McHenry Times

The McHenry County College Scots women's basketball team is primed and ready for the 2016-2017 season. Led by a determined group of young players and a passionate set of coaches, the culture and mentality of McHenry are solid.

Headed up by third-year coach Karen Wiley (who also serves as the school's athletic director), the team has been invigorated with a fresh energy and a barrage of success. Wiley won Skyway Conference Newcomer Coach of the Year in her opening season in 2014-2015, when McHenry notched its best finish in six years and defeated the top seed in its region's tournament. When asked what advice Wiley gave her team before a challenging game, she said its success came down to compartmentalizing.

"You play the game in five-minute segments. Win that segment. Stay in the moment and trust our system," Wiley said.

| Contributed photo

The Scots men also have seen a bevy of talented players in its system in recent years. McHenry had a first-team Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference player, as well as two who qualified for the second team. They also boasted a Division II District B player. The mentality in the locker room is about knowing their game and playing inside of it, to accentuate the positives and hide the weaknesses. They plan to continue to make specific adjustments tailored to each game as they play.

"The most challenging part is finding ways to strengthen our weaknesses, which may be exploited by our opponent," Wiley said. 

With three All-Conference players and a Region IV player last season, they have the personnel to do just that. McHenry likes players who also focus on academics and mental preparedness. When asked about the short- and long-term goals of the teams, grade-point average came up hand-in-hand with success on several occasions.

"Our short-term goals are to win a conference championship and maintain a team GPA of 3.0. Long-term, we want to consistently win regional championships to qualify for the national tournament, and to make sure the team GPA remains at 3.0," Wiley said.

The Scots men's team is led by head coach David Pettit, who joined the squad as an assistant coach in the 2013-2014 season. His previous coaching jobs include stints at Marengo High School and Rockford Jefferson High School. But on both sides, McHenry wants to teach lasting lessons that apply on and off the court.

"In scouting for players, we look for the ability to concentrate energies, attention to details, away from distractions on an off the floor," Wiley said. "These skills transfer to person/student as well," Wiley said.