It’s a lot more difficult to sustain forward momentum when you have to keep hitting the reset button.
But a Greenwood girls basketball team playing for its third coach in as many years feels like it’s well equipped to keep moving ahead.
New coach Justin Bennett knows it can be done, because he’s been in the same position before.
"When I was in high school, I also played for three coaches in four years," Bennett said, "so I know how it feels. But I wanted to remind them of is, ‘Hey, finish what you started.’ We have three seniors who really want to have a great year, some really good girls, and they want to finish what they started."
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Making the transition to Bennett easier is the fact that the roster itself is largely the same. The Woodmen had their share of personnel losses like any other team, with All-County performer Leah Moore among those who graduated, but those who are back are comfortable with each other.
"Staying with the same girls is nice, and that helps out," senior guard Bailee Taft said. "We all know each other, and we know how we like to play."
The Woodmen, who jumped from four wins to 11 last season, have an intriguing mix of older and younger talent. Seniors such as Taft, Kristen Whobrey and Sarah DeCastro — who returns to Greenwood after spending last year at Whiteland — combine with underclassmen like Brooklyn Stubblefield, who saw a good deal of varsity action as a freshman, to form a group that has Bennett eager to get the season started.
"We’re not going to be very tall, so we’re going to have to be scrappy," the coach said. "We’re going to get after people a little bit so we can try to create some offense out of our defense."
DeCastro views playing in yet another new system as a positive.
"You learn from different coaches," she said. "They’re all different. You just have to keep up with each one of them and how they want to play, but you learn from each of them."
In addition to bringing a new system, Bennett seems to have injected some more life into the Woodmen with his personality. Having been in their shoes, he’s done his best to ease the transition for everybody, and it seems to be working thus far.
"He has a great energy, and that’s translated to all of us," Taft said. "He gives us confidence."
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Coach: Justin Bennett
Last season: 11-13, lost to Martinsville in sectional semifinal
Top returnees: Bailee Taft and Kristen Whobrey, seniors; Ashley Buster, junior; Jenna Sawyer and Brooklyn Stubblefield, sophomores
Key newcomers: Sarah DeCastro, senior; Kyra Adkins, junior; Kiley Hankenoff, sophomore; Quinn Kelley and Anna Pritchett, freshmen
What to expect: The Woodmen made a big jump in wins after a coaching change last season and hope to do the same under Bennett, previously the boys coach at International. There are some key holes to fill but plenty of experienced players back to fill them, led by longtime point guard Taft. Like many girls teams in the county, Greenwood doesn’t have a lot of size, so it’s likely going to rely more on an up-tempo style and some pressure defense to level the playing field. If the youngsters can get up to speed quickly, this should still be a pretty competitive outfit.
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Which gym is your favorite — or least favorite — to play in, and why?
"I like playing in our gym a lot. My least favorite would probably be Center Grove, I’m not going to lie — just because they’re our rival. I actually like Franklin. We’ve played county there a few times and sectionals, and I like their gym; I like the atmosphere."
Which team not on your schedule would you most want to play?
"I would like Franklin Central; I’ve always said that. Because we’ve never played them, and they’re so close. But they’re in our sectional, so we could potentially play them."
Which player that we might not know about is likely to have a breakout season?
"There’s quite a few, actually. There’s a lot of young players. There’s a freshman, Quinn (), who, we’re very small, but she’s our biggest girl, but I think she’s going to help. I think some of our guards … I think Ashley Buster is going to help a lot."
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