I've seen quite a mixture of basketball games from the NBA to youth recreational leagues, and everything in between. There seems to be a common difference between certain leagues and that is, the shot clock.
The shot clock was implemented into the game as early as 1954. With this new addition to the game, it maximized shot attempts for both teams, it sped up the way the game was played, and it allowed teams a fair chance throughout the duration of the game.
Implementing a 30-second shot clock in public high schools and magnet schools across Connecticut would make the games more interesting in the fourth quarter. Even though the game tempo would be tinkered with, I think it might be worth the move. Of course, everyone in the CIAC would probably disagree with me since they play without the shot clock, and they are used to playing without it. But, at Hamden Hall, we play with the shot clock.
It forces you to make timely decisions in a matter of 30 seconds. A lot of the times, timeouts are designated by coaches just to plan what their team is going to do in the matter of the time left on the shot clock. Down the stretch, the shot clock is crucial. Essentially, CIAC teams can simply play keep-away with their opponent for as long as they would like with the game on the line. Sometimes, I don't think this is fair. They should have to do something with the basketball to prove they are the better team, coming down the stretch. There is no sense of urgency to score or do anything with the ball when you know all you have to do is play hot potato with the other team. The problem is with these fourth quarters when a team is only down by like six points, it feels like a lot more because they simply can't get enough touches on the ball to get back into it. It puts more pressure on the losing team to make amazing plays on the defensive end to get back in the game. They are put at a disadvantage in the first place because there is no time limit on how long they will be chasing the ball in the half-court. I know that there are many factors that go into winning and losing a basketball game, but I think the shot clock is one, prevalent factor.
Just a thought. Agree or disagree?
http://www.nhregister.com/
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
It's All In The Family
I always wondered what it would be like to come from a basketball family. Or should I say, I always wanted to be a part of a basketball family.
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| Coach Borelli at QU |
Growing up the majority of my life in Connecticut, I have been a witness to such great basketball gurus, and I have even become really close with a few of them. I have been coached by Megan Borelli, a Rooney, from Guilford, who played at Guilford, then went onto play for Quinnipiac, and now has been coaching for roughly nine years, whose three sisters play/played (one for Quinnipiac, one for Wesleyan, and one still at Guilford High), and whose dad, Jim Rooney, coached Guilford to 3 consecutive state titles and earned coach of the year in 2003. The Rooney family has not only created a legacy in Guilford, but in the state of Connecticut. And I just-so-happen to be
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| Jasmine (2nd from left) SCC All Conference Team |
New Haven County alone has its fair share of legends that have evolved generation to generation. What does it mean to be from families like those? You all have a common love. Every family bickers and argues, but when you have that one particular activity that can bring the family together and settle all tempers, all differences are set aside and you just do what you enjoy best. I yearn to have a family like this. When it's March Madness time, I want to watch all the big games with my family and actually talk about them. I'm not saying I can't now, but it is different when you have people that really know the game better than you do. They provide insight that can be crucial to both the mental and physical part of the game.
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| Dad in his "Glory Days" |
I come from a family where there is not much basketball in it. My mom, Allyna Heath, was really into sports as kid. She had a dying passion for baseball, and even organized a baseball team around her neighborhood, where she was the only girl. The closest she came to a basketball though was in gym class, where, as she would say, she was the "free-throw queen". I have to give it to her, her form is quite nice and she rarely misses from the free-throw line. Maybe she needs to give me some pointers (lol) I could use it. Needless to say, my mom is a huge Lakers fan and has been since the Magic Johnson days. She still has some of the posters that she hung up in her room, till this day. And being an alum from Hillhouse, it was hard for her not to love basketball because some of her best friends were a part of that historic dynasty on the 1985-1986 guys' team. Then you have my dad, John Heath. He was definitely a major influence in me playing basketball. I was more of a soccer player growing up. Then in elementary school, I loved playing basketball in gym and I was actually good at it. I was also the tallest person in my grade (yes, boys included). Whenever I went to my grandmother's house, I would see all the newspaper clippings of my dad dunking and driving to the hole. Literally, the whole wall was covered with his newspaper clippings. I was fascinated by my dad's fame and I wanted to be just like him.
My dad was what you would call a “late bloomer” as it relates to basketball. Unlike many of his peers he didn’t start playing early in Recreation or AAU leagues, he first played organized basketball as an 8th grader. He was thin and he was just coming into his coordinated stage.
After living on the playgrounds of Hartford, as a junior at South Windsor High he started varsity and began to gain attention from college scouts. During this time he garnered the nick names “Never Nervous Purvis” because of his resemblance to Louisville great Purvis Ellison and also “Big Money” because there were days where he was like money in the bank! Entering his senior year he was among the Top 40 prospects in the state and the kid who every one said who would go nowhere was now being flooded with mail from coaches around the region. My dad says that his head “blew up” and as a result he didn’t go to class and complete his work and was declared academically ineligible! This was devastating in that his team was 6-2 and off to their best start in decade. As a result schools backed off and his dream of playing college ball seemed dashed.
He went on to attend Eastern CT State and there he would hone his skills against UCONN greats Cliff Robinson,Tate George, and Chris Smith. In the summers he played in the major Pro-Am summer leagues with the likes of NBA greats Rick Mahorn, Marcus Camby, and Michael Adams. Tate George and my dad became great friends and he and others encouraged my dad to give basketball another try! At an alumni game against the Harlem Magicians at his High School, my dad played the game of his life against the Magicians who were formed by Hall of Famer, Marques Haynes, the original Harlem Globetrotter. Mr. Haynes was so impressed he asked my dad to join the Magicians on their New England swing, however my dad expressed that he was trying to land a scholarship, and Mr. Haynes got my dad signed sight unseen to his alma mater Langston University. Again the dream was alive but then my dad accepted a bigger dream and became a minister and left his "first love" basketball!
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| My Brother and I |
Now I am trying to get my brother, Langston, to jump on the bandwagon. This year he had a tremendous growth spurt, and is now almost 6'0. He just started playing basketball last year. He has potential to be a dominate force inside once he develops more strength, coordination, and just an overall passion for the game.
For the future, I intend to have a basketball family. I hope the Heath's can create a legacy in the basketball world. Maybe I will marry someone who loves basketball as much as me (ya know like Love & Basketball *favorite movie ever*). Maybe I will have lots of kids and encourage them to play basketball too. Either way I want basketball to stay in my family. I want my children to love the game and for my children's children to love the game and so on. I won't force it upon them because that wouldn't be fair to them; they can involve themselves in as many other things besides basketball, I will always support them. I just plan to decorate their rooms with basketballs to remind them to live mommy's dream (hahaha).
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Advantages Of Having A Female Coach
It is funny because until this year, I had been coached by all males. I didn't know what it was like to be coached by a woman, I had only heard of the "horror stories" and myths surrounding a girl being coached by a woman. There are so many misconceptions of a woman coach that I want to address.
Misconception #1: "Women are less intense. They aren't as demanding of their players. They aren't strong enough." In actuality, it is the complete opposite. Women are harder on their players I think. I know it also has to do with coaching styles and all that stuff, but because we are the same sex, we know what each other are physically capable of, thus making it harder on the player to play for a woman coach. The bar is set above average because my coach knows that physically we are both capable of doing the equivalent of one another. This leaves no room for excuses or bad behavior in the eyes of a female coach. I think that also, a female coach pays more attention to attitude and the way her players conduct themselves on the court.Because women naturally are supposed to carry themselves well and with certain etiquette, I believe this factor is stressed even more so than developing skill or talent. Without Coach Borelli setting that high standard for me as a player, I don't think I would be able to evolve as a player. I would not possess the mental toughness and proper attitude that is supposed to be displayed on the court. I am thankful when she pushes me to the limit when I am tired because I know that is more-so like a game situation. Anyone can shoot free throws in a gym all day, one after another, but other coaches enforce that sprinting in between free throws is very effective, and I can attest to that.
