We have some very skilled players in our midst. They have worked hard to put themselves in a position where colleges are now beginning to pay attention to their development and potential roles as players at the next level. We have been visited in open gyms and practices by college coaches from Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan schools. I'm getting phone calls on a nearly daily basis from Division I schools who are interested in some of our players.
I hope it works out that every player who seeks to play ball in college finds the right fit in a good program. Our job here at the high school is continuing to prepare them to make that jump. As talented as they are, they can all get better. We've got an outstanding coaching staff who will be able to make a difference if the girls are sincere in their approach and dedicated in their efforts. Our goal individually and collectively is to get better every time we hit the court. If that happens, I think we will all be pleased with the results.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Day One is in the books
By most accounts, we had a successful beginning to the new season last night with our first practice. Good enthusiasm, hard work, no injuries. We had 14 girls in the gym (one more is still participating in the school play) so we are roughly in the same position as last year number-wise. Among that group, we have one senior, two juniors, six sophomores, and six freshmen. That's right, we're really young.
We began the session talking about my expectations and spent the rest of the time working hard to meet them. The girls worked hard and experienced some fatigue that they have not felt for awhile. Even the well-conditioned fall sport athletes felt winded from the different physical demands that basketball places on them.
Indiana's NewsCenter was there with a camera to record some footage and a couple interviews. I hope they do some significant editing because our skill work was pretty rusty...
We always begin with simpler goals, like passing, catching, and making layups. We like to weave basketball skill work together with conditioning in order to maximize our gym time and to blend the two disparate, but equally important, areas of preparation. We will employ some different drills tonight, but with the same basic pursuits. IPFW is sending an assistant coach tonight to observe our practice. Given the ragged display we put on last night, I hope he has a sense of humor.
In all seriousness, our primary stated goal in practice is to get better every night. We have lots of areas for improvement, so we've positioned ourselves well to meet that particular objective.
I'll let you know how it goes...
We began the session talking about my expectations and spent the rest of the time working hard to meet them. The girls worked hard and experienced some fatigue that they have not felt for awhile. Even the well-conditioned fall sport athletes felt winded from the different physical demands that basketball places on them.
Indiana's NewsCenter was there with a camera to record some footage and a couple interviews. I hope they do some significant editing because our skill work was pretty rusty...
We always begin with simpler goals, like passing, catching, and making layups. We like to weave basketball skill work together with conditioning in order to maximize our gym time and to blend the two disparate, but equally important, areas of preparation. We will employ some different drills tonight, but with the same basic pursuits. IPFW is sending an assistant coach tonight to observe our practice. Given the ragged display we put on last night, I hope he has a sense of humor.
In all seriousness, our primary stated goal in practice is to get better every night. We have lots of areas for improvement, so we've positioned ourselves well to meet that particular objective.
I'll let you know how it goes...
Monday, October 24, 2011
The moment we've all been waiting for. Or not...
I think the whole "bittersweet" thing is misused sometimes. It's typically thrown out to mean mixed feelings or weighing the happy and sad events in your life. Life is too complex to distill it down to a balance sheet of personal feelings or emotions, so trying to get to the heart of the matter with one word is pointless.
So no, today is not bittersweet. I am sad that Colten and Cassie had to go back to school after a short fall vacation. That emotion is not affected by the fact that basketball practice officially begins today. I am looking forward to that, but most of my day has been spent moping around with the departure of my two college-age children. It never gets any easier to watch them walk out the door.
Practice will be good. It gets my mind off the feelings described above, and we have a lot to look forward to as we walk into the gym for the first official workout of the 2011-2012 season. It's the first time in the past three years that we haven't begun the year as the reigning 1A state champions. I don't think it's going to change how we operate though, because we have always treated the season as an extended practice for the tournament.
We'll start the session with a discussion about expectations. We'll end it with a celebration of the efforts of each player during that particular workout. In between, it's a mix of fundamentals, conditioning, and lots of teaching. I'm no genius and this is no magic formula...everyone does it. We'll get a sense of where we are and what areas we need to emphasize tomorrow.
