Lexi Demott was a great player and an even better teammate. She “got it” in terms of work ethic and commitment. She “got it” in terms of understanding the importance of team culture.
As an assistant coach, she brought many of the same characteristics- work ethic, commitment, and loyalty. The most impressive thing about her as an assistant coach was her desire to keep growing in her knowledge and as a leader.
As a head coach, her passion and enthusiasm were off the charts. Her energy level was off the chart and it carried over into how the team played. The team was aggressive on offense and defense. 8-9 players rotated in and out of the game which created an exciting style and a strong sense of team.
I asked Coach Demott to reflect on her first team and her first year as Silver Streaks Head Coach.
Massey- As you look back on this season, what are some of the things you are particularly proud of about the team?
Coach Demott- One thing that I was really proud of this season of the team and coaching staff I had was at no point in time did anyone ever give up. There were times I’m sure many people thought it will be hard to come back from or this is a rough stretch and they were probably right, but everyone stuck together.
Massey- Were there any things that came up during the season and maybe took more time and attention? Were there any things that surprised you during the season?
Coach Demott- One thing that surprised me was the second guessing of everything being packed for road games. I felt myself always worrying on the way up that we forgot a bag or something we probably really didn’t need anyway. Another thing that surprised me was the amount of times I was suppose to be tech savvy and accidentally deleted a whole page of a scouting report and had to start all over. I will say I did get better and I was able to fix my mistake by the end of the season instead of deleting the whole thing.
Massey- Having known you as a player and as an assistant coach, something that has impressed me has been your work ethic. As a result of your commitment and your passion for Galesburg basketball, you just keep getting stronger and stronger as a leader. How do you feel you grew this year?
Coach Demott- I feel that I have grown in a lot of ways. I think one way is not as timid to make decisions anymore. I think at the beginning of last summer I would hesitate about making a decision, but I’m much more confident in myself now. I do feel that I have become a much more efficient communicator in ways, but still need to continue to grow in that area.
Massey- Watching you and your staff in this season, you had so much enthusiasm and you worked so well as a team. Can you share some of the things you staff contributed to make your season successful?
Coach Demott- Coach Noonan brought tons to the table for us. His experience as a head coach helped me a lot this season. There were times I would sit and contemplate things at practice, leave practice, and then call him to continue to talk about it. He never once seemed annoyed or frustrated with me during those times, but always gave me his best advice. Coach Noonan was always willing to do what was asked or ask what he needed to do to make things go smoother. He did a great job all year working with our posts and always giving new ideas on how to work on things in practice!
Coach Legge was our sole social media post creator. She did everything as far as game day posts went this past season and the girls loved them. They enjoyed getting to see what she came up with next. Coach Legge was also willing to pull any girl aside when asked to talk to about something small or just to check in.
Coach Dieterich always came to practice with the first question being what I needed him to do. He was willing to help the guards or posts or watch for specific things in practice. Coach Dieterich dedicated an hour of his morning doing morning workouts with the girls at the first half of the season.
Coach Harden Jr. did a great job leading the sophomores this year and building lots of fundamentals up.
Coach Lingafelter did a tremendous job with the small freshmen group she had. Their games were limited, but she never let that be an excuse for not holding them accountable.
Massey- The excitement of such a young team this year is that you will have so many returning players next year. What is your message to your returning players?
Coach Demott- My message to the returning girls would be to remember another year older doesn’t make you better. It’s not going to be easy to achieve the goals you want, so push yourself to be uncomfortable to continue to grow.
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