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The Harlan County Lady Bears have produced one traditional center after another in the last five years.Without an established back to the basket player next season, Anthony Nolan said his team will look to open up the offense.

“We have ran at a lot faster pace most of the summer, and played with a lot of four-guard lineups. I think most of our kids enjoyed that,” said the Harlan County coach. “It requires you to be in excellent condition, but the kids know what they have to do in the weight room in the fall. It should be exciting for the fans.”

Harlan County’s new fast-paced style is made possible by a group of experienced guards, including seniors Kaitlyn Stittums and Lauren Lee, junior Bella Noe and sophomore Brooklyn Massingill.

“We have two senior guards and then a junior and a sophomore. There is a ton of experience there, and we expect those kids to go out and lead us. All four of them could be a top 10 player in the region,” Nolan said.

With the smaller lineup, Harlan County guards will be forced to replace the rebounding and interior presence of Sarah Evans, Keisha Mimes and Madison Cornett, who were all lost to graduation. To replace that production, Nolan said the Lady Bears will have hit the weight room in the offseason.

“To play with a smaller lineup like that, these guards have to learn to be physical and rebound,” he said.

Harlan County wrapped up its summer campaign on Monday. The Lady Bears posted a solid 23-7 record despite missing several players at different times. Nolan said the absences of several regular starters helped to create playing time for the younger Lady Bears.

“The summer is about trying to find that surprise player that can step in and give key minutes in big situations. We have found out what our weaknesses are, and now it’s important that these kids develop their strengths and eliminate their weaknesses during the offseason,” he said. “We have had a lot of different people show glimpses of what they can do, but we are still looking for consistency. A lot of that has to do with confidence. Coaches can’t really give you that. You have to go out and earn it with repetition and hard work.”

Harlan County was forced to play the entire summer without Shannon Shackleford. The rising senior is expected to start next season after missing most of her junior year with a knee injury.

“Including Shannon being out, we have not had a complete roster this summer. We have had a different lineup nearly every game, so it is good to see girls that are going to be able to step up and play next year,” Nolan said. “”With Shannon not being able to play, it gives Becky Freeman, Kaitlin Evans, Leah Evans and Lindsay Brandon a lot of minutes.”

One of the most pleasant surprises for Harlan County was the emergence of a strong upcoming eighth-grade class, including Rebecca Middleton, Noah Canady, Kaylea Gross and Breann Turner. The group went 24-4 in junior varsity action, despite facing freshmen and sophomores for most of the summer.

“We have a very strong eighth-grade class, so the future is very bright. It is probably the strongest class that we have. They have probably played the entire junior varsity schedule and only lost a couple of games playing against freshmen and sophomores. That shows how impressive that group was. A couple of those kids proved they could get the job done at the high school level,” Nolan said. “They will be pushing the varsity and that helps because you have depth.”

This Friday, June 21, is the first day of summer, also known as the Summer Solstice. Nature’s dramatic event moved the poet, Robert Louis Stevenson, to write the following.

SUMMER SUN

Great is the sun, and wide he goes

Through empty heaven with repose;

And in the blue and glowing days

More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull

To keep the shady parlour cool,

Yet he will find a chink or two

To slip his golden fingers through.

The dusty attic spider-clad

He, through the keyhole, maketh glad;

And through the broken edge of tiles

Into the laddered hay-loft smiles.

Meantime his golden face around

He bares to all the garden ground,

And sheds a warm and glittering look

Among the ivy’s inmost nook.

Above the hills, along the blue,

Round the bright air with footing true,

To please the child, to paint the rose,

The gardener of the World, he goes.

A little research revealed the following information concerning the importance of the Summer Solstice. It occurs exactly when the Earth’s axial tilt is most inclined towards the sun. While it is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, it is Winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is the shortest day of the year. The word “solstice” derives from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still).

Throughout the ages, Summer Solstice has been celebrated in different ways by different civilizations. The Celts and Slavs celebrated the first day of summer by lighting bonfires to increase the sun’s energy. The Chinese mark the day by honoring Li, the Chinese Goddess of Light. The most enduring celebration of Summer Solstice ties in with the Druids, who celebrated the day as the “wedding of Heaven and Earth.” To this day, many still believe that June weddings are lucky.

Perhaps, the largest modern day celebration occurs every summer in England. Thousands gather every year to welcome the sun on Summer Solstice at Stonehenge. Here in the United States, Santa Barbara in California celebrates Summer Solstice with a parade and festival.

Ancient Pagans celebrated Summer Solstice with bonfires. Couples would leap through the flames, believing their crops would grow as high as the couples were able to jump. It was thought to be a magical time when evil spirits would disappear.

Those rituals are no longer celebrated as dramatically, however, the event itself is an important one and has a fascinating history. Through the ages, festivals were held to mark the day. Currently the occasion is still widely celebrated around the world. To me, in a way, the day is somewhat sad because it portends shorter days to come as the season’s progress.