Pre game Practice

I have been coaching basketball for a long time, this is the 19th year overall, 6th as varsity coach. Every single year, I never know what we have going into the season. Sometimes you have a better understanding than in other years, but more often than not, you don't know until you play a game. Many times you don't even know until around January.

The pre game practices stand alone more often than not. The first two days are great because the guys are motivated and fired up for practice to begin. After that I have to motivate them to get better every day. Also, you never know what the guys are going through emotionally and are bringing that into practice.

The season begins and it seems you are never quite ready for the first game and as you build up about half way through, you usually take some days off over the holidays. When you come back, you have the second half blues. If you are doing well, they are lazy because they have forgotten what it took to get there, and if they are losing they often don't want to be there.

But those pre games practices are confusing. One day, you can think you will be really, really good, then the next day you wonder if you will win at all. I have learned to not over think it (as much as that is possible) and realize that I won't know anything until January...and then maybe later than that.

Basketball and Golf

As I have grown older I don't put as much pressure on myself to win, well, ok, I do want to win and I do put lots of pressure on myself to put my team in a position to win. But, winning doesn't identify me anymore. It used to be that if I didn't win, not only was I a loser, but I was somehow less of a person because of it. Not true now, I guess it comes with maturity, having children, and growing in my faith.

But, coaching basketball is very much like playing golf to me. In golf, I can play a bad shot, hole or round, but when you hit that next great shot (for me), play that next great hole, or a pretty good round, you are ready to go pro in golf. And then, just like that you want to quit.

Coaching basketball can be like that for me. We have a great practice, and I am motivated, positive and ready to go. Have a bad practice or two in a row and I often wonder why I can't get through to the guys and if I should contemplate doing something else.

It is in those moments of question and doubt where we are defined. Courage and motivation are not the absence of question and doubt, but acting in the face of those moments. And not acting to go through the motions, but to choose to be strong, courageous, and motivated when doubt is screaming in your ears.

Mental toughness is everything.

Scheduling

When trying to schedule basketball games, it is not as easy as it may seem. We want to play a tough schedule to make us better, but I also think we want to be competitive and win some games. I think that playing a tough schedule and not winning doesn't prepare you for post season success. If a team does nothing but lose, even if it is against great teams, doesn't build a winning mentality.

I had a coach once tell me that with a 20 game schedule, you want 5 you will have a hard time winning, 5 you will have a hard time losing and 10 that can go either way. That sounds good in theory, but so many teams are up and down that the number changes. There are some teams on our schedule that we beat often, but are better recently making it a game that could go either way, and vice versa.

Since I took over, we have removed some games that were regular wins, and replaced them with games that are in that middle ten. I am hoping that we continue to play a tougher schedule, but one that allows us to be successful. We are a 1A/2A school and have added 3A North Harrison, and a tournament with a very good 1A Edinburgh and Crothersville who is much better in recent years. Some of the teams we play were new schools and have now had time to become highly competitive.

Scheduling at a smaller school is harder because our own talent level could fluctuate from year to year. Again, I want us to be competitive against a relatively strong schedule. Last year, our schedule was ranked in the upper 5% of 1A teams, and we take pride in playing that schedule and staying competitive.

HENRYVILLE HORNETS
DATE OPPONENT
Nov. 23 at Silver Creek {3A} 7:30 pm
Nov. 27 Springs Valley Tournament
Nov. 30 Christian Academy {1A} 7:30 pm
Dec. 4 at North Harrison {3A} 7:30 pm
Dec. 7 at Charlestown {3A} 7:30 pm
Dec. 10 Austin {2A} 7:30 pm
Dec. 17 Lanesville {1A}‡ 7:30 pm
Dec. 29 Henryville Tournament
Jan. 8 at Trinity Lutheran {1A} 7:30 pm
Jan. 11 at Rock Creek Academy {1A} 7:30 pm
Jan. 14 New Washington {1A}‡ 7:30 pm
Jan. 21 Providence {2A} 7:30 pm
Jan. 22 at Borden {1A}‡ 7:30 pm
Jan. 28 at South Central (Elizabeth) {1A}‡ 7:30 pm
Feb. 4 Crothersville {1A}‡ 7:30 pm
Feb. 10 at Eastern (Pekin) {2A} 7:30 pm
Feb. 18 West Washington {2A} 7:30 pm
Feb. 25 Clarksville {2A}

If I Heard Everything....

