After our 2009 Chicago trip, Coach Jesse wrote a note in the STARS messaging board. I am providing a direct link to his message right here: http://members7.boardhost.com/alaskastars/msg/1248666482.html
There are always praises from parents to the coaches for the work the coaches put in. I am sorry - but while I recognize that coaches work very hard for this program, I also recognize that we are doing EXACTLY what we want to do! I have a hard time accepting praise for something that is such a PRIVILEGE to do!
Instead, the parents deserve the gratitude!
Thank you for raising your children in a manner that aligns with our values
Thank you for trusting us to be part of raising your children
Thank you for bringing them to all of the activities that we conduct
Thank you for your hard work and investment in their future that makes our work so much easier
Thank you for taking on critical roles and responsibilities within the program, as so much is needed to make this program work
Thank you for bringing me coffee and doing errands and all for the coaches
Thank you for supervising on our behalf at such needed times
Thank you for unwavering support, even when we don't do it perfectly
Thank you for working harmoniously together between yourselves
Thank you for allowing us to push your children's limits at times, to help them mature
It is a privilege to coach these fine children. It really is. You, parents, deserve so much recognition and gratitude for your children's and this program's successes.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Chicago...Chicago
We as an organization with these teams go through so much ramp-up in preparation for our out-of-state tournaments. I am amazed that we even do this at times. Just how long have we been preparing for Chicago? The amount of build-up, from parents', volunteers', coaches' and players' perspectives is enormous.
Compare the amount of tournaments that we participate in to the Velocity basketball club - a club in Naperville, Illinois that is associated with Velocity Sports Performance program with its own first-class facility (www.velocitybasketball.org) that played in the Waukegan regional tournament last year. Look at their 6th graders' June schedule of basketball games at http://www.velocitysp.com/multimedia/docs/naperville/Boys_12U_Schedule.pdf
They just go around, town to town, doing their thing. They are selected from a competitive tryout and get "free" sports performance training if they are selected for the AAU team (http://velocitybasketball.org/default_files/Page334.htm). I've noticed how these other teams react to losing games and I have noticed they seem to react with so much more calm than we do when we lose a game in the tournament.
Why is that? Is it because there is so much ramp-up and expense to do this for us and it is just "another game" for them?
The ramp-up. The hype. The expectations. The pressure. We have a team - the 6th graders - that are easily on their fourth trip out of state. The current 8th graders were, at the end of their 6th grade year - the youngest team to go out of state when they did the Vision Sports tournament in Houston in 2007. Look at our current 6th graders. Off to a national tournament, with at least four out-of-state trips already under their belt.
My mind goes crazy. The bar is so high for them. Is it too high? Do we expect too much? When I begin to think about that, I end up rejecting that idea. In Alaska, I doubt there is another team that has had more training in the past year than those 6th graders. In Alaska there is undoubtedly no team in 6th grade that has had such exposure. The bar is not too high for them.
Okay - but what about the 7th graders? What is the big deal for them? I consider the fact they represent players from the two best 7th grade teams in Anchorage. I consider all of the raw talent that they possess. I consider the style of play they can bring. Are THEY ready? Why can't they seem to get over some hurdles like the Timberwolves? Is there something wrong? What will their Chicago experience be like? I try to compare them to last year's 7th graders. The comparison is tough though. Last year's 7th graders had been out of state to Houston, to Seattle and to Orlando before they went to Chicago. They were trained differently (not better, not worse). It is a tough comparison to make. I want them to get over what I think is a mental obstacle and just play hard, smart, loose basketball. I think they can do it. I think about last year's competition. I just sort of feel lost, though...unable to predict.
The 8th graders. Well, little more can be said except that this team is undoubtedly ready. They are so much a different team than last year...but so are the teams we played a year ago. Can't forget that. Last year's competition couldn't beat high school varsity teams (except for maybe ONE team). Maybe this year's competition can. Not sure. My only fear - their success in Alaska is not continued in Chicago. No team - not even the "Dream Team" that Feeney, Wilson and Kauffman were on - has ever had such high expectations. Those teams and teams prior to them expected to compete VERY well. This team expects to WIN and to WIN decisively. Talk about a high bar. If the 6th graders and 7th graders stumble, there will be disappointment. If the 8th graders stumble, there will be SHOCK and AWE!
All of the buildup. All of the hype. Taking months of work and steps and challenges to get ready for 14 - 17 games over a 9-day period. Pushed and pushed. Expectations so high. So much invested.
