Alaska STARS

Scoring 100 Points

2011-01-24T14:18:00.000-08:00

Coach Jesse sent an email out to the players and parents of his 8th grade team, talking about philosphy and thought behind scoring 100 points on a competitor.

Coach Jesse hits the two basic points that come up in such a debate: (1) shouldn't the kids be allowed to play to their best level since they work so hard to train, and (2) what is the actual damage done by scoring 100 points against a competitor?

Two years ago, the STARS Class of 2013 was playing a high school team and with many minutes left on the clock, they hit 90 points. The high school team was at about 30 points. I made it clear to the STARS that they would suffer immensely if they hit 100 points.

Recently, I came across a situation where I knew my 7th grade team could really outscore the opponent. I grappled with the two basic points. I decided that I would let the boys play to their full potential the first half and relax their play the second half. To challenge them (they were not focused before the game), I told them that they did 20 suicides for every point the other team scored. That made them focus on execution of their defense.

In both cases, why didn't I let our team run up the score? Several reasons:

1. Why is 100 points a benchmark? If you look at Jesse's email, you realize that 100 points is this significant number. Why is scoring 98 against an opponent "not enough"? Because when we hit 100, we have done something significant. Not in terms of our achievement - but in terms of the punishment we have dealt the opponent. Alaska STARS Basketball is NEVER focused on punishing the opponent.

2. Professionalism. How can you play like professionals and run up 25 points a quarter in a game that has a running clock the second half? What you are doing if you can achieve that is no longer "basketball". Therefore, it can no longer be professional. What happens on the bench or on the court when the 100 point mark is achieved? Celebration. That, again, is unprofessional.

3. Community. When the Class of 2013 almost ran up the 100 points against that high school team, I stopped them for the above reasons AND for an important third reason. I wanted that team to want to play us again. If I beat them too bad, I risked our future chances of competing with them down the road. If we beat a team very bad, what are the chances of that team participating in the events that we are in or, worse yet, in events that we sponsor and want community involvement in? I used the term "damage" and that damage occurs when you score 100 points on a team when the opponent is not competitive. There is damage. Real damage to your program.

4. Development. I saved the best for last. Yes - we train hard in basketball and, yes, often our kids have to show restraint against those teams that are not as developed. And, yes, there is a certain unfairness to that. But, Alaska STARS Basketball is MORE than just a basketball program - it is a youth development program. As Jesse noted, we have very solid standards we expect for our on- and off-court behavior. We want our participants to be outstanding in school, at home and ------------ as members of a community. So, our program looks to our kids to be mature enough to throttle down the execution of their play when their play reflects poorly on their discipline and their respect for others in the community.

It has been rare, but I have been on the receiving end of a few lickings that have seen our boys get blown out. We have had a strong enough program that we could actually invite those moments as opportunities to learn and grow and hone our development. Many other teams that we could conquer in such a manner are not "programs" at all. They are teams. They are formed by parents who want their kids to play in a sport that they love, to experience "teamwork", to get exercise and ... maybe ... to play in a high school program. We look at our kids and we set a bar for performance and we expect them to succeed in high school and we even prepare them for the opportunity to play beyond high school if the chance presents. We are different. I don't want us crushing a kid's love for this game - even recreationally. I don't want damage. I am glad to see that we have the maturity for restraint.

For restraint is the right thing to do at times.

Thanks, Jesse, for bringing up the topic.

WYS Thanksgiving Tournament, 2010, Day 3

2010-12-02T10:35:00.001-08:00

From Coach Jesse Smith:

Our final day proved to be successful and bittersweet at the same time. Here'sthe breakdown...
We started with a much needed 11am game against St. Vincent Academy. The teamplayed with heart and desire but was heavily overmatched and overpowered by ourSTARS team. Sad thing is...this was the game that catapulted us into thechampionship game for the Silver division. We won that game 83-29.

Our next game was at a bit more challenging as we were pitted against the SouthSound Rebels. This was a game where the boys looked sluggish but picked uptheir game play as the game progressed. Then, the chippyness began between theteams. The Rebels who had aspirations of winning it all decided to do some very unsportmanlike behavior. The result...one of our players getting undercut while attempting a layup causing him to be removed from the floor by medicalpersonnel. While his injuries required an ambulance ride and a couple of hoursin the hospital, all x-rays and tests were negative for broken bones, fracturesor dislocation. A little pain meds and sleep will get him back up to playingspeed in no time.

