Langston Ross, associate director of college advising, will serve as the new head coach for Girls Varsity Basketball. Last year, the team finished the season with a 16-7 record. Girls Varsity Basketball will compete in the Rose Classic Prep Jam on Friday, December 13.
When did you become interested in coaching basketball?
I’ve been a fan of basketball for my entire life. I grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and I’ve always been a Pistons fan. I played a little bit in high school, watched games a lot, and did a little bit of coaching while learning from coaches at other schools I’ve worked at.
How did you become the head coach for Girls Varsity Basketball?
Last year, I coached tennis concentration in the winter and Boys and Girls Junior Varsity Tennis in the spring.
I ended up attending many of the basketball games, and it made me interested in becoming assistant coach for either Varsity or Junior Varsity, because I had some experience with helping out Thirds Basketball with Mr. Soulemon Toure ’19 and Ms. Sienna Brann last year.
When Mr. Dempsey Quinn reached out to me and offered me an assistant coach position with Girls Varsity Basketball, I gladly took it. I started working with Assistant Coach Maggie Crain on planning for the year. For some reason, they couldn’t find a fit for head coach, so they offered me a promotion. I have learned a lot from Coach Joe Busacca [head coach of Boys Varsity Basketball] and others.
What is your coaching philosophy?
Every day in practice, I want the girls to learn and implement skills from practice into actual situations. Most importantly, I want to make sure that they are having fun as student-athletes and maintaining a healthy balance between academic and athletic commitments.
What are your plans for this season?
[Former Head] Coach Doug Kneeland ’98 did a really good job laying a strong foundation for the team. We have a team this year with a lot of Seniors. Kaila Richards ’25 is signed to play at Bucknell University and Morgan Jenkins ’25 is a very talented player.
From a strategic standpoint, we have strong athletes and we want to use their athleticism and speed to our advantage. I would like to build on last year’s success and make sure that the team gets better day by day.
The ultimate goal would be to win New Englands, but that isn’t necessarily what we talk about all the time.
What are some values you hope to instill in your players?
One is continuity. You end up spending a lot of time with your teammates when you play on a Varsity team, whether it’s staying for breaks, spending time with friends, or seeing each other outside of the court. These individuals spend over two hours per day for six days every week, so this makes a family.
What are some of your goals beyond this season?
Even if I’m not the head coach next year, I would like to see players continue their basketball careers and build a legacy.
