Columbus East High School

As the winter athletic season approaches, excitement is building for the Columbus East girls basketball team as they prepare for a new chapter in their journey. With head coach Kaitlyn Phillips at the helm for her second year, the Olympians are ready to hit the court with a scrimmage slated for October 30th and their first game on Tuesday, November 5th. In a recent conversation, Coach Phillips shared her thoughts on the upcoming season, touching on the team's dynamics, key players to watch, and the competitive landscape they will face. As the season unfolds, fans can anticipate a thrilling display of talent and heart from the Olympians! __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Columbus East Girls Head Basketball Coach Kaitlyn Phillips Previews the 2024-2025 Season As the Columbus East girls basketball team gears up for the 2024-2025 IHSAA basketball season, we had the chance to sit down with head coach Kaitlyn Phillips for a candid conversation about the team. Entering her second year as the Olympians’ varsity head coach, Coach Phillips shared her excitement, insights, and hopes for the season ahead. We talked about everything from the team’s strengths to key players and what fans can look forward to this year. It’s clear she’s ready to lead the Olympians with passion and determination. Q: What are your team's biggest strengths heading into the season? Coach Phillips: “We are small but mighty, and we have a great group of kids who are strong students and get along with each other both on and off the court. That chemistry is really important and gives us a solid foundation to build on.” Q: Who are the key returning players, and how do you see them leading the team? Coach Phillips: “Kimberly Carothers and Kenzie Cheek are our key returners. Kimberly is a senior with a lot of athletic experience, and she had a great offseason playing AAU ball. Kenzie is really growing in her leadership every day. She learned a lot from last year’s varsity squad, and we’re looking for her to apply those lessons and guide this year’s team.” Q: Are there any newcomers or underclassmen you expect to make an impact this season? Coach Phillips: “Lola Watkins, Ella Anthis, and Averie Graham were primarily JV players last year, but they will be integral to our varsity lineup this season. Each of them has been working hard, and I expect them to contribute significantly.” Q: What type of playing style can fans expect from the team this year? Coach Phillips: “We want to be hard-nosed on defense. Our goal is to be physical and only lose games to teams that are more talented than us—not to teams that play harder than we do. We’re aiming to outwork our opponents every night.” Q: How do you plan to compete in the Hoosier Hills Conference this year? Coach Phillips: “The HHC is incredibly competitive in girls basketball, but a lot of teams graduated key players, and some have new head coaches. We’re hoping to use that to our advantage and surprise some teams with our toughness and resilience.” Q: What are some key games or tournaments you are especially looking forward to this season? Coach Phillips: “We’re playing in a holiday tournament at Hauser, which will be exciting because we’ll face some teams we haven’t played before. Also, January 14th is our annual Pink Night. Last year, we raised over $3,500, and we’re hoping to have another successful night of fundraising for a great cause!” Q: What is your biggest goal for the team this year, both on and off the court? Coach Phillips: “We already have a great team culture off the court, and our goal is to bring that onto the court by building a culture of hard work and competitiveness. We’re focusing on controlling what we can control. We can’t control that other teams might have more experience or returning starters, but we can control how hard we work, how prepared we are, and how much we learn from our mistakes.” It was great catching up with you, Coach Phillips! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. We’re excited to see what you and the Olympians accomplish this season—best of luck!