End of Basketball Season

I can finally say that basketball season is over!

After a long three months, I had my last van ride down to the other bigger base by my own this past weekend!

Watched my girls play together as a team for the very last time...even ended up taking home a mini trophy as we placed 4th of 8 teams in our final tournament.

Our overall season record wasn't the greatest, but I did see improvements from each and every player on the team. We were 1 win and 8 losses..and at least two of the games that we lost was pretty close...came down to the last quarter of when we lost :(

Overall, I have enjoyed coaching...though I do not think I will be coaching next year for the Youth Program on base. I don't think the program is organized enough...perhaps if things were run differently (especially the communication of emails and returning phone calls from the director of the program...but that is a rant that I so shouldn't go into...at least publicly written on the internet!).

I am including a few pictures from our End of the Season Family Potluck

I might possibly try my hand at being a basketball referee for the Program..as the refs weren't really that good (at least at our base...they let alot slide). But really from coaching it has really interested me in playing the sport myself...I had found out when I first started coaching that our military base had a women's team. However due to the scheduling of my girls team practices and games would've conflicted and made it impossible. So I guess time will only tell in regards to what I do decide to do.

One of my girls parents even suggested I look into coaching at the high school next year...now we will have to see on that as well. Because high school

Now, there were a few things that kinda unnerved me with the end of the season in particular that I wanted to share because I felt it needs to be said...as this is my blog and I can do it!

First, I had an issue with my Assistant Coach kinda bailing on me and the girls the last week of the team playing. Not only did she not show up for either practices that week, nor showed up for the final game! Which I understand to an extent but there were some smaller things that could be taken care of by a husband or...bowing out of a bowling league game (just once).

The second is the fact that I originally started off with 10 girls on the team in December. By the first week of February I was down to 9 girls, because one girls parents decided they should pull her due to behavior problems. Thus she was done...and then the last week of the season, two of my more seasoned girls didn't show up to practices...showed up for a game (which they both played really rusty) and then didn't go to the last game of the official season.

Honestly, that is just rude and doesn't really make sense to me at all. Again, I can't do or say anything about it because it's not my place. But as a coach I'm disappointed in the fact they left their teammates hanging...and as someone who volunteers my time, effort and energy every week and weekend for three months...the least I can expect is for a girl to do the same as well.

**However both of these players parents had an EXCUSE of why their daughter can not play...which makes me think that they are okay with allowing their child to punk out. Again, something I just dont get...parents complain about their children not being focused or quitting on something before it's done. But if they are allowing their kids to not finish something...then what type of lesson are they really trying to teach? **

Thus, we played our tournament with 7 players...which for only having 7 players I feel we did very good. Two players sat on the bench at one time...which was a post player and a guard.

Our last game of the tournament, I decided to dress up a bit..since one of the girls asked me why I never wore suits to the games (as some male coaches did the game prior to the last one we played in the tournament). So, I busted out one of my many black pant suits (that I use to rock when I worked at Victoria Secret).

I'm happy to have spent three months of my time working with these girls to help their grow in their skills and possible love of the sport. I only hope the best for them, I know alot of them will be continuing on with a different sport through the Youth Program (I know alot of them used the basketball season to get in shape for softball. And with all the running I made them do..I'm pretty sure they will do just fine)!

I won't lie it will be nice to have the weekends back to myself...though..tonight is Monday night..and it's kinda weird to be home with so much time on my hands...normally the girls had practice!

XOXO

Halfway Through Basketball Season

So we are about halfway through basketball season right for now for the Youth team that I am coaching. That's right, I was crazy enough to be wanting to work with 13 to 15 year old girls...but I loved the sport growing up and still do.

I personally didn't find out about the Women's team that the base we are stationed at had...or I might have ended up playing verses coaching.

Coaching has been an experience in itself to say the least...I have always heard that it is different being the person behind the clipboard...verses the player on the court. And I totally agree...simple things whether its positions, plays or even instructions of what they need to do next in a drill (which includes running). Oh yes, my girls do run...the only way for a team to able to get up and down a court is they have to be in shape.

Anyways, this season has been an interesting one so far. I have seen improvements here and there...though sadly our record isn't exactly the best...1-3. We won our first game of the season..and it seems as though we are taking a few step backwards before we can go forward again!

Pics of my Girls

I wish it would be easy to say, we are a good offensive team...verses defensive...but I believe we need improvements across the boards. We had a team meeting at the beginning of practice this past Monday, as our practices are Mondays and Wednesday evenings, and I asked the girls what did they think we needed to work on more. As I being the outsider with the clipboard know exactly what needs to be done...but it's always nice to see if them being on the court what needs to be done.

Everyone agreed that for defense, since we opt more often for playing man to man that they need to know who they have. And that when someone is subbed in there is better communication amongst the players of who one person has.

They also agreed that they need to work more on Boxing out the other team on defense after a shot has been taken and fight harder to get the rebounds.

Pictures during some of our games

Thinking back to this past weekend, we commuted down to a base about hr and 20 minutes away from our home base. The final score was 10 to 24....however thinking about the game now...I know that at least half of the other teams score came from cleaning up the boards on offense. As their guards who shot from outside of the key weren't accurate, however their whole team would crash the boards in order to get the rebound to shoot again. Sadly, my girls are afraid to put their butts on the other players and push them out of the way to get the ball.

The last and final thing the girls agreed they had to work on was Free Throws, at the beginning of the season I set up some goals for the team. One of the biggest ones, which honestly I stress about continuously besides boxing out and rebounding is Free Throws.

Our goal as a team is to be 50% or better from the Free Throw line during their games. Sadly the girls are struggling to make one free throw during the game.

I hope that with the last half of the season to go they continue to improve...because I can supply them with the tools and knowledge of how to do a lay up, improve their shot, or plays to run during the game that will help them score. It's up to them to work together as a team to change things up...cause I'm just on the sidelines with the clipboard...not on the court.

Some pics while riding in the van to away games