Entering the 2017-18 basketball season with high expectations and a wealth of experience, the senior Chestermere Lady Lakers have been as good as advertised.
Although the team has dominated the Rocky View Sports Association (RVSA) regular season so far and has been successful in previous tournaments, head coach Jessica Thielen said the team still has some growing to do if it hopes to be a dominant force in Alberta.
“Two games into league play and we’re doing very well, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t had our losses,” Thielen said. “We’re definitely not flying too high, we know that we have a lot of work to do still.”
Having played just two games in RVSA action, the Lady Lakers have proven themselves as the team to beat. So far, the team has knocked off the Cochrane Cobras Dec. 13 and the W.H. Croxford Cavaliers Dec. 19, outscoring its opponents 179-40 in that span.
Despite the Lady Lakers’ strong start, the team has suffered a couple of setbacks against teams at a similar calibre-level. Thielen said those results are also helpful for her team moving forward since the players treat each game like a championship match.
“We make sure that our girls are out there taking the game very seriously, respecting the opponent and getting better at their own (game),” Thielen said. “I don’t ever think any game is a waste of time because anytime we’re on the floor, we’re getting better.”
To qualify for the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association (ASAA) 4A Provincials next spring, the Lady Lakers will have to defeat the defending South Central Zone 4A Girls champion Foothills Falcons.
“We’ve matched up with Foothills a couple of times in tournaments,” Thielen said. “This past time we went into overtime and unfortunately didn’t come out victorious, but it shows you we are neck-and-neck and they are the team to beat for us.”
With 11 Grade 12s on its roster, the Lady Lakers are one of the more experienced teams in the RVSA and has utilized that experience to its advantage throughout the season. The team uses its bench throughout the game and has been able to continue its dominant play with whomever is on the court.
“We have had different girls step up in almost every game and it has been awesome to see,” Thielen said. “The strength of the wolf is in the pack and the strength of the pack is in the wolf.
“Individually, we need to be skilled and strong, but we also need to be skilled and strong as a team.”
The Lady Lakers will take on what might be its biggest challenge in the RVSA, the Springbank Phoenix, when the team returns to action Jan. 9, 2018. The Lady Lakers and Phoenix are the only undefeated teams in the league so far this season.
