Thursday, December 31, 2009

WHO FINISHES THE GAME IS WHAT COUNTS

Far too often, immature players (and parents) place too much emphasis on being one of the starting five. It's not who starts the game that really counts... it's who finishes the game.

Came across an article this morning that is a great example of a veteran player doing what the team needed at the time, and it ended up helping him more in the long run.

---

After struggling in his first 23 games, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich moved forward Antonio McDyess to the bench. The veteran has played better since rookie DeJuan Blair replaced him in the starting lineup.

"That's where I’ve found my comfort zone, coming off the bench," said McDyess. "Coach needed someone coming off the bench who could shoot the ball. I think playing that role has helped me, and anything I can do to help the team, is good."

(San Antonio Express News)

THE BALL TELLS THE TRUTH

The Ball Tells the Truth: An Interview with Chip Engelland

Spurs Assistant Coach (and shooting instructor) Chip Engelland is credited with being the technical mastermind behind the drastic improvement that we’ve seen in Tony Parker’s mid-range jumper. The Spurs resident shot doctor recently answered some questions regarding the process of reconstructing a shot, the challenges of range, and the psychology of the shooter.

When you’re working on reconstructing a shot, what’s the length of time that it takes, say from when your first assessing his mechanics to when you’ve reshaped his shot?

That’s hard to say. I think everybody is different. Everybody comes from a different place. They have different habits. Are you in the middle of the season having games to play? Or are you in the summer when there is a no judgment period and you’ve got a long time before you have a game to play. All those have to be taken into consideration before you touch anybody’s shot.

There are some guys on the team and in the NBA who’ve got pretty unorthodox shots but still shoot the ball at a pretty high clip nonetheless. Do you find yourself being happy with that - what works for them works for them - or do you find yourself wanting to play shot doctor?

Not at all. The most important result is making shots. So if someone can kick it in at a higher rate, we’ll allow him to kick it in. If they can get that shot off in a game. We look at their results, and if they can make shots - if they can do 40% from the 3-point line, 45-46% from the field, and 80% from the free throw line - we’ll let them be, whatever they do.

There are some guys who have a pretty sweet shot from 18-20 feet and then they push out to that 3-point range and their percentage drops off pretty dramatically. Is that something about their mechanics? Is there something that make’s you think, if you’re working with a guy, “we’re not going to worry about the 3-point shot”?

That’s a great question. Certain techniques can hold up to 18 feet. Elton Brand, for example, who shoots over his head but has a limited connection with his legs and his upper body, and its way back over his shed- that shot, that technique doesn’t take you back to the 3-point line. But he never shoots threes, his game isn’t the 3-point shot. If he was a two guard, he would have to have a reconstructed shot. But he has a beautiful, soft touch. He’s an undersized big who shoots way over his head, so his range doesn’t connect.

I think the form you can see on some peoples shots, they’ll translate. In Al Jefferson’s case, who shoots a nice one-handed shot, playing with Minnesota tonight, his shot translates to 18-feet. He doesn’t need to shoot a 3-ball. It varies for different guys, depending on what their technique is.

What is the key for that range? Is it the use of your legs?

It would be where your release point is, coupled with your motion together with your legs. So it would be, how do you combine those two. How you are using your elbow and your wrist. So it gets pretty complicted, what holds you back from that.

As someone who works very technically with people, how much does psychology impact the shot? And when you’re working with guys, how much do you work on their psychology?

Well, it’s funny. Technique is the first thing. They see results. They get better. Their technique improves. They practice. Their patience increases. Once the technique gets better, the mind has to grow with it. That takes longer. The ball tells the truth. If they see the ball going in more then they did before, they start believing in it more. I’m pretty enthusiastic and positive... but you can’t cheat the ball. I can say the guy’s doing great but if the ball doesn’t go in, they’re like “something’s amiss.”

So the beauty is, if they see the balling going in, and you keep them patient - moving out one foot at a time as they develop - then they develop a confidence by seeing the ball go in. Your words can help and the cheerleading can be great, but the most important thing is seeing the ball go in.