I can definitely prove that women coaches are less intense as a fallacy. They are the most intense! Take for example Pat Summit, you can't get more intense than her. Her facial expressions, her demeanor, her attitude all reveal how passionate she is about the game of basketball. Although, when most of us get an image in our mind of her it is of her screaming. This particular image is not bad, it just so happens to be one of the many ways that females communicate with one another (haha). Another reason why female coaches are more intense is because they can communicate well with their eyes. It is just the one "look" that catches you in your tracks. She doesn't even have to say anything to you, you just know that you did something wrong, it is understood, and you move on. I just find female coaches a little more passionate. They get all worked-up and stomp their feet on the ground throughout the whole game, and you think for what? why? Well, I don't really know and in the moment you are very intimidated and thinking "what is wrong with this crazy woman?" But after the game, I begin to realize that amount of love possessed by this coach is immeasurable. All the yelling and screaming is just a testament to that.
Misconception #2: "Look at the records. Female coaches aren't winning championships. This proves that male coaches are better."
NOOO WAY! Last time I checked Pat Summit had 7 National Championships. This is just absurd. And if anyone can say that claim was true, you'd better have your facts straight.
Misconception #3: "Women coaches are manly." This is a funny one, but it is common. Everyone thinks the woman coach is going to have a short hair-cut with a deeper voice. Even if this is the case, they are still very much feminine. I love how people automatically put a stereotype on women who love and appreciate sports more or just as much as men do. It seems that people never want to give credit where credit is due, and once a woman coach starts to gain stature and importance in her desired sport, there has to be something wrong with her. A successful, pretty, feminine coach is normal!
What is most important anyway is for athletes to understand that there is no one right way to coach or teach. It is our responsibility as athletes to take the instruction and make good use of it on and off the court. All in all, I have to say I appreciate the relationship you receive when you are coached by the same sex. It almost resembles a mother-daughter relationship, but in a different context. There is a certain expectation from a coach, just like a mom, and that is for the player to put all of her effort into her sport. Just like a mom expects you to do certain chores during the week, a coach expects you to practice hard and work hard toward individual and team goals. You can see why a girl can relate to a female counterpart more because there is just that much more similarity and continuity between them. Within the female coach-female player relationship comes great responsibility. Many female coaches have been players in their day, so they know exactly what it takes to be the best player you can be. Therefore, the expect out of you what their coaches expected out of them. There is no real excuse you can give to not being strong enough or quick enough. The hormones are circulating on both ends, and again there are no time for excuses. I am not saying that I think one sex is better to coach a female player, but there is definitely certain advantages in having a female coach. It is just a totally different dynamic and I am sure many can agree with me.
www.nhregister.com
Misconception #1: "Women are less intense. They aren't as demanding of their players. They aren't strong enough." In actuality, it is the complete opposite. Women are harder on their players I think. I know it also has to do with coaching styles and all that stuff, but because we are the same sex, we know what each other are physically capable of, thus making it harder on the player to play for a woman coach. The bar is set above average because my coach knows that physically we are both capable of doing the equivalent of one another. This leaves no room for excuses or bad behavior in the eyes of a female coach. I think that also, a female coach pays more attention to attitude and the way her players conduct themselves on the court.Because women naturally are supposed to carry themselves well and with certain etiquette, I believe this factor is stressed even more so than developing skill or talent. Without Coach Borelli setting that high standard for me as a player, I don't think I would be able to evolve as a player. I would not possess the mental toughness and proper attitude that is supposed to be displayed on the court. I am thankful when she pushes me to the limit when I am tired because I know that is more-so like a game situation. Anyone can shoot free throws in a gym all day, one after another, but other coaches enforce that sprinting in between free throws is very effective, and I can attest to that.
I can definitely prove that women coaches are less intense as a fallacy. They are the most intense! Take for example Pat Summit, you can't get more intense than her. Her facial expressions, her demeanor, her attitude all reveal how passionate she is about the game of basketball. Although, when most of us get an image in our mind of her it is of her screaming. This particular image is not bad, it just so happens to be one of the many ways that females communicate with one another (haha). Another reason why female coaches are more intense is because they can communicate well with their eyes. It is just the one "look" that catches you in your tracks. She doesn't even have to say anything to you, you just know that you did something wrong, it is understood, and you move on. I just find female coaches a little more passionate. They get all worked-up and stomp their feet on the ground throughout the whole game, and you think for what? why? Well, I don't really know and in the moment you are very intimidated and thinking "what is wrong with this crazy woman?" But after the game, I begin to realize that amount of love possessed by this coach is immeasurable. All the yelling and screaming is just a testament to that.
Misconception #2: "Look at the records. Female coaches aren't winning championships. This proves that male coaches are better."
NOOO WAY! Last time I checked Pat Summit had 7 National Championships. This is just absurd. And if anyone can say that claim was true, you'd better have your facts straight.
Misconception #3: "Women coaches are manly." This is a funny one, but it is common. Everyone thinks the woman coach is going to have a short hair-cut with a deeper voice. Even if this is the case, they are still very much feminine. I love how people automatically put a stereotype on women who love and appreciate sports more or just as much as men do. It seems that people never want to give credit where credit is due, and once a woman coach starts to gain stature and importance in her desired sport, there has to be something wrong with her. A successful, pretty, feminine coach is normal!
What is most important anyway is for athletes to understand that there is no one right way to coach or teach. It is our responsibility as athletes to take the instruction and make good use of it on and off the court. All in all, I have to say I appreciate the relationship you receive when you are coached by the same sex. It almost resembles a mother-daughter relationship, but in a different context. There is a certain expectation from a coach, just like a mom, and that is for the player to put all of her effort into her sport. Just like a mom expects you to do certain chores during the week, a coach expects you to practice hard and work hard toward individual and team goals. You can see why a girl can relate to a female counterpart more because there is just that much more similarity and continuity between them. Within the female coach-female player relationship comes great responsibility. Many female coaches have been players in their day, so they know exactly what it takes to be the best player you can be. Therefore, the expect out of you what their coaches expected out of them. There is no real excuse you can give to not being strong enough or quick enough. The hormones are circulating on both ends, and again there are no time for excuses. I am not saying that I think one sex is better to coach a female player, but there is definitely certain advantages in having a female coach. It is just a totally different dynamic and I am sure many can agree with me.
www.nhregister.com
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Tears of Warriors
...it's all over. My career as a Hamden Hall Girls Varsity Basketball Player has come to an end as of last night. I can't go back in time. I can't fix the mistakes I made. I can't wish for a better outcome.
I still get butterflies in stomach going into every game. That is just how I have been ever since I started playing basketball, but for me nervous is good. I rather be a little bit nervous before the game than to be overly confident about the way the game is going to go. The nerves go away at the tip-off. But at yesterday's game, I had a lot more emotions going on. That was my last game ever at Hamden Hall. I knew that I wouldn't be playing on the Beckerman Court 1 ever again. I knew that it was very close to the end and that everything would be over soon, but I didn't let those emotions affect me in the game. We knew close to nothing about Lexington Christian coming into Friday's game. to me that is all for the better. We don't have to worry about having a practice that targets their key players, we just play. All we needed to do was play basketball, and that's what we did, but we came up short. I wasn't due to a lack of effort or determination, it just came down to a game of runs, and they had more runs than us. We honestly gave it all we had. the most frustrating part is that we never had momentum for more than one possession in this game, and I guess I can credit Lexington Christian for that. We trailed for the majority of the game, the only time we led was in the opening minutes. Every time we came back or had a scoring spurt, they would come back with an answer. It was unbelievable in all the games I played I had never felt like this. Every single possession was sacred. What we did with those possessions would be the key to us winning. Since we lost, you would think that we might have lacked on the defensive end. I thought we played really good defense, but somehow they always found an uncontested lay-up to the basket.
Trailing is the worst feeling in the world, especially when your team's shots haven't gone in all night. The two leading area three-point shooters, Rachel Plotke and Kelsey McCray together only made two or three 3's. It seemed like every shot rimmed in and out. No one could really get in an offensive flow. And to add onto that most of our team is sick and playing through injuries. Although those aren't excuses, those definitely affected us in the long run.
As the final seconds were winding down, I couldn't seem to cope with reality. We really lost. As soon as the buzzer rang, I just busted into tears. I couldn't hold it in.
