listening to her coaches and applying their directions to the best of her abilities. Charlotte’s favorite part of Lady Trojan Basketball is the team. She loves how supportive and fun her teammates are. Showing her true love for her teammates, she would say her favorite memory is when Elliana, another senior for the Trojans, made a varsity three-pointer. Her goal for this season is to help out the team the best she can by doing her job to the best of her ability. When asked what advice she would give to underclassmen that she wishes she had known, she said, “Some advice that I would give underclassmen would be to stick with it. Basketball season is long, but I’ve learned a lot, and I would say it’s worth it. I’m glad I stuck with it.”
Elliana Smith, a four-year member playing both guard and post this year, is wearing #31, and she has become the player she is today by learning to the best of her ability since she began playing in her freshman year. Her favorite part of Lady Trojan Basketball is the people on the team. Her favorite memory of her high school career is when she hit a 3 three-pointer in the Varsity game her freshman year. Her goals for the season are to be a good teammate and to help her teammates out. Lastly, when asked what advice she would give to underclassmen that she wishes she had known, she said, “Sometimes the season will be hard, but don’t let that bring you down.”
These four seniors have been members of the team since their freshman year and have been great leaders for the girls. Whether it’s giving a ride, staying after practice, or picking people up, these seniors have hit the nail on the head with the teammates they are. Thank you, seniors.
