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Coaches Comments (July 2008)
July 4, 2008 --
With the season coming towards the stretch, we're optimistic that this will be a month that this organization takes another step forward that players and parents want to be a part of. All of our teams will be playing in the All American Sports Nationals in San Antonio on the 19th of July. We will be spending the night in San Antonio and that will cost an additional $25.00 per player per night that we stay. I want everyone to know that all our teams received invitations to Primetime, MAYB, USSSA, and NTC to play in their National Tournaments. I was tempted to send a couple of teams to the Primetime Tournament, but it is about a 5 day commitment. It would be a bit much for the Coaches at this time, especially Coach Joe Francis because he just had a baby and needed to take time off for that.
I had a meeting with my Coaches last week and I informed them that I will not be coaching any teams next season. I will continue to work with the coaches and players individually, but I will concentrate more on other issues like fundraising, tournaments, write-ups on games and players, and having our own tournament. Coaching two teams and trying to handle those other responsibilities was too much and it left me lacking on both ends. I was not happy with my coaching because I could not give it my full commitment, and maybe my style does not work with todays kids and parents. I'm not gonna change, so I'd prefer to let the youngsters handle it for me. All of our teams will run the same schemes from now on though, and all our teams will be aggressive, uptempo, and entertaining, and our kids will be proud to wear that Hustlaz uniform.
Unfortunately, I decided to end the season for the 8th grade team because some players were injured, a couple of others quit, and some could not handle discipline. Some of the discipline problems on that team were ones you would expect older kids to have. The majority of the kids were really great kids, but a couple of bad apples can destroy a team. I kept the players that I felt could handle playing up a grade level. One was a 7th grader and I moved him to that team. The others were moved to JV. These are the type of kids you like to keep in your program and you know they will listen to you.
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Welcome to the Hustlaz 2009 Season!!
February 27, 2009 --
As our season gets underway, I want to address a few things.
In order for us to run our program efficiently everyone has to pay the registration fee and their dues on time. We want to travel and participate in as many tournaments as we can this year. It cost money to rent gym time, register for tournaments, travel and other incidentals associated with running a program.
In the past, we have worked with families who have had difficulty paying and we will continue to do so, because we love what we do. We certainly understand the economic climate. However, there are always individuals looking to get over and who want something for nothing. It is not fair to the people who sacrifice and pay on time or volunteer their time and efforts to an organization for their child to participate in a program to carry those who do not. It is also not fair for the staff to come out of their pockets to help kids who are not appreciative and then have the nerve to be disrespectful and arrogant.
This year we will not have this! We want kids that are the total package; talented, respectful and willing to work hard and sacrifice for what they want. A few of our past players were very talented and thought we needed them more than they needed us. They found out differently. It is always a two-way street. We will be making cuts this year on some teams for the reasons listed above. I like to think of it as addition through subtraction.
At this time, we need more parent volunteers to organize or help with our program and fundraising events. If you can help in any capacity, please contact us through the hustlaz_basketball@sbcglobal.net email address.
We are going to have a great season!!
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Coaches Comments (May 2008)
I apologize for not keeping the website updated, but this has been a very busy and tiring month since the Kingwood tournament. I have so many topics to talk about that I don't know where to start.
First of all, let me update you about the gym situation. We were suspended from practicing in the gym this week. They said we tore down a sound barrier, but I really don't think we did it because I closed down the gym and put all the chairs up and I did not see anything out of order. That said, we really have to be careful and really restrict our movements to only the gym, restroom, and water fountain. We are probably on our last leg so we really need to be on our best behavior when we're there. No drinks are allowed in the gym and everything must be put back in place after we finish. After practice, no one will be allowed to shoot any balls and everyone must exit outside.