Our final game was the championship game against the Fast Oregon squad. Theybattled hard but the STARS players were playing with a new determination. Not to be stopped by ANYTHING or ANYBODY...STARS win the tournament 68-43.

Great job STARS! We earned an 8-1 record (9-point loss against the tournamentchampions) for the Thanksgiving weekend. AWESOME!

I think we're ready for the GCI Ice Classic next weekend.

WYS Thanksgiving Tournament, 2010, Day 2

2010-12-02T10:33:00.000-08:00

From Coach Jesse Smith:

We again started the day off playing a 9am game in the coldest gym in theSeattle area. We hammered them from start to finish. Final score...90-31. Not
much to report in that game.

Afterwards, we took a supposedly quick drive to the local Red Robin to get somefood into us before the next game (in an hour). BIG MISTAKE!!!! Not monitoringthe boys while they were ordering their food produced several milkshakes andfood that probably shouldn't be consumed before a game. Because many of us gotlost to the restuarant we had to shovel our food down to make it back to ourgame which I am sure wasn't a good thing to do either. But we had to get backso shoveling we did.

In the game against the Hoopaholics, we took the early lead 8-0 but theHoopaholics came storming back. We never were able to get into the flow as thewhistles were fast and furious. While the refs called it pretty evenly, themultiple whistles forced us to fall into more half court offensive sets where we struggled a bit. Running plays when you are used to running the floor fullcourt for points proved to be a little lacking on the execution side of things.

But...we prevailed in a close game 50-47 Stars!

We then decided that we wanted to play the Fast Oregon team. Over the years wehave enjoyed a great rapport with their coach. With this being the last trip to
the Thanksgiving tournament, we wanted the opportunity to play this nationallyranked team (and they wanted to play us as well). With the help of Mr. Keith,we were able to rent a gym and refs for the game. Fast initially accepted butthen backed out due to an unscheduled dinner date. We were then able to get the Bothell team to scrimmage. Not a bad squad to play a game against. They gaveus a very good battle. Our bigs were able to handle theirs (Dane had 16 andJerod 15). What a GREAT game!!!! Both teams enjoyed the back and forth pace of
the game. Final score...STARS win it 67-49.

Today...we play a semi-final game. If we win, we are again in the Championshipgame for the silver division. We still have another game for the second placebracket in the gold division against the team that beat Bothell by 1.

Good luck STARS!!!!!!

WYS Thanksgiving Tournament, 2010, Day 1

2010-12-02T10:32:00.000-08:00

From Coach Jesse Smith:

Well...we got off to an early and cold start Friday morning. With trafficnoticeably light we made it to the gym (which has no heat by the way) withplenty of time to speculate on whether the two people standing at the door fromthe Rotary Black team were coaches or players. Turns out they wereplayers....very BIG players. The rest of the team to arrive weren't muchsmaller. But we weren't worried. We've been out-sized before and this was theteam that we wanted to play a few months back when we missed the Championshipgame by a 2-3 points. So as we warmed up in the gym that was colder inside thanout, the boys looked poised to play. The game was a closely contested one thatsaw the STARS at one point break out to an 11-point lead. We held the leaduntil the bottom started to drop so to speak. Rotary went on a spurt and wemade some costly turnovers on a few inbound plays. Add to that some shoddyrefereeing and our lead evaporated. Throw in a few poor decision-making choicesand the STARS lose a very good game by both teams 56-47. The loss throws us outof the championship bracket but places us in the 2nd place pool.

Our next game versus EC Seattle Black allowed the boys to take out somefrustrations from the earlier game against Rotary Black. Perfect execution onboth the offensive and defensive ends of the court along with better decisionmaking guaranteed a win for the STARS in another Gold division game. Nothingsignificant in this game to report. Score 84-30.

Our final game was our first in the Silver division. We played against theHoopaholics. Again...nothing much to report. We apparently figured out how toplay after the loss and didn't even let the Hoopaholics breathe. While we couldhave spent more time working on plays versus scoring at will...we finished thegame with a 91-23 victory.

Not bad for the first day of tournament play. We finished off the night withcoach watching videos for 30 minutes before allowing the boys to examine theRotary game and see where mistakes were made and where improvements can be made.

