Transitioning from a Junior Varsity team to a Varsity team can be difficult for some high school athletes—players have to adjust to faster play and bigger, stronger opponents. While some fall short, Walpole High School sophomore Julie Moser has made the transition look easy.
Moser has not only grown enough as a player to keep up with the older, more experienced players, but has also earned herself a starting spot on the girls basketball team at WHS and often finds herself in the point guard position. Although she is not known for putting up large numbers for the Rebels, she often ends games with a high number of assists and solid defensive play. Despite her small size, Moser is able to find her teammates under the basket time and time again and allows others the ability to finish. Senior Captain Lauren Bodin said, “Julie has really stepped up this season for us, there’s a lot of pressure on her to do well when she’s still really young, and she’s learning and growing every game.”
Starting her high school career as a JV member her freshman year, Moser was also pulled up to practice and dress for varsity games as a tournament team member at the end of her freshman season. Being just a sophomore this year, Moser was originally nervous about making the jump up to varsity, and attributes her success so far with the team to her teammates. Moser said, “The team has been so supportive—they help me get better every time I step on the court, whether it’s giving me pointers or just picking me up when I’m down.”
Outside of the high school basketball season, Moser continues to work and improve on her game year round as a member of the Massachusetts Ducks. Having played for the AAU team for six years, she is no stranger to playing at a highly competitive level. She said, “Over the years, my team has faced some of the strongest competition on the East Coast and I have become accustomed to playing at a faster pace against stronger teams.”
On top of excelling at basketball, Moser also plays soccer and softball for WHS. She made tournament team this past fall as a sophomore for soccer and was called up as a freshman for tournament team for softball. Moser is also a strong student, as she takes all honors-level classes.
Moser considers herself to be a hard working, team player—which she has proven with her performance so far this season. Moser said, “This year I hope to be a leader on the floor and be someone my teammates can count on to make them work hard and get better every day. I hope to continue working on my skills and hopefully contribute to a winning season for my team.” Moser’s experience this year will prove to be vital for the success of the future of the team—being the only non-senior guard on this year’s team, the Walpole High Girls basketball team will rely on Moser for her leadership and experience for the remainder of her high school career.
