All Fun and Sun in the Bahamas? NOT!

When we entered the plane on the way back from the Bahamas, a gentleman sitting on the plane asked where we were from. When we responded that we were a basketball team from the University of Charleston, he sarcastically replied, "So that is how the University of Charleston spends its money--sending their teams to the Bahamas." When I informed him that every penny of the money we spent was due to our fundraising efforts, he immediately changed his tune, "Wow. You must have spent a lot of hours doing car washes."

While we didn't do car washes, we did spend many hours "hustling" for the money. Many people have inquired why we want to take the team to the Bahamas or other exotic locales. As educators we want to provide opportunities for our players to learn about the world. We had three players who had never ridden on a plane; four who had never been on a boat; and several who had never been out of the country. They received new experiences and learned that the world is bigger than our gym. They got to put their feet and faces in the ocean and see the wondrous colors of the fish and life beneath the water. Hopefully, we have opened up their minds to new opportunities and ways of thinking.

I personally like to plan a trip every other year because it assists us in recruiting. It may just be the edge we need to convince some great young talent to choose the University of Charleston over another institution. In the challenging world of recruiting, we need every advantage we can get.

Finally, there is a misconception that we simply go to the Bahamas to get a tan. Any person who has spent a few hours with me knows that this is not about to occur. Our first and foremost concern is playing basketball and using the experience to get better.

During our stay there, the players had a basketball quiz, scouted our opponents both on tape and live, dissected our team on tape, played two games, practiced two times, and had a team meeting to dissolve differences. On the days we played games, there was not any time spent on the beach, in the pool, or in the sun. Those days were entirely spent on business.

We did allow ourselves one day after the games were completed to enjoy the sun, the beach, and the ocean. Even though this was a "fun" day; it still served a purpose--team bonding. There is nothing more critical to the success of a team than to have players enjoy being around one another. If players like one another, then they are more apt to play better together. A trip like this one where there are no friends other than teammates, the team has to learn to be together and have fun with one another. I have taken teams on several excursions and on every one of them, we came back with a greater sense of unity.

It is my belief that not only do we become a better team from a trip like this one, but we also become better people. What more could a coach ask for?

Three in a Row!

After a somewhat slow and tedious start, the Golden Eagles are gaining ground. We have won the last three games in a row. With six games on the road and two starters from last season sidelined early due to injuries, a 5-2 record is not too shabby. Although from this coach's viewpoint, we could have been 7-0. We've beaten ourselves more than the opponent has beaten us. We are fortunate to be in this position which means if we limit our mistakes and continue to learn the game, we can become a very good team. It beats the flipside which is knowing we are not good enough to win the games which we have lost.

We still have players wrestling with their roles on the team trying to figure out what it is that they can do and what they believe the coaching staff wants them to do. This is often difficult as players perceive themselves differently than who they are. Some players believe they are running the offense when they penetrate and pitch without ball reversal or screening action. While this may be effective at times, it is the timing of the act which is critical. There are times when the coaching staff thinks it is a great idea to catch and shoot the first pass then there are times when this is not such a grand idea. Teaching the players the difference is the difficult part.

Our last game against Edinboro, we were able to develop a 20 point lead early in the game only to see us make error after error which the opponents used to their advantage. When we were up by 12 points with 5:00 minutes remaining, we would like for our team to take good shots such as uncontested shots by a great shooter, lay-ups, and 1-on-1 shots in the paint. We don't want to shoot the ball early unless we have one of those options. We'd rather work the ball, set several screens, get the defense moving from ballside to helpside, use the clock, and look for a great shot. Unfortunately, we did not choose to do those things.

Our players took shots which we had been asking them to do early in the game or perhaps even encouraging them to work on during practice. However, the timing these shots resulted in easy baskets for Edinboro. A bad shot is like a turnover. It is difficult to transition to defense when teammates are not prepared for the shot. Fortunately, we were able to do enough smart things to win the game this time. It is during next game that we must not allow ourselves to make the same errors.

When players become smarter, the game gets easier. When they understand what the coaching staff wants they no longer have to second guess their shots or actions. This is a tedious process and right when the coaching staff believes we have players where they need to be, they graduate and leave us to start at the beginning again with newcomers. At least with the current team, we have several sophomores who are playing and gaining tremendous experience. This knowledge should make them phoenomenal players by the end of the season.

We depart for the Bahamas on Monday for a two game tournament against some great opponents. Hopefully, we will have good news about our experiences both on and off the court.

I hope all of you enjoy family and friends over the holidays.

Recovering From a Loss

We were blitzed, hammered, chewed up and spit out by West Virginia Wesleyan on Tuesday at home in Eddie King where we should play our best basketball. We didn't. In fact, it would be generous of me to say that we played team basketball at all. What we did was a lot of one-on-five offense and take-care-of-my-player-only defense. Neither was very successful.

So how did we get from Tuesday when we were horrible beyond repair to Saturday where we defeated Shepherd at their place? Good question. Was Shepherd a bad team? No. Not at all. In the matter of a few days, we had made the decision to play team ball.

After our devastating loss to WVW, we had a video session on Wednesday with the entire team. We had them pull out a sheet of paper from their notebooks and create several columns. The headers for the columns were as follows: number of passes, number of post seals, number of picks-on-ball, number of dribble hand-offs, number of combination screens, and number of good shots. We then watched each offensive possession we had and filled in the correct numbers which was not difficult since we averaged 1-2 passes and 0 in the other columns. Then we watched WVW on offense where they averaged 6-7 passes, took great shots and had several screens each possession.

It was easy to see why we could not score. It wasn't difficult to defend us since we didn't run an offense. It is easy to play defense when a defender never has to move from ballside to helpside or when they never have to fight through a screen.

While we didn't break down our defense like we did our offense, we did have some serious discussions about lack of effort and lack of talking on defense. Then we allowed the players to tell the coaching staff what they needed from us. How could we make practices better? How could we better prepare them for games? The players felt they needed more five-on-five in practice. As a coaching staff, we agreed to make certain we would allow them more opportunity to play in specified five-on-five settings.

Finally, the players pull out another sheet of paper from their notebooks. We asked them to write down all the ways they could personally help the team become better. Then we had them write down their personal goals in terms of what points, rebounds, or assists they could average according to the playing time they received.

It was awesome to see how they responded to the WVW loss and how they came back after watching themselves on videtape. It gives me hope they will continue to learn and grow and that they have the desire to become the best they can be.

Speaking English on the Court

Perhaps it is just me but I thought I had been speaking the English language since birth. Afterall I was born in the United States (if Texas is still considered one of the fifty) and I have lived exclusively as a U.S. citizen for my entire life. So it is surprising to me when my players cannot discern what language I am speaking. Of course there are a few generations between us, but I was not aware of a new language being taught in our school systems.

There are some definite words which seem to change from my lips to their ears. For example, I tell them that we don't want to shoot the first shot but the first best shot. I think that language is fairly straight forward. The language barrier seems to be on the word "best". Apparently the defintion of best has changed since I was in school. When I was doing my spelling words back in elementary school, best meant the most desirable, favorable, or profitable. In their elementary spelling books, best apparently meant first opportunity.