I'm told the TV media will be here tonight. It's an honor when they choose to use valuable air time on us, so we always welcome them when they request a chance to visit. It gives some of the girls an opportunity to get in front of the camera and earn some experience giving interviews. The success we've had the past few years has given several girls the chance to do just that. Hopefully, February and March will be a busy time and we'll be able to place some new faces in front of the camera.
I'll let you know how it goes...
So no, today is not bittersweet. I am sad that Colten and Cassie had to go back to school after a short fall vacation. That emotion is not affected by the fact that basketball practice officially begins today. I am looking forward to that, but most of my day has been spent moping around with the departure of my two college-age children. It never gets any easier to watch them walk out the door.
Practice will be good. It gets my mind off the feelings described above, and we have a lot to look forward to as we walk into the gym for the first official workout of the 2011-2012 season. It's the first time in the past three years that we haven't begun the year as the reigning 1A state champions. I don't think it's going to change how we operate though, because we have always treated the season as an extended practice for the tournament.
We'll start the session with a discussion about expectations. We'll end it with a celebration of the efforts of each player during that particular workout. In between, it's a mix of fundamentals, conditioning, and lots of teaching. I'm no genius and this is no magic formula...everyone does it. We'll get a sense of where we are and what areas we need to emphasize tomorrow.
I'm told the TV media will be here tonight. It's an honor when they choose to use valuable air time on us, so we always welcome them when they request a chance to visit. It gives some of the girls an opportunity to get in front of the camera and earn some experience giving interviews. The success we've had the past few years has given several girls the chance to do just that. Hopefully, February and March will be a busy time and we'll be able to place some new faces in front of the camera.
I'll let you know how it goes...
Friday, October 21, 2011
Cav Games
Canterbury is an interesting place in a lot of respects. Before I began working here, I had a stereotypical attitude about what this place is all about. Rich white kids, a puffed-up appreciation for high test scores and AP exam success, and just a generally aristocratic view of the world. Boy, was I wrong!
People here work very hard, they treat each other well, and they earn every bit of success that they achieve. Teachers and students are multi-talented. The school blends a diverse set of races, religions, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The school is growing and blossoming under the watchful eye of people who genuinely care about not only the strengths of the school, but also the areas where we encounter challenges and need to find ways to be better. In other words, it's a successful "work in progress."
Today, the unique culture of Canterbury allows us to set aside an afternoon for something known as Cav Games. It's a time for everyone here to blow off some steam, dress in some outlandish outfits and colors, and to participate as teachers and students in "competition" against other teachers and students in a wide range of games and contests. The closest thing I can compare it to is the "class struggle" days of long ago where the four classes challenged each other in tricycle races and egg tosses and wiffle ball games.
Canterbury has its own set of competitions. Games like tug of war and dodge ball are old stand-bys. But we also have gym soccer (what's Canterbury without a soccer match?), can-can (you'd have to see it to appreciate it), and a spirited game of Jeopardy - the Canterbury version - to conclude the day. Points are earned, a trophy (and associated bragging rights) is awarded, and we all ease into the weekend secure in our belief that nobody anywhere is doing silly stuff like this. Everyone gets into the act as we take pride in our colors and fight for the honor of our House. It's a lot of fun, a mindless reprieve from the sometimes high-pressure nature of our college prep curriculum. And, without a doubt, it is uniquely Canterbury.
People here work very hard, they treat each other well, and they earn every bit of success that they achieve. Teachers and students are multi-talented. The school blends a diverse set of races, religions, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The school is growing and blossoming under the watchful eye of people who genuinely care about not only the strengths of the school, but also the areas where we encounter challenges and need to find ways to be better. In other words, it's a successful "work in progress."
Today, the unique culture of Canterbury allows us to set aside an afternoon for something known as Cav Games. It's a time for everyone here to blow off some steam, dress in some outlandish outfits and colors, and to participate as teachers and students in "competition" against other teachers and students in a wide range of games and contests. The closest thing I can compare it to is the "class struggle" days of long ago where the four classes challenged each other in tricycle races and egg tosses and wiffle ball games.
