PeaceLoveBasketball Friday (on Monday): Team Takes Time
I had to hold back tears at our first practice last Monday. Our team was warmed up and ready to begin at 3:00pm sharp, and then during our first water break players got a quick drink and then grabbed a ball (some even partnered up) and spread around the gym to work on shooting. It was a beautiful sight.
After 3 years, we now have a core group of girls that understand what we expect from athletes in our program. The first two years, players fought against hard work and structure. Saturday practices? Were we crazy? Boring fundamentals? That’s no fun. Defensive slides until your quads burn? Never.
We had players pouting. Players quitting. Parents complaining.
Those first years were tough. But some players soaked it in. They learned over the seasons. Grew as players and human beings. So that by last season, my third year, we were a stronger team. Our two seniors, who were not our starters, were a huge part of our success. They worked hard and believed in the concept of team.
I know this season will be great, no matter our record, due to the powerful and positive vibe I see on the on the court and team pride I see in their eyes.
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Just Write
Take a moment to look at the photo and then let your pen fly…
WRITING PROMPT:
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Peace in Friendships
Tuesday I had a modeling job for Ex Officio with a woman who I had coached when I was an assistant high school basketball coach just out of college. Now we both have laugh lines and covered greys. She is 40 with 4 kids. I am 47 with 2 kids. It seems crazy that we should work together all these years later as models, not to mention, she is also a basketball coach.
Four hours on the job seemed like nothing. We chatted about the upcoming season (our teams are even in the same league and will be playing one another). As a head coach I stress about the upcoming season, so it was nice to talk to another coach.
Wednesday I met my best friend from high school. She is not an athlete, but we are on the same page with most things. She gets me. Basketball filtered in and out of our conversation. No advice, no basketball insight, yet I left her house feeling more peaceful, ready to attack the last-minute details and prep work I need to take care of before Monday’s start date.
Thursday, I met with my writing buddy. I wrote about my week, my to do’s, basketball, my dreams, I wrote about how thankful I am for my friends who help me find peace and joy in life, especially through basketball season.
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: The Court of Life
I’ve been going through my basketball newsletters, and searching through websites, printing out basketball drills and plays to add to my collection. It’s always fun to have a few new tidbits for the upcoming season.
Last year I found some great new drills while attending coaches clinics. I also found a couple of new things that once I tried to implement them didn’t really work well with our team. Sometimes that’s the way things work on the court, you have to give it a try, adjust, try again, and if it’s not working, move on.
At one of the clinics before our season last year I took notes on an intense half-court trapping defense that I knew would be perfect for our team. I could envision us surprising everyone in our league, wildly trapping opponents and then stealing passes for easy buckets. I was wrong. Our team didn’t quite buy into the aggressive rotation that had to happen on the court not to mention that as the season progressed and our legs started to tire and our numbers dwindled , the half court scramble left us drained.
We shifted our defensive strategy. Our team thrived.
Playing basketball, coaching basketball, and life itself is about learning and growing and adjusting. Finding what works best. There are times in my life that I know I have it all figured out. Then I have to open my eyes, look around and make a change.
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.
Blog
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Catching Fire
Recently I’ve been inspired to write another book (besides the one that I published and the one that I’m currently working on). I’ve been writing a young adult novel for a couple of years now and I am taking a year-long class to help me focus and get it done. But the other non-fiction book that I have notes on, that’s been sitting on the back burner, is catching fire.
Maybe it’s a sign to focus on the non-fiction book or maybe I just have to alternate my energy from book to book and know that in time, with hard work and patience, both books will come together. For now I’ll just write on and see where it takes me.
WRITING PROMPT: Write about something in your life that has been catching fire.
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Finding Peace With Your Work
I’m a paper person. The whole world of computers and social media does not come naturally to me. I have a hard time organizing my writing this way. What I mean by this, is that my current Word document for my novel has over 250 pages. This may sound good, but the problem is that since I don’t write from beginning to end, it becomes very difficult to organize the document, to remember what I have.
There are doubles of sections, random notes and pieces written in different tenses throughout. Even different names for characters appear as I start to go through the pages because over time I have changed some character’s names. It’s a very messy method.
When I open my file these days, my first reaction is to close it back up. TOO MUCH STUFF! What I keep meaning […]
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Laugh and Cry and Make Your Halloween Special.
My 17-year-old daughter asked me to help her get her creepy alien on this morning. Gotta love it! A special morning.
According to coach Jim Valvano, if I laugh, think and cry today, I’ll REALLY be on my way to having a special day.
If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special. -Jim Valvano
I’ve attached two basketball videos to help you on your way. One will make you laugh (especially if you’re a coach, though my nephews showed it to me a few years ago and they think it is hilarious) and one will make you cry. Now think a little and you’re on your way…
Follow Sonya