I stand before you tonight with NO LEAGUE
TITLE and NO STATE SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. Does this mean we were not a good
team bc we do no bare those gifts, ABOSILUTELY NOT! Jim Valvano once said,
“sometimes good teams just lose”. Well we are a great team and we just lost.
We played our best basketball in the
first half of the season, one of the only teams left undefeated 16 games in, we
were 16-0 and not with a cup cake, weak sauce schedule, we had the strongest
schedule in our four years here. For a good portion of the season we were
ranked 5th in the Record’s North Jersey Poll. We won 25 games for
the second year in a row and only lost 10 games in the last two years. All 5
starters received all league honors and Allison Larose was named honorable
mention. Deanna Eyerkuss was 2nd team All County for the 2nd
year in a row. She received her 1000th point thanks to the help of
her teammates. We leave Emerson with 77 wins and 35 losses.
Some memorable moments: December 18th
verse Bergenfield at the coaches verse cancer benefit game when I split my
paints trying to get Marissa Cerniglia’s attention. But
Cerniglia made up for it, not by paying my tailor bill but by when she grabbed
an outlet from Bosseli’s rebound and viciously pushed the ball up the floor
through two defenders to Jenna Albanese who stepped in for a 3 to win the game.
And yes her foot was behind the line, we watched two game tapes from two
different angles confirming it was a legit 3 pointer.
January 31st , The
“CONTROVERSAL CRESSKILL GAME”. We entered this game 16-0 and were about to be
handed our first loss of the season. In the 4th quarter I called a
time out to rally the troops, to motivate them. I pulled the 5 seniors in and
told them that “ 4 years ago, I fell in love with Emerson and our team, we are
known as the county sweet hearts, favored by many, it was time to live up this
role and sweep the county off their feet”. WE LOST. This
was a revelation for me, it was the moment I realized that I rather be by my
teams side with a loss than not have the opportunity to be with them at all. We
walked away with a loss but I walked away with the most important realization
of my coaching career here at Emerson.
February 7th, at Pequannock. I
scheduled a very tough Pequannock game on the road out by them. We were supposed
to lose, they had a 6’3 girl going D1 next year and one of the better coaches
out in that area. What happened, WE WON.
Febuary 27th, Emerson being the # 1 seed
in the states playing Butler the # 16 seed at home in CAVO LAND. We only scored
8 points at half and where down. The gym was packed with fans and the infamous
CAVOS CRAZIES. I told the girls to take a look around, all these people are
here for YOU and this was no longer our team it was their team as well. We did
not want to let you down. We fought our way back to a one point lead, 31-30
with plenty of time left on the clock for us to lose this one but the CAVO
CRAZIES WOULD NOT LET US LOSE and neither would Jaclyn Bosseli. There she was
behind that three point line, only one or two passes into the possession. Time
and Situation teaches us to work the ball, a few more passes, no low percentage
chances. Well Jaclyn Bosseli had devised her own game plan. She spots up for a
3, all of the coaches stand up in motion yelling “NO” synched together at the
same time. IT GOES IN! At that moment I look over at Jill Muller who went from
being in her 20s to approximately 128 years old. Janet claims she had heart
palpitations. Jill’s face was Milky White and I think her hair started to fall
out, all I could say was “did she really just do that to us… again”. We won
36-30 thanks to you, the community, the cavo crazies who drove us through
ADVERSITY.
Tuesday, March 6th – DAY
NUMBER 100 of the season, Yes Jenni Cella I confirmed that number with my
Calendar. This was the championship game verse cresskill. We lost, Did it hurt?
It killed, it was devastating. My heart had just been ripped out and I didn’t
know what to say to the team or even myself. The girls walked into the locker room,
I could hear their cries. I stayed in the coaches office for quite some time , I realized coaching was like giving
birth. Its painful. Dr. Velenti Walks in
with the cavo crazie “JENNY WE LOVE YOU POSTER” with the line from forest gump.
It immediately brought a smile to my face, I realized that Cresskill had won
that night in the box score but we had won as a community. We brought everyone
together to watch these 5 seniors weave in and out of their magic. We all
became so close through the wins and even closer through the losses. Dr.
Valenti was right, we had nothing to be ashamed of, we needed to keep our heads
high. Vince Lombardi once said the best feeling in the world was lying
exhausted in victory, when asked what was the second best feeling was he said
lying exhausted in defeat.
As coaches we
have many responsibilities, The goal is to win,
but to win the correct way. Never sacrifice character for wins. I’ve always
tried to provide my girls with as many opportunities to grow the game as much
as possible. I stood up here two years ago and told you that I try to keep my
kids playing, that I try to keep them together, it doesn’t guarantee success
but it makes it that much more achievable. I believe in giving back to the
community, kids keep me young and I enjoy working with them. I knew Emerson was
the right place for me when Jenna Albanese told me to leave my harry potter
looking blazer at home. Based on PAST HISTORY, our program has been full of
character. BASED ON PAST HISTORY my players have believed that I’ve always had
their best interest at heart. Based on past history the parents have understood
that I’ve had a discipline approach but BASED ON PAST HISTORY we’ve always
managed to have fun.
