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BYU senior guard Lexi Rydalch dribbles the basketball during No. 7-seed BYU's 78-69 loss to No. 10-seed Missouri in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Austin, Texas, on March 19, 2016.

JAREN WILKEY, BYU Photo

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Copper Hills guard Breaunna Gillen (23) goes for a shot while guarded by Lone Peak guard Maddy Eaton (5) during the semifinals game of the UHSAA Girls Basketball State Championships in a game between the Lone Peak Knights and the Copper Hills Grizzlies held Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, at Salt Lake Community College in Taylorsville.

Evan Cobb, Daily Herald

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Maple Mountain's Liz Eaton shoots a layup past Springville's Ali Monson and Lindsay Johnson at Springville High School on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015. Maple Mountain held a steady lead and defeated Springville 72-52. GRANT HINDSLEY, Daily Herald

GRANT HINDSLEY, Daily Herald

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BYU's Jennifer Hamson (5) shoots against Gonzaga's Sunny Greinacher in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game for the West Coast Conference women's tournament championship, Tuesday, March 11, 2014, in Las Vegas. Gonzaga won 71-57. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

FILE, Associated Press

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BYU senior center Sara Hamson blocks a shot during the Cougar win over Utah at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. (Courtesy BYU Photo)

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Pleasant Grove middle blocker Heather Hamson (13) celebrates her point with her teammates during a game in the quarterfinals of the 6A state tournament between the Pleasant Grove Vikings and the Syracuse Titans held at Pleasant Grove High School on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald

Isaac Hale Daily Herald

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Timpview guard Taya Cravens (21) and Lehi’s Maddie Warren (1) reach for a Timpview offensive rebound during a game between the Timpview Thunderbirds and the Lehi Pioneers held Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020, at Timpview High School in Provo. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald

Isaac Hale Daily Herald

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Lehi’s Maddie Warren (1) drives the ball past Springville's Kayla Jackson (3) during a semifinal game in the 5A girls basketball state tournament between the Springville Red Devils and the Lehi Pioneers held Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

Jared Lloyd Daily Herald

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I decided to pick their brains and get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to get there.

We see the final product on the court, but what did they do to reach that level?

The Eaton sisters are Lexi Eaton Rydalch (BYU, 2011-16), Liz Eaton Graves (BYU, 2016-18; Weber State, 2018-20; and SUU, 2020-21) and Maddy Eaton (SUU, 2019-present). The Hamson sisters are Jen Hamson (BYU, 2010-14), Sara Hamson (BYU, 2017-22) and Heather Hamson (BYU, 2021-present). The Warren twins are Maddie and Macie Warren (Dixie State, 2021-present).

For the Eatons, it was a parental decision and goal of how they wanted to raise their kids.

For them it didn’t matter what sport they played but whatever they did, the athletes had to put time into it every day, they had to pay for half of what they did, they had to play an instrument, they had to get their Young Womanhood Recognition Award, and they had to have at least a 3.8 GPA.

Alan Eaton developed their workouts, pregame and postgame prep, and game film. One thing I liked was that he made the girls watch the game and take notes first, and then he would watch the game with them and help them break it down.

When I asked Alan and Aleisa Eaton what was the biggest reason their girls made it, their response was, “No question about it, work!”

Alan believed that Lexi was the hardest-working kid in the game at her time. One example of that was how Lexi Rydalch became their ward organist so she could have a key to the meetinghouse.

They spent a lot of hours in the gym but also credited playing for Jeff Hansen’s teams, Salt Lake Metro, and of course the guidance of Nancy Warner at Springville and Lone Peak.

The Hamsons have something you can’t teach, and that’s height.

Jen and Sara Hamson are both 6-foot-7 and Heather Hamson is 6-foot-2. Their mom, Tresa Spaulding Hamson, is 6-foot-7 as well and was an All-American at BYU.

With those credentials, you think it would be easy — but there are a lot of examples of those who didn’t make it.

It wasn’t until they put in the work that they reached their full potential.

All three were two-sport athletes playing basketball and volleyball at a high level. Jen Hamson played both basketball and volleyball at BYU for four years and Sara Hamson did it for a couple years and then decided to focus on basketball.

To juggle more than one sport at that level, you have to put in extra work before and after practice.

At the same time, they had to balance that out with academics. All three were 4.0 students in high school and at BYU had GPAs above 3.8.

Tresa Hamson lived in the car driving from one gym to the next for practices, workouts and games. Playing two club sports put a lot of stress on them financially, so they did what they had to do to make it work.

Tresa Hamson said the key for their success was the great family support. The family she talked about was their coaches, teachers and friends and the sacrifices they all made to make it work.

For Cody and Megan Warren, it’s all about their kids learning how to work and developing a work ethic.

They were all about giving them the opportunities to do the things they wanted to do, but they had to take care of business at home and school. There were sacrifices they made as basketball trips became their family trips or they were in the gym when they wanted to be out chasing bears.

They are grateful for the life lessons learned along the way and the friends and memories which made it all worth it. They credited their ‘Village’ which are their family, friends, coaches and teammates to help them get there.

Once the twins, Maddie and Macie Warren, decided basketball was their sport, they put basketball above all else. They seized every opportunity to get a workout in, or play a scrimmage or game. They were gym rats.

When I asked the twins if there was anything they would do differently, their answer explained it all. They both said they would’ve “put more hours in.”

They don’t regret the sacrifices they made because the benefits they are getting from it are amazing. They both also had a 3.9 GPA.

Of all the girls that I worked with, the Warren twins have been the hardest working kids

These three families have raised the bar for girls basketball.

The main theme I got from talking with each family was that it requires WORK and sacrifice. This backed up what I believe, which is, the hardest working kids are the ones that see the results.

If you want great results, you have to put in the work like the greats have.

We’ve got three prime examples of those who have done it here in the Valley.

If it’s your goal or dream to play at the next level, then follow the ones who have done it. Be the hardest worker in the gym, the classroom and film sessions.

Put in the work!

These are just three examples of those that have raised the bar.

Other families that I heard about but never got to watch them play were the Redd Sisters (Lori at Utah, twins Sarah and Stephanie at Utah then BYU and Traci at BYU) and the Cheesman Sisters (Danielle, Heather and Ashley at BYU).

Did I miss any?

I’m sure I have, so let me know in the comments!

Games to watch this week:

Feb. 7: Merit Academy at Rockwell, 7 p.m.

Feb. 8: Lone Peak at Skyridge, 5:15 p.m., Salem Hills at Springville, 5:15 p.m.

Feb. 10: Timpview at Orem, 7 p.m.

Feb. 11: Salem Hills at Maple Mountain, 5:15 p.m., Pleasant Grove at Westlake, 5:15 p.m., Lone Peak at American Fork, 5:15 p.m.