By Chris Parker
Halfway girls basketball has a new head coach in Dan Stander this season. He returns to the conference in which he competed in high school.
“The last time I was in the PCL conference it was as a player on the Morrisville team,” Stander said. “Conferences have changed; teams have gone different directions, and I now find myself in the role of a head coach rather than a player. Sometimes retirement is overrated. Out for two years, I found that there was something missing in my life which led me back into the coaching world.”
Stander inherits a young team with no seniors on the roster.
Four starters in Madi Doke (sophomore), Hannah Maggard (junior), Ashlyn McCarthy (sophomore) and Raeghan Timmerman (sophomore) do return.
Doke averaged 5.4 points per game last season.
“(Doke’s) ability to see the floor and find her teammates will be a huge advantage this year,” Stander said.
Maggard averaged 1.8 points per game last season.
“(Maggard) will have to help on both offensive and defensive boards as well as helping with the scoring effort,” Stander said.
McCarthy contributed 9.1 points per game last season.
“(McCarthy) will be relied on for her offensive and defensive efforts and will share the leadership role,” Stander said.
Timmerman, an all-conference honoree, is the leading returning scorer at 11 points per game.
“(Timmerman) will help lead the team and play a vital role with her quick speed and her ability to manage the floor,” Stander said.
Sophomores Josie Choate and Sophia DeHart are returning lettermen.
Stander on Choate: “She will be a strong inside and outside player; fast enough to run the floor and strong enough to defend the paint.”
Stander on DeHart: “We expect her have an expanded role and experience a lot of growth this season.”
Freshmen Abilene Anderson, Autumn Proctor, Hannah Meyer and CJ Cox will be newcomers to the team.
“I’m excited to be back at the 1A level with this group of athletes seeing an opportunity to rebuild a program which shows a lot of potential,” Stander said. “I have always considered myself to be a defensive coach, counting on good defense to, in turn, create good offense. Our success will be determined by how well we mesh, how quickly these girls buy into my program, and who steps up to meet the challenge. With any year of growth, it is vital to have a coaching staff that can not only coach, but teach the game. I have 39 years of experience to draw from and my assistant coach, Kelly Francka, has a strong basketball background. We are lucky to have a dedicated and knowledgeable staff that not only wants the girls to reach their basketball goals, but also learn to achieve the goals they set for themselves in life.”
Halfway opens the season on Nov. 22 at Niangua.