We have another game at 9am in the cold gym today. I will keep you posted.

GO STARS!!!

Alaska STARS Basketball Leadership and Directorship is now Shared!

2010-08-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

I still have actual details to work out, but I wanted to announce that it is with great pleasure that I welcome Jesse Smith as a full and equal partner with me in the ownership and leadership of Alaska STARS Basketball.

This honor comes as I have observed Jesse have the exact same committment and vision for how this program should grow and serve the Alaska community. I respect him as a "face" of the organization, as a coach, as a mentor, as a role model to our kids.

Jesse and I will begin to work out details about organizational responsibility. But, I no longer want to be introduced as the "owner" of Alaska STARS Basketball. I would like to be introduced as a partner or co-director with Jesse Smith of this organization.

I love Alaska STARS Basketball. I have worked 12 years to help grow and mature it and guide it. The past four years or so, Coach Jesse has worked just as hard and this partnership is a blessing to me and will do nothing but IMPROVE Alaska STARS Basketball's future and the future of its participants.

Please welcome me in accepting Jesse in this new role as co-owner and co-director of Alaska STARS Basketball!

Thanks Jesse!!

It's been a while - Summer is here

2010-05-28T19:26:00.001-07:00

The last time I posted, the YMCA championships had just ended in March of 2010. Now it is the end of May - the Friday that starts the Memorial Day weekend. Tonight, a team of Alaska STARS are headed down to Seattle to compete in two tournaments, playing in multiple divisions in each tournament.

We have just gone through Alaska Basketball Development League with our class of 2013 and 2014 players (AKBDL). We have just finished ACS Spring League with the others (two 7th grade teams, a 6th grade team, a 5th grade team and a 3/4th grade team).

I would like to thank the coaches and the parents for their continual support in this very hectic and dynamic environment. We are always on the go and everyone just makes it work. Coach Sam Freelove has been so wonderful picking up some slack for me as I have to take on responsibilities with our high school team for summer travel. The 6th grade team has been wonderfully patient as I get through these distractions. Thanks, Sam.

I would like to alos give a special shout out to Coach Jesse Smith and Coach Brian Kewan for keeping our torch lit at the Mountain View Boys and Girls Club, ensuring that we have a continual presence there during "Power Hour", providing our boys an opportunity to give to a community that gives so much back to them. Thanks for keeping that important part of our overall mission alive and running and ensuring that our boys enjoy the fullest experience of the program.

I am proud of all the accomplishments of all of our boys. The 8th graders (class of 2014) did a bang-up job in a high school division of the AKBDL. They placed fourth and went into the playoff against the first-place ACS Lions. Lost the game at the buzzer by 1. Wow! What a battle! Great job fellas!

And, I want to recognize all of the growth and achievement that our other teams experienced in the ACS League. We had most of them playing "up" a division and competing well (if not winning). Way to go!

Summer means more activities. The Class of 2013 is about to go to multiple NCAA Live events. Class of 2014 is about to go to Hawaii. This is a great time when more development happens and the kids reap incredible rewards for it.

I look forward to us doing all that we are doing .... and learning how to do it even better.

Following the YMCA Championships

2010-02-27T17:15:00.000-08:00

Today, the 2010 YMCA Championship tournament ended. As the director of the Alaska STARS Basketball program, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the past few months and the things that I have witnessed across our six teams.

I have seen a few of the teams just almost breeze through the past few months, with very few obstacles in front of them. I am proud of them and their dedication and their ability to maintain a very high level of performance!

I have seen a few teams struggle and overcome to varying degrees. Again, I am proud of them and their work and their commitment to improve and the finally overcome!

But, there are a few teams who didn't realize "success" as the outside world would understand it. Their record would indicate that they didn't accomplish much. I totally disagree. What those teams - our "development" teams - have done is more impressive than even our undefeated teams.......what those teams have done is much more admirable. They battled and grew and developed and continued to work and stay in the game despite the losses.

To them.......I want to give a most special "GREAT JOB!" and I want them to understand that their tenacity and continual effort represent everything that is the BEST about Alaska STARS Basketball. I hope these players will stick with basketball and stick with their development and maintain their great attitude. What about winning? Well, that just takes care of itself. I hope they will stick with their development...the winning will come.

