Girls take to the court in a new season of DGAL basketball
Victoria Arrojo dribbles down the court as Kaeleen Carter goes on the defense. Photos by Abby Van Selous
Sofia Esteves dribbles the ball as she tries to go around Juliana Oliveira who is blocking Charlotte Rebello.
Talia Farias, left, reaches for the ball.
Quinn Racette dribbles the ball.
Adrianna Medeiros dribbles down the court with opponents in pursuit.
Getting past defense.
Victoria Arrojo dribbles the ball as Adriana Mederios goes on the defense.
Rebecca Watson, left, Avery Imbeau, Sofia Esteves and Ava Rudolph reach for the ball.
Victoria Arrojo dribbles down the court as Kaeleen Carter goes on the defense. Photos by Abby Van Selous
Sofia Esteves dribbles the ball as she tries to go around Juliana Oliveira who is blocking Charlotte Rebello.
Talia Farias, left, reaches for the ball.
Quinn Racette dribbles the ball.
Adrianna Medeiros dribbles down the court with opponents in pursuit.
Getting past defense.
Victoria Arrojo dribbles the ball as Adriana Mederios goes on the defense.
Rebecca Watson, left, Avery Imbeau, Sofia Esteves and Ava Rudolph reach for the ball.
Elementary and middle school girls are back on the basketball court this winter, shooting hoops and battling for the basketball as part of the new Dartmouth Girls Athletic League’s basketball season.
On Friday, Dec. 19, girls in grades six through eight took to the Dartmouth Middle School’s gym to play their fifth game of the season.
Over 60 girls are playing in the grades six through eight division this year, and over 200 girls are signed up for the program as a whole, a number which basketball commissioner Steve DaCosta believes to be the most yet.
“We had 12 teams in the beginning. Now we’re 20 teams, so the girls program is definitely starting to grow,” he said.
Girls in grades kindergarten through eighth can play in the league, with the youngest girls beginning the program in a clinic to learn the rules and plays of the game.
“A lot of these girls, they’ve started in the clinic that we had, the K1 clinic, and they’ve gone right up,” DaCosta said. “It’s just nice to see a lot of their friends here and how big they’ve gotten.”
DaCosta explained that each division has their own set of coaches who teach the kids the fundamentals of the game
“The coaches we have in all three divisions, they’re great,” he said.
Coach Joey Hill noted that despite the fact that the girls have only played five games this season and only practice once a week, they are already improving.
“It’s just fun. Everybody gets to develop, obviously some girls at different paces than others,” he said.
The girls began their regular season at the beginning of December, and will continue with the regular season until there’s a tournament during a school vacation week in February.
Hill explained that all eight teams in each division participate, no matter how well they’ve been playing in the regular season.
The top four teams in each division will go into the playoffs after the regular season ends, with the entire program wrapping up in March.
For Hill, who has a daughter playing in the league, DGAL basketball is about more than learning the fundamentals and playing games, noting that the program is made about the kids and having fun.
“[The girls] build a lot of friendships, like my daughter has met a couple girls and now they’re friends, and if it wasn’t for this, they probably never would have met,” he said.
