Where Did They Go--The Dynamite Kids?

What happened to the dynamite kids, the ones who loved the anticipation of the last second of the game to see who won? Did they disappear into Christmas cheer? Did the holiday spirit envelope them? Did they forget the essence of who they were during their seven days of vacation?

Let me first determine I am okay with change. Change is inevitable as people evolve and these young women have evolved! Wowser! All of a sudden, there was confidence, an inner glow of knowing, of assurance, of the awareness they were good. It was as if they suddenly understood their talents.

In the first game after the winter break, we became the team that the Golden Eagles are known for--an intense, focused team with great defense, offensive play centered on togetherness, and players who knew their roles and performed them to perfection. We had inside-outside play with Tarenna solid in the low block, great three point shooting from Lindsey, Ali, and Chrissy, penetration to the basket from Tiana and Chrissy, substitutes coming off the bench to keep the momentum flowing and fast break lay-ups from a variety of players.

Defensively, we started to play our scouting report, defending the opponents to their weaknesses, and making them do things out of their comfort zone. Finally, we are talking more on defense, rotating to the open player and feeling comfortable getting out in the passing lane to get deflections and steals.

I am not sad the dynamite kids have disappeared or at least gone on furlough for a while. I am comfortable winning by twenty points, sitting down at the end of the game, breathing regularly and allowing everybody on the team to get playing time. For a moment, it felt to me like the teams I coached in 2005 and 2006 who played with such force and determination they regularly defeated opponents by 20 points. I liked that moment, watching the players on the court perform as I knew they could, watching them moving with ease and confidence, free of self doubt and full of passion for the game.

I hope the Dynamite Kids stay on vacation replaced by these women I saw on the court. While I loved the thrill and excitement of hanging onto the edge of every game, I'm okay with watching confident players doing what they do best.