Hi Girls,
Nice win tonight over one of our arch rivals Hobgood 39 to 10. I was impressed with our effort our defense and our interior passing and rebounding. Many coaches think if you dominate the boards like we did it is the game. I don't know if all that is true but I do know when we dominate the boards we have hardly ever lost.
I am going to post our stats and I might come back and add some thoughts later if I come up with some. If I don't I will see you at practice tomorrow, next up Fayetteville Academy on the road Friday.
Scoring by Quarters: 1st: 6-0, 2nd: 13-2, 3rd 12-8, 4th 8-0 Final: 39 to 10
Scoring: Halifax; Kelly 12pts, Jamie 9 pts, Emily 6 pts, Mer 4 pts, Lindsey 4 pts, Megan 2 pts, Jordan 2 pts
Scoring Hobgood; #31 April Duke 5pts., #15 Megan Medford 3 pts, #35 Kaylie Barwick 2 pts.
FG% Team: 35.2% 19/54. Individuals: Jamie 4/6***, Mer 2/4**, Kelly 6/12**, Lindsey 2/4, Megan K 1/3*, Jordan 1/3*, Emily 3/10, Kim 0/1, Catherine 0/1, Brooke 0/1, M&M 0/2,
Alex 0/5.
FT% Team 16.7%; Individual; Jamie 1/4, Mer 0/2. Practice, Practice, Practice!!!
Rebounds Team: 14off/21Def=35; Individual: Mer 2/7**, Kelly 4/3**, Emily 5/1*, M&M 0/3,
Jamie 1/1, Megan K 1/1, Leslie 1/1, Alex 0/1, Kaela, 0/1, Kim 0/1, Catherine 0/1.
Assists: Team 13: Individual; Mer 5***, Jamie 3**, Lindsey 1, Alex 1, Kelly 1, M&M 1,
Brooke 1.
Turnovers Team 8: Mer 2, Alex 2, Catherine 2, Kelly 1, Leslie 1.
Steals team: 13; Jamie 5***, Lindsey 5***, Jordan 2*, Leslie 1*
Blocks: Kelly 3***.
Final Thoughts: It was good to get everyone some time on the court. Thats always good for team morale. As you can tell we have a very talented team. However we can't depend on that physical talent always winning us games. We have to become better everyday and better in everyway. Not missing lay ups would be a huge advantage. Making our fouls shots will win us many close games.
I thought Mer had a great game. 5 assists and 9 rebounds was great. Jamie as usual had a great game 5 steals, 3 assists, great defense and 9 points, Kelly made her presence felt with 12 points 7 rebounds and 3 blocks. Lindsey picked back up from last season with a good floor game and 5 steals. I was excited for Megan K get her first points as a Viking and she played a nice floor game. Last but not least, Emily did some good work on the offensive glass with 5 offensive rebounds.
Enjoy this win until practice tomorrow and then come ready to work on getting better. As I told you in the locker room after the game, every team is going to get better during the year. If we stop to rest on our laurels someone is going to pass us.
Remember: Play Hard, Play Smart, Play Together and Strive for Perfect Execution on every play in practice and in games. Practice does not make Perfect, Perfect Practice makes Perfect.
Coach May
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday Practice for Hobgood
Hi Girls,
DISMISSAL TIME FOR HOME GAMES IS 2:30PM. WHITE UNIFORMS! REST GOOD!
Things we covered in practice Friday.
1- Tip Play
2- Secondary Break
3- Dean Play
4- Gap Play
5- Shot Blocking philosophy
6- Right to an upright stance, what to know
7- Crossover, Crossover with back to the defender and Crossover and pass for the lay up
8- 32 Run and Jump Defense
9- Pushing the ball ahead against a partially set defense.
10-How to force the dribbler to their left or opposite hand
We play Hobgood Academy on Tuesday at 3:15. Hobgood is one of our biggest rivals. Last year I lost my first game ever to Hobgood. I did not like it very much. They played well and we did not play up to expectations. We only made 24% of our shots from the floor. Remember 33% is sort of the bottom end for winning on shooting percentage at this level and you had better do some other things well to win with that.
We will wear White uniforms for Home Games. Hopefully Catherine's jersey will be here. Johnson and Lambe has it and is changing the number to #12 from Nancy Fleming Morris's retired #14 . Our Warm ups should be here soon. Once all the numbers are established we will try to get the tee shirts ordered and priced. We all will need Green Hoodies for the cold to wear with our warm ups to travel. It will have your number on it. Girls that have hoodies from last year can just use those same hoodies since they should match and all returning players wanted their old numbers back.
Any girls, especially the first year players that can get to the gym on school days that we practice and on the court I will be there early enough to work with you as a group and individuals on half the gym from 3:00pm to 3:15pm to try and help you improve your skills both as a group and as individuals. The opposite end of the gym will stay available for the girls that are past needing this extra fundamental level teaching time. You might consider asking your teacher if you can leave class a little early if there is nothing important going on.
Academic's are important to me. If ever you need to stay after school to visit with a teacher for extra help I suggest you do it. Please try to send me word so I will know where you are. Basketball is great but doing great in school should always be your #1 goal.
I was impressed with the number of JV Girls on the first 9 week honor roll. Keep up the good work. We have a very smart team.
Play Hard, Play Smart, Play Together and Strive for Perfect Execution!
Coach May
DISMISSAL TIME FOR HOME GAMES IS 2:30PM. WHITE UNIFORMS! REST GOOD!
Things we covered in practice Friday.
1- Tip Play
2- Secondary Break
3- Dean Play
4- Gap Play
5- Shot Blocking philosophy
6- Right to an upright stance, what to know
7- Crossover, Crossover with back to the defender and Crossover and pass for the lay up
8- 32 Run and Jump Defense
9- Pushing the ball ahead against a partially set defense.
10-How to force the dribbler to their left or opposite hand
We play Hobgood Academy on Tuesday at 3:15. Hobgood is one of our biggest rivals. Last year I lost my first game ever to Hobgood. I did not like it very much. They played well and we did not play up to expectations. We only made 24% of our shots from the floor. Remember 33% is sort of the bottom end for winning on shooting percentage at this level and you had better do some other things well to win with that.
