t’s 6:30 a.m. and janitors are cleaning bathrooms and picking up paper trails, preparing for another school day. However, an echo of synchronized feet disrupts the rhythm of the morning. Along with these disruptions, bursts of laughter unexpectedly skip through the halls. This laughter sounds tired but at the same time awake and aware. It’s this laughter that would show any outsider how close this group of girls is becoming. It is these “practices” that truly make them a team.

“The pros of conditioning are that I know I’m not going to be late to school and I’m getting stronger,” said junior Sydney Rehnelt “It also helps us become closer as a team.”

As far as conditioning goes, the pros seem to outweigh the cons. Giving up a bit of sleep now to prepare themselves for a great basketball season this winter is a small price to pay, and as others can see it does bring the team closer. With a new coach and new players, any activities that create a team-like atmosphere help no matter how small.

“I have high expectations for this group of girls and I hope we do well,” said girls basketball coach Lindsey Hugstad-Vaa. “It just depends on how dedicated they are and how hard they’re willing to work. I’ll work with them and teach them all I know but they have to want to take advantage of it.”

From the way conditioning is going it looks as if they are taking full advantage, Hugstad-Vaa said. The gym is open 5-7 a.m. and many, if not all the girls lift weights in the morning. Surprisingly, it is not uncommon for teams to begin conditioning this early and in fact it is a normal way to prepare them for the upcoming season. Their first game is scheduled to be at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 27 and will be a home game to which anyone can come and show support.

“The girls have a lot of passion,” Hugstad-Vaa said. “I want them to go out there and do their best while being on their best level so that no matter what happens they know they’ve played their hardest.”

Hugstad-Vaa has coached basketball for six years. She moved here so she could both coach and counsel in the same school. Her desk contains a picture of her nephew Brooks and her old team from her old school. It says Ms. Hugs on the whiteboard in her office.

“She’s really nice,” Rehnelt said. “I’m excited for her to be our coach.”