Yesterday we had a meeting at Connally H.S. with Coach Sanders, the head coach at Connally. He invited us and other AAU coaches in the Austin area to attend so that he could talk to us. We have been invited to play in an "All Centex Sports High School Summer League". The games will be played at Connally in June and July, and at Crockett H. S. in August. The cost is $40.00 per player, but we will pay for it as long as everyone pays their fees and pays them on time. The lack of everyone paying their dues and paying them on time is really handicapping the program this season. It's imperative that everyone pay their fees on time and try to catch up. I plan on having all our teams in summer league play and that weekday game will be considered a practice. That way we can cut down on our gym fees and be able to pay for summer league ball.
We're already planning for next season and next year will be tougher to make the Hustlaz Varsity team. As of right now, I will only have a Varsity, JV, 8th Grade and 6th Grade team, with a bigger focus on the younger teams. There will be other changes also. Everything and everyone will be evaluated. More practice will be spent on fundamentals and less on scrimmaging each other. This way, we can play all of our teams in the same tournaments and we can support each other. I like to support my coaches and I like to cheer the kids on. Sometimes I like to sit on the bench with them and pump them up. If the team is struggling, I will be there to support them and see firsthand where the problem lies. What coaches need to realize is that if your team is struggling, the parents will come to me first and give me their concerns because this is my organization and in the end everything bad that happens falls on me. My job is to try and fix it if I can.
During the coaches meeting yesterday, Coach Sanders talked about the state of youth basketball in Austin, Texas. He said that basketball players are not recruited from this area for a number of reasons. Players that do get scholarships come back home in a couple of months. Reasons were because of grades, discipline, not working to improve, not being able to handle criticism or getting chewed out. The problem I see is that the kids are spoiled and the parents try to fight every battle for them. Parents need to realize that you will not be with them when they go to college and you can not protect them from everything so you should let them handle their situations on the team. Don't get upset if your son does not play as much as you think he should. Some games he may not play at all. Alot depends on how he does at practice. On some teams the competition is fierce and overloaded at some positions. Most college coaches look at the players in this area as D-2, D-3, NAIA, and JC caliber. We are going to try and change that.
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Coaches Comments March 2009
Welcome Hustlaz parents and players to a new and exciting season. We will hit this season off to a running start. I'm really excited about the teams this season, especially about the team I will be coaching this season the JV team. I will be able to focus more on my team this year and I have alot of talented players, new and returning. As of right now, they will be the only team playing this weekend because the parents on this team are making an effort to pay their fees and dues. Last season I focused so much attention to my other coaches teams that I neglected my team. Even though the team played hard and improved as the season went along, we suffered because I had alot of inexperienced players on the team. This season I have a veteran core returning players like Jeff Butler, Ryan Owens, Eric Berry, Muhammad Akbar, Arin Satterwhite, and Logan Mangold. These players already know know what to expect and know the schemes. New players in the fold and expected to bring an impact are Jacob Branch , Montavian Green, Darius Raymond and Dementrey Thomas. I still want about two more players on this team to complete the roster.
The Varsity team will be the most competitive team we have ever had because we have a large returning group of players and alot of new players trying to make the team. We have some hard decisions to make on some players and character and dedication will play a large part in the players we keep.
This summer we were doing fundraisers at the University of Texas football games and we had just under $2,000 stolen by some of the players. Most of the money we earned we had to give back to Sodexho because of kids stealing from themselves basically. I have a very good idea who those players are and I will have zero tolerance for those players. If players on this team cannot pay their obligations, then they will not be playing for this team. The reason I'm saying this is because some parents are going to be wondering what happened to the money we raised from Sodexho. Well, that is what happened to the money. It is what it is. We go out here trying to help these young kids in order so that they have the opportunity to be able to afford to play AAU basketball and a few mess it up for everybody. This is not about airing out our dirty laundry, but I want everyone to know the facts before everything gets twisted up and stories change.
