My Last #Emerson Speech

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 5^th 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 2^nd team All County for the 2^nd year in a row. She received her 1000^th point thanks to the help of her teammates. We leave Emerson with 77 wins and 35 losses.

Some memorable moments: December 18^th 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 31^st , The “CONTROVERSAL CRESSKILL GAME”. We entered this game 16-0 and were about to be handed our first loss of the season. In the 4^th 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 7^th, 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 6^th – 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 29^th 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 1^st 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 3^rd 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.