Going into the team room everyone sat in the same spots they always do. The tears began to flow from my eyes once again, but then I started to hear the whimpers and cries of my teammates. My team being so young I was shocked that nearly everyone was crying. It just comes to show how much they care and love for the game and this team. Coach Borelli, Coach Fortune, and Coach Callahan walk in. I didn't really know what they were going to say. Were they going to be disappointed that we didn't win? Were they going to be happy regardless? Well, certainly they showed that they were affected by the loss too. As Coach Borelli talked she held back tears and as Coach Fortune talked I could hear the sadness and hurt in his voice. We have come so far to end up so close to our final goal, but you can't win them all I guess.
Those tears shed in the team room were tears of warriors. They were tears of girls who I have come to know and love through this long season. I don't want to take any moment back. I don't want to let go of this glorious season, but I have to. My heart goes out to my teammates. I know they wanted to win so bad, and I know they left everything on the court, and that is something I want them to be proud of. On the bright side, we were the first girls' team in history at Hamden Hall to win the Fairchester Championship. We have to be proud of that.
I couldn't ask for a better group of girls to play with. When I think about great basketball when I get older, I am going to think about this team. I love these girls and coaches to death. Every moment shared with you will be in my heart forever. I will never forget my "cheetah sistas".
I will never forget the moment after the game, when I just cried in Coach Borelli's arms. She has been my support system all year 'round and there isn't another person out there that I admire more than her. I will also never forget hugging Coach Fortune at the end of the game. He just told me that "this is just the beginning for you".
My fairy tale has ended, but my journey has just begun.
www.nhregister.com
I still get butterflies in stomach going into every game. That is just how I have been ever since I started playing basketball, but for me nervous is good. I rather be a little bit nervous before the game than to be overly confident about the way the game is going to go. The nerves go away at the tip-off. But at yesterday's game, I had a lot more emotions going on. That was my last game ever at Hamden Hall. I knew that I wouldn't be playing on the Beckerman Court 1 ever again. I knew that it was very close to the end and that everything would be over soon, but I didn't let those emotions affect me in the game. We knew close to nothing about Lexington Christian coming into Friday's game. to me that is all for the better. We don't have to worry about having a practice that targets their key players, we just play. All we needed to do was play basketball, and that's what we did, but we came up short. I wasn't due to a lack of effort or determination, it just came down to a game of runs, and they had more runs than us. We honestly gave it all we had. the most frustrating part is that we never had momentum for more than one possession in this game, and I guess I can credit Lexington Christian for that. We trailed for the majority of the game, the only time we led was in the opening minutes. Every time we came back or had a scoring spurt, they would come back with an answer. It was unbelievable in all the games I played I had never felt like this. Every single possession was sacred. What we did with those possessions would be the key to us winning. Since we lost, you would think that we might have lacked on the defensive end. I thought we played really good defense, but somehow they always found an uncontested lay-up to the basket.
Trailing is the worst feeling in the world, especially when your team's shots haven't gone in all night. The two leading area three-point shooters, Rachel Plotke and Kelsey McCray together only made two or three 3's. It seemed like every shot rimmed in and out. No one could really get in an offensive flow. And to add onto that most of our team is sick and playing through injuries. Although those aren't excuses, those definitely affected us in the long run.
As the final seconds were winding down, I couldn't seem to cope with reality. We really lost. As soon as the buzzer rang, I just busted into tears. I couldn't hold it in.
Going into the team room everyone sat in the same spots they always do. The tears began to flow from my eyes once again, but then I started to hear the whimpers and cries of my teammates. My team being so young I was shocked that nearly everyone was crying. It just comes to show how much they care and love for the game and this team. Coach Borelli, Coach Fortune, and Coach Callahan walk in. I didn't really know what they were going to say. Were they going to be disappointed that we didn't win? Were they going to be happy regardless? Well, certainly they showed that they were affected by the loss too. As Coach Borelli talked she held back tears and as Coach Fortune talked I could hear the sadness and hurt in his voice. We have come so far to end up so close to our final goal, but you can't win them all I guess.
Those tears shed in the team room were tears of warriors. They were tears of girls who I have come to know and love through this long season. I don't want to take any moment back. I don't want to let go of this glorious season, but I have to. My heart goes out to my teammates. I know they wanted to win so bad, and I know they left everything on the court, and that is something I want them to be proud of. On the bright side, we were the first girls' team in history at Hamden Hall to win the Fairchester Championship. We have to be proud of that.
I couldn't ask for a better group of girls to play with. When I think about great basketball when I get older, I am going to think about this team. I love these girls and coaches to death. Every moment shared with you will be in my heart forever. I will never forget my "cheetah sistas".
I will never forget the moment after the game, when I just cried in Coach Borelli's arms. She has been my support system all year 'round and there isn't another person out there that I admire more than her. I will also never forget hugging Coach Fortune at the end of the game. He just told me that "this is just the beginning for you".
My fairy tale has ended, but my journey has just begun.
www.nhregister.com
Sunday, February 27, 2011
"It's Not What We Do, It's How We Do It"
This is one of the many quotes from Coach Borelli. I think we all kept this in the back of our minds going into the Fairchester Championship game Friday night. Let me tell you, even though we ended up winning by 20 points, it certainly didn't feel like it. Masters, NY played us to the very end like they were only down by 1 point. Every second of the game was intense and filled with emotions from both teams.
Coming off the devastating lose from Christian Heritage in the CISAC tournament, we had to somehow forget about it and move on because we have had two more tournaments to play. This comes to show that winning isn't everything, and the best lessons come from tough losses. In the regular season, we beat Christian Heritage by 41 points; it was one of our best wins collectively as a team. Obviously, Christian Heritage would come back with a vengeance, but I think we were shocked by their overall play the second time around. They basically just outplayed us, plan and simple. We won't get that game back, but what we took from the loss led us to believe that we would capture the Fairchester Championship.
In the opening round, we played Holy Child. We beat them, and then played King in the second round. King always poses a threat on every team they play because they do not become complacent when they are losing. They are known for cutting down large deficits in a matter of just a couple of minutes. We were able to come out victorious and had one day to prepare for Masters on Friday.
Friday came and our juices were pumping. Before the game, we all were just hanging out in the locker room. Usually what happens in the locker room stays in the locker room, but I'll let you know that we dance to numerous songs before game time. Everyone is singing; everyone is just having a really good time. Then 5 minutes before we have to go shoot around on the court, we turn the music off and get focused.
So it was the tip-off of the Fairchester Championship; I won it and we were off to the races. Masters played a mixture of a triangle-and-two and a box-and-one throughout the majority of the game. This left openings for other girls on the team to get their offensive games going and that is just what they did. Our defense was a little questionable at times because we kept letting their guards penetrate wide open seams to the basket. Fortunately, they missed a bunch of lay-ups otherwise there were times they could have taken the lead. But we stayed aggressive and tried to battle with them on the boards. I think we had a double digit lead on them, but it was dwindling. I was forced to take a seat with about 9:00 minutes to go in the second half with 4 fouls. The girls stayed in it and tried not to let the large crowd affect them. I always feel like I let my girls down when I get into foul trouble, whether they are good call or bad calls, I am going to be on the bench. Although I worry, they seem to do just fine without me.
Down the stretch in the last couple minutes of the game, Krystina Reynolds, Rachel Plotke, and Kelsey McCray came up big for us. Bianca Tomassini kept battling underneath trying to get her hand on every rebound. And the I have to credit Jaime Charles and Ariana Martone for coming off the bench and producing hard-working minutes. It was impressive.
As I dribbled out the last seconds of the basketball game, I could not contain my smile. All my years on the varsity level and we always came up short in the Fairchester Tournament, but not this year! There were many factors that went into that win.
Although most of us are on a "championship high", we have to tuck away this memory and shift our focus to the New England Tournament. This is what I live for. to be back-to-back New England Champions would be a dream come true.
