Season full of culture, camaraderie and aspirations for success

MariellaVirgillito

As varsity basketball continues its remarkable season, the team’s success, camaraderie, culture and aspirations for the State tournament look brighter and more realistic with every game. 

Varsity has surpassed the previous season’s win total, marking hope for future tournaments, including Districts and State.

Mr. Tom Tvrdy, who is in his third year coaching at Marian, emphasizes the importance of building relationships with the players. 

“My favorite part of this season has been developing relationships with the girls,” Tvrdy said. 

This connection off the court has translated into an encouraging energy and culture on the court. 

The team’s intentional efforts to bond off the court has also fostered a positive atmosphere during games.

“Our success has been the result of playing great defense and using our depth by playing a lot of girls to try and wear down opponents. We play very hard,” Tvrdy said. 

He expressed pride in the team for following the process and putting in the work, emphasizing the understanding that results come after hard work.

Varsity’s assistant coach, Mr. Eric Thompson, in his second year coaching alongside Tvrdy, echoes the sentiment of higher expectations. “We clearly have higher expectations than when I first arrived at Marian. As a person who is really competitive, that is very appealing,” Thompson said.

Coach Thompson is proud of the team’s work ethic, both on and off the court. “We have a lot of girls who are really invested. Specifically, they have done a lot and spent a lot of time in the gym outside of our regular season,” Thompson said.

Reflecting on the progress made, Thompson points out that the team has surpassed the previous season’s win total, marking significant improvement. 

At one point in the season, Varsity was ranked seventh in the Class A polls. Going into the final weeks of the season, they are still in the Top 10. 

Senior Madison Stover has played basketball all four years. 

Highlighting the team’s tight-knit relationships, “[Her] favorite part of this season has been how tight the relationships within [the] team are. The team gets along so well with one another, and everyone is there for each other,” Stover said.

Stover appreciated the Varsity’s closeness, expressing that this team is the most bonded out of her four years. Team bondings and dinners have played a crucial role in strengthening these relationships.

Her favorite memory from Marian basketball was their bus drive to Kearney last year, which created an amazing atmosphere through music and camaraderie.

With aspirations for the State tournament, Stover emphasized the team’s focus “on taking one game at a time and learning from each experience.” 

The team’s commitment to accountability and competitiveness in practice reflects their shared goal of winning.

As Stover approaches the end of her senior year, her biggest goal is clear. “My biggest goal as a senior is to have no regrets. Every game counts, and we need to have a tough and hard working mindset every day,” Stover said.

Crusader basketball has qualified for State 26 times, the last time being in 2011.

With the coaches’ strategic approach and the players’ unity and determination, Marian’s basketball team is poised for success in the upcoming District and State tournaments, fueled by their collective efforts and commitment to excellence on and off the court.