On Sunday April 29th the record
published an article titled the “PARENT TRAP” – a growing trend, mom and dad
want coach fired. Daren Cooper
wrote “the truth is, athletes always know who is a good coach and who is not, and the athletes always know why
someone is playing instead of them. They just can’t bring themselves to say it
to their parents . They know what their parents have invested. I
know that our players and their parents have invested a lot into our program,
well its paid off. No matter what position you play in life our game plan as
coaches was to reach full development as a whole person, the complete student
athlete.
My seniors, my
friends, my pasi for life. Our bond and friendship did not end with our last
game, it will only continue to grow. The ABCDE of Emerson Basketball. Albanese,
Boselli, Cerniglia, DeThomasis, Eyerkuss. My professional goal was to add value
to your lives every day. We used the basketball court as a life stage, what you
do in basketball you will do in life. You won on the court and you will be
winners off the court. You have been handed many great blessings, with these
blessings come great responsibilities to reach out and make a difference.
We have
introduced a new award for our program this year, it’s the BOB CARCICH AWARD.
When I think of Cich, I think of an Emerson legend with a great personality and
a great coach. I think of someone who is very dear to me, a mentor a friend and
someone who took a chance on me four years ago.
Albanese – Jenna
is the co-recipient of the Bob Carcich award. When I think about Jenna I think
about how the more I got to know her the more appreciation I gained for having
her part of my life. A strong individual who led by example. A coach of her own
on the court. A natural leader. A student athlete who always worked with in the
academic frame work of the school. Because of Jenna I have seen the positives
of setting goals and pushing a team of players to achieve it, working together
and striving for something as a team. Jenna Albanese can you make a “SPEED CUT”
up here with that Milky White reflection and receive the Bob Carcich Award.
Thank You Lisa and
John Albanese.
Boselli – Jaclyn
is a strong character who has evolved as a strong leader and a GREAT
COMMUNICATER. My biggest success story with Jaclyn is not her 890 career
points, but its that by her senior year our bond has placed us on the same
page. We finally get it, we finally get one another. Because of her
personality, she brought this team that much closer. I would walk into the gym
for our morning practice scheduled before school to the girls stretching and
Jaclyn singing “its 5 O’clock in the morning, mom and dad are still
snoring”. Because of this charm
she is the co-recipient of the Bob Carcich Award.
Thank you Julie
and Joe Bosseli.
Cernigilia – A
three sport PHENOM, I still think basketball is her best sport but the bottom
line is no matter what you were playing you were fun to watch. Those no look
passes to JB in the post followed up by a doosh-umon by bosseli was the icing
on the cake! You made it fun! Excellence is a gradual result of always wanting
to do better, you’ve received excellence by pushing yourself to reach maximum
potential. You are one of the reasons at senior night I titled everything under
the word “Privilege”. It is a prievelge to play basketball for Emerson High
School and its been a privelege coaching you that last four years. Marissa
Cerniglia is the recipient of the 2012 Coaches Award.
Thank You Robin
and Matty Ice.
DeThomasis
– I’ve made several references to
Tara about being my pride. This will never change. Tara went from honorable
mention last year to 1st team all league this season. She was our
leading scorer in several games. But what makes her even more special is what
she was willing to do for teammates. She guarded all county players, she shut
down top scorers just to help her team win. The key to a successful life is the
process, thanks to Tara she has shown me that the process is what’s most fun in
Basketball. You can’t rush this, you need to be patient and as a coach continue
to provide opportunities for these student athletes to getter better. Tara
DeThomasis is the 2012 most improved player.
Much Thanks to
my Prayer Warrior and John DeThomasis.
Eyerkuss - Deanna is a very blessed player. She has
been a recipient of many accomplishments in the game of basketball. Her natural
abilities have given her opportunity to succeed. There is simply no substitute
for practice and hard work. She has done ordinary things better than everyone
else. It’s the little things that separate the best from the rest. But what
really makes Deanna MVP of was the level of maturity she attained by her senior
year. She was fun to coach. Deanna is the 2012 MVP for the 3rd year
in a row.
Thank You Crystal and Steve Eyerkuss.
My Last Thank You’s:
Thank You Cich for putting up with me the last 4 Years.
Thank You Dr. Velenti for being a role model a young female
striving to be a professional.
Thank You to the Board of Education and School
Administrators, I went to Pascack Valley, I attended Board Meetings and
received awards but you’ve made your faces known by attending our games and
showing us great support thank you.
Thank You GUS – it just dawned on me 4 years later that we
should have used your 6’3 frame for dream team.
Thank You Dream Team, we made some T shirts for you guys so
please see us to grab them.
To My coaches, my wack pack, my ladies. Janet and Jill we went through high
school together and then four years here at Emerson, Im sure something will
come up for us in the near future. Nicole, please don’t block my number bc I
call you too much. I love you and Thank You.
To my Juniors, remember you are the studs next year and this
is your team and your time. To my
sophmores, my little doo-doos you’ve grown into strong female athletes. My
freshman, sky is the limit and no one can put a cap on the potential you can
obtain.