There are a lot of guys who have a nice mid-range shot and then they get to the free throw line and it falls off. Maybe it doesn’t fall of flat percentage-wise, but you’d think the fact that - is that a psychological thing or is that a technique thing?

The first thing that comes to mind is rhythm. When guys are shooting a jump shot they have natural rhythm typically. When you shoot free throw there are so many variables. Guys subbing in. Am I tired? I have to worry about my defense. Am I getting back on defense? A lot of variables. And everybody is watching them. They lose their rhythm. So I think free throws get tough because people lack rhythm at the free throw line but on their jump shot they have rhythm. And I think a bunch of people are better when they have rhythm.

Is there an age at which you say “I can’t improve on this guys shot. He’s been doing this too long. He has bad habits”? You say forget it, let him do what he’s doing.

The first issue is, the player has to want to get better. If they want to get better- that’s the great thing about basketball and a lot of things in life. If you want to get better at something, there’s ways to do it and shootings one of them.

How much does fitness play into a guys shot? Do you find that, if their in better shape, better arm strength, better stamina, is that helping their shot remain…

Legs and a jump shot go hand in hand. Second half of the season, second half of a game and the fourth quarter, conditioning is a huge part of it, mentally and physically. It’s huge.

(thanks Graydon Gordian)

ON GOAL SETTING

The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far-greater value than what you get.

Goals.

There’s no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There’s no telling what you can do when you believe in them. And there’s no telling what will happen when you act upon them.

We all need lots of powerful long-range goals to help us past the short-term obstacles.

The ultimate reason for setting goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them. Don’t set your goals too low. If you don’t need much, you won’t become much.

4:13

(thanks coach Starkey)

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

7 Days and Counting... Redemption

35 Missed Lay Ups
21 Missed FT’s
28 TO’s
29 Rebounds

Olivia fouled out
2FG = (2 of 10)
FT = (1 of 7)

Rachel fouled out
2FG = (5 of 13)
FT = (6 of 16)

Hannah D 4 fouls
3FG = (1 of 4)
2FG = (0 of 2)
FT = (1 of 3)

Katie
2FG = (5 of 10)
FT = (3 of 7)

Lea
2FG = (1 of 7)

Maddy
3FG = (1 of 4)
2FG = (1 of 3)

Rebecca
2FG = (2 of 5)

…only 3 points

THE REAL DEAL

Last night’s game in Tally should have been a good one… should have been… UConn proved why they are ranked #1.

Maya Moore got things rolling for the Huskies with 12 points in the game's first seven minutes, keying a 17-0 run that gave UConn an early 12-point lead on its way to a 41-35 halftime advantage.

The Huskies (11-0) led the rest of the way, opening a double-digit lead just four minutes into the second half and won going away.

"We totally dominated the game in the second half," Uconn coach Geno Auriemma said. "When we play our 'A' game we're not going to lose."

And UConn was far from playing its best. The Huskies didn't shoot a free throw in the second half and only eight in the game and was only 5 of 21 from behind the 3-point line. And it was the first time this season the Huskies failed to score 80 or more points.

"Everyone is going to come after us," Tina Charles (#31) said. "It's something we need to really take personal."
Courtesy of CBS Sports, STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Monday, December 28, 2009

THE BEST

THE BEST KNOW WHAT THEY WANT
A lot of players spend their athletic careers satisfied with being average or so-so at a particular skill, but very few ever come to realize that being great is within their grasp. All you have to do is know what you want and you must want it more than anybody else.

THE BEST WANT IT MORE
To become the best, you have to put in the time and effort to do things that average players won’t do, and do those things with a passion and intent to get better. The best are never satisfied with being averge.

THE BEST ARE ALWAYS STRIVING TO BE BETTER
The best look at themselves honestly and see where there is room for improvement. If you are striving to get better, then you are always growing. And if you are always growing, then you are not comfortable. To be the best, you have to be willing to be uncomfortable, and embrace it as a part of your growth process.

It’s a process…

(thanks Coach Starkey & Jon Gordon)

POSITIVELY CONTAGIOUS

The Swine Flu is not the only thing you catch in a locker room. Turns out you are just as likely to catch someone’s bad mood and negative attitude. Yes, the latest research demonstrates what we’ve all known to be true, that emotions are contagious. Researchers call them emotional contagions and they impact our practice environment, productivity, teamwork, and performance in significant and profound ways.

