As the year is coming to an end, so is the 2017 basketball season where the team will finish up the year with a winter roundball tournament beginning December 26. Even with having to adapt to new head coaches again, our Lady Dukes are starting off pretty strong with current record of 7-2.

Although new to the York basketball family, coach Brandon Collings and coach Samantha Arnold are already making a positive impact on the team and have proven that this isn’t their first rodeo.

“Our new coach knows what he’s doing and will be good at building our program in the future,” senior Lauren Kjome said.

Coaching is always important when building a team’s future, and the team seems eager to learn. The coaches are taking advantage of the long season and making sure the team’s skills and techniques reach their potential.

“So far practice has mostly been focused on us continuing to learn the new offense we put it in to start the season, and working on our defensive skills [help side, on ball defense etcetera,]” senior Madison Park said. “I’m excited for practice moving forward because it’s going to be focused less on the basics, and more on fun and competitive drills.”

Although it is a long season, it gives the team lots of time to spend together during practice and games. But the real team bonding comes from the pasta parties that are held the night before each game to carb up, giving them energy to play and win.

“We have pasta parties before games which builds our team chemistry and for the most part, we all have pretty outgoing personalities which helps,” senior Hailey Walker said. “Also, a lot of us have been playing with each other for many years so we are all good friends.”

Lady Dukes playing rival team, Lyons Township.