Thank you to Coach Borelli for coaching us to our first ever Fairchester title. You are the greatest! "It's not what we do...it's how we do it!"
www.nhregister.com
Coming off the devastating lose from Christian Heritage in the CISAC tournament, we had to somehow forget about it and move on because we have had two more tournaments to play. This comes to show that winning isn't everything, and the best lessons come from tough losses. In the regular season, we beat Christian Heritage by 41 points; it was one of our best wins collectively as a team. Obviously, Christian Heritage would come back with a vengeance, but I think we were shocked by their overall play the second time around. They basically just outplayed us, plan and simple. We won't get that game back, but what we took from the loss led us to believe that we would capture the Fairchester Championship.
In the opening round, we played Holy Child. We beat them, and then played King in the second round. King always poses a threat on every team they play because they do not become complacent when they are losing. They are known for cutting down large deficits in a matter of just a couple of minutes. We were able to come out victorious and had one day to prepare for Masters on Friday.
Friday came and our juices were pumping. Before the game, we all were just hanging out in the locker room. Usually what happens in the locker room stays in the locker room, but I'll let you know that we dance to numerous songs before game time. Everyone is singing; everyone is just having a really good time. Then 5 minutes before we have to go shoot around on the court, we turn the music off and get focused.
So it was the tip-off of the Fairchester Championship; I won it and we were off to the races. Masters played a mixture of a triangle-and-two and a box-and-one throughout the majority of the game. This left openings for other girls on the team to get their offensive games going and that is just what they did. Our defense was a little questionable at times because we kept letting their guards penetrate wide open seams to the basket. Fortunately, they missed a bunch of lay-ups otherwise there were times they could have taken the lead. But we stayed aggressive and tried to battle with them on the boards. I think we had a double digit lead on them, but it was dwindling. I was forced to take a seat with about 9:00 minutes to go in the second half with 4 fouls. The girls stayed in it and tried not to let the large crowd affect them. I always feel like I let my girls down when I get into foul trouble, whether they are good call or bad calls, I am going to be on the bench. Although I worry, they seem to do just fine without me.
Down the stretch in the last couple minutes of the game, Krystina Reynolds, Rachel Plotke, and Kelsey McCray came up big for us. Bianca Tomassini kept battling underneath trying to get her hand on every rebound. And the I have to credit Jaime Charles and Ariana Martone for coming off the bench and producing hard-working minutes. It was impressive.
As I dribbled out the last seconds of the basketball game, I could not contain my smile. All my years on the varsity level and we always came up short in the Fairchester Tournament, but not this year! There were many factors that went into that win.
Although most of us are on a "championship high", we have to tuck away this memory and shift our focus to the New England Tournament. This is what I live for. to be back-to-back New England Champions would be a dream come true.
Thank you to Coach Borelli for coaching us to our first ever Fairchester title. You are the greatest! "It's not what we do...it's how we do it!"
www.nhregister.com
Friday, February 18, 2011
Big Wins Lead To Big Expectations
I apologize for my absence from the blogging scene, but I have been so caught up in the hype of the season. Hamden Hall is playing their best basketball right now, and it is finally time to put the icing on the cake. Our record stands at 18-2. We are Fairchester League Regular Season Champions, as well as CISAC Regular League Champions. What a long way we have come!
I know you all expected me to write a blog about the Hopkins game, but I decided not to. i do want to give a little re-cap from my end of the spectrum. It was just another game on our regular season schedule. We proved to be the hardest working team just like in our previous wins. There was a lot of attention surrounding the game. All that went out the window the moment I stepped into the tip-off circle. My nerves were gone and we were ready to bring it to them. That is just what we did, and there is nothing else you can really say about it. The score can speak for itself, but most importantly the effort and hard work that my team left on the court was the greatest. Everyone came out 110% to get the job done. As young as my team is, they handled the rivalry like veterans. Although she is just a sophmore, Krystina Reynolds has a high basketball IQ and plays relentlessly every possession. She has experienced this rivalry for a while now, and knows to be poised under pressure. Her hustle plays occur from the opening tip to the last seconds of the game. Then, we have the "big frosh" Rachel Plotke, who came out playing like it was her senior night (lol). She played great defense on one of Hopkins other guards and on the offensive end, just shred the Hopkins defense, including nailing a one-handed hook three from at least three feet behind the line with the shot clock winding down. If you weren't there to see it, I feel so bad for you. As if that wasn't enough, she was no longer was 5'3 anymore, she rose to 6'2 to swat someone's shot, making the crowd go wild. Now that's what you call rivalry basketball. And to complete the fantastic young-ins in the starting five, there is the one, the only Bianca Tomassini. Bianca probably has the hardest role on the team. She has to constantly battle with girls down-low that may be bigger, stronger, and taller than her. But yet, this girl always seems to find a way to bring down the rebound and sprint the other end of the court for the fast break. Another reason why she has the hardest role on the team is because she has to handle my lightning speed passes. Usually I am able to find her on the low block or short corner when I am penetrating the lane. She has gotten so good at catching the ball and scoring that my assists have went up, and I am so proud. Ladies and gentleman, she is only in the eighth grade!
After the game, in the team huddle, as I tried to hold back tears, I simply had to give the biggest thanks to my teammates. That was an incredible team win, and a win like that assures me that we will be able to compete with all teams in the playoffs. I am so excited for what is to come. We battled extremely hard in our last regular season game. GFA was a really good opponent. One of the best we played all year. I don't remember much from the game because in warm-ups I suffered a head injury, but from what my teammates told me it was a great win on their home court.
Now today marks the start of the CISAC tournament. We will face teams we have already played during the regular season, but we have to go into it like we have never played them before. It is a new day, and a new game. Coach Borelli has prepared us for this moment ever since our first pre-season workout. My team and I do not want to let her down. This is a time where we take the goals we have made in the beginning of the year and make them come truth. Once again, they are not just words on paper. I am so pumped. The party has just begun.
www.nhregister.com
I know you all expected me to write a blog about the Hopkins game, but I decided not to. i do want to give a little re-cap from my end of the spectrum. It was just another game on our regular season schedule. We proved to be the hardest working team just like in our previous wins. There was a lot of attention surrounding the game. All that went out the window the moment I stepped into the tip-off circle. My nerves were gone and we were ready to bring it to them. That is just what we did, and there is nothing else you can really say about it. The score can speak for itself, but most importantly the effort and hard work that my team left on the court was the greatest. Everyone came out 110% to get the job done. As young as my team is, they handled the rivalry like veterans. Although she is just a sophmore, Krystina Reynolds has a high basketball IQ and plays relentlessly every possession. She has experienced this rivalry for a while now, and knows to be poised under pressure. Her hustle plays occur from the opening tip to the last seconds of the game. Then, we have the "big frosh" Rachel Plotke, who came out playing like it was her senior night (lol). She played great defense on one of Hopkins other guards and on the offensive end, just shred the Hopkins defense, including nailing a one-handed hook three from at least three feet behind the line with the shot clock winding down. If you weren't there to see it, I feel so bad for you. As if that wasn't enough, she was no longer was 5'3 anymore, she rose to 6'2 to swat someone's shot, making the crowd go wild. Now that's what you call rivalry basketball. And to complete the fantastic young-ins in the starting five, there is the one, the only Bianca Tomassini. Bianca probably has the hardest role on the team. She has to constantly battle with girls down-low that may be bigger, stronger, and taller than her. But yet, this girl always seems to find a way to bring down the rebound and sprint the other end of the court for the fast break. Another reason why she has the hardest role on the team is because she has to handle my lightning speed passes. Usually I am able to find her on the low block or short corner when I am penetrating the lane. She has gotten so good at catching the ball and scoring that my assists have went up, and I am so proud. Ladies and gentleman, she is only in the eighth grade!
After the game, in the team huddle, as I tried to hold back tears, I simply had to give the biggest thanks to my teammates. That was an incredible team win, and a win like that assures me that we will be able to compete with all teams in the playoffs. I am so excited for what is to come. We battled extremely hard in our last regular season game. GFA was a really good opponent. One of the best we played all year. I don't remember much from the game because in warm-ups I suffered a head injury, but from what my teammates told me it was a great win on their home court.
