The message on a T-shirt

Several months ago my dad took a trip to San Francisco. He spent the New Year’s holiday touring some of the city’s landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and eating at some of the best restaurants.

My dad also did some shopping. He picked up a yellow Cal cap for my brother and T-shirts for my aunt and baby sister.

He also bought me a shirt, which was the perfect gift.

A basketball is on it with the words “Life begins when the season starts.”

That sums up the last several months. 

Both the Marble Falls High School and Faith Academy girls teams will be in action today.

While the Lady Flames came off a loss, the Lady Mustangs won their season opener against Killeen Shoemaker 53-29 at the Chisholm Trail tournament.

Faith is playing in the Bulverde Bracken tournament today and Saturday. 

The programs are considered the top two in the county, but this season starts with several questions for both teams.

Let’s start with what we know.

Both are led by experienced players who have competed in state tournaments already. Marble Falls has senior point guard Katy Cooke, while Faith Academy has Kendra Field.

Both teams have a handful of players who have varsity experience: Katie Mosher, Diana Fonseca and Lindsay Ansley for Marble Falls and Deanna Hoover, Katie Jung and Laura Lykken for Faith.

Both have coaches who are used to a high level of success. Marble Falls’ Stephanie Gamble has led two teams to the state tournament at Kerrville Tivy, while Jerry English has more than 900 career wins and 13 appearances at the state tournament. 

Here’s what we don’t know:

n how quickly the gap closes between experience and talent.

n how quickly the players adjust to each other’s tendencies and move as one unit.

n how Faith will adjust to the loss of sophomore post Jordan Gray to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. 

Because of the success of the programs the last two years, the players are not ready to relinquish what they have helped build.  

No one is disputing a lot of talent was lost to graduation, including three Division 1-A players and another who signed to play for the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor. 

But most of the athletes practiced against those players who are now suited up for college teams. Most of them were reserves when those squads were making their championship runs.

Faith and Marble Falls each won district titles last year with the Lady Flames winning the last two.

Marble Falls has a three-game winning streak against Pflugerville Connally. The great players of the class of 2004 and 2006 can’t say that. 

Faith has back-to-back state tournament appearances. 

But if anyone knows how to get the most out of their players, it’s Gamble and English. 

And while recording another 30-win season seems improbable, to them nothing is impossible. After all, that’s why you play the game. 

No matter the outcome of the season, one certainty exists. It will be memorable, so life can officially begin again. 

Photo by Jennifer Fierro