As we know all too well, one negative player can pollute an entire team and create a toxic environment. One negative leader can make practices miserable for her team. A player in a bad mood can turn off the energy in a practice or game. Complaining can act like a cancer and spread throughout the entire team and eventually destroy the teams vision and goals. And negative attitudes can sabotage the morale and performance of a team with great talent and potential.

That’s the bad news... but there’s also good news.

Positive emotions are just as contagious as negative emotions. One positive leader can rally a group of willing people to accomplish amazing things. One positive-minded player can positively infect every player on the team. One positive team member can slowly but surely improve the mood and moral of her team. And pervasive positive attitudes and emotions at practice can fuel the morale and performance of any team.

You are not just a creation of your team’s culture but rather you are creating it every day through your thoughts, beliefs and actions. What you think matters. How you feel matters. And the energy you share with others, whether it’s positive or negative, really matters.

You can be negatively contagious or positively contagious. You can be a germ and attack your team’s immune system or you can act like a dose of Vitamin C and strengthen it.

You are not an island unto yourself. You are forever contagious and you and your emotions impact the world around you.

(thanks Jon Gordon)

FOCUS ON GETTING BETTER

Before last night’s game a reporter asked Gregg Popovich what kind of preparation the team does for each particular opponent.

“It’s not like you’re inventing the wheel every time for a new team,” said Popovich. “If you know what you do and you're solid in your defenses and your offenses, getting better at those is more important than changing things for every team that you play.”

Sunday, December 27, 2009

SIX WAYS TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE

1. Keep courtesy and consideration for others foremost in your mind, at home and away.

2. Try to have fun without trying to be funny.

3. While you can't control what happens to you, you can control how you react. Make good manners an automatic reaction.

4. Seek individual opportunities to offer a genuine compliment.

5. Remember that sincerity, optimism, and enthusiasm are more welcome than sarcasm, pessimism and laziness.

6. Laugh with others, never at them.

- John Wooden

Friday, December 25, 2009

TRUE LEADERS

Leadership on the team requires that players step back and analyze what is happening on the court. When leaders... “true” leaders recognize something that a fellow teammate should have done, or should be doing, they call them out on it.

They don't allow teammates to whine or make excuses – they hold them accountable.

4:13

PLAYING "TALL" vs BEING TALL

"I don't care if you are tall, but I do care if you play tall."
- John Wooden

There is a big difference between being tall and playing tall. Players are judged by the level of effort they give, not by their size. Don't tell everybody what you can do... show them.

4:13

PREDICTING THE FUTURE?

Had a conversation today with somebody close to the team that made a bold prediction... "your team will lose to BOTH Arnold and Grace in the next two weeks because they don't practice or play with enough heart."

Take that as a challenge. The best way to predict the future you want... is to create it.

4:13

STAY IN THE MOMENT

"It is said that great poetry is born in silence. Great music and art are said to arise from the quiet depths of the unconscious, and true expressions of love are said to come from a source which lies beneath words and thought. So it is with the greatest efforts in sports; they come when the mind is as still as a glass lake."
- Tim Gallwey

Thinking too much, especially negative thinking, often messes up a player's ability to get into a natural rhythm.

When you start to talk to yourself and "coach" yourself, especially after you do something wrong, you begin an internal battle [mentally] with yourself that leads to poor play. It clutters your mind with aggravation and thoughts of failure. When you begin to scold yourself after a mistake, you in essence (and unknowingly) erode away at your confidence.

Recognize your mistakes... learn from them... then let them go.
Stay in the moment... not in the past.

4:13

NASTY - Not A Sure Thing Yet

On paper, your team may be better than your opponent, but never-ever take an opponent for granted. Always prepare as if your next opponent is the toughest team you will face all season.

Be smart enough to understand that every game is an opportunity for both teams to prove how good they can be, and that opportunity means nothing unless the team is mentally prepared to prove it.