Now today marks the start of the CISAC tournament. We will face teams we have already played during the regular season, but we have to go into it like we have never played them before. It is a new day, and a new game. Coach Borelli has prepared us for this moment ever since our first pre-season workout. My team and I do not want to let her down. This is a time where we take the goals we have made in the beginning of the year and make them come truth. Once again, they are not just words on paper. I am so pumped. The party has just begun.
www.nhregister.com
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
12-2...The Home Stretch Is Coming
Coming off a monster win against Chase Collegiate on the 25th of January, I am feeling really good about our playoff hopes. It is hard to look back on the two loses we had because I don't think they reflect the basketball team we are today. Those two games were earlier in the season and I wish I could go back in time and fix the mistakes that occurred because I guarantee you the team we are now is not the team we were in the beginning of the season. We have come a long way. To see the growth of such a young team is amazing. I have to be honest, I was very skeptical during pre-season about the team and how we would mesh, but I am not the least bit worried anymore. It is all coming together, but now is the time where only the least bit of mistakes, if any at all, can be made.
Hamden Hall has three tournaments to look forward to at the end of the season: the CISAC Tournament, the Fairchester Tournament, and the New England Tournament. Each tournament is filled with the best girls' prep school teams from all over the New England area. At times, it is challenging to play in these three tournaments one after another, because they are different teams that we face and different game-plans we may have to put on for the teams. I would love to win all three tournaments; it is going to take some hard work.Our focus has to remain on practicing hard every chance that we get because believe or not we are more than halfway done with our season and the preparation for the playoffs starts now.
It has been tough for all teams this season due to the unpredictable weather. School cancellations and limited gym time have left most teams with no choice but to play the games on the schedule without having practiced days prior. It has been hard for all teams to get back into the groove especially since it is about to turn into post-season time. Individually as players we should get to the gym to shoot and work on our handle as much as possible. It's a great time to play pick-up with the guys at the gym. This is a time to persevere through the bad weather and remind ourselves of the goals we set in the beginning of the season. We can't stop now.
www.nhregister.com
Hamden Hall has three tournaments to look forward to at the end of the season: the CISAC Tournament, the Fairchester Tournament, and the New England Tournament. Each tournament is filled with the best girls' prep school teams from all over the New England area. At times, it is challenging to play in these three tournaments one after another, because they are different teams that we face and different game-plans we may have to put on for the teams. I would love to win all three tournaments; it is going to take some hard work.Our focus has to remain on practicing hard every chance that we get because believe or not we are more than halfway done with our season and the preparation for the playoffs starts now.
It has been tough for all teams this season due to the unpredictable weather. School cancellations and limited gym time have left most teams with no choice but to play the games on the schedule without having practiced days prior. It has been hard for all teams to get back into the groove especially since it is about to turn into post-season time. Individually as players we should get to the gym to shoot and work on our handle as much as possible. It's a great time to play pick-up with the guys at the gym. This is a time to persevere through the bad weather and remind ourselves of the goals we set in the beginning of the season. We can't stop now.
www.nhregister.com
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Imagine At Least One Female Dunker On Your High School Team
After watching my Hamden Hall Boys put a beating on Hopkins, I was inspired by the energy that was created when, 6'8, Darren Payen cleaned up the missed shot, in the opening minute of the game, with a monstrous dunk. The crowd erupted! Hopkins had no chance from then on.
I really started to think, "what if I could dunk!" or "what if one of my teammates could dunk!". The closest high school girls basketball players can get to a dunk is a long three pointer. It seems to have a similar affect from the crowd, but not nearly as much as a dunk would. Imagine a Lisa Leslie, Brittney Griner, Candace Parker, or Michelle Snow on your team. Your coach would set up out of bounds lob plays for her to get a quick bucket. And even scoring the go-ahead basket in the last seconds of the game would be much easier with a tall, leaping presence at the rim ready to slam home or tip in any miss.
It is just funny because if the average female basketball player goes on a fast break, she can only lay it up. Many of us would be thankful to tap backboard on our lay-ups. The dunk seems like a more high percentage shot than any other. I could be totally wrong, but to my eye it is the highest percentage shot. Yes, there is always a potential to miss, but you are right there at the rim, and all you have to do is put the ball in the hoop. I know easier said then done, but still all that is needed is a some elevation and authority. Everything would be so much easier. Maybe more people would start attending girls' games if they knew of such female phenomenons. It would be a great addition to the female game if it could be done regularly.
On that note...to all female basketball players, we can achieve more than just a lay-up (lol). I am going to keep working on my ups and maybe next year I will be dunking; you never know! Impossible is nothing. :)
www.nhregister.com
I really started to think, "what if I could dunk!" or "what if one of my teammates could dunk!". The closest high school girls basketball players can get to a dunk is a long three pointer. It seems to have a similar affect from the crowd, but not nearly as much as a dunk would. Imagine a Lisa Leslie, Brittney Griner, Candace Parker, or Michelle Snow on your team. Your coach would set up out of bounds lob plays for her to get a quick bucket. And even scoring the go-ahead basket in the last seconds of the game would be much easier with a tall, leaping presence at the rim ready to slam home or tip in any miss.
It is just funny because if the average female basketball player goes on a fast break, she can only lay it up. Many of us would be thankful to tap backboard on our lay-ups. The dunk seems like a more high percentage shot than any other. I could be totally wrong, but to my eye it is the highest percentage shot. Yes, there is always a potential to miss, but you are right there at the rim, and all you have to do is put the ball in the hoop. I know easier said then done, but still all that is needed is a some elevation and authority. Everything would be so much easier. Maybe more people would start attending girls' games if they knew of such female phenomenons. It would be a great addition to the female game if it could be done regularly.
On that note...to all female basketball players, we can achieve more than just a lay-up (lol). I am going to keep working on my ups and maybe next year I will be dunking; you never know! Impossible is nothing. :)
www.nhregister.com
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Who Ever Said Overcoming Self-Defeat Was Easy?
As I sit here at my computer, to the front of me is my window portraying a winter wonderland, to the back of me is a pile of dirty clothes, to the left of me is my wall of Love & Basketball quotes, and to the right of me is a mirror reflecting an image of a young woman who is self-defeated. This young woman is me.
It is so easy to dish out advice to other people about how to overcome and how to face adversity. It comes second nature to me; I love helping out other people if they are in a mental and emotional jam, but I can't seem to do the same for myself. I have been in a mental slump for about 26 hours now, and I say it is time to get out of it. If I continue to be in this slump, I will let my teammates and coaches down and that is something I have always feared of doing. That is the worst thing I can do; it would be selfish to make my team pay for my frustrations .
The first thing I think I need to do is smile. Anyone should be able to smile after a hard-fought win, but I just couldn't. I cannot go back in time, instead I will live for right now and right now only. Smiling is probably one of the most simple and healthiest therapies. It may be hard at times, but it's free! a lot of things don't come free these days, but a smile most definitely does.
Second thing, I need to do is accept responsibility. I can't keep holding on to past mistakes. I have to take responsibility for my actions and improve my attitude for my team. To not take responsibility for my actions would be like playing the victim. The world doesn't revolve around one single person. And I for sure don't want to be the victim in any situation, but rather the hero.
Third thing is that I need to learn how to finish what I started. Never do I want any of my tasks, goals, or commitments be left undone and unfinished, it would put myself and the people around me in jeopardy. It is difficult to feel good about your abilities if you haven't experienced the success and rewards from it, so then that's when I work even harder to get there and not feel sorry for myself that nothing is going my way.
I am my worst critic. It is a learning experience, and it is going to take time, but I have to be proactive about it. I am going to take the initiative and work hard at overcoming this self-defeating behavior. Bruises from a tough game can hurt for days. Scratches from a pick up game can leave long-lasting welts. Scars from self-defeat can virtually stay on your body forever, unless you turn the situation around and demonstrate a positive attitude as much as you can.
I am ready to make the change.
www.nhregister.com
It is so easy to dish out advice to other people about how to overcome and how to face adversity. It comes second nature to me; I love helping out other people if they are in a mental and emotional jam, but I can't seem to do the same for myself. I have been in a mental slump for about 26 hours now, and I say it is time to get out of it. If I continue to be in this slump, I will let my teammates and coaches down and that is something I have always feared of doing. That is the worst thing I can do; it would be selfish to make my team pay for my frustrations .
