Sportswriting

By Buck Bochtler

When you think Leavitt girls basketball, one name has to come to mind: Anderson. Tammy Anderson is the Varsity Girls Basketball coach, and she is the proud mother of two amazing daughters. Courtney, who is junior at Leavitt Area High School, is the older sister of Kristen, a freshman.

They could be the most dynamic duo that LAHS has ever seen on the court. Together they helped the Hornets finish their season at 17-1. A great season for a historically sub-par girls basketball program. They’ve been playing basketball together since they can remember. With these two, familiarity brings success.

“I’ve been playing with her since we were little, even just out in the driveway. I always know where she’s going to be and she knows where I’m going to be. It just works,” Courtney said of her sister Kristen.

Courtney is an-all-around type of player. She can play any position on the court and probably even coach. She has great ball handling skills and the way she can pass you’d think you were watching And1 Streetball on ESPN2.

Defensively she can shut down even the best scorers with ease. Not only is she a great player, but she is a leader on the court talking to teammates and helping them with assignments and skills.

Helping to bring out the best in Courtney is her coach and mom.

“I like having my mom as the coach,” Courtney said. “I’m very used to it because she’s been coaching me for a long time, but she knows how to get the best out of me.” Whatever Coach Anderson is doing with her daughter, it is working.

Kristen is a superstar “Diaper-Dandy.” She has the potential to make an entire gym go wild with one shot, and she does it frequently. Starting as the point guard as only a freshman is no easy task, but Kristen looked a veteran.

Kristen has more range than Roy’s Driving Range. She never met a shot she didn’t like, and she makes the half court line look like the free-throw line. She’s a scorer and there’s no denying it.

“I’ve worked on my shot so much over the years. All the time my family and I would come to the gym and just shoot. As I got older the further I could shoot I guess,” Kristen said.

Kristen is an unbelievable athlete, and she made “The Swarm” chant “She’s a freshman!” over, and over, and over to remind opposing teams they have three more years of looking forward to her draining shots against them from just inside half court.

What’s next for these two superstars? Well, after a very disappointing finish early in the playoffs this year and not losing a single starter, they are getting ready for next year. The most dangerous thing for other teams is giving the Anderson girls another off-season to get ready, and another chance on the court together.

These girls are some of the hardest working athletes you’ll come across. Their futures both on and off the court are very bright. Along with all this success, though, comes with a little controversy among the fans, “Who’s better?”

They both replied the same answer, “Me.”