Edmond Memorial High School‘s Boys Varsity Basketball team has had an unbelievable season thus far, going 7-2.The team dynamic plays a huge role in how well the boys are able to play.

“We prepare for success. Our guys sacrifice a lot and work very hard to continuously be one of the top programs in the state,” Head Coach Shane Cowherd said.

Cowherd coaches the team, but he also leads and motivates them to work hard and stay tough beyond the count. This resiliency could be a huge factor in the success of the team.

“Each year has its own motivations… but the goal never ceases to be the same: be the best version of ourselves that we can be,” Cowherd said. 

Along with Cowherd, Assistant Coach Colby Connel has watched the team grow this season as well. According to Connel, he likes to put focus on the younger players, making sure they are given the same level of preparation as the older, more seasoned players.

“Last night we had a close game, and those kinds of games, as stressful as they are for the coaches, are good for the guys, because that builds a little bit of resiliency just being put in those situations,” Connel said.

Cowherd has specific strategies that he uses to keep the team in line. His strategies are tried and true and lead the team to success every year, whether that’s in the championship or just with the team’s relationship.

“Each team has their own path and direction to an extent, but we believe the keys to success lie in the same mastery of preparation and attention to detail that has borne our successes in the past,” Cowherd said. “ We don’t cut corners. We are intentional. That pays off in the long run.”

Sophomore Ciaran Pedulla experiences the team’s chemistry and hard work firsthand.

“All my teammates and our team in general being so connected has made me feel comfortable,” Pedulla said.

The offensive line was given a good amount of attention this season. Instead of working on guarding as much as they did before, they put together two offensive lines to see what would work the best.

“This year we just had so many question marks about what we should do offensively, and we probably spent more time on that than we ever have,” Connel said.

Even without the work on specific plays, the team works because of the leadership at the top of the team. Names like Liam Fowler and Javion Seat come to mind. According to Connel, this leadership is one of the many reasons why the relationship between players is so good.

“Almost always those guys are just doing the right thing. When you have that at the top, it just kind of trickles down to the youngsters,” Connel said.

The team’s success always comes back to the relationship between the players, and the way that they keep each other motivated and excited to play. If a team has that, they can never really lose.

“Our guys love each other and love the game. Each day together is an opportunity to celebrate that, and we don’t take that lightly,” Cowherd said.

For more information contact Olivia Lane at [email protected]