A gritty and determined Plainfield South boys basketball team continues to develop under the guidance of a new coaching staff as the end of the season approaches.
The varsity team has more wins than last season, ending the season 12-15 overall and 5-7 in the conference. The Cougars may have to thank the new changeup in coaching staff led by head coach Jeff Howard. It is Howard’s first year at the helm, coming to South this summer all the way from Indiana.
“When I first got the job I was actually commuting from Indiana to here and I think the players saw that level of commitment,” said Howard.
Howard got to work right away, having his team perform 27 workouts from Sept. 6 to Nov. 7. Howard attributed his reasoning as a way for his team “ to understand who I am and what I want.”
“I think we’re still building both from an execution standpoint and just a relationship standpoint,” Howard said.
The team continues to work hard, saying they are not perfect, as they have racked up some losses and have had their disappointments, but it doesn’t change what they have accomplished and how far they’ve come.
“Every single season I [want to] see an improvement in a kid,” Howard said, discussing the goals for not only this year but next. This is not impossible for the team, as much has changed and they already doubled their progress from the previous year.
Point guard Trammar Tate shares these aspirations as he, “wants to have a fun time and get better everyday.”
This seems to be a common theme among players, as many wish to play hard. They also hope to continue to improve and ultimately have fun.
“The intensity in games and at practice has changed a lot and just the style of everything has taken a turn to the right way,” said Jermaine Theodore, a starting forward.
Definitely a turn in the right direction, the Cougars as they have a positive record away and are only a few wins away from being 500 team overall. Although it’s not perfect, they have a comfortable and much improved seat in the conference.
“I want to be a leader for the most part and do whatever I can to help my team win no matter what,” Theodore said.
They know it’s not a sprint, but the team wants to see themselves winning in the future with many mentioning the words “conference championship” when asked how far they think they can go.
“I’m never going to be satisfied till we win a state title!” Howard said.