There’s no thrill in easy sailing,

When the sky is clear and blue.

There’s no joy in merely doing

Things that anyone can do.

But there is some fulfillment

That is mighty sweet to take,

When you reach a destination,

You thought you’d never make.

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THE 10 MOST POWERFUL TWO-LETTER WORDS:

If it is to be,

it is up to me.

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DO YOU CONTINUE TO IMPROVE EACH SEASON?

Came across an interesting article this morning on what college recruiters look for in potential recruits.  Here are a few excerpts from the article…

“…how is it determined which athletes are chased by colleges?  Media publicity? Gaudy statistics? Being on a winning team? All-State honors? How actively the high school coach pushes his players?  After all, only about 5% of all high school athletes go on to play sports for college teams, according to the National Federation of High School Associations…”

“…What parents and players don't realize is that just because you score 20 points a game in high school doesn't mean you'll be a good college player, just like every good college player won't make the NBA…”

“…Stats don't matter.  What the college coach looks for in evaluation, whether live or on film, is almost always more about potential than overwhelming success at the high school level…”

''…What parents need to understand is that things like points, stats, coach's recommendations, they all fall way below the college coach's own evaluation. That is the single most important part...''

“…prep coaches should take one basic approach when pushing their players to college coaches, no matter what the sport.  A high school coach has to be brutally honest [with the player]… you are doing a kid a disservice if you try and put him in a situation where he can't be successful…''

The bottom line is that if you want to reach the next level, it’s not all about stats.  Heck it may not even be all about talent either.  There are hundreds of talented ballers every year that go unsigned because of personal issues… grades, attitude, work ethic, etc.  It’s about potential.  And at the high school level, there are very few athletes that are so good they can afford to ignore a coach’s advice on what to do to improve their game.

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Guess what came in today?

Yep, the new warm ups arrived and those that came to practice today had a chance to test drive 'em.  

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DEMANDING NOTHING BUT THE BEST

You don't win championships by being average or even being above average.  You win championships by demanding nothing less than the very best from yourself and from your teammates.  It’s an “all or nothing” approach to winning.  You’re either a winner or you’re a loser, it’s just that simple.

If it were easy, every team would have a wall full of championship banners.  

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Winning Hoops Magazine recently ran a survey of several high school head coaches on a number of topics.  Among the most interesting results:  

“The most successful teams use a full court press.  Almost three quarters (74.7%) of coaches with a winning percentage of .800 or greater use a full-court press as a primary defensive strategy.  That number falls to 51.1% of the least successful coaches.”

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HOOPS CAMP 09

So far the entire Grace GV team and two from Maranatha have registered to attend the 09 READY Camp on June 26-27. Still have a few spots available for either boys or girls in 6th through 12th grade... spread the word... www.ready4thegame.com

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WHAT WILL THEY REMEMBER ABOUT YOU?

The quality and effort of your performance will be remembered by all who were at the game long after the score is forgotten.  Play with that thought in mind.

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NOBODY IS JUST BORN WITH IT

"This is the NFL.  People see guys out there playing on Sunday afternoons and they see us having fun and dancing in the game, but they don't realize how much work it takes it takes to come into the league.  

I come in and work every day.  You go to work from 9 to 5, or 7 to 3.  I come to work (practice) from 7 to 6 every day.  I got an hour lunch break before I go back to work just like you do.  So, it's the same exact thing.  You work behind a desk in an air-conditioned office and I work in the weight room and run until I’m drenched in sweat on the practice field every day.  I go home at night physically bruised and beaten, totally exhausted.  I wish more people understood what it takes to get to the highest level."

- Leon Washington, NFL running back discussing his life in professional football

JORDAN "NUBUCK"

Jordan is releasing a sweet set of kicks on May 30th with the Retro XII Nubuck.