Canterbury has its own set of competitions. Games like tug of war and dodge ball are old stand-bys. But we also have gym soccer (what's Canterbury without a soccer match?), can-can (you'd have to see it to appreciate it), and a spirited game of Jeopardy - the Canterbury version - to conclude the day. Points are earned, a trophy (and associated bragging rights) is awarded, and we all ease into the weekend secure in our belief that nobody anywhere is doing silly stuff like this. Everyone gets into the act as we take pride in our colors and fight for the honor of our House. It's a lot of fun, a mindless reprieve from the sometimes high-pressure nature of our college prep curriculum. And, without a doubt, it is uniquely Canterbury.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Questions
How does it begin? How does it end? What does it look like along the way?
Official practice starts Monday. We will spend more than four months accumulating the answers to those questions. Each year is different. Each team is faced with its own set of challenges, no matter how talented they are. The season will present obstacles that we haven't considered yet, things like illness, injuries, and periods of subpar performance. The ending is a function of all the things that take place through the season. Did we improve as individuals and as a team? Did we avoid the injuries that can alter the makeup of the team? How was our team chemistry? Did we make the adjustments -- hit the curve ball? -- that became necessary as unexpected circumstances suddenly disrupted the framework of our carefully laid plans? When it was all said and done, were we able to play at a high level, handle adversity, and emerge as a championship team?
Lots of questions. Very few answers. Yet.
Official practice starts Monday. We will spend more than four months accumulating the answers to those questions. Each year is different. Each team is faced with its own set of challenges, no matter how talented they are. The season will present obstacles that we haven't considered yet, things like illness, injuries, and periods of subpar performance. The ending is a function of all the things that take place through the season. Did we improve as individuals and as a team? Did we avoid the injuries that can alter the makeup of the team? How was our team chemistry? Did we make the adjustments -- hit the curve ball? -- that became necessary as unexpected circumstances suddenly disrupted the framework of our carefully laid plans? When it was all said and done, were we able to play at a high level, handle adversity, and emerge as a championship team?
Lots of questions. Very few answers. Yet.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Austin Hatch
I finally got a chance to see Austin today. It's his birthday and he was hanging out with his friends in the cafeteria. I shook his hand and told him how happy I was that he was back with us. I can't imagine what his life has been like for the past few months and what it's going to be like for the years to come. But I do know that he might be as close to Superman as I ever get. I believe the Lord has huge plans in store for him. He is a reminder that life is too short and we should squeeze out every last bit of goodness that we can. Welcome back, big fella!
Monday, October 17, 2011
One week...
I woke up this morning feeling tired. Daughter Cassie called LATE last night (who looks forward to THAT call???) and wondered how I felt about her adopting a kitten that some of the girls had encountered. She's been bothering us about getting a pet down at college (something, by the way, that is not allowed in the dorms) and this was the latest attempt at doing so. After I tried (in vain - why did she even bother calling me?) to dissuade her from going down that path, I spent the rest of the night tossing and turning, unable to get back to a restful slumber.
So, today's been a bit of a drag. The one thing that keeps perking me up from time to time, is when I see one of our ballplayers and we remind each other that practice starts in earnest one week from today. I spent quite a bit of time this past weekend on the phone with a half dozen college coaches, talking about the beginning of our seasons, comparing notes on teaching points, discussing talent, and sharing the optimism and enthusiasm that invariably emerges at this time of the year. No matter the level of coaching, we are all working from the same starting point. The kids have been putting in work and now it's time to begin providing the organization and vision to help them achieve success as a team.
Soon, the media requests will begin. The message boards will start to light up, as (mostly) anonymous pundits and fans will post about which teams are going to be strong and what players should be recognized and why doesn't the IHSAA do something about the latest travesty committed by the private schools against humanity. It's all very predictable and I only mention it because we get the opportunity to deal with it every year. We are fortunate that the media are interested in what we do and how we do it. We are fortunate that there are both fans and haters of our program. It means that people are actually paying attention to what we do. No matter the reason, they are still watching us. By any measure, that's an indicator of a successful operation.
One week from today, it all begins...
