The Atoka High School basketball teams have their first games on November 28th against Kingston. We asked Coach Ray, the new head girls basketball coach, a couple of questions. When asked about the upcoming season, Coach Ray had this to say, “I am excited about the upcoming season. I think we will have a lot of growth, although much of that might come in some losses, but I am also confident we can surprise some people. We have eight freshmen and only two seniors. We are young and inexperienced and also have a tough schedule. With all that said, I am very excited to be a part of this program and where it is headed.”

We also asked Coach how he was adjusting to his new players. “The players and I had our adjustment period this summer. Our base system is in and the girls are learning what I want and I am learning their personalities and strengths. Our biggest adjustment will be our freshmen adjusting to the speed and physicality of high school basketball. We will count on several freshmen early so getting them adjusted is key for us.”

In athletics, motivation is a key factor to success. Coach Ray believes that "the biggest motivation has to come from within for the players. Basketball is such a long season, if you don't really like it, motivation can be tough. As for the motivation I provide, I try to display a positive attitude as well as teach life lessons through basketball. I 100% believe this sport can provide lessons that players can take with them throughout adulthood."  Another key component of success is preparation. Ray notes, “We started preparing for the season in May. We began practicing the last two weeks of school. We had four weeks of team camps when school was out this summer. We had several weeks of strength training. Now we are working on skill work as well as offense and defense.” We're looking forward to the Lady Cats' new season with a new coach. Make sure to come out and show your support!