Girls basketball: Packers turn to a new head coach
Published 7:47 pm Tuesday, November 21, 2017
- First year Austin head coach Eric Zoske speaks to his team after a recent practice in Ove Berven Gym. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
There will be a lot of changes on the court for the Austin girls basketball team this season and it starts at the top. The Packers have turned to a new head coach in Eric Zoske, who was head girls basketball coach in Osceola, Iowa for the previous six years.
Zoske is looking to bring a family atmosphere to the Packers this season.
“I hope ten years from now my bench players will want me at their wedding,” Zoske said. “I just want that personal relationship with the kids. To me that’s the most important thing.”
The Packers are coming off a season where they went 11-15 overall. Austin graduated some key seniors from that team and guards Elyse Hebrink and Colie Justice are going to miss this season with injuries.
Zoske said he wants the team to crank up the tempo and push harder every day.
“The only goal we have is to win each day. Today is the most important day of the year. The games are going to come, but we’ve got to get better each day,” Zoske said. “We need to be as fast as we possibly can. The first good shot needs to go up and we don’t need to pass the ball around 12 times.”
The Austin girls basketball team meets up at center court in Ove Berven Gym after a recent practice. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyheraldcom
Austin senior Emily Hegna said the veteran leaders are ready to take on leadership roles to lead the Packers this season.
“There are a lot of big shoes to fill with Elyse and Colie gone. Not only the seniors, but some of the underclassmen will have to step up too,” Hegna said. “It’s a lot different. The speed of play is a lot faster and we’re getting up and down the court. We need to be quick on transition and get down the court quick.”
Zoske thinks the Packers have leadership in place to have a productive season as Hegna and Paiton Schwab have stepped up as early leaders.
“I really like our leadership with Emily Hegna and Paiton Schwab,” Zoske said. “I think the core of the team is how great your seniors are and they’re wonderful kids and high character kids. Just with them being around, we’re going to have a good year no matter how many wins and losses we have.”
Schwab likes what she’s seen out of Zoske as a head coach so far this season.
“I think he’s going to be a good coach. He puts the team as a family and that’s really important. He’ll not only make us better basketball players, but we’ll be better people as well,” Schwab said. “We have to stay positive and push each other.”
The Packers will open their season against Stewartville in Ove Berven Gym Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m.
