Well...it's Friday, February 20, 2009. We got home late last night and hard a tough time getting to sleep. I thought a lot about my girls and hope there sweet hearts will heal soon. We played our first round playoff game last night in Victorville against Silverado HS. Everything went as planned. The bus left on time. The girls taped up "The Wolf" picture all over the bus and our quote on our deepest fear. I was touched. We got to Victorville at 3:30pm, we went to there mall called, "The Mall". We ate there and the girls had some time to walk around and get ready for the game. As we were eating the girls out of nowhere all pointed and said, "Look coach" and I was like huh. They said, "it's a wolf". They were so excited about the thought on the wolf and our plan of attack. They were ready.
We got back on the bus and headed to the school to change and get ready. The school seemed like a nice school. The people were not so much. The girls changed and then when out to shoot around and get used to the gym. We went back into the locker room and got them fired up. We made some noise before coming out! It was fun. The girls got fired up.
It was pre-game time. They looked good and focused. The National Anthem played and the girls were announced. The tip off... silverado gets the ball. They didn't press, we think that they were afraid of our point guard. Lol. She is a threat that is for sure. Silverado had a big 6'4" girl, not so skilled but they tried to lob her the ball. Our center did a great job defending her. We had total control of the first half... ending at 26 to 25. The girls were pumped and Silverado's faces were stunned. They had no idea what just had happen. Third quarter began and we forced a couple passes that there deflected and were down by 5 at the end of the 3rd. Fourth quarter came and went. They played so very well. Wow. The experience showed. We lost by 9. 48 to 39. That team was not better than us, they were just more experienced then us. They were a team of juniors and seniors and us a team of underclassman.
We went back to the locker room which for me seemed like the longest walk ever. The girls faces broke my heart. They cried. I am so very proud of them and told them so. I pulled the parents in after we talked to them and thanked the parents for there support and felt the desire to announce our 2 all league girls, who were Franny and Kayla. Danielle who is co-MVP of our league and I was selected as Coach of the Year for the san gabriel valley league 2008-2009 season. It is the first time that Warren High has had a girls varsity basketball team place 2nd place and to have a MVP and coach of the year award. Wow. Go Bears! Our bus ride was long but fun. After many tears the girls... laughed and sang. We got home safely and I finally got home from one long day. One long roller coaster of emotion.
I love this team and love these girls. I am so blessed by them this year and they have touched my life forever. Each of them have made up a piece of my heart this season. Thank you ladies for stepping up to the challenges made on November 18th.... and no one will understand unless they were there that day. This journey is not the end... only the beginning. We will be back Bears. We will be back!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Our Deepest Fear...
So this week is an amazing week. Much has happened in the last few months of my life. Much! Back in November 18, 2008... I began an amazing journey as a girls varsity head coach at Warren High School. So here I am now...looking back a few months ago. Wow. What an amazing thing this has been. I guess the emotions I feel inside about this years girls team is something i just can't describe but to say I am so very proud of them. So here is a little break down... Dec 2008 we won the Downey Tournament (4 straight wins), which should lead to good signs. We played then 11 games in a row and then prepared for the big San Diego tournament. We hit our rough spots and worked through them. These girls have practiced every single day including Christmas Eve and Saturday mornings at 7:30am. They have put in a great amount of time.
My assistant is amazing and have enjoyed this time with her. We also, well I call him my "skills" coach, who looks at my film and gives me a different look at things... he is amazing. I love them and am grateful for them.
We finished 9-7 in preseason, which is good. I wanted a couple more wins going into league but we are okay. Our league opener is with Lynwood, (if you don't know them you will never understand.. they are a good team) We lost by 18, which in all reality not bad (in the last 4 yrs at this school an average loss to them is 40 pts). Our first round we went 4-1, headed to play Lynwood again at home. What a game that was. It was for the league title. We ended up losing that game by 14. Anyone who was there can say... what a game... It didn't feel like a 14 pt loss.
Then the Downey Game at Warren. LOL. What an intense game. Both teams played respectably well. Downey played really well. So did my girls. We just couldn't hit a shot. So instead of dwelling on it we needed to get ready for Dominguez. We knew that would be a battle at there place and it was just that. But we conquered and won that battle 46-34. We got out of there alive. Again for those who were there completely understand what I am saying.
So here we are now. We finished league 7-3 and 2nd place. The first for Warren high School. At least in a really long time. I am very proud of them. Very very proud of these girls.
On Sunday, Feb 15, 2009 we got word that we are to travel on Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 to Victorville, California and play Silverado HS. They finished 1st in there league and have for the last couple of years. We are really excited about that. Coaches that have seen us play and who have played Silverado all say it will be close but feel like we can come out ontop. So we shall see!! We have had good pratices this week.
We started Monday morning with a team meeting discussing our week and brought a different attack to the girls for the week. We are to be like a Wolf I told them. I explained to them that wolves are the only animals that return the human stare. The wolf before making an attack, 1-identifies the weakness of the opponent, 2-attacks 3-tears down the opponent and 4-makes the kill. They got fired up and enjoyed I feel that thought. So this week they each are carrying around a picture of a wolf and are being reminded in practice the 4 points of the attack of a wolf. The last thing about a wolf is that when it makes the attack, nothing can stop it and its eyes gaze over and focuses only on the prey. We shall do the same.
So what is our deepest fear?... I read to them a quote that I love from Coach Carter.
'Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that others people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's just not in some of us, it is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
My assistant is amazing and have enjoyed this time with her. We also, well I call him my "skills" coach, who looks at my film and gives me a different look at things... he is amazing. I love them and am grateful for them.
We finished 9-7 in preseason, which is good. I wanted a couple more wins going into league but we are okay. Our league opener is with Lynwood, (if you don't know them you will never understand.. they are a good team) We lost by 18, which in all reality not bad (in the last 4 yrs at this school an average loss to them is 40 pts). Our first round we went 4-1, headed to play Lynwood again at home. What a game that was. It was for the league title. We ended up losing that game by 14. Anyone who was there can say... what a game... It didn't feel like a 14 pt loss.
Then the Downey Game at Warren. LOL. What an intense game. Both teams played respectably well. Downey played really well. So did my girls. We just couldn't hit a shot. So instead of dwelling on it we needed to get ready for Dominguez. We knew that would be a battle at there place and it was just that. But we conquered and won that battle 46-34. We got out of there alive. Again for those who were there completely understand what I am saying.
So here we are now. We finished league 7-3 and 2nd place. The first for Warren high School. At least in a really long time. I am very proud of them. Very very proud of these girls.
On Sunday, Feb 15, 2009 we got word that we are to travel on Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 to Victorville, California and play Silverado HS. They finished 1st in there league and have for the last couple of years. We are really excited about that. Coaches that have seen us play and who have played Silverado all say it will be close but feel like we can come out ontop. So we shall see!! We have had good pratices this week.
We started Monday morning with a team meeting discussing our week and brought a different attack to the girls for the week. We are to be like a Wolf I told them. I explained to them that wolves are the only animals that return the human stare. The wolf before making an attack, 1-identifies the weakness of the opponent, 2-attacks 3-tears down the opponent and 4-makes the kill. They got fired up and enjoyed I feel that thought. So this week they each are carrying around a picture of a wolf and are being reminded in practice the 4 points of the attack of a wolf. The last thing about a wolf is that when it makes the attack, nothing can stop it and its eyes gaze over and focuses only on the prey. We shall do the same.
So what is our deepest fear?... I read to them a quote that I love from Coach Carter.
'Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that others people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's just not in some of us, it is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
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