"Great Players" - Alan Stein

A fellow coach reminded me that I haven't written for a while and so I thought I would share something that I recently read. It was written by Alan Stein, the strength and conditioning coach at DeMatha Catholic High School (His web site is www.strongerteam.com) who recently worked with the nation's top high school players at the McDonald's and Jordan All-American Games.

"With very few exceptions, elite level players absolutely love to play basketball. They want to play 24-7. Whenever possible they have a ball in their hands and are always trying to get up shots. When they aren't playing basketball they are watching it on TV. The game consumes them. And most of them have been this way since they were young. Do you have the same love for the game? Do you have the same passion? I'm not suggesting that basketball should be the most important thing in your life. . but it should be up there. If you truly want to be great then you have to genuinely love the game.

I also noticed that most elite level players are super competitive. They hate to lose. Whether they are playing NBA Live '10 or a game of H-O-R-S-E they always try as hard as possible to win. They never concede. Winning matters. Does winning matter that much to you? How hot does your competitive fire burn? If you want to be great you have to learn how to compete. Winning has to matter.

Despite being the top players in the nation, most of them still fit into one of two categories: those who have a tremendous work ethic and those who are lazy. Unfortunately many of the players who are the most naturally gifted are also the laziest because they haven't had to work hard to be successful. Do you enjoy putting in the hard work necessary to be a great player? Or do you constantly look for short cuts and the easy way?

It's time to start thinking about making your off season as productive as possible. What you do this spring and summer will determine how successful you are next season. Elite level players are built in the off season."

I couldn't have said it better myself!!

Dr. Jim Kraby - 20 Wins Or Else!

I was working in my office today when the sound of a familar voice made me get out of my chair and walk out into the hallway where I immediately saw Dr. Jim Kraby, the former President of UCC who hired me several years ago. Dr. Kraby retired eight years ago and even though he is now living in Arizona with his wife Pat, his heart is evidently still in the UCC gym.

We walked back into my office and the first thing Dr. Kraby said to me was, "What happened in the Skagit Valley game? You played so well all year but then couldn't make a shot those first six minutes!" He knew our record, all the players names, important stats, etc. and was truly disappointed that we didn't get that one more win. Dr. Kraby walked straight over to a picture of one of our championship teams, the one where he is standing in the front holding the championship trophy with a big smile on his face, and said, " I have this picture hanging in my house in Arizona!"

I couldn't help but thinking back at the first time we met; when he interviewed me right before he offered me the coaching position that I still have today. "All you have to do to keep your job," Kraby told me, "is to win 20 games a year and make sure your players stay out of trouble!" (Of course I told him that my goals were much higher than just 20 a year.) To this day I still don't know if he was dead serious or not, but every year, on the morning after our 20th win, I would get a call or an email telling me that I could sign another contract and stay on for one more year.

Even though he's been in Arizona for eight years, I STILL get an email each season the morning after our 20th win telling me I deserve to stay on one more year. I'm already looking forward to the next one!!

At UCC We Like Being "Abnormal"

"Winning is not normal and those who constantly win follow an "abnormal" path. The discipline, dedication, and sacrifices are incomprehensible to those thousands standing outside looking in, who are capable of joining he winning team, yet unwilling to pay the price of admission."
(Author Unknown)