AACS Lady Eagles Season Preview

The Herndon Kilby Athletic Center at Annapolis Area Christian School booms with the sounds of dribbled basketballs and miscellaneous shouts as the Lady Eagles practice for their upcoming season. 

Needless to say, his team is practicing hard.

It will take that hard work to excel in the competitive Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland league, but Captain Christina Picciona is up to the challenge. Coach Jim Domoracki anticipates strong competition from the school's biggest rivals; Catholic, The Friends School and St. Johns.

"I really like to play any team that is tough competition" said the senior guard. "Close games are my favorite". 

The team has been improving steadily under Domoracki's leadership, going 15-10 in the 2008-2009 season, and 17-7 last year.

Picciona is the team's only senior, but junior co-captain Sam Domoracki says this year's Eagles still bring a lot of experience to the table. "We are a closer, more tight-knit team this year" she said. "We have seven juniors, and we've had a lot of time to play together".  

The team includes six returning players this year plus one sophomore.

Not only interested in winning games, the Lady Eagles started an annual fundraiser called "Pink Out" that raises money for breast cancer, earning over $12,000 during last year's game. This year's Pink Out is against rival Catholic in January.

Of course, winning still feels good, and the Eagles were hard at work running a layup drill during Wednesday's practice. Three girls rotate as shooter, catcher and setter of two basketballs, with the shooter trying to make seven layups in thirty seconds. Domoracki blows the whistle, and they switch.

Learning to play quickly and efficiently is an important theme for this year's team.

"We will play more up-tempo this year" says Domoracki. "We are small and quick and will try to use that to our advantage". 

The Eagles' first game is Wednesday, December 1^st at The Friends School.