WANTED: Consistency

Mville's Women's Basketball

College athletes have a lot more to deal with than just making sure that they perform well playing on their team. Manhattanville College is a division-three school that demands a lot from their students academically. It is no surprise that academics should always come first and that it is a privilege to be able to play on a team as long as the athlete keeps their grades up. In an ideal world as long as the student plays by the rules then the facilitators would help them advance as athletes.

As the women’s basketball season approaches that ideal is a work in progress. There have been new rules established into the preseason. Preseason will consist of required workouts that focus on pickup techniques, lifting and conditioning. There will also be mandatory study-halls, which if not attended could impact the playing time and the athlete’s spot on the team.

This season’s team will consist of 16 players, many who are returning players and some who have been recruited. There are also three people who are planning on trying out for the season. There are more expectations that will come; expectations that senior Shayna Robinson is all too familiar with.

Robinson has been playing basketball since she was in the seventh grade and has played at Manhattanville since her freshman year. While she understands that the expectations need to be met in order to be on top, she wishes that there was more consistency. Being on a women’s team also brings challenges as well.

“I wish the school was more consistent and made people want to stay,” Robinson said. “We don’t have a large turnout.”

In comparison to the men’s team the women’s team doesn’t have the same praise.

Robinson was not shy to express her thoughts on the matter. “It would be nice if there was an effort to create an environment that makes the females feel more equal to the men. There is a need for more exhibition games to motivate the females. Like being able to play at Madison Square Garden like the men’s team has in the past.”

Surely, there is always room for growth. Consistency plays a large role and it would benefit the players. Some of these athletes would like to get put on the map. “Manhattanville should reach out and help their players beyond the court [and field],” Shayna Robinson reiterated. Following the women’s basketball season will undoubtedly be noteworthy.