Winter sports are just starting at Mount Vernon High School.
Junior Masson Cossolotto, is gearing up for his third high school basketball season, and his first varsity season. The favorite memory Cossolatto remembers from basketball, Cossolotto said “When Landon Wilson hit the game winning shot and everyone went wild last year.”
Cossolotto spends his time in the summer and off season training and getting his body into shape for the upcoming season of basketball, practicing whenever he gets a chance or playing with anyone when he gets a chance to also work on his skills and moves. Cossolatto likes to get into the gym more for conditioning. Running the floor and sprints help with getting into shape and preparing for the season.
With moving up to varsity there are some changes. Last season, the Mount Vernon basketball team had a 15-9 record with a new coaching staff led by head coach Derek Roberts. Cossolotto is looking forward to playing varsity basketball, and playing for Coach Roberts and the varsity staff.
Cossolatto’s favorite thing about basketball is “just having fun with the team.” There are a lot of opportunities to do this throughout the season. With team bonding activities throughout the season and open gyms. There are also ways to have fun in practice with the team.
Freshman Easton Reasland is just beginning his first year of high school basketball. Coming off of a long football season there is a quick turn around between the two sports. The transition can take a while, and that’s why Mount Vernon athletes have an opportunity to take a week off between football and basketball or wrestling. Reasland is still getting prepared for the season mentally, and is excited for it to start.
Reasland is looking forward to the season and getting to play with his friends. Also looking forward to winning some games throughout the season. With the opportunity to grow as a player and a teammate.
Taking shots – that’s what the game of basketball is all about. Reasland’s favorite shot in basketball is a shot behind the 3 point line because it is one of the harder shots in basketball, which makes it more rewarding when it goes in the basket for the score.
Junior Leo Tharp is going into his third year of high school basketball, and first year of varsity basketball. Getting prepared for the long season of basketball is a long process.
Tharp is getting prepared in a couple different ways. By getting in sprints and just going on runs often. Also waking up early to get more shots up. The more shots you take the better you get at shooting, it also helps you get into shape.
One of Tharp’s goals of the season is to have a key role on the team. Whether it’s shooting the ball, playing defense, or even scout team at practice. Also along with that is making friends on the team, from seniors to other juniors he wouldn’t ever see if he wasn’t in basketball.
Having a chill day putting up shots. That’s one of Tharp’s favorite things about basketball. But there’s also the other side of the coin, where it’s a challenging day. With some of the drills or going against the older more experienced guys. That’s one of Tharp’s favorite things about the game; it can be relaxing and also tough.
