Believe

As I start to gear up for the last stretch of the season, and start preparing for the AAU season, I looked to step up our practices with hopes that by getting more reps that we'd start getting more consistent play and just be better prepared for pressure.

The boys responded very well.  Surprisingly, no complaints from anyone, we just got straight to work.  Had to respect that - their willingness to keep working, even though we're having a rough season.  When we got together before our Friday game, the meeting wasn't on what to focus on physically, but what to remember mentally.

We started the season, with a 2 - 9 record before we took a break for the Christmas holiday.  Since then, we've gone 7 - 5.  One of the guys did mention that we've lost a couple of games by a lot, but the fact is, if that doesn't show signs of improvement, what does.   Before the break, the team didn't move the ball well.  There was no bond, no trust, and it was really elementary basketball.  Since then we've slowly transformed and made strides to look, play, and feel like a team.  I also reminded them that I believed in all nine of them when I made the cuts after tryouts, and I still do.  I knew it was going to be tough, I knew we were going to have our struggles, but I felt like there was plenty of room to grow.  I felt like we could put together a team where we'd all learn from each other and come out with a winning record and lots of great memories.  I still had that feeling, even with our 10 - 14 record.  The problem was that not enough of them had that same feeling.

It's easy as a coach, especially me, when you are never "satisfied" (not in a bad way, but in a Coach Popovich from the San Antonio Spurs way), to get too caught up in what your team doesn't do well.  When your team is doing well, they tend to take that criticism better.  But we had a very tough loss still fresh on our minds, so I just felt like they needed to know that they still had my support.  I even admitted that the last loss was expected.  I can admit when I'm beat - it was a better team.  I am okay when we lose to good teams IF we play our best, and we didn't which is why I was mad.  The moment I said that, I could just see a lot of pressure come off these kids.  We played two great games this weekend.  Sure we lost one, but the team is 8 - 1 in our league and very good.  We pressured them the whole game and gave them a serious challenge.  Our second game of the weekend was also a great game, and all the guys just seemed to work together and play hard to get a solid win.

Sometimes the only thing you need to say to motivate someone is the simplest thing - "I believe in you."