The final buzzer sounded in the gym at Alta High almost a year ago, as Alta High’s girls basketball team lost their final game of the year, ending the season without a win, and bringing their streak of consecutive losses to a staggering 33 games.
The morale of the team was at an all time low as they sat at home during the 2023 playoffs. However, change was in the air. The first order of business, was bringing a change of energy into the program, the solution: a new coach. After a long hiring process, the school announced Julie Larsen as the next coach of the team. Larsen, a former player for the University of Utah, and a social worker by trade, combined the skills she had learned to start to change the culture around the team.
“The hardest thing about taking over the team was changing the culture surrounding the team,” Coach Larsen said, “At first it was a struggle to truly get buy in from all the players, but we eventually got everyone bought into our winning mentality.”
The impact of these changes immediately became clear on the court. After losing their season opener against Green Canyon in an overtime thriller, the team rattled off 6 straight wins, winning more games in non-region play than in the last 2 years combined.
The Lady Hawks, now halfway through region play, have bested every team in the region, averaging 58 points per game. The source of this offensive power? Senior Fuifuilupe (Fui) Niumeitolu, 5A’s leading scorer. After transfering from Jordan High before this season, she has averaged 21.4 points per game, good for first in 5A and sixth in the entire state. That athleticism runs in the Niumeitolu family, and thats what Fui says prompted the switch of scenery for her.
-
Fui poses with her family after her brother Kepa’s football game.
'
While Fui is the leader on the court, Coach Larsen says that lots of other girls have stepped up in big ways for them this season. Theres senior Aolele Liavaa, who despite never playing point guard before, has stepped up and filled the position for the team. Theres also junior Brooklynn Larsen who her coach says is, “The glue kid,” that fills in the gaps and helps keep the team together and play to their best potential.
Even though the team has already won the most games since 2016, Coach Larsen says that students still dont realize the talent thats been on display in their gym all winter.
“We hope that the student body can recognize that they have not one, but two incredibly talented basketball teams at Alta,” Coach Larsen remarked, “These girls deserve so much more support and I encourage all students to come out and support them.”
