How Bad Do You Want To Play

Bunky Harkleroad Head Women's Basketball Coach at Glenville College in West Virginia was a little disappointed with the passion his women played with recently. 

In order to find out who wanted to play he threw five basketballs down the stairwell at the end of practice, and told them who ever brought a ball back up to half court got to start tomorrow. Game on!

Scott Horton

I received this system testimonial from Scott Horton, the Manalapan Braves Girls' basketball coach. He writes about the joy, passion and fun that players in the system have. Thanks Scott; 

"The Manalapan Braves just concluded their first season as a system team. We began the year 1-9. Our final record is 12-13. During the final 15 when we were 11-4, we beat a team that was 18-4 and one that was 20-3. During the final 6 games, our lowest output was 70 points, and our highest was 86. Last night we lost to the 15th ranked team in the state of New Jersey in the first round of the playoffs. We cut it to three with 1:20 to play, but we were unable to capitalize. More importantly:

-14 players played significant minutes in a playoff game

-I am confident that every player improved

-I know the team improved

-No one wants to play us anymore

-The locker room was filled with tears after the game, not because we lost, but because we can't play anymore

-The players embraced the system and each other

-I've never enjoyed a season more in 18 years of coaching.

We can't wait for next season."

Drive

Two questions from Daniel Pinks book Drive.

"What is my sentence?"

and 

"Was I better today than yesterday?"

Click here to understand what he is asking.

Greatness

I really believe the one true secret to being successful in life is having a passion for whatever you do. 

Click below the picture and understand why.

 Passion

Double Figures

It is a big deal today when a basketball team has six players score in double figures. It is special, that is when there is a lot of talent on a team. Still, I would like to tell you of a time in Iowa, almost twenty years ago.

It was during the six on six days of girl’s basketball. Actually the last year it was played. It was Jesup vs. East Buchanan.  If you remember in the old six-on-six days you had three guards on the defensive ends and they could not  not play offense. On the offensive end you had three forwards and their job was to score.

At Jesup that year we were lucky to have a multitude of athletes on both ends of the floor. We also had several people on the bench that were very talented.

The year was 1993 on a February night. Jesup had six forwards score in double figures. That had never been done before in Iowa history and it made the papers and the radios around the state. I do not think that the coaches, players, fans, or school knew then or know now how special that night was.

A number of those six players still live in the Jesup area and are very active in making our community and our school a better place. Although I list them by their maiden name you may know them by their married name. I wonder if any of them remember that night. The box score for Jesup went as follows:

Carrie Zuck                                   23 

Jenny White                                  15

Traci Smith                                   14

Amy Cagley                                  14

Karma Dahl                                  12

Rachelle Pilcher                             11

Click here  to learn more about the six player game and the end of it.

We Have Lost The Way

 

What do you want out of life? Do you want to be the best in the world at something? Do you want to change the world or just change your life? Are you willing to sacrifice what it takes to get what you want? Is it someone else that didn't do your job that caused you to fail? Stop blaming others, if you are willing to give up something to get something, click on "My Fault".

Good Advise

I received this advise in an email recently. Thought it would fit well in the blog here;

 "How do I raise independent children, while still being an active participant in their childhood?

Allow the child to fight her own battles. Imagine a common preschool scene. You witness another child grabbing a toy from your little one. As much as this may trouble your mama bear instincts, resist the urge to interfere. Give your child the opportunity to problem solve for herself. If she can't manage to get the toy back, let her feel the frustration.

Don't be the parent that demands her child be invited to all birthday parties. Life is unfair, and not every kid is going to like your child. Help the child cope with the disappointment of being excluded instead of saving her from all possible unhappiness.

Let them experience failure. Sometimes you try to climb a new play structure and fall. Sometimes you study really hard for a test and still get a C. Sometimes you strive to be everyone's friend and nonetheless, these is still that one girl who continues to spread rumors. This is life, and it should also be childhood."