The Gilmer Lady Cats spent another summer getting acquainted with a new head coach.
For Lady Cat seniors, David Dowse is the third head coach during their GHS careers. Dowse was hired in March and met with players of all ages in the program in the spring. In June, he got the opportunity to observe what he has returning to the court for the upcoming season.
“With June, we really wanted to establish a culture and expectation of how we do things, how we practice, what to expect from me and what I expect of them,” Dowse said. “Part of that is individual and collective accountability. I wanted to start to build this relationship with them.
“A focus from day one was just a level of toughness that I don’t feel like they’ve had. It’s a mental toughness and a physical toughness, and it was definitely lacking when we started. I don’t think they realized to what degree, and it’s something I think is really important. We kept harping on it and raising the bar. We made tremendous strides in creating a culture of accountability and toughness.”
Fifteen players routinely showed up for practices and scrimmages throughout the summer, which included a pair of Hwy. 515 transfers. Two new system hires added junior Paula Robertson and sophomore Jace Sanderson to the roster, and both are listed at 5’ 9”.
Robertson arrives from Union County where she was named Class 2A’s most improved player by online publication SandysSpiel.com after averaging 10 points in her first season of varsity action. Sanderson took the court last year for Fannin County.
“They’re two really good players, and we hit a gold mine right there,” Dowse said. “As far as performance this summer, Paula was among the best we had. She’s a lefty, really strong and athletic with a nice skill set. She’s versatile and can play inside and out for us.”
After spending time on the court with the team, Dowse shared his thoughts on the Lady Cats.
“The talent was better than I anticipated,” he said. “But (there are) a lot of the little things too (they accomplished). For instance, are you going to be there and are you going to be on time? Well, they were, and they were there early. They practice hard, and they listen. The culture isn’t necessarily what I wanted it to be, but we made strides in that. But the level of talent and level of commitment was much better than I anticipated.”
The Cats’ summer was split between practice and scrimmages. They were in their home gym through the first eight days before attending an event in Emerson. Scrimmages continued in week three with a camp in Jefferson. GHS wrapped up its summer camp slate in week four with stops in Fannin and Towns counties.
Naturally, the Cats showed improvement over the summer. The first week was spent installing offensive and defensive sets, which were honed over the four weeks.
“We have this thing called ‘the breakfast club.’ So from 7 a.m. to 8:30 or 9 a.m. every morning, that’s just skill work, mostly offensive skill work,” Dowse said. “Then we sent the middle schoolers home and kept the high schoolers for another hour and a half, and we did offensive and defensive install.
“Scrimmages started out slow, and we did respectively well (in that second week). In that third week, we got better. By the fourth week, we were playing the same teams that had beaten us in week two, and we were blowing them out. We beat Lambert (Class 6A) and beat Fannin by 30 at their place. I think we’re going to be pretty good.”
The Cats were shorthanded for the alumni game. Robertson endured an injury recently playing in a travel tournament in Louisville, Ky., according to Dowse. Returning starter and rising junior Chelsey Griggs also did not play. Four of the nine players who took the court will likely suit up with the junior varsity by the time the season arrives.
Plenty of familiar faces were there for the alumni. Recent graduates Beth Burnette and Bailey Teague took the court, as did Callihan sisters Mary Lee, Emma and Elly. Kylie (Smith) Nunn displayed some of the magic she dazzled fans with 15 years ago.
The current Lady Cats were rusty as they were three weeks removed from their summer regimen. The Cats fell behind quickly, and the alumni led 11-7 after the first eight-minute quarter.
Sanderson began the second with her first of three three-pointers in the quarter. Aliza Chastain added two more threes as the alumni went cold, and GHS led 25-12 at the half and 33-22 entering the fourth.
The alumni caught the Cats off guard with a full-court press in the final quarter. They cut the Cats’ lead to 33-29 but never got closer than four points over the final 6:30 of play. The varsity Cats held on for a 42-36 win.
While the Cats’ officially ended summer in June, the alumni game marked the end of their summer activities.
“I’m really happy,” Dowse said of the current state of the program. “I tell the kids all the time, ‘I think I hit a gold mine.’ These are great kids, they’re fun to be around, they work hard, they do what you ask and don’t make excuses.
“The big question for me was if the players were going to let me coach them hard, and if the parents were going to let me coach them hard. The first time I really got on to them a little bit they were taken back a little bit, but they settled in, and they get it. They’re starting to listen to what I’m telling them and not just the tone in which I’m making those critiques with. They’re responding and I love it. I think we’re going to be pretty good. I love our team, and I love these girls. I’m excited and really energized, and I think we have a chance to be really good.”