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Thursday, 21 April 2016 14:44

What Defines Leadership?

What makes an athlete, and what makes a coach a leader?  A couple of columns ago I wrote about the different types of coaching philosophies from old school to new school scenarios. "Old school" coaches use overt discipline tactics and reverse psychology in a form of punishment, while the "new school" coach is more of a communicator, with a lot of positive reinforcement for encouragement.  The coach, in whatever case it might be, is the "top cop," the leader of the team and in scholastic athletics - an adult guiding young adults, or children. 

 

Here are some leadership qualities that fit the description, taken from Ryan Renquist’s “The Notebook of Champions” Building Success One Victory at a Time (Sixth Edition). Ryan is the Boy’s Varsity Basketball Coach at Walsh High School in Walsh, Colorado.

Born January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the major leagues in 1947, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Throughout his decade-long career with the Dodgers, Robinson made advancements in the cause of civil rights for black athletes. In 1955, he helped the Dodgers win the World Series. He retired in 1957 with a career batting average of .311. Robinson died in Connecticut in 1972.

 

The significance of his legacy is well known and what he did was amazing.

Recently, there has been an intensive debate in the coaching profession concerning the treatment of athletes. Coaching styles are under the microscope, and part of the argument as administrators, coaches, psychologists, parents, and the athletes themselves try to agree on which coaching characteristics best fit the profession, or situation. ‘Old school’ coaching philosophy dictates that the athlete should be able to adjust to any coaching style to function to the expectations of their mentor. Failure to do so is blamed on the athlete, and is considered a form of weakness on the part of that individual. Often, the athlete will quit the sport to avoid confrontation with the coach.  This scenario is defeating the purpose of coaching - a coach's main focus should be to help the athlete grow as a player and as a person. 

 

A coaching philosophy is the signature of that coach’s style and consists of a mixture of the coach’s personal beliefs, goals, objectives, and standards. Most coaches know in their mind what their philosophies consist of, but ask them to convey this information, some might find it difficult to accomplish. An uneducated coach may respond with “my philosophy is to win!” This coach has no direction. Winning is great and promotes short-term job security, perhaps, but coaches have a higher calling than just winning. The chosen philosophy is a direct reflection of the style the coach employs. What can result from this choice is that the coach takes losing as a personal insult to their fractured ego.  That can be the beginning of a negative environment with conflict developing between the coach and his / her team, which can also trickle down to the individual athlete. The result is that the fun is gone for the athlete!

 

So the questions are: How do modern coaches differ from coaches of the past? Do they differ at all? What can coaches do to reach their athletes and promote optimum performance? How can a coach earn respect from athletes without resorting to negative responses and punishments? Which coaching style or styles do athletes respond best to?

 

I was known from being a boisterous coach – and at times I have been misunderstood by some people in the stands. Very seldom would I raise my voice to my players, as individuals, because I did not want to embarrass them. If I yelled out at all it would be related to team strategy. I admit that I was not very easy on referees and there were times, after a game, I regretted my demeanor. 

 

But never did I punish my teams for losing, or players for making mistakes. When that occurred, what I did in practices was focus on correcting what needed to corrected from the previous game, win or lose, my goal then was to prepare the team for our next contest. 

 

I learned throughout my career that kids or athletes do not make mistakes, or lose, on purpose. I was far from perfect, but my players’ well being was always a concern of mine, and teaching them fundamentals was usually a big part of my focus.  I felt I couldn't blame players for something they had no knowledge, or skill to perform. My main job, as a coach, was to share my knowledge with them, and help them perform to the best of their abilities. Hopefully they had fun doing so.  I can honestly say that as a coach of all the sports I have coached, that I never bullied my players, their well-being was at the top of my priority list.

 

 

Let me use this outline with comparative characteristics of the two philosophies of coaching: Old School vs. New School. This comes from an article written and submitted by: W. Glenn Reese, Candidate for Masters Degree, USSA, under the guidance of Dr. Sally J. Ford, Chair of Sports Coaching, USSA.

 

Coaches have stated, "I use the ‘old school’ style of coaching." Do they really know what that means? When the term ‘old school coach’ is used, the following characteristics come to mind:

 

  • Punish first, converse later
  • Atmosphere of fear of failure for the athlete
  • Immediate short-term respect
  • Knowledge of technical skills, but not tactical
  • Insisting on undivided attention when speaking
  • Intimidation of those who speak against the coach’s decisions
  • Demeaning motivation
  • Nonexistent relationships with the athletes and assistant coaches
  • Loss of an athlete’s attention due to negativity
  • Athletes quit due to poor treatment

 

When an old school coach goes too far, the consequences can be disastrous, and becomes a form of bullying.

 

Most successful new school coaches tend to be cooperative style coaches. Most athletes today want coaches who are open to their ideas and value them as people. Cooperative coaching allows for this empowerment of the athlete, while keeping the overall power in the hands of the coach. A prevalent trait of the new school coach is the thirst for knowledge. A new school coach is more open to change and adaptation than the old school coach. This does not mean that the new school coach is “soft.” This simply means that the new school coach is not as domineering. A new school coach seeks to earn the respect of his/her athletes by demonstrating the knowledge they need to be successful. “A characteristic of effective coaches at all levels is continued ongoing learning and reflection. Virtually every portrait of great coaches shows them to be active learners, who engage in constant reflection,” (Gilbert and Jackson, 2004).

