Behind the court with Atlee ballers and coach Rally Axselle
MECHANICSVILLE, Va. — The return to school in 2021-2022 also brought a full sports schedule, which was either cut entirely or short during the pandemic. The Varsity Basketball team featured ten seniors. We are fortunate to get a little 鈥渂ehind-the-court鈥� information from Coach Rally Axselle and several players.
Q&A with head coach聽
How long have you been coaching?
Rally Axsellec: 28 years total. I just finished my 5th year at Atlee.
What is your background in this sport?
Axsellec: I played basketball in high school. I started coaching high school basketball when I was a sophomore in college. I have coached girls and boys, and I have coached at the middle school, high school, and college levels.
What are one or two things that the team does in training that are keys to their success?
Axsellec: We try to have competitive practices to simulate game competition. We try and make the practices intense, so the players are ready for the games and the game speed. We lift weights during the season. That helps us maintain our strength throughout the season.
Please describe the most memorable games/tournaments/championships your team has won.
Axsellec: The most memorable game we won recently was against Mechanicsville last season. They hit a shot with 3 seconds left to tie up the game. Drew Hollins quickly inbounded the ball to Rival Axselle, who took a shot from 60+ feet and hit the game-winner.
How do you encourage the team after a disappointing loss?
Axsellec: We tell them that it is just one game and we can鈥檛 dwell on it too long. We don鈥檛 want one loss to lead to consecutive losses. We talk about a couple of things offensively and defensively that we need to improve the next day in practice.
Describe your proudest coaching moment.
Axsellec: One of my proudest coaching moments was when the 2019-20 team set the record for the most wins in school history. I was proud of the coaching staff鈥檚 commitment to the program and the dedication and work the players put into that season. We also won the first-ever regional game in school history.
What is the biggest life lesson you’ve learned from being a coach?
Axsellec: As a coach, you always try and have a game plan going into a game. The game starts, and sometimes the game plan goes accordingly, and sometimes it doesn鈥檛. Just like in life, you have to make adjustments and keep moving forward.
What legacy do you hope to leave as a coach?
Axsellec: I want the players to know that I cared about them and wanted to make their high school basketball season a success and one they can look back on with great memories. The wins and losses are important, but hopefully, they had a great experience no matter what the record was that year.
Anything else you’d like to add:
Axsellec: I was glad this group of seniors got a full season this year after having it cut short last year by Covid. This was a hard-working group of kids that played their best basketball at the end of the season.
Q&A with players
GARRETT BRALLEY
Age: 17 – AHS Junior
Plays: Basketball, Lacrosse, and Baseball (when I was younger)
Years Played: 聽Basketball: 10 years, Lacrosse: 7 years – 3 years on Varsity for Atlee
Teams:聽 Atlee High School, Venom Red, and Amped 2023
What do you love about your sport?
Garrett Bralley: “I like the competitiveness and being with my teammates every day.鈥�
HUDSON WILLIAMS
Age: 16 – AHS Sophomore
Plays: Basketball and Baseball
Years Played: 10 years
Teams: Atlee Basketball, Atlee Baseball, Rockit Basketball, Elite Squad Baseball.
What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams?
Hudson Williams: To play at any college level.
What is the biggest challenge in your sport, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
Williams: Finding a lot of motivation to put the extra work in. I manage it by thinking about my goals.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Williams: Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.
What do you love about your sport?
Williams: The excitement on game days.
Do you have a pregame ritual you follow?
Williams: I listen to music, but other than that, no.
What do you like to do outside of your sport?
Williams: Ride bikes and hang out with friends.
What has being a member of a team taught you?
Williams: To look out for your teammates.
What is the best piece of advice you received from a coach or mentor?
Williams: Outwork your opponents in silence.
Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.
Williams: When I miss a shot, I make an adjustment.
JACOB GOMPERS
Age: 18 – Senior
Plays: Basketball
Years in current sport: 2018,2019,2020,2021
Team: Atlee Varsity Basketball
What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams?
Jacob Gompers: To be the best I can possibly be.
What is the biggest challenge in your sport, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
Gompers: Starting with no position and gradually gaining an important one.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Gompers: To be the best one on the court.
What do you love about your sport?
Gompers: It鈥檚 very competitive.
Do you have a pregame ritual you follow?
Gompers: Drink water.
What do you like to do outside of your sport?
Gompers: Boats.
What has being a member of a team taught you?
Gompers: To love your team.
What is the best piece of advice you received from a coach or mentor?
Gompers: Be the hardest worker.
Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.
