The season is over for the Bow Valley Bobcats junior girls team, and Head Coach Kris Nielsen acknowledges the tremendous leap the team has made.

"I was really impressed with the kids. It wasn't just the progression on the court, but they were a great group of kids overall, and I think that's important too. That culture, the team culture that you build, has gotta be strong and it really was strong this year and that really helps out your program. If you can get the chemistry and the culture, the kids want to come back, they want to keep playing, and at this stage, at this level of basketball, that's one of the most important parts."

The girls came a long way over the course of the season, starting with practices about where the three point line is and what the key is, and ending with the team placing fourth in Rocky View and seventh at Zones. Nielsen is pleased with the improvement, and hopes to come back as coach next year to build on this year.

Although many of the girls won't be returning to the junior team, Nielsen says they will retain a strong core next season plus a strong group coming up from middle school. In the past, this has not been the case for the Bobcats

"One of the problems that we've had at Bow Valley for years is that there's been only one feeder school, so only one team that actually feeds this school."

Nielsen says with new schools opening in Cochrane, that problem could cease. For now, the group will focus on the next two years.

"We'll send up six, and I think all six will be playing on the senior team next year, and the plan, of course, is to take the group and be able to make a run at a provincial title, and I think that's been a pipe dream for a lot of years, but I think it's a real possibility."

 

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