By Jayson Henderson

JD Lane, coach of the 7th grade girls’ basketball team at Clay Center, emphasizes skill development and teamwork as the primary goals for the season. With a small roster and varying experience levels, the focus is on building foundational skills rather than tallying wins and losses.

“Some kids have never played organized basketball before, and some have played for a couple of years,” Lane said.

“Really, our goals are to try to focus on each kid getting better with their fundamental skills: being a better ball handler, better passer, better teammate.”

He added, “It’s more important about developing the players as basketball players and as teammates and really to learn and enjoy the game.”

A Balanced Team Approach

With only 11 players on the roster, Lane ensures everyone gets significant playing time. “They’re all first-year school basketball players,” he explained.

“All 11 kids play in pretty much every game. We have A games and B games most every night, and with that limited number, they all get six quarters of playing time almost every night.”

Lane emphasized the team’s diversity in player size, noting,

“I’ve got one girl that’s maybe 4 feet 6 inches tall and another that’s almost 6 feet tall.”

However, he reiterated that no one player stands out yet, as the focus remains on gaining experience.

Early Start and Busy Schedule

The team began practicing on October 21 and has already played its first two games. “We’ve had 11 practices and our first two games this week,” Lane said.

He highlighted the intensity of their early-season schedule, noting,

“We have almost half of our games in the first two weeks of the season.”

Despite a challenging schedule, Lane sees this as an opportunity.

“Hopefully, we can get good experience and really settle into our routine and just continue to get better each week.”

Commitment and Progress

The team practices at 6:15 a.m., a testament to their dedication.

“That’s tough on 12- and 13-year-olds, but they do a great job of coming in and listening and learning during practice,” Lane said.

He’s optimistic about the team’s growth, saying,

“I’m really excited to see their progress this year as our game season unfolds.”

With a strong focus on development, Lane is confident the team will improve as the season progresses toward the league tournament.