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LC
Volleyball Player Turns Basketball Coach
Amy Porter
EDITOR
Sophomore Stephanie Wright has made volleyball a big part of her college
career at LC. Now that the season is over and she’s got more time on her
hands, she’s taken on a new task.
Wright is helping coach the East Middle School Girl’s Basketball Team. “It’s
funny because I know more about basketball than I do volleyball,” said
Wright. “My dad [Ron Wright] is one of the coaches for East Middle School in
Alton. He teaches Special Ed there, and the girl’s team needed a coach. He’s
a huge basketball fan.
“I’ve been watching basketball since I was 1 year old. I started playing in
the fourth grade, but I quit after my Sophomore year in high school because
I didn’t agree with some things about the team. The practices made no sense.
I was a forward and forwards weren’t allowed to take a shot during a game. I
was supposed to pass to a guard so we could go for three all the time. If I
shot, I’d get put on the bench.
“I’m not playing basketball at LC because it’s my second year here and the
season’s already started. …But I really wish that I would have played. I
wish I would never have quit because I like basketball so much more than
volleyball.”
The East Middle team has their work cut out for them. “For my first
practice, we are going to run for a while,” said Wright. “They are a little
disrespectful and need conditioning. Then, we’ll sit and talk about the
rules of the game and then start with lay-up drills.
“I’m really glad to be doing this. I’ve already had a girl come up to me and
thank me for helping the team. They call me “the girl who knows everything
about basketball.”
“I would love to keep coaching basketball. Girls, boys, it doesn’t matter.
I’ve picked up my coaching skills from good coaches I’ve had in the past.
You do it again and again until you get it right. I’m teaching the girls
that if they each do their little part, the team will come together; instead
of “Well, she did…”
“I think kids should start as young as possible in sports. For a lot of
girls, this is their first time on a court playing organized ball. This is a
very exciting opportunity.
“You learn to play as a team and get along with other people. I know that
some of the girls on my first teams have become life-long friends. You also
learn how to take an order. You’ve got to listen to your coaches because
they are going to help you out when it counts.”
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Meet Karen Brannan
KARLA OGLE
SPORTS WRITTER
Karen Brannan is a LC Trailblazer, who spent her freshmen year of college at
SIUC.
Brannan graduated from Carrollton High School playing on a state basketball
team.
She initially went to Carbondale, because of their architecture program
without any intent of playing sports. The SIUC softball coach contacted
Brannan about playing softball. She took the opportunity to play, but it was
not what she expected and she ended up not finishing the season.
After her first year at Carbondale, Brannan decided it would be much cheaper
to come to LC and get her basic classes. Like at Carbondale she was not
expecting to participate in sports, but ended up playing basketball after
Peg Mitchell contacted her.
“It was a good opportunity,” said Brannan. “It was a little hard getting
back in the swing of things.”
Brannan started the beginning of the season, but due to an ACL injury in the
second game, against Mineral Area, she has been out for seventeen games.
Her first game back was against Flo Valley.
“We have our ups and downs, but we are a really good team with a lot of
talent,” said Brannan.
Next year Brannan is undecided about what she will do, but she is thinking
about getting into a drafting program.
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Men's Basketball Co-Captains
STEPHANIE WRIGHT
SPORTS EDITOR
This season the men’s basketball team is led by their two co-captains
Aaron Edwards and Richard Wellings.
Edwards is a 6’1 guard from Troy, Ill. He started playing basketball in the
fourth grade after playing a year of soccer. His soccer career did not last
too long, because he quit when he reached middle school. It got too rough,
said Edwards.
He played basketball for the JV and varsity teams at Lebanon High School his
freshman year. Then, he attended Triad High School for his last three years
as a member of the varsity team. When Edwards left Triad, he left with a
record of 15-14. This is the first winning record that Triad had in 25
years.
Along with playing basketball though middle school and high school, Edwards
has played in tournaments such as ‘Hoop It Up.’ Also, he was a member of the
St. Louis Eagles.
This is now Edward’s second year for playing at LC. He is a point guard for
the Trailblazers. He spent the summer getting ready for this season by
lifting, trying to get a bit stronger, said Edwards.
The team’s record for the season is now 14-8.
In the beginning it was slow, but we peaked out at the right time,” said
Edwards.
Edwards’s hopes for the end of the season are to make it to Nationals.
As for next season, Edwards is undecided about where he wants to attend
school.
 Wellings
is the other captain for the Trailblazers this season. He is from
Birmingham, England.
Wellings was influenced to start playing basketball at the age of eight,
when his father bought him a hoop.
He has had experiences playing basketball all over Europe. Wellings has been
a member of England’s National team from the ages of 15-20. Also, he played
in the Olympics in Denmark in ’99.
He then moved to the to Biloxi, Miss. to play basketball. He attended Biloxi
High School his senior year, and they won the state championship that year.
Along with Edwards this is Wellings second year at LC.
He found out about LC because a former player of LC also attended Biloxi
High School also.
“This season started off really bad, but something clicked,” said Wellings.
“The team is really good. We have good chemistry, and we all are good
friends.”
Wellings is undecided about his plans for next season but one thing he is
sure of is that he would like to see the team make it to the National
play-offs this season.
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Women's Basketball Co-Captains
STEPHANIE WRIGHT
SPORTS EDITOR
 The
women’s basketball team this has two co-captains, Crystal Foiles and Andrea
Swiler. Foiles is a 5’7 guard from Jerseyville.
Swiler is a 5’11 guard/forward from
Alexis, IL. She started playing basketball in the second grade at her
elementary school in a Saturday league. She played for Alexis High School
and for an AAU team in Alexis before coming to LC. In preparing for her
second season at LC Swiler lifted weights.
“This season we work together more,” said Swiler. “We get along better.”
To finish off the season Swiler would like to see the team reach 20 wins.
Also, an individual goal of her is that she would like to be All-American.
After this season at LC Swiler has no idea where she would like to go, but
she knows she wants to play basketball.
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