By Matt Browning
Eureka’s Brenna Rucker said her team feels like family and for that reason alone is why she is excited for the season to start.
“We are a close group that feels like family, which makes this season especially meaningful,” Rucker said. “We expect to go further and accomplish even more than we did last year.”
Playing with her team, as well as working on her individual game, kept Rucker busy throughout the summer.
“As a team, we spent most of the summer together working out, practicing, and playing games,” Rucker said. “Individually, I spent a lot of time at the gym because I love the game. I also played on a travel team and trained with my trainer and coaches on my skills.”
Despite averaging nearly 17 points per game, becoming a more well-rounded offensive player was something Rucker tried to improve on this offseason.
“I focused on becoming a more consistent shooter and developing into a dual-threat player,” Rucker said. “To improve my midrange game, I worked hard on moves and counter-moves that would make me more versatile offensively.”
The Tornadoes won 20 games last season, so the goals Rucker has for herself and her team are sky-high.
“My main goal is to do whatever it takes to help our team succeed, whether that’s scoring, helping others score, defending, or cheering from the bench,” Rucker said. “As a team, we’ve set really high standards for ourselves. We push each other every day to get better because we all share the same dream: making a strong run at the state championship.”
