About the game...

It is wonderful having so many players on our team. The difficulty is that this means us coaches are faced with the trouble of cutting players when it comes to games. It is one of the hardest parts of the job.

It is also difficult when it comes to spreading court time among the players who do make the team for the games. You have to understand that as coaches, we do our best to rotate players in the game. However, as coach Jenny responded in one of the comments made in the post about the last game, we both agree that "the best players will play."

I have a lot of strong thoughts about this philosophy. My main reason for adopting this approach is this;

'If a player cannot take care of the basketball (which I talk about all the time) and I put this player into the game in a close game. This player is likely to lose the ball (as they do often in practice). That player may feel that they have let their team down during an important moment of the game. They may feel that they have failed the team.'

It is our responsibility to put each of you in a position where you can succeed. If we don't think you are ready to play 10 minutes a game, we won't play you 10 minutes. BUT, we will not give up on you. We care about each of you, on and off the court, and we will do our best to help you grow as basketball players and people.

If you want to know how you can improve your performance in practice, which will lead to more opportunity to play in the games, then please just ask either Coach Jenny or myself, and we will help guide you.

This is a team game... if you think that basketball is just about you - you are in the wrong sport. It is about individuals coming together for one purpose. It is about sacrifice (as those of you I coached last year will remember). If you think you deserve court time over another player, come talk to us. But, if you let that affect your performance or attendance at practice, then you have let the team down, and yourself.

Both Coach Jenny and I have played this beautiful game but we both know the pain and frustration of sitting on the bench/not playing the games. This is life. We learn and we grow... and what is most important is that we understand that it is about the team and not just me.

The team list is below: (if you are not on the team, we still expect your support at the game on Sunday)

Shauni
Binta
Adine
Erika E
Erika J
Elin L
Maria B
Lisa S
Lisa A
Sofia E
Anna
Evelina

"I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion." ~Mia Hamm

// Coach Tony