Great job to everyone during the YMCA league! Allow me to extend that special congratulations to the 3/4th graders, 5/6th grade blue team and 8th graders for their championships. Allow me to give a thumbs up to the 7th grade gold team and their bitter-sweet runner-up result in the tournament.

Coach Bill Lidster

A New Year and Community Basketball

2010-01-01T21:20:00.000-08:00

I hope all of our friends across the community (Grizzlies, Sharks, Panthers, Mountaineers, Lakers, HEAT, Wolverines, our valley teams, and our friends in Fairbanks, Point Hope and Barrow) have a great new year and find success in their respective programs - no matter how they define it. Some will define it through wins, some will find other achievements, and some will find it through a combination of wins and achievements.

Regardless - I really help everyone has a great year in basketball!

Happy 2010 everyone!

Nasty Rumors

2009-12-04T10:48:00.000-08:00

Some nasty rumors have been circulating the past few weeks and the only ones that I have been made aware of, of course, relate to the Alaska STARS program. They appear to be centered around some recent player moves that have occurred. I sent out the below message to two of my fellow colleagues - Dennis Stosel of the Panthers and Rick Henderson of the Mountaineers - hoping that we can all, together, have the tools and facts needed to dispel false rumors and communications. In the memo I sent them, I also invited them to share anything they need me to be aware of so that I can support their cause.

I invite anyone else that hears these rumors to read this blog and be armed with facts to help dispel those rumors.

==

Date: December 4, 2009

To: Dennis Stosel, Rick Henderson

From: William Lidster

Subject: Addressing Recent Rumors – A Request for Unification

In this very small community rumors get easily generated and spread, sometimes without fact-checking by anyone. Right now, I am hearing through a few indirect sources that there is a growing dissent towards the STARS program and that it is related to STARS “stealing” players. I wish to quiet this rumor and I look to fellow coaches in other mature and established programs to help with this too.
To arm you with the information you would need to help quell this, I am providing you with a few thoughts that you can use when this rumor comes your way.

Rumor: STARS uses travel as an opportunity to steal players.

Facts: In the past 16 months, STARS has taken several out-of-state trips, forming “all star” teams for these trips. STARS extends invites outside of its own club to performing student athletes to go out-of-state. In its summer 2008 Chicago, Thanksgiving 2008 Seattle, summer 2009 Chicago and Thanksgiving 2009 Seattle trips, STARS took a total of 17 players from outside of its own club to participate in these out-of-state events.

Iziah Newsome (Mountaineers), Kylelle Brown (Mountaineers)
Amu Aukusitino (Hoopers), Marques Robinson (Mountaineers)
Treyvond Stokes (Mountaineers), Samuel Liaga (Panthers)
Isiah Pili (Kings), Armond Griebe (Mountaineers)
Jared Hudson (Kings), Stanson Afoa (Hoopers)
Amaje Voliva (Mountaineers), Joe Riley (Mountaineers)
Isa Williams (Mountaineers), Kaeleb Franken (Mountaineers)
Dane Kuiper (Mavericks), Jalon Fitzgerald (Fairbanks)
Cole Berner (Fairbanks)

Every single one of these players returned to their original competitive team following the out-of-state event. Hopefully, the players returned to their team more mature, experienced, confident and capable.

Rumor: STARS steals players from other teams.

Facts: In the past four months, STARS has lost two players to other teams and gained five players from other teams. Three of the five players that STARS gained came from teams who have disbanded or reorganized in a manner that the kids didn’t have a home (one player from “Big Rich” team and two from Kings). Those kids approached STARS about joining the club, more looking for a source of stability in the face of an uncertain future with their former teams.

Two other players and their parents have been going back and forth about being part of STARS for some time. Initial conversations started when parents approached STARS coaches a few months ago. There was initial interest, but it was obvious that the parents were not fully sure if they wanted to make the move. They remained with their original team for some time. Recently, the parents came to the decision that their kids’ development was best served by a move over to STARS. Parents were told very clearly to have open discussion and communications with their past teams before making the move and they all said they would.

That type of decision occurs regularly – where a parent says their kids are better served by another team. I know of some former Panthers that moved to the Mountaineers recently because of this. And, like earlier mentioned, two STARS players moved to a different team for the same reason. I personally am happy that the kids found new clubs that makes them fulfilled and helps them develop even further! To be upset about such a thing would be just selfish and completely counter to our most basic philosophies.

