What a difference a week makes

Right now our time in the gym is very limited. We usually spend the first four days of each week conditioning and lifting, then scrimmage on Friday. The first week, the scrimmage was awful, but that's what I expected. I told them that if I freaked out on the first week about how we played my priorities were skewed. However, I did tell them that if they played the same way the next week I would freak out, and with good reason.

To their credit the guys really did a better job of transitioning on offense and defense, taking better shots, boxing out and sharing the ball. The funny thing is we didn't work on any of that stuff all week. We did, however, get in better shape physically and mentally in a week's time, and that makes a world of difference. The whole key to the fall offseason is not to be ready to get in district form as soon as possible, or to even be game ready. I don't want to teach them plays right now, but I want to teach them how to play, and to be a better conditioned athlete both mentally and physically.

I'm really hammering home the fact that to get to the next level we have to have an edge. Our edge isn't going to be athleticism or skill level, because our region represents the best the state has to offer in skilled athletes. Our edge will be that we will be tougher, stronger and in better shape, both physically and mentally, because the difference will not be who has the better athlete, the better rebounders, or the best shooters. The difference will be who will still have their legs to get the rebound, and the focus and mental toughness to take the shot when the game is on the line.