We will wear White uniforms for Home Games. Hopefully Catherine's jersey will be here. Johnson and Lambe has it and is changing the number to #12 from Nancy Fleming Morris's retired #14 . Our Warm ups should be here soon. Once all the numbers are established we will try to get the tee shirts ordered and priced. We all will need Green Hoodies for the cold to wear with our warm ups to travel. It will have your number on it. Girls that have hoodies from last year can just use those same hoodies since they should match and all returning players wanted their old numbers back.
Any girls, especially the first year players that can get to the gym on school days that we practice and on the court I will be there early enough to work with you as a group and individuals on half the gym from 3:00pm to 3:15pm to try and help you improve your skills both as a group and as individuals. The opposite end of the gym will stay available for the girls that are past needing this extra fundamental level teaching time. You might consider asking your teacher if you can leave class a little early if there is nothing important going on.
Academic's are important to me. If ever you need to stay after school to visit with a teacher for extra help I suggest you do it. Please try to send me word so I will know where you are. Basketball is great but doing great in school should always be your #1 goal.
I was impressed with the number of JV Girls on the first 9 week honor roll. Keep up the good work. We have a very smart team.
Play Hard, Play Smart, Play Together and Strive for Perfect Execution!
Coach May
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving Girls.
Hi Girls,
Practice Friday at 3:00pm to 4:30pm.
It was a good practice Wednesday. I see lots of players making steady improvement in both their individual talents and as a team working together on the court.
I am going to work harder on developing your individual skills in the coming weeks. When you stop getting better you are going backwards progression wise. Never be complacent.
**All Girls please go back and read "things to make us a better team". I have added a few things and some things cannot be stressed enough. We all need to know these things.
Have a Great Thanksgiving and be thankful for Our Lord, Your Family, The chance to have a good education and for your teammates, your true friends and Basketball. In that order.
Remember to tell your loved one's Thank You for their effort to prepare you and your family a nice Thanksgiving Meal.
Never forget how truly blessed we all are!
Coach May
Practice Friday at 3:00pm to 4:30pm.
It was a good practice Wednesday. I see lots of players making steady improvement in both their individual talents and as a team working together on the court.
I am going to work harder on developing your individual skills in the coming weeks. When you stop getting better you are going backwards progression wise. Never be complacent.
**All Girls please go back and read "things to make us a better team". I have added a few things and some things cannot be stressed enough. We all need to know these things.
Have a Great Thanksgiving and be thankful for Our Lord, Your Family, The chance to have a good education and for your teammates, your true friends and Basketball. In that order.
Remember to tell your loved one's Thank You for their effort to prepare you and your family a nice Thanksgiving Meal.
Never forget how truly blessed we all are!
Coach May
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Victory @ Faith Christian
Hi Girls,
We defeated a good Faith Christian Team tonight 36 to 23. Here are the stats:
Viking Scoring: Jamie Harris 16 pts, Kelly Williams 10 pts, Emily Conner 8 pts, Alex Darnell 2 pts.
Faith Scoring: #4 Stephanie Stallings 11 pts, #12 Carrie Lewis 10 pts, #20 Rebecca Schellenberg 2 pts.
FG%: Team; 16/35 46%*** 33% is the minimum winning percentage.
FG%: Individuals; Emily Conner 4/5 80%***, Kelly Williams 5/8 62.5%***,
Jamie Harris 6/10 60%***, Alex Darnell 1/4 25%, Lindsey Pulley 0/1, M. Mohorn 0/1, J. Jean o/2, M. Stephenson 0/4.
FT%: Team; 4/10 40% The minimum winning percentage is 50%. I would like to be at least 60%. I think that is a goal we are capable of attaining.
FT%: Individual; Jamie Harris 4/6 67%**, Emily Conner 0/4(Em's form looks good, she will make her share this year, IMO).
Rebounds: Team 3off/23D. Emily 0/6***, Lindsey 0/4**. Alex 0/4**, Kelly 1off/3D*,
Jamie 1/2*, Mer 1/1, Jordan 0/1, Kaela 0/1, Leslie 0/1.( We need to work the offensive glass a little harder and be stronger with the ball after getting the Defensive Rebound)
Assists: Team 11; Lindsey 4**, Jamie 3**, Megan M 2*, Kelly 1*, Alex 1*. (We had 11 assist to 8 turnovers and that is a really good ratio)
Turnovers: Team 8; Jamie 3, Lindsey 1, Mer 1, Jordan 1, Megan M 1, Leslie 1.
Steals: Team 6; Jamie 2, Alex 2, Lindsey 1, Kelly 1. ( A little surprised we could not steal the ball from them more)
Blocks: Team 2; Jamie 2**.(Kelly, Mer and Em should get 2 or 3 apiece most any game just by looking for the opportunity and getting their hands up quicker)
All in all a good showing against a good team. I was a little surprised we could not turn them over easier but sometimes it is hard to steal the ball from a good team.
Secondly I do not think we played the 24 defense as well as we can. Remember no defense is any stronger than the weakest link at any given time so 4 girls can be locking their man down and playing their hearts out and 1 player can be not keeping up with their man and they pass it to the player who is wide open and nothing happens. Also we need to be able to see where the ball is and see our man at the same time. Several times they pushed the ball up the court and we had defenders at the goal who never turned around and forced them to make a play allowing an easy basket.
Technically our goal in 24 is to deny the pass to our player, if a player has the ball our goal is to play aggressive defense with our feet to block their path and make them pick their dribble up. Once they lose their dribble they should be attacked without fouling while the other players intensify their effort to not let their man become a receiver. Remember, if the ball is closely guard for 5 seconds it is a turnover same as a steal.
I thought we did a good job of running some stuff. Jamie had a terrific game both defensively and offensively. Emily and Kelly did a good job around the basket and Lindsey did a good job running the team. If I had to do it over again I would have used the open offense against them. But, it will work out so the next time we play them we will have something they have not prepared for.
Alex had two nice long passes on Fly to Jamie for baskets, those baskets kind of broke their backs if they had any intentions of making a run late in the game. We need to get the airball pass play down a little. Jamie actually made a pretty good pass but we did not execute it like we should. We will practice it more in the next week.
Have a good nights sleep and I will see you at 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm Wednesday and Friday for practice for one of our big rivals Hobgood next Tuesday.
If I forget to tell you Have a Great Thanksgiving on Thursday and while you are giving thanks make sure you let your parents know how thankful you are for all they do to get you to practice's and game's. Also, know how Thankful I am for the opportunity to Coach each of you.
