Santa Fe Girls Basketball Enters Season with New Roster

Santa Fe High School enters the 2026-27 girls basketball season with a roster almost entirely composed of new players, WRUF 98.1 FM reported.

The Raiders are attempting to pivot from a difficult 4-17 campaign last year toward a new identity built on summer preparation and team chemistry. With only one returning player on the court, the program faces the immediate challenge of establishing stability under the guidance of coach Dennis Hooks.

“We start off with a summer program,” Hooks said, noting that the offseason work is one of the most critical components for the team’s development.

The transition from last season to this one changes how the program operates. After struggling to find consistency in recent years, the coaching staff is prioritizing a cultural overhaul to ensure the new group stays connected.

Coach Hooks is focused on creating an environment where the players are more than just teammates. He wants to foster a sense of mutual support to help the group withstand the rigors of a competitive schedule.

“Just trying to build a family-like type of program,” Hooks said. “Everybody care about each other. Just make sure we compete every day.”

The stakes for this cultural shift are high. A team lacking cohesion often struggles during the high-pressure moments of district play, where individual talent frequently takes a backseat to collective execution.

Last season, the Raiders’ momentum was halted in the district tournament by a narrow five-point loss to Crystal River. While that loss was close, the subsequent roster turnover means the team must now find new ways to close out tight games without the veteran presence that defined previous squads.

Trinity Curtis, the lone returning player and a senior, holds a unique responsibility as the bridge between the old program and the new roster. As the only veteran, she is tasked with translating the expectations of the coaching staff to a group of players who are largely learning the system for the first time.

The outsiders oc trinity curtis by fullview

Curtis has focused her efforts on the psychological aspect of the game, aiming to keep the energy high even when the team faces adversity on the court. She also emphasized that the team has prepared more than last year.

“We worked like extra hard over the summer,” Curtis said. “We put in more work than we actually did last year.”

Her leadership will be tested early in the schedule. Curtis said that her goal is to provide constant motivation, pushing her younger teammates to meet the demands of the program through both encouragement and internal competition.

This increased offseason workload is a direct response to the previous season’s struggles. By intensifying training during the summer months, the Raiders hope to enter the regular season with a baseline of physical conditioning and familiarity that can compensate for their lack of experience.

The Raiders’ ability to translate their summer conditioning into competitive results will be put to the test during their season opener. The team is looking toward local matchups, including a notable contest against Gainesville High School, to gauge their progress.