We do have some excellent young men on the Varsity team with great character and talent. Players like Rileigh Linville, Uriah Hall, Tony Thompson, Jhordan Mason, Pierce Simpson, Andre Taylor, Stephen Manago, and Justin Lindsey. These players I know are trustworthy and dependable. These are the type of players we want in our program. We have alot of good players trying out for the remaining spots and unfortunately we will let some good players go.
We will have to focus more on our 8th grade team this week. We have a nice group of players that will get better in the coming weeks like Dominique Lewis, Trent Mangold, Damen Wofford, Ian Satterwhite, Markell Taylor, and Derek Oruzi. We will be having a second tryout on the 7th of March at 3:30 at Immanuel because we need about 5-6 players on that team. Coach Thomas is out of town on business so I will be coaching that team till he returns. We are still waiting for Leonard Allen to come to the team at this time.
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THANK YOU!!!!
Thank you to all the players and parents who participated in the Sodexho fundraiser at UT. It was a new experience for all and we could not have done it without your dedication. Thank you very much!! GO HUSTLAZ!!
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Coaches Comments April 2009
April 12, 2009 --
I have a few topics that I'd like to talk about this month. The first is about players and parents of players that play in AAU and on our Hustlaz teams. When I started this organization five seasons ago, I had only 4 players that had played any organized basketball in school. None had AAU experience. The team really struggled the first couple of months because they were inexperienced. The team I had assembled were 9th graders and we were playing 10th graders. It was tough the first couple of months because they made alot of mistakes mentally. The only way they were going to get better was to play and get that experience.
Just like in the real world, no matter how much education you have, somebody will still have to train you for the job. To me, this is what AAU basketball is about. It is my job to teach these players how to play the game the right way. When they get to school, the coaches are going to expect them to know how to play. Some people get into this and expect to have a team of All Stars on the team. They're not happy because the team struggles and don't win as much as they think they should. Well, if they think like that, maybe they should have tried out for the Ambassadors or another program where your child already know the game and doesn't need much coaching. Here I feel our job is to teach the game. I love teaching the game to my players and watching them get better and get to the level they need to have success on the court. As I said in the mission statement; "If you think your child is a star and deserve star treatment, maybe this isn't the team for your child." I treat all players on the team the same and I expect them to do what I say on the court, not the parent. If they do not listen to what I expect them to do, they will be sitting on the bench. We as coaches also forget sometimes what we really are here to do. We sometimes get so obsessed with winning that we forget about the kids on the team with lesser experience and don't coach them as hard as the players with more skills. Remember that we are only as strong as our weakest player and we have to do our best to coach that player up as best we can. Parents are paying good money for their child to learn to play the game and they expect their child to show improvement. I feel that is my #1 objective as coach. I want to win as bad as anyone else, but that is not what this is all about. I want to teach them to play with confidence, discipline, and team work first. The winning will follow.
The next thing I want to address is the tournaments in the area. We will not be playing in many tournaments in the area this year. We will support the Austin Ice, the Texas Extreme, and "Nothin' But Net" tournaments, but other than that we will play in Killeen, Georgetown, Cedar Park, and Temple. That's about as local as I want to get. I was really disgusted with the tournament this past weekend with the way they messed us around with the schedule and the way they changed the bracket to benefit other teams.
We will be having fundraisers for the teams in the coming weeks to try and help out with paying for hotels and travel. The Varsity will need the most help and I'm expecting the players on that team to step up and make a contribution to the cause. We are having a supper fundraiser in a couple of weeks. All teams will participate. Coach Thomas is heading that with some parents on the 8th grade team. I'm hoping for some of the parents on the JV and Varsity teams to step up and help us out.
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Coaches Comments (April 2008)
April 11, 2008 --
So much has been going on lately that it has been hard to keep up. First thing I want to let everyone know is that Pierce Simpson injured his ACL in a tournament two weeks ago and will have surgery this coming Monday. He is done for this season, but he is still a big part of this team and we will assist him with his rehab so he will be ready to play this coming school year. Our prayers will be with him that the surgery will be a success.
We have been getting a late rush on players