The team that comes out swinging first and is determined to win from the moment they leave the locker room is usually the team that walks off the floor in victory.

4:13

DEFENSE IS ABOUT DESIRE, NOT TECHNIQUE

Been reading "Character Driven" by Derek Fisher this week and found plenty of nuggets to pass along. I preach this to my team constantly...

"Just about every coach I have ever played for has emphasized one thing about defense: playing good defense generally comes down to desire. If you want to be a good defender, you can be a good defender by simply expending the necessary energy at that end of the floor.

Phil Jackson repeatedly said that you can have an off-night shooting - maybe some quirk in your mechanics shows up or something else goes wrong - but you should never have an off-night on defense because good defense isn't so much about technique as it is about desire and energy."

4:13

Thursday, December 24, 2009

3 WAYS OF LEARNING/PRACTICING OFFENSE

There are 3 ways which teams go about running their "Dummy" Offense:

Running through the play: this is a team that actually goes through the proper patterns of the sets but with no purpose; they feel that getting the patterns down is all there is to it

Execution: this is a team that understands it’s more than just getting the patterns down; it’s an emphasis on timing and spacing, making passes on time and on target, cutting hard with game speed cuts, cutting with a purpose. It’s an emphasis on the details of the pattern and the fundamentals of the pattern that separates them from other teams

Perfection: this is a step that only the very best understand. Only the best know it’s not just a warm up and that it’s execution with perfection — (1) on every rep….(2) from every player….(3) every time!

The only way to stay on top is to strive to perfect every offensive play. Every repetition of "Dummy" Offense we run is to simulate game speed and game focus. Every set we go through has one and only one goal in mind: to run it perfectly!

4:13

(thanks Kevin Eastman)

STRIVE FOR A BEGINNER'S MINDSET

Successful teams usually have players that have a beginner’s mindset. And coaches LOVE that attribute in their players. They want them to be like beginners when they're teaching them in practice, coaching them in a game, or talking about stuff in a team meeting.

The reason this is important is that beginners are open-minded; experts are closed-minded (they already know it all). Experts are closed to new ideas, closed to new ways of doing things, closed to a different concept, generally closed from everything except what they’re already comfortable with or want to keep doing.

Beginners are always open to new ideas, new ways to do things, and are always looking for new ways to improve. Players with a beginner's mindset trusts that the coach knows what he is talking about and that he is trying to do what is best for the team.

The players and teams that never reach high levels of success are the ones that challenge, oppose, or distrust everything their coaches try to get them to accomplish through new or different ways of doing things.

The ideal player has a beginner's mindset. With a mind that is open to new ways of doing things and ready to absorb and execute what the coach believes is in the best interest of the team.

4:13

(thanks Kevin Eastman)

INCONSISTENCY KILLS SEASON MOMENTUM

The one thing every coach expects every night from every player is... consistency.

It's important that players know that coaches expect consistency, but that when it comes to the most inconsistent of skills, say shooting, that we can live with an off night, as long as they are consistent in the other areas. That is, players need to understand that the "consistency" we are talking about is what's controllable. They can control many areas of the game that will have an effect on the outcome and how they contribute that night.

Effort: a non-negotiable trait of all successful teams; bring it every night.

Never take a play off: stay constantly focused in mind and effort -- every night.

Follow the game plan: execute what needs to be done to beat that opponent.

Know your opponent's tendencies: take away your opponent strengths every night, every possession.

Fulfill your role: bring your strengths to the game every night and stay within those strengths so the opponent plays against the best "you."

Details of defense: play smart, play to force, play to help, no fouls -- every night

Know and execute your offensive: never forget a pick, a cut, a play call.

These are just a few things. The key is that players need to know that there are many ways to help the team win, and many of these ways do not require the execution of a very particular skill like shooting. In fact, teams win championships based more on their ability to execute the “little things” they can control better than their opponent.

4:13

(thanks Kevin Eastman)

WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR WEAKNESS

One of the biggest weaknesses most ball handlers have is the inability to change pace and play the game at different speeds. Most players, when pressured, try to go faster than the pressure to relieve it, which is generally what a pressing team wants. It forces players to play at a speed they are uncomfortable with and a speed they rarely practice at... which usually results in a turnover.