 

Characteristics of a new school coach might be:

 

  • Positive relationship with athletes and other coaches
  • Stern but not offensive
  • Fresh ideas through open lines of communication
  • Increased participation due to coaching style
  • Increased tactical knowledge of athletes
  • Appreciation shown from athletes/community
  • Gives and receives advice
  • Leads by example
  • Encourages initiatives of team leaders
  • Exhibits continued knowledge of the sport
  • Has opportunities for advancement into administration

Not too long ago, I wrote a column relating to coaches who overreact as their style. Lately, it seems that there has been more controversy on how coaches treat athletes. The pros and cons are no different than they were 50 years ago. The “pro” aspect of being coached by a person who is overly critical of athletes can evolve as a form of motivation by the athlete to prove the coach wrong, but this is a double negative. Some people might say, “deal with the fact that you have an ‘in-your-face’ coach, so, ‘suck it up!’” The con is obvious – a growing dislike for the coach and his/her style of being mean spirited using condescending tactics that eventually becomes a total turn off for the athletes, and this feeling of disdain for the coach arises daily. 

What do I think? 

 

I truthfully don't see a lot of success with the ‘Old school’ philosophy – it is basically non-productive. I know that there are some ‘Old School’ coaches who believe what they do is some form of reverse psychology. The proven fact is that the majority of the time, the simple truth in most situations is that form of psychological science just doesn't work. The New school coach knows that communication needs to be positive, no matter the sport, and it needs to be a two way street. Yelling or screaming at someone is derogatory - it just reinforces negativism, and eventual disdain. 

 

Effective communication is about listening to the other side; in fact it's one of the most humane aspects in all relationships, no matter the circumstance: athletically, or in every day life.

 

Thursday, 31 March 2016 10:09

How Final is the Final Four?

Could this be the last hoorah for Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim? The story that is circulating is that he has set up a three-year window for Boeheim to retire. This came after NCAA sanctions in March of last year, when the Syracuse basketball program came under scrutiny for academic violations as well as other infractions.  Coach Boeheim was hit with some penalties related to keeping some of his players academically eligible through lack of monitoring the basketball program. 

 

Coach Boeheim's Syracuse Orangemen beat No. 1 seed Virginia on Sunday, March 27 in an incredible comeback at the Midwest Regional final. With the 68-62 win, Syracuse, a No. 10 seed, became just the fourth team seeded that low to reach the Final Four.

 

It's hard to know what to make of this moment. If you take away the moral policing, it is a testimony to Boeheim’s coaching prowess. This season, Boeheim was suspended for nine games over 32 days, and he was unable to have any contact with his own players. This is in addition to what is described as academic misconduct, as mentioned above. Also, there was a failure to follow drug testing rules and the infraction of giving players extra benefits. 

 

On top of all of this, most people didn't think Syracuse even deserved to get into the tournament based on its 13 losses. So, this was considered an off year and, coupled an embarrassing scandal, it could have been the saddest moment in Boeheim's career.  

 

And yet, "This is the best comeback we've ever had," said Boeheim to a crowd of reporters in a post game interview. 

 

As for Virginia's basketball program, they continue their recent history of never quite reaching the Final Four. They led by as much as 16 points this past Saturday against Syracuse, maybe allowing themselves to feel that they finally were getting their turn. Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, they are continuing to be labeled as a regular-season-only team. 

 

Syracuse slumped during the 32 days Boeheim served out his penalty. The story is that he was a basket case in his home in his exile from the basketball court. Boeheim started feeling better when he came back, and he was far from feeling mushy or sheepish on his return. If you ever thought the Syracuse coach to be soft, then you haven't been paying attention during the past 40 years under his tenure as head coach. The first thing he said when he came back, according to longtime assistant / interim coach Mike Hopkins. "He said, 'we have got to get better - this is what we have to do. We're a young team; these guys are playing out of position. We've got to get better.' It was like nothing happened," Hopkins said. And they got better. 

 

Boeheim is known for his grumpiness and his blatant mopey demeanor – personified by the expression "I don't care what anyone thinks." But during the week at the Midwest Regional, he did open up about his coaching philosophy. He talked about pushing players. He pushes them hard because players 1) really want it, even though they don't know it and 2) have no idea that they really aren't giving 100 percent. 

 

So will the only remaining Number one seed go down? If North Carolina loses, either on Saturday or in the title game, it would be a surprise. The Tar Heels are playing at an extremely high level. It also seems fitting for their coach, Roy Williams, to get another title alongside senior leaders Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson. 

 

How will UNC lose? Even though the Orangemen are a 10 seed, they have put it all together so far in this tournament. North Carolina swept two games against Syracuse in the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) regular season, but any coach will tell you that it's not easy to beat a good team three times in a season, and Syracuse only lost by five points in their last meeting with the Tar Heels.

 

As a coach, I see this game as a battle of determination versus perseverance. The Syracuse zone defense is either a determining factor or a curse for the Orangemen. I also feel that rebounding will be a key factor. UNC will be prepared for the defense, but will they be able to stop the motivation of Syracuse’s mentor? Will we see a storybook ending for Coach Jim Boeheim? We shall see!

 

 

The history of March Madness shows that most crowned champions were teams that were number one through four seeds. This could be a record setting Final Four, if the Orangemen prevail as champs. This would be a rare feet, not only for a 10 seed, but for a college program that relies on its staple 2-3 zone defense. I hope the game lives up to the hype!

