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12/15/2021 11:00 PMAfter missing the entirety of the 2020-’21 season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Lauren Cunneen is ready to get back into action as a senior with the Guilford girls’ basketball team this year.
Lauren competed for Guilford’s varsity squad during her freshman and sophomore years before sitting out as a junior last winter. However, Lauren decided to return to the court in her senior year and feels excited about getting the season started this week.
Lauren, a 5-foot-9 center/power forward, trained rigorously during the offseason. Lauren became a member at Orangetheory Fitness and did weight training and treadmill workouts three to four times a week in preparation for the winter campaign.
“We have a lot of girls coming back this year who hadn’t played the previous year due to COVID, so I’m really excited to see how our team jells together as the season opens up,” says Lauren. “I’m also looking forward to watching the girls grow as a team and getting our team to a good place in the SCC and state tournaments.”
Lauren started playing basketball as a 4th-grader. Lauren played for fun at first, but when she got to middle school, she began taking the sport more seriously.
“I really got into the sport in 6th grade, playing recreational basketball amongst my good friends and having a fun time playing,” Lauren says. “Then I played on the travel team for the town at a more competitive level, which made me really love basketball and want to continue to play in high school.”
One of Lauren’s favorite aspects of basketball is how it’s such a team-oriented game. Lauren believes that communication is the key to any team’s success on the basketball court.
“I love how much of a team sport basketball is. It requires the entire team to work with each other and communicate and rely on one another to make something happen,” says Lauren. “Every player contributes to a good play, and every player contributes to a bad play. It’s a great balance of pure fun and team bonding.”
Head Coach Bernie Brennan feels excited to have Lauren back in the fold as a member of Guilford’s starting lineup. Brennan says that Lauren gives the Grizzlies a certain toughness on the inside that the team needs this season. Lauren averaged 8 points and 5 rebounds per game during her first two campaigns with the program.
“Lauren gives us toughness and inside scoring. She works hard and plays great defense and rebounds,” Brennan says. “In our four scrimmages, Lauren has played great and makes our team better just by her presence on the floor.”
Coach Brennan has helped Lauren transform her shot into a swift motion by focusing on the fundamentals. Lauren credits Brennan for her overall improvements as a basketball player.
“I’ve known him for a few years now, and he’s seen me play for several years, so he knows how to help improve my areas of weakness, as well encourage my areas of strength to make me the best that I can be,” says Lauren. “His biggest help to me was him improving my shot. From sophomore year to now, my shooting form has immensely improved thanks to Coach Brennan.”
In addition to playing basketball, Lauren is also a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society at Guilford High School. As she enters her senior season with the Grizzlies, one of Lauren’s biggest concerns is for the team to enjoy a healthy and successful season without any issues due to COVID.
“Playing through the COVID pandemic is definitely a change for myself and the rest of the girls on the team,” Lauren says. “But all anyone can do is embrace the circumstances put in front of us and be grateful for the opportunity to play basketball at all and have a season.”