It is an old saying the greatest compliment a team can give their coach and their teammates is to play hard all the time. I consider it the #1 reason I love to coach basketball. Thanks for your effort!
BTW, the Varsity Girls did a great job of running the 24 Lockdown defense(They call it Deny) to make a comeback and get a nice win against Faith. Four of the girls on the court all were good at running it since we played it so much on the JV and Abby seems to be a natural for it with size and speed. It is a fun way to play.
See you at practice and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Coach May
We defeated a good Faith Christian Team tonight 36 to 23. Here are the stats:
Viking Scoring: Jamie Harris 16 pts, Kelly Williams 10 pts, Emily Conner 8 pts, Alex Darnell 2 pts.
Faith Scoring: #4 Stephanie Stallings 11 pts, #12 Carrie Lewis 10 pts, #20 Rebecca Schellenberg 2 pts.
FG%: Team; 16/35 46%*** 33% is the minimum winning percentage.
FG%: Individuals; Emily Conner 4/5 80%***, Kelly Williams 5/8 62.5%***,
Jamie Harris 6/10 60%***, Alex Darnell 1/4 25%, Lindsey Pulley 0/1, M. Mohorn 0/1, J. Jean o/2, M. Stephenson 0/4.
FT%: Team; 4/10 40% The minimum winning percentage is 50%. I would like to be at least 60%. I think that is a goal we are capable of attaining.
FT%: Individual; Jamie Harris 4/6 67%**, Emily Conner 0/4(Em's form looks good, she will make her share this year, IMO).
Rebounds: Team 3off/23D. Emily 0/6***, Lindsey 0/4**. Alex 0/4**, Kelly 1off/3D*,
Jamie 1/2*, Mer 1/1, Jordan 0/1, Kaela 0/1, Leslie 0/1.( We need to work the offensive glass a little harder and be stronger with the ball after getting the Defensive Rebound)
Assists: Team 11; Lindsey 4**, Jamie 3**, Megan M 2*, Kelly 1*, Alex 1*. (We had 11 assist to 8 turnovers and that is a really good ratio)
Turnovers: Team 8; Jamie 3, Lindsey 1, Mer 1, Jordan 1, Megan M 1, Leslie 1.
Steals: Team 6; Jamie 2, Alex 2, Lindsey 1, Kelly 1. ( A little surprised we could not steal the ball from them more)
Blocks: Team 2; Jamie 2**.(Kelly, Mer and Em should get 2 or 3 apiece most any game just by looking for the opportunity and getting their hands up quicker)
All in all a good showing against a good team. I was a little surprised we could not turn them over easier but sometimes it is hard to steal the ball from a good team.
Secondly I do not think we played the 24 defense as well as we can. Remember no defense is any stronger than the weakest link at any given time so 4 girls can be locking their man down and playing their hearts out and 1 player can be not keeping up with their man and they pass it to the player who is wide open and nothing happens. Also we need to be able to see where the ball is and see our man at the same time. Several times they pushed the ball up the court and we had defenders at the goal who never turned around and forced them to make a play allowing an easy basket.
Technically our goal in 24 is to deny the pass to our player, if a player has the ball our goal is to play aggressive defense with our feet to block their path and make them pick their dribble up. Once they lose their dribble they should be attacked without fouling while the other players intensify their effort to not let their man become a receiver. Remember, if the ball is closely guard for 5 seconds it is a turnover same as a steal.
I thought we did a good job of running some stuff. Jamie had a terrific game both defensively and offensively. Emily and Kelly did a good job around the basket and Lindsey did a good job running the team. If I had to do it over again I would have used the open offense against them. But, it will work out so the next time we play them we will have something they have not prepared for.
Alex had two nice long passes on Fly to Jamie for baskets, those baskets kind of broke their backs if they had any intentions of making a run late in the game. We need to get the airball pass play down a little. Jamie actually made a pretty good pass but we did not execute it like we should. We will practice it more in the next week.
Have a good nights sleep and I will see you at 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm Wednesday and Friday for practice for one of our big rivals Hobgood next Tuesday.
If I forget to tell you Have a Great Thanksgiving on Thursday and while you are giving thanks make sure you let your parents know how thankful you are for all they do to get you to practice's and game's. Also, know how Thankful I am for the opportunity to Coach each of you.
It is an old saying the greatest compliment a team can give their coach and their teammates is to play hard all the time. I consider it the #1 reason I love to coach basketball. Thanks for your effort!
BTW, the Varsity Girls did a great job of running the 24 Lockdown defense(They call it Deny) to make a comeback and get a nice win against Faith. Four of the girls on the court all were good at running it since we played it so much on the JV and Abby seems to be a natural for it with size and speed. It is a fun way to play.
See you at practice and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Coach May
Monday, November 22, 2010
Faith Christian on Tuesday 3:30
Hi Girls,
First game tomorrow is finally here. Here are some notes:
Dress nice for travel.
Wear your Green Uniform. (Catherine I will bring Jersey # 10 for you, bring your team shorts)
Make sure you have shoes and socks.
Your Warm ups have been ordered and hopefully we will have them soon.
Dismissal Time is 1:30pm.
Be at the Gym ready to warm up by 2:45. We will probably go in to meet and run out at around 3:10. Tip time is 3:30.
They have a nice concession area adjacent to their new gym.
Make certain you have a ride. If you need a ride contact me at 252-308-2863(cell)
No earrings allowed or necklaces or anything sharp in your hair during games. NCISAA rules.
Edit to add: Directions to Faith Academy can be found on the halifaxacademy.org website under athletics/away game directions. Basically it is 5 stop lights past the hospital.
As one of my favorite sayings goes "Failing to prepare is preparing to Fail", we prepared as well as any team I have ever coached. I am very proud of the improvement we have made as a team since the first day of practice. Now we get to go out and use all this stuff we worked on in a game that counts. It is fun to compete, I love it. Let's Play Hard, Play Smart and Play Together and Execute to the best of our ability. If we do that I like our chances.
See you tomorrow,
Coach May
First game tomorrow is finally here. Here are some notes:
Dress nice for travel.
Wear your Green Uniform. (Catherine I will bring Jersey # 10 for you, bring your team shorts)
Make sure you have shoes and socks.
