Check in each week as senior captain Whitney Ledger gives fans an inside look at the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux women's basketball program as they move through their second year of NCAA Division I transition and their first year of Great West Conference post-season eligibility.
Volume 2: Wednesday, Nov. 11
Hello again! Thank you everyone who was able to make it to our exhibition games against Jamestown and Minnesota, Crookston. Both games were crucial in showing us what we really need to work on. One of these things is learning how to play as a team. We have a lot of new faces this year so this might take some time, but that is what we have been practicing.
For those of you who were at the Crookston game, you may have noticed that Jossy Bergan did not play the second half. She ended up breaking her nose during the game. She now has to wear a protective face mask. The mask, although it protects her nose, inhibits her vision. She cannot look down and see the ball.
In practice today [Wednesday], there was a face mask incident that had the team chuckling. People have asked me how practices are and if coach Roebuck is always intense in them. The answer is that 98 percent of the time, coach is always pretty serious - but he definitely has a lighter side to him as well.
We were working on our half court zone and Jossy was on offense. Somehow, the reversal pass to Joss was deflected by the defense, but managed to land at her feet. It was a scramble for the ball as she blindly searched for it at her feet and the defender tried to steal it. Unfortunately, Joss could not see the ball, so the defense came up with it.
Jossy, frustrated with not being able to see, took the hindering face mask off and tossed it past half court exclaiming, "I am not wearing that, I can't see!" To which coach replied, "Well you better wear it so you don't turn out ugly like me." There was a moment of silence because the team did not know whether it was O.K. to laugh or not. Then coach started to chuckle and we all joined in.
Coach is serious most of the time, but every now and then there is a comment made by him that you just have to laugh at.
As for the game on Friday against Green Bay, we all will be very serious. They beat us last year, but that was on their home court. When they come here, let's pack the Betty and show them what Sioux Pride is all about. Hope to see you all there!
Whitney Ledger #3
- Go Sioux -
