Soccer and basketball are two of the most popular sports at Wayne Valley—soccer dominates the fall and basketball the winter. However, these past seasons of both the Girls Soccer team and the Girls Basketball team, coached by Ms. Sinram, cannot go unnoticed. Ms. Sinram is a biology teacher from 7:20 to 2:19, but once the bell rings and ends the school day, all of her focus shifts to either soccer or basketball. 

Being a head coach requires a lot of work, especially since the teams that Sinram coaches compete at such high levels. Both the basketball and soccer teams earned the title of Conference Champions, but not without putting in countless hours of work during practices. Proud is not a strong enough word to describe how Sinram feels about these teams. She explained that, “They put a lot of time and effort into what they do. They deserve their championships.” The success cannot be accredited to one coach or player, rather, it took everyone. Sinram says, “Both teams have talented players that have learned to play together. They buy into their roles on the team. They also believe in each other. Both groups are very competitive on a daily basis, not just on game day. They enjoy what they do and that is a big part of it.”

This year the soccer team ended with seventeen wins, one loss, and three ties. Twelve of those wins were shutout victories. However, the team fell short in the county semi-final game and the final game in the NJSIAA tournament. When asked about these losses Sinram recalls, “The hardest part was seeing the disappointment in their faces. So much effort went into that game and the preparations all season,” and went on to conclude, “One game does not define our season and we still had plenty more to play for.” Those losses did not change the reputation that Sinram brings to the team year in and year out. 

Currently the basketball team holds a strong position with the record of eighteen wins and seven losses. On Saturday, February 29th, the team beat Lakeland in the County Tournament, crowning them Passaic County Champions. This was their second title in the last three years. 

Soccer and Basketball could not be any more different than each other. In soccer, players dribble with their feet, whereas in basketball, players dribble with their hands. However to Coach Sinram, the way she coaches could not be more similar. While these sports require different skills, Sinram states, “To coach both is to be able to combine fun, competitiveness, learning, and the importance of teamwork.” She is able to apply the same aspects to different environments of play. 

Nicole Ricci, a varsity soccer player, says, “[Coach Sinram] such a successful coach because of how dedicated and hardworking she is. She puts in so much time both on and off the field, doing things like scouting games, planning practices, and sending us motivational messages on her own time. It sets her apart from every other coach and allows all of her teams to be so successful!”

Creating teams that seem destined to win championship titles does not only rely on Coach Sinram. The athletes that she selects are the ones that are willing to put in the work and improve on a daily basis. When filling varsity rosters, Sinram looks for athletes that are good teammates in order to create a good team dynamic. Building strong team relationships in both sports is very important to Coach Sinram: “The sports I am involved in are team sports. We are successful because we have teammates and no one person needs to do everything.” The final product of her rosters result in talented athletes from first-year freshmen to fourth-year seniors. 

Daria Pontone, a varsity basketball player, adds, “Sinram is such a successful coach since she puts the time and dedication into every game and encourages us to play on a competitive level. She teaches us to play the game and corrects us on our mistakes so we can be a better player which makes us a better team”. 

Overall it takes a lot of effort in order to have such high ranking sports teams. These teams have not just impressed in the 2019-2020 season. These teams have been producing positive results for years on end. Girls’ sports are sometimes a bit overlooked and there is no reason for that to happen when coaches such as Ms. Sinram take their level of competitiveness to the next level.

Coach Sinram summed up what she liked about being the head coach of both of these programs by exclaiming, “There are so many memories! I have really enjoyed watching the interactions of the girls during practices and games. And when I watch game films (soccer or basketball) I love to see how excited they get for each other’s big plays… goals, baskets, steals, tackles, blocks. The way they cheer for each other and celebrate with each other always makes me smile!”