Then, there is the misconception about who gets to shoot. I absolutely beg some of them to shoot the ball, telling them over and over again that I want them to shoot. These individuals do not want to shoot. We have one young player, Ali Tobias, who we recruited because she knew how to find a shot in high school even when her opponents knew she would be shooting the ball. She was so smart that she oftentimes had opponents doing donuts on the court as she changed speed and direction going down the floor. For a year, I have been begging her to do more on offense. Then the other night, she began playing just as I had always hoped she would. When I asked her what had changed, she responded that I had finally given her the green light. Apparently, I had been using the wrong vocabulary words again.



If I could just get the vocabulary words right, I'm certain we could begin playing better. Perhaps we need to publish a Golden Eagle dictionary with my words and definitions. If we could all agree on the meanings of words, life on the court would be much easier.

Confidence on the Court

On opening weekend, the Golden Eagles showed a few of our strengths but mostly displayed our weaknesses. Although the good was offered in smaller portions, we can still capitalize on what the team is doing well and work on improving the play which was inferior. Jihan Williams and Veronica Carman were good. They competed. They rebounded. They played defense and they scored. Of course, they have three seasons behind them and are confident in their abilities.



Veronica and Jihan were good enough to lead us past East Stroudsburg 74-60, but they could not prevail against Shippensburg by themselves. Two players in the confident zone are not enough. We need a team full of players who believe in their abilities.



This is typical of the Golden Eagles early in the year. The team often struggles with what the coaching staff wants versus playing on instinct and intuition. It is a product of my coaching. Because I teach so much, it can create paralysis by analysis where the players are frozen, stuck in limbo and afraid to move. When we get beyond this and we always do, we get in sync and become a tougher unit.



Watching Veronica and Jihan improve over the years, I know our system works. Veronica was a defensive specialist early in her career and didn't look to score. This season in our opening games, she scored 19 and 20 points on lay-ups, three point shots, and jumpers. WOW! Jihan is another player who has come a long way in her three seasons. She can now penetrate left or right, post up in the low block or hit the outside shot. When she started her freshmen year, she could not go left at all.



I wish I could take credit for all their improvements, but the truth is that both of these young women wanted to become better and spent many hours outside of team practices improving their games. We have many other athletes who have worked hard in the off season and preseason. They will eventually start playing better and looking for their scoring opportunities.



Without Katy Arick and Jennifer DeMeyer, two seasoned veterans, in the line-up, some of our younger players must step up and become more aggressive offensively. I know they have the talent, but they must know they have the talent. We have several players who can contribute to the scoring column adn in order for us to be successful, they must do so.



Confidence is an illusive thing. It cannot be given to a player. She must find it and own it herself. Currently, we have two players playing with confidence. When the rest of the Eagles strengthen their belief systems, we will begin to win more games.

Tough Times Require Tough Minds

A quote I read several years ago which I love is, "Tough times never last but tough players do." I love this quote because it is about mental toughness--about the quintessential characteristic of great players. Great players get through adversity seeing the opportunity of growth which exists before them. They don't succumb to injuries or illness or bad shooting days or fatigue. They get over them, under them, through them or beyond them.

I am discussing this today because we have had one player quit and three on the injury list. The player who quit could have been an awesome player. Two of the players sidelined with injuries were starters last season and the other one received significant playing time.

As a team we could allow this to get in the way of our goals. We could quit now, make excuses, and limp throughout the year as if we had all the wrong breaks. OR we could make the decision to get better. It is really quite that simple. If we are tough-minded, the current situation will not deter us; it will invigorate us to rise to new levels.

If the Golden Eagles choose to see this as an opportunity rather than a crisis, we are heading in the right direction. We don't always get to choose the situation we are in, but we always get to choose how we react to the situation. Our reaction creates our mindset and our mindset determines our success rate. I believe we have a several players who are mentally tough. The question is: "Can their mental toughness carry us through the next few weeks?"

I think if they honor their hearts and believe in their talents as much as the coaching staff does we will not only survive but flourish.

Flat Ball Practice

I have a coaching friend who believes practicing offense with a flat ball is the best thing he has ever done. After spending a week working on our offenses with a flat ball, I must agree with him.

The flat ball makes our players play together; they have no other choice. It is impossible to score with a flat ball without making passes. Playing with the flat ball makes the offense slow down and see the defense; it teaches players to make the extra pass; and they must absolutely headhunt to screen and use their screens. It is one of the best tools available to create team offense.

I am now a convert. I don't know if there is a flat ball club which I could join but I would definitely be a member and pay my dues.

I don't believe the players have as much fun as the coaching staff during flat ball drills because they have to work so much harder. They especially don't enjoy full court flat ball drills which are really difficult. Most teams (including the Golden Eagles) dribble the ball on fast break opportunities. When players are required to pass and move all the way down the floor; it requires attention, concentration, and continual movement without the ball. Most players enjoy spectating as their teammate dribbles down the court. When they have to work to hit gaps to get open, they come to appreciate the hard work of their point guards.

After a week of practicing with the flat ball, I have seen incredible results. Our shooters are getting open, our posts are getting the ball in the low block in one-on-one situations, and our penetrating offensive players are able to get to the rim more often. With continual work with the flat ball, we will learn to play as a unit. I know that it is tougher to defend a unit than it is to defend one or two outstanding players.

This is something we must continue to build--the concept of team basketball both on the offensive and defensive ends of the court. When we can buy into team, our good players will appear to be great. We will be able to showcase players like Jihan Williams, Veronica Carman, Lindsey Kentner, Ali Tobias, Caress Williams, Tarenna Dixon, Lisanne Comeau, Jennifer DeMeyer, and Katy Arick. These are all players who can score when in the right situation. It allows all of them to be the player to stop. If we can create a team where the defense must defend every player on the court as well as every substitute then we can win the big games.

Learning The Hard Way

Saturday, during a scrimmage, we had an opportunity to understand how important it is to run an offense, to adhere to the rules of our offense and to play together as a team. We were drummed, beaten, punked, and totally run off the court the first twenty minutes. OUCH!

As we were playing, the coaching staff was continually attempting to provide the necessary instruction to the team; however, sometimes hearing is simply not enough. Doing is the best way to learn. When we could not score--could not, in fact, "buy" a basket--the players were humbled and ready to learn from their failure. Failure is never a bad thing except when one ignores the lessons. In the case of the Golden Eagles, they are prepared to do what it takes to turn this failure upside down and create the success they so much desire.

After the first twenty minutes, we erased the scoreboard to start the second half. While we did not execute our offense any better, we did fumble our way through the game enough to change the outcome - the scoreboard showed the Golden Eagles on top. We played a little bit better defense, boxed out, found some fast break baskets, and began to share the ball on offense.

The best part about the scrimmage was that we didn't quit. We could have chosen to give up, to allow the other team to continue their massacre but we didn't. We fought. We hustled. We scrambled. We continued to make mistakes but we didn't give in to our errors. We continued to battle. This is what we want from a team--a team who doesn't give up in the face of adversity--who finds a way to fight even when the outlook doesn't look too promising.