Thursday, 24 March 2016 11:40

The Lunacy of March

After saturating my appetite for college basketball's March Madness this past weekend, I find that I have to reflect on what I saw.  This time of year, college basketball has a euphoria that has no match, with little predictability of game outcome. For example, Middle Tennessee, a number 15 seed, upset my Final Four pick Michigan State, a number two seed. That was probably the biggest pie-in-the-face surprise during all of last week's opening round games.

 

It didn't stop there, as higher seeds upset one team after another. The one ‘upset’ that for me was not an upset, was Syracuse defeating Dayton. 'Cuse was placed in the tournament, almost at the end the selection night, as a 10 seed, Dayton was a seven. The talented Orangemen are a team of destiny waiting to happen, and it's not surprising to me to see them earn a spot as a Sweet 16 contender.  I see the Orange moving deeper, as they prepare to take on annually present NCAA Tourney mainstay Gonzaga. I don't get why every year Gonzaga is placed as a higher seed (11). Aren't they there every year? At least it seems like they are, and they never seem to get the respect they deserve from the selection committee. I think the Syracuse zone might have an effect on the outside game of the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

 

Another big surprise was Stephen F. Austin, a 14 seed, defeating a number three - West Virginia, and winning by 14 points. SFA then lost to Notre Dame by a buzzer tip-in with 1.5 seconds remaining in the game, by freshman Rex Pflueger, his only basket for the game. In reality, it was a game that Stephen F. should have won. 

 

The madness of March! I thought that might have been one of the best games I would see that night, but guess what, it wasn't. There was seventh seed Wisconsin, taking on number two seed Xavier, and the heroics continued. Point guard Bronson Koenig, number 24 for the Badgers, threw in a three pointer as the clock ran out to seal the upset win over Xavier. 

 

There are questions that always seem to be on my mind concerning the NCAA Tournament: Is the selection process system fair? Do they need to make room for more teams, and is that a possibility? I look at how good some of these higher seeds are, and yet I notice some of the schools that were slighted from the opportunity to be in the tournament.  The biggest question that comes up quite a lot: How to add more teams?

 

One scenario is already used, but to a limited extent, play-in games. Right now there are two play-ins - so let's add more. It's actually simple math, for example, if there are a borderline number of schools, maybe six, then take the six highest seeds and create six more play-in games, now you're up to 74 teams added to the brackets.  In reality, they could add 16 more teams to the field, from the original 64 now up to 80, giving a handful of first round byes to lower numbered seeded teams. Yes, it will work!

 

Another scenario, which might sound like an extreme, give all of the number one and two seeds byes, eight teams in all, and have all other schools have sort of a first round play-in. That would make 112 teams vying for a spot in the field of 64 teams, in a regional bracket layout. The team with the better record, and power of their league, will host that first round/play-in game. Not to hurt the National Invitation Tournament, which could then take the losers and filter them into its format.  Actually adding 112 schools is only one more game added to the schools quest to be national champs.  This can go on, even with fewer games, maybe byes to 1,2,3, and 4, and the math is the same, with 16 byes and 96 schools involved with play-ins.

 

I'm sure this sounds a lot more complicated than it is, but it is definitely feasible.  Basketball is a sport where these types of tournament scenarios are plausible.  I know when I was in college, at the end of my career as a player, I got involved with a state/national AAU senior tournament in New Mexico, the format would determine a state champion with a series of mini-tournaments (regions) and the crowned champions would move on to the eventual final four. It does work, and it can be done because of the nature of the sport. 

 

I really feel this type of tournament format would be good for the game; it would create more interest and give schools more incentive, not to mention a great tool for colleges to recruit with a history of participation in the NCAA's March Madness.  This interpretation is obviously my "hoops dreams," a fantasy; I call it the Lunacy of March!

 

Thursday, 10 March 2016 11:51

The Olympics: Are They In Trouble?

I don't know if you’ve been following the scuttlebutt of what's going on with the upcoming Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With about 6 months until the opening of the 2016 Summer Olympics, there are many problems that show no signs of resolution. I have used as a reference some information from an article written by Emmett Knowlton, a writer for the Business Insider. Knowlton also researched some of his information through Will Connors of The Wall Street Journal. 

 

There is a big political problem in Brazil, one of which is financing and constructing a subway that extends about 10 miles from the Capital of Brasilia. The hope is to have it ready by the opening ceremony. The cost is approximately $247 million U.S. dollars.  Rio’s biggest impediment is that there are the distractions of corruption scandals, and the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff. Mind you, this subway is expected to carry some 300,000 people daily from the capital to Olympic Park. This subway is supposed to be finished by July 1. Note that the games begin on August 5, and this extension of the current subway system isn't ready by then, there is no plan B. 

 

Then there are the mosquito-borne diseases - multiple illnesses are spreading faster than the effort to combat them. As of December 2015, a record number cases, 1.58 million people have come down with dengue fever (a common tropical viral disease with symptoms of high fever, headaches, pain behind the eyes, muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, skin rash, and mild nose and gum bleeding), and Chikungunya (a virus with symptoms that might include: fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, swelling in the joints, or rash) is spreading as well. 

 

Most worrisome is the recent rapid-spreading and relatively new virus of Zika. Zika, was a little known disease, even though its been around for about 60 years, and now it is spreading quickly in the Rio de Janerio area. Zika can cause birth defects while mom is pregnant, and more research has discovered that the disease can be sexually transmitted. 

