It's been 30 years since the Weedsport girls basketball team won a Section III title and a lot of things have changed - new coach, new uniforms, even new hairstyles.
Jill Connor / The Citizen
Chris Hammersley, her daughter Kaitlin, and sister Wendi Casper all have Section III playoff experience with the Weedsport girls basketball team. Chris and Wendi were on the 1979 sectional championship team. Kaitlin, a junior, is heading to the first round with her team Friday. The 1979 team is recognized on the banner in the high school gym hanging behind them.
Chris Hammersley, her daughter Kaitlin, and sister Wendi Casper all have Section III playoff experience with the Weedsport girls basketball team. Chris and Wendi were on the 1979 sectional championship team. Kaitlin, a junior, is heading to the first round with her team Friday. The 1979 team is recognized on the banner in the high school gym hanging behind them.
But there is one thing the 1979 team had in common with this year's squad - and it starts with family.
Weedsport junior Kaitlin Hammersley has looked through all the yearbooks and is proud to see the 1979 squad immortalized on the championship banner hanging the high school gymnasium, knowing that her mom, Chris, and her aunt, Wendy Casper, were both on that winning team. Now, they're in the stands cheering her on.
“There is so many similarities in our team to their team back then,” Kaitlin said. “It is really neat. We had similar records and both were small teams.”
Chris was a freshman brought up to the varsity squad to play in the postseason, while her sister Wendy was a senior. Kaitlin also got her first taste of varsity action in a similar way, being brought up to the team from eighth grade while her sister Jessica was a senior in 2006. While that team came up short of a title, Kaitlin never forgot the feeling of being able to play on the court with her sister.
“My sister was a mentor to me,” Kaitlin said. “I guess it was the same with my mom and my aunt. It is really great to have that kind of support and to be able to play with older kids.”
Growing up, Kaitlin said her mother was always coaching and her older sister was always playing.
“I always tagged along with my mom and my sister,” Kaitlin said. “So I ended up playing with boys a lot and older kids. It made me sort of fearless in a way because I couldn't be shy to just jump in and play. I don't think I would have had all those opportunities if my mom hadn't been coaching and my sister hadn't been playing.”
Chris coached for Central Western AAU for six years and also coached the Super Camps and Super Clinics for 11 years, starting Kaitlin out in summer camps at age 9, while the average camper was around 12.
“Kaitlin can play anywhere with just about anyone and fit right in,” Chris said. “My love
Weedsport junior Kaitlin Hammersley has looked through all the yearbooks and is proud to see the 1979 squad immortalized on the championship banner hanging the high school gymnasium, knowing that her mom, Chris, and her aunt, Wendy Casper, were both on that winning team. Now, they're in the stands cheering her on.
“There is so many similarities in our team to their team back then,” Kaitlin said. “It is really neat. We had similar records and both were small teams.”
Chris was a freshman brought up to the varsity squad to play in the postseason, while her sister Wendy was a senior. Kaitlin also got her first taste of varsity action in a similar way, being brought up to the team from eighth grade while her sister Jessica was a senior in 2006. While that team came up short of a title, Kaitlin never forgot the feeling of being able to play on the court with her sister.
“My sister was a mentor to me,” Kaitlin said. “I guess it was the same with my mom and my aunt. It is really great to have that kind of support and to be able to play with older kids.”
Growing up, Kaitlin said her mother was always coaching and her older sister was always playing.
“I always tagged along with my mom and my sister,” Kaitlin said. “So I ended up playing with boys a lot and older kids. It made me sort of fearless in a way because I couldn't be shy to just jump in and play. I don't think I would have had all those opportunities if my mom hadn't been coaching and my sister hadn't been playing.”
Chris coached for Central Western AAU for six years and also coached the Super Camps and Super Clinics for 11 years, starting Kaitlin out in summer camps at age 9, while the average camper was around 12.
“Kaitlin can play anywhere with just about anyone and fit right in,” Chris said. “My love
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weedsportfam wrote on Feb 18, 2009 5:43 PM:
Chris was not even a starter on the JV squad.
Please check out your information before printing it! "