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SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BASKETBALL NOTES: S.C. WALDORF PLAYING FOUR ON FIVE BY RYAN PHILLIPS They started off with six players, but in seemingly no time were down to four. Santa Cruz Waldorf girls basketball coach Cam Martin wasn't sure what to "They were cool with it," said Martin, the first-year coach who's also the school's director. "Up until that time I didn't think we would be able to do it." Waldorf, a small, three-year old private high school, has only 35 students and no senior class. Last year, the school didn't have enough players for a girls team, so one girl, now-junior Jessica Bailey, played with the boys team. "She ended up being their third-best player," Martin said. "They were cool with it," said Martin, the first-year coach who's also the school's director. "Up until that time I didn't think we would be able to do it." Waldorf, a small, three-year old private high school, has only 35 students and no senior class. Last year, the school didn't have enough players for a girls team, so one girl, now-junior Jessica Bailey, played with the boys team. "She ended up being their third-best player," Martin said. Martin said six players showed up for the first team meeting this season, but those numbers quickly dwindled to four. Of the four, three were basketball players: Bailey, and freshman Kira Paulin, daughter of local triathlete Katrin Tobin and Andy Paulin; and Celeste Hadley. The fourth player, Soren McVay, is an accomplished snowboarder who had never played competitive basketball. Her friends on the team convinced her to play as the sixth player, so they could have someone to come off the bench. That plan had to be ditched before they even played their first game.
"It's uncharted waters for me," said Martin, a former high school coach on the East Coast. "I'm used to having 60 guys to choose from and everyone whines about not having enough playing time." The four Waldorf players have more than enough playing time to go around, and are relishing this unusual opportunity. "The girls are nutty, crazy for the game," Martin said. "They just want to play." Martin combines practice with the boys team so there are almost enough players to scrimmage. In games, Waldorf plays a "point diamond defense" with the four players spread about the court diagonally, and the team is off to a 3-1 start, 2-1 in Coastal Athletic League play. Martin said he and the team are well aware that the season could end as soon as a player gets injured or sick, so they're trying to enjoy every minute of it. "It's quite special for us, but we understand it's a day-to-day blessing," Martin said. "Right now, they're just loving having games" You can find this story online at: A Glimpse News Report
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do when the first game approached. So he told his team, and the scorekeeper, to suit up and see what happens.
With only four players, Martin wasn't sure if he'd be able to field a team. But they showed up in Berkeley to play East Bay Waldorf on Dec. 14 anyway. Because CIF rules state a team must start with five players, Waldorf scorekeeper Annie Albin suited up for the tip-off before heading back to the sidelines.
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