As long as the boys are playing, we are cheering. We're here Aug. 1 and we're here through to the end of the season. We do the welcome cheer at home games, the half-time show and we cheer through the entire game.

At the first parents' meeting I'll ask if there is anything I should know about a child. And I'll hear a parent say their daughter is very shy. But usually within a week or so they come out of their shell and they are right up there with the rest of the girls. I think it is because they know they aren't by themselves and they are part of the team. It really feels fantastic for us to see that happen with these girls.

The national rules say each team can have a head coach and four assistants. We have a great group and this year we have some junior assistants from the high school. I think it helps for the girls to have someone they can relate to on their level.

We have a great group. We try to make everyone feel that they are part of the team. I think that is what keeps so many coming back. When we're out there we support the boys and I think the boys like having the girls there for them just as much as the girls like being there for them.

In boys, it's ingrained in their heads that to dunk is just the highlight of basketball, whereas for girls, our shooting technique, making baskets and free throws is taught more. It's such a sexist approach to the sport sometime. Men aren't encouraging their little girls to try to work on their hops. They're encouraging them to work on their jump shots and the fundamentals of the game.

Boys have a tendency to jump around a lot more than girls. Boys have that desire to want to dunk way more than girls do. It just never seemed like something we could truly fathom and do.