Both Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci said that 90% of their solutions were incorrect. 90%!! In history, we do not know these two individuals for their failures but for the innumerable and incredible discoveries they made. If the Golden Eagles can learn the most important lesson from this scrimmage which is to use their mistakes as stepping stones, then they can also be known for what they create on the court.

Halloween Read

Today, the Golden Eagles read to the students at Ruffner Elementary. We have been doing the Halloween read for the past seven years. Every year our players receive as much joy as the elementary students do during this community activity.

We spend approximately 45 minutes reading to the students. The Ruffner students and the Golden Eagles share stories, smiles, and laughs. We love the curiosity of the young mind.

Here is some of what transpired:

Student Y asked Katy Arick and Lisanne Comeau if they knew his aunt who played for Capital High School. Katy asked, "Well, what is your aunt's name?"

Student Y thought a moment before responding, "Auntie."

When the teacher asked what her real name was, Y said, "Auntie is her real name."

When one class was asked by Katy and Lisanne what they were going to be for Halloween, most of the girls responded that they wanted to be princesses or Tinker Bells. Student G said, "I'm going to be a devil 'cause that is what my dad calls me."

The teacher responded, "Well, your dad is just kidding with you, right?"

Student G said, "No, he really thinks I'm the devil. He tells me that all the time." This got the entire class smiling.

Julianne Smith had the opportunity to read to a class where one of the young girls gave her a card of Jason Williams explaining that he was her uncle and that she was going to be a basketball player too. Later on in the class, she had several students who wanted attention and started telling her about their broken legs. Apparently one little boy's brother had three broken legs at once.

Lindsey Kentner signed autographs in her classroom because they all believed she was famous. When she attempted to leave, she had to spend several minutes sharing hugs with the youngsters before they would allow her to depart.

When Caress Williams and Tarenna Dixon asked the kids if they got lots of candy for Halloween, they were told yes. When they asked if the kids would share, all of them said yes except for one young girl in the back who emphatically shouted, "No way." Apparently, she had earned that candy and was not going to share with anybody.

One of the students asked Tarenna if she was actually wearing house shoes to school. When Tarenna realized she was caught, she informed them that they were Michael Jordan house shoes. The students all agreed, then, that wearing those house shoes to school was okay.

It was a great day for both the students at Ruffner and the Golden Eagles.

The Intangibles

Last Saturday we had a scrimmage. Per NCAA rules I cannot disclose who we scrimmaged or any particular stats; I can, however, discuss the qualities of the team which I liked and those which I disliked.

It became immediately apparent that the Golden Eagles have not yet learned how to discern the difference between the first shot and the first best shot. We teach our players to take good shots which are defined by high percentage shots. A high percentage shot would be a lay-up, a one-on-one shot in the post, or an uncontested shot which a player can make 50% of the time. We have a better opportunity to win if we take good shots on every offensive possession.

It is often difficult in the early part of our season to run a solid offense because we run a motion offense which requires the players to think and read the defense. It is much easier to run a patterned offense where players run to a spot. When we ask them to actually watch their defender rather than the ball, it requires concentration and effort. The rules of the offense define the parameters of the offense but not the actual plays. The players have to make choices on their own each time we have an offensive possession. It is a slow learning process which means that early in the year we tend to look sloppy on offense.

Defensively, we need 100% of the players to learn the concept of team defense. We still have a few who are concerned about whether or not the player they are matched up with scores. We must erase that belief system and replace it with one which emphasizes helping teammates, rotating to the open player, and contesting every shot. If an opponent is able to penetrate to the basket without defenders rotating to stop her, then we are going to allow high percentage shots. It is tough to win ball games this way.

The things I loved about the scrimmages were not actual offensive or defensive qualities; they were more intangible characteristics which are essential to winning and tougher to teach than offense or defense. This team has unity--the desire for the team to win even if it means that one of them is not going to be the star or even receive playing time. They are willing to cheer for their teammates and assist them in whatever way is possible. They have leaders who care and who are willing to step up and do or say what is necessary in the leadership role. They have tremendous work ethic and determination--a willingness to do whatever is necessary to get better.

I believe the success of this team is going to be determined by the maintenance of the intangibles. We will continue to work on our technical and tactical weaknesses, but our true strength is going to come from our togetherness. Embracing WE, Including me!

Embracing We, Including Me

Every year we have a team motto which is a phrase that the coaches believe the team needs to embrace so that we can achieve maximum success. This season our motto is "Embracing We, Including Me." The most challenging aspect of coaching is getting the entire team to buy into our definition of team. With the emphasis of the media and many others put on who scores, it is oftentimes difficult to get players to believe that EVERY aspect of the game is critical.

There are many aspects which a team needs to embrace including rebounding, screening, taking the charge, defending, making the extra pass, being a solid substitute, calling plays, being a great teammate, leading on the floor, and supporting teammates from the bench. Unfortunately, these aspects are often not reported in the statistics and do not get recognition from the media or fans. HOWEVER, without these aspects being fulfilled, a team cannot win.

It is our job as coaches to educate the players of the importance of each individual role on a team so that that role is embraced and accepted with enthusiasm. When an individual believes her role is not important enough, the entire team fails. It only takes one dissatisfied player to start a stampede and trample the goals of a team.

We often tell our players that if one member succeeds, we all succeed. If one member fails, we all fail. We attempt to get them to buy into team by rewarding the team for one player's success and punishing the team if one player fails to follow the team's standards. While it appears unfair for all members of a team to run sprints because one player doesn't go to class, our stance is that the team is weakened if that same player fails her class and becomes ineligible. If players don't buy into the unity theme, we encourage them to participate in an individual sport where their success or failure does not effect teammates.

This team has shown their acceptance of the concept of "Embracing WE" over and over again. A few weeks ago, I was prepared to punish the entire team for the failure of one individual. Before running the team, I asked if there was any single player who was prepared to run for the team rather than having the entire team run. Every single player raised her hand. WOW!

When a team can embrace the concept of we, they empower one another. How much easier is it to perform on the court when a team member believes that every one of her teammates wants her to be successful? We also want every team member to understand how important it is that she embraces herself--that she has confidence in her abilities and feels secure about her talents whatever those talents may be. When individuals can feel good about their contribution to the team whether or not any outsider understands that contribution, and every player is prepared to go the distance for her teammates, a true team is born. That team has the opportunity to win championships.

THE JUNIORS

The Golden Eagles have a small junior class but a very powerful one. Katy Arick, a 6'0 power forward, can drain the three pointer from downtown, post in the low block, and a shoot a jump shot. On her high school team, she played every position on the court from point guard to post which gives her an advantage in understanding the game and where players should be on the court. When she plays the perimeter, she knows where the inside players should be and how to get them the ball. When she is in the paint, she knows what the guards are looking for and can get herself open.

Our other junior, Caress Williams, is from New Jersey. After having a phenomenal junior college career, she arrives with confidence in her scoring ability. She can nail the three pointer and once she gets hot, she is like a lightening bug lighting up the court where ever she moves. Although her shot is a little unorthodox, she makes many more of them than she misses. Her quickness on the dribble and amazing ball handling skills allows her to blow by defenders for the penetration and pitch. Her speed and defensive anticipation will make her a valuable defender as well.

