Welcome to Orlando

So we finally made it.  Back in April, we set out on a goal, albeit large and obstacle-ridden complete with doubters and nay-sayers (myself included at first),  and now we're here. 

Though we had at least three teams qualify (14U, 15U, 17U, and possibly the 13U - not sure),  due to outside factors, only the 17U team made the trip.  As I said last week, I was offered the opportunity to go, and even though we haven't had a game yet, it has been awesome.  The two days of the trip so far have been great for chemistry among the players and coaches, and we've all just had a blast.

Whether its standing in line and having these girls from Argentina follow us around and giggle as we pass them, or the van rides where the guys in my van attempt to make their own "Call Me Maybe" video, or just the team meetings, we are all finding out a lot about each other.  We'll get to something that was said in a team meeting in a second, but of course you can't come to Florida without posting some pics...

Our house is nicely decorated, spacious and cool once we got everything figured out.  The coaches each got their own rooms, and the nine players are split among four other rooms.  My room is nice but no one has really spent much time in their rooms, we've been chilling in the living room talking, laughing, joking, and all the things teams do.

We went to the Universal Studios Islands of Adventure park yesterday and the guys had a great time.  We found out that two players had never been on roller-coasters at all and to the coaches' surprise everyone went on the Hulk as soon as we went into the park.  While there were jokes about jumping ship as we passed the emergency exists, those guys didn't want to leave the team, and the other players were working to keep them in the line as well.  It was good to see.  It may be cliche, but its true.  Teams do things together, they back each other up, don't leave a man behind.  For most of the day, our 12 man mob walked the park, joking, laughing, getting soaked, and probably slightly sunburned, but it was a great time with these guys.  They made the park more fun.  I've been to Universal a couple of times, and this one was probably the best because it was just non stop smiles and laughs.  

Some other pictures from our time in the park - then the meeting...

Hogwarts

Talking pictures?!?

Okay, so at last night's meeting (there was one on Monday, but I was too tired to make it - not enough sleep leading up to the trip, I guess), Coach D. asked every player a question, and then asked one to everyone.   Two were really good, and were answered well.  Paraphrased, but hopefully the meaning is caught...

Coach D: "What do you think is the teams greatest strength? 
Strobey: "Our chemistry.  We get along well and we like each other."

While it may not have been the most elaborate answer, it speaks volumes as I think that has brought this team through some tough times.  At times where they fell into a slump, they never really got too down on each other and just continued to push each other.  It wasn't always smiles and rainbows, but it was never to the point where guys shut down.  It's a fine line, and without chemistry, knowing and trusting one another, you will find yourself on the wrong side of it more often than not.

 Coach D: "Do you guys think that my level of communication with you all was too much or did you appreciate it.  Some coaches would only talk to you about basketball, but I have tried to make myself available to you through social media and just other interactions outside of basketball.  How do you guys feel about that?"
Siggy: "I think its great because I know I can trust you.   You have my back, so it makes me want to play for you.  [Other places], I would just play for myself to get better, but for you I want to play to harder because of that trust.
C: "I was new to the team and instantly felt like I belonged here because of the interaction.  The team is like a family and you really made me feel welcome and I wanted to work harder because of it."

I could not agree more.  I think it's great for a coach to be involved off the court/field.  You are asking your team to battle full bore game after game after game.  You are asking them to play through hits and not be "soft".   You are asking them to take all the tools you lie in front of them and trust that they will be of great value to their game.  And then after each game and practice, you disappear.  In what world does that make sense?  The chemistry needs to be there between the players, but it also has to be there between the players and coaching staff.  Without it, you just can't unlock the full potential of your team, because they are going to hold back.  You can't ask someone to be "ride or die" without their full buy in that you aren't going to just send them on meaningless suicide missions constantly.  I would love to do that with my teams, but it's also a little harder due to school and work.  Maybe I need to find a way...No, I NEED to find a way.

All in all it's been a great two days, and I'm looking forward to our first game tonight at ESPN's Wide World of Sports facility.  Let's go!!