“The group this year is different, but just as much fun,” Schafer admitted. “I’m almost glad they all left at once after last year. Sometimes, having a little bit of carryover can be challenging. That’s not the case here. Basically, we’re starting from scratch.”

The Lady Hearts will go from nine seniors to one. They will go from one of the most experienced teams in the entire state to certainly one of the least. They will go from a team with already-defined roles to a team that will be learning their roles as they go.

“At this point, I have no idea what’s going to happen. I really don’t,” Schafer said. “But I do know these girls will go out, play as hard as they can and do what the coaching staff asks them to do. I don’t want them to feel any pressure. I just want them to go out, play and have fun.”

Schafer is about to begin his 22nd year as head coach of the EHS girls program. He has compiled an impressive 409-209 overall record.

His 12-person roster – right now – includes one senior, four juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen. So this year’s Effingham squad will not only be inexperienced, it will also be quite young, as well.

“You’re probably going to need to see a program for a while to get to know who these girls are,” Schafer said with a smile. “But when you see how hard these kids play and get after it, you’re going to see some of the same qualities we’ve had in the past.

“We might make a few mistakes along the way, which is the hardest thing for me to deal with at this point,” the veteran coach added. “But I’m excited to see how this team improves as the season progresses.”

The season opens Tuesday, Nov. 19, at North Clay. The Lady Hearts will then compete in the Newton Thanksgiving Tournament.

“It’s going to take us a while to define roles and determine what our rotation will be,” Schafer said. “But I couldn’t be more pleased with the basketball instincts this team has. They know what to do. They just need to trust themselves. We need to be more fundamentally sound, take care of the basketball, improve our passing and find a way to score consistently.”

Schafer believes this team’s biggest strength could be their “coachibility.”

“They’ve been very coachable,” he said. “And they really root for each other, which is something we try to build here. And I really like the way we defend. We have some size and athleticism that just might create some havoc on defense.”

Finding out where the scoring is going to come from is the biggest question mark as the season opener quickly approaches.

“We can’t have bad quarters every game and survive,” Schafer noted. “The sooner we figure out who our scorers will be, the better off we’ll be.”

There are seven girls that figure to see playing time at guard – senior Callie Feldhake; juniors Hayley Diveley and Katie Carie; sophomores Grace Bushur, Sawyer Althoff and Meredith Schaefer; and freshman Ella Niebrugge.

“As our only senior, the leadership Callie has provided has been awesome,” Schafer said.

Diveley was the leading scorer last year on the junior varsity team and is described as the team’s “the wild card” by Coach Schafer.

“She could be a starter for us,” he said. “She needs to work on her defense.”

Bushur is described as a vocal leader, Althoff as a primary ball-handler and Schaefer as the team’s best shooter.

“Grace and Sawyer have different skill sets and complement one another,” Schafer said. “Meredith is a six-foot guard who can really shoot the ball. She needs to get stronger and tougher.”

Niebrugge, who led the eighth grade team in scoring a year ago, has shown great improvement, especially her passing.

“Ella shoots the ball well, can help stretch the floor and really guards people,” Schafer pointed out.

Schafer will also have a talented group of post players to work with this year.

Junior Taylor Armstrong (6’) is the only returning player with any significant experience.

“She has more than the rest of the team combined,” Schafer noted. “We’re going to expect a lot from Taylor. She needs to be a consistent scorer for us. She’s a good defender and I also think we might expand her range and develop her into one of our better three-point shooters.”

Sophomores Sam Urch (6’), Kennedy Sowell (6’) and Carolyn Ohnesorge (5’8”) will all be counted on in the post.

Urch, who moved from Macomb, has been a “pleasant addition,” according to Shafer.

“She’s been our most vocal kid,” he noted. “She has fit in like she’s been playing with our kids forever. She gives us a true post presence. Once she gets a little better offensively, she’s going to be handful.”

Schafer described Sowell as an “athletic jumping jack.”

“She’s been in our system for a year and it’s time for her to make a leap forward and start to blossom,” the coach added. “And I think she will. She’s had some really good practices.”

Freshman Annie Frost (5’9”) also figures to get plenty of playing time.

“She’s another player that has been a pleasant surprise from the first day of summer practice,” Schafer said. “She has a high basketball IQ for a freshman. Wait till you see her play. She’s everywhere on the floor.”

For the first time in four years, the Lady Hearts will not be one of the favorites in the Apollo Conference. Charleston, Lincoln and Mattoon figure to the front-runners, although Coach Schafer expects the conference to be solid from top to bottom.

“They key for us is to just try to get better every day and be the best teammate you can be,” Schafer said.

The coach doesn’t know who the starters will be just yet.

“We’re definitely going to be a work in progress as the season opens,” he admitted. “But our expectation level hasn’t changed and the way we prepare hasn’t changed. The only thing that’s changed is the players.”