Both of these young ladies have the physical talent to assist the Golden Eagles in their quest for excellence; however, it is not their talent which makes them valuable but their hearts. Katy will be the first one to dive for a loose ball whether the ball is going toward the bleachers or the scorer's table. Caress has shown heart again and again as she has battled through injuries. She will go for as long as her legs will hold her. She is a testament to the old adage that the mind is stronger than the body.

As a coach, I understand the necessity of having talented players. After all, coaches are only as good as the talent on the floor. Yet, I also know that athletic talent alone will not win basketball games. Yes, it is true talent can win many games but talent without heart will not win championships. A true talent by my definiton is a player who is coachable, who is willing to put in extra time, who plays from the heart, who is a team player, and who has integrity. By this definition, both Caress and Katy are the real deal. I look forward to watching them play and grow as the season continues.

Two-a-Days are FUN!

With the beginning of official basketball practices comes the opportunity for the Golden Eagles to get better. We want to make certain we know our motion offense, zone offenses, set plays, sideline out-of-bounds plays, out-of-bounds plays, end of game situations, offensive fundamentals, defensive fundamentals, and all our defenses. In order to do this we must practice and practice some more. So in the first few weeks of practice we have two-a-days which are a little wearing on the mind and body but they are a necessity in order to be prepared.

We are fortunate to have fall break right at the beginning of our first few days of practice which means that we get to have three full days of double practices. Once fall break is over and school is back in regular sessions, we will have a couple of 6:45 a.m. practices a week in addition to our regular two hour practice in the afternoon.

While the players legs might get a little bit fatigued, the real problem is how tired their brains become. Since we require our athletes to think the entire practice, their minds are whirling at a hundred miles an hour. For the returners, this is not such a big issue. They are on auto-pilot with their bodies taking over using muscle memory to glide through practices. They are allowed to simply play because they have done each skill set hundreds and hundreds of times. The newcomers are not so lucky. With each new thing introduced, their brains are working hard to remember and to encode. Newcomers to the program often complain of brain fatigue telling us that they never had to bring their brains to practice in high school.

The coaching staff adds to the brain stress by being incredibly demanding. We have learned over the years that players will not change a behavior unless there is a consequence. Simply telling players how to change is not enough. The stress of having to remember or do a frozen push-up or run sprints sometimes puts the players in paralysis. They want to react but are so afraid they just freeze. The great news is that after a few short weeks of practice, muscle memory begins to take place and the players replace the paralysis with confidence. So while two-a-day practices are demanding, they do serve a powerful purpose--giving the players an opportunity to become the best they can.

Creating Leaders

Having a great leader on the court is a necessity if a team is going to be successful. The leader has to be the one who can bring the team together when adversity hits. The leader must be a calming factor on the court--the one teammates look to for information and for direction. In order for teammates to listen to a team member, that member has to be respected. She doesn't need to be feared which is vastly different than respected, but she absolutely must have the attention of her peers.

There is no doubt this is a difficult position for a young person. She has to have the self confidence to tell her friends what is not acceptable. She has to stand up to them even if it means they become angry with her. She has to do this in such a way as to not appear snobbish or full of ego.

A leader has to be a leader 24 hours a day on and off the court. Her behavior is always examined by others. There is no time out for a leader. In order for others to follow, she must set an impeccable example giving 100% every day whether she feels good or not. She doesn't necessarily have to be the best player but she must be the most focused, the one willing to go the extra mile, and the one who gives it her all even when nobody is watching.

No doubt being a leader is a tough assignment which is why the coaching staff has to work developing leadership qualities. Over the years, we have tried different avenues of approach. We have met with the leaders on a weekly basis going through a leadership manual together. We have met with them individually discussing the character and integrity of leaders. We have had them attend leadership workshops. This year we have decided on a different avenue of teaching. It is a more action-oriented approach.

We begin the first day of conditioning by calling out the leaders (Veronica Carman, Jen DeMeyer, Jihan Williams, and Katy Arick) in front of their peers. We then proceeded to make them do some planks (a stationary push-up position) and boats (an abdominal exercise where you make the body in a v-position) for one minute time periods. This was some serious pain but we made it extra fun by doing the exercises in the rain on a track which means the surface was rough, wet and slightly uncomfortable. We made certain that every player could hear why they were being reprimanded which was for some basketballs left out in the locker room. We explained that leadership had to be taken seriously and as leaders they were responsible for the behavior of the team.

If we had stopped there, the lesson probably wouldn't have been taken very seriously. We continued for the next three days with other small but valuable lessons creating challenging exercises for the leaders. Amazingly, the leaders began to become more vocal. They began to take their responsibilities as leaders with more clarity. The team began to listen to them and to honor what they had to say.

We have continued to offer some "advice" for our leaders the past six and a half weeks. We have witnessed incredible growth from our young ladies. Last week I heard from Veronica Carman an amazing summary of what it meant to be a leader. When she was giving her book report, she said that being a leader was not a privilege but a responsibility--that leadership didn't mean doing less work but more work. She talked about how important it was to gain respect and that respect was not given; it was earned.

As I listened to her, I felt chill bumps racing along my spine. Somebody on the team was ready to lead. It meant that we were not going to flounder in times of stress, we were going to come together.

To our leaders and to their continued growth, I say "IHHOAGE!"

****Some of the readers have asked what IHHOAGE means. I would love to tell you but then I would have to silence you.

Earning Practice Gear

As a youngster, I grew up with the concept of earning whatever I desired. My parents made certain I understood the value of working for an allowance. Both of my parents were educators and knew that children who understood the value of work also valued themselves. The children who were always given something for nothing expected more of the same. Those were the same children who didn't find themselves worthy and saw challenges as impossible to overcome.

In order for our Golden Eagles to find a deeper self value, we have instituted a policy which makes them earn their practice gear. We want them to believe wearing their practice gear is an honor and a privelege. When they put on their shorts and practice jersey every day, they should feel a sense of pride in how hard they worked to earn them. It is this same sense of pride that we want them to display as they step onto the court for a game.

To earn their practice gear, they must accumulate 600 points. It is not an easy 600 points. By achieving each preseason challenge, they can receive 20 points. These are challenges designed to push them to a place where their lungs are bursting and their muscles are quivering from exhaustion. There are five challenges which means they can earn up to 100 points. If they don't get their challenge on the first attempt, they have to continue doing the challenge until they make it but they don't receive any points toward their practice gear.

They receive 10 points every time they make all the sprints on a conditioning day. If they make the time 14 out of 15 sprints, it does not count. They must make every one of them. They earn 10 points for increasing each lift in the weight room. Again, this is very difficult, but what we have discovered is how much harder they have been willing to push themselves and their teammates in the weight room. Another 10 points is awarded when their team wins during our Friday game days. It makes game days really competitive. Last Friday I was so inspired by how hard they competed that I awarded the winners 20 points and the losers 10 points.

