Girls 6 on 6 Basketball
Ev Cochrane’s Coaching Techniques; Defense
Girls’ Six Player Defensive Game from the 1954-’55 Season
One of the things to observe in this photo, taken during the Story Co. Tournament in the Story City gym in the winter of 1955, Shirley Meyers (12),’56, stepping in front of her “man” to help assure Milford Twp controls the tip. However, with Elizabeth Haugland ‘55, who was 6 foot or taller, in the jump ball, it was just about a sure thing Milford Twp was going to control the tip. Also, notice where the referee is looking-- not at the players’ feet. Shirley Meyer went to Roland her senior year and was a starter on their fine girls’ team.
One of the techniques in this photo, taken at the same game as the other on this page, is the way the Milford Twp girls are blocking their “men” out and keeping their eyes on the ball. It also shows the white ball used in tournament for a number of years. Many of the female players of the era do not remember ever using the white ball. One of the things that makes this photo a quite unusual (but very noteworthy) shot is that the two Milford players most visible, Elizabeth Haugland (00) and Alice Hansen (23), (both 1955) both died at early ages (mid to late thirties) of two different types of cancer.
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