The Lady Indians varsity basketball team had to let go of some aggressive talent last year in graduating seniors like Rayce Rayne and Michelle Givans. But with a new coach at the helm, they’re hoping to rebound into a season with a winning record – something the team has struggled with over the past couple of years.

Coastal Point • Jesse Pryor
First-year girl’s varisity coach John Frye talks to this year’s team. A former basketball coach and teacher from Pennsylvania, Frye plans to bring discipline and experience to the developing Lady Indians.
Head coach John Frye not only walks onto the court with ambition but brings plenty of experience. The retired teacher of 20 years and basketball coach in southeastern Pennsylvania knows a thing or two about the game, and his father, Jack, is assisting the team this year, following up on the work of coach Summer Chorman.

“These girls want to win,” John Frye stated, “and there’s a desire to win. It just needs to be harnessed, and discipline can make that happen.”

The Lady Indians fell well below the .500 line last year, pulling off their only wins against Woodbridge, Lake Forest and Campus Community High School.

“When you only win a few games a year, you have to overcome that attitude that when something goes wrong, saying, ‘Here we go again,’” said John Frye. “To change a losing attitude, you need to win and, in order to do that this year, our team needs to be prepared to do things the right way. We’re going to bring a sense of commitment.”

The girls will open up their season with a tough one on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at Milford, a team that beat the Lady Indians with a combined 64 points in their two meetings last year.

“A lot of teams look at us as an automatic ‘W’ for their team,” said John Frye, “and we want to change that. We’re going to compete this year.”

Each of the players will have plenty of guidance from John and Jack Frye, too, considering they’re working with a squad of less than 10 girls.

“It’s a very small team,” John Frye noted. And a young one at that.

The Lady Indians will stand behind seniors Marnisha Mitchell and Ramsey Reuther, along with Miranda Hooper, who is returning to the court after some time away from basketball. Junior forward Brandi Buchanan should help out the team, along with sophomore Abby Miller. New faces in freshmen Destiny Blake and Kitty Cole may provide a promising future for Indian River, as well.

Although their opening scrimmage against Parkside last week finished with the score against them, there was plenty that Frye was able to observe and, he hopes, correct.

“We came out too fast,” he said. “We came together too late in the second half. But it’s a great teaching tool. Our girls just have to learn the mental aspect of the game. We have talented players, but so do other teams. The girls are going to learn to identify and execute.”

Conditioning will be among John Frye’s concerns with fewer legs to keep fresh on the hardwood. He hopes to initiate an aggressive offense, pushing the ball and placing pressure on the other team.

“You’ve got to be strong offensively,” he emphasized, “but there’s definitely a defensive end to it, too. Our goal is to play .500 basketball, and if we do what we need to, we can achieve that.

“So far, the girls have been great,” he added. “They’ve done everything we’ve asked of them. They’re working hard and coming out on Friday and Saturday practices. If we keep this up, we will be alright. I’d like to compete for our division this year.”

The Lady Indians will travel to Milford on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7:15 p.m. to tip off the season. They’ll follow up on Saturday, Nov. 6, hosting Red Lion Christian Academy at 2:30 p.m.