There is a 50 point deduction for each time they are disciplined. Arriving late, even by one minute, to a practice they lose 50 hard earned points. They can lose points for not going to class, "forgetting" to complete injury rehabilitation, etc. Honestly, this is so tough a measure that I almost feel bad for them when they must be disciplined (ALMOST).

There will be a couple of players who will begin the first day of practice without practice gear. They will wear their polka dot or plaid shorts and old practice jerseys until they reach 600. In order to make certain all players are motivated to earn their gear and not stand out as a "unique" member of the team, I have given them a two week time period in which they can complete earning their gear. At the end of that time period, their teammates will be forced to run sprints every day until all players are wearing the maroon and gold of the Eagles.

When each member earns her practice gear, she will feel good about her efforts. She will feel worthy and will value her shorts and jersey. She will wear them with pride and will walk tall when she enters the court. She will know when she departs the program that she is capable of working hard and she will feel she can accomplish anything if she just puts her mind to it.

Book Reports

Most coaches get their ideas from listening to other coaches, attending clinics and watching videotapes. I am not the exception to this rule. A couple of years ago when I was attending a coaching clinic, I had the opportunity to listen to Gail Goestenkors, the head coach at the University of Texas, speak. One of the things she said which caught my attention was that she required her players to read books and to then report back to their teammates. I thought this was a great idea.

Since I love to read, it was easy to find books out of my library to assign to the players. I tried to match the book with the player. I didn't want to randomly assign a book which would have no meaning. I wanted them to gain knowledge which they could then transpose to the court. While some of the books were about basketball players or teams, most of them had more to do with personal improvement in some area. Some books were about increasing self esteem. Others were about leadership and a couple were a little more complicated involving quantum physics.

Unfortunately, the books I assigned had no cliff notes available so the players actually have to read the book. Once they have completed the reading, they are responsible for getting in front of the team and giving a short book report on what they have learned.

Some of you might ask what this has to do with playing the sport of basketball. If you have that question in mind, my first response is that athletics is a part of the educational process. As a coach, it is our job to assist our players in learning life skills. While winning is important (okay, very important to me), it is not the true reason athletics is included in the school systems. The real reason has more to do with what the students learn by being part of a team. Our student-athletes should be learning about setting goals, leadership, discipline, increasing self-esteem, working with others, taking care of their health, overcoming adversity, winning with humility, losing with dignity, and how to persevere through tough times.

Having our student-athletes read and engage with their teammates on what they have learned is a step in the educational process. They are learning how to share what is important to them and how to stand up in front of their peers. They are learning to become better people and therefore to become better players.

How Do I Know This Team Is Special?

Today as I sat up in my Eagle Nest at the top of Eddie King Gymnasium, I heard basketballs bouncing. As I often do, I opened up my door to see who was in the gym. Sometimes it is just students playing a game of "horse" or our custodians taking a break. At other times, it is a male basketball player working on his skills. BUT most of the time, it is one of our Golden Eagles working on becoming the best she can be. As I opened my door today, I saw four of our players working diligently on their skills. They weren't goofing around or just in the gym for show. No. No. They were there to make certain their dreams were not just mere mist in their minds but a reality in the making.

We have often had players work on their skills over the years, but I have never seen the dedication of such a large number of players. It is as if they can feel something special in the air. It is a feeling of being one--of a large number of people all on the same page, all wanting the same goal, all buying into what it takes to become a champion.

I do not know where the season will lead us. Alas, I cannot predict the future. What I do know is that these young women are special. They have already made my year fun. When I go into the gym and I am met with equal passion for the sport I love, I get giddy. My stomach quivers and butterflies roam throughout my body. I am on a high enjoying every second coaching these young women. They want to win. They want to become the best they can. They want to be coached and to evolve. This is what every coach dreams of--being on a court with players who are eager, ready and willing.

I can push them and they will not break. I can punish them for something so minuscule it shouldn't matter, yet they take it as if it were the most important lesson in the world. I can run them until their lungs are on fire, until their legs will not hold them up, until they feel their lunch escaping up through their esophagus, yet they will not crumble. I can talk about mental toughness and they hang on every word. I can ask the leaders to become better and they do not balk at my requests. I can tell them they need to spend extra time in the gym working on their ball handling and they come back better the next day.

How do I know this team is special? Isn't it obvious? They want it and are willing to do whatever it takes to be champions.

To all of them I say: IHHOAGE!

The Newcomers

As a coaching staff, we are always eager to view the product of our recruiting efforts. It is actually very frightening to spend hours driving, watching games, evaluating talent, talking on the phone, and hosting campus visits to eventually sign a player on paper who we still truly don't know. Some coaches refer to recruiting like Forrest Gump's statement about opening a box of chocolates. You truly don't know what you get until you open the box or in our case until you get the recruits on campus.

This year we were thrilled when we "opened" our recruiting package. The first visible sign from our recruits was heart. Oh, how the coaching staff loves heart. On the first day of school when we began our challenges, we had a young lady, Caress Williams, who had just signed with us three weeks before school started. She did not have the opportunity to receive our workout packages over the summer, so she just had to gut it out. And gut it out she did! When we did our challenges, we thought about giving her a break and having her do a little less than the rest of the team, but Caress believed in achieving everything her teammates did. The most awesome part was watching her muscles quiver from exhaustion yet pushing through her pain to make the challenges. We knew then she was a winner.

Our next recruit, Julianne Smith, a 6'0" transfer athlete, brings with her a determination which is absolutely incredible. She is so passionate about bringing her best to the table that she spends extra time every day training. We often pass her going to the fitness center or see her in the gym working on her shooting skills. When we asked her to change her foot work on her shot, she changed it within 24 hours. Her determination to succeed is contagious.

The freshmen class brings with it three young players who love the sport of basketball. Lisanne, a Canadian, is one of the few student-athletes we've ever coached who understands how to work on her own with full intensity in game speed placing herself in pressure scenarios. Quite frankly, her focus in individual workouts is amazing. Our other two freshmen, Lakin Horner and Dania Crump, have one thing in common: they are walk-ons. What makes them special is that they do everything every other player does without receiving any scholarship dollars. Most walk-ons quit within the first two weeks of our preseason when they understand how difficult it is. Not only have these two survived the preseason, they have continued to push themselves to higher levels of strength and conditioning.

Our newcomers have surprised us in many ways. When we have uncovered their layers, we have been pleased with what we have discovered. They have brought with them the intangibles that the coaching staff believes are what separates the good from the great: heart, passion, work ethic, determination, and love for the game. When we "opened" this box of recruits, we were thrilled with what we got!

To all the newcomers: IHHOAGE!

Recovery Week

On the fourth week of each preseason, we plan a recovery week where we change the focus of our conditioning and weight training. Instead of timed sprints, we play various games which I learned throughout my athletic career. The Golden Eagles receive a history lesson by playing Yugoslavian and Russian tag, Czechoslovakian and Hungarian dodge ball, and Spanish gator ball. At least I don't make them speak the languages as they learn the games!

The games require the players to sprint, pass, think quickly and play together. In every game there is a penalty for "cherry picking" which means a player is spectating rather than actively hustling. There is also a reward for winning which is resting while the losers run sprints. I can ascertain from these games which players are the ones we want in the game during pressure situations. The ones who pick up the strategy quickly and who understand how to win no matter what the game is are the ones who will show the same intelligence on the basketball court.