How bad would it be in this world if we knew everything that was said about us? Worse yet, thought about us? I would be willing to bet that many of us have at least had negative thoughts about loved ones, but those thoughts were never spoken or acted upon.

You learn as a coach to take things with a grain of salt, as I have stated before or get out. A lifetime of working on a reputation can be taken away in a few seconds. It has happened to me, but I have also been guilty of the same thing.

Thoughts you have, emotions you feel can lead to things being said that aren't meant or worse...not true. Words that can never be taken away. No matter the apology, it doesn't make the aggravation go away. It is something that has happened to me all too often and you would think I would know better than to be part of the problem.

The biggest difference between words and the written word is that written words can live forever. I am a supporter of social networking sites and I think they can bring many positive things about, but I also believe that it can bring very bad things about. There have been many times I have almost written something, but thought about the ramifications of those words....we need to do the same thing with the spoken word.

We all fall short in trying to improve, but what are you doing when that happens? Are you denying that you have a problem? Are you working to improve? And once you have a perception about you, it is even easier to fall in the eyes of some.

I am glad I haven't heard everything that has been said about me because the things I have heard are often hard to deal with. I am not glad, however, that I have on ocassion been part of the problem instead of part of the solution.

Seniors...

Should seniors at a school be recognized in their last athletic event? First, let me say that I 100% support "Senior Night" for athletics and any other event that is held at a high school or college. I want to focus mainly on high school because that is where I teach and coach. At my school, it is a tradition that goes back so far I couldn't tell you when it started. However, it used to be that all athletes, cheerleaders, and band members were recognized one night, at the end of the boys' basketball season.

Acknowledging seniors in the last home game of the year is an honor especially for those student/athletes that participated for four years or longer. And for their parent or guardian to walk out with them is a nice gesture for all the time and effort that parents put into their children. I fully support "Senior Night".

What bothers me is that at some schools there are senior nights for every sport. Why does that bother me? Really, the only reason is that those athletes get recognized twice a year at our school. Once at the end of their athletic event (not all sports do it here), but also in the last home boys' basketball game. I do not mind sharing the spotlight with everyone, I think the boys' last home game is a great time to do it, but I do feel that some student/athletes are able double dip on recognition and others are recognized only once as I think it should be.

Boys' basketball players, cheerleaders, and band members are often recognized at the boys' last home game. As I have said, it is a wonderful honor, but they share the night with many other sports who have their own senior nights. Is it fair that those three groups have time taken from them by other student/athletes that have already been recognized?

I don't want to take anything away from the people who work and make the other "Senior Nights" a huge success for those teams, but if I were to have cake and a party after our senior night and only invited boys' basketball players, cheerleaders and band members, I would be highly critisized. Even though I would be doing nothing different than the other sports who have their own specific senior nights.

Ultimately, I don't mind what other sports do to end their season. As I stated, not ever sport does it. Is the answer to have your own or to show up at the last boy's game? I don't know. I do think it is nice what the people who put the work in do for these athletes on their senior nights.

Closing, I want to thank all of the parents of the seniors as well as other parents for getting their kids where they need and want to be. Thank you for supporting them throughout their careers and thank you for supporting us at the school. Without you, much of what we do would not be possible.

It's the Right Thing to Do

Basketball isn't for everyone. I understand that. I understand that the time and commitment has increased, the attention span of the average person has decreased, and that the no guarantees of playing time does not hold the allure that a job or other interests hold today. I get that every year the players who put the time and effort into basketball grow more special, and yet compared to 20 years ago would be considered the norm. I get all of those things.

What I don't get is when players do not speak to me or one of the other coaches face to face to let us know what is going on. I feel that we do a good job in our communication, I am sure we could do better. I know that not everyone will be able to fulfill the obligations of basketball. But speak to your coach, any of them. Talk to them. Maybe something can be worked out, maybe it cannot be worked out. But do not keep them wondering what happened, what was the cause of your disappearance.

It may be hard, it may end up negative, but do it. Speak face to face with anyone is relying on you, depending on you, or wanting you to participate and inform them of your decision. I would be willing to bet that in a high percentage of the time, the coach may not be happy with your decision, but will absolutely respect that you spoke with them.

Why? Because I believe it's the right thing to do...it's the right thing to do.