Sectional Winning Coaches

A huge accomplishment came for Bethany this year when the high school girls basketball team won sectionals for the first time since 1998.  While most of the Bethany community knows about this, they may not know exactly how the coaches, Krysten KP Parson or Brent Reinhardt felt during this m omentous occasion.  Neither coach had ever won a sectional as either a player or a coach.  KP stated, “[Winning sectionals] was cool to experience, not only for the first time but for the first time as a team. We did this together.”

KP and Brent both said they felt joy and relief when the buzzer first went off.  KP remembers just before the buzzer going off, Brent leaning over to say under his breath, “We did it.  We did it.”  Both coaches also responded that their favorite reaction after the buzzer went off involved someone jumping or hugging someone.  Seeing joy on someone’s face after accomplishing a task they have been working towards for months, is very fulfilling.

Winning a sectional title will change the way both coaches approach the tournament, but will not changed the way they teach their players.  KP said “Winning sectionals just lays a foundation and builds a confidence of ‘We can do this.’”  Brent feels very satisfied and contented for being a part of it.  Brent stated a key part in winning sectionals was the team’s elimination of turnovers and willingness to shoot.  KP thought the supporting cast was important and “just to know the faculty was getting so many updates on their way home from MSEC was really wonderful feeling.  We could definitely feel the support.”

To Brent, winning a sectional was a “big accomplishment, a monkey off my back and it was an achievement of a personal goal.”  To KP, “It was rewarding for all the time we put in, exciting, no one was able to take it away.  I was content because after all of that work it finally really paid off.”

~Carissa Woolace