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For the Dodge City Community College men's and women's basketball teams, it is always a story about reloading.
Since players generally have two years in the community college athletic setting, finding proven game experience and leadership is hard to come by.
The current Conq basketball teams may lack in-game experience on the college level, but they certainly aren't short on enthusiasm and dedication.
The Lady Conqs return two starters from last year's squad and have experienced some growing pains during this season's transition, but head coach Lucas McDonald said it has been a productive beginning as players begin to learn their roles on the team.
"It's been a learning curve for everyone, being that we have so many new faces as well as simply learning a new system," said the first-year coach. "But it's been good. The kids have been receptive, coachable, and we're coming in and figuring out how hard it is to work every day in order to be successful at this level."
Recycling talent
As is the case with most teams that have to recycle talent every couple of seasons, McDonald says the team is a little further behind offensively than defensively, but the team is working toward building the chemistry that will make it a competitive squad in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.
Among the two returning sophomores for McDonald, he noted that Sharice Papaleo has shown tremendous growth since last season.
"Over the course of the last two months, she (Papaleo) has come in and been really positive and has worked hard and led by example, which is the key," McDonald said. "The younger faces know that they can count on her to come out and give 100 percent every day, and that's big for us right now."
The Lady Conqs will be without Amanda Casey, who is the team's top scorer and rebounder from last year's squad as she recovers from back surgery. She has a timetable to return within the next month.
Young talent
As for the men's team, it is the same story with only a couple of returning starters but a plethora of young talent to get fans excited for the product they'll see on the court day in and day out.
For fourth-year head coach Brady Trenkle, this year's squad has him thinking that the sky is the limit.
"This is my 12th year doing this (fourth at DC3), and you always wait for that team that is just going to show up and work every day," Trenkle said. "In years past, I've had to go three or four hours at practice to get out of my players what I wanted — I haven't had to go over two hours in a day with this team yet. We're a fun team to watch, and they've come in and worked hard."
The Conqs, who opened their season Wednesday in Dodge against Tabor College, were picked to finish fifth in KJCCC — a place that suits Trenkle and his squad just fine as the season is about to tip off.
"I like where we're at," Trenkle said. "It's got us right in the middle, and we can just go out as a group and try to prove people wrong.
"Our goal is to eventually hang a regional banner, and the team has bought into that concept. They want to set a mark at Dodge City Community College, they want their stamp to be there for as long as Dodge is around. And this team hasn't set any personal goals, it has been all what they wanted as a team."
Players to watch on the Conq team include Tyshon Pickett, who was an All-Region selection last year for Dodge averaging 13 points and just over eight rebounds per contest; RJ McGhee, a transfer who can score in bunches and use his athleticism to his advantage; and James Milton, a 6-foot, 8-inch forward who can soar with the eagles and slam the ball home with authority.
Trenkle says his players should electrify the crowd with their tenacity and up-tempo style of play to put points on the board quickly.
The men began their season at home Wednesday against Tabor, while the women start their campaign on the road tonight against Lamar.
For the Dodge City Community College men's and women's basketball teams, it is always a story about reloading.
Since players generally have two years in the community college athletic setting, finding proven game experience and leadership is hard to come by.
The current Conq basketball teams may lack in-game experience on the college level, but they certainly aren't short on enthusiasm and dedication.
The Lady Conqs return two starters from last year's squad and have experienced some growing pains during this season's transition, but head coach Lucas McDonald said it has been a productive beginning as players begin to learn their roles on the team.
"It's been a learning curve for everyone, being that we have so many new faces as well as simply learning a new system," said the first-year coach. "But it's been good. The kids have been receptive, coachable, and we're coming in and figuring out how hard it is to work every day in order to be successful at this level."
Recycling talent
As is the case with most teams that have to recycle talent every couple of seasons, McDonald says the team is a little further behind offensively than defensively, but the team is working toward building the chemistry that will make it a competitive squad in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.
Among the two returning sophomores for McDonald, he noted that Sharice Papaleo has shown tremendous growth since last season.
"Over the course of the last two months, she (Papaleo) has come in and been really positive and has worked hard and led by example, which is the key," McDonald said. "The younger faces know that they can count on her to come out and give 100 percent every day, and that's big for us right now."
The Lady Conqs will be without Amanda Casey, who is the team's top scorer and rebounder from last year's squad as she recovers from back surgery. She has a timetable to return within the next month.
Young talent
As for the men's team, it is the same story with only a couple of returning starters but a plethora of young talent to get fans excited for the product they'll see on the court day in and day out.
For fourth-year head coach Brady Trenkle, this year's squad has him thinking that the sky is the limit.
"This is my 12th year doing this (fourth at DC3), and you always wait for that team that is just going to show up and work every day," Trenkle said. "In years past, I've had to go three or four hours at practice to get out of my players what I wanted — I haven't had to go over two hours in a day with this team yet. We're a fun team to watch, and they've come in and worked hard."
The Conqs, who opened their season Wednesday in Dodge against Tabor College, were picked to finish fifth in KJCCC — a place that suits Trenkle and his squad just fine as the season is about to tip off.
"I like where we're at," Trenkle said. "It's got us right in the middle, and we can just go out as a group and try to prove people wrong.
"Our goal is to eventually hang a regional banner, and the team has bought into that concept. They want to set a mark at Dodge City Community College, they want their stamp to be there for as long as Dodge is around. And this team hasn't set any personal goals, it has been all what they wanted as a team."
Players to watch on the Conq team include Tyshon Pickett, who was an All-Region selection last year for Dodge averaging 13 points and just over eight rebounds per contest; RJ McGhee, a transfer who can score in bunches and use his athleticism to his advantage; and James Milton, a 6-foot, 8-inch forward who can soar with the eagles and slam the ball home with authority.
Trenkle says his players should electrify the crowd with their tenacity and up-tempo style of play to put points on the board quickly.
The men began their season at home Wednesday against Tabor, while the women start their campaign on the road tonight against Lamar.