   

In other recent Olympics there have been budgetary issues.  Obviously, this one is not any different - but to compound Brazil's Olympic budgetary problems, there is a national economic crisis. The monies for the infrastructure costs rose to more than $5.9 billion U.S. dollars. This price tag is 25 percent higher than the original plan.

 

Also, the poverty level of Brazil is off the charts. According to 2011 statistics, fully 21.4 percent of the population is considered to be "below" the poverty level, with 4.2 percent considered below the "extreme" poverty line. This rate of poverty is in part attributed to the country's economic inequality. In response to the overall economic situation, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies are expected to be less lavish than those of London and Beijing Summer Olympics. Rio de Janiero said it would slash expenses by 30 percent, with cutbacks in high-end cuisine for VIPs and a reduction in the number of trained volunteers who would assist visitors. In certain sites they will use temporary tents, in place of durable structures.

 

By far, the biggest, and most talked about scandal is regarding the two polluted bodies of water (Guanabara Bay and Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon), in which athletes will compete. These bodies of water are showing no signs of improvement. Several athletes in the Rio training on these waters in prep for the Games have become ill. One German sailor contracted MRSA. The AP quoted a U.S. expert in waterborne viruses, Kristina Mena, back in December, "The levels of viruses are so high in these Brazilian waters that if we saw those levels in the United States on beaches, officials would likely close those beaches." Connors of The Wall Street Journal said, "Plans for sewage treatment never materialized. Instead the government is using stopgap measures like small 'eco-boats' that move around the bay and collect larger pieces of debris." That certainly won't help clean the water; it's not even a good band aid.

 

Finally, there's the sale of tickets - which very few Brazilians appear to have any interest in purchasing. This is worrisome to the organizing committee; they are relying on domestic ticket sales to meet 17 percent of its budget needs. But less than half of the 4.5-million domestic-market tickets have been sold. 

 

The people of the country in general are not in support of the Games. There have been some small protests held, with predicted larger ones to come toward the Opening Ceremony.  This, of course, relates to the economic crisis. Brazilians are growing increasingly fed up with the coming Olympics.  

 

So the greatest question, comes with the argument: Is it simply never worth hosting the Olympics? These Games are not cost effective in today's international economy.  My wife and I were discussing this issue with my son and our daughter-in-law. My wife Ann thinks the solution that might seem to be more feasible for future Olympics, is maybe only have "one city" be the designated Olympia City, every four years. Say, Athens, Greece!

 

I think what might be more economically affordable is using a few established venues, lets say: Los Angeles, Athens, Berlin, Sydney, and Beijing. Or a small number of designated international cities to host the Games every four years, in the summer and winter. Costs would just cover updates to the infrastructures and facilities, and a pot of international monies sitting in an account for that purpose. Maybe an international tax, that each participating government/country would pay, all based on population, for financial growth for future Olympic venues.

 

Let's hope that Rio de Janiero can get its act together, before it gets worse. Maybe there needs to be more outside support and even some intervention with assistance from the international community to continue the progress before August. 

 

But the Olympic Games are worth saving. It is one of the few times that the world has a healthy and positive interaction between nations competing and demonstrating appreciation for each other, through the exciting scenario of athletic competition. 

The Saratoga Girls varsity basketball team had a successful season this year. I would like to congratulate Coach Robin Chudy and her staff on their accomplishments, and especially the girls, a young team with a bright future on the horizon. Coach Chudy mentioned that they won a sectional game for the first time in quite a while. 

 

Here's a little history about the post season play of girls basketball at Saratoga over the past 15 years: In 2001 and 2002, they made it to the final four of AA Sectional play; in 2008 they won a first round game at Schenectady, and in 2010 the Lady Streaks defeated Bishop Maginn, also in the first round, both years losing in the quarter finals.

 

Before that, in 1998 I was enticed to coach the girls after my retirement from the boys program.  I saw a game in 1998 when the Saratoga girls were playing archrival, Shenendehowa.  Saratoga lost that game by 40 plus points. I thought that coaching the girls would be a great challenge for me as a basketball coach, especially after 27 years of coaching the boys. The Shen girls always had the reputation of winning lopsided contests throughout the league. The Lady Plainsmen were at a much higher level than any other team in the Suburban Council, especially with their infamous full court pressure defense.

 

In 1999, the girls coaching position opened and I had already retired from the boys program. I felt a need for a new challenge as a basketball coach. Given the position, I knew it was important for me to get other people involved in this program, people who could help the girls with their game and plant the seeds for success.  I asked Rich Johns to assist me, he was so good with kids and knew the game, and we had a long history of coaching together. I went after Steve Lombard, the current principal at Saratoga Catholic Central. Steve had an extensive basketball background and I thought we could use his help at any level. Coach Annie Testa, now Ann Sweeney, was a student teaching at that time at Saratoga and she asked me if she could get involved.  We took her into the program through the suggestion of Sue Hoffman, her supervising teacher, and saw her as a good role model for the girls.  In addition, there were tenured coaches, Michael Carney the JV coach, Frank Smith was the freshman coach (later the freshman position was vacated by Coach Smith and the late Brenda Adams took the job) and Warren Dart who was the modified coach.

 

We had the good fortune of having one of the most influential parents, a workhorse, John Irving, who was already involved with the program. John had organized the travel program for Saratoga's younger girls, with the help of Dave Wickerham. John and I became good friends, and I was able to get him involved with much more than the travel team. We teamed up to develop a viable booster club, with the help of long time Blue Streak supporter Clayton Chubb and his late wife Barb. John Irving, Rich Johns and I reinstated a somewhat defunct preexisting girls summer basketball program- eventually it became the leader in the area.  We added to the off-season a scholastic indoor summer basketball league with two Saratoga teams and teams from Ballston Spa, Burnt Hills, Salem, Schuylerville, Hoosic Valley, Stillwater, Saratoga Catholic, Mechanicville and Lake George.  Also, for the Saratoga's girls we had two one-week sessions of basketball camps.

