“Part of our program is taking these already very-talented student athletes up a notch, i.e., making the transition from high school level basketball to prep level basketball. It’s such a big part of what we do. And while the learning curve is steep, it’s imperative to the journey of making sure all of our student athletes are ready for basketball at the collegiate level.”

So says Krista Philips—Management Consultant, Women’s Basketball at SPIRE Academy—at the 2024-2025 season midpoint. Happily, Philips feels this part of her player and program development regime is on track. Philips: “I believe the team has discovered what it takes to compete at the prep level, and we’re making strides daily to ensure that, when our season is complete, we know we were playing our best basketball possible. Each practice and game is another step forward, and as long as we’re continuing to stack days, be resilient and play together we’ll be successful.”

So far, so good on all of this, in Philip’s eyes. A key highlight of the season for her has been the multiple players stepping up and stepping forward, reading the opposition’s defense, adjusting accordingly and putting together plays on the fly—plays that work. “A true measure of success for myself and Coach Cedric is if our players can play within and out of our offense naturally by making reads,” says Philips. “These reads are based on what the defense does, but also how each player plays—their strengths and what they bring to the team—and learning the best way for the team to leverage that for success. We’re making progress towards that goal, and each time we compete the team makes strides which will allow us to be as successful as we can be.” 

This particular philosophy of player development—of taking the long view when it comes to SPIRE student athletes—is a key component of what the school calls “The SPIRE Way,” which Philips encapsulates perfectly in here her own words: “Every player has shown growth in their own game physically and mentally this year. I know how difficult it can be to be told a change needs to be made and then make it. It’s not as easy as it sounds, and if it was there wouldn’t be a need for sports academies like SPIRE. All student athletes are here to grow in their craft, and the effort they put in is what they get out. In each game, we’ve had players make crucial shots or plays allowing us to compete. Some resulted in wins and others didn’t, but being competitive each day and having the will to win is what matters for us. It’s a journey, not a destination.”

As for the rest of the season, there’s no mystery as to what’s next. Philips will help her team get better each day, keeping every player on his or her personal journey from high school to prep to collegiate level basketball abilities. Again, Philips: I know how simplistic this all sounds, but as we move towards the end of our season, player and team development is our most important measure of success. We talk a lot around here about attention to detail—in regards to how we execute, the way we interact with each other as a whole and what qualities each person brings to the team. Our focus by the end of February is to be playing our best basketball, both offensively and defensively, which will allow us to be in the best possible position to succeed.”