So, today's been a bit of a drag. The one thing that keeps perking me up from time to time, is when I see one of our ballplayers and we remind each other that practice starts in earnest one week from today. I spent quite a bit of time this past weekend on the phone with a half dozen college coaches, talking about the beginning of our seasons, comparing notes on teaching points, discussing talent, and sharing the optimism and enthusiasm that invariably emerges at this time of the year. No matter the level of coaching, we are all working from the same starting point. The kids have been putting in work and now it's time to begin providing the organization and vision to help them achieve success as a team.
Soon, the media requests will begin. The message boards will start to light up, as (mostly) anonymous pundits and fans will post about which teams are going to be strong and what players should be recognized and why doesn't the IHSAA do something about the latest travesty committed by the private schools against humanity. It's all very predictable and I only mention it because we get the opportunity to deal with it every year. We are fortunate that the media are interested in what we do and how we do it. We are fortunate that there are both fans and haters of our program. It means that people are actually paying attention to what we do. No matter the reason, they are still watching us. By any measure, that's an indicator of a successful operation.
One week from today, it all begins...
Monday, October 3, 2011
Open gym - 3 October 2011
We had a bit of a snafu today at open gym. I didn't think the boys were coming in to play (thought they were just conditioning) and Coach Kline didn't think we were coming in to play. So, we just put the side baskets down and ran side courts. The girls played 9-10 games against a couple different squads of freshman and sophomore boys, and overall the results were pretty good. The girls only lost one game, despite playing with just a single sub while the boys were able to rotate entire squads.
We are definitely going to need to set up a "scout team" similar to the one Danny McMahon organized last season. Being able to compete against bigger and stronger opponents will help us improve in the physical element of the game. At the moment, the girls are mostly just playing without a lot of organization. Practice opens three weeks from today, so we're looking forward to getting the entire squad in the gym and working off the same page. We have some dangerous offensive players, but we will need to concentrate on defense and rebounding, particularly without a space-eating center in the paint.
There's quite a bit of talent, but there's going to be a lot of coaching/teaching by the staff -- more than we did last year. As always, the goal will be to hit our stride in February and March and let the chips fall where they may.
"Whatever it takes!"
We are definitely going to need to set up a "scout team" similar to the one Danny McMahon organized last season. Being able to compete against bigger and stronger opponents will help us improve in the physical element of the game. At the moment, the girls are mostly just playing without a lot of organization. Practice opens three weeks from today, so we're looking forward to getting the entire squad in the gym and working off the same page. We have some dangerous offensive players, but we will need to concentrate on defense and rebounding, particularly without a space-eating center in the paint.
There's quite a bit of talent, but there's going to be a lot of coaching/teaching by the staff -- more than we did last year. As always, the goal will be to hit our stride in February and March and let the chips fall where they may.
"Whatever it takes!"
Team theme
I am not particularly clever, and like most basketball coaches, if I see something that I like, I commandeer ("steal" is such a negative concept) it for our own. Way back in the early 90s, we used a phrase "Whatever it takes" at Columbia City. It's pretty self-explanatory, and something we'll use a lot as we develop a mentally tough squad this season. It can assume a few different meanings, whether it means spending extra time in the gym shooting free throws, playing a new position, or making personal sacrifices for the good of the team. The implication is that we will all do whatever it takes to be successful, short of cheating or playing in a way that fails to honor the game.
We also will adopt one of my favorites from Tony Dungy: No Excuses, No Explanations. Again, it doesn't require much interpretation. We will play the game the way it's supposed to be played. We will support each other and enjoy the successes of the team with little or no concern for personal accolades. And, if we fail, we will handle ourselves with grace and class. There will neither be the need for excuses nor explanations; we did our best, we played our hardest, that's all we'll ever do.
I hope you get a chance to find us in a gym near you. I think we're going to be a lot of fun to watch. And we'll do whatever it takes...
We also will adopt one of my favorites from Tony Dungy: No Excuses, No Explanations. Again, it doesn't require much interpretation. We will play the game the way it's supposed to be played. We will support each other and enjoy the successes of the team with little or no concern for personal accolades. And, if we fail, we will handle ourselves with grace and class. There will neither be the need for excuses nor explanations; we did our best, we played our hardest, that's all we'll ever do.
I hope you get a chance to find us in a gym near you. I think we're going to be a lot of fun to watch. And we'll do whatever it takes...
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