![Senior guard Tess Allgeyer stands at the top of the key and searches for a play to make. The team makes a point to learn from their losses and improve their strategy each game. “We regularly reflect on our progress and talk about lessons learned from difficult losses, but also the wins. If we continue to get better each day we play, we will be ready [for districts],” Boedecker said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/tess-900x600.jpg)
With the 2019 season already underway, the girls varsity basketball team is pushing players to fill new roles to end the year with a strong finish.
“Our goal is to continue to focus on the regular [season] games we have left so we can then direct our attention on districts and creating a game plan. We are fortunate to have amazing girls that play in our program, and these players regularly step up when we need them to,” head coach Allie Boedecker said.
Shortly into the season, senior guard Tess Allgeyer suffered a concussion that led to a shortage of players on the court that JV players needed to fill.
“[The concussion] throws a curveball into the routine of the team. With this, we are going to have people step up and lead, so a lot of lineups have changed, but everyone has done a really good job in stepping up and doing different jobs,” Allgeyer said.
Sophomore guard Leah Selm has been working to contribute to the team’s effort for districts.
“People have to step up and fill Tess’ role because she was the main point guard [with 257 total points] on the court, and I try to help out and take care of the ball and make plays when I can, but others on the team help out with that as well,” Selm said.
The team uses practices to experiment with the different roles in preparation for district play.
¨There are so many specific reps that we practice over and over again, but for the most part we make the best of [the drills] and try to find some fun in it, which makes it more enjoyable,¨ Allgeyer said.
After starting the season 0-6, the girls have battled back to end with a 9-16 record.
“Ultimately, the girls are the ones that play the game and the ones that have made this season as successful as they have thus far. We have already improved greatly from last season [8-18] and are not done yet. I am proud of how hard the girls have worked this year,” Boedecker said.
The team plans to continue pushing one another through the end of the season and into districts play.
“We knew that a lot of the other teams we play are some tough competition, so we went into games not being defeated, but just ready to play basketball,” Allgeyer said. “Also, I think as the season went on, we really molded as a team, so that made it more exciting to play on the court with everyone.”
![Holding the disc, senior Nathan Thompson waits for an opportunity to pass to senior Timmy Fry. Parkway United’s ultimate frisbee team is made up of students from each of the four Parkway schools. “The one thing I really like about ultimate [frisbee] is the community because it’s so different from any other sport I've been a part of. [My] national teammates are people who we play against in the regular season, so we see each other all the time. It's always fun hanging out with [them],” Thompson said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/C96A6823-1200x800.jpg)
![Senior Josie Grunzinger watches the football game intently from the sidelines on Oct. 18. Grunzinger stood out to the crowd as the only girl on the football team, encouraging other girls who want to play football to take a chance and go for a sport outside of their comfort zone. “If you think you could [play football] and you want to do it, just try it, because all it takes is to actually try it out,” Grunzinger said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Untitled-design-1200x675.png)
![With her arms held high, junior Jenna Rickelman throws the ball across the pool during a girls water polo practice. With hours of practice after school and over the summer, Rickelman saw many improvements in her water polo skills. “When I look at [my] stats, I'm so much better than I was last year,” Rickelman said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Untitled-design-2-.png)
![Putting on his helmet, catcher and senior Tommy Eschbach prepares to get in his primary stance. Despite losing 6-1 against Eureka on April 16, Eschbach didn’t let the tough loss affect his playing or mental health. “It's [so] easy to get caught up in the sport and what you're doing that [after] one bad game or a stretch of games it is hard to remind yourself that your worth as a person isn't directly related to your performance on the field,” Eschbach said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC_0415-1-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Sports organizations have changed lives on and off the field, improving athletes’ muscle strength, reducing their risk of diseases and building energetic work capacity worldwide. However, many student-athletes struggle to balance schoolwork and athletic commitments, hoping to seek more understanding and support from their teachers and coaches. “To lessen mental strain student-athletes [face] and create a healthier, more comfortable lifestyle, there shouldn’t be any homework. I'm already [at school] for eight hours and [homework] creates a bigger load for student-athletes in AP or honors classes,” track and field sprinter and sophomore Lucy Penton said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_0095-1-e1713883278514-1200x847.jpg)
![At the Spring Pep Rally on March 8, boys varsity water poloist and junior Jack Brau stands with the boys water polo team. The group, hoping to include everyone — whether boy or girl, varsity or JV — cheered on the girls water polo team during the sports team runouts. “Even though we all play separate games and have different practices, we like to see ourselves as one big group who represent one water polo [team],” Brau said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_8810-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Looking for an open teammate, freshman Patrick May passes the ball across the court at the Nov. 28 game against Parkway Central. May started in the game against the Colts. ”Growing up, [my parents] always gave me a basketball, [and] we had a basketball hoop outside. I grew up playing [all the time], playing on the [driveway] and shooting hoops with my dad.” May said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/image2-1-1200x801.jpg)