Your Warm ups have been ordered and hopefully we will have them soon.
Dismissal Time is 1:30pm.
Be at the Gym ready to warm up by 2:45. We will probably go in to meet and run out at around 3:10. Tip time is 3:30.
They have a nice concession area adjacent to their new gym.
Make certain you have a ride. If you need a ride contact me at 252-308-2863(cell)
No earrings allowed or necklaces or anything sharp in your hair during games. NCISAA rules.
Edit to add: Directions to Faith Academy can be found on the halifaxacademy.org website under athletics/away game directions. Basically it is 5 stop lights past the hospital.
As one of my favorite sayings goes "Failing to prepare is preparing to Fail", we prepared as well as any team I have ever coached. I am very proud of the improvement we have made as a team since the first day of practice. Now we get to go out and use all this stuff we worked on in a game that counts. It is fun to compete, I love it. Let's Play Hard, Play Smart and Play Together and Execute to the best of our ability. If we do that I like our chances.
See you tomorrow,
Coach May
Thursday, November 18, 2010
No Practice or Scrimmage 11/18/10
Hi Girls,
As you know we had a potentially dangerous situation yesterday at practice. The game with RRHS has been cancelled. Due to law enforcement agency's using the campus and the potential for danger we will not practice until the situation is resolved. Take the time to rest your legs, and catch up on your school work, we have our first game at Faith Christian Tuesday.
Obviously when we return to school we will practice and if we can practice before then I will post it on this site.
Be Safe,
Coach May
As you know we had a potentially dangerous situation yesterday at practice. The game with RRHS has been cancelled. Due to law enforcement agency's using the campus and the potential for danger we will not practice until the situation is resolved. Take the time to rest your legs, and catch up on your school work, we have our first game at Faith Christian Tuesday.
Obviously when we return to school we will practice and if we can practice before then I will post it on this site.
Be Safe,
Coach May
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
RR Scrimmage Stats
Hi Girls,
It has been good to play some competition other than ourselves in the last week or so. It also is good for our development as a team. I think slowly we are beginning to stamp out an identity for this team.
Points: Emily 10, Kelly 7, Mer 5, Jamie 4, Alex 3, Lindsey 2
FG%: Emily 5/8*, Kelly 3/6*, Lindsey 1/2*, Jamie 2/5*, Mer 1/5, Jordan 0/1, Kim 0/2,
Alex 0/8. 33.3% is the minimum winning shooting % from the field and is marked with a *.
3Pts: Alex 1/2* ( This was good, but we need to keep the number on this shot down by moving the ball quickly and getting shots closer to the basket)
FTs: Kelly 1/1*, Mer 3/8, Jamie 0/2, Emily 0/2, Lindsey 0/1. Minimum winning % is 50 % marked with *.( We can do better, several of the shots were shot well and just did not go down.)
Reb's; offensive/defensive: Kelly 2/5=7*, Jamie 2/3=5*, Emily 1/4=5*, Mer 3/1=4*, Alex 1, Lindsey 1, Megan K 1, Kim 1, Leslie 1, Catherine 1. (Fairly good but not a dominant as we can be)
Assists: Lindsey 4*, Jamie 4*, Jordan 2*, Alex 2*, Megan 1*( At time we really showed how well we can pass, would have like to not have had the foolish unforced turnovers.)
Turnovers: Team 13.
Steals: Mer 2, Alex 2, Jamie 1, Lindsey 1. ( In general I did not feel we made enough steals considering the opportunities, however they did make unforced turnovers maybe due to not being able to get a good shot against our zone defense)
In general it was a fairly good showing, I thought the post players had a good game, I thought Jamie was dominant on defense. Lindsey did a good job of running the PG position. We need not fool ourselves though we need to keep pushing to get better and also find our teams identity. Every team is different and it is my job as your coach to find what we can do the best to gain an advantage in a game. I am seeing progress and I also think I know the direction we need to move in. Everyone keep working hard.
Thought: Dreaming of reaching goals without putting in the work and the effort to prepare to reach the goals is just dreaming. Bob Rotella, Professional Sports Phycologist
See you at practice tomorrow. Come ready to get better!
**Note: Never forget our #1 goal is to Win. I will never sacrifice a chance for our team to win as long as we have a chance. I think that if you give me 100% in practice and games it is my job to give you 100% chance to win.
Our 2nd goal is to develop the players on this team with skills and understanding of the game as much as possible. I have been impressed with the girls that have played for me and how much they have improved from year to year. This year is no exception. Keep pushing to get better.
Our 3rd goal is to have fun. Winning usually takes care of that. To me basketball when executed correctly is a beautiful game. Play with a passion for the game and a passion to get better, we can be no better as a team than how far that passion carries us.
2nd Thought: There is no Glory in Practice but without Practice there is no Glory! Sylvia Hatchell UNC
Coach May
It has been good to play some competition other than ourselves in the last week or so. It also is good for our development as a team. I think slowly we are beginning to stamp out an identity for this team.
Points: Emily 10, Kelly 7, Mer 5, Jamie 4, Alex 3, Lindsey 2
FG%: Emily 5/8*, Kelly 3/6*, Lindsey 1/2*, Jamie 2/5*, Mer 1/5, Jordan 0/1, Kim 0/2,
Alex 0/8. 33.3% is the minimum winning shooting % from the field and is marked with a *.
3Pts: Alex 1/2* ( This was good, but we need to keep the number on this shot down by moving the ball quickly and getting shots closer to the basket)
FTs: Kelly 1/1*, Mer 3/8, Jamie 0/2, Emily 0/2, Lindsey 0/1. Minimum winning % is 50 % marked with *.( We can do better, several of the shots were shot well and just did not go down.)
Reb's; offensive/defensive: Kelly 2/5=7*, Jamie 2/3=5*, Emily 1/4=5*, Mer 3/1=4*, Alex 1, Lindsey 1, Megan K 1, Kim 1, Leslie 1, Catherine 1. (Fairly good but not a dominant as we can be)
Assists: Lindsey 4*, Jamie 4*, Jordan 2*, Alex 2*, Megan 1*( At time we really showed how well we can pass, would have like to not have had the foolish unforced turnovers.)
Turnovers: Team 13.