WANT TO CONTROL THE DEFENSE?
Few players take control and play the game at their own speed, using change of pace and change of direction dribbles to control the defense by putting the defender off-balance as opposed to allowing the pressure to get the ball handler out of her comfort zone.

4:13

(thanks Brian McCormick)

LISTENING vs HEARING

One of the most important, yet overlooked aspects of communication during a game, is whether or not the message being communicated by the coach is actually being understood the same way the message was intended.

A perfect example of this would be when a coach calls an isolation play to get the ball to a particular shooter or even when the coach calls to drive-at and attack a particular defender because they are in foul trouble.

Although the coach may think he is sending a clear and concise message... do the players really understand it? From my experience, most of the time... the exact opposite occurs. The shooter the coach wants to get the ball to, ends up standing alone on the opposite side of the court watching because the ball went everywhere BUT where the coach wanted it to go.

Or maybe the opposing post player with four fouls never picks up her 5th foul during the entire second-half because, for some reason, even though the coach gave instructions to do so, no one will drive the ball at her and force her into either fouling or giving up an easy basket.

It's no secret that coaches can sometimes give too much information, rambling on until the players just shut down and hear nothing. But my experience has been that “less is often more” and most players understand with minimal instruction.

So why then does the opposite usually occur? Smart play and strategy will often beat talent... unless of course it goes in one ear and out the other. There is a big difference between hearing the message and listening to the message.

4:13

CATCHING UP...

Hopefully I can use today to catch up on some of the blog entries I've been intending to make for a while now. Will post some stuff both later today and tomorrow.

4:13

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

WHY EVERY POSSESSION MATTERS

I've been looking over the stats this week and couldn’t help but notice one of the trends that has plagued us this season… excessive (and unforced) turnovers. Take a look at the following stats and see if you notice what I did…

Providence – we turned it over on 54% of our possessions, they turned it over on 24% of their possessions.

Arnold – we turned it over on 31% of our possessions, they turned it over on 22% of their possessions. (3 point loss)

Pike - we turned it over on 31% of our possessions, they turned it over on 24% of their possessions. (8 point loss)

Although we beat Northside and Emmanuel, we struggled offensively in both games. Look at the stats…

Northside - we turned it over on 32% of our possessions, they turned it over on 38% of their possessions.

Emmanuel - we turned it over on 34% of our possessions, they turned it over on 52% of their possessions.

The bottom line is that we can’t expect to beat very many good teams by turning the ball over on 30% of our possessions.

FOOTWORK IS IMPORTANT TO SUCCESS

The position of a players feet will often determine the quality of their shot; being both on balance and being squared to the basket. Get your footwork right and your chances for success increase dramatically.

4:13

Monday, December 21, 2009

14 Days and counting...

Just got word that Arnold is practicing EVERY day during the break.

While we aren't practicing very day during the Christmas break, we are increasing our workouts and specifically working on ball handling, conditioning and finishing at the basket.

With only 14 days left until we meet Arnold again, every minute of each practice should be used to make some type of improvement that will be beneficial in the game.

Want to know how important preparation actually is? Here are a few quotes from some pretty well known and successful people...

"Before everything else, getting ready is the secret to success."
- Henry Ford

"If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend the first hour sharpening the axe."
- Abraham Lincoln

"Success begins with previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure."
- Confucious

"It's not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win that makes the difference."
- Bear Bryant

4:13

IT DOESN'T HAPPEN BY ITSELF

"God provides every bird a worm... He just doesn't put in their nest."

- JG Holland

To get what you've never had, means you're going to have to do what you've never done. You have to do the work to reap the reward.

4:13

EITHER COMPETE OR DON'T PLAY

"Losing is one thing, but not competing is another... it's so difficult to get the players to see what they are actually capable of."

- Bob Starkey

Saturday, December 19, 2009

THE INNER GAME

I've been reading Tim Gallwey's "The Inner Game" and it has some great stuff on self-control in athletic competition. Here are a few excerpts/paraphrases:

Every game is composed of two parts: the outer game and the inner game.