 

With the help of Robert Stulmaker, Director of Athletics, I requested new, gender appropriate uniforms to replace all of the antiquated hand-me-down from the boys.

 

I had a somewhat unintentional subtle challenge after a discussion with a coach who was in the program, he said that a couple of problems existed for the Saratoga girls, they couldn't shoot from the outside, or play man to man defense. This became a personal challenge and I had to prove him wrong. I was confident we could teach those skills to anyone willing to work.  Also, in my first meet-the-players night I made a promise to the Saratoga parents and the girls, that before I retired we will defeat Shenendehowa. In the SSHS girls basketball history, never did the Lady Streaks defeat the Plainsmen.

 

In our first year we were able to win 7 games. We won an opening season invitational tournament at Cohoes by upsetting Shaker, a Suburban Council rival. The excitement was building. This gave me a belief that our off-season program would eventually evolve into paying dividends for girls hoop. 

 

After 13 total wins in the initial 2-year period, we actually became contenders in one of the most prolific girls' basketball leagues in New York State.  The 2000-2001 season was the beginning of a Blue Streak rebirth of competitive girls basketball, the Lady Blue Streaks were no longer the doormat of the Suburban Council. Our regular season record was 14 wins and 6 losses. In the 2001 sectionals, we were a number 6 seed in our AA bracket. We won our first round game by 8 points against number 4 seed Amsterdam. We moved on to play the number 1 seed, tournament favorite, our archrival, Shenendehowa. Shen, league champs, with only one loss, defeated us twice during the regular season. This was a game to remember. We broke the curse - the Lady Streaks upset Shen by 18 points, we literally ate up that notoriously infamous full-court press. We went off to the Final Four at Hudson Valley, due to a slow start, we lost by 11 to the number 2 seed in the semifinals to Catholic Central of Troy. Our season ended with a more than respectable 16 and 7 record, in addition, one of our girls was an AA All-Star Sectional Team pick.

 

The following year, with an identical regular season record of 14 and 6, we again traveled to Amsterdam, and both schools had the same seeding from the previous year. This time we pulled off another upset over the Rams, winning by 3 points. We had a steal in the last 7 seconds while up by one, and made 2 foul shots to ice the win with just 2 seconds on the clock.  On to Bethlehem for the quarterfinals, the Suburban Council Gold Division Champions, a team that narrowly beat us during the regular season. The Eagles had a 6'5" center, committed to Holy Cross, the league's top scorer and rebounder, so we knew we had our work cut out for us.  We did it again, with an upset win by 9 points.  A few days later we fell to top ranked Colonie, a number one seed, by 12 in the semifinal of our second consecutive Final Four. Shenendehowa earned the AA Championship in 2002 by defeating Colonie. We mirrored our previous year's record of 16 and 7, and again had a girl named as a Sectional All-Star.

 

In the time period between 2002 and 2006 the girls varsity program went .500 or better in almost every season, as well as having two other wins over Shenendehowa. Mike Hall took the varsity position in 2006, stepping up from coaching the freshmen team, and along with Rich Johns as his assistant they kept things going. I volunteered to coach and help Annie Testa, who became the new freshmen coach. Hall and Johns led the program to a first round 2008 AA Sectionals victory by upsetting Schenectady High School. After 2 years at the helm Coach Hall, had to leave because of family commitments. In the 2008-09 season Coach Johns took the head coaching position, having Coach Testa as his paid assistant and me as his volunteer assistant. In the 2010 sectional play Saratoga was up against Big Ten Runner Up, Bishop Maginn, and won with an upset. Also, during the 2008-09 season we brought in the late Mike Nolan, as a volunteer assistant coach, he was a very successful retired basketball coach from South Glens Falls and was a big help. Rich Johns decided to retire at the end of the 2010 school year, and as things go, it wasn't going to be the same for me so I decided not to coach any longer.

 

A note: Coach Nolan passed away in January of 2010 from complications from lung cancer, a sad moment for us all. 

 

That’s a summary of how Saratoga Springs High School Girls' Basketball succeeded historically over the past couple decades, especially during the post-season sectional play. How it grew from obscurity into a competitive program, with contributions from many people and especially the girls from those teams. I have always believed in the necessity and the importance of an off-season program - this was a philosophical approach I started with the boys in 1974-75 with summer leagues and camps. These programs were springboards for Saratoga High School Basketball, and it was the girls and boys who were willing to put time into their game that made this the real story!

 

Thursday, 18 February 2016 17:27

Referees Are Human

In Argyle, about two weeks ago, two high school basketball referees were hurt and a Fort Edward man arrested after the man allegedly attacked one of the referees after a girls junior varsity basketball game, police said.

 

The person attacking the refs was charged with unlawful imprisonment, a misdemeanor, and non-criminal harassment after the confrontation at Argyle High School, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

 

Police said that the man accosted one of the referees after a junior varsity girl’s basketball game between Argyle and Fort Edward high schools. He is accused of pinning the referee to a wall and refusing to let him leave. The other referee who also worked in the game intervened, there was a struggle, and the second referee suffered a cut hand, sheriff’s Senior Investigator Tony LeClaire said. The ref who was pinned against the wall suffered a sprained finger, police said.