I also get to laugh on the sidelines as I watch them dodge, jump, throw, and try to comprehend a new set of rules. Sometimes I make up rules as the games progress attempting to bait them to get angry or have a negative reaction. If they do react poorly, the team runs a sprint. The object is to teach them to have a neutral reaction to a bad call. We want them to understand they cannot control the officials; they can only control their reaction to a call. By controlling their reaction, they are in effect creating a positive situation. If a bad call were made during a tough game and a player became angry at that call, she is no longer prepared for the next play. A poor reaction also gives an advantage to opponents because they feel the momentum shift to their favor. We want to get through the call and focus on the task at hand.

We also lift lighter during recovery week so we decrease sets and repeititons in the weight room. The purpose of this is to allow our players a full week where their bodies are still active yet recovering from three weeks of intense workouts. This allows the muscles and the brain enough rest so they are prepared for the increases in our workouts for the final two weeks of conditioning.

Every player who has survived a preseason always looks forward to recovery week. They talk about it as if it were a gift from heaven. It is the one week of preseason where having fun and laughing is synonomous with conditioning. Yet, next week we must go back to the tougher stuff making players mentally ready for the long journey which awaits them.

Starry Night On UC's Campus

On Friday night, September 19th, UC hosted a huge fundraising event to benefit the restoration of Eddie King Gymnasium and to build a new performance athletic arena. For a mere $250, a person could dance beneath the stars on the Kanawha River, indulge in an incredible feast of a vast array of delicious entrees, mingle with the stars of the evening, Jennifer Garner and her husband Ben Affleck, and share stories and laughter with friends of the University of Charleston.

Coach Fitzgerald and I were assigned the task of "guarding" Jennifer during her photo ops with the VIPs of the evening. I supposed the thought was that since we were once basketball players that we could handle defending Jennifer or perhaps it was just our incredible biceps which landed us the role. Nevertheless, we were in charge of making certain that the individuals who were fortunate enough to get their photos taken with Jennifer did not linger too long. Imagine the VIPs who were going through the line: Mayor Danny Jones, Senator Rockefeller, and other high profile individuals from the area. It is a good thing that none of them knew who the heck we were as we had to put our basketball skills to the test deflecting, intercepting, and sometimes boxing out to secure Jennifer's well being.

We were close enough to Jennifer to hear every word spoken. I was amazed at her ability to make others feel special. No matter who went through the line, she listened, interacted with them, and acted as if she would rather be right there than any other place in the world. I wished that my players could have been there to watch her graciousness, to learn how to interact on a personal basis, and to witness the power of giving back to community.

While the coaching staff was busy placing our lives on the line for Jennifer, our players were in the main tent on the campus lawn. They were responsible for getting the 1,000 or so individuals who attended to their assigned places and clearing tables. I am assuming they didn't spill drinks on any tuxedos or expensive evening gowns. At least, I have yet to hear about it.

The event was magnificent. Beneath the stars on a gorgeous West Virginia evening with a cool breeze blowing across the Kanawha, it could not have been a better night. It was the type of evening that left the team and coaches hopeful that we will one day play in a beautiful new arena packed with 2,000 fans screaming for us--the stars of the night.

Preseason Training

Most coaches will inform you the purpose of their preseason is to get their team in better physical condition so they are stronger and faster. While we do want our players to gain strength and speed, our real purpose of preseason is to gain mental toughness. We want to expand the thoughts of our players on their perceived limitations.

Athletes tend to have a belief system which tells them what they can and cannot do. Perhaps they heard their limitations from other teammates or previous coaches. Some where along their growth route, they bought into their weaknesses. Once they began to believe that they could not do something, then the thought became stronger and stronger until it became a truth. Some intelligent individual once said, "Beliefs are just thoughts which are repeated over and over again until they become the truth."

It is our job as coaches to help them learn new beliefs. This is not an easy task. It means demanding of them more than they think they can give. Growth means stretching and aching and hurting a little bit. People by habit want to avoid pain and yet here we are trying to make them believe pain is a positive thing.

Our preseason is designed to force the athletes to see themselves in a different light. If they can do something they didn't believe was possible, then they increase their athletic abilities as well as their mental abilities. Once they alter their belief systems, the world can open up to them.

I learned from a master teacher a few years ago, a coach by the name of Jayson Gee, that players will give exactly what you demand of them. I watched him push his team to levels I simply didn't think were possible. He was so demanding in practice that I privately feared one of his players would pass out and never wake up. Not only did this never occur, but his teams played far beyond their talent levels. They won many games not because they were the better athletes but because they believed that they could win.

We lost games last year because we were mentally weak. This season we are determined to make certain the players develop mental toughness. It starts with a tough preseason and a mindset which believes in conquering challenges rather than cowering from them.

Every day we want to push them to a place they fear--a place they feel threatened and insecure. When they can wallow in that place, rest in it, feel at peace in it, then we are getting them to where they need to be.

In all this push for a better mental state, we also have to be aware of overtraining them. It is a delicate balance--one that is tough to measure at times. I believe this season we are finding that balance. The Golden Eagles are responding and growing, getting better with each conditioning practice. If they just get a little bit better day by day, then they will have the mental toughness they need to battle opponents in competition.

How About Those Returning Sophomores!!!!

It is amazing the difference a year can make in a player. Last season we had a freshmen class of five who received valuable minutes of playing time. There were moments when they showed flashes of brilliance along with other bumbling, fumbling, almost tumbling moments of looking like true freshmen.

It was a tough year for them as most freshmen years are. They arrived fresh from high school where they were all the stars from their teams to a place where they were challenged. When they thought they were fast, somebody was faster. When they thought they could make a move that always worked for them in high school, they found their shot blocked. When they thought they would steal the ball from an opponent, they were left with in the dust.

Then they had to learn the Golden Eagle system which is not the most simple system in the world of basketball. It requires thinking, concentration, movement with a reason. They learned they couldn't watch the ball on offense but had to watch their defender and react to what she did. They had to constantly be aware of spacing and teammates, watching and moving in conjunction with their movements. Defensively, they had to learn positioning and team defense rather than just worrying about their player.

I've had freshmen tell me that they thought they were playing basketball in high school only to discover once they hit our court that they knew nothing about the sport. It was a traumatic experience for our young, yet they survived.

A year later as they walk into the gym, they are a different group. Lindsey Kentner no longer has the frigid stare which plagued her last season. She is confident, aware of her talents, and assured that she can shoot the ball with the best of them. Ali Tobias, once timid with her limited speed, has learned that intelligence can best the fastest player. She has turned to deception and her brain to play with the speedsters. Tarenna Dixon, a 5'11" athletic player, has learned the powerful lesson of getting beyond her mistakes. Last year when she made a mistake, her body language drooped and her play diminished. She has been determined this season to become stronger mentally. Moneka Slaughter, a powerful post, has come out of her shell. In 2007-08, she hid inside her strong, muscular physique as if she were afraid to be an athlete. Now she stands tall, shoulders back, and head held high. Our 114 pound small forward, Tiana Beatty, has worked out all summer in the weight room putting on 15 pounds of pure muscle. With her biceps bulging, she runs the floor as quick as last year but with more power behind each stride.

