As a gung-ho rookie coach at Wootton three years ago, Maggie Dyer spelled out her plan for ending the girls program’s decade-long string of losing seasons. Dyer installed preseason and conditioning programs, expecting a year-round commitment.
Dyer thought the September introduction to her new players went well. Then at the Patriots’ first workout, no one showed up. Undaunted, Dyer trained several members of the Wootton wrestling team.
“Me and the wrestlers, we really bonded that fall,” said Dyer with a laugh.
These days, Dyer can find amusement in her early struggles. Three years after going 3-21, Wootton (17-3) has won 13 straight games, clinched the top seed in the 4A West Region tournament, and claimed its first Montgomery County division title in 30 years.
So how did Wootton get here from there?
“Before our coach came, it wasn’t a serious program,” said Wootton senior Lindsay Weiner. “But now we’ve made a name for ourselves. That first year we lost to teams by 30. Now we’re beating those same teams. It’s very satisfying.”
Weiner, a 5-foot-7 guard who has committed to Tufts, has started every game for four seasons and serves as an example of how the program has grown. The Patriots used to depend on her to score. The left-hander averaged 15.7 points per game in both her sophomore and junior seasons. This year, she averages 11.8.
“We have nine girls who have scored in double digits,” said Dyer. “We’ve never had this much depth. We don’t depend on any one player. From night-to-night we can go to whoever has the hot hand.”
Senior point guard Carolyn Weis, a starter since her freshman year, leads the team in assists (4.0 per game) and steals (3.2). Sophomore Chelsea Craig leads in rebounds (7.4) and blocks (1.2). Junior Becca Feldman is a strong second option to Weiner, averaging 9.8 points per game. Five different Patriots have made at least 10 three-pointers.
Depth is the key ingredient for a team that doesn’t have a Division I player and has quickness and size limitations. The Patriots compensate with a rotation of nine smart, skilled players. At the insistence of Dyer, all 13 of the girls on the roster play year-round.
“I push them hard and I can be intense,” said Dyer. “But it really is rewarding to see how far this team has come. Before the season, the girls gave me flowers and a card that said, ‘Get ready for the best season ever.’ This has been a great ride turning it around with them.”
Maggie May
» Maggie Dyer, then with the last name McDermott, played for 1992 state-runner-up Watkins Mill.
» Dyer was raised in the Maryland Flames AAU program, run by her father Bill McDermott.
» Dyer coached three seasons at Holy Child before Wootton.