The first thing I think I need to do is smile. Anyone should be able to smile after a hard-fought win, but I just couldn't. I cannot go back in time, instead I will live for right now and right now only. Smiling is probably one of the most simple and healthiest therapies. It may be hard at times, but it's free! a lot of things don't come free these days, but a smile most definitely does.
Second thing, I need to do is accept responsibility. I can't keep holding on to past mistakes. I have to take responsibility for my actions and improve my attitude for my team. To not take responsibility for my actions would be like playing the victim. The world doesn't revolve around one single person. And I for sure don't want to be the victim in any situation, but rather the hero.
Third thing is that I need to learn how to finish what I started. Never do I want any of my tasks, goals, or commitments be left undone and unfinished, it would put myself and the people around me in jeopardy. It is difficult to feel good about your abilities if you haven't experienced the success and rewards from it, so then that's when I work even harder to get there and not feel sorry for myself that nothing is going my way.
I am my worst critic. It is a learning experience, and it is going to take time, but I have to be proactive about it. I am going to take the initiative and work hard at overcoming this self-defeating behavior. Bruises from a tough game can hurt for days. Scratches from a pick up game can leave long-lasting welts. Scars from self-defeat can virtually stay on your body forever, unless you turn the situation around and demonstrate a positive attitude as much as you can.
I am ready to make the change.
www.nhregister.com
Friday, January 7, 2011
A New Year's Resolution For All Players
Stop cursing on the court! It's ignorant, it's unprofessional, and it's not sportsmanship-like. Players now just say it like saying hi and bye. Saying the "F word" after you miss a lay-up is not going to make the next lay-up go in. What can you possibly gain from throwing belligerent profanities out on the court for everyone to hear? If I was a coach scouting a game, and my recruit displayed a lack of care for the game by cursing, I would most likely remove he/she from my list. I don't need a player like that on my team. I need positivity. I don't get it. What's wrong with just saying it in your head? This way you hear it and no one else does. Be as frustrated as you want without scarring the 3 year old boy that is sitting in the front row watching the game. You never know who is in the stands.
This year let's strive to play clean. If you have to, take a nice cap full of Listerine, gargle, and spit the profanities down the sink before every game. It will leave you with pearly whites and a clean attitude. :)
www.nhregister.com
This year let's strive to play clean. If you have to, take a nice cap full of Listerine, gargle, and spit the profanities down the sink before every game. It will leave you with pearly whites and a clean attitude. :)
www.nhregister.com
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Mind Over Matter
Coming back to practice from basically a week and a half off with a couple of shoot-arounds in between was hard. You think that you are going to just jump on the court and do everything right. Truth is that ain't gonna happen. You may have shot around with your friends during break, but it is nothing like being in an intensified practice. It was no lackadaisical practice; to tell you the truth there never is one. You know you are rusty when you get tired after doing high knees and butt kicks full court. It was going to be a long practice.
It was mental mistakes we kept making. We were doing fairly simple drills and we couldn't keep the lines right or the ball on the right side. We weren't exploding across the middle for the mid range jumper. It seemed like all half efforts, and coach wasn't liking that. We were tired, but it was no excuse. Coach called us all on the baseline and talked to us about overcoming all the tiredness. She said "mind over matter!" She told us that we had to get through this mentality of thinking about when the drill was going to be over instead of just working hard for the duration of the drill and then being able to get a drink of water when we are done. Coach then started to talk analogies. I am one of those players who loves analogies because it makes me look at things from a different perspective. She talked about "hell week" for the Navy Seals and how they go non-stop for three days and then get just 2 hours of sleep! Then they continue the rest of their brutal week. I thought to myself, "WOW". Here we are complaining and panting about sprints up and down the floor and there are people out there doing so much more than us. After we get back from break we have 4 games in 6 days. I am excited; I love playing back to back games, but we have to get our bodies and minds in it first.
Basketball truly is a mental game. If your head isn't in it, you mine as well just make yourself comfy on the bench. It's hard to overcome tiredness. That is where the desire and heart come into play. I sure am guilty of it; there are times where I just want to stop and walk out the gym. But who is that helping? No One. That is hurting me and hurting my teammates. We have learned to be the support team for one another. We are all in the same boat, so if we guide each other through it we should be able to withstand any obstacle.
You have to look towards the future, not in the moment. We have to get ourselves in basketball condition for these next four games. All this hard work will pay off, but it has to be consistent. I have a great team and an awesome coach, what more can I ask for to motivate me to keep going?
It's just mind over matter.
www.nhregister.com
It was mental mistakes we kept making. We were doing fairly simple drills and we couldn't keep the lines right or the ball on the right side. We weren't exploding across the middle for the mid range jumper. It seemed like all half efforts, and coach wasn't liking that. We were tired, but it was no excuse. Coach called us all on the baseline and talked to us about overcoming all the tiredness. She said "mind over matter!" She told us that we had to get through this mentality of thinking about when the drill was going to be over instead of just working hard for the duration of the drill and then being able to get a drink of water when we are done. Coach then started to talk analogies. I am one of those players who loves analogies because it makes me look at things from a different perspective. She talked about "hell week" for the Navy Seals and how they go non-stop for three days and then get just 2 hours of sleep! Then they continue the rest of their brutal week. I thought to myself, "WOW". Here we are complaining and panting about sprints up and down the floor and there are people out there doing so much more than us. After we get back from break we have 4 games in 6 days. I am excited; I love playing back to back games, but we have to get our bodies and minds in it first.
Basketball truly is a mental game. If your head isn't in it, you mine as well just make yourself comfy on the bench. It's hard to overcome tiredness. That is where the desire and heart come into play. I sure am guilty of it; there are times where I just want to stop and walk out the gym. But who is that helping? No One. That is hurting me and hurting my teammates. We have learned to be the support team for one another. We are all in the same boat, so if we guide each other through it we should be able to withstand any obstacle.
You have to look towards the future, not in the moment. We have to get ourselves in basketball condition for these next four games. All this hard work will pay off, but it has to be consistent. I have a great team and an awesome coach, what more can I ask for to motivate me to keep going?
It's just mind over matter.
www.nhregister.com
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Surviving For The Game
Every night I thank God for another day on this Earth. It's another day I can spend with me family and friends, and it's another day I get to be on the basketball court. We all, at one point or another, may take for granted the time we have here. It's sad, but it's true. We are humans, who have desires, wants, and needs, and sometimes we go through lengthy measures to fulfill our desires that are meaningless and superficial. All of us want to survive, but for what cost, what purpose, and what measure.
Alonzo Mourning is my inspiration to keep surviving every day for the love of the game. Alonzo faced adversity ever since he was a young boy. His parents divorced around the age of 10, and he was forced to live in a foster home until he went on to be the basketball superstar at Georgetown. Believe it or not, the 6'4 Mourning was bullied all throughout his time in junior high, which led to a major decrease in his confidence. People wanted him to play basketball. I mean who wouldn't want to have a 6'4 eighth grader on there team; that is just total domination right there. Unfortunately, he was very uncoordinated and just awkward, and people teased him day in and day out for the lack of ball player he was. All those negative people turned into his motivation and he worked hard to be an unstoppable player in the post, by junior year he was named the best player in the country by Sports Illustrated. No one could stop him; he was the man. At Georgetown, he was the biggest threat on defense becoming their all-time leading blocker. He was also tremendous on the glass. Behind Shaq, he was second in the 1992 NBA Draft. He went on to play for the Charlotte Hornets, the Miami Heat, the New Jersey Nets, and then returned to the Heat in 2005.
What people may not know is that Mourning suffers from a rare kidney disease known as, focal glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). He continued to play in the NBA, but only managed to last for the 2002 all-star game because his conditions worsened. He had to sit out the 2002-2003 season, and in November of 2003 he announced to the world that he was going to retire. My mother retells the story of how the only time in her life she watched ESPN was the time to watch Alonzo say his goodbyes to the league. I can only imagine what his family and friends were feeling. His dream was coming to an end...but not just yet!