IN THE ZONE

"It's like an out-of-body experience, like you're watching yourself.  You almost feel like you don't even see the defense.  Every move you make, you feel like.. gee that guy is slow.  You're going by people.  You don't even hear the regular noise you hear.  It's muffled.  You go to practice the next day and you say, 'Why can't I do that every night?'  Guys have wanted to bottle that feeling."

- Joe Dumars

No one has been able to define what it means, but everyone knows it exists.   It's when everything - the physical, the mental, and the emotional - all come together.  Everything seems to click.

Athletes refer to the state of being in the zone when everything comes together, when one does great things, and when mind and body are able to stretch to the limit to accomplish greatness.  This state involves total immersion and focus, such that distractions and noise are absent. 

Often, at times of peak performance, athletes find themselves "in the zone."  For basketball players the basket seems bigger and wider.  They can't miss.  For baseball players, they report being able to see the baseball bigger, more clearly and in great detail.  Football players describe a feeling of being invincible with the ability to run all day through their opponents without being touched.  In the zone, your confidence is high, worry is non-existent and you cannot fail.

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WOODEN ON SUCCESS

"True success can be attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing that you did everything within the limits of your ability to become the very best that you are capable of becoming.  Therefore, in the final analysis only the individual himself can correctly determine his success."

"You may be able to fool others, but you can never truly deceive yourself, except, perhaps, for a short time."

"You must have patience and realize that all worthwhile objectives take time... In the search for success you will constantly find yourself beset with adversity and you must have faith if you expect to reach your goal."

- John Wooden

Mental Skills Separates Good From Great

Michael Jordan discusses the importance and development of his mental game.

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Inspiring someone is awakening a viewpoint that realizes that something that seemed impossible can actually be done.

DESIRE

While most players waltzed into the locker room the required 90 minutes before game time, Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird used to be seen on the floor by at least 6:00, more than two hours before tip-off.  

In the loneliness of Boston Garden, with only attendants and a few Celtics season ticket holders present, Bird shot more than 300 practice shots.  He'd start with 6 to 10 free throws, move out on the court a bit, and then start firing away at a comfortable pace as teammate Joe Qatato hit him with perfect passes.  

Then the "Parquet Picasso," as he was dubbed, would speed up the routine and by the end of the workout throw up rapid-fire shots, many featuring the Bird "drop back a step" maneuver that guaranteed him an opening from every angle.  "I really don't count my shots," Bird said. "I just shoot until I feel good."

The shooting practice was reflective of Bird's desire and his love for the game.  "That's the number one thing, the desire," he explained.  "The ability to do the things you have to do to become a basketball player.  I don't think you can teach desire.  I don't know why I have it, but I do."

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REMIX

Although few realize it, LeBron's "pre-game ritual" is actually just a remix of something Michael Jordan started.  Jordan used to dust the Bulls play-by-play announcer, Johnny (Red) Kerr, his entire career.

And by the way, take a close look at the video and see if you recognize the girl in the video.

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KOBE ON MISSED SHOTS

“If I miss four in a row I don’t dwell on it or let it get to me.  I just know the fifth one is going in.  And if I miss that fifth shot, well then I know I’m way overdue and that the sixth shot is going in.  And if I miss that sixth shot… well then I absolutely know that that seventh shot is money.  If I miss the seventh, then I know number eight will definitely be the one.  I always stay positive and never allow my mind to accept the possibility of a miss on my next shot.”

- Kobe Bryant

HOOPS NUTRITION

A common cause of early fatigue during exercise is dehydration. Dehydration can be prevented by using these guidelines from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association:

 

Hydration Guidelines

Pre-Court

• Drink 17 to 20 oz of fluid 2 to 3 hours prior to playing 

• Drink another 7 to 10 oz fluid 10 to 20 minutes before playing 

• Record baseline weight to assess fluid losses

 

On the Court

• Drink at least 7 to 10 oz of fluid every 10 to 15 minutes

 

Post-Court

• Record post-exercise weight to assess fluid losses 

• Within 2 hours of finishing training or competition, drink at least 20 oz for every 1lb. of weight loss

 

Pre-Court Fuel

Basketball players need guidance on what to eat before they train or compete. The pre-event meal is important because it keeps the athletes from feeling hungry, helps the athlete prepare mentally for competition and provides fuel and fluids to the muscles. Each athlete needs to experiment to identify what foods feel best, both physiologically and psychologically. 

