Even from a distance...

Life is funny sometimes, how, even when you really want to be one place, it is just more important to be another. When family is in need, though, you go. Recently, my father in law passed away, making it important for me to step away from my basketball family to be with the Thompson family in Florida. Despite the magnitude of Friday night's game against Hazelwood Central, life had me in Florida. It is in times like this that the true colors of a team show up...in times of adversity. Although I was 17 hours from the action, and I have never stepped foot into the gymnasium at Visitation, I was right there in the action. Leroy, our dedicated student manager/film guy, kept me up to date on the score, time and all of the game's action. I got to read about Jordan having 3 fouls in the first (the pacing began), I heard about Erin playing well (I sat back down and bragged to family about you!) and eventually I heard about a huge 3 from Jordan and the Statesmen pulling out the victory! My best moment was the call from the locker room, listening to hoots and hollers of joy and pride. Coach Perkins' excitement was obvious and I could hear the smiles through the phone. Up until this moment, we'd started to wonder who we were as a team...that night, I think they felt who they really are.
So, despite promises to return for Sunday's game with Cor Jesu, life played another funny game. For the second straight big game, I was absent from seeing my 10 favorite chicks play. Stuck at home with food poisoning, I couldn't even think about the game until midway through the 3rd, when my dude Leroy continued back with updates. Talk about a nail-biter! I heard Leah played well in the paint, I heard Jordan had 4 fouls, but stayed cool and finished out the game as the floor general. The announcer at the tournament said that a 13 seed has never made it this far!
So, next Sunday, the 26th, we will play the winner of St. Joe and Kirkwood in the semi-final. From a distance, the girls have looked great and showed what they're capable of. I am confident they'll do the same when we come together again next week.
I'm so proud of you, ladies. Keep working hard!
Enjoy the holidays, Statesmen fans.

Adversity

We haven't exactly had the start we had hoped for. After a 2 point loss to Marquette on Friday night and our home opener against Hazelwood Central ending in a loss, the team is staring adversity in the eyes. The girls are very reflective and KNOW what needs to be done to turn things around, it is just about having the heart and pride to do so at this point. We're convinced that all of our learning we're doing now will make us successful when it counts.
KEEP YOUR HEADS UP, GIRLS! BATTLE BATTLE BATTLE!
Here is a little passage that reminds us...WHY we do what we do, even in the times of adversity...

An Athlete’s Pride

“I’m a player. I’m a team player. I play with my friends and with some of my enemies, but I respect everyone when it comes to my sport. I know I’m not going to get a multi-million dollar contract to play professionally. I know I may not even get my name in the paper. I play for the love of the game. For the pride and honor, for the blood, sweat and tears it takes to make the team, to earn the spot, to win the game. I play because I can, I play because I know that my life would be empty without the sport I play. I would have a lack of everything my sport gives me…integrity, courage, talent, fearlessness, pride, strength, stamina, will and the heart of a champion. If I didn’t play, I would lose a part of me. I’m an athlete. I’m a girl. I’m a champion, not because my team always wins, but because when we don’t, we learn from our mistakes. We try to fix them and most of all because we have fun. I have built lifelong friendships and memories because of my being an athlete. I leave everything on the field or court and continue to push myself. I am never happy with second place, but I have learned to accept it. I have learned to get over and through my anger and be the athlete and player I have always dreamed of being. I don’t play for my parents, for my family, for my friends; I don’t play for my coach or my teachers or my school. I play for myself but when I’m play I represent them. It isn’t about winning or losing, but I hate to lose. I won’t settle for a tie, and I’m not satisfied with 100%. To play, you have to sacrifice everything, your body, your time, your sweat, blood and tears, everything…for your team. I am a player, and athlete and a champion, not because I know what it is like to win, but because I know what it is like to lose. I know what it is like to feel the anger and pain that comes along with “second best.” I have been that girl with tears in her eyes, walking out to receive the second place trophy and clapping as the other team, my opponents, receive the first place one. I know what it is like to lose, to win, to want to quit, to want to cry, to not want to get up. I know what it is like to hear the cheers and yells for you. I know what it is like to feel the pressure of everyone on your shoulders, and I know what it is like to choke under that pressure. I know what it means to be an athlete, a true player, and that is why I play.

I AM AN ATHLETE, A CHAMPION, A TRUE PLAYER.”—An Athlete’s Pride

1st week

Tuesday night's game against Washington was a fun start to our performance at the Randi Perkins Marquette tournament. Jordan Thompson scored a whopping 38 points to lead our team, including a new school record of 8 three pointers made. ROCK STAR! 

There is always goofiness at our team dinners.

Wednesday night we were matched up with the no. 1 seeded Fort Zumwalt West, who got off to a decisively devastating 1st quarter lead. Despite the girls fighting back the entire game, the Jaguars (a Final Four team from last year) held on for the win. In talking together after the tough game, we determined how learning from the loss will only make us better in the long run. As a coaching staff, we were pleased with the girls' positive attitudes as they approached Thursday's practice.

The girls warming up prior to the game against Washington.

Tonight, the girls take on the host school, Marquette. Watch for the Statesmen to have more depth in the guard spot, with Morgan Unger returning to the team after a bout with strep throat. The team will be focusing on getting out to a quick start, intensifying their defense and using interior and exterior scoring to attack the Mustangs. We're looking to cap off the first week of play with the team's 2nd victory.