By Brian Zanzonico
But for the players and coach Gregg Petrocelli, that's not such a bad thing.
Last June's graduation claimed, among others, Nassau County Player of the Year Dana Brown and All-County selections Betsy Bordes and Alexandria Williams, and Petrocelli, who came within one win of back-to-back county titles last year, was forced to replace four-fifths of his starting lineup. Most programs would take a step back after facing such a devastating void, but few programs in the county churn out talent year-in and year-out like Elmont.
The Lady Spartans are riding high at 4-0 in Conference II. Led by Loyola College-bound forward Kaitlyn Grant, Elmont already has its eye on another Conference II title with eight games remaining. And as much success as Petrocelli, who's now in his eighth season as head coach, experienced last season, there's an intangible this year that can't be taught, but could very well spur the Lady Spartans to greater heights than last year's 19-2 team.
"We had talented athletes last year, but we lacked team attitude," Petrocelli said. "There's more of a focus on winning and playing together this year."
The coach and the girls agree that the reason they have experienced success so early this season has as much to do with what goes on off the court as what happens on it. They go bowling, out to dinner, to the coach's house for a Christmas party, all as a unit. Last weekend, coach and team went to the movies to see "Glory Road," the story of the Texas Western University basketball team that won the 1966 NCAA basketball championship with the first all-black starting five in the country.
"We're more than just a team," Grant said. "The girls pretty much are my family, and we have such a bond - we hang out after school, go out together. We've formed such a bond off the court that we know exactly what each other is thinking on the court."
With only four seniors, the Lady Spartans are a young team. Grant and forward Kirsten Jeter - one of seven juniors - are the undisputed leaders, players the two freshmen and one eighth-grader on the roster look up to. Petrocelli gave freshman Genise Burnett the option, as he does all precocious freshmen and eighth-graders, to either spend the year with the varsity and play sparingly, or be a starter on the JV.
Burnett said Grant and the older players made her decision an easy one. "I'm treated like a little sister," Burnett said. "It's no different because [the upperclasswomen] get more playing time. We're a big family. To me, I made the varsity team and it made no sense to be on the JV. I'd get playing time, but wouldn't get better."
When Burnett was hobbled by an ankle injury that kept her on the sideline recently, there was Grant, who's had her own battles with knee tendinitis, sitting beside her on the bench, making her feel she was still part of the team. Grant said she's only doing what a good teammate should do. "I remember what it was like playing with girls a lot older than me," she said. "I never really had anyone try to help me."
In addition to improved team chemistry, the Lady Spartans also possess a keen ability to lock down opposing offenses. Petrocelli coached Elmont to county championships in 2001 and 2004, but he said this year's team is the best defensively, by far. And it starts with Grant and the pugnacious Jeter, whom he called "our biggest assets."
"It's because we practice like we're playing games," Grant said.
Jeter said the girls make it a point to hustle on both ends of the floor to keep from letting their teammates down. Last year's team was more athletic, she said; this one's more driven. But as hard as they work on the court, Jeter said the girls like to keep it light away from the gym. "We just like to joke around and have fun," Jeter said.
Grant said the conversation rarely, if ever, revolves around basketball. "We talk about girl stuff," she said. "We haven't really talked about basketball, unless there's a situation where something needs to be fixed. Other than that, it's girl talk."
With such an abundance of young talent, Elmont is expected to keep up its winning tradition for at least the next few years. But long-term, Petrocelli is concerned about the future of the program. Nearly all of his players came through the CYO league at St. Boniface Church in Elmont. But about four years ago the program folded, and now the children of Elmont have no place to learn the game, he said.
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