In December of '03 he received a kidney transplant. Not too long after, he realized that he needed to be on the court. Although his body certainly wasn't 100% healthy, he knew that his legacy was not over yet. Mourning went onto win an NBA championship with the Heat in 2006. His glory lasted one more year, and in 2007 he was forced to hang his sneakers in his locker and call it quits, after his knee injury.
I admire this man so much for his resilience. I, myself, suffer from asthma and have irregular breathing patterns, but I continue to persevere because great people before me did. Kidney disease did not stop him from his goal, and asthma will not stop me from mine. He proved to the world that truly nothing can stop you from achieving your dreams. We should all have that determination to never stop. If he stopped he wouldn't have gotten a Championship ring. If he stopped he wouldn't have inspired athletes like me to keep going.
I hope all of us can learn a little something from people like him. Never let adversity hinder you from success. Be resilient. Be determined. Be headstrong.
#33 will live on forever.
Alonzo Mourning Highlights
www.nhregister.com
Alonzo Mourning is my inspiration to keep surviving every day for the love of the game. Alonzo faced adversity ever since he was a young boy. His parents divorced around the age of 10, and he was forced to live in a foster home until he went on to be the basketball superstar at Georgetown. Believe it or not, the 6'4 Mourning was bullied all throughout his time in junior high, which led to a major decrease in his confidence. People wanted him to play basketball. I mean who wouldn't want to have a 6'4 eighth grader on there team; that is just total domination right there. Unfortunately, he was very uncoordinated and just awkward, and people teased him day in and day out for the lack of ball player he was. All those negative people turned into his motivation and he worked hard to be an unstoppable player in the post, by junior year he was named the best player in the country by Sports Illustrated. No one could stop him; he was the man. At Georgetown, he was the biggest threat on defense becoming their all-time leading blocker. He was also tremendous on the glass. Behind Shaq, he was second in the 1992 NBA Draft. He went on to play for the Charlotte Hornets, the Miami Heat, the New Jersey Nets, and then returned to the Heat in 2005.
What people may not know is that Mourning suffers from a rare kidney disease known as, focal glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). He continued to play in the NBA, but only managed to last for the 2002 all-star game because his conditions worsened. He had to sit out the 2002-2003 season, and in November of 2003 he announced to the world that he was going to retire. My mother retells the story of how the only time in her life she watched ESPN was the time to watch Alonzo say his goodbyes to the league. I can only imagine what his family and friends were feeling. His dream was coming to an end...but not just yet!
In December of '03 he received a kidney transplant. Not too long after, he realized that he needed to be on the court. Although his body certainly wasn't 100% healthy, he knew that his legacy was not over yet. Mourning went onto win an NBA championship with the Heat in 2006. His glory lasted one more year, and in 2007 he was forced to hang his sneakers in his locker and call it quits, after his knee injury.
I admire this man so much for his resilience. I, myself, suffer from asthma and have irregular breathing patterns, but I continue to persevere because great people before me did. Kidney disease did not stop him from his goal, and asthma will not stop me from mine. He proved to the world that truly nothing can stop you from achieving your dreams. We should all have that determination to never stop. If he stopped he wouldn't have gotten a Championship ring. If he stopped he wouldn't have inspired athletes like me to keep going.
I hope all of us can learn a little something from people like him. Never let adversity hinder you from success. Be resilient. Be determined. Be headstrong.
#33 will live on forever.
Alonzo Mourning Highlights
www.nhregister.com
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Did It Take 89 Wins for Women's Sports To Be Appreciated?
I just had this on my mind and wanted to share it. I am sure many people may disagree or don't care at all, but this is how I see it. I will keep it short and sweet.
Women rock! Yes they do! History can't get any better than this. Uconn Women's Basketball is just one product of a group of tremendous female athletes. Not everyone can be as great as Uconn, but there are a lot of other female teams to be reckoned with.
Being a female athlete myself I cringe every time a sexist comment is made against women playing sports. "You play against less competition", "women's basketball is not even a real sport", and worst of all "why don't you just quit and be a cheerleader". I hear these sayings all the time. It makes me very upset that men are put on this high pedestal, while the women have to work five times as hard to get the kind of recognition they deserve. Why can't it be an equal playing field? I mean look at how much press Uconn is getting right now. Who really thought that they could really go that far? They beat a Men's Ncaa Division 1 record. I know a lot of people are saying it is not same, and you can't compare men vs. women, but I think you can. Uconn and Ucla both play the same sport with a ball and a hoop. They both have 5 players on the court, who can run, jump, dribble, and shoot. So you tell me where the difference is.
To all the supporters of women's athletics thank you! To all the naysayers keep on hatin' while we continue to break records!
www.nhregister.com
Women rock! Yes they do! History can't get any better than this. Uconn Women's Basketball is just one product of a group of tremendous female athletes. Not everyone can be as great as Uconn, but there are a lot of other female teams to be reckoned with.
Being a female athlete myself I cringe every time a sexist comment is made against women playing sports. "You play against less competition", "women's basketball is not even a real sport", and worst of all "why don't you just quit and be a cheerleader". I hear these sayings all the time. It makes me very upset that men are put on this high pedestal, while the women have to work five times as hard to get the kind of recognition they deserve. Why can't it be an equal playing field? I mean look at how much press Uconn is getting right now. Who really thought that they could really go that far? They beat a Men's Ncaa Division 1 record. I know a lot of people are saying it is not same, and you can't compare men vs. women, but I think you can. Uconn and Ucla both play the same sport with a ball and a hoop. They both have 5 players on the court, who can run, jump, dribble, and shoot. So you tell me where the difference is.
To all the supporters of women's athletics thank you! To all the naysayers keep on hatin' while we continue to break records!
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Monday, December 20, 2010
999 Problems, But A KIT Championship Is ONE
Well...I am sure most of you have heard of Jay-Z's song 99 problems. The first lines go like this: "If your having girl problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but a chick ain't one." Friday night I was listening to it before we played our first game in the Kingswood-Oxford Invitational Tournament.
Looking at the rosters of the teams I recognized good caliber players that we have seen in the past. We took it one game at a time and came out with a 70-39 win over KO, the host team, Friday night. It was a great feeling. Saturday was filled with activities of team bonding. Coach Borelli set up an itinerary for us for the day since our game wasn't until 8:30 Saturday night. We had a nice team breakfast, we spent a good 4 hours in the mall, and we went over strategies for the game. It was a long day of fun, but we had to realize that we came here to win a tournament championship. Yes, team bonding and all that stuff is important as well, but we had games to play. So, 8:30 comes and by 10:20, we were done beating Watkinson in the semifinal game. The have one versatile post player that can run the point as well. We were able to contain her, while pushing the tempo, and beating them down the floor every time.The Lady Hornets aren't a team to be messed with.
Sunday morning comes and at 11:51, I get a call from Coach. She told me that I had 999 points and I was going to score 1,000 that night. Tears rolled down my face, in such joy, but in the back of my head that didn't seem to be important because even though that is an individual milestone for me, my team comes first; we gotta win this tournament.
We knew what we were facing came championship time. We had watched Governor's Academy play Saturday, and saw that they were the biggest team in the tournament. Yes, size is something we lack. Their guard play was okay, but those two 6'2 kids were the ones we were keying on. Box Out. Box Out. Box Out. That was the key.
I lost the tap to one of the big girls and from there, we came out flat. Our defense was scrambled, and our offense was stagnant. I was getting frustrated on offense because I couldn't get any calls going to the basket. Finally, I got one. Went to the line first shot rims out, second shot GOES IN. I am a 1000th point scorer! It didn't really even register because I knew I had to get back on D and guard their best player. We simply could not contain her. She had 17 in the first half, and she was the only thing hurting us. At half time, we were ready for the talk. Coach was calm, but said "You want to come out of this basketball game satisfied. I don't care if we lose by 30, just as long as we don't quit." I'm thinking in my head, "I don't want to lose by 30!" I wanted to come back from the 20 point deficit and win. We gave it a final push in the last three min of the second half, cutting the lead down to 12 with 1:31 to go. I thought we could do it. Kelsey McCray, one of our three point shooters, knocked down some big ones tonight. So, it was time for her to get hot again.
