Cobra girls basketball

    Winning is important to Industrial Cobra coach Kristy Bradford, but not at the expense of her athletes. The team started practice at the end of October with 17 girls. After the end of cross-country and volleyball, Bradford has been working with 28 girls.
    "Building women of integrity for their futures that will far outweigh their time in high school is huge to me, I want them to walk away from our season eager to go to the next phase of their life or get ready for the next season," she said. "I have learned over the years that before I can get anything out of my athletes they have to respect me as a coach. If I learn to love my athletes first that everything else will fall into place."
    Like the boys, the girl's team has some big players destined for big things. Four seniors hit the court: Kelsey Van Pelt, Jessica Martin, Jasmine Delong and Morgan Gabrysch. Van Pelt just made a commitment to sign with the University of Mary Hardin Baylor to play basketball so she will definitely be one to look out for, not to mention Martin, who made big plays last year before an injury pulled her out of the season.
    Taylor McGinnis is Bradford's junior, and there are four sophomores on her team: Reagan Doyle, Chelsea Garza, Sarah Kusak and Skylar Lenamon, plus one freshman, Desiree Hill.
    Martin said she feels really good about the season. “Although we lost to Cuero in our first game, I really feel like there’s a good chemistry in our team, which is rare, considering we have several who aren’t returning varsity players,” she said. “I feel like we’ve gained a little more trust and confidence in each other in each game, and it’s still very early in the season so I’m definitely excited to see how far we can get this year.”
    Bradford said she is bringing in a completely different system than the girls are used to, like new drills and enhancing skills. Giving all the girls playing time so they are ready for District is important to her. She said the team will keep pushing hard and harder with every step they take.
    "We have a lot of work to become the team we want to be, and I see us continuing to get better and better every day," she said. "We are looking out for everyone this season, I will never underestimate anyone. Anyone can win on any given day. I want to make sure we are doing what we of great and then concentrate on what other are doing to be able to go to war when we step on the floor!"
    Bradford said her main goal, regardless of what program she is the head of, is to teach her team that discipline, hard work, determination, selflessness, loving each other and respecting each other pays off.
    "Living for eternity instead of the here and now will be the things I pray they take with them into college and their lives," Bradford said. "Live without fear and without regrets."
    Van Pelt said this season is all about teamwork. “We are all playing for the person next to us and we are all willing to do anything to get a win at the end of the day. I hope to encourage my teammates in every way I can as well as to out work every opponent we face this season,” she said. “I also hope for our group of seniors to leave a legacy for the underclassmen. I am so blessed to be able to play one more year with these girls.”
    Clearly, the Cobras are doing more than just playing basketball, and with Bradford at the helm, fans will be looking forward to their progression with the anticipation of big wins.