2009-10's in the can!

Well, another basketball season is in the can! We didn't finish as strong as we started, but we ended up with a 10-2 total record, second place in the district and second in our end-of season tournament.

Why can't we ever wind up IN FIRST????!!!!!

Sometimes, you just don't match up well with another team. The team that finished first and beat us twice down the stretch was very tall and athletic for a 7th-grade group. We're pretty athletic, but not really that tall. In fact, we were thin in the front-court all year. I had a guy who probably should have been a 4 playing at the 5 all year, and a true 3 playing the 4, so we never really had a real center playing that position. The guy who started the year starting at the 4 got hurt, so we were playing guys out of position for the rest of the year.

Not the way you want it if you had your 'druthers!

Not only that, but we had really inconsistent play at the point down the stretch, which was something that we rather took for granted for nearly 3 quarters of the season.

Just couldn't get over the hump!

Regardless, it was a GREAT season overall! We finished with double-digits in the win column, which is a big plus for the program! We finished the season with a scoring average well over 50 points per game (I haven't calculated the final average, but it was 56 going into the last week of the season!). We beat a couple of teams that we've NEVER beaten before (well...not since I've been coaching them!), and we had a season high (and perhaps a school record for 7th-grade, I'm not sure) of 86 points in a single game! I've had teams that didn't score 86 total in FOUR games, so that kind of output is not to be taken for granted!

Last evening, after our game in the tournament final (we played absolutely TERRIBLE but only lost by 6 I think it was) the parents threw a party for the team, which was really, really nice! I'm telling you, this is the best group of parents I've EVER had! I didn't hear anything but encouragement all season long! I mean, there was none of the "why isn't my kid playing the point?" or "why isn't my kid getting the same kind of minutes as Little Johnny?" kind of stuff that parents usually come up with. It was all very positive and productive! The parents had gotten together and bought trophies for all of them AND a very nice plaque for me! When me and MDB walked into the room, they gave us a really nice round of applause, which was really uplifting as well. They had food, drinks (well, MDB went and got drinks, which was why I knew something was up!), cake and ice cream, and the trophies!

SPECTACULAR!!

They asked me to say a few words, so I told them that they needed to give themselves a big round of applause first, because they are the best group of parents I've ever had at any level. Then I basically told them that even though the kids were disappointed, they had nothing to be ashamed about; they played their hearts out and simply came up against a team that they did not match up well against. I told them that we have some simply outstanding athletes, several of whom could be D-1 scholarship athletes if they keep working on their game, keep their heads clear and stay out of trouble, and continue working on their academics. I told them that the 8th-grade coach, who came to our game on Friday, was absolutely DROOLING over the thought of getting these guys next year and that I was really looking forward to following their progress as they continue their careers.

Then I thanked them for the plaque and the wonderful party, and sat down!

So, here's good-bye to 2009-10 and a look forward to 2010-11!