Steals: Mer 2, Alex 2, Jamie 1, Lindsey 1. ( In general I did not feel we made enough steals considering the opportunities, however they did make unforced turnovers maybe due to not being able to get a good shot against our zone defense)
In general it was a fairly good showing, I thought the post players had a good game, I thought Jamie was dominant on defense. Lindsey did a good job of running the PG position. We need not fool ourselves though we need to keep pushing to get better and also find our teams identity. Every team is different and it is my job as your coach to find what we can do the best to gain an advantage in a game. I am seeing progress and I also think I know the direction we need to move in. Everyone keep working hard.
Thought: Dreaming of reaching goals without putting in the work and the effort to prepare to reach the goals is just dreaming. Bob Rotella, Professional Sports Phycologist
See you at practice tomorrow. Come ready to get better!
**Note: Never forget our #1 goal is to Win. I will never sacrifice a chance for our team to win as long as we have a chance. I think that if you give me 100% in practice and games it is my job to give you 100% chance to win.
Our 2nd goal is to develop the players on this team with skills and understanding of the game as much as possible. I have been impressed with the girls that have played for me and how much they have improved from year to year. This year is no exception. Keep pushing to get better.
Our 3rd goal is to have fun. Winning usually takes care of that. To me basketball when executed correctly is a beautiful game. Play with a passion for the game and a passion to get better, we can be no better as a team than how far that passion carries us.
2nd Thought: There is no Glory in Practice but without Practice there is no Glory! Sylvia Hatchell UNC
Coach May
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Things to know to be a Better Team.
Hi Girls,
***This is a repeat of something I posted for one of my prior teams. You all need to read it and take it to heart. ****
1- Always Hustle and Play Hard! By playing hard all the time and playing hard Together it greatly increases our chances.
2- Always pay attention in practice to what I say. In a game always pay extra attention to what I say. If I am hollering to put your hands up it is for a reason. Maybe I can see the official is getting ready to call a reaching foul on you. Listen and be in tune.
3- Always be prepared to line up in Press Offense and Sideout/Baseline situations. By not lining up we give the other team an advantage. Some Coaches coach their players to look to steal the ball when a team plays unorganized. The Cary Christian Coach is one of them.
4- We need to become a better rebounding team. Period! Work harder on the glass, box out, try to get inside position, anticipate the shot and attack the ball aggressively.
5- Little Things to Note:
a- Learn to look down the court while starting your dribble or even before. Your teammate if she is running the court is only open usually for about 1 second. Don't miss the opportunity to get an easy basket by not looking ahead.
b- If an opposing player is in the corner, Trap Her. One player can do it by themselves by being agrressive and alert. Make that player make a play from a bad situation.
c- See your man and the ball. If you do not know where the ball is when you are on defense you are at a serous disadvantage.
d- Sprint the court and turn to face the opposing offense quickly on fast breaks. Make the opponent make a play.
e- Always be ready to receive the ball. Your hands and your mind should always be looking for a pass from anywhere at any time. Many times your teammate might see you open and Not Pass you the ball because they see you are not looking.
f- On defense make sure you do not let your opposition squeeze down the sideline. If you put your food on the edge of the court they can only go one way. Anticipate that move and take advantage of it. Try to make her use her off hand(left is she prefers her right).
g- Understand the game. Get players the ball in positions they are most likely to be successful. This is double true in key situations.
h- Make the easy pass. Long crosscourt passes thru many hands are seldom effective and usually two point for the other team. A good skip pass is entirely different against a zone defense that an outfront cross court pass. Learn the difference.
I- Move the ball quickly with crisp accurate passes. Do not telegraph your pass. Do not force passes into a crowd wishing the ball will get there. If there is nothing there we need to swing the ball back around making the easy quick pass and give the defense a chance to get out of position. Have good judgement and value the ball. Always have a plan on what options you have with the ball after you have received it.
j- Play defense with your feet and you hands. Square up on your opponent and take away the dribbling lanes to the basket. Force a player to use their dribble and pick it up then increase the defensive pressure on the ball while your teammates work on taking away the passing lanes creating a steal opportunity. Do not reach across the body of a player dribbling by you with your opposite hand. It is an automatic foul call in most games.
k- Practice does not make Perfect. Prefect Practice makes Perfect. Give all skill drills your full effort. Make every pass as close to perfect as you possibly can. The little things make a difference.
l- Pay attention to detail. Know your job!
m- Be strong with the ball and value the ball. Every time we turn the ball over it is 2 points we cannot score and 2 points they can score. Thus it can create a 4 point swing in a close game.
n- Execute it the way we practice it. Do not re-invent the wheel. You can sometimes use common sense such as if your man forgot to guard you go to the rim and call for the ball but in general everyone needs to do their jobs the same way so your teammates know where to look.
o- Defensively try to force you opponent to use their weak hand. Many players just cannot go left(if right handed) by forcing her left it greatly increases our chances of forcing a turnover.
p- Work hard to improve your skills. Take what we work on and say in practice and spend some time developing your talents. Every player should always be working on something to make them better. It could be as simple as dribbling to the left, making a perfect pass every time that hits your target in the chest or in stride without having to slow down.
q- Box out. Get your player on your back, work to get inside position on rebounds. We are a pretty good rebounding team but we could and should be a dominant rebounding team both defensively and on the offensive glass.
r- Never stop to pout. If you miss a shot don't let it affect the following defensive opportunity. While you are mad at yourself your opponent might be breaking down the court for a lay up. Hustle back extra hard.
s- Always be in the game if you are not in. When I send you to the scorers table hopefully you know who you are subbing for was guarding and what defense we are playing. When you sub in ask who you are replacing if you are not positive. You never know when your opportunity will come up. Always be ready. It could be your finest time ever on the court. Be prepared to play your best.
t- 50 -50 lose balls. Always win the majority of them.
u- Defensive Position- Square up to your man, put your left foot out further than your right to force your man to go left if they are right handed, reverse if left handed. If beat sprint in front of your man and then turn around and square up and force your man to make a play. Slide your feet if you need to move laterally.
We have 5 or 6 girls on this team that have had quite a bit of game experience. This should mean we do not make many mistakes. Offensively or defensively. If we are going to be good this is what we need to do. We need to make certain we are never out hustled or out worked on the court.
Thought: Hustle, Determination and Focus make up for many disadvantages in a Basketball game.
