By Wayne G. Brumm
SYF Nike Coach
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. ���?� I am writing this from North Augusta, S.C., on the eve of the prestigious Peach Jam, a Nike invitation-only tournament. Only 24 teams will be vying for the championship.
We left home at 5:30 a.m. July 12 and, with weather delays due to Hurricane Dennis, arrived in South Carolina at 6 p.m. EST. In a two-hour time span, we registered, sat through the mandated NCAA education class, and attended a community-sponsored dinner for the teams.
One of the many special features of the Peach Jam is the local backing. This tournament is the only event in town this week and, as a result, garners all of the community���?�s energy. As contrasted to other popular basketball destinations such as Las Vegas and Orlando, there are few attractions (or, should I say, distractions). The community will feed the teams all week. You can really feel the enthusiasm generated here for the tournament.
It is now 1 a.m., and I am just finding time to write this article. So much for the glamour of this job. Three hours���?� sleep last night was all that I was able to find time for. Getting ready to leave town for a week is exhausting in itself ���?� packing, getting the office ready for my absence, washing and packing all the uniforms and team gear, coordinating rides to and from the airport, final fund-raising efforts, communicating to parents and players necessary details, yard maintenance, and don���?�t forget family maintenance (attending two birthday parties and spending quality time with my wife of 35 years). Whew! It will be a relief to actually start the games.
This week will be interesting, to say the least. We are trying to work into the rotation several additional juniors-to-be (16-year-olds) who have been playing for our junior-to-be team. They have progressed to the point where several will earn significant minutes. That will not sit well with several of our senior-to-be players. We discussed this issue in a team meeting tonight.
Over the last several weeks, our players have attended either camps or tournaments that were basically to display their individual talents. It was time for the individuals on our team to do something essentially for themselves. As of tomorrow morning, however, we need to get back to playing for the team. That means making whatever sacrifice one needs to do for the betterment of the team, including giving up playing time.
We have been successful stressing to our players the concept that the stronger our team is, the better off they are individually. The deeper your team is able to play into tournaments, the more the coaches will be able to see of your team. In addition, fatigue starts to become an issue, something that requires playing deeper into your bench. Further, everyone wants players from the strongest teams, even if they are not the star. (Winning is a habit, and coaches want players with winning habits).
Our players have played very unselfishly this season. Let���?�s see if we can find it again on such short notice tomorrow. We open with one of New York���?�s finest, the New York Gauchos. They are a guard-oriented team, so we will probably play mostly guards to match up with their athleticism. That could still give the Gauchos trouble, as our guard-oriented starting lineup will be 6���?�9��, 6���?�7��, 6���?�6��, 6���?�4��, and 6���?�3��. In addition, our first two guards off the bench could be 6���?�8�� and 6���?�6��. Now you see why they have us seeded as the No. 2 team.
Unfortunately, our tune up for this tournament did not go as well as hoped. We participated in the Hoosier Shootout last week and finished 2-2. After earning a 26-3 record in the spring, I had expected better. However, six of the top players on our roster were not in attendance due to participation in the Nike All-American Camp. Winning had become such a habit for our team that I think the players in attendance thought they just had to show up and the inevitable would happen ���?� another victory. That wasn���?�t the case.
We started the Hoosier Shootout with seven players and, due to injury, finished with six. Obviously, we grew tired. Most of the players playing were second- and third-teamers, but I think it was a good lesson for all. I know one thing. It had been so long since we had lost that I almost forgot what losing felt like. Ahh, the pain. I don���?�t think four victories can compensate for the pain of one loss.
We hope we represent Indiana well this week. We have such strong tradition in the state, and we are proud to be able to potentially do our small part in further advancing such a rich tradition.
We will keep you informed. Until then, catch you on the rebound.
Wayne
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