Over 50 girls attended basketball tryouts Nov. 14-16, 2023, a large turnout compared to recent years. Everyone who tried out was placed on varsity, JV or JJV.
Of the 14 girls selected to play for the varsity team this year, Kaavya Dubey (’27) is the only Grade 9 athlete. She has been playing basketball for eight years, from a non-competitive team in San Francisco to a competitive team in Seattle.
So far, Dubey said her experience on the team has improved her game substantially.
“I’ve learned a lot from the coaches, and also from playing with other people, I’ve gotten better,” Dubey said. “Some of the ways I’ve improved are moving constantly and making backdoor cuts to get open for my teammates, and defending other people.”
While Dubey said she has developed skills that she is proud of, she also recognized several areas for improvement.
“[My] weakness is hanging onto the ball for too long,” Dubey said. “When I go to the rim, I can get pushed out, and then I get stuck and don’t know what to do,” Dubey said.
Girls varsity basketball co-coach Erik Brucker said Dubey is a positive addition to the team.
“[Dubey] works hard, she has good basketball awareness, and she’s already fitting in so well with our system,” Brucker said.
As the only freshman on the team, Dubey said she finds her position unique, which can be daunting at times.
“It feels kind of like I’m special in a way, but it’s also obviously a little bit intimidating because all of the kids are older than me,” Dubey said. “It can be a lot of pressure to have to play with people I don’t know that well.”
Girls varsity basketball co-coach Laura Brucker said being a member of the varsity basketball team can be both a scary and enriching commitment.
“This year, [the team] have all been very welcoming to Kaavya,” Brucker said. “It can be intimidating to be the only freshman on the varsity team, but the other girls have been really good about creating a really strong community and encouraging everybody to do well and do their best.”
Despite the increased demand in a varsity team, Dubey said her dedication makes it worthwhile.
“I do think it’s worth it to commit to basketball, even though it is a lot of work because I’ve been doing it for so long, and it’s my favorite sport, so it’s something that I really enjoy,” Dubey said.
Moreover, Dubey said she mostly enjoys the spectators’ passion and the opportunities to collaborate with others that the experience brings.
“I like having people coming and watching my games, and actually caring about them, and also, playing with people that I’ve never played before,” Dubey said.