The sophomores arrived this fall stronger, wiser, and more confident. It can be seen in the way they carry themselves and in the way they meet each challenge during our preseason conditioning. As I watch them in individual practices, I am amazed at how much they improved during the summer and I am assured their moments of brilliance are no longer going to be just mere moments but minutes which stretch throughout the game.

Oh, I am so looking forward to watching them in action!

Creating Mental Focus at Practices

When I was an athlete, I was often frustrated with the lack of intensity and focus in practices. I hated going to a practice knowing exactly what we were going to do because we had done the same drills the day before and the day before that and the week before that. Starting practice with the internal emotion of boredom never really got my heart or mind into being the best I could be.

It is from my experiences as a player that I have developed the way the Golden Eagles practice. We want players to be both physically and mentally engaged from the moment they step on the court until the second practice has been completed. In order to do this, practices vary from day to day. In fact, no two practices are ever the same. While we do repeat some drills in order to create muscle memory, we try to keep the repetition fresh by changing the drill slightly or making a new emphasis to the drill. We believe that no two games are exactly the same so players should be adaptable and flexible to the nuances of every game.

One of the challenges freshmen face in our system is the concentration they must bring to practice. They become emotionally and mentally fatigued long before their legs give out. Most of the freshmen are not used to engaging their brains as much as their bodies. We make certain they focus on each drill by creating a consequence for not performing the drill correctly. We might make an emphasis in a drill such as boxing out with contact. If players fail to box out with contact, then all players must do a frozen push-up while I pontificate on how critical it is to make contact on a rebound. On such an occasion, players might discover I can be quite long-winded. We might also make the drill a perfection drill which means the player must perform the drill correctly before she can get out of the drill. For example, if we are working on denying from the wing, players must see both ball and player, have the correct technique, and force her offensive player to catch the ball away from the basket. She gets the opportunity to continue doing this drill until she shows perfection.

To engage our players, we move quickly from drill to drill. We explain the drill, teach the correct technique, then we want our players to execute properly while playing at game speed. It is important our players learn to practice while focusing at game speed. While this is tough for newcomers, it becomes easier as players have to think less and allow their body to simply react to what it has practiced a thousand times before.

We always have minimal lines for drills so no person is standing in a long line waiting for a turn. In fact, we only want our players resting in line for 30 to 90 seconds. If they are standing longer than that, we know their minds wander and they lose their focus. They have to keep mentally present when rest periods are short.

To be a Golden Eagle, athletes have to learn to focus and bring both their minds and their bodies to practice. By learning to focus and become mentally tough, they are elevating their games to a higher level.

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A review of the seniors

The UC Golden Eagles will be returning three seniors to our squad this year. For those who have coached or who understand the game, it is critical to have seniors who buy into the philosophy of our program and who are willing to lead by example. Buying into the Eagle philosophy means that they understand we are about heart, passion, commitment, and hard work. It means they thrive when we push them and they want to be the best they can be. It means they must bring their best every day regardless of what the events of that day brought to them. It means they are dedicated to being a winner from the inside out.

It is not easy being a senior because the stakes are higher. This is the end of a long journey of basketball. Most of them will never play competitively again. They have no more do-overs. No more years to get it right. It is now or never.

Luckily, our seniors get it or at least they are trying very hard to be the leaders we need them to be. They all want to be good. They all want to return the program back to the days when we were nationally ranked and expected to be one of the best in the conference.

Veronica Carman enters her fourth year determined to lead vocally and through her actions. She has worked hard throughout her three years to become better in all skills. Her outside shot, jumper, and ball handling skills have all improved, but what has been most outstanding in her improvements is her ability to speak up to her teammates. When she came here, she spoke through a whisper. She now projects her voice in such a manner that all teammates can clearly hear her no matter where they are in the gym.

Jennifer DeMeyer has made incredible advancements from her freshmen year when she barely accumulated 20 minutes of playing time to her junior year when she became a starter. During the past three years she has developed from a player who didn't have any inside moves to a post who has a counter move when her first move is shut down. When she is confident in her play, it is impossible to stop her.

Jihan Williams is a player who has the ability to dominate. She can shoot outside, penetrate, or post up in the low block. Although she didn't show her prowess in the paint last season, she is determined to give it her best this year. During the 2008 spring workouts, she showed what she could do by simply blowing by teammates in every competitive drill the team did. Even when her team was down by three points, she increased her play so her team could win. If she keeps her mind in the positive belief system of what she can do, she will own the paint.

As a coaching staff, we are thrilled at how hard our seniors are working at pointing our team toward the Eagle Way. To them I say, "IHHOAGE!"

UC Family Nite and Championship Croquet

On Sunday evenings, the Golden Eagles have decided to get together to share time outside of basketball. I personally love the concept of having the team play board games or share other activities beyond the court and classroom,. It is a way to enjoy companionship without the intense competition. In order to become a great team, we need to learn to laugh with and love one another.

This past Sunday the team joined me at my house for a picnic and a round of championship croquet. I only gave them two rules before arriving at my home: (1) This was mandatory fun so come with a happy face; and (2) To remember that Coach Winn always wins so be prepared to lose.

The team leaders arrived an hour early to assist in the preparation of the food. Jihan Williams and Katy Arick cut up vegetables for a veggie plate and also prepared the salads. Veronica "Kika" Carman sliced the watermelon while Jen DeMeyer prepared the tables and chairs for the outdoor picnic. Both Veronica and Jen assisted with cooking the chicken and burgers.

It is our belief that if players want to be leaders they must first learn how to serve. A leader must be willing to do all the little things which make a team great. Instead of sitting at the top ordering their teammates around, they should be the ones rolling up their sleeves doing the "dirty" work. The leaders should always be the first to arrive and the last to leave.

As I watched the team sitting together at the picnic tables, laughing and kidding one another, I felt as if we truly were a family. I believe this was a good start to the Golden Eagles becoming more than a basketball team.

With our stomachs full and the food put away, it was time to crown the croquet champion. As we gave them instructions on how to play, I once again had to remind them of rule #2: Coach Winn always wins.

Once we began play, it was immediately obvious that rule #2 was not going to be broken. While the Golden Eagles can play basketball, I'm not certain many of them have branched out to other sports. I did not know there were so many ways to swing a mallet.

We played buddy croquet which meant that buddies took turns hitting the ball. As the winners were crowned, it was Coach Fitzgerald and me who stood on the podium to accept our gold medals. Granted, Coach Fitzgerald and I had constructed the course which looked more like minature putt-putt/croquet with obstacles rather than wickets. Naturally, we had to practice each obstacle during construction to make certain that the ball would go through or over our homemade wickets. So we might have received a little bit of an advantage over the rest of the players, but quite frankly after watching their skills with a club and a ball, I knew there were reasons why they were not on the golf, softball, or tennis teams. However, I am thankful that the skills they own are the right ones for the Golden Eagle basketball team.

