“Who wants to play?” This question was asked many times before the FHS Girls’ Basketball season started. Some laughed, some shrugged and others asked “Why should I?” Head Coach John Kaercher seemed frustrated with having to ask and, at times, convince girls to play basketball this season. In his fifth year, he has found the answer to the question “Who wants to play?”

Senior Mackenzie Moldovan, juniors Alexis Ball, Siarra Corfield and Bailey Prell, Lanijha Mitchell, sophomores Alexsia Barlamas, Marydeth Feits, Taylor Greene and Chloe Keller and freshmen Myah Hrinko, Morgan Swab and Ella Walden want to play. This team of 12 girls are playing basketball. They are representing more than a record of wins or loses. They are representing more than personal goals. They are representing the cliché for “the love of the game.”

The girls’ basketball team doesn’t have a winning record, but there have been near wins. On Dec. 15, 2016, Fort Cherry pulled out an upset in the final seconds. There have been tough losses, such as Central Valley 80-15. However, this team has been given compliments on their efforts.
“We never give up,” Kaercher said. “No matter how lopsided our losses have been this year, there is no quit in the team.”

In fact, after one of their losses, the gentleman who announced the C.J. Betters Holiday Classic game spoke to the team. He said he was impressed that they never gave up, never got frustrated and played to the final whistle. The announcer didn’t leave his name, but left them with encouragement for their young team. He told them to continue to work hard and good things will happen.

The very next day, Dec. 30, 2016, the Freedom girls won against Aliquippa. Freedom was losing early in the game, but was able to go into halftime with the lead.

“The second half was back and forth but our girls dug in and found a way to create crucial turnovers and convert them into points,” Kaercher said. Freedom won 58-53. Several games that followed were lost.

The team practices on the days that they don’t have games. They are working on fundamentals, learning each other’s tendencies, mastering plays and becoming one unit. This young team, with some upperclassmen having not played basketball since eighth grade, are not quitting. Opponents are faced twice throughout the season. The 3A Section 1 is comprised of experienced teams, such as Quigley Catholic and Mohawk. Accolades are given to winning teams and players. However, the girls’ basketball team is given recognition for a different kind of achievement.
Each player is putting the time in and sacrificing free time, knowing that they may lose a majority of the games. Each girl is showing sportsmanship. Each girl is answering the question, “Who wants to play?” The 2016-2017 girls’ basketball team wants to play.