The outer game is played against an external opponent to overcome external obstacles, and to reach an external goal. In other words, it's the “how to” stuff. How to properly shoot the ball, how to properly align your shot, how to properly follow through on your shot, etc. But for some reason most of us find these instructions easier to remember than to execute.

The inner game is what takes place in the mind of the player, and it is played against such obstacles as lapses in concentration, nervousness, self-doubt and self-condemnation. In short, it is played to overcome all habits of mind which inhibit excellence in performance.

Ever wonder why you can do it in practice but seem to fall apart in a game?

The player of the inner game comes to value the art of relaxed concentration above all the other skills; she discovers a true basis for self-confidence; she learns that the secret to winning any game lies in not trying too hard. She aims for the kind of spontaneous performance which occurs only when the mind is calm and seems at one with the body.

There is a far more natural and effective process for learning and doing almost anything than most of us realize. It is similar to the process we all used, but soon forgot, as we learned to walk and talk. It's self-discovery... paying attention to what works and what isn't working, and adjust accordingly.

The problems that perplex most high school basketball players are not those dealing with the proper way to shoot a basketball. The most common complaint is “It's not that I don't know what to do, it's that I don't do what I know.”

Any of these sound familiar?

"I play better in practice."

"I know exactly what I did wrong, I just can't break this habit."

"I know what to do, but in a game I feel nervous and rushed can't concentrate on what I'm doing."

Most players have uttered those lines once or twice, but until you learn to develop the proper mental attitude, very little will change.

As an example: as an observer it's sometimes easy to see when a player has very little arc in their shot [shooting flat] which indicates that they may need to go deeper in their stance and use more of their legs in the shot.

Although these are things a player should be able to recognize almost immediately due to the number of times they've shot a basketball, it is not uncommon for a player to overlook these simple signs pointing to correcting the problem and instead, players tend to get frustrated and often begin to try too hard (mentally) to hit the shot and that usually just creates more frustration.

The most difficult battle isn't against an opponent, but in your mind.

4:13

WHAT I AM


Very few athletes over the past 10 years have shown the leadership and worth ethic of Shane Battier. I've been to two different camps where both head coaches used Shane as an example of being the best team leader they had ever seen. And he wasn't even a starter on his teams.

I do it because I can.
I can because I want to.
I want to because you said I couldn't.

4:13

Friday, December 18, 2009

LACK OF FOCUS

According to Wiki: “…Distraction is caused by one of the following:
1.) lack of ability to pay attention
2.) lack of interest in the object of attention [game]
3.) greater interest in something other than the object of attention [game]…”

Although we won by 21 points and had season highs in both rebounds and assists, the first half of last night’s game (against a VERY average team) gave every indication that several of our players were once again distracted and not focused on the game until I got angry about it. This is becoming a habit and it’s due to a lack of focus and execution.

Against Arnold, we were down 6 points at the end of the 1st Qtr and down 8 points at the half.
We beat Northside by 25 points, yet we were down by 1 point at the end of the 1st Qtr
Against Emmanuel, we won by 21 points, yet were only up 4 points at the end of the 1st Qtr and up by only 6 points at the half.

KEY STATS FROM THE FIRST HALF OF LAST NIGHT’S GAME:
TO’s – 17
22 Missed 2FG’s
8 Missed FT’s

Our defensive effort was well below average last night. We allowed three Emmanuel players to score in double-figures. That hasn’t happened with Emmanuel since the 2003-04 season. Only three other games this season have we allowed three players to reach double-figures… Providence, Pike and Freeport, all of which are far-far better teams than Emmanuel.

“Our thoughts create our reality -- where we put our focus is the direction we tend to go.”
- Peter McWilliams

4:13

Thursday, December 17, 2009

ON MAKING DECISIONS

Good decisions come from experience,
and experience comes from bad decisions.

4:13

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

COURAGEOUS DOESN'T MEAN FEARLESS

There’s an old saying in the military that “fear makes cowards of us all.” It means that each of us, at one time or another, eventually comes face to face with fear. And fear will stand in your way of accomplishing what needs to be done if you allow it to.

Fear will make you hesitate and second guess yourself.

