PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: My Take on Basketball Shooting Machines
I’ve had several people try to convince me to buy a basketball shooting machine for our basketball program. My response is always, “One, we have no storage space. Two, what’s wrong with finding a partner, working together on good passing and catching the ball in motion like you would in a game? And three, we work hard for our money, let’s spend it on things ALL the girls will benefit from.”
Yesterday after my Women’s Rec-League basketball game, one of my teammates (who is also a high school coach) asked if we had a machine. I gave her my patent response.
She gave me her opinion. She explained how her machine tracks a person’s shooting and can be set to pass the ball in different areas. “I love it.” She said, “In fact, I’m going to pull it out and get some shots in before our next game.” She also admitted that a booster had donated the machine and that they had a place to store it.
After my teammates description, and my questionable shooting that night, I was ready to join her to work on my shot. But I still was not ready to buy a shooting machine for our team. I feel like the cost outweighs the benefits for us. I might be a little old school, but when I took over our girls basketball program we had $4 and 4 uniforms, we needed the basics. Four years later we have new JV and Varsity uniforms, new warmups, a score clock and new balls but we are still working on what I consider some of the basics and we are doing some fun things as well, like team building basketball road-trips. Something that I feel the majority of my high school athletes will […]
Monday’s Pen to Paper: A Good Excuse to Road Trip
I just returned from vacation. My daughter is a Junior in High School, so visiting Colleges seemed like a good excuse to go to California. We spent Spring Break driving from Ukiah to Los Angeles visiting family, friends and Universities. We hiked, biked, ate, drank, toured, viewed and drove. We worked out, walked, laughed, surfed, ate, slept and drove some more.
I love road trips.
What’s your favorite kind of vacation?
WRITING PROMPT: Write about your favorite vacation.
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Beyond Basketball
Be ready to cry when you read about this unique friendship…
The inspiring story of Michigan State basketball player Adreian Payne and superfan Lacey Holsworth
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Time to Write
Take a look at the photo and let your pen fly…
WRITING PROMPT:
Meet Sonya
Meet Sonya
Sonya Elliott's memoir, Back on the Court: A Young Woman's Triumphant Return to Life, Love & Basketball, is her story of finding hope in the wake of tragedy after she and her fiancé were hit by a train. She blogs about writing, basketball, and life and is currently working on a Young Adult Novel and a Non-Fiction Coaching book. Stories of her career as a fashion model are woven through her memoir, as both the Soloflex and Easy Spirit Shoes commercials were filmed during that time period, and this unique and intriguing business continues to be a part of her life.
Sonya played basketball at Eastern Washington University and was a starter for the Big Sky Champion team that went to the 1987 NCAA tournament. She coached for almost 25 years and was voted Seattle Times Coach of the Year, Seattle Officials Women's Basketball Association Coach of the Year, and twice voted Metro League Coach of the Year. She loves the game of basketball and is thankful, not only for her husband and kids but for her ability to continue to get back on the court.
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Monday’s Pen to Paper: Together We Are Strong
When writing my blogs I normally keep other peoples names out of it. The kids I coach. My friends and family. I figure it’s not my place to put their names down in print. Well, today I have to mention them all (still without naming them) because it’s because of them all, that we have experienced such an amazing year, and we haven’t even started playoffs. (Okay, and I had to add photos by Paul Moseley-West Seattle Herald)
Our motto this season is “Together We Are Strong” and I have never seen a group of girls that are more connected. Yes, we have gone undefeated in league, but more importantly the girls have learned what “Team” really means. This last friday we had our senior night and we started 5 seniors. (3 Varsity players, 1 JV player and 1 JVC player.) The girls worked […]
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Leave It All On The Court
We had a tight game last night. We led by just two points when we went into the locker room at halftime. We made adjustments to our offense, changed our defense and reminded the girls to “leave it all on the court.” The girls came out of the locker room on fire.
We kept the momentum for quite some time and when that momentum began to shift, we called a timeout and made more adjustments. It didn’t work. Our opponents kept pushing, as I knew they would, and though our team struggled to find a rhythm in the fourth quarter, we never gave up. We battled to the end and came out on top.
I often remind the girls to leave it all on the court. No regrets. Meaning if they’ve given everything they have; played their hardest, supported their teammates, stayed […]
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Old School
I love the feel of a pen in my hand and the roll of ink across paper. Of course I usually write on my computer, but there’s just something about going “old school” and using a system that has served us since its invention during the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) in China, oh so many years ago.
Grab a journal or some paper, find a cozy spot, and get to work.
WRITING PROMPT #1: Where is your favorite place to write. Do you have a favorite journal?
WRITING PROMPT #2: Ingrid couldn’t believe she was really in China, she had dreamed of this moment since…
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