Player Profile: Fairfield Lady Lions
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The four sophomores on the Fairfield Lady Lions girls basketball team are a part of a unique situation entering the 2011-12 high school basketball season.
The group of Heather Cox, Shelby Smithson, Cynnamon Sova-Davy and Courtney Hodson will have to grow up in a hurry as they are the upperclassmen on the team.
The Lady Lions have no seniors and no juniors. Not a single one. The Lady Lions consist of the aforementioned sophomores, and the rest are freshmen.
The fact is, though, it doesn't bother this group, because they know what can't hurt them can only make them stronger, and from the looks of things, they are prepared to lead their team this season on the basketball court.
Being in a rare situation where sophomores are the leaders of the team, one of the questions is how did each of them begin playing basketball in the first place?
"I started playing because of my dad," Sova-Davy said. "It's his favorite sport."
"I played at the Y when I was little, so I've probably been playing since I was in the third grade," Cox said.
Both Smithson and Hodson said they each grew up playing in the youth leagues as well. Hodson was even a ball girl for the Lady Lions during her fifth and sixth grade years.
"I've learned a lot from the girls who played the past four years like Penny Holden and Gabby Boone … I've learned so much from all of them, being able to bring that up to this year is really going to help me out," Hodson said.
As is easy to see … not everyone wants to play basketball in Leesburg with there being just 11 players in the program this season, The group of sophomores have stuck it out for a variety of different reasons, one being they like being a part of competition.
"I love the competition," Smithson said. "Being physical on the court is a fun part."
"Same here, especially the aggressiveness," Hodson said. "At the high school level, games are more intense."
Fairfield head coach Matt Hodson talked about his team.
"This group has been through a varsity year," he said. "They've been really good at practice, not horsing around and this is a good group of ladies.
"I've been around them since they were seven and eight years old in softball. They listen, and they lead by example. That's what you need … kids who lead in the classroom and on the court."
The sophomore class isn't headed into the season cold turkey, so to speak, as all four of them were a part of the Lady Lion program last season at either the varsity and reserve levels or both.
Now is their time to be leaders, though it is coming earlier than what most teams have to encounter.
"It's a challenge, but it’s a challenge I'm looking forward to," Cox said. "We've had to step up. We all had some varsity time last year, so that was a good learning experience."
"It will be hard, but we have to do it," Smithson said. "
"We had good leaders last year to learn from," Hodson said. "Megan (Sword) was a good role model for all of us."
"Even though Chelsey (Riddle) was hurt, she was there every practice for us," Cox said. "She would help us a lot."
"We have to keep everyone up and keep everyone going this year," Sova-Davy said.
They spoke about exactly what Megan and Chelsey taught them.
"They taught us to have confidence," Cox said.
"No matter how low the score got, they always had their heads up," Hodson said. "They were always saying we had to keep playing hard, no matter the score."
As they have taken over the leadership role, the student-athletes were asked what, in their opinion, makes a good leader.
"You have to stay positive," Sova-Davy said.
"You have to keep telling the freshmen they can do this," Cox said. "It is difficult to play varsity as a freshman."
"I agree, it is difficult to play varsity as a freshman," Smithson said.
"We kind of had a feeling it was going to be like this during the summer," Hodson said.
"We kind of knew it in the back of the mind it would be us and freshmen, but we didn't want to believe it," Cox said.
More than most teams, the summer and offseason preparation have been very important this season.
More than any year, this group of players will need the support of their community, the community they will represent each time they take the court while wearing the red-and-white of Fairfield High School.
"I love our fans," Cox said.
"Our fans are good," Smithson said.
"We are confident in each other," Hodson said.
"We may not be the biggest team, but small isn't always bad," Cox said.
"We are more like a family than others," Sova-Davy said.
Being so close as a team can't hurt this group, in fact, it is what keeps them together.
"We've been with each other so long, that helps," Smithson said.
"The close-knitness of the team will be big for us this season," Hodson said. "We are open with each other."
As mentioned earlier, the girls did learn many lessons one season ago, and they plan on using those lessons in year two.
"At this level, we know you must be competitive," Cox said. "You have to grow up too because you are facing older girls … we had to do a lot of growing up."
"Don't be shy to go after the ball," Sova-Davy said. "The girls we are facing have a lot more experience."
"You can't be afraid at the varsity level," Smithson said.
"You have to get the ball and got after it harder than the girl you are facing," Hodson said.
How did they grow up on the court last year?
"When we did get varsity time last year, it helped because we knew what we were up against," Sova-Davy said.
"After the first game, we learned a lot," Cox said.
The sectional title the Lady Lions won last season was a great fix for a low-win season. The players said it was a major confidence booster.
"I really don't think anyone thought we could win that game," Cox said. "It was nice to have that win and say we were sectional champs."
With the season close to arrival … what is it about this year they are looking forward to the most?
"I love basketball all year around, so I can't wait to play games," Cox said. "Basketball season is my season, so I love everything about it.
"We are going to be fine. We have the players who want to be here, and we will give it our all this year."
"We want to set the bar high," Sova-Davy said. "We just want to show the team is about everyone because we do have talent on this team."
"We've grown a lot from last year, and we want to win," Smithson said.
