For many years, as most Spartans relax over the holidays between Christmas and New Year’s Day, the Athens Academy Women’s Basketball team has dutifully ventured to various regional tournaments throughout the southeast. This long standing tradition both exposes players to high-caliber competition and offers an exceptional bonding opportunity for teammates and coaches before league play commences.
This year, the team traveled to Tampa. Boarding the bus on December 26 with Coaches Olson and Banks (later joined by Coach Sensing who flew in), the day-long trip began five days of incredible basketball and unforgettable memories. Alongside three action-packed games on the court, the team enjoyed activities like mini-golf, a trip to a college basketball program and late night meals! As a testament to her team commitment, freshman Sally Swann joined the team even while recovering from an ACL injury.
After arriving, the team played in a total of three games where they saw some tough competition and grew as a team. The first game, despite being a tough loss, was hard fought. The girls never gave up and showed perseverance. On the team’s second full day, they took a day off from basketball and watched Florida Gulf Coast University practice. This practice was very informative to players and allowed them to grow watching collegiate players compete with one another. Sally Bullard, the only current senior, shares her experience from visiting FGCU.