So when you hear stories about people that were brave and courageous… keep in mind that they are probably not much different than you or I… it doesn’t mean they were fearless. It means they looked their fear straight in the eye and said “get the hell out of my way, I have a mission to accomplish.”

4:13

MORE THAN JUST A 10 LETTER WORD

Sure the endless drills and conditioning sometimes make us wonder why we keep giving 100 percent day in and day out; but then we think about the answer... its for the love of the game.

Deep down inside, we live for those long bus rides, blasting your ipod so loud that you cant even hear yourself breath, hair-braiding, eating those nasty bananas, and comparing bruises with friends that you'll keep for a lifetime. Its those hours of pushing your body to the limit, telling yourself that its us against the world that we'll remember and cherish forever.

It's about pride; in our school and in ourselves. It's about our love and passion for the game. And when it's all over; when we walk off that court at the end of the season, our hearts will sink because we know it's over until next season.

Basketball is more than just a sport or a 10 letter word.

4:13

GIVING 100% ON EVERY POSSESSION

"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever."

- Lance Armstrong

THE WINGS OF A BUTTERFLY

I would rather have the wings of a butterfly than the heart of a lion.
Why?

The butterfly is thrown around by the smallest breeze, yet it keeps going. The butterfly may have many fears; being swept away by the wind may be one, yet it still flys, taking to sky like a fearless bird.

Whereas the lion will go about it's business proudly strutting, ignoring all but itself and it's prey. While the lion is usually viewed as courageous, true courage is only shown in a moment of fear, when we are faced with a decision to choose between fear or becoming so focused that we forget to be afraid.

Unlike the butterfly, the lion's courage means little, because in the end... it really has nothing to fear.

4:13

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

BE KNOWN FOR MORE THAN YOUR GAME

“It’s nice to be known as a good player. But I want to be known as a good person, too.”
- Kentucky star John Wall

During the summer semester (when most students take a break from college), he achieved a 4.0 grade-point average – mainly, he says, because he made it a point to sit in the front row of each class. “Some of the best advice I ever got,” Wall says. “If you sit in the back, you can laugh and get away with anything. But if you’re in the front, you have to pay attention.” When he’s out in public, Wall says he never lets his pants sag below his waist, and he has no plans to regrow the braids his AAU coach made him shave when he was 14. Wall doesn’t have any tattoos. “I’m not trying to put down the people that have them,” Wall says. “But for me right now, it’s all about image. You can’t walk around looking like a thug. There are kids out there looking up to me. I’ve got to set a good example.”
Yahoo! Sports (via Coach Eric Musselman)
(Thanks Coach Starkey)

PREPARATION

"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today."

- Abraham Lincoln

FOCUS ON THE SMALL STUFF

Nobody ever trips over mountains. It is the small pebbles that cause you to stumble. Keep your eyes on the pebbles (small stuff in your game - shot selection, minimizing TO's, good passing) and you will find you have crossed the mountain before you thought you could.

4:13

DO YOU REFUSE TO LOSE?

Rock climbing is unlike many sports in that the majority of it’s participants are not involved in any kind of competitive activity. There is no winning or losing against an opponent.

So what drives rock climbers, why do they climb? Why do they punish their bodies and endanger their lives to conquer a piece of rock ?

The answer is clear, they are competitors. They simply refuse to lose.

Wiki defines Competition as…
“Competition is a contest between individuals…it arises whenever two or more parties strive for a goal which cannot be shared…”

We all know what competition is, we all compete to one extent or another, but how many “real competitors” do you know? You know, those die-hards that are so serious, that they compete at 100% even in relaxed pick-up games or in practice? They never play at 75%, it’s always an “all or nothing” mentality. Those are the people that usually have the best skills and the most game and are also those that refuse to lose.

They challenge themselves to always do their very best on every possession… in practice or in a game.

“If you're not making mistakes, you're not taking risks, and that means you're not going anywhere. The key is to make mistakes faster than the competition, so you have more chances to learn and win.”
- John W. Holt, Jr.