 

Charges were filed on behalf of the ref who was pinned against the wall, and the other did not seek prosecution despite his injury. The attacker apparently knew one of the referees and was complaining to him about calls during the game when the second referee came to his aid. He was accused of grabbing the second referee by the shirt and holding him against the wall, officials said.

 

Roger Forando, the region’s referee assigner for girl’s high school basketball, said “sportsmanship” at school athletics events seems to be worsening, pointing to an incident in Whitehall in 2014 and others in the Albany area.

 

He said there has been 17 problems with fans in Section II this school year, including one at a Glens Falls-Hudson Falls girl’s basketball game in which a water bottle was thrown on the court in the direction of a Glens Falls player.

 

The Warrensburg-Whitehall boys varsity basketball game was halted just recently because a fan had to be ejected for remarks to a referee, and State Police were called. “We are quite concerned with the escalation of poor sportsmanship at basketball games,” Forando said.

 

I have been witness to some fantastic moments at basketball games and some absolutely ridiculous moments. Each of the fantastic moments I have witnessed occurred during the games, involving kids and especially as a coach. I would say most of the ridiculous moments occurred after a game, or in the stands, from people that should know better, the adults. They are supposed to be there to set an example for the kids, and cheer them on, while teaching what is right from wrong.

 

Do referees miss calls? Of course they do! No one is perfect! Do refs have good games and bad games? Yes, they do. Just like players and coaches, referees are human. There is not a single person on this planet that goes through every single day in life without making a mistake. A ref goes out on the floor, or the playing field, with a goal to do the best job he, or she can possibly do during a game. I don't think I have ever known a ref to show up at the gym with the thought in mind of going out on the floor to call the game in favor of one team over the other.  

 

No one is guiltier than me, as a basketball coach, for getting on the refs. I can say at times I was out of line, or just plain over emotional about a call, but let me say this, when that final buzzer went off, so did my emotions. I always left my game out on the floor. There were times, and very few times, I felt we got the short end of the stick. I will confess that in some situations I felt that there might have been a call to get even with me because of my reputation as a basketball coach, but I got over it pretty darn quick. As I aged into coaching, I became more aware of my actions and reactions, and how it affected the team. Ninety nine percent of the time my feelings of what the officials did disappeared before I left the gym, or got on the bus. I never said anything negative to a ref at the end of a game. Given the opportunity, I usually would compliment an official at the end of the game by saying, "good game," or "nice job."

 

When coaching, I didn't like it when people in the stands failed to understand that the referees were trying to watch all 10 players on the floor, at the same time, and make a split decision in half a second. Two people on opposite sides of the gym have different viewpoints and perspective of the same play. To one person, a play, or a call may look innocent and no big deal, while another person from an opposite perspective will see the exact same play and scream for a call.  Remember, when refs are on the floor they may have had a better angle, and from their point of view this is what they saw.  

 

The other thing most people don’t think about is how much easier it is to view a basketball game standing or sitting in the same position, and even from an elevated view. Officials have to worry about moving their feet while looking through players, around players, and getting out of the way of players. A bird’s-eye-view is much easier to see things in the peripheral, or the bigger picture. There is another thing I don’t think parents understand, and at times coaches, that a ref must “see” the infraction to make the “call.” 

 

There are timesthat a ref knows what has happened in a situation, but if he or she did not see what just happened, they cannot make the call on the play. For example, they might hear noise from contact, but maybe had their backs to the situation, so they can't guess what just happened to make the call. I think for an official there is nothing worse than the feeling than knowing they might have missed a somewhat violent interaction, or penalty, especially when a kid gets hurt as a result. It happens, and it might be the biggest dread for an official, because, in reality, refs would like to see a clean and fair game.

 

How can these situations be prevented - preventing an irate fan from going after an official?  There are situations where a ref can eject a fan, with the aid of law enforcement. That always leaves the referee with an uncomfortable feeling of the possibility that there might be some sort retribution by the person expelled.  That can't be easy for the official to concentrate on the rest of the game, or getting out of the gym safely. This shouldn't be part of the night for anyone.

 

So here is my take on what can be the underlying reason for what has been happening, and this isn't just a local problem. A question first: Is there too much media coverage on high school athletics?  Is it to a point where, mainly the parents have the delusion that their child is a great athlete and worthy enough to be noticed by a Division 1 college with the offer of a full athletic scholarship? First of all, only 1 percent of high school athletes earn D-1 athletic scholarships. That's a fact, only 1 percent!  One of the biggest problems is this can be an egotistical trip for some parents, and realistically and unfortunately it's mostly the fathers who are trying to live out an unaccomplished dream that their kid is the super star that they weren't. 

 

There needs to be some opportunity, maybe provided by the school systems, or even the NCAA, to educate parents on the pros and cons of playing sports. The pro being the participation, as well as developing camaraderie with teammates, and opponents, and mainly being part of something that they should cherish forever.

The con being, that 95 percent, or more, of scholastic athletes most likely will not ever play at a higher level. A referee making a questionable call is not preventing their child from getting that dream athletic scholarship!  The reality is that just maybe that child isn't as good as dad, mom or even the athlete might believe.

 

I have said this before: Let your child have fun playing sports and see them evolve as a good person because of the association and participation that comes with being on a team and playing sports. That's what it means to be an athlete; it's good to have dreams of athletic prowess, but not a dream that's an unachievable egotistical grandeur.