John Wooden, UCLA
2nd Thought: If Hustle, Determination and Focus make up for disadvantages in a basketball game what does it do for a team that is more talented than the opposition?
Perfect Execution plus Playing Hard, Playing Smart and Playing Together equals championships.
Coach May
***This is a repeat of something I posted for one of my prior teams. You all need to read it and take it to heart. ****
1- Always Hustle and Play Hard! By playing hard all the time and playing hard Together it greatly increases our chances.
2- Always pay attention in practice to what I say. In a game always pay extra attention to what I say. If I am hollering to put your hands up it is for a reason. Maybe I can see the official is getting ready to call a reaching foul on you. Listen and be in tune.
3- Always be prepared to line up in Press Offense and Sideout/Baseline situations. By not lining up we give the other team an advantage. Some Coaches coach their players to look to steal the ball when a team plays unorganized. The Cary Christian Coach is one of them.
4- We need to become a better rebounding team. Period! Work harder on the glass, box out, try to get inside position, anticipate the shot and attack the ball aggressively.
5- Little Things to Note:
a- Learn to look down the court while starting your dribble or even before. Your teammate if she is running the court is only open usually for about 1 second. Don't miss the opportunity to get an easy basket by not looking ahead.
b- If an opposing player is in the corner, Trap Her. One player can do it by themselves by being agrressive and alert. Make that player make a play from a bad situation.
c- See your man and the ball. If you do not know where the ball is when you are on defense you are at a serous disadvantage.
d- Sprint the court and turn to face the opposing offense quickly on fast breaks. Make the opponent make a play.
e- Always be ready to receive the ball. Your hands and your mind should always be looking for a pass from anywhere at any time. Many times your teammate might see you open and Not Pass you the ball because they see you are not looking.
f- On defense make sure you do not let your opposition squeeze down the sideline. If you put your food on the edge of the court they can only go one way. Anticipate that move and take advantage of it. Try to make her use her off hand(left is she prefers her right).
g- Understand the game. Get players the ball in positions they are most likely to be successful. This is double true in key situations.
h- Make the easy pass. Long crosscourt passes thru many hands are seldom effective and usually two point for the other team. A good skip pass is entirely different against a zone defense that an outfront cross court pass. Learn the difference.
I- Move the ball quickly with crisp accurate passes. Do not telegraph your pass. Do not force passes into a crowd wishing the ball will get there. If there is nothing there we need to swing the ball back around making the easy quick pass and give the defense a chance to get out of position. Have good judgement and value the ball. Always have a plan on what options you have with the ball after you have received it.
j- Play defense with your feet and you hands. Square up on your opponent and take away the dribbling lanes to the basket. Force a player to use their dribble and pick it up then increase the defensive pressure on the ball while your teammates work on taking away the passing lanes creating a steal opportunity. Do not reach across the body of a player dribbling by you with your opposite hand. It is an automatic foul call in most games.
k- Practice does not make Perfect. Prefect Practice makes Perfect. Give all skill drills your full effort. Make every pass as close to perfect as you possibly can. The little things make a difference.
l- Pay attention to detail. Know your job!
m- Be strong with the ball and value the ball. Every time we turn the ball over it is 2 points we cannot score and 2 points they can score. Thus it can create a 4 point swing in a close game.
n- Execute it the way we practice it. Do not re-invent the wheel. You can sometimes use common sense such as if your man forgot to guard you go to the rim and call for the ball but in general everyone needs to do their jobs the same way so your teammates know where to look.
o- Defensively try to force you opponent to use their weak hand. Many players just cannot go left(if right handed) by forcing her left it greatly increases our chances of forcing a turnover.
p- Work hard to improve your skills. Take what we work on and say in practice and spend some time developing your talents. Every player should always be working on something to make them better. It could be as simple as dribbling to the left, making a perfect pass every time that hits your target in the chest or in stride without having to slow down.
q- Box out. Get your player on your back, work to get inside position on rebounds. We are a pretty good rebounding team but we could and should be a dominant rebounding team both defensively and on the offensive glass.
r- Never stop to pout. If you miss a shot don't let it affect the following defensive opportunity. While you are mad at yourself your opponent might be breaking down the court for a lay up. Hustle back extra hard.
s- Always be in the game if you are not in. When I send you to the scorers table hopefully you know who you are subbing for was guarding and what defense we are playing. When you sub in ask who you are replacing if you are not positive. You never know when your opportunity will come up. Always be ready. It could be your finest time ever on the court. Be prepared to play your best.
t- 50 -50 lose balls. Always win the majority of them.
u- Defensive Position- Square up to your man, put your left foot out further than your right to force your man to go left if they are right handed, reverse if left handed. If beat sprint in front of your man and then turn around and square up and force your man to make a play. Slide your feet if you need to move laterally.
We have 5 or 6 girls on this team that have had quite a bit of game experience. This should mean we do not make many mistakes. Offensively or defensively. If we are going to be good this is what we need to do. We need to make certain we are never out hustled or out worked on the court.
Thought: Hustle, Determination and Focus make up for many disadvantages in a Basketball game.
John Wooden, UCLA
2nd Thought: If Hustle, Determination and Focus make up for disadvantages in a basketball game what does it do for a team that is more talented than the opposition?
Perfect Execution plus Playing Hard, Playing Smart and Playing Together equals championships.
Coach May
Friday, November 12, 2010
RRJV Scrimmage
Hi Girls,
Be at RRHS Gym at 5:45 pm on Monday. Wear your uniform (Green) if you have one. If you do not have a uniform I will bring enough Green jerseys for everyone to have one.
As far as today's scrimmage vs. the varsity girls. Being a good team for us basically is going to boil down to 3 main area's of improvement. Making our lay ups, not throwing the ball away so consistently and not getting beat down the court on defense.
We have not practiced our offensive plays for the 1-3-1 zone yet but we will get there soon. Hope RR doesn't use alot of 1-3-1 Monday. Most teams we play in our conference do not use it. I am not sure we played a single game against it last season. Fayetteville Christian ran one 2 years ago.
Rabbit plans to have the gym open Sunday night at 5:00pm for any of you that would like to work on your shooting. I would suggest 50 shots from the area of the court you normally shoot from plus 50 from the foul line. We have to improve our shooting.
