Ask a Shot Putter

Next week we are beginning our Lone Star Conference Challenge which involves the weight room, the track, conditioning in the gym, swimming and some written challenges. Our first challenge is running 15 x 100's. At the volleyball game the other night, I asked Aisha Adams (our All-American track stud!) to give me a average time that she could run 15 100's. She said 12.8 seconds. I stared at her like she was a crazy, because I don't know about y'all but I couldn't run one 100-meter dash that fast, but this isn't about me. Since the entire 'Belle Basketball team was at the volleyball game I thought I would inform them of what Aisha said.

When I told them that Aisha said she could run them in 12.8 seconds, there was a stunned silence and then Halie Hargraves (redshirt freshman from Christoval) said "go ask a shot putter!"


Now, that is funny stuff!

New Year New Rules

At our first team meeting I informed the players about one of our new rules for this year - NO CELL PHONES IN THE JUNELL CENTER! I am happy to inform you that we started with 15 players and we still have 15 players. Cell phones and more specifically texting as seeped into our brains and taken over. If you are thinking "did the Belles use to have their cell phones in the gym during practice?" "No wonder they lost 12 games last year." Of course we didn't have the cell phones in the gym, but as soon as they left the gym they had to check their messages. Why? Instead of talking to each other about practice and quite possibly what an idiot the coach is, etc, etc..., they are staring at their cell phone screen. I have more cell phone rules for the team, but I decided to ease them into this strange new world of engaging with the people right in front of you instead to the people at the other end of a cell phone.



That is all I have for now. I need to go text my husband, who is upstairs, to ask him if he is taking the kids to school in the morning. No need wasting an actual trip up the stairs! That would lead to exercise and an actual conversation and we would't want that now would we?

Back to School Party - Sunday Aug 23, 2009

What a great way to start of the new year! A couple of weeks ago I told the five upperclassmen that if they wanted to have our traditional back to school party, they would have to plan it. I made this rule after we had some players take some of our traditions for granted last year. I have challenged this group to work with me to get our team headed back into the right direction. Well, I am happy to say that they passed the first challenge with flying colors. They found a place ( a ranch with a beautiful man-made lake) and they organized all the other players to bring the food, drinks, and desserts. Stacy and I didn't do anything but show up and eat. Can't go wrong there! The players had a great time riding the seado and intertubing.

The rest of this week we will have team meetings, physicals, test in the weight room, and hopefully get the freshman to all of their classes! We are definitely heading in the right direction.

The Beginning - August 23, 2009

Welcome to the beginning. The beginning of this blog, the beginning of a new school year, and the beginning of a new season. The Belles have such great fans and we thought this would be a lot of fun for them to read, well it will be fun to read when we win anyway. I can't promise fun after a loss! In addition to my blog, Lauren Holt, a freshman from Christoval, will be writing her own blog. I think it will be very interesting to compare our perspectives of the same day/game/practice/road trip/etc.



Classes start Monday and the players living on campus moved in yesterday. The girls were excited but the parents were understandably anxious about leaving their daughters. Since my kids are only six and eight and they have both promised to live with me forever, I am a few years away from this happening to me. But, having my own kids really puts into perspective that these young ladies are somebody's babies!! That is one of the main benefits of being part of a team as soon as you get to campus. You automatically have a support system in place. You have teammates and coaches to help you learn the ropes. I know it was a long time ago, but I remember the thing I was most anxious about when I went off to college, was if I would have someone to eat lunch with! Hopefully the coaches and returning players remember how it feels to be a freshman and we do our best to alleviate their fears and anxieties. When Stacy and I told one parent she could call us any time, she grabbed our arm looking unsure and asked "really?" I hope she didn't cry all the way home!

I promise we will take good care of her babies!



Tomorrow is our first official team function - a team party at a lake. You know what they say about all work and no play!



I am really excited about the upcoming season and sharing it with you on this blog. I hope you enjoy it.