Meek Lady Tigers celebrate historic season

By Johnna Bailey
Special to the
Alabamian
ARLEY - What an incredible season this has been for Winston County’s Meek Lady Tigers Basketball Team. The Lady Tiger’s have accomplished so many milestones.  
The record includes; most wins in School history, County Runner-Up, Area Champions, Sub-Region Champions, Sweet Sixteen and an appearance in the state’s Elite Eight.   
The Elite Eight match-up against Marion County was held at Wallace State Community College.  
Coach Britney Williams, along with first-year Assistant Coach Kristen Collins, have led their varsity team to a season record of 25 - 5.  The Lady Tigers JV Team finished the season with the title of Winston County Champions.
I was so blessed to have the opportunity to meet with the team recently.   The young ladies were very much at home in their newly renovated locker room and very eager to discuss the basketball season.  The Lady Tigers were led this year by their three returning seniors, Sadie Bowling, Addisyn Williams and Rilee Williams.  When ask-ing these three young ladies what this year has meant to them and what it has been like being a senior, Rilee Williams responded, “This season has been amazing. I’ve played on this team for four years.  This year, with the young talent we had coming up, the mood of the team has been different than in prior years, but I think it’s a good thing… more energy, more fun.” 
Rilee has worked very hard this year.  She has been duel enrolled at Meek High School while going off-campus to Wallace State Community College.  With these obligations she still found a way to make it to practice and games. 
Sadie Bowling added, “We have had our ups and downs.  It’s been a great year.  We are a young team with only three seniors.  It’s been fun, but a little rough at times.  They are still maturing.”  
Sadie’s leadership has shown this year, being patient and encouraging with the underclassman. 
“It’s definitely been hard having to be the senior because we have been the youngest on the team forever,” replied Addysn Williams. She added, “Having to step it up and having the responsibility of being a senior is hard at times because everyone is looking up to you and expecting you to do it right the first time, be the leader.  But it is also fun! This is the most connected team I have ever played with; we really are a family.”
Addisyn has had an amazing season this year. Her final game, the Alabama High School 1A  Girls Basketball Elite Eight Region Finals, she earned her 1,000 point ball. 
All three of the senior Lady Tigers agree on the fact that this team has bonded deeply on and off of the court. They have all mentored and guided the underclass team members.
These young ladies began to mesh as a team long before the season even started. The team’s three seniors started developing leadership skills quickly during summer practices, then the “play dates”. This gave these three young ladies the opportunity to step up as leaders and mentors guiding their younger team mates. 
In order to renovate their locker room, this group came together along with parents and the community to raise the funds necessary to make the needed improvements.  
Some seniors may have used their position to intimidate,or ridicule the younger players. These three chose to spend their time to mentor, encourage and teach on and off of the court. You will never see any jealousy here when a younger teammate receives more time on the court, only encouragement to each other, cheering for each other. 
Each of the younger teammates are in agreement that these three have been the foundation of the team this year. They have all learned that the small things matter; the smallest change can make all of the difference in the outcome of a game. The age barriers have been broken. 
These changes have been deliberate. Each of these young ladies remember being afraid of the seniors in the past, so they decided to make sure that was not the case this year. The Meek Lady Tigers varsity team also included Zarah Harden, Zoe Hearn, Addie Cate Henderson, Luisa Horn (an exchange student), Maci Lollar, Kylar Shehan and Abby Smith. The respect and love they have for each other is unmistakable.
My discussion in the locker room continued with the underclass team members. They were very eager to express their thoughts on the season. 
“We can be selfish at times” replied Maci Lollar, “but this is the most unselfish team I have ever played on.”  
Maci continued with her thoughts, explaining how encouraging they are with each other. They celebrate each other when they score. They are met with high fives and cheering. 
Zarah Harden chimed in with her thoughts on the season. “I really appreciate our seniors.  They are really important to me.  The friendships I have made with them have taught me not to be afraid of someone”. 
Zarah then recalled what it was like being a seventh grader on the Lady Tigers this year.  She said she always felt welcomed and accepted. 
The young ladies continued sharing how the older, experienced players had helped each of them develop as players. They have overlooked each other’s imperfections. Abby Smith, who moved up from the junior varsity team recently, expressed how much she even enjoyed the time on the bench courtside, how she was able to watch and learn. These ladies love to learn from each other. 
One of the most interesting parts of my conversations was the one I had with Luisa Horn, our exchange student from Germany. Luisa shared that she felt so much gratitude to both coaches and the entire team for accepting her just the way she was. When she arrived, she had not even dribbled a basketball, but she was welcomed. 
