Social Circle Girls Basketball has a new leader at the helm for the 2025 season. Gracie Brunel will lead the Lady Redskins as their new head coach, with the first tip-off of the new era to begin on Nov. 7.
Brunel is a recent graduate and former basketball player at LaGrange College. Her career was cut short due to an injury, but Brunel says that she couldn’t cut basketball out of her life.
“I was not done with basketball yet,” Brunel said. “I love basketball, so I thought, why not share the love that I have for the game with the younger generations.”
Brunel said that she was drawn to coach the Lady Redskins because of the tight knit community Social Circle has, and she believes her coaching style is a good fit for the school.
“The connection that I have with the kids matters a lot to me,” Brunel said. “I care a lot about them making it and pushing them hard and just giving them tough love.”
With seven returning players for the 2025 season, Brunel says that several players have bought into that tough love, including junior Brielle Price, who Brunel says is stepping up as a leader on and off the court.
Other notable returning players include lone senior Kara Taylor and junior Jermeria Cost, who Brunel says have seen their game improve during the offseason.
Last season, the Lady Redskins finished sixth in A D1 Region 4 with a 12-15 record. The region slate will not get started until Jan. 6 when Social Circle hosts McNair, the Lady Redskins will then travel to face the reigning region champions of Southwest Atlanta Christian.
To prepare for the season, Brunel says that her team is focused on becoming strong as a unit. This not only includes a film study, but also involves players and staff talking with one another about how they are feeling.
Brunel says that the grind of the season is not going to be easy, but calls on her players to rise to the occasion, not only during their playing career, but also in their lives.
“I hope that they take out that everything comes hard, but when you rise to the challenge, anything you do can be successful,” Brunel said. “So I always remind them that it’s going to be hard but as long as we work harder then nothing is going to be impossible.”
The Lady Redskins begin their season on Nov. 7, when they host Berkmar.
