Chemistry holds key for PC
Chemistry is a word coaches often use to describe a team. Successful teams have good chemistry. Unsuccessful teams lack chemistry.
But what does that word, chemistry, even mean?
“The investigation of properties and the ways in which they interact, combine, and change; and the use of these processes to form new substances.”
From a basketball perspective, chemistry comes when individual players set aside their own goals for the betterment of the team. It's a group of people working together for one goal.
Parkers Chapel's girls won the 2A South Regional Tournament on Saturday. They will enter the 2A State Tournament with a 20-4 record.
“Our team chemistry is at an all-time high, right now,” said senior Taylor Fortune. “We are communicating better than ever. It really shows on the defensive end because we're there to step in for each other when someone needs help.”
The Lady Trojans won three games in three days, culminating in a 37-26 triumph over Horatio in the finals. Defense was the key element with players taking turns on the opponents' top offensive threats during the tournament.
Chemistry isn't formed overnight. Fortune, Drue Thomas and Ali Looney are three year starters at the senior high level. All of the Lady Trojans have played together through junior high in multiple sports.
“Our team chemistry is incredible. We are such
a close-knit group,” said Thomas. “Most of us have grown up playing together and the chemistry with everyone on the team is just amazing. Chemistry is so important. You can have such a talented team but if you have poor chemistry you will do nothing with that talent. Our chemistry is one huge factor in how we got to where we are now.”
Thomas and Macie Wood teamed up to finish second in the 2A State Tennis Tournament in doubles. They lost to the champions, PC teammates Bella Frisby and Looney. Rebekah Hardy played Kallie Martin in the conference singles finals. Frisby led the PC golf team to state. Looney led the cross country team. In softball, Thomas is the pitcher with Fortune at catcher.
The Lady Trojans aren’t just teammates in basketball. Teamwork is an everyday process.
“I really do think we have great chemistry on our team. We’ve all played ball together for a long time and have been friends with each other for even longer,” said Looney.
“We are more like sisters than just teammates and that makes a big difference on the court. We encourage and support each other. We can also get on each other if we need to during a game and not have someone get their feelings hurt.
“Our team motto has always been TWW, ‘Together We Win’ and I think it fits this team perfectly. We also started saying “ALL IN” this season and I think it’s obvious that everyone is.”
Parkers Chapel will take on Acorn Tuesday at 10 a.m. in Melbourne. The Lady Trojans will have their hands full against a quality foe.
Win or lose, they vow to do it together … as a team.
“Team chemistry plays a big role on our team. I feel like the team’s chemistry this year has led us to be more successful,” Wood said. “Throughout this year’s basketball season, our team chemistry has been a huge factor to us. We play well together as a team and encourage each other very well. The team’s chemistry has been phenomenal lately especially during the regional tournament. I honestly could not ask for a better basketball team.”