The 2011-12 basketball season has come to a close for the Attleboro High Lady Bombardiers and with it the four-year varsity careers of senior captains Emily Mayer and Savannah Boyle. The pair walked straight into the varsity squad as freshman on a team that went on to win the Old Colony League title despite only totaling eight regular season wins and even won a playoff game before nearly pulling off a remarkable upset at the #1-seed, Bridegwater-Raynham.
It must have seemed as though the program was about to take off, but instead, a tumultuous four years later, the girls would struggle to win as many games in the rest of their careers as they did in their first season alone. Following their last home game as Attleboro High basketball players, Emily and Savannah graciously answered questions about their four years at Attleboro High, the coaching changes, and their memories from four years as Lady Bombardiers:
How difficult was it as a freshman to walk right on to the varsity team?
S.B.- It was scary at first, but the girls were so easy to get along with, and the team really welcomed me in. The only thing that was difficult was getting used to the fast pace.
E.M.- My goal had always been to make varsity as a freshman, and I became especially motivated during the summer before 8th grade, when Savannah and I were asked to play in a few varsity summer league games. We played pretty good, and at that point, I think we realized that making the team after another year of middle school could be a reality. Going into tryouts, I was definitely nervous, but felt confident that I could hang with the older girls.
What has been the biggest improvement in your game in your four years?
S.B. - My leadership and outside shooting.
E.M. - Season after season, I’ve focused on making quicker decisions: shooting, passing, and moving at a faster pace. While I am by no means the fastest one on the court, I think my decision-making is one of my greatest assets, and I feel confident knowing and anticipating what move I intend to make with the ball.
Your first season was probably the deepest team in recent years and even won a road playoff game at Franklin; did you feel like you would make the playoffs and be successful every year?
S.B. - That was quite a special team. Of course I hoped for the same success each year, but we lost a lot of talent.
E.M. - It felt great to be on a successful team as a freshman, and of course I hoped that the tradition of winning would continue throughout my high school career. However, knowing that the entire team was graduating except for Savannah and me gave us the realistic view that the remaining seasons would definitely become a lot tougher and more challenging…
Since that crop of seniors left the team has struggled, what do you think has been the reason for that?
E.M. - The leadership and experience of those eight seniors were invaluable to our team during my freshman year. They had been playing together since middle school, and each player brought a different strength to the team, whether it was Jenna’s unbelievable quickness or Allie’s height. When they left, there was definitely a lack of experience, and it took time for most of the girls to become accustomed to playing at the varsity level.
What are your thoughts about playing under Coach Riley?
E.M. - I had a great experience playing for Coach Riley for three years. I think he was a dedicated coach, putting all of his time and effort into our program. Each year, he wanted and coached to win, and as a result he would play the girls who were going to be most effective at working towards that goal. I respected his patience with having such an inexperienced team, and I appreciated his commitment as he tried to get the best basketball out of each player.
S.B. - I respect Coach Riley and appreciate everything he has done for me. He always pushed me to strive for the best, and helped me to improve my game.
Were you excited when you heard that Missy Traversi would be taking over the program?
S.B. - Honestly I was nervous at first, but from the minute she introduced herself I could tell she had a serious love for the game and wouldn’t quit until she taught us everything she could, and made us the best we could be.
E.M. - I had heard and known of Coach growing up; playing against her AAU teams and listening to her speak when I was in middle school. I was confident that she would bring an abundance of positive change to our program, and looked forward to working with and learning from her in the upcoming season.
Was it difficult going into your senior year knowing that such a drastic change was being made to the program?
E.M. - At first, I was definitely unsure of what my senior season would be like. It was more the fear of the unknown, and honestly I’m not one for change, but after a few practices I knew everything was going to work out for the best and I became pretty excited to have a new atmosphere around our team.
S.B. - I tend to let things (roll) off my back. My focus was on my game, and what I could do to improve. I just wanted to play the best for my team because that’s all I could control.
What has been the biggest difference between this season under Coach Traversi and the years under Coach Riley?
S.B. - Coach Traversi is more of a strengthening and conditioning coach, but other than that they both love coaching the game of basketball, and would do anything to make us a better player.
Is there a benefit to having a female coach and does it impact on how you relate to them as a coach?
S.B. - Yes, because it’s great to have a female role model to look up to. Also they can understand us more as female athletes.
E.M. - I think that female coaches tend to pay closer attention to team bonds and issues, and work to make sure the girls are positively communicating and interacting. Being able to admire a female role model is also beneficial, as we try to grow into leaders and influential women ourselves.
What were your thoughts when you heard that Bri Hochwarter had been injured during the summer? Do you think that this season would've been a little different if you had Bri on the court?
S.B. - Bri’s a nice girl, good player and a great teammate. You feel for the girl having to miss a whole season. Not once did she let her injury bring her down, instead she worked hard to get better and has always been there to support the team. We could have used her shooting, especially in those close games. Also if we had her I think it would have relieved pressure off our point guards.
E.M. - It was a huge shock finding out that Bri was injured during one of our summer league games. It’s terrible when anyone gets hurt, and of course I felt awful that one of my teammates was going through such a painful experience. Bri was a huge contributor to our team’s offense and scoring column, so we definitely lost a key shooter. As a result, the team had to find other ways to score, and I think a variety of players were able to step up during the season.
When you began you walked onto a team that had a lot of seniors, what have you learned in your four years to be the leaders and captains this season?
E.M. - Our freshman year, the seniors were like big sisters to Savannah and I. They watched out for us, both on and off the court, and were excellent role models. Going into my senior year, I knew I wanted to emulate how those eight seniors behaved and acted. With a young team, I’ve recognized that support and encouragement are of the utmost importance. I’ve worked to lead by example, and hope that my hard work has inspired my teammates to give their all each and every game.
S.B. - I learned to lead by example, always work hard and to never take any play off. Also that the little extra hustle plays make a big difference.
Where do you see the program heading in the future, is it on the right track?
S.B. - If they can get the youth interested in basketball earlier, there is no doubt in my mind that the program will get better.
E.M. - I think that as the years go on, new groups of talent will move up to the high school, and hopefully propel our team to success. I have a little sister in 6th grade, and I’m looking forward to watching her play at the high school in just a few years.
What are your favorite memories from playing at Attleboro?
S.B. - I have so many memories, but my favorite were becoming League Champions my freshman year. Also I won’t forget tying the second best single game performance for AHS with 31 points.
E.M. - Looking back, I know I’ll remember the little things from the past four years: lining up for the national anthem, huddling at center court my freshman year, Coach Riley’s blue bag of candy, hanging my poster on the gym wall, running down the court for warm-ups, the anticipation of hearing my name called in the starting line-up, and even Sunday morning practices. Every year, the team changes and people come and go, but through all of that I’ve always had Savannah, and we experienced the ups and downs of this program together. It’s an unbelievable coincidence that our last game this Wednesday will be played at Durfee High School, which is actually where our high school careers began four years ago. I’m sure it’ll be a “full-circle” moment that I won’t forget.
