WBB | First Full Practice Filled with Excitement for 2021-22 Season
9/30/2021 11:59:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MORAGA, Calif. – The excitement and energy in the air were palpable at University Credit Union Pavilion on Wednesday as the Saint Mary's Women's Basketball Team held their first full practice of the 2021-22 season.
The Gaels will tip off the regular season on November 10 at the University of Nevada and open their home slate of games on November 20 against Western Michigan. This time of the year invokes a sense of anticipation and renewal as the regiment of practices start up again for those who have been through it before.
"It's like Christmas Eve," Head Coach Paul Thomas said. "Practice planning was great this morning, it's a fun time. The key is to have this type of energy that you can feel in here today as long as you possibly can. Successful teams sustain this energy and have the same excitement in January and February as you do on September 29."
The anticipation is especially high for the seniors on the squad who have experienced all of the stages of a college season in their career.
"My favorite part of getting practices going is probably just counting down the weeks until we get to play," said senior Brianna Simonich. "I love the excitement of getting ready to play and getting everyone on the same page to go out there and set the tone for the season."
It's six weeks until the opener on that countdown for the Gaels. Forty-two days exactly from Wednesday's first practice until they tip off the regular season. This year the seniors on the team know they are truly counting down to their final season as collegiate players.
"It's nice knowing that this is our last year, because last year was up in the air on knowing if a game was our last game somewhere or not," Simonich added. "We can go into the year with the mindset of it being our last year of playing college basketball, so let's make it our best year and go get a bunch of wins."
Playing last season in front of cardboard cut outs amidst the looming specter of a deadly pandemic, all while adhering to COVID-19 prevention protocols, was far from an ideal way to play a college basketball season. But the resilience shown by the players and coaching staff have allowed them to take some lessons from that time they can apply as they move forward.
"Last year showed what you can accomplish as a group is incredible," Coach Thomas said. "Not only do you rely on each other and need your teammates on the court in order to play well, last year you needed your teammates to be able to play at all. If one or two players went off and did something rogue and it led to a positive test for COVID, that effected the entire team. Hopefully that lesson carries over, that we are so dependent on one another on and off the court. We did not have a COVID pause caused by us, and we can take a great deal of pride in that."
That sentiment of needing the whole team to be successful this year was echoed by two sophomores ready to play a bigger part this season.
"For us it's going to be about coming together as group and competing," sophomore Tayla Dalton said. "We've got to lock in early and execute the awesome plan our coaches put together for us. And I think for myself I've got a bit of work to do. I'm not the baby on the team anymore, so I've got to use that experience from last year and be a more of a leader this year."
Walnut Creek native and Carondelet High product Ali Bamberger had to sit out last year after a knee injury suffered while a member of the Washington Huskies required two surgeries and a 16-month recovery. She's ready to be a part of roster that plans to take advantage of its strength in numbers this season.
"We're very deep this year," Bamberger noted. "We try to get every single player involved. For us to get wins it's going to take everybody, not just the five starters. Because we are so deep we have to learn to play together with all of us as a team. I'd say the rehab process last year taught me perseverance that I wouldn't have been able to learn without it. It makes you hungry. Being away from the game for so long makes you excited to play."
Bamberger's father Eric played for the Men's Basketball Team at SMC from 1988-92, earning All-WCC honors in 1991 and 1992, and is one of 31 Gaels players to score 1,000 points in program history. She's excited to follow in her father's footsteps and play close to home again.
"It's very fun," Bamberger said. "My dad and I have jokes going on about wanting to break some of his career highs in points or rebounds. He was a legend here so it will be hard, but that part of it is fun. I played four NCS Championships here and being able to bring my family to games is awesome."
The team will host their fourth annual Meet the Gaels Dinner on October 24 at the Soda Center. The event will kick off at 4:00 p.m. and tickets can be purchased on the Meet the Gaels RSVP link. The event will feature prize drawing baskets, a live auction, and dessert auction all benefiting the Women's Basketball program.
