Best Compliment Ever!

Girls basketball roundtable

POSTED ON MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2012 3:11 PM

BY MARK CZERWINSKI

MARK: There are teams that have impressed me more than individual players, which is a little different. I find Emerson fascinating. The Group 1 Cavos are 11-0 without a lot of depth and they have already beaten two Group 4 teams (Fair Lawn and Bloomfield) and two Group 3’s (Bergenfield and Old Tappan). Most of their games are close, so they are working hard for everything they have. Deanna Eyerkuss, their top player, fits her role there perfectly and is one those “best player nobody knows” types. I wasn’t covering girl’s basketball during coach Jenn Jurjevic’s high school career at Pascack Valley and don’t remember seeing her play, but several people have told me that this team is such a reflection of her. I can see that just by her personality. This is going to be a fun team to watch in the County tournament.

Playing With Energy, Practicing with Energy....

Well coached teams are motivated. Great teams play with energy and a visible passion that proves they are engaged in the process that the coach has established. I've always made it clear that I COACH with my HEART on my SLEEVE. I coach the same way I played, even though the roles are totally different. There have been several times this past season I made references to "ROBOTS". I struggled with the "robots" of the team.

I felt as though players got into a routine and robotic-al in their motions, especially during their 15 minutes of pre-practice skill work. I got into a habit of implementing 15 minutes of practice (at the beginning) to warm up. By warm up, I do not mean sit on the floor and chit chat while stretching or step onto the floor to chuck three's up. I gave the kids a regiment to work on their own personal skill work: form shooting, foot work, free throws, shooting, ball handling and attacking the rim. BAM, the clock sounds, we sprint our butts to the baseline for a little pre practice talk (I only allow myself, or try to at least, to speak for 5 minutes) and then we roll into our practice plan.

Worst feeling in the world was walking into the gym to see the kids just going through the motions, not taking pride in their free throws or shooting. I felt like that carried over and bit us in the you know what what when the state championship game came along. Well coached teams have little or no game slippage from practice. They are able to execute and play at high intensity levels. When I realized their was a serious drop in the line up, some kids just made it look too easy in their execution, I brought boys in to scrimmage against. Practice should be competitive, you should get knocked to the ground a few times, you should be pushed and kept humble but no matter who you play against or what the score is you play with ENERGY. There is no room for card board cut outs, your not just there to be there. Make a difference. Don't bore me. Do Something! And do it with emotion!