The excitement around the new varsity head coach Nathan Bracy, a teacher and the new varsity basketball coach of the Goffstown Grizzlies is obvious as the girls prepare to begin their winter basketball season. With great expectations, new coach Bracy, who has been with the basketball program at Goffstown High School for almost a decade, takes over as head coach.
Coach Bracy was quick to point out the team’s combination of youthful energy and experience when asked which players would be crucial to its success this season. “We have some returning players that are going to have a big winter.” Senior Meredith Winterburn, will be a crucial offensive force” The coach stressed, “Meredith will need to step up on the offensive end, and I’m confident that she will.” The coach emphasized.
Players to keep an eye on are sophomores Addy Glezjer and Reece Still. Both are anticipated to contribute on both sides of the court and have demonstrated notable growth in the last 12 months. “Reece is going to be an enigma for lots of teams. She is a tough matchup, and we will use her to dictate our offensive game” the coach noted. Senior Peyton Duff, a constant presence in the offseason, and is expected to lead the team with her energy and leadership, while senior Morghan Dodge will set the defensive tone for the team.
The new coach admits that this season will have its share of difficulties, even with the team’s senior leadership. “While we have a lot of seniors, we are a team in transition,” the coach said. The team will probably experience growing pains as a number of younger players take on varsity duties for the first time. But by focusing on future growth, the coach is hopeful about overcoming these obstacles.
The coach said, “Mistakes are going to be made. The question is, how will we respond to mistakes? We must concentrate on keeping getting better at whatever we do in order to achieve long-term progress”. Throughout the season, the coach’s emphasis on perseverance and ongoing growth is anticipated to be an important topic.
As the team embarks on this new chapter, the coach plans to implement a blend of new strategies while maintaining some of the philosophies from the previous coaching era. The team will adopt a more aggressive defensive approach and employ a fast-break offense from the very first day of practice. “We will start with a scripted fast-break offense on day one, which will flow into our half-court reads and base offense,” the coach explained.
Building team chemistry, which is essential for basketball success, is another area that the new coach is very focused on. The coach stated, “We should want to play for each other, not with one another.” Through offseason activities and opportunities to bond both on and off the court, the team has been working on creating a tight-knit unit. “A shared struggle helps to create bonds,” the coach added.
When it comes to discipline, the coach takes a collaborative approach, encouraging the team to set its own standards and hold each other accountable. “We set expectations for each other, and we hold each other to this standard,” the coach said. “If you aren’t meeting the standard that we want, you are actively hurting our team, and that’s not acceptable.”As the new coach settles into the role, building a strong team culture both on and off the court will be essential. Coach Bracy believes that culture is something the players must create, with the coaching staff acting as advisors. “The players create it; coaches just advise it,” the coach said. “We need to decide on our standard and hold each other accountable to achieving that every day.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming season, the coach’s primary goal is to cultivate a culture of growth and resilience. “How do we handle adversity? How do we deal with accomplishing the little things needed to reach our big goals?” the coach asked. These are not just basketball skills, the coach emphasized, but life skills that will help the players succeed beyond the court.
In terms of player development, particularly with younger or less experienced athletes, the coach is focused on giving them as many live reps as possible, both in practice and in games. “It’s important to practice a skill, but if you can’t recreate that in a live setting, you haven’t mastered it,” the coach explained. By incorporating defense and decision-making into drills as early as possible, the coach aims to accelerate the players’ development.
As Goffstown’s new varsity basketball coach embarks on this first season, there’s a sense of excitement and optimism surrounding the program. With a strong group of returning seniors, promising young talent, and a coach focused on long-term growth and team chemistry, the Grizzlies are poised to make significant strides.
