Life Lessons On The Court

It's not the "3 R's" of sports the Ygnacio Valley High girls basketball team is learning this semester.

It's the four pillars.

The Warriors basketball squad is 0-16 so far this season. The closest they've come to a victory is a 51-35 loss to Concord High on Dec. 30.

But that's not what these high school girls will remember from their experience on this basketball team.

They will remember the four pillars -- leadership, commitment, respect and playing hard.

"This year has been frustrating at times for them," said Coach Katie Webber Krawesky, a former basketball player at Clayton Valley High. "But we've given them different goals. We want them to realize there are different ways other than winning to be successful."

This emphasis really came into focus two weeks ago.

That's when only two of the team's eight members showed up at practice one day. Krawesky promptly forfeited the next day's game against Northgate High.

"I wanted them to understand there were consequences for their actions," she said.

Krawesky then asked Northgate girls coach Dan Middleton to come talk to her team. He did, extolling the virtues of the four pillars as well as team work and perserverence.

Since then, the girls have been more focused and more dedicated. All of them say they are learning some lifelong skills.

"I'm learning to trust my teammates and that winning isn't everything," said senior Ashley Pinkston, who plans to attend Diablo Valley College in the fall.

Senior Brea Knowles said she feels the team has become like a family.

"We have fun as a team, like sisters," said Knowles, who will be enrolling at American River College in Sacramento.

Freshman Kia Howell came out for the team because she loves to play sports. She too has learned that winning is not everything.

"It's more about us being together and playing hard together," she said.

Junior Daisha Fitzgerald said she's learned to have respect for others, including her teammates, the opposing players and the referees.

"Even if you're pushed to the limit, you need to show respect," she said.

Junior Jenelle Wynn feels the four pillars are a good foundation for life.

"It's something I'll always remember. I bring the four pillars to every game," she said.

Junior Chennray Castillo appreciates the tight bond she and her teammates have developed.

"I consider everyone here as family," she said.

Coach Krawesky notes the girls have more obstacles to overcome than students at other schools. Some come from single-parent homes. Some come from other towns, riding BART and buses to get to the Ygnacio Valley campus.

Their program also doesn't have as much money as other schools. The girls don't have practice jerseys. They wear their own clothes to workouts and buy their own shoes.

It's similar to the problems at other lower-income schools. Many of the sports teams at those campuses also struggle.

The Ygnacio Valley boys team is 0-18 this season. Mt. Diablo High's boys team is 4-14 while the girls are 2-13. Most teams in places like Oakland, San Leandro and San Lorenzo also have a rough time.

Krawesky said among other problems these schools have trouble getting students to enroll from their feeder intermediate campuses. Many of the good athletes there transfer to other high schools.

A number of athletes at the lower-income high schools also become academically ineligible. Or decide they no longer want to be on a losing team.

Krawesky said she admires the eight varsity players who are still coming out to practice every day.

"I'm proud of them, especially since they could be doing something else. They could have decided they just wanted to hang out with their friends after school," she said.

The girls say they are still hopeful they will win a game before the season ends. But they know if they don't, they will still have had a successful season.