"For the past decade, the head coaching job for the Danbury Panthers girls basketball team has been a revolving door. There has been a new leader just about every other year and that lack of stability has led to some long, hard years. However Julie Sample is in the middle of her second year as head coach and has worked hard to not only making changes in the Win/Loss column, but in her players mindset as well
And the first thing Coach Sample found out after taking the job is that these girls hate to lose. This year’s Panthers, at 4-9, don’t have the most impressive record, but what they do have is key, district wins. They have beaten Van Vleck, Hempstead and Brazos…..all district opponents. Which, in a 7 team district, means Danbury sits in the 4th and final playoff spot. A place they haven’t been in quite a while. Coach Sample has set some very attainable goals for this team and despite the losses, they are right on track to reaching them. One of them is make their way into the post season.
Like most teams this athletic year, Danbury has been affected by Covid. As of this week, 3 of Sample’s 4 seniors are quarantined and her starting point guard has a hairline fracture in her arm. However, you won’t hear any excuses from this bunch. They know what needs to be done. Beat those 3 teams behind them a second time and it’s off to the post season. Something the Panthers can build off of the upcoming years."