Team Preview
Written by: Brandon McIntosh
Last year, Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy was competing against 2A competition traveling as far south as Grangeville for conference games. This season Coach Doug Grant (7th season) will be jumping up a classification to the 3A Intermountain League. Within the new conference, they will be facing tough competition in State Champion Timberlake, not to mention Kellogg, Priest River, and Bonners Ferry.
Assisting with the process, Coach Grant will have two All-League players returning from the 2A level in Mae Alexander and Kelly Ruebke. Even though they are only returning three players, the incoming freshmen look to make an impact and make the team more balanced than a year ago. Sandy Faulkner, Julie Haag, and Imelda Bresee will be hard at work contributing right away.
With these additions, the inside game with flourish with Faulkner, Bresee, and Bartlett. Haag will be providing much needed speed and athleticism off the bench.
With the new conference comes a new approach, a new philosophy. Coach Grant expects more intensity and better ball control. The defense will need to fly around and create more ball pressure. The team speed and being able to be multi-dimensional in scoring will force teams to play defense on more than just two players this season.
“In the IML, everyone is playing for 2nd place with Timberlake returning so many from their title last year,” explains Coach Grant. “Being the new kids on the block, every game is going to be important this season.”
With an abundance of change, Coach Grant and team are ready for this challenge and all the opportunities that are presented. They will be looking to make the most of everything and see how it all plays out over the course of the season.
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