Following Fairbanks

I use this blog as a method to sometimes reflect on ideas about the program or to express various sentiment surrounding the boys and parents of this program.

Today, it is about boys and parents and my thoughts following a great two days in Fairbanks at the First Annual IYB Veteran's Day Tournament.

To start everything off, a special "Wow!" and "Thank you!" and "Great Job!" to Sheli and John Hajdukovich and all the parents and volunteers that made that a great tournament! A class act tournament - even more impressive when you consider this was the first that Sheli and her support team had ever pulled off. They were especially accomodating to all guests and made the Alaska STARS' presence feel appreciated and welcomed! I would like to do this every year and hope Sheli and company can do this every year! I know that is their plan!

Now - our boys. First of all, the observations and comments that are actually important. I received three distinct and separate comments about how our boys conducted themselves during the tournament. They sat together as a team at events, they were calm, behaved and disciplined. One observer came up to me and watched how the boys were just sitting together quietly, watching a game and said, "You all got it right! Some teams here in Fairbanks haven't figured it out yet." Another observer said, "The STARS players have utmost respect for the staff, the officials, the coaches and the game. You can see it in how they are on and off the court." Finally, a third person told me, "The STARS presence at this tournament makes the tournament classier!"

Folks - that is a hallmark of this program. Class. Ask folks from years past how our boys have always had the utmost in style and class both in victory, in defeat, and when just being participants in events. There is no greater compliment to our boys, our parents, our coaches and the core fundamentals that we enforce in this program.

Next - how the boys played. I love playing Fairbanks! I do! What a great, enduring, healthy and friendly rivalry! The games are always close, exciting and full of energy! The Fairbanks crowd does a GREAT job of supporting and cheering their kids. I only observed the most infrequent times where Fairbanks parents went more "over the top" than I would have preferred in heckling our players. It can't always be exactly how you want it to be...and given that, I have to say that I love playing against Fairbanks!

I never feel so "away from home" in a game than when I am in Fairbanks! :-) Even in Vegas, Houston, Florida, Chicago and Seattle I have never felt like I was in as hostile a territory as I am in Fairbanks! And, please, understand, I mean that in a GREAT way! This puts our boys under some very demanding environments! Our small support crowd cannot compete with the volume of the Fairbanks cheering and I LOVE IT! And, our boys just tackle the adversity and just play! They play their hearts out and they just play and play and play and let the game be determined by their performance! I love it! I am proud of our 6th graders, our 7th grade teams and our 8th grade teams that battled and represented themselves and Anchorage and this program in a manner that is void of all reproach! Way to go!

Now - the final essential element. Our parents! Thank you for every sacrifice you make each day to make this program great and to support your child into this program. For this blog, a special thank you to drivers, folks that ran errands, that picked up water, and the ones that sat there in Fairbanks on those hard bleachers and watched game after game after game as we spent most of our full days there in the gyms. Thanks for rooting on our kids to incredible success in Fairbanks! Yes - you cannot deny that each team achieved real success in that touranment!

A great tournament! Loved it! I know Sheli and John heard some of our comments about venue, about when starting ceremonies may be more appropriate, etc. I love the energy and spirit they put behind that tournament and I look forward to doing this again NEXT year!

Go Alaska STARS!