I know no way that will guarantee that you will win, but I do know that if you don't do the things I am going to write about, you will lose. Unless, of course, you are just so much more physically gifted than the other team.
You must compete. Every day, every drill you must play hard. What does playing hard mean? It means to compete. What does competing mean? It means never giving up or giving in. Sometimes toughness, competing, or playing hard can be hard to explain, but you know it when you see it.
So what do those three terms mean in my opinion on a daily basis? First, how well do you take coaching? Are you listening and trying to change because your coaches are telling you better ways to improve. Second, are you attempting to do at a high level what you've been told to do? Are you moving your feet, bending your knees, keeping your hands away from your body, are you diving for loose balls, blocking out? I think, sometimes, you can see competitiveness more through the efforts of defense, but it is a different type on offense.
On offense, are you hitting the offensive boards, are you taking care of the ball, are you taking great shots, are you being unselfish? Are you passing ahead? Are you getting someone else open? Are you feeding the post or driving and looking for the places that the coaches have told you there will be open players? Are you using correct footwork and skills you've been shown?
All toughness is mental. Are you mentally tough? Then show us. Show us that you can do most of the things I have written about. Show us by staying away from the crowd and getting into trouble when others are doing things that risk their futures. Show us...please...show us!
