Playing with heart | News

It’s not easy to get back up after being knocked down, but that’s exactly what the Monroe-Jefferson Girls Basketball team has done.

The Red Jackets won just one game out of 55 before this season. On Wednesday, they enter sectionals as a four seed with a winning record. Heart, hard work and a coach who sets the standard are why this team is making a rebound.

The Monroe-Jefferson Girls basketball team has just seven players. Most are underclassman, and have never played varsity.

Coach Dan Dunn has to explain how sectionals work. It’s been 27 years since the school has had a winning record.

Eighth grader Briasia Mason said, “The Monroe history hasn’t won in so many years. To finally have more wins than loses is a big thing.”

Monroe re-instated a varsity team four years ago. Coach Dan Dunn, a 23-year teacher who comes to the court with a high level basketball resume of his own, took on the task of coaching three years ago. The team went 1-55, but this year, baby steps.

Dunn said, “We’ve had numerous academic casualties this year. We lost the JV program. We’ve had varsity players miss due to grades. The kids that have stuck to it are reaping the benefits.”

The team is made up mostly of Monroe’s undefeated modified team from last year which is led by eighth grader Briasia Mason.

Mason said, “We don’t argue. If we tell another person they have to do this, they’ll do it and work hard.”

Values instilled by Dunn, who makes passing a pre-requisite to play and playing a privilege. The Red Jackets started to win and they started to feel good about themselves. Confidence breeds success and the team ended their season 10-8 earning a fourth seed for sectionals.

Junior Dimonyq Caldwin said, “We finally got enough girls to commit to the team and come to practice. We basically tried our best to our ability. We knew we had been losing for so long. Coach Dunn came here and said we’re going to win, no exceptions.”

Freshman guard Tommesha Shaw said, “It's exciting to win. In the past, we were awful. We got way better.”

Maybe that’s the secret to success for this team, a coach willing to try.

Dunn said, “After being the laughing stock of the city for years; to be able to win half of the games, winning ten is beyond their wildest dreams, beyond by wildest dreams.”

Along with Coach Dunn, Assistant Coach Tim Price also played a key part in turning this team around.

Monroe-Jefferson takes on Churchville-Chili Wednesday night at Monroe at 7:00pm.