The Bakersfield College women’s basketball team is ready and anxious to start playing. The team had a grueling summer of conditioning and is still practicing hard in preparation for the new season and the team’s opener, which will be hosted at Bakersfield College. The first matchup for Coach Dahl and the BC women’s team will be against Santa Barbara at 3 p.m. on Nov. 1 in the Gil Bishop Gymnasium.
“This year’s team is one of the most unique teams I have ever coached,” said Coach Dahl when asked what her views on the team as a whole are. She continued by saying, “The team is really going to run how I want it to run, and our defense is going to be locked down. The women are really easy to coach and make it very easy to give directions to.”
The team roster consists of Alex Green, Emily Esnoz, Ally Garcia, Claesey Tarver, Khiylah Dean, Marissa Jones, Haley Plaza, Rosebrooke Hunt, Yoemma Esparza, Melissa Duggins, Nakia Page, Mac Kaiela Tyler, Julia DeLaRosa; and redshirted players, Alexus Bryant and Ashley Hooper.
“The tenacity that the players have and desire to play as a team is impressive,” said Dahl.
The coaching staff consists of Coach Dahl and her two assistants, Jill Adams and Autumn Nichols. “I feel really blessed to have my coaching staff and the team that I have,” said Dahl.
Returning players, like Page, are a force to be reckoned with. Page finished the 2013-14 season with impressive stats including being named the Western State Conference Player of the Week, in week number four.
Also returning, are Hunt, DeLaRosa, Tarver and Dean. “We have got an outstanding sophomore class and the biggest thing that we have is two point guards that we didn’t have last year,” Dahl said while contemplating the difference from the athletes in a year.
“We have some great kids that really take leadership on the floor, and take control of it. Having the ability to get the ball into our post, really get the ball up the floor, and their work ethic is just fantastic. They are really great leaders and that’s what makes the difference. You got to have people that will take control on the floor.”
The goal for the team, among the goal to be the best in the Western State Conference, is to “run,” as Dhal said, “We want to run, run, run, and run some more. We want to make people’s lives miserable with our defense.”
“The goal is always to go deep into playoffs,” Dahl said.
Last season, the team finished third in the WSC, with the record 7-5 and finished 14-13 overall, which left the team very close to making the playoffs.
The level of competitiveness is outrageous, especially in the WSC, and as Dahl said, she doesn’t want to underestimate anyone. “Our conference is extremely competitive, and so we won’t overlook anyone,” Dahl said.
The biggest thing that Coach Dahl focuses on in every aspect, especially in the formation in the team, is the relationships that people have with one another. “Relationships are the key to everything. I love seeing the women come together as a team,” Dahl said. “Seeing them getting what we are trying to do, I absolutely love that.”
“We need to acknowledge the good things people do,” Dahl said while explaining her coach ethics and general guidelines for life. “That’s the goal. That’s the goal in my health class and everything that I do. People need to recognize that relationships are the most important thing that we have, and we need to stop taking it for granted and really appreciate the people we work with.”
The first game will be followed by the BC Crossover Tournament that will be held in the Gil Bishop Gymnasium on Nov. 7 and 8 with the BC vs. Taft game at noon on Nov. 7, and at 2 p.m. Reedly vs. Rio Hondo. On Nov. 8 at 3 p.m. will be Taft vs. Rio Hondo, and the closing game of the tournament will be BC vs. Reedly with the matchup at 5 p.m.