Last year we scored most of our points from steals and the spread. To date this year I am not sure we can take the ball away as effectively. I will be looking for a combination that can. We will work on the spread offense package before we play any games that count.
BTW, I understand there will be real officials at the scrimmage Monday. Not much got called today, Rabbit does not usually call anything much and if he lets it go I usually let it go also. We just have to suck it up and play.
Have a good weekend and come ready Monday to:
Play Hard, Play Smart and Play Together.
Coach May
Be at RRHS Gym at 5:45 pm on Monday. Wear your uniform (Green) if you have one. If you do not have a uniform I will bring enough Green jerseys for everyone to have one.
As far as today's scrimmage vs. the varsity girls. Being a good team for us basically is going to boil down to 3 main area's of improvement. Making our lay ups, not throwing the ball away so consistently and not getting beat down the court on defense.
We have not practiced our offensive plays for the 1-3-1 zone yet but we will get there soon. Hope RR doesn't use alot of 1-3-1 Monday. Most teams we play in our conference do not use it. I am not sure we played a single game against it last season. Fayetteville Christian ran one 2 years ago.
Rabbit plans to have the gym open Sunday night at 5:00pm for any of you that would like to work on your shooting. I would suggest 50 shots from the area of the court you normally shoot from plus 50 from the foul line. We have to improve our shooting.
Last year we scored most of our points from steals and the spread. To date this year I am not sure we can take the ball away as effectively. I will be looking for a combination that can. We will work on the spread offense package before we play any games that count.
BTW, I understand there will be real officials at the scrimmage Monday. Not much got called today, Rabbit does not usually call anything much and if he lets it go I usually let it go also. We just have to suck it up and play.
Have a good weekend and come ready Monday to:
Play Hard, Play Smart and Play Together.
Coach May
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Something to be Learned
Hi Girls,
A couple of thoughts about todays scrimmage with the JV Boys.
1- We will probably not play a JV Girls team all year that has their quickness and size or talent.
2- Our team lacked judgement and patience. Poor judgement on trying to make too many home run type passes thru closely guarded players with quick hands. And secondly, the lack of patience to move the ball around and give their defense a chance to get out of position or for one of our players to break free for a real good pass and shot opportunity.
3- We gambled way to much on defense. We were running 22. That means sprint back, make sure the basket is covered first, once the dribbler is under control build back out to our man. If we can force the dribbler to pick up his dribble we would seriously overplay the passing lanes looking for the steal. If we overplay to much against a team with good talent they are going to make us pay, this is especially true about trying to pressure a good dribbler out front who is capable to taking it to the basket off the dribble. We have to be smart enough to pick our spots for hard pressure and make sure we make the opposition work for what they get. If we want to turn up the heat we will play 24 or 24 lockdown.
4- Friday we are going to scrimmage some with the Varsity Girls. We need to play a more passive 22 defense against them because we do not want Hayley blowing thru the middle for a layup all night. ( Read item 3 above.) On offense we need to have the good judgement to make the easy pass and the simple pass instead of trying to wish it somewhere that is closely guarded. Roy Williams says that basically it always comes down to the Quality of our shots against the Quality of theirs. We want to make sure they are shooting long shots. In our case we would like lay ups but we have to also be willing and able to make some wide open 15 foot shots.
5- We need to make certain that we do not play out of control. We have the ability to play fast but we are not going to get a layup on the first two passes every time down the court, especially against a set defense. Value each possession, be strong catching the ball and going up for close in shots. Don't make weak passes or passes that are just a prayer because your teammate waves for you to pass it to her. Pass it to her when you know it is a pass that can get to her. Play Smart.
6- I like games like today and probably tomorrow. It is a chance to compete. We just need to realize that a victory against either of these two teams in a real game would be a close game and the team that makes the least mistakes both on offense and defense is going to have the best chance in the end. Think about it as a warm up for the conference championship game, it could be that type of game. If we can make it a game with our Varsity Girls we can play with anyone on our schedule. Take it as a challenge to get better.
We can be a very good team but it is going to take both physical and mental efforts from every player to get there. No real good team is going to give us anything easy. Lets build on what we can become and what we need to do to be the best we can be.
Play Hard, Play Smart, Play Together.
Thought: For a learning experiece to really be of any value you need to make sure you learn something from it.
Coach May
PS- we will try the boys again during the year. I was impressed with them but we still should have made it more of a game and I think we can down the road. Hopefully, it was a good learning experience.(ie:meaning we learned something from it)
A couple of thoughts about todays scrimmage with the JV Boys.
1- We will probably not play a JV Girls team all year that has their quickness and size or talent.
2- Our team lacked judgement and patience. Poor judgement on trying to make too many home run type passes thru closely guarded players with quick hands. And secondly, the lack of patience to move the ball around and give their defense a chance to get out of position or for one of our players to break free for a real good pass and shot opportunity.
3- We gambled way to much on defense. We were running 22. That means sprint back, make sure the basket is covered first, once the dribbler is under control build back out to our man. If we can force the dribbler to pick up his dribble we would seriously overplay the passing lanes looking for the steal. If we overplay to much against a team with good talent they are going to make us pay, this is especially true about trying to pressure a good dribbler out front who is capable to taking it to the basket off the dribble. We have to be smart enough to pick our spots for hard pressure and make sure we make the opposition work for what they get. If we want to turn up the heat we will play 24 or 24 lockdown.
4- Friday we are going to scrimmage some with the Varsity Girls. We need to play a more passive 22 defense against them because we do not want Hayley blowing thru the middle for a layup all night. ( Read item 3 above.) On offense we need to have the good judgement to make the easy pass and the simple pass instead of trying to wish it somewhere that is closely guarded. Roy Williams says that basically it always comes down to the Quality of our shots against the Quality of theirs. We want to make sure they are shooting long shots. In our case we would like lay ups but we have to also be willing and able to make some wide open 15 foot shots.
5- We need to make certain that we do not play out of control. We have the ability to play fast but we are not going to get a layup on the first two passes every time down the court, especially against a set defense. Value each possession, be strong catching the ball and going up for close in shots. Don't make weak passes or passes that are just a prayer because your teammate waves for you to pass it to her. Pass it to her when you know it is a pass that can get to her. Play Smart.