Rumor: Players from other teams are being told that if they participate with STARS in any event they are not welcome back to their home team

Facts: I have full faith that established clubs like yours and mine do not send out such a message. I can’t believe that a club could be successful telling kids that they would be “punished” for taking advantage of additional training, developmental and growing opportunities that are presented to them from another development program. I would LOVE it if a team came and offered any of my players an opportunity to travel with them! I know I have players that could help make a club successful and I would tell them to POUNCE on that opportunity! I am certain that you would agree with this because I have faith in your basic philosophy that our clubs are focused on the development and experience of the deserving student-athlete!

My ask here is that you would make sure that nobody mistakenly thinks that this is your philosophy.

Thanks for taking the time to read and digest this. Although we compete on the basketball court, I enjoy the mutual respect we have for what we all attempt to accomplish in this community for the kids and I actually have always felt that we are on the same team.

If you find yourself with concerns that I can help address, PLEASE send your thoughts and concerns my way! We represent such a huge portion of boys and girls youth basketball development in this town and we need to ensure we are always supportive of each other.

Following Fairbanks

2009-11-16T17:05:00.000-08:00

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!

Program Progress

2009-10-28T00:36:00.000-07:00

So much to do, so little time to do it. Trying to ramp up the education and civil service aspect of the Alaska STARS program.

Finally did our first support of Mountain View Boys and Girls Club's "Power Hour" last Wednesday. Trying to do it again this Wednesday. Small steps. Very small steps. But, the steps are so important.

Have had two academic "soft skill" assignments for members. Again, small steps, but so important.

A lot of interesting dynamics happening inside the teams. The 8th graders have a "new" squad that includes two new players. Also trying to get the 8th graders into the playbook and style of play that I prefer.

I sense the 7th graders are a bit unsettled. We lost two or three players from that team and you can feel it as the coach looks to fill some important voids. The coach is getting close to getting it settled, but again has to bring a few players up-to-speed. The uncertain future of some other teams and the status of those players from those teams adds to the dynamic.

Coach Sam has been able to start ramping up the 5/6th graders and 3/4th graders. He may be struggling soon with having too many players on one or both of the teams. He will get a real feel on how he sits with the 5/6th grade team when we go to Fairbanks in November. Good to get that team engaged - they haven't been for a while.

Lots of activities - you should see the "Events" section of the website right now. So much going on......so little time to administer. Love it and hate it at the same time.

A New Beginning

2009-08-15T20:10:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, the Alaska STARS Basketball company became active, being led by William Lidster, Jesse Smith, Sam Freelove and Trey Davis. This is a distinct organization from Stars Youth Development Program - a corporation that was jointly owned by William Lidster, Trevor Mason and Arnold Dade. Mr. Lidster resigned from that organization and decided to take basketball down a direction that included a stronger focus on academic and civic development of student citizens of Alaska.

What will become of Stars Youth Development Program and how Trevor Mason and Arnold Dade will fill the niche held by Mr. Lidster is unknown.

What is clear is that Alaska STARS Basketball has a new invigorated energy as it realigns its focus with coaching staff fully dedicated to fulfilling a single vision - to make Alaska STARS Basketball the premier youth basketball program in Alaska.

I look forward to doing what we do well - training basketball - and doing it even better. I look forward to our journey through new ventures of academia and civic/social responsibility. With a shared vision by all participants, we can achieve a first-class program.

Look for changes in the website that reflects some of these new ventures. They will be coming steadily throughout the next weeks.

The PRIVILEGE of Coaching

2009-07-28T15:21:00.000-07:00

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.

Chicago...Chicago

2009-07-10T00:40:00.000-07:00

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.

The Future of Basketball Development

2009-06-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

Alaska STARS has always held the vision and intention of having a larger impact to its student-athletes beyond basketball development. While the program does have a positive effect on the participants' character, this benefit is a by-product of the basketball development effort.

The future of Alaska STARS needs to have a concerted and distinct effort to help develop the participants' soft-skills (character, pesonality, ethics, communication, leadership) and hard-skills (math, science, language). That has been the vision all along; a vision that, when realized will benefit the program's participants and distinguish the program from those that focus solely on basketball skills.

Coming soon to a basketball development program in Alaska.......near you......

How do you think this can be best implemented? What are the potential pitfalls?