Gompers: Messing up and play or situation and making up for it on the next play.
JOSH TURPIN
Age 18 – Senior
Plays:聽 Basketball and Volleyball
What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams?
Josh Turpin: To get at the basketball!
What is the biggest challenge in your sport, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
Turpin: Being satisfied with my overall skillset. In order to solve this challenge, I try to excel in a certain area of my game.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Turpin: Work harder.
What do you love about your sport?
Turpin: The competition.
What do you like to do outside of your sport?
Turpin: I play pickup basketball with my friends.
What has being a member of a team taught you?
Turpin: That life isn鈥檛 just about me.
What is the best piece of advice you received from a coach or mentor?
Turpin: To play hard and have fun.
Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.
Turpin: I used to be terrible at shooting free throws, so in order to fix this issue, I would go outside and shoot 20 per day.
KENNAN MARTIN
Age: 18 – Senior
Plays: Basketball and Golf
Years in current sport: 4
Teams: AHS
What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams?
Kennan Martin: To do whatever I can to help my team succeed.
What is the biggest challenge in your sport, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
Martin: My shooting was very inconsistent, but I knew I was a good shooter, so I had to not lose faith in my shot.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Martin: My teammates would tell me to keep shooting even if I missed a couple of shots.
What do you love about your sport?
Martin: I loved playing in front of the big crowds that we would have in county games. I also love dunking the ball.
What do you like to do outside of your sport?
Martin: I like to hang out with friends and play video games
What has being a member of a team taught you?
Martin: It has taught me that no one is above the team, and we win together, and we lose together.
What is the best piece of advice you received from a coach or mentor?
Martin: Honestly, the best piece of advice is when Coach Axselle taught me how to properly do the tip off, and I only lost one tip off the whole year, and it was against a VCU commit.
Anything else you鈥檇 like to add:
Martin: We had good support from the community as we normally had good crowds, and I had people I didn鈥檛 know out in public tell me I played well.
MATTHEW SHIELDS
Age:聽 15 – Freshman
Sport:聽 Basketball
Years in current sport: 7 yrs total; 1 yr since high school
Team/s: Atlee, J&R Travel Team
What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams?
Matthew Shields: To develop my skills through hard work and constant training; to take a leadership role on my teams; to support and encourage my teammates; and see Atlee High School win a State title.
What is the biggest challenge in your sport, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
Shields: I think my biggest challenge in basketball is my mental stamina.聽 I can practice all day long, but when my shot is off, I struggle with maintaining confidence.聽 When I am confident, I am a totally different player.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Shields: My travel coach鈥檚 advice has always been 鈥渂rush it off and move on.鈥澛� He has stressed the importance of learning what you did wrong, fixing it, and getting back in the game.聽 He knows I beat myself up far more than he ever would. Now, if I make a mistake, I have to force myself not to dwell on it because it affects how I play and who I am.聽 Funny, but I have found that I play better after I have made a mistake, because I am more determined than ever to make it right.
What do you love about your sport?
Shields: I love the energy that basketball brings to not only the team, but also to those in the stands.聽 I also love the team spirit and camaraderie that comes when we are all on our game.
Do you have a pregame ritual you follow?
Shields: I say a prayer and ask God for the ability to play my best, to encourage my teammates, and always stay positive (even if that means a loss).
What do you like to do outside of your sport?
Shields: I enjoy playing golf which is a sport that is totally based on your own skill.聽 I also enjoy participating in fantasy football and hanging out with my friends.
What has being a member of a team taught you?
Shields: I have learned that every team needs a leader and that a leader must not only encourage and support his teammates but must also hold the team accountable for their actions. If a player is missing practice or not pulling his weight in practice, a leader must respectfully and calmly point that out to the player.聽 If a player is doing well, it is also important to recognize that and provide positive feedback.聽 Encouragement and support to individual teammates makes a huge difference in a team鈥檚 success. It is all about bringing a team together and trying to be the best team possible.
What is the best piece of advice you received from a coach or mentor?
Shields: The best piece of advice I have received is to keep a positive attitude at all times.聽 If you make a mistake, brush it off and mentally get back in the game.
Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.
Shields: In my first varsity game, I was really nervous when I finally got on the court.聽 I knew that as a freshman, I wouldn鈥檛 get many chances to actually play.聽 I had two turnovers right away.聽 I was so mad at myself and was more determined than ever to turn my play around.聽 I then hit two threes and made sure there were no more turnovers.聽 It鈥檚 all about mentally changing your game, remaining undeterred and never giving up.
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