By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
Lopez is trying to start a new tradition in its girls basketball program.
And it’s starting with Imelda Garcia.
Garcia, the Lady Lobos’ leading scorer and senior captain, is setting the example of what it takes to be a leader.
“Imelda exemplifies what we’re trying to do with the program as far as building our program and becoming a successful program here in the (Rio Grande) Valley,” second-year Lopez coach Stephen Davis said. “She is not only good on the basketball court, she’s a leader to our girls. She is also very good in the classroom.
“I think those are the qualities you look for when you’re trying to lead by example and build your program from the ground up like we’re doing here.”
Garcia is averaging 16 points, four rebounds, and five steals per game this season for Lopez.
Davis thinks Garcia is a great example of everything that a leader should be.
“On the court during games, she’s more of a vocal leader,” he said. “She naturally leads by example, but we’ve stressed to her to be a more vocal leader and take a lead role as far as the girls doing the things they’re supposed to on and off the court in order to make us a better program. And she has far exceeded our expectations.”
The Lady Lobos have six seniors on this year’s squad, but it’s mostly Garcia that the younger teammates look to for guidance.
“They see that I’m always trying my best at practice, and they see the results in the game,” Garcia said.
During games, it’s similar, although Garcia tends to be a bit more vocal. But she tries to stay calm and poised to avoid showing her emotions so her teammates don’t get down.
“I lead by showing them,” she said. “But I tell them where they need to be, what they need to do to help them out.”
Davis has noticed, too. He said his senior leader has taken it upon herself to consistently show leadership no matter when it might be, before practice, before a game, during walkthroughs. Garcia is always trying to help and encourage her teammates.
The Lady Lobos’ coach hopes that his younger players follow Garcia’s example and want to continue to follow in her path.
“Our seniors haven’t been asked up to this point to lead the program, that hasn’t been a tradition here at Lopez,” Davis said. “It has to start somewhere. The younger girls are learning that when they become seniors, it’s going to be their turn to do the same things we’re asking her to do.”
Garcia knows she doesn’t have to shoulder the entire leadership role all the time. Fellow seniors Yadia Mejia and Susana Pizana are there to help and have played basketball with Garcia since they were in middle school together.
“They help me a lot,” Garcia said. “If I’m not playing my best, I know that one of them will always have my back and step up, we push each other.”
Davis expects Garcia to even surpass the progress she’s made as a leader for Lopez this year.
“She is heading in the right direction,” he said. “We are expecting bigger and better things from her on and off the court, and in the future wherever she heads that she’ll be able to represent this program very well.
“I can’t say enough good things about her.”
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @andrewmcrum.