Lady Dragons sophomore making a big impression

Kayla Colan is making a big impression for the Southlake Carroll girls basketball team in just her sophomore season, and coach Teri Morrison has taken notice.

The Lady Dragons were 4-4 through their first eight games of the season, and Morrison said Colan has brought a lot to the table.

“Kayla is starting her second year as the starting point guard for us this season,” Morrison said. “Since our team is very young, she brings a knowledge of experience to the point guard position. She is a tough and scrappy player. Her improved shooting and scoring has added extra value for us this season.”

Colan said the season to this point has been a mixed bag, but added that the thing that impresses her the most about the way the Lady Dragons play is their perseverance.

“So far the season has been going pretty good,” Colan said. “Just as every other team, we have had ups and downs, but we never lack effort. We may not be the most skilled team, and sometimes we tend to fall out of system, but our effort never drops.”

Colan said that her expectations for the season are both for herself and for her team.

“My personal goal for this season is to push my self to shoot the ball more and work on pressure situations,” Colan said. “My goals for our team would be to work on our chemistry on the court as well as communication.”

Colan said she has two great passions in life at the moment, basketball and school, and said both serve important purposes in her life.

“Other than my love of basketball, I have always put my grades first,” Colan said. “Keeping my grades up is an important factor, and very time consuming, which is why basketball is my stress reliever.”

Morrison said she wants for Colan to “maximize her performance each game,” and to get better at managing all phases of a game.

The Carroll coach said she would ultimately like for Colan to be the extension of the coach on the floor, find the best option for the team to be successful and to be one of Carroll’s top defenders.

“We have increased her role as the player that sets the tempo for our team,” Morrison said. “Last season, we have veteran players and Kayla was part of floor rotation. This season she is the veteran even though she is only a sophomore. I believe this is role she has embraced and will continue to improve daily.”

This story was originally published December 7, 2016 at 3:33 PM with the headline "Lady Dragons sophomore making a big impression."