Lady Rams Players Say Strong Team Chemistry Vital to Their Success

One could feel the energy of the Wilbur Wright Lady Rams as soon as you walked through the doors to their official 2022-23 media day, which was held October 26 in Wright College's gymnasium.

The team's vibes were riding high, as they prepared for their Nov. 10 season home opener against the College of Lake County. The team's energy could be felt at media day, with the Lady Rams blasting their favorite songs on the stereo and having photoshoots complete with a smoke machine for their individual and team photos.

Individual picture during their time at media day

Team chemistry continued to be a common theme when the players and coaches were asked questions about this upcoming season.

“This group of girls are very competitive, they are able to flip the switch and change the whole game by the way they can come out and play so strong. I can sense the work they put in, and I have no reason to believe that won't transfer to the first game. The work that they exhibit on the court day in and day out is in large part to the bond that they hold with one another,” assistant coach Kiya King said.

Freshman Ashlen Allen also emphasized the strong chemistry formed between teammates. “All the pieces have come together to form a strong group” Ashlen said. “I can count on my teammates to be there for me on and off the court. When a team is close, it is easier to tell if someone is having a bad day, so that we can all help lift the spirits of whoever is going through it so that they can reach their full potential.”

Along with King and Allen, freshman Liamani Jared added that playing for a team with good chemistry is so much easier and free flowing opposed to a team that is constantly fighting with one another. “Bad chemistry on a team can bring unhealthy competition,” she said. “It's always good to compete with each other but sometimes bad chemistry teams only care about their individual success and will try to pull each other down by showing their teammates up at practice.”

Jared believes this team shows good chemistry because “there is no judgment on the court which creates a safe place off the court, which ultimately leads to the team helping each other with simple stuff like homework and hanging out off the court and getting food together, all of which improves their trust on the court.”