Iron Maidens Pumping Up In Off-Season

There was a time when basketball season lasted about four months then it was over. That’s no longer the case. Nowadays, if you’re not playing AAU or in an off-season program, you’re falling behind.

El Dorado’s Lady Wildcats have no intention of falling behind this year. Coach Brad Slatton has his basketball girls pumping up for the future with a weightlifting program that he hopes will build strong minds as well as strong bodies.

“Weightlifting not only makes the body strong, it makes your mind strong,” said Slatton. “It’s a confidence thing. If you feel strong, it can’t do anything but help you. Weightlifting is a confidence builder. You get more out of it mentally than physically.”

Slatton has 11 “Iron Maidens” in his every day off-season program – juniors Falundrus Sims, Kendra Stegall, Cassie Tester, Meshali Mitchell, April Curley and Jharmeshia Barnett; sophomores Amelia Robertson, Melissa Weaver, Kinsel Spivey and Deshundeca King and freshman Kristian Tester. That doesn’t include other players who are involved in track and field or softball.

The Lady Wildcats lift weights five days a week, working three days on upper body and two days on lower body. In addition, they also work on ball handling drills two to three times a week as well as shooting drills. The team also plays pick-up basketball games a couple times a week.

The off-season program requires staying after school on occasion. It takes a certain commitment to the team and to the process of getting better. Slatton has been pleased.

“It’s all about choices that have to be made. If you miss practice, you’re not helping yourself or your team. We haven’t had that very often. I’ve been real pleased,” said Slatton.

The coach said each of his players has gotten stronger with some improving up to 15 to 20 pounds on their maximum. Robertson is the team’s weightlifting champion but the team will max out again in the next week or so.

The goal for the Lady Wildcats is improved skills, improved strength and conditioning and confidence. Slatton felt his team was strong enough to compete last year but the players did not realize it.

“I feel like we can (win), I don’t think these kids believe we can against the big dogs,” said Slatton. “The games against Pine Bluff and Bryant, I expected to win. I still think they have doubts. When we go into those places, we have to believe we can win. I believe they can. I see them everyday in practice.”

The Lady Wildcats will have tryouts for the summer roster in the next two weeks. Slatton said he hopes to keep a larger number through the summer than in the past. The 11 “Iron Maidens” have put in the time and have a head start but will have to keep it up over the summer.

“It doesn’t stop when school ends,” said Slatton. “I can’t be with them all summer. They need to say to themselves, ‘Hey, I need to go run a mile every day or go up to the gym and get me two lifts a week so I can maintain what I’ve already accomplished.’ It’s a consistent thing. They’ve got to keep building on it.”

El Dorado will go to two team camps this summer, probably to Ouachita Baptist in June and to Arkansas Tech in August. There will also be scheduled dates where the gym will be open.