Thoughts On Championship Game Interviews

Everyone here at UCC has become big fans of the University of Louisville ever since coaches Jeff Walz and Stephanie Norman flew out to watch us practice a little over a month ago and it was really fun watching them make their run all the way to the National Championship game.

For me it was very interesting watching the post game interviews with both Louisville's Jeff Walz and UCONN's Geno Auriemma. Both coaches talked about how extremely important and absolutely necessary it is for players to work at getting better over the spring and summer if they want to be championship caliber players and teams. They both said that it is the work when no one else is watching that separates the good ones from the great ones. Geno talked about Rene Montgomery starting to work right after the season ended last year and Jeff Walz even mentioned Maryland greats Marissa Coleman and Kristi Tolliver and guaranteed that those two didn't spend any time at the beach last summer.

Their comments made me think of our own players. The vast majority work very hard in the spring when their workouts are organized and observed but the GREAT ones continue those workouts throughout the summer and into early Fall before school starts. There are no guarantees that being that focused and dedicated in their workouts will make a player great, but it is pretty much guaranteed that a player can't become great without that kind of personality and work ethic. Unfortunately, good is the enemy of best - way too many players, as well as people in all walks of life, are satisfied with just being good at what they do, when with some extra work they could become great.

I also realized that on those few occasions when we have "lost" players, it's almost always happened in the Spring right about the time spring workouts start. It might be just a coincidence but we all know it's easier to work when the weather's bad and there's a game right around the corner than it is when the sun is out and next game is over seven months away. Working hard isn't necessarily fun but the motivated players don't mind because they are willing to sacrifice to get better. They know that it's not always what they get by working hard that is important - what's important is what they become!

Work Before Play

As we were walking off the court at the end of pratice this afternoon, Deanna Tupai came over to Linda and me, put her head down and with an almost embarassed look on her face, and asked what she could do to get a little more playing time. (She is currently playing about 16-20 minutes a games and shooting close to 70% FG.) In some situations this would have been a good time to use that ancient, all purpose, standard coaching answer of "Work harder!" But not this time. Deanna Tupai has been working harder. She knows it. Her teammates know it. And I know it.

I'm not sure exactly when, but some time in the past few weeks, a light bub went on, and Dee realized what the rest of us already knew - that if she would push herself to get in a little better shape, then she could dominate this league. So for some time now, several nights a week, Dee and Miranda Holenstein have done extra conditioning workouts completely on their own and it's starting to pay off. They are both quicker, faster, and lighter on their feet. Their recovery time is now shorter. But what impresses me most right now is WHEN Dee came and talked to me.

Too many people in all walks of life have the attitude of "If you give me a raise, I'll do more work and be more productive." Too often players take the stance of "If you would play me more in the games, then I would work harder in practice." Not Dee. She worked harder FIRST and when she got to the point that she deserved more playing time, she THEN came and talked to me.

Abraham Lincoln once said, "I will get ready, and then perhaps, my chance will come." Deanna Tupai has gotten herself ready and her chance is coming!