The winds of change are blowing through Gladiator Land. The new head coach for the girls basketball team is Stacy McDonald and she has some new plans for the Lady Gladiators.

Coach McDonald, met with parents Thursday night and talked about the commitment she requires from the players, “I love and am passionate about basketball and this team. We will spend the next four and a half months together and I believe these players will be better people all around.”

McDonald explained, “Participation in athletics is a privilege, not a right and each athlete must earn this privilege through dedication, desire and discipline.”

Each player and her parent was required to sign a contract agreeing to this, plus a few more things: respect for school, faculty, coaches, teammates and parents. Coach McDonald expects commitment to play at a top level. She even hinted at wanting “a State Champion banner hanging next to the other one,” referring to the boy’s state champion banner from 1997.

This is Coach McDonald’s 12th year coaching basketball. She was in Ferris last year and in Allen the previous 10 years as the Assistant Basketball Coach. She was hired on July 7 by the Italy School Board. McDonald said, “I am so excited to meet everyone and I have been waiting for this day!”

Coach Tina Richards is McDonald’s assistant this year.

The first Lady Gladiator Varsity district game will be January 9 against Itasca at the dome but plenty of pre-season games have been scheduled as well. Go Lady Gladiators!