Another step forward

We announced the 2013 Junior squads today and although there were some tough decisions to be made, I was happy with the final result.
 
When I first started at St Mary's, selection was easy - You turned up, you were in. We could count the number of Trialists on one or two hands and we often had to recruit other girls in to put a team on the floor. However in the last 2-3 seasons, we have been getting record turnouts (20+) which makes it even more challenging to test  and grade players.

This season has been by far the toughest - We have an exceptional Year 9 class in terms of skill and height coupled with a veteran Year 10 class with drive and experience. Twenty-nine Girls vying for spots across three teams was never going to be an easy task. Fortunately for me, I had help from our Senior class who did a fantastic job leading the Trialists through stations, helping with the score-keeping and providing feedback about the candidates.

It's moments like this where Coach Dave Wilson is really missed. Coach Wilson resigned last year due to health concerns but his insights and experience made tryouts manageable. He also had an eye for diamonds in the rough and was a great person to bounce my left-field thinking off. St Mary's Basketball definitely misses his commitment and contribution but I digress.

Taking in all the numbers, staff feedback, player feedback as well as my own personal notes, the long and thankless task of deciding teams began. We have an unwritten policy that if a Girl wants to play, she plays. Period. We don't cut people here. Getting balance between the three teams was the hardest thing to decide; making sure every team had at least two capable ball handlers, good height, a good spread of skill and experience without compromising competitiveness has got to be one of the toughest calls I've ever had to make but I am very pleased with the final result.

So much so that if you consider our top team is called the Junior A's and our second and third teams are called Junior B1 and B2. I jokingly call our B1 team, "Junior A-minus"; I think they're that strong. In fact, if they don't make a division final this year, I'll be very surprised indeed. That is not to say our B2 team is weak, most of the players there had strong showings at trials and are only where they are because there was no room in the upper grades to place them without compromising position and numbers balance.

I am expecting great results from all of our Junior Teams and I will be watching their progress as we prepare for the 2013 season, which starts in 2 months time.

A New Season Begins

It's the day after our first Junior tryout and I am very excited for the upcoming 2013 season.

Early signs of a great year ahead became evident when 29 Girls registered for Junior Basketball - that in itself is a new record and a significant step forward for our Program.

Traditionally, we always hold our first Trial at 7am, something I picked up from my predecessor, Coach Dave Wilson. We always viewed the morning trial as a test of commitment. We would get about half of the registered players turn up to that first morning trial with most opting for the later after school dates. It was a surefire way to sort the serious players from their casual counterparts.

So you can imagine my surprise when we arrived at the gym yesterday and not only had 24 of the 29 registered girls turned up but they were there before us (Yes! On time is late when it comes to Sports, Weddings and Job Interviews). Totally impressed and overwhelmed by the pressure, we slowly got things underway running a battery of skills tests and a limited amount of scrimmaging.

Although some struggled and some shined, I tend to view players on their potential - their potential to grow, to be coached and to be a supportive team mate. I also assess players from the ground up, meaning I believe the best players have the best footwork - that is the ability to start and stop with balance, the ability to change direction and to do so with efficiency. But we'll save that discussion for another day.

Although I am sad to see my Junior team of two years move on to the Senior ranks, I do so with the knowledge that the Girls coming after them will be more than capable of upholding our traditions and preserving our winning ways. Definitely look forward to next week!