By Genevieve Voigt

Before basketball games could begin, coaches first played a round of musical chairs.

Six coaching changes, including three coaches moving between teams, marked the start of the season. With the changes, both players and coaches were unsure of what to expect.

“People get really attached to the coaches,” junior Rebecca Finley said. “A lot of people play for the coaches, and so making it different makes up a different basketball family.”

Finley played on the C team last year and will play for JV and Varsity this season. Because of the changes, she will have Jay Dieser again.

Coach Jason Lichte has relinquished the junior varsity girls’ team and is now coaching the freshmen boys’ team.

He believes it will be a new experience, and he might even have to coach a little differently.

“I think that it is easier to have a close relationship with girls on the girls’ basketball team faster than with boys,” Lichte said.

Lichte is not the only one changing positions.  After being the coach for JV and varsity boys, Matt Stiles now has the C team boys. Kim Henrichs is no longer coaching.

Dieser is moving up from C team girls to JV girls. Audrey Pope will now coach the girls’ C team. Lindsey Murray is now coaching the C team girls.

For girls returning to play JV and varsity, they will have to adjust to basketball without Lichte. Sophomore Nesreen Iskandrani thinks the dynamic might be a little altered.

“It’ll be different, and we’ll have to change to it because we don’t have Lichte anymore, but I think we’ll be alright,” Iskandrani said.

Some even believe the changes could be beneficial. Shaking up the teams might prove helpful if new coaches bring in new ideas and tactics to the season.

Finley thinks the change could help get the team out of a rut. Last season, the varsity team won three out of 21 games. Different coaches could bring new results.

“We don’t really win a lot of games,” Finley said. “Maybe we just need a different person with a different view on it.”

Despite all the changes, some aspects will always be the same. The competitive spirit of the teams won’t disappear.

Lichte recognizes the determination and desire to succeed in both varsity girls and freshmen boys.

“Both groups of people really want to win,” Lichte said. “They’re very competitive. That won’t change at all.”