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The Avon Lady Pirates girls basketball team heads into the new season under the leadership of veteran head coach Brad Poppe, who is in his 31st year as head coach of the Lady Pirates, along with assistant coaches Becky Haenfler and Don Mudder. Coming off a 14-8 season, the focus for Avon remains steady improvement and being at their best when postseason play arrives. “We talk about being better every day,” Poppe said. “We want to be playing our best basketball come Region time and give ourselves a chance to advance.” Poppe noted that rebounding will be a key emphasis this season. “This isn’t a tall team, so we will need everyone to help rebound,” he said. “Rebounding is a lot of attitude and effort, and we are stressing that daily.” Defense continues to be a cornerstone of the Lady Pirates’ identity. Poppe said the team takes a great deal of pride in its defensive effort, emphasizing team defense as one of Avon’s biggest strengths. This season, the Lady Pirates are also working toward a more up-tempo style of play, aiming to create more possessions while maintaining that strong defensive foundation. Offensively, Poppe said players will need to be ready to step up early and contribute. “If we get that, we will be able to do some really good things,” he added. “We want to avoid long periods of not scoring.” Poppe has noticed significant improvement since last season, particularly in the fundamentals, which have been a major focus during early practices along with learning a new offensive system. Summer workouts and preseason practices were productive, with many players participating in open gyms and a summer league in Yankton, where Poppe said the team saw a lot of growth. Avon returns a strong group of leaders this season, including Rilyn Thury, Breanna Hento, Lexi Vanderlei, Jordyn Voigt, Abby Gretschmann, and Kate Swier. Younger players expected to contribute include Brielle Voigt, Kaydence Metzger, Bree Vanderlei, and Raegan Brandt. Team chemistry has been building well both on and off the court as newcomers continue to gain experience alongside returning players. Poppe stressed the importance of staying even-keeled throughout the season, encouraging players to learn from mistakes and move on quickly as the pace of the game demands. Community support also plays a key role in the program. “It’s nice for the girls to play in front of a good crowd that gets involved in the game,” Poppe said, noting the energy fans bring to the gym. As the season gets underway, Poppe asks fans to be patient as younger players step into new roles. “Always remember these are 13- to 18-year-old girls doing their best,” he said. “The girls are going to work, and we will be a very competitive team by season’s end.”