She recalled the day that she scored her first point.  A teacher had filmed it and the entire team celebrated! They feel so supported by each other.
 Addie Cate Henderson added that it is so much more than just playing basketball; it is doing life together. The connection to each other as a team has been the secret ingredient this year.
When I asked the young ladies about their coaches, the answers were rapid fire! Addisyn Williams was the first one to speak up.  She explained that almost yearly she had a different assistant coach, but it was different this year. Coach Collins filled the hole, made the team complete. The young ladies said when she was out with the flu, they felt her absence. According to the team, Coach Collins was the missing piece. 
They continued to talk about what she had meant to them this season. She encouraged them to be the best they could be; she would catch the new things they were doing and compliment them. Another common comment was that she pushed them on and off the court, always trying to push them to give all they had to everything they tried to do. Coach Collins would always help the young ladies to improve and hone their basketball skills, helping them analyze what worked and what didn’t.
Coach Collins is a 2010 graduate of Meek High School. She is in her first year at Meek High School, but her second-year teaching. This is also her first year to coach basketball.
When I asked Coach Collins her thoughts and feelings on the Meek Lady Tigers season, this was her response: “I’m incredibly grateful that Britney invited me to help coach these girls. She is an exceptional coach who pours her heart and soul into this team and I feel so fortunate to be part of something so special.
“This season has been such a joy. It’s been amazing to watch the girls grow and improve - not only in their basketball skills, but in the way they support and build relationships with one another.
“Our seniors - Addisyn, Rilee, and Sadie - have been outstanding leaders. They consistently show respect and kindness to every one on the team, which speaks volumes, especially with such a young group. Their leadership has helped create a positive and encouraging environment for all.
“From the very beginning, the team welcomed me with open arms. Even though this was my first year with them, they embraced me as one of their own and that has meant more to me than they know. I truly love each of these girls and have cherished every moment spent coaching them.” 
I completely agree with her statement. I have had the joy of witnessing this transformation myself.
When the question was asked to the team about Coach Williams and what she has meant to them as a coach this year, you could quickly see the love and admiration her team has for her. The young ladies’ statements lined up so well with each other. They spoke of her influence, how she had been like another mother to each of them. 
Addisyn Williams, who is also Coach Williams stepdaughter, said, “She (Coach Williams) is in her tenth year.  She has had some rough years where we have had losing record, but she still stayed on.  Now it is finally paying off and she is getting the recognition she deserves”. 
One by one, the girls told stories of “Coach B”, as they call her, always being there as a role model as a sounding board, whatever they needed at that moment. 
This is Coach Britney Williams’ ninth year coaching varsity. This year, she surpassed 100 wins as a varsity coach. Her record includes three Sweet Sixteen appearances; this was her second Elite Eight.
When I asked Coach Williams for her comment, the following was her response.
“I told these girls this summer that this season was going to be special and it absolutely has been.
“I am so incredibly proud of the hard work, sacrifice and commitment that has gone into getting us here. This team doesn’t just love to compete - they love each other. Our bond is strong and that’s why they play so hard for one another and for our program. 
“I’m so proud our seniors got to go out with a bang. Their leadership and presence meant everything to this team, and they’re already deeply missed. But I’m also excited about what’s ahead. I have high expectations for our returning players, and I truly believe this season was just the spark. They’re hungry, they want it, and the future of this program is bright.
"Coaching at my alma mater has truly been a dream come true. I graduated from Meek in 2008, and while I played all sports in high school, basketball was always my passion.
I’m so thankful for the opportunity to continue that passion through teaching and mentoring the young ladies at Meek. Over the years, I’ve built so many lifelong relationships with the players I’ve coached and their families — relationships I will forever cherish.
"Meek is such a special place. The administration, the community, the atmosphere — it’s truly one of a kind. I’m incredibly grateful to be part of something that helped shape me and now allows me to help shape the next generation”
In closing, all the girls say they will miss the seniors because of what they have meant in their lives. Zoe Hearn expressed that it would be hard for someone to fill the roles of the outgoing seniors. She said, "Even though it will be hard, I know it is possible.  We will have to step up and take on those roles." 

What an exciting year to be watching these articulate, talented young women. The graduating seniors have taught their teammates well. With some of the junior varsity young ladies moving up and the existing members of the Varsity Team, the future is bright! I feel as though Kylar Shehan expressed what each Lady Tiger felt. She said, “I feel like we have so much to be proud of and I am very proud to be on the team.” They are just getting started. What a wonderful foundation to build upon.