 

 

Do remember that a game isn't a game without officiating, and that refs are human like you and me, but however you think the calls go, whether prop or con, those questionable calls will not have an effect on the child's future in athletics. Here's a "make up" call, there isn't any, so enjoy the game and respect those who do what they do without actually expecting recognition for a job well done, the refs! 

Thursday, 11 February 2016 13:18

Defense wins championships

I've been a Denver Broncos fan for a long time. I guess it's because I had met former Broncos wide receiver, Lionel Taylor, back in the late 60s. In 1968, I graduated from the almost unheard of University in New Mexico, NM Highlands University.  Highlands had a great athletic program during those days; we were NAIA National Champs (equivalent to NCAA D2 sports) in baseball for 3 consecutive years - 1966-68, and national champs in football in 1966 and 1967. In basketball we were ranked in the NAIA top 25 during my 3 years there, I was a junior college transfer.  Lionel Taylor was a NMHU Cowboys graduate, and while with the (then) AFL Denver Broncos, he set many receiving records. For example: in four consecutive years he caught over 100 plus passes per season. Post season, he would come to the campus and play pick-up basketball games with us. Taylor, a West Virginia product, also played basketball for Highlands as a student.

 

This past Sunday, the Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers, 24 -10, in Super Bowl 50. There was a lot of speculation that the Panthers, led by 2015 MVP Quarterback Cam Newton, were going to be too much for the Broncos. The sports media felt Denver would have difficulty containing Newton. Some of the media went on to say that Manning's old school quarterback style could not compete with Newton's ability to scramble and run with the ball. Not to mention Newton’s enormous size for a quarterback, he weighs over 250 pounds, has great speed, is shifty, and very difficult to contain. 

 

Even though Denver's signature this season was being the best defense in the NFL, the majority in the sports media did not feel the Broncos had an answer for Cam Newton. Quite frankly, as a Broncos fan, neither did I. There was also the feeling that the Panthers would be able to put the stop to 18-year veteran QB Peyton Manning. As it is in sports, none of the above happened, because Denver did stop Newton, and Carolina had difficulty keeping Peyton from doing his magic. Even though he lacked the big plays, Manning did capitalize on scoring opportunities, and obviously Newton struggled to get his team going. Broncos’ field goal kicker, Kicker Brandon McManus came through again - 3 for 3 in Super Bowl, and 10 for 10 in the playoffs. 

 

Denver was lead by defensive specialist, linebacker Von Miller, who was awarded the rare honor as a linebacker to be chosen as SB 50 MVP. Historically, not too many defensive players are honored with that award. Miller came up with one big play after another throughout the game, he gave Cam Newton fits, and at times it seemed five or six Von Millers were on the field.

 

As rumors fly, the oldest quarterback in Super Bowl history at 39, Peyton Manning has yet to decide on his future for another season in pro football. I have been a Manning fan for years, I love to watch him steer his team with his audibles while over the center, or engineering his strategy out of the shotgun, to me, he's a great field general, his knowledge of the game is second to none. I envision him as a coach someday. Someone just said to me that he has nothing to prove as a coach. It's not about proving anything; it's about his love for the game and for the challenge that would be presented to him as a football mastermind. My hope is to see him pursue that career; it's not about money, because he obviously doesn't need more money. It's about the love of the game, a game that has done so much for him since he was a kid; it's in his blood. 

 

I can surely relate to that, I feel I am an untouched resource, at the age of 71, when it comes to coaching basketball. Manning's knowledge and experience would be wasted, if allowed to become dormant in his retirement. Only time will tell if he will be enticed to coach with offers from the pro or college ranks.

 

As for Cam Newton walking out on the media during his post-game interview - I won't make any excuses for what he did, in general he made a mistake, but he was flustered and the media can be annoying with some of their idiotic questions. Frustration is always part of being on the losing side, and humility is not an easy characteristic for guys like Newton. He has had the reputation of being a showboat and known for being very cocky in his demeanor, there are times that he has been called a “hotdog”. I will not justify what he did by walking out, but I am of the opinion that this guy is the Magic Johnson of pro football - he's big and strong, and at 6’5”, 250 plus pounds he has the mobility of a 5’8” point guard. Most of the time he's super human, but there comes a time when guys like him have to accept some of the humility that comes in defeat. He missed that chance, for sure, but we haven't seen the end of this super athlete, and in the near future he will bring that Super Bowl ring to Carolina. To me, he's impressive, and mostly I think he's a good-natured guy having fun by playing his favorite game. Someone like him can be misunderstood and it's usually by those who will never be an athlete of his stature. 

 

I know it's been said, like the title of this column, that defense wins championships. Denver put on a great display of holding down the prolific offense of the Carolina Panthers. Man for man the Panthers were the better team on paper. The Broncos proved that, not only does good defense prevail, but also playing against the odds can be the motivation to play above ones capabilities.

 

I like the playoffs’ format of the NFL. It's like the NCAA's March Madness of college basketball, one game determines advancement and if you win you're in, but if you lose, you go home.  What amazes me is that I have seen 50 Super Bowls. Wow, am I old!

Thursday, 21 January 2016 10:51

Who owns college sports?

Recently there was an article on the Internet that Nike Inc. has agreed to a $252 million deal with Ohio State University that extends its current sponsorship by 15 years. How far-reaching these contracts are and how they have reshaped college athletics? In reality, Nike, Adidas and Under Armour have, in a sense, come to own college campuses in way that many casual observers may find shocking. 