Here are a few tips to consider when planning a pre-event meal:

Eat familiar foods. Never try a new food on a game day.  Experiment with foods only on practice days.

Athletes should try to eat 2 to 4 hours before the game to give their body enough time to digest the food. The closer the athlete eats to a game or practice, the smaller the meal should be.

Consume high-carbohydrate foods.  Good choices include whole-grain bagels, breads, fruits and energy bars.  These foods tend to be easily digested by most athletes.  If an athlete tends to experience stomach problems, eating smaller, more frequent meals will help. Some athletes tolerate liquid meals, such as Gatorade Nutrition Shake, better than solid foods.

For staying power, include some protein-containing foods with the high-carbohydrate foods at the pre-event meal. Examples include slices of turkey, chicken, lean beef, fish, yogurt, beef or turkey jerky or nuts.

 Once the athlete has finished their pre-game meal, they should sip fluids during the period leading up to the game to help ensure they begin play well hydrated.

 

Recovering From the Court

High-carbohydrate foods are essential for replenishing muscle energy stores after practice or a game. Carbohydrate-rich foods along with some protein must be consumed within 30 minutes after a practice or a game.

 

Along with fuel, fluids must also be replaced post-exercise.  Research suggests that 20 oz of fluids per 1 pound of weight lost due to sweat needs to be consumed to get the player back to baseline.  Adopting these two simple post-exercise recovery strategies will help maximize the ability for the athlete to train and compete at her best.

GC ELITE CAMP

(Hannah, Olivia, Lea Roper (Kodak All-American), Coach Skovel and Rebecca) 

The first annual Gulf Coast Elite Hoops Camp wrapped up this afternoon following two days of bumps, bruises, blisters, and of course everybody's favorite... the non-stop scrimmaging.  

The competition was pretty stiff.  In addition to several of the GC girls participating, there were some pretty decent ballers within the group from Mosley (Deanna & Octavia), Bay (Tanesha), Rutherford (Nicole & Jasmine), Freeport (Danica), Baker (Danni) and Arnold (Leanne & Jessica).

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PREPARATION = SUCCESS

"Every player competes at a certain level, but there are special players who really are able to intuitively understand situations that help win games, whether it's a steal, an offense board at the appropriate time, having the fortitude to shoot the 3 when maybe it's not exactly called for.  Those types of things, great basketball players understand.  Manu's one of those guys who's been in a lot of situations.  He knows what wins -- it’s outworking your opponent."

- Gregg Popovich, NBA coach of the San Antonio Spurs talking about his player Manu Ginobili, Gold medal Olympian and NBA champion.

HYPERIZE - ROYAL

Nike keeps dropping new colorways for highly-anticipated Hyperize.  They released the Royal & Black version today.

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.

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“The main goal of the offense is to get a shot you can make, a good shot, every time you have the ball.  The quality of your passing determines the quality of your shots.  Bad passing is a limitation on the number of things you can do.”

- Pete Carril

"You can put a lot of stuff on the blackboard.  But at the end of the day it's all about the player, not the play."

- Lawrence Frank

Which Piece is the Most Important?

When Celtics coach Doc Rivers spoke to his team before their crucial Game 5 of the Playoff series against Orlando this week, he wanted to make sure everyone understood what they needed to win...

The lesson of the talk centered around teamwork and why no one single piece was more important than any other, but that the complete picture couldn't be realized until all the pieces of the puzzle were connected. 

Without every piece fitting where it had to go, the picture would be incomplete.

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