MONTICELLO - Most times when a high school student has to spend more time with their principal it's not always a positive experience.
However, for a baker's dozen of Monticello High School girls basketball players, the extra time they are spending with principal Mark Gustafson provides a chance to improve their skills as basketball players and build a connection as a team. That's because Gustafson is serving dual roles as the Monticello girls basketball coach and principal. For the second straight year, Monticello is playing a junior varsity basketball schedule with some freshman-only games mixed in. There are seven freshmen and six sophomores on the team this season.
"There is no way we could have done a varsity schedule and do all of the learning we need," Gustafson said. "I don't think it would have been good for the girls if we would have played a varsity schedule. I think it would have been frustrating for them. They are very raw. There will be some growing pains. I think these girls can be successful eventually. It will just take some time."
Monticello Athletic Director Duane Garrison said when the school agreed not to field a varsity team last year due to a lack of players, it was a two-year commitment not to play varsity basketball and to give the girls time to develop and grow as players.
Garrison said the district made the decision last year to play a JV schedule for two years for scheduling purposes to be fair to other schools in the Six Rivers East Conference.
Garrison said Monticello will return to fielding a varsity basketball team next year.
Gustafson, who served as the head varsity boys basketball coach at Royall for eight years before coming to Monticello, led Royall to more than 100 wins in his final five years which concluded with the 2013 season.
Gustafson is tasked with the challenge of developing players and building a program that can compete at the varsity level.
"Our goal is to have a team that can compete on varsity and build a winning program," he said. "I like to play at a quicker pace."
Gustafson is teaching the fundamentals of basketball from dribbling, passing, rebounding and shooting to his team.
"They have a great attitude," he said. "They all work hard, listen, are excellent with each other and fun to be around at practice. We are just trying to get their basketball skills to catch up."
The Ponies will play a 22-game schedule with most of the games being at the JV level, but there are a few freshman-only games like against Monroe and Platteville. The Ponies opened the season with a 44-21 loss to Darlington's JV team Friday.
"They (Darlington) are a larger school," he said. "We had only four points at halftime. The goal is to get better and improve as the season progresses."
Gustafson isn't worried about his dual roles as principal and coach. In fact, he's planning on coaching the Monticello varsity team next year.
"I would have never done this in my first year," he said of serving dual roles as principal and head coach. "I've been a principal for four years now. I know my job more now as principal and it's easier to juggle the two. I don't get a chance to be in the classroom any more since I'm not a teacher. This helps satisfy that."
However, for a baker's dozen of Monticello High School girls basketball players, the extra time they are spending with principal Mark Gustafson provides a chance to improve their skills as basketball players and build a connection as a team. That's because Gustafson is serving dual roles as the Monticello girls basketball coach and principal. For the second straight year, Monticello is playing a junior varsity basketball schedule with some freshman-only games mixed in. There are seven freshmen and six sophomores on the team this season.
"There is no way we could have done a varsity schedule and do all of the learning we need," Gustafson said. "I don't think it would have been good for the girls if we would have played a varsity schedule. I think it would have been frustrating for them. They are very raw. There will be some growing pains. I think these girls can be successful eventually. It will just take some time."
Monticello Athletic Director Duane Garrison said when the school agreed not to field a varsity team last year due to a lack of players, it was a two-year commitment not to play varsity basketball and to give the girls time to develop and grow as players.
Garrison said the district made the decision last year to play a JV schedule for two years for scheduling purposes to be fair to other schools in the Six Rivers East Conference.
Garrison said Monticello will return to fielding a varsity basketball team next year.
Gustafson, who served as the head varsity boys basketball coach at Royall for eight years before coming to Monticello, led Royall to more than 100 wins in his final five years which concluded with the 2013 season.
Gustafson is tasked with the challenge of developing players and building a program that can compete at the varsity level.
"Our goal is to have a team that can compete on varsity and build a winning program," he said. "I like to play at a quicker pace."
Gustafson is teaching the fundamentals of basketball from dribbling, passing, rebounding and shooting to his team.
"They have a great attitude," he said. "They all work hard, listen, are excellent with each other and fun to be around at practice. We are just trying to get their basketball skills to catch up."
The Ponies will play a 22-game schedule with most of the games being at the JV level, but there are a few freshman-only games like against Monroe and Platteville. The Ponies opened the season with a 44-21 loss to Darlington's JV team Friday.
"They (Darlington) are a larger school," he said. "We had only four points at halftime. The goal is to get better and improve as the season progresses."
Gustafson isn't worried about his dual roles as principal and coach. In fact, he's planning on coaching the Monticello varsity team next year.
"I would have never done this in my first year," he said of serving dual roles as principal and head coach. "I've been a principal for four years now. I know my job more now as principal and it's easier to juggle the two. I don't get a chance to be in the classroom any more since I'm not a teacher. This helps satisfy that."