“A competitor will find a way to win. Competitors take bad breaks and use them to drive themselves just that much harder. Quitters take bad breaks and use them as reasons to give up. It's all a matter of pride.”
- Nancy Lopez

“Competition is a process or variety of habitual behavior that grows out of a habit of mind.”
- Willard Beecher

“Besides winning, [the most fun thing is] getting out there and mixing it up with friends; it's the competition.”
- Al Unser, Jr.

“Live daringly, boldly, fearlessly. Taste the relish to be found in competition -- in having put forth the best within you.”
- Henry J. Kaiser

4:13

CHARACTER

"Character is the sum total of all our everyday choices."

- Margaret Jenson

Monday, December 14, 2009

THE RIGHT WAY TO RUN THE PICK & ROLL


When the defense chooses to trap the ball, or the defense doesn't communicate on the switch, the screener is usually wide open for an easy pass.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

PREPARATION FOR TOMORROW STARTS TODAY

Preparation doesn't begin with what you do. It begins with what you believe. If you believe that your success tomorrow depends on what you do today, then you will treat today differently.

What you receive tomorrow depends on what you believe today. If you are preparing today, chances are you will not be repairing tomorrow.

You can only claim to be surprised once; after that, you're unprepared.

4:13
(thanks John Maxwell/Coach Starkey)

RESOLVE

You shall not break me.
You shall flow over me,
like water over a rock.
I shall stand strong,
against anything you throw at me.

4:13

WE BEFORE ME

"Good teams become GREAT TEAMS when you learn to sacrifice the ME for the WE!"

- Phil Jackson

YOUR REAL OPPONENT

"In the end, your opponent is really never the player on the other side of the net, or the swimmer in the next lane, or the team on the other side of the field, or even the bar you must high-jump over. Your opponent is and always has been yourself, your negative internal voices, your level of determination."

- Grace Lichenstein

DETERMINATION

Determination is the flame that refuses to die, even in the strongest winds, or the heaviest blackness. It is not wanting to win that makes you the winner... every team wants to win. It is refusing to fail.

4:13

ARNOLD REMATCH... 23 DAYS AND COUNTING

Don't practice until you get it right.
Practice until you can't get it wrong.

4:13

Friday, December 11, 2009

IT'S WHAT YOU DO AFTERWARDS THAT COUNTS

There are moments in your life that shape you and sets the course for who you're going to be.

Sometimes they're little, subtle moments. Sometimes, they're big moments you never saw coming. No one asks for their life to change, but it does. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are and what you are really made of.

4:13

TAKE THE CHALLENGE...

"Never assume greatness is for someone else. Imagine every day that you too can do great things. Have the courage to take the challenge, make the mistakes, and move forward. Who knows, maybe one day the world will be sharing your moment with you."

- Brandi Chastain

REFUSE TO BE ANYTHING LESS THAN THE BEST

Ever wonder how Geno Auriemma led UCONN to six National Championships? Or maybe how Pat Summit has won more games at Tennessee than any other coach in college and won 8 National Championships?

Behind every fearless player is a fearless coach who refused to let them be anything but the best they can be.

4:13

NEWS HERALD'S PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to Hannah D for being selected as the News Herald's Player of the Week.

Hannah's defensive play in two games this week accounted for 18 steals which in-turn helped her get 7 assists and she scored 9 points off the steals.

(and she hit four 3-pointers on Tuesday against Northside)

4:13

HOW GOOD ARE WE?

Over the past few weeks, I have complained (non-stop) about how we are not playing up to our full potential, and I'm sure most of you agree that there have been numerous times throughout the first part of the season, where with just a little more discipline or a little more focus, the game would have had a different outcome.

MaxPrep just released their FL State Rankings this week and the Lady Lions are positioned at 260 out of 686 high schools. Not bad for a high school with only 54 students (including boys).

Where will we be ranked if we play up to our full potential?

Other Rankings:
Providence - 53*
Pike - 123*
Bay - 133
Mosley - 169
Marianna - 174
Bethlehem - 259
Covenant - 260
Rocky Bayou - 276
Arnold - 361
Chipley - 437
Cottondale - 442
RF Munroe - 452
Freeport - 510
Rutherford - 553
* indicates AL rankings