Molly Day: Heart Divided

Evelynn D'Arrigo, Reporter

Even after a long day of teaching at our middle school and coaching at Dallastown, Molly Day finds a way to share her love with both schools. 

Day has worked with the Dallastown basketball program for three years and started teaching at our middle school two years ago.  

At Dallastown, Day is the head coach of the girls middle school team and assistant coach to the high school team. 

One of her coaching principles is that “Basketball is a game to have and enjoy but you have to compete..compete in every drill, practice, and game.”

In the spring of 2022, Day and Junior Varsity basketball coach Emily Freese started an Amutar Athletic Union (AAU) team, in efforts to combine both schools. 

Day said, “We knew that we had a really good group of girls and parents that supported us.” 

The idea for the team came about when player Ella Dunbar asked Day if there were any AAU teams in the area that she could join.

Ella said “[she] thought it would be super rad to play with a fun group of girls and good coaches.”

The team had a fun spring season together and they were able to learn a lot of lessons. 

Day and Freese hope to continue with the team in the future.

Emily said, “My hope for the upcoming season is continued development for each player. The development could be skills, basketball knowledge, confidence, decision making, etc.”

Currently, Day is focused on her Dallastown girls. Their goal for the season is to compete for the Division Crown and qualify for Districts.

They have faced some recent challenges, such as losing their point guard to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. She is not able to play this season and adjusting has been hard.

Their biggest competition Day said is, “Ourselves, we hold ourselves to a higher standard, and we know when that is being enough!”

Coaching and teaching doesn’t leave a lot of time for much else, and certainly keeps her very busy. 

Day said, “I do a lot of driving to games and eating meals at gyms, but I love it.”

Day attended York College for her teaching degree, and now teaches eighth-grade social studies.

During college, she hurt her shoulder and considered stopping basketball altogether. It was for this reason that Day was able to find her love for coaching. 

“My high school coach encouraged me to get involved with a former teammate and help coach a youth team at Suburban,” said Day.

Day has been able to have a huge impact in the classroom, on the court, and in the community.