I have travelled outside with 6th - 8th grade players more than any coach in Alaska. I have been in more out-of-state games where we were getting slaughtered, more games that were down to the wire, and more games where we just dominated than can be counted. I have watched STARS teams overcome the nearly impossible, bring dominant teams to the brink, have seen them get their butts handed to them early, but finish strong. I have always considered all of my tournaments successful in some way, shape or form, even when a record has been 1-4.
This tournament for these three teams; can I recognize success for a team even if it has a losing record? Can I recognize success if the 8th graders do well, but don't win like expected? Or, is there just too much pressure to win? Is there too much pressure for EVERYONE to win?
Being a coach in this organization is fun. Being on the leadership of this organization is fun. Being both keeps me awake at night with thoughts like this running through my head.
It will be interesting to see how we (parents, players and coaches) feel at about 6:00pm on July 26th.
Compare the amount of tournaments that we participate in to the Velocity basketball club - a club in Naperville, Illinois that is associated with Velocity Sports Performance program with its own first-class facility (www.velocitybasketball.org) that played in the Waukegan regional tournament last year. Look at their 6th graders' June schedule of basketball games at http://www.velocitysp.com/multimedia/docs/naperville/Boys_12U_Schedule.pdf
They just go around, town to town, doing their thing. They are selected from a competitive tryout and get "free" sports performance training if they are selected for the AAU team (http://velocitybasketball.org/default_files/Page334.htm). I've noticed how these other teams react to losing games and I have noticed they seem to react with so much more calm than we do when we lose a game in the tournament.
Why is that? Is it because there is so much ramp-up and expense to do this for us and it is just "another game" for them?
The ramp-up. The hype. The expectations. The pressure. We have a team - the 6th graders - that are easily on their fourth trip out of state. The current 8th graders were, at the end of their 6th grade year - the youngest team to go out of state when they did the Vision Sports tournament in Houston in 2007. Look at our current 6th graders. Off to a national tournament, with at least four out-of-state trips already under their belt.
My mind goes crazy. The bar is so high for them. Is it too high? Do we expect too much? When I begin to think about that, I end up rejecting that idea. In Alaska, I doubt there is another team that has had more training in the past year than those 6th graders. In Alaska there is undoubtedly no team in 6th grade that has had such exposure. The bar is not too high for them.
Okay - but what about the 7th graders? What is the big deal for them? I consider the fact they represent players from the two best 7th grade teams in Anchorage. I consider all of the raw talent that they possess. I consider the style of play they can bring. Are THEY ready? Why can't they seem to get over some hurdles like the Timberwolves? Is there something wrong? What will their Chicago experience be like? I try to compare them to last year's 7th graders. The comparison is tough though. Last year's 7th graders had been out of state to Houston, to Seattle and to Orlando before they went to Chicago. They were trained differently (not better, not worse). It is a tough comparison to make. I want them to get over what I think is a mental obstacle and just play hard, smart, loose basketball. I think they can do it. I think about last year's competition. I just sort of feel lost, though...unable to predict.
The 8th graders. Well, little more can be said except that this team is undoubtedly ready. They are so much a different team than last year...but so are the teams we played a year ago. Can't forget that. Last year's competition couldn't beat high school varsity teams (except for maybe ONE team). Maybe this year's competition can. Not sure. My only fear - their success in Alaska is not continued in Chicago. No team - not even the "Dream Team" that Feeney, Wilson and Kauffman were on - has ever had such high expectations. Those teams and teams prior to them expected to compete VERY well. This team expects to WIN and to WIN decisively. Talk about a high bar. If the 6th graders and 7th graders stumble, there will be disappointment. If the 8th graders stumble, there will be SHOCK and AWE!
All of the buildup. All of the hype. Taking months of work and steps and challenges to get ready for 14 - 17 games over a 9-day period. Pushed and pushed. Expectations so high. So much invested.
I have travelled outside with 6th - 8th grade players more than any coach in Alaska. I have been in more out-of-state games where we were getting slaughtered, more games that were down to the wire, and more games where we just dominated than can be counted. I have watched STARS teams overcome the nearly impossible, bring dominant teams to the brink, have seen them get their butts handed to them early, but finish strong. I have always considered all of my tournaments successful in some way, shape or form, even when a record has been 1-4.
This tournament for these three teams; can I recognize success for a team even if it has a losing record? Can I recognize success if the 8th graders do well, but don't win like expected? Or, is there just too much pressure to win? Is there too much pressure for EVERYONE to win?
Being a coach in this organization is fun. Being on the leadership of this organization is fun. Being both keeps me awake at night with thoughts like this running through my head.
It will be interesting to see how we (parents, players and coaches) feel at about 6:00pm on July 26th.
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