6- I like games like today and probably tomorrow. It is a chance to compete. We just need to realize that a victory against either of these two teams in a real game would be a close game and the team that makes the least mistakes both on offense and defense is going to have the best chance in the end. Think about it as a warm up for the conference championship game, it could be that type of game. If we can make it a game with our Varsity Girls we can play with anyone on our schedule. Take it as a challenge to get better.
We can be a very good team but it is going to take both physical and mental efforts from every player to get there. No real good team is going to give us anything easy. Lets build on what we can become and what we need to do to be the best we can be.
Play Hard, Play Smart, Play Together.
Thought: For a learning experiece to really be of any value you need to make sure you learn something from it.
Coach May
PS- we will try the boys again during the year. I was impressed with them but we still should have made it more of a game and I think we can down the road. Hopefully, it was a good learning experience.(ie:meaning we learned something from it)
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Washing Instruction for JV Uniforms.
Hi Girls and Moms,
We will be passing out uniforms in the next day or two. As of right now we only have 13 jersey's but that is being worked on by Coach Herman. These are the recommended washing and drying instructions to keep the uniform looking nice and from possibly coming apart.
BTW: The uniform jersey is reversible, white and green. White at home, Green on the road.
1- Wash in cold water and on the Gentle cycle.
2- Do not put in the Dryer. Either hang it on the line or somewhere in the house.
I will post more info after we meet with the girls about it, such as shoe color, sock type and color etc.
Coach May
We will be passing out uniforms in the next day or two. As of right now we only have 13 jersey's but that is being worked on by Coach Herman. These are the recommended washing and drying instructions to keep the uniform looking nice and from possibly coming apart.
BTW: The uniform jersey is reversible, white and green. White at home, Green on the road.
1- Wash in cold water and on the Gentle cycle.
2- Do not put in the Dryer. Either hang it on the line or somewhere in the house.
I will post more info after we meet with the girls about it, such as shoe color, sock type and color etc.
Coach May
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
2010 Halifax Academy JV Girls Basketball Roster
Hi Girls,
Listed below is our 2010/2011 Roster and primary and secondary positions for now. Primary position is listed first.
Mer Stephenson 5, 4.
Emily Conner 4, 5.
Jamie Harris 3, 2, 1.
Alex Darnell 2,3.
Lindsey Pulley 1
Jordan Jean 2,3.
Meg. Kessinger 1,2
Kelly Williams 5
Meg. Mohorn 1 or 2.
Kaela Dickens 4, 5
Kim Shearin 3
Leslie Tudor 4
Cath. Garner 1,2.
Emily Alston 2, 3
Brooke Roberson 3 or 2.
Congratulations Girls, lets have a great year!
Things you need to focus on improving as individuals:
1- Making lay ups. The most basic way to score. Make yourself good at it. Work on it on your own.
2- Making foul shots. Almost the same list as above. Work hard on it. Maybe 50 shots a day with the # of makes going up everyday. As a team we should be making 60% of them in games, that means some of you need to make 75% to pull up the team average.
3- Dribbling: Dribbling fast: Dribbling while seeing the court in front of you.
4- Passing: make the easy pass, the ones you are the most capable of making but make sure you make it a near perfect everytime even in warm ups and drills as you can.
5- Defense: know where to be and do your job. Take pride in playing defense and playing it hard. Defense equals 5% knowledge, 95% effort, hustle and focus.
Thing you might have noticed.
1- We practice hard.
2- We practice as fast as we can.
3- Every drill we can make into a competition becomes a competition. Lots of times the competition is with me and the reward is a pass not to run. Lets try our best to do good. What is the most common trait between Michael Jordan and Tyler Hansbrough? Roy Williams and Dean Smith say it is they were so competitive. They wanted to win every drill and every possession.
(Yes, we have copied much from their practices) There is something to be learned from loving to compete. It does not mean you don't love your teammates or hate your opponents. On the court competion is fun. If you win don't brag, if you lose congratulate your opponent and go practice on getting better and give it your best next time.
4- Every second on the court is valuable. We only get about 70 min of practice time per practice, we need to make the most of them.
Thought: Hustle, Determination and Focus make up for many disadvantages in a basketball game. John Wooden former UCLA Head Coach and the winner of 11 college National Championships.
Coach May
Listed below is our 2010/2011 Roster and primary and secondary positions for now. Primary position is listed first.
Mer Stephenson 5, 4.
Emily Conner 4, 5.
Jamie Harris 3, 2, 1.
Alex Darnell 2,3.
Lindsey Pulley 1
Jordan Jean 2,3.
Meg. Kessinger 1,2
Kelly Williams 5
Meg. Mohorn 1 or 2.
Kaela Dickens 4, 5
Kim Shearin 3
Leslie Tudor 4
Cath. Garner 1,2.
Emily Alston 2, 3
Brooke Roberson 3 or 2.
Congratulations Girls, lets have a great year!
Things you need to focus on improving as individuals:
1- Making lay ups. The most basic way to score. Make yourself good at it. Work on it on your own.
2- Making foul shots. Almost the same list as above. Work hard on it. Maybe 50 shots a day with the # of makes going up everyday. As a team we should be making 60% of them in games, that means some of you need to make 75% to pull up the team average.
3- Dribbling: Dribbling fast: Dribbling while seeing the court in front of you.
4- Passing: make the easy pass, the ones you are the most capable of making but make sure you make it a near perfect everytime even in warm ups and drills as you can.
5- Defense: know where to be and do your job. Take pride in playing defense and playing it hard. Defense equals 5% knowledge, 95% effort, hustle and focus.
Thing you might have noticed.
1- We practice hard.
2- We practice as fast as we can.
3- Every drill we can make into a competition becomes a competition. Lots of times the competition is with me and the reward is a pass not to run. Lets try our best to do good. What is the most common trait between Michael Jordan and Tyler Hansbrough? Roy Williams and Dean Smith say it is they were so competitive. They wanted to win every drill and every possession.
(Yes, we have copied much from their practices) There is something to be learned from loving to compete. It does not mean you don't love your teammates or hate your opponents. On the court competion is fun. If you win don't brag, if you lose congratulate your opponent and go practice on getting better and give it your best next time.
4- Every second on the court is valuable. We only get about 70 min of practice time per practice, we need to make the most of them.
Thought: Hustle, Determination and Focus make up for many disadvantages in a basketball game. John Wooden former UCLA Head Coach and the winner of 11 college National Championships.
Coach May
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