 

Here are some facts that I think needs to be a concern for collegiate sports and what has become the new norm in the world of NCAA and its affiliations.

 

1. The University of Alabama's contract with Nike stipulates that“upper-level” administrators must wear Nike gear, specifically mandating that university officials must wear Nike golf shoes on outings with donors. Most, if not all of the contracts require athletic department personnel to wear the apparel of the sponsoring company. Alabama's is the only one that seems to extend to the president's office.

 

2. In recent contracts, Nike has mandated that athletic departments that want a new logo must offer the job to Nike first. Nike has the option to design the new logo -at its expense - and gift it to the university.

 

3. Logo sprawl. The logos of Nike, Adidas and Under Armour are seemingly everywhere at sporting events. It's no accident. UCLA's contract with Adidas stipulates it gets an ad on the auxiliary scoreboard in the iconic Pauley Pavilion, home of its basketball teams. Nike's deal with the University of Oklahoma includes placement of a swoosh on the football team's equipment truck. The University of Washington contract with Nike mandates a swoosh on the net of the varsity volleyball team.

 

4. Internships. When Alabama renegotiated its deal with Nike in 2010 after winning the national championship in football, Nike kicked in two paid internships for Alabama students at its Washington County headquarters. The perk now appears in the contracts of dozens of top football schools, including Oregon, Oregon State, Ohio State, Kentucky and the University of Washington.

 

5. Tom Izzo's giant Nike deal. Nike pays the Michigan State basketball coach $400,000 per year. Deals between basketball coaches and sneaker companies used to be routine. The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate galvanized public sentiment against the deals in 1991. Public records requests for similar deals between Nike, Adidas and Under Armour and top college football coaches have yet to turn up any similar deals.

 

Here are examples of details and a story about the Pac-12 Conference's contracts with Nike, Adidas and Under Armour.  Millions of dollars of equipment. Seven-figure cash payments and giant merchandise budgets for coaches. Hundreds of tickets for football games. Hospitality tents for VIPs. This past summer, the Portland Business Journal filed a public records request for the shoe and apparel contract of every Football Bowl Subdivision team. Roughly half of the 125 universities have responded. In the Pac-12, the University of Arizona was the only school that didn't respond. Stanford and the University of Southern California are private institutions and they're not required to disclose financial contracts. Nike outfits 10 of the conference’s schools. The University of Utah works with Under Armour and UCLA works with Adidas. 

 

Much of the above information comes from a couple of articles written by Matthew Kish, a staff reporter for the Portland Business Journal, in Oregon. I remember I first heard of these deals back when I worked at Bobby Knight's summer basketball camps. Coach Knight was connected, to a small degree, to an Adidas contract for his team to wear Adidas shoes and gear. Back then Indiana and Knight received 100 thousand dollars a year. Here is what Coach Knight did with the money. He paid his volunteer coaches a living wage, because back then basketball teams were allowed two volunteer coaches, not now. What money was left was put into a fund for his players for any outstanding expenses, maybe for their families, or whatever other needs that might accrue. Mind you, he did not use any of that money for his own needs.  I can't say that I know of any other college basketball coach who did that with what was called "shoe money" back then. Seems that the meaning of "shoe money" has become an archaic term, to what is, in my belief, now ownership of college athletic programs.

 

From what I understand, Coach Krzyzewski's shoe contract at Duke University is worth several million dollars, I have no idea what is done with that money, or how much it averages yearly, but in my findings this is what he gets. All in addition to his yearly salary, and he isn't the only Division 1 coach to be compensated by one of these companies. The funds become endorsement money, and like pro athletes, these compensated dollars are part of a contract to endorse and use said apparel of these corporations, like Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour. This is called "Big Business."

 

A recent tale was passed my way from a friend of mine who is involved in promoting games, mostly basketball. He told me that he and a committee he was on were promoting a local holiday college basketball tournament, involving local D-1 schools with other big name college programs. What has complicated the idea is the fact that some of the big named apparel corporations refuse to "allow" a school who gets endorsement money to play a school under contract with a competitor.  My response to that was: What? Hypothetically speaking, if one college is sponsored by Adidas, Adidas can say to that school; “You cannot compete against another college program because they are sponsored by Nike”. This only applies in a non-conference scenario, and can’t be an issue in league play.

 

Who says that college athletic programs are titled as amateur programs, and do not play for pay? Of course this money is not designed for paying the athletes, but these endorsements are directly a result from players representing their respective college, or university. Can this be another case for changing the college athlete's status from amateur to professional, or semi-professional? I wrote an article this past fall about the Northwestern University and how there was a question, through the football program, to pay players.  This is something that has been tossed around over the past year as a possibility. 

 

 

What is happening to Amateur athletics? This could become a reign of terror against college sports programs, maybe it's already too late.  I think the NCAA has a pandemic problem. Whatever happened to the idea that collegiate sports are an extracurricular activity? This is just another thorn in the side of the NCAA and what seems to be a misrepresentation of amateur athletics. Last year there was the addition and implementation of "one and done," for the athletes that want out of their current school, to move onto another school, with no loss of eligibility, or just play one year in college before going pro. This is another exploitation of the athlete, and in some cases, where a coach can recruit a player with the knowledge that he or she would only be around for a year. Corporations like Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour are exploiting these colleges and universities, with little regret Something has gone amuck, like a bug bite that has festered into a disease, with no foreseeable cure. 

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