Co-Captain Cassidy Musco ’19 played three years of Varsity basketball before coming to Andover as a new Lower.
After playing at the Varsity level for three years at Dana Hall School in Wellesley, Mass., Co-Captain Cassidy Musco ’19 joined Andover Girls Basketball as a new Upper and was voted Co-Captain after just one year on the team.
Hailing from a family of basketball players, Musco began laying when she was in fifth grade, and has continued with the sport ever since.
Musco said, “I started playing town basketball when I was [in] about fifth grade. All my older siblings had [played basketball], so it was kind of like everyone in my family was going to do it. I played for my high school for three years, and before that I played for the middle school team, and this has been my second year playing for Andover.”
In her first year playing for Andover, Musco looked to the team’s Captains, Janneke Evans ’18 and Molly Katarincic ’18, for inspiration and leadership tips.
Musco said, “Both Janneke and Molly had very strong work ethics, and I think [Co-Captain] Rachna [Lewis ’19] and I both picked that up and learned that from them. I know basketball wasn’t their primary sport, but they still treated it every day as if it was. They both had such a great attitude, they made everybody laugh and have a great time, but once when it came down to playing they were both very intense and really pushed us to be better.”
Musco draws from her past experience playing at the Varsity level to help advise and guide those around her. The combination of her time spent playing for Andover and at her previous high school has broadened her knowledge of the sport, according to Head Coach Elizabeth Monroe.
Coach Monroe said, “I don’t think it’s weird at all that she came on to the team as a new Upper last year. In some ways she’s been such a big presence both last year and this year that it doesn’t seem like this is only her second year here. I think one of the benefits is that she obviously came from a different program at a different school, so she can bring her knowledge and experience from that to our team.”
Musco’s diverse skill-set, strong game sense, and team-first attitude make her both an invaluable player on the court and a role-model for everyone around her, according Brooklyn Wirt ’21 and Lewis.
Wirt said, “She’s always there on defense making sure her man isn’t the one who is scoring. She’s always willing to make you open, she’d rather pass to someone else than to score herself. She’s 100 percent a team player all the time and she cares a lot about how everyone else on the team is feeling and keeping everyone happy. If someone’s playing well she’s always one to go and give them a high-five as they’re running back up the court or on the free throw line.”
Lewis said, “Cassidy is one of the most by far best players on the court. She’s not a selfish player at all. Every half time we come together and the players will talk amongst ourselves before the coaches come over. Cassidy will give us a breakdown and if the team is really riled up or stressed out, she’ll calm everyone down.”
Through her actions in practice and games, Musco demonstrates to her teammates the importance of both focus and fun, according to Coach Monroe.
Monroe continued, “I think Cassidy is a more quiet leader. I think she leads by example. She always gives 100 percent, whether it’s in practice or in a game. I think the other girls on the team learn from that and draw from that. During games, she’s extremely focused. I think she can get a little goofy in practice, which is great and can add great energy to practice, but when game time comes she’s 100 percent focused on the task in front of her.”
For Musco, Andover’s strong and close-knit team-dynamic has made the job of being a Co-Captain an easy task so far this season.
Musco said, “So far, being [Co-Captain] has been really easy, [because] the majority of the girls have been returners or [were] on JV last year, [so] we all already know each other. Every girl on the team is wicked fun and everybody is so nice and works hard every day, so it’s not a hassle being Captain.”
