If someone knows anything about the Hoosier state, they would know that the culture of basketball is woven deep within Indiana roots.
At SHS, the tradition is carried on.
This year, the girls basketball team has a new head coach, and they have high hopes for a successful season. With a new coach comes a fresh perspective and new opportunities.
“I absolutely love it here at Southport,” head coach Larry Williams said. “It’s been a great start so far.”
Although he is new to SHS, Williams is certainly not new to the game or coaching.
He has been coaching high school basketball for many years and is passionate about the game.
“I’ve been coaching for the last 25 years now. I was at Beech Grove for 20 years and at Franklin for the last 5 years,” Williams said.
For as long as he can remember, basketball has been a huge part of his life. His passion began when he was just a young boy.
As he grew older, Williams realized that his passion for basketball never seemed to fade, so he decided to make a career out of it.
“It’s something I’ve always loved since I was a little kid. When I was younger, I woke up thinking about basketball all the time,” Williams said.
The girls notice that Williams is already making an impact on the team and their development on and off the court. As a team, they are excited to see what the future holds.
“I like him. He’s a good guy,” senior Kaniah Davis-Muff said. “I think he has helped us find ourselves and who we are as players.”
Last season, the Lady Cards came up short with an overall record of 3-19.
Williams is determined to end the season with a more successful record this year. He would like to win at least half of the games this season.
“My overall goal for the season is for us to finish around .500. I would love to win the conference, and I want to compete for a sectional championship,” Williams said.
As for the team, they already see many improvements in their performance on game days compared to previous seasons.
Their mid-season record is currently 6-4. This is already a huge improvement from last season considering that the record was 1-9 after playing ten games.
The girls are confident that their team is finally moving in the right direction.
“We’ve been winning a lot more games this season, so the team has definitely gotten better,” Davis-Muff said.
Williams is determined to change the culture of basketball at SHS and brighten their future.
He sees the players putting in hard work and can tell that it is paying off. He believes that they can go far this season.
“I’m very happy with the team so far. The girls are buying in, and they’re working hard,” Williams said. “I love working with the kids, and I love the game.”
