Tracy High Girls’ Basketball Program

Destiny Sandridge

Tracy High Girls’ Basketball program now has new uniforms and shoes which were picked out by the senior girls, a new coach who came here from West High School, and new tournaments. The freshman coach is Monique Gallardo, Junior Varsity is Derek Eaton, and Varsity coach is Derek Solano.

The freshman girls now have a new coach, Monique Gallardo, a former coach from Merrill West High School. “She will be an asset to the program: she played in college, and is a very strict coach which is good for the girls to prepare them for the JV and Varsity levels,” says Eaton.

Over the summer the basketball program went to summer league at Modesto Junior College. Summer league had a better turnout this year than last year, opening the coaches’ eyes to many new opportunities with the girls. This year they do not have height. Most of the girls are short on the junior varsity and varsity level. Although they do not have much height on the team they do have speed because most of the girls are shorter. “Although we do not have much height, I do think we will be a very quick and fast team, which could work to our advantage,” says Solano.

There was a season switch during the year that took the coaches by surprise, soccer has now switched to winter which is the same season that basketball is in. The varsity level has lost a couple of girls due to the season change, varsity coach Derek Solano, “I estimate that if the season change has effect it will take about one to two years to see results,” says Solano.

They have added tournaments into the program. Freshman will be doing the Liberty tournament; JV will be doing the Patterson tournament. Varsity will be doing the Napa tournament, as they do every year, and all levels will be doing the Tom Hawkins Tournament.

The Tom Hawkins tournament takes place during winter break and is hosted by the Tracy High Girls Basketball program. The girls are very involved in the tournament and can earn community service hours by volunteering to help in the snack bar.

Varsity girls attend the Liberty tournament and the Napa tournament every year. The Napa tournament requires the girls to leave during the finals week in December. The girls travel to Napa in vans and stay in Napa for three days and two nights. If they go to championships the stay will be extended. It is a very good bonding experience for the players.

With the switch from Nike to Under Armour came a $1,500 grant for switching brands. This gave the program more opportunities to get more merchandise for the players and coaching staff.

Coaches Derek Eaton and Derek Solano predict to have very good team chemistry from the girls this season. “I hope for all of our teams to have great outcomes at the end of the season,” says Solano.

The Tom Hawkins tournament will be on December 27-30, 2016.