"Whether it comes together this year or the next couple years, we do have the talent," Cox said.[[In-content Ad]]
The group of Heather Cox, Shelby Smithson, Cynnamon Sova-Davy and Courtney Hodson will have to grow up in a hurry as they are the upperclassmen on the team.
The Lady Lions have no seniors and no juniors. Not a single one. The Lady Lions consist of the aforementioned sophomores, and the rest are freshmen.
The fact is, though, it doesn't bother this group, because they know what can't hurt them can only make them stronger, and from the looks of things, they are prepared to lead their team this season on the basketball court.
Being in a rare situation where sophomores are the leaders of the team, one of the questions is how did each of them begin playing basketball in the first place?
"I started playing because of my dad," Sova-Davy said. "It's his favorite sport."
"I played at the Y when I was little, so I've probably been playing since I was in the third grade," Cox said.
Both Smithson and Hodson said they each grew up playing in the youth leagues as well. Hodson was even a ball girl for the Lady Lions during her fifth and sixth grade years.
"I've learned a lot from the girls who played the past four years like Penny Holden and Gabby Boone … I've learned so much from all of them, being able to bring that up to this year is really going to help me out," Hodson said.
As is easy to see … not everyone wants to play basketball in Leesburg with there being just 11 players in the program this season, The group of sophomores have stuck it out for a variety of different reasons, one being they like being a part of competition.
"I love the competition," Smithson said. "Being physical on the court is a fun part."
"Same here, especially the aggressiveness," Hodson said. "At the high school level, games are more intense."
Fairfield head coach Matt Hodson talked about his team.
"This group has been through a varsity year," he said. "They've been really good at practice, not horsing around and this is a good group of ladies.
"I've been around them since they were seven and eight years old in softball. They listen, and they lead by example. That's what you need … kids who lead in the classroom and on the court."
The sophomore class isn't headed into the season cold turkey, so to speak, as all four of them were a part of the Lady Lion program last season at either the varsity and reserve levels or both.
Now is their time to be leaders, though it is coming earlier than what most teams have to encounter.
"It's a challenge, but it’s a challenge I'm looking forward to," Cox said. "We've had to step up. We all had some varsity time last year, so that was a good learning experience."
"It will be hard, but we have to do it," Smithson said. "
"We had good leaders last year to learn from," Hodson said. "Megan (Sword) was a good role model for all of us."
"Even though Chelsey (Riddle) was hurt, she was there every practice for us," Cox said. "She would help us a lot."
"We have to keep everyone up and keep everyone going this year," Sova-Davy said.
They spoke about exactly what Megan and Chelsey taught them.
"They taught us to have confidence," Cox said.
"No matter how low the score got, they always had their heads up," Hodson said. "They were always saying we had to keep playing hard, no matter the score."
As they have taken over the leadership role, the student-athletes were asked what, in their opinion, makes a good leader.
"You have to stay positive," Sova-Davy said.
"You have to keep telling the freshmen they can do this," Cox said. "It is difficult to play varsity as a freshman."
"I agree, it is difficult to play varsity as a freshman," Smithson said.
"We kind of had a feeling it was going to be like this during the summer," Hodson said.
"We kind of knew it in the back of the mind it would be us and freshmen, but we didn't want to believe it," Cox said.
More than most teams, the summer and offseason preparation have been very important this season.
More than any year, this group of players will need the support of their community, the community they will represent each time they take the court while wearing the red-and-white of Fairfield High School.
"I love our fans," Cox said.
"Our fans are good," Smithson said.
"We are confident in each other," Hodson said.
"We may not be the biggest team, but small isn't always bad," Cox said.
"We are more like a family than others," Sova-Davy said.
Being so close as a team can't hurt this group, in fact, it is what keeps them together.
"We've been with each other so long, that helps," Smithson said.
"The close-knitness of the team will be big for us this season," Hodson said. "We are open with each other."
As mentioned earlier, the girls did learn many lessons one season ago, and they plan on using those lessons in year two.
"At this level, we know you must be competitive," Cox said. "You have to grow up too because you are facing older girls … we had to do a lot of growing up."
"Don't be shy to go after the ball," Sova-Davy said. "The girls we are facing have a lot more experience."
"You can't be afraid at the varsity level," Smithson said.
"You have to get the ball and got after it harder than the girl you are facing," Hodson said.
How did they grow up on the court last year?
"When we did get varsity time last year, it helped because we knew what we were up against," Sova-Davy said.
"After the first game, we learned a lot," Cox said.
The sectional title the Lady Lions won last season was a great fix for a low-win season. The players said it was a major confidence booster.
"I really don't think anyone thought we could win that game," Cox said. "It was nice to have that win and say we were sectional champs."
With the season close to arrival … what is it about this year they are looking forward to the most?
"I love basketball all year around, so I can't wait to play games," Cox said. "Basketball season is my season, so I love everything about it.
"We are going to be fine. We have the players who want to be here, and we will give it our all this year."
"We want to set the bar high," Sova-Davy said. "We just want to show the team is about everyone because we do have talent on this team."
"We've grown a lot from last year, and we want to win," Smithson said.
"Whether it comes together this year or the next couple years, we do have the talent," Cox said.[[In-content Ad]]