We went into our full court press. I was on the ball. They almost got a 5 second count, but I guess the girl got it in at the last moment. The ball is passed in bounds to their shooter. She bobbles it, and my instincts roared. I dived onto the ball, and we got possession! We inbound it, I drive and kick it out to Kelsey she knocks down the three. Cuts the lead to nine. Governors outlets it quickly down the sideline and scores. We tried to get off a couple more shots, but none went it. On top of that i fouled out in the last minute.
We lost the KIT Championship by 14, but in no way am I disappointed. We played hard and we cut the lead and made them nervous. It was a successful weekend. We bonded, we played, we fought. What more can you ask for.
www.nhregister.com
Looking at the rosters of the teams I recognized good caliber players that we have seen in the past. We took it one game at a time and came out with a 70-39 win over KO, the host team, Friday night. It was a great feeling. Saturday was filled with activities of team bonding. Coach Borelli set up an itinerary for us for the day since our game wasn't until 8:30 Saturday night. We had a nice team breakfast, we spent a good 4 hours in the mall, and we went over strategies for the game. It was a long day of fun, but we had to realize that we came here to win a tournament championship. Yes, team bonding and all that stuff is important as well, but we had games to play. So, 8:30 comes and by 10:20, we were done beating Watkinson in the semifinal game. The have one versatile post player that can run the point as well. We were able to contain her, while pushing the tempo, and beating them down the floor every time.The Lady Hornets aren't a team to be messed with.
Sunday morning comes and at 11:51, I get a call from Coach. She told me that I had 999 points and I was going to score 1,000 that night. Tears rolled down my face, in such joy, but in the back of my head that didn't seem to be important because even though that is an individual milestone for me, my team comes first; we gotta win this tournament.
We knew what we were facing came championship time. We had watched Governor's Academy play Saturday, and saw that they were the biggest team in the tournament. Yes, size is something we lack. Their guard play was okay, but those two 6'2 kids were the ones we were keying on. Box Out. Box Out. Box Out. That was the key.
I lost the tap to one of the big girls and from there, we came out flat. Our defense was scrambled, and our offense was stagnant. I was getting frustrated on offense because I couldn't get any calls going to the basket. Finally, I got one. Went to the line first shot rims out, second shot GOES IN. I am a 1000th point scorer! It didn't really even register because I knew I had to get back on D and guard their best player. We simply could not contain her. She had 17 in the first half, and she was the only thing hurting us. At half time, we were ready for the talk. Coach was calm, but said "You want to come out of this basketball game satisfied. I don't care if we lose by 30, just as long as we don't quit." I'm thinking in my head, "I don't want to lose by 30!" I wanted to come back from the 20 point deficit and win. We gave it a final push in the last three min of the second half, cutting the lead down to 12 with 1:31 to go. I thought we could do it. Kelsey McCray, one of our three point shooters, knocked down some big ones tonight. So, it was time for her to get hot again.
We went into our full court press. I was on the ball. They almost got a 5 second count, but I guess the girl got it in at the last moment. The ball is passed in bounds to their shooter. She bobbles it, and my instincts roared. I dived onto the ball, and we got possession! We inbound it, I drive and kick it out to Kelsey she knocks down the three. Cuts the lead to nine. Governors outlets it quickly down the sideline and scores. We tried to get off a couple more shots, but none went it. On top of that i fouled out in the last minute.
We lost the KIT Championship by 14, but in no way am I disappointed. We played hard and we cut the lead and made them nervous. It was a successful weekend. We bonded, we played, we fought. What more can you ask for.
www.nhregister.com
Sunday, December 12, 2010
1-1...We Are on the Move
Last Tuesday, December 7, the Lady Hornets were tested by the Rye Wildcats at their gym. We came up short from victory, but we haven't lost the battle yet. Immediately, looking at the schedule prior to the season, I knew that this would be a tough game, especially to have for our season opener. In practices prior to the game, we keyed on team perimeter defense, as well as getting in to crash the boards. It is kind of funny how practice can help you prepare all you need, but when it comes to the game it is all up to you; you won't have 2 tries to make a missed lay-up, you only get one chance to prove you know what you are doing.Unfortunately, all that we did in practice did not transpire in the game. We were a little stagnant on offense, we weren't physical on defensive and offensive boards, and we let the Wildcats out hustle us and out play us in tight possessions. It left us all with our heads hanging down, but Coach Borelli soon got us to snap out of that, the next day in practice. Each of us set a goal for ourselves for this week to come that we did not achieve against Rye. Coach simply said, "Now that you have set this goal, your focus isn't the loss against Rye...we have to get ready for Chesire Academy."
Yesterday afternoon we visited Chesire Academy at their gym, and came out victorious. From the tap, we were efficient on offense. We attacked every hole in their defense and knocked down key perimeter shots. On defense, we had a lot of ball pressure causing turnovers in the half court set, while keeping them out of the paint for the most part.We got a win, but there is still much to improve on.
It is one win and one loss, but right now I am not really focused on the record, I am focused on the growth of this team. We have to set our focus as a team, not just to go out and win all of our games, but to actually work on those components of our game that will lead us to victory. It is not just the physical things done in the game either, it is the mental part of it all. So far this season, it is safe to say that we aren't consistent in instilling confidence in ourselves and our teammates.As Jack Nicklaus, the professional golfer said, “Confidence is the most important single factor in this game, and no matter how great your natural talent, there is only one way to obtain and sustain it: work.” With that said, we have to work!
www.nhregister.com
Yesterday afternoon we visited Chesire Academy at their gym, and came out victorious. From the tap, we were efficient on offense. We attacked every hole in their defense and knocked down key perimeter shots. On defense, we had a lot of ball pressure causing turnovers in the half court set, while keeping them out of the paint for the most part.We got a win, but there is still much to improve on.
It is one win and one loss, but right now I am not really focused on the record, I am focused on the growth of this team. We have to set our focus as a team, not just to go out and win all of our games, but to actually work on those components of our game that will lead us to victory. It is not just the physical things done in the game either, it is the mental part of it all. So far this season, it is safe to say that we aren't consistent in instilling confidence in ourselves and our teammates.As Jack Nicklaus, the professional golfer said, “Confidence is the most important single factor in this game, and no matter how great your natural talent, there is only one way to obtain and sustain it: work.” With that said, we have to work!
www.nhregister.com
Sunday, December 5, 2010
What Does It Take To Be A Winner?
HEART. PRIDE. DESIRE.
3 simple words, one combined answer. These are the keys to successful athletes, and people in general, who want to be winners. If you don't have these three characteristics, then you can just be like Paulie and "forget about it" because winning is not your priority.
Your heart is a physical and virtual representation of your mind and body. You have to have an actual, palpating heart in order to live and you have to have the will to never give up in order to succeed.
Therefore, take pride in everything you do. Be proud of who you have become and who you are destined to be. Whether you made a lousy bounce pass to your teammate or failed a physics test, it is okay! Take pride in failure because it will be the key to your upcoming success. Wear the name of your school, while holding your chest up high. For me, the words "Hamden Hall" are flaunted as i go shopping or go out to eat. I take pride in my school and who they have made me to be.
Desire can be described as having the "eye of the tiger". You want to win so bad that you dive on the floor for every loose ball. don't back down, never refuse to be less. If it is harder for you to do, most likely it is the best thing for you to do. And if you give up, who is going to give you a pat on the back and say "good job"? no one! No one will admire the girl who quit because the team had to run 3 miles every practice or the boy who walked off the court after being yelled at by his coach. Do whatever it takes to win, whether it is drinking pickle juice before every game or doing 10 extra push-ups before you go to sleep. Just think, who is going to tell you to run at 5 am on the weekends to get in better shape? You have to tell yourself. That takes heart. That takes pride. That takes desire. Don't stop believing....only you can control your destiny. Not only are you helping yourself, but you are helping your team. That should be your motivation; if you have won, your team has won.
You don't have to necessarily win actual games to be a "winner". If you have surpassed goals you set up for yourself, you are a winner. If you have fell down and got back up, you are a winner.
The responsibility is on you! So if you want to be a winner, do justice for yourself and follow these guidelines. Wake up every morning and say "I refuse to be less, I refuse to quit, I refuse to back down...because I am a winner!"
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