Dreams and Dream Boxes

Yesterday was the first day of school and the first day of a new journey for our basketball team. There was excitement and anxiety in the air as the team gathered at 6:15 a.m. for our first team challenge. We require our players to pass five challenges which include a 12 minute run and four strength tests. This is our way of determining mental toughness as well as fitness. For those who pass on the first day, we celebrate with them. For those who fail, they receive the opportunity to try again and again and again until they are able to make the Golden Eagle standard. When a player passes her challenges, she sends the message to her teammates that she has expended the energy over the summer months to work hard on her dream of being the best she can be. We believe in dreams here. We believe that dreams are the first step to reality and that the more a player can dream and feel that dream resonate within her, the more likely she is to become her dream. Over the summer months, we asked the players to keep a dream box--a box where they place quotes, articles, and pictures cut out from magazines, books, and newspapers which represent their dreams. The idea was that every day they would feed their dreams. Last night when we met as a team, each player brought her dream box to share with teammates. Every player had an opportunity to talk briefly about her dream box and to share with the group a favorite item from her box. As I sat there listening to them, I was moved by the passion with which they spoke. Almost every quote had something to do with heart, determination, or team. Afterward, Jihan, our team clown, pulled out a roll of toilet paper from her box to share with the coaches. She explained to us, "I wanted to make certain that we flushed last year down the toilet." I think it is a good idea to leave last year behind us while keeping the lessons that we learned from that experience in front of us. As we think about this year, we want to keep our beliefs lined up with our dreams. We want to feed those dreams daily keeping them fresh in our minds and hearts.

Move-In Day at UC

On Saturday the 23rd, new students were allowed to move into the UC residence halls. It has been our tradition to meet our new student-athletes with a group of returners to assist with their first move away from home. As they arrive, we greet them and grab a load of their furniture, clothes, basketballs, and shoes (oh my goodness--the shoes) to take to their room.

In this way, the freshmen and transfers get an opportunity to meet their teammates and we establish on their first day of being on campus that we are here to help one another. It is so critical that we establish early the feeling of being here for one another. If a team is going to survive, it has to buy into the idea of family.

We want our players to take responsibility for one another. We believe that in order to be the best we can be that we must take care of eachother. We cannot simply come together on the court at game time and expect to play as a unit without understanding the family concept off the court.

Don't get me wrong, we don't expect each team member to be the best friend of each other member. We do, however, want them to understand who will be by their side in times of joy, heartache, celebration, and sickness. We want them to believe without hesitation that a teammate will be there for them in the best of times and in the worst of times. It is important to feel both on the court and off the court that we are here to share with one another, to help each other through whatever challenges we might face this year. There is no better feeling than to know that you have a support group when you want to share laughter, love, or tears.

This year the newcomers were given opportunities to know their teammates prior to their first day on campus. Our senior class (Kika, Jen, and Jihan) embraced leadership over the summer by encouraging teammates via text messages and phone calls to work on their skills. They also arranged two separate occasions to get together and play some pick-up basketball. When senior members of the team go outside themselves to consider others, it is a great sign for a year of team unity.

I am thrilled with the first weekend of Golden Eagle basketball which showed the promise of leadership and togetherness. Join me later this week as I talk about the first day of conditioning.

How about those Olympic Women

As I continue to be awed by the accomplishments and feats of the 2008 Olympians, I am most amazed at the older women who are not only competing but winnning like Dara Torres, the 41 year old, mother of a two year old daughter, five time Olympian who won three silver medals. WOW! Just thinking about that one makes me exhausted. Then there is the 38 year old Romanian, the mother of a teenager, who won the marathon. It wasn't that long ago that it was a common misperception that women couldn't endure any type of endurance sport and that women around the age of 20 were getting past their prime. Just 40 years ago, most girls in the United States didn't play the five player basketball game. It was believed that girls couldn't run the distance of the full 94 feet of a court, therefore the court was divided into two different sections with the players unable to cross the midline. On one end would be a three-on-three game of guards who only defended and forwards who only shot the ball. Once the ball was passed across midcourt, one group of the three-on-three rested while the other group played. How women have evolved! Somewhere it began with a woman who believed she could do something better--something different--that she was stronger, faster, and tougher than others believed she was. It just began with a thought . . . and an attitude that she could do it. I'm certain many people told Dara that she was too old--that she was way past her prime. How fortunate we all are that she listened to her inner self and did what she knew she could do. Imagine the inner strength of that woman! Because she dared to think that she could, she has inspired many others to go beyond their age limitation, to push themselves to another place. Inspiration begins with self belief, the inner confidence to go beyond one's doubts and fears. It is the battle of self versus self which is the true stuggle all athletes hold. It has been said many times that the toughest opponent an athlete will ever face is herself. It is the truth. These women had to find peace with their inner battle then discover a way to overcome societal belief systems. I am glad they had the fortitude to hold true to their desires and hope other women will be motivated to hold true to their dreams and not to listen to those who tell them they can't. It is my hope that my athletes will have watched the women in the Olympic Games and will be inspired by their passion and love for their sport--that they will note that the true talent is not on the outside but on the inside. **My intention is to blog two times a week and I hope that you will join me as I talk about the University of Charleston Golden Eagles and our journey this season.

Thinking Olympics

As a former Olympian, I have been glued to the television set for the past week. Watching the Opening Ceremony brought back a flood of emotions I had hidden somewhere deep within my heart. I cried as I watched the athletes marching into the Bird's Nest feeling that moment of 1984 all over again. There were 80,000 fans screaming, "U.S. A. . . U.S.A." They were there to cheer us on, to celebrate the years we had been training, to share our dreams, our goals, and our hopes. My heart thumped as I marched; my breathing became labored; and I felt the joyous tears drizzle down my cheeks. It was all I had hoped for--all I had imagined. This was a moment I had practiced in my dreams a thousand times, and now I was there in the midst of all those incredible athletes. It does seem now like it was a dream--almost as if it were somebody else's life. It is hard to imagine that I was an Olympian. Now 24 years later, I still have that passion for athletics--for the belief that athletics are more than muscles wound tightly around a body. It is more than a ball going in a hoop, a leap over a hurdle, a dive off a platform, a body pulling through water. While it is the body that we might admire--that delicious lean, beautiful body which can glide, float, sprint, jump, and run; it is the heart which determines the greatness. Every Olympian has a story. Every athlete has a tale about perseverance, persistance, obstacles, and challenges. None of them will tell you that it was easy--that their workouts were simple--that they never felt a drop of sweat. Some of them will tell tales about things they sacrificed: time, money, relationships, jobs. Their stories are about dreams and passion. Their stories are about people who were willing to do whatever was necessary to follow their passion. This is one of the things athletics represents: learning to follow one's passion and to feel the glory in doing that. It is overcoming doubt, insecurity, self limitations, and fear. It is the inner struggle which defines us. This is what I truly love about athletics: the opportunity for self growth. What I took away from being an Olympian in '84 and '88 was more than the experience of walking in an Opening Ceremony or playing against great competition. I became a different person through the opportunites of playing athletics. It is what I wish to give to my players.