Location:  Cedarville University

Tonight, we try and bounce back from a very disappointing loss at Walsh Saturday when University of Rio Grande comes into Cedarville.  I love game days and I’m excited to see how the guys will respond.  We had a competitive practice yesterday and the intensity was through the roof.  Now we’ll see if they can have the same energy tonight against an NAIA opponent.  We have a couple of common opponents with Rio Grande this season: Wilberforce (a local NAIA school) and Miami-Middletown (one of the best regional campuses in Ohio).  We won against both of these teams, Rio won 2 close games with Wilberforce and lost to Miami-Middletown.  Should be another fun one!

Watch live:  http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/cedarville.portal#

Each week I try to give my JV team a focus to work on individually and as a team.  We break the huddle with the “ultimate” focus word and we use it as a building block to build something great.  It’s not just about basketball, it’s about more than that.  Quotes and bible verses adhere to this character quality and I try to reward it when I see it.  Last week’s focus was energy.

This week’s ultimate focus:  Unselfishness (break the huddle with “team”)

Bible verse:  1 John 3:16 – “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay our lives down for our brothers and sisters”.

Quote:  “When your organization operates like a strong family, you can’t be knocked out by one punch.” – Mike Krzyzewski

Offensive focus:  Movement with a purpose off the ball

Defensive focus:  Encouragement and talking

Transition focus:  Sprint the floor

This can be seen a lot of different ways:  love, encouragement, sacrifice.  I’ll expand more on these things throughout the week on here.  Have a great week!

“Be quick, but don’t hurry”

When you first read it or hear it, it doesn’t make sense.  But, when you think about what it truly means, it’s brilliant.  We were working on our transition sets.  I told my team I want them to run and run often.  That may have been a mistake, especially if they’re not used to playing that way.  They seemed hurried, passing before a screen was set or a cut was made, and not waiting on screens.  Just because I want things done quickly, doesn’t mean I don’t want them to be patient within that quick pace.

As Wooden writes, “It’s a delicate and crucial balance”.  When we were hurried yesterday in transition or on offense, we made mistakes.  But in the same measure, when a player doesn’t act quick enough, we lose opportunities to score.  Learning to do the right things, and make the most of our opportunities, in a quick manner is one thing, but we must learn to do these things under control.  All of that comes with time, focus, and practice.

It’s just like in a NASCAR pit during a race.  The crew better get done quickly, or else they’re losing their races, and possibly their jobs.  But, they better not make a mistake, or they’ll lose time.  They have to be under control while doing things at a high rate of speed.  The only way that can happen is if they practice again and again at that speed, without rushing the important parts when they’re not comfortable.

The same is true of our personal lives — We must be quick with our opportunities, but we can’t be hurried or pressed.  It truly is a delicate balance.

How does this Wooden principle apply to your life or job?

Energy.

Energy is the key for the first week of practice.  You want your players to get excited, to play with passion.  If they are playing with a passion and distinct energy in every drill, but making mistakes, it’s okay with me.  The mistakes and the sloppiness will go away with time.  But, building a positive energy that make your team excited to play around and be around, is an absolute must from the start.  It’s something I’m working on this week individually, and something I’m looking for in my guys.  Every practice, energy is the focus, energy is the word we break the huddle with.

Later in the season, this becomes important.  If all things are equal, energy will put you over the top.  If you aren’t as talented or skilled, energy will even the playing field.  You have to build this habit early.

Energy is hard to fake.  Here are 5 ways to build this habit in your team from the opening tip of the season:

1.  It starts with you and the other coaches.  Get excited that you’re able to coach.  Get your guys or girls passionate to play the game.  Get pumped up when they do something great.

2.  Instill that same passion in your team leaders.  Tell them you expect that type of energy and get on them about it if your practice lacks what you desire.

3.  Keep the gym loud.  Always demand talking and communication consistently throughout your practice.  The louder it is in the gym, the more energy.  Build that communication in every drill.

4.  Demand excellence in this area and reward it when you see it.  Every day this week, award an energy player of the day at the end of practice.  Reinforce this behavior.

5.  Have your team compete… A LOT.  Spread out your leaders, have the coaches surround these teams, and have the place POPPING with energy.

For you coaches, how important is energy for your team?  How are you building this in your program?  For you non-coaches, how does this idea apply to you and your job?

From John Wooden’s book, “WOODEN: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and off the Court”:

Persistence Is Stronger than Failure

Abraham Lincoln is acknowledged as one of America’s greatest presidents.  Here is a brief summary of his career:

1831 – Failed in business

1832 – Defeated for legislature

1833 – Failed in business again

1834 – Elected to legislature

1835 – Sweetheart died

1836 – Had nervous breakdown

1838 – Defeated for speaker

1840 – Defeated for elector

1843 – Defeated for congressional nomination

1846 – Elected to Congress

1848 – Defeated for Congress

1855 – Defeated for Senate

1856 – Defeated for Vice President

1859 – Defeated for Senate

1860 – Elected President of the United States

Few people have suffered more personal, professional, and political adversity than Abraham Lincoln.  He persisted in the face of failure and emerged victorious.

Another president, Calvin Coolidge, described it very well:

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.  Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.  Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.  Education will not;  the world is full of educated derelicts.  Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

The model Mr. Lincoln gave us with his persistence is one we can remember in the face of our own setbacks.  And what is most wondrous of all is that persistence is a quality that we ourselves control.  You, and only you, can decide whether you will stay the course.

The rest of the week I’ll post some things to get you up-to-date on what we’re doing at Cedarville to prepare and some of the things I’ve done to get prepared personally.  Below is an EXCLUSIVE look at my Cedarville University JV Men’s Basketball schedule (that’s right 8 road games!).  You can’t find this anywhere else, folks.  Also, here’s a link to the Varsity schedule which I am also an Assistant.  Come to a game or you know, 12 games, and let me know if you’re coming so I can welcome you.

2011 JV Men’s Basketball Schedule

Nov.  11  Fri.           at Valor Christian                              Canal Winchester, Ohio      7:30 p.m.

Nov.  14  Mon.        at Ohio University-Chillicothe           Chillicothe, Ohio                  6:00 p.m.

Nov.  15  Tues.        at Wittenberg                                    Springfield, Ohio                  5:00 p.m.

Nov.  18   Fri.           at Ohio Christian                               Circleville, Ohio                   6:00 p.m.

Nov.  21   Mon.        at Sinclair Community College       Dayton, Ohio                        7:00 p.m.

Nov. 28   Mon.         COLUMBUS STATE                     Cedarville, Ohio                 7:30p.m.

Nov.  29   Tues.         at Wilmington                                    Wilmington, Ohio                 8:00 p.m.

Nov.  30   Wed.         at Mount Vernon                               Mount Vernon, Ohio             5:00 p.m.

Dec.   1    Thurs.       at Clark State                                    Springfield, Ohio                  7:00 p.m.

Dec.  2     Fri.            MOUNT VERNON                           Cedarville, Ohio                 5:30p.m.

Dec.  8     Thurs.      WITTENBERG                                 Cedarville, Ohio                 7:30p.m.    

Dec. 12    Mon.        CLARK STATE                                 Cedarville, Ohio                 7:30p.m.

*HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS

I had the privilege of attending and serving at a coaching clinic a couple Saturdays ago at the Steward School in Richmond, Virginia.  Steward coach Elliott Gravitt, a coach I worked for and look up to, did a tremendous job at putting together a stellar cast of coaches to speak and did a great service to those in attendance at making sure the content was diverse and rich in content.  If you want more information on this clinic, which will be an annual occurance, e-mail me (RyanNeises@gmail.com) or comment on this post and I will get that to you. All the coaches did a great job, but I want to focus on one whose words had a significant impact on me.  Virginia Associate Head Coach Ritchie McKay had a lot of wisdom to offer about his career path and led with three things he has learned that everyone needs to know:

1. Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.
2. Superficial commitment is usually based on convenience.
3. Marriage isn’t about finding the right person, it’s about being the right person.

All three things have significance.  Who you have as an influence, especially as a young student, athlete, or person, will affect where you go in life.  Relationships are about you putting yourself in the right position to be the best servant of your mate that you can be, not what that person can offer you.

These should entertain you for 5 minutes.

There have been two videos that have gone viral the past couple weeks from Ohio University, and me being a proud alum, I had to post them.  Athens has always been a special place, a great college town, and people are starting to take notice.

Ohio Athletics does a great job with online content.  Check out more of their videos on OhioBobcats.com or their YouTube Channel.