Arens Drives to Keep Crofton’s Tradition of Winning Alive
Without a doubt, Crofton (NE) girls basketball is a juggernaut of a program. The numbers speak for themselves; seventeen state tournament appearances, four state-runner ups, and eight state championships, all since 2005. Alexis Arens knows that those expectations are set…
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Continue ReadingWithout a doubt, Crofton (NE) girls basketball is a juggernaut of a program. The numbers speak for themselves; seventeen state tournament appearances, four state-runner ups, and eight state championships, all since 2005. Alexis Arens knows that those expectations are set from day one.
“It’s awesome (playing for Crofton)! The past teams that have played for Crofton have really set the expectations high for the program. Each year there is a fair amount of pressure, but I don’t think I would want it any other way.
“We have a great fan base, and I think our community really looks forward to our basketball season. During the summer, I will run into people in town and they want to know all about our summer, how our camps and workouts have been going, and who they can look forward to watching this upcoming season. Home games are also a ton of fun because our gym is usually packed and really loud.
Aaron Losing is the architect of this outstanding program, and Arens knows those expectations start with Coach Losing.
“I think a big part of Coach Losing’s success is the culture he has built here in Crofton,” said Arens. “Coach expects a lot of his players and doesn’t let them settle for anything but their best. He makes practices very intense and expects every drill to be done with 110% effort. For those of you who haven’t seen him coach, he yells a lot. But he gets a response from his players.
“He lets you know when you do something and will compliment you when you fix it and get it right. I don’t think I have ever met a coach that puts as much time into coaching as he does. He stays up late to watches and breaks down film, he gives us detailed scouting reports, and he does his best to prepare us for every single game. He has gained the respect from his players, the school, and the community of Crofton. We are very grateful to have him as our coach.”
Of course, having outstanding players is also key to any coaches success, and Alexis Arens is outstanding. A true all-around player, she averaged nine points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals a game for the 23-4 Warriors last season, who finished runner-up in Class C2 in 2019. However, Arens feels the need to strive for more.
“I always want to improve on all areas of the game. Defensively, I am going to work on being a better on the defender and guarding shooters. I am also going to work on crashing the boards to get offensive and defensive rebounds,” Arens told Prep Girls Hoops. “Offensively, I would really like to improve on moving without the ball. At times I will watch the ball when its on the opposite side of the court, when I should be cutting or setting a good screen for a teammate. I would also like to work on being more aggressive and getting to the free throw line.”
But for Alexis Arens, her individual achievements take a huge backseat to the success of her teammates and her team.
“I would say that my strengths lie in the areas of work ethic and communication. I also know the value of communication and feel that is something I bring to the table. I want my teammates to know that I have their back. I would also say that I take great pride in being a great teammate. I like to always keep a positive attitude, make the extra pass, and do what I need to do for the sake of the team. To me, it is not all about scoring all the points or getting all the rebounds. While we need those things to be successful, I place a huge value on fulfilling whatever role Coach gives me to best help the team. Each game that role can change and I am always hope to fulfill that change.”
As always, the expectations are high in this small, northeastern Nebraska community. No one feels those expectations more than Arens and her teammates.
“I think the ultimate goal is to make it back to the state tournament. Last year we got C2 runner-up and I don’t think any of us were satisfied with that. Hopefully we can use the successes off of last year to build on this year. Defense is also one of our main goals we really focus on. This year we are really going to work on being defensively sound as a team.”
This senior is not done at Crofton; after high school, she is looking to continue to do more.
“I am currently looking at Mount Marty and Dakota Wesleyan University. where I would like to continue to play basketball. Both of those schools have a great education program, and I would like to major in elementary education and hope to one day be an elementary school teacher.”