The Falcon High School girlsí basketball team is learning early in the season how to overcome adversity, facing it with perseverance, togetherness and a sense of humor!In the first few minutes of the first practice of the season, senior Courtney Deitrick went down with a torn ACL. Deitrick underwent surgery Dec. 20 and is out for the season. During the second game against Pueblo West, Harmony Pettis, a promising freshman point guard (19 points in her first game), strained her LCL and will be out of action until January. In the same game, junior Kelsey Hale experienced severe hyperventilation, passed out and had to be taken to the ER. In the third game against Pueblo Central, sophomore Adrienne DeBauche caught an errant elbow in the face that shattered her nose.For new coach Rick Susak, itís been a challenging start, to say the least! Eight seniors graduated from last yearís team, and the only player with varsity experience is senior Jessica Jordan. In the first six games, the Falcons faced the No. 1 and 2 teams in the state. Then, they experienced the string of injuries and four trips to the emergency room. It was an ominous beginning for any coach, but especially tough for a new coach in a true rebuilding season.However, Susak is the right guy for the job. An ultra-runner with a U.S. Air Force background, Susak brings the right attitude at the right time. ìAdversity visits us all, but stays with the weak,î Susak said to his team, probably much earlier than he had planned. ìI try to start and end every practice with positive thoughts.îThe team has impressed their coach. ìThey donít quit,î he said. ìThey want to keep playing even when they are hurt. They do not want to come out of a game, even when the outcome has been decided. They have really pulled together. And, most importantly, they have shown me that they can face adversity with a sense of humor, too!î After all the injuries, the team surprised Susak a few days later by showing up in casts, bandages, braces, slings and on crutches. ìIt was a great moment, he said. ìIt showed me that this team can face adversity with humor and perspective. It told me a lot about this team.îOn the positive side, Kelsey moved into a new position to help the team, although she has recently been battling bronchitis. Kelsey was last yearís leading scorer and rebounder on junior varsity.Suzak described DeBauche as a team member who ìbrings so much hustle and a great work ethic to the team.îSenior Nikki Oliphant, who didnít play last year, is playing this year and is the teamís leading scorer so far.With the gym full of college scouts at the Pueblo South game, Alli Martinez had the ìweight of the world on her shouldersî against a highly recruited point guard, Suzak said. She never left the game and battled right to the end, he said.ìWith all of these obstacles and injuries, and with having played the top two teams in the state, we are still 3-3 at this point,î Suzak said.ìWe have a signal of the ëfist.í As individuals, we are the fingers. But as a fist, we have much more strength. My message is that together, through teamwork, we can compensate for what we may lack in talent and experience. For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.îSuzak said as an ultra-runner, he sometimes thinks about quitting. ìBut you persevere,î he said. ìThatís what I want my players to take from basketball and apply to life ñ perseverance. And so far, they have shown me that.î