#GaelsRise – Join the women's basketball waitlist HERE to receive 2021-22 season ticket information!
The Gaels will tip off the regular season on November 10 at the University of Nevada and open their home slate of games on November 20 against Western Michigan. This time of the year invokes a sense of anticipation and renewal as the regiment of practices start up again for those who have been through it before.
"It's like Christmas Eve," Head Coach Paul Thomas said. "Practice planning was great this morning, it's a fun time. The key is to have this type of energy that you can feel in here today as long as you possibly can. Successful teams sustain this energy and have the same excitement in January and February as you do on September 29."
The anticipation is especially high for the seniors on the squad who have experienced all of the stages of a college season in their career.
"My favorite part of getting practices going is probably just counting down the weeks until we get to play," said senior Brianna Simonich. "I love the excitement of getting ready to play and getting everyone on the same page to go out there and set the tone for the season."
It's six weeks until the opener on that countdown for the Gaels. Forty-two days exactly from Wednesday's first practice until they tip off the regular season. This year the seniors on the team know they are truly counting down to their final season as collegiate players.
"It's nice knowing that this is our last year, because last year was up in the air on knowing if a game was our last game somewhere or not," Simonich added. "We can go into the year with the mindset of it being our last year of playing college basketball, so let's make it our best year and go get a bunch of wins."
Playing last season in front of cardboard cut outs amidst the looming specter of a deadly pandemic, all while adhering to COVID-19 prevention protocols, was far from an ideal way to play a college basketball season. But the resilience shown by the players and coaching staff have allowed them to take some lessons from that time they can apply as they move forward.
"Last year showed what you can accomplish as a group is incredible," Coach Thomas said. "Not only do you rely on each other and need your teammates on the court in order to play well, last year you needed your teammates to be able to play at all. If one or two players went off and did something rogue and it led to a positive test for COVID, that effected the entire team. Hopefully that lesson carries over, that we are so dependent on one another on and off the court. We did not have a COVID pause caused by us, and we can take a great deal of pride in that."
That sentiment of needing the whole team to be successful this year was echoed by two sophomores ready to play a bigger part this season.
"For us it's going to be about coming together as group and competing," sophomore Tayla Dalton said. "We've got to lock in early and execute the awesome plan our coaches put together for us. And I think for myself I've got a bit of work to do. I'm not the baby on the team anymore, so I've got to use that experience from last year and be a more of a leader this year."
Walnut Creek native and Carondelet High product Ali Bamberger had to sit out last year after a knee injury suffered while a member of the Washington Huskies required two surgeries and a 16-month recovery. She's ready to be a part of roster that plans to take advantage of its strength in numbers this season.
"We're very deep this year," Bamberger noted. "We try to get every single player involved. For us to get wins it's going to take everybody, not just the five starters. Because we are so deep we have to learn to play together with all of us as a team. I'd say the rehab process last year taught me perseverance that I wouldn't have been able to learn without it. It makes you hungry. Being away from the game for so long makes you excited to play."
Bamberger's father Eric played for the Men's Basketball Team at SMC from 1988-92, earning All-WCC honors in 1991 and 1992, and is one of 31 Gaels players to score 1,000 points in program history. She's excited to follow in her father's footsteps and play close to home again.
"It's very fun," Bamberger said. "My dad and I have jokes going on about wanting to break some of his career highs in points or rebounds. He was a legend here so it will be hard, but that part of it is fun. I played four NCS Championships here and being able to bring my family to games is awesome."
The team will host their fourth annual Meet the Gaels Dinner on October 24 at the Soda Center. The event will kick off at 4:00 p.m. and tickets can be purchased on the Meet the Gaels RSVP link. The event will feature prize drawing baskets, a live auction, and dessert auction all benefiting the Women's Basketball program.
#GaelsRise – Join the women's basketball waitlist HERE to receive 2021-22 season ticket information!
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