With the upcoming winter season the Walpole Girls basketball program has a bright future ahead of them. The team hopes to beat last year’s hard earned record of 13-6 which should be an attainable goal considering the talent that their team will have to offer. The varsity team will be led by Coach Stacy Bilodeau, assistant coach Marion Houser, and senior captains Lauren Bodin and Bridget Nicholson. Nicholson said, “I feel like we will have a very strong team this year so I hope to improve our record from last year and make it to the state tournament.” Although the team lost five key seniors, they do have experience due to the returning players from last year.

There are some but few weaknesses of the team. Losing five seniors, Adrianna Frattasio, Steph DeSantis, Suzy Gallivan, Michaela Brown, and  Shannon Cullen, will make an impact on this year’s team. Out of these players, four are guards and one is a strong post player, so it is likely to hurt the girls’ team, but as in every sport, saying goodbye to seniors is something all have to do at some point. Coach Bilodeau said, “The league has been strong the past few years so it is every team for themselves and we are going to have to take it game by game this season.” The team will have to work harder this year than in past years to adjust to the differences of the new team.

Strengths of the 2012-13 season vary and will hopefully leave the team with an improved record from last year. A returning sophomore, Summer King said, “I think this year we will have a good, well rounded team with great shooters, guards, and posts who all know each other well, and because we all know each other, we know each others strengths and weaknesses and how to bring each other up when we are losing.”  As a freshman last season, King was a starter, lead scorer, and powerhouse under the basket. Now with more experience, she is bound to help bring the team to victory along with her fellow teammates and four returning senior players. Bilodeau said, “[The team has] a strong group of returners back this year which should allow [us] to play many defensive sets.”  As the winter approaches, the Walpole Girls basketball program hopes to prove they are a force to be reckoned with on the court.