
Photo by Erin Nelson.
Spain Park head coach Mike Chase talks with the Jags during a timeout in a game against Pelham at Spain Park High School on Jan. 5.
This season begins a two-year journey for the Spain Park High School girls basketball program.
The Lady Jags have that luxury because this year’s roster contains no seniors and only one junior. Zyian Heyligar is the oldest player on a 10-player roster largely devoid of any significant varsity experience.
“We’re going to get to the point where when she’s a senior, we’re going to be as good as we can be for her,” Spain Park head coach Mike Chase said. “We’ve got a big core group of sophomores that are on a three-year plan.”
There are only 10 girls in the high school program this year, so Spain Park won’t have the luxury of fielding a junior varsity squad. Chase credits that issue to Spain Park’s other girls sports succeeding at such a high level in recent years and the pressure to specialize in a single sport.
For example, Heyligar plays lacrosse, flag football and basketball, but she has loved basketball since she began playing and is determined to excel.
“Ever since I started playing, I’ve been hooked on it,” she said. “I’m very competitive, and I know what I want.”
Charlee Bennett is one of six sophomores on the team and is the only returner that earned some starting experience last year. She is also a high-level softball player and said time management is the biggest key to juggling everything successfully.
A new label that Spain Park is working with this year is that of underdog. The Lady Jags won state championships in 2018 and 2020 and have been one of the state’s top programs consistently under Chase.
“There’s no expectations,” Chase said. “We’re going to be the underdog in most games that we play. I like those situations.”
Aside from Bennett, Trinity Daniels, Tori Flournoy, MC Hunter, Campbell Busby and Jordyn Corey are the team’s sophomores. Allie Whitaker, Kaden Philpott and Teagan Huey are freshmen.
The team’s lack of experience has invigorated Chase in some ways, forcing him to be more intentional with his teaching of the game in practice and in games.
“We all have to be able to work together,” Chase said. “It’s helped me, and they’re helping me because they’ve been really good about coming in and being ready to go.”
Chase admitted the schedule will look a little different this year, designed to give this year’s players a chance to have games that will help them grow into the season as they gain experience.
“Every time we step on the floor, we’re going to get better, and our ceiling is going to be a lot higher than everyone else,” Chase said.
Spain Park will compete against perennial power Hewitt-Trussville, Oak Mountain and Chelsea in Class 7A, Area 6. Hewitt-Trussville will be one of the top teams in the state, but Chase expects for his team to have a chance to advance out of the area.
“Our goal is to get to those six January games [area games] and stay out of the No. 4 spot,” he said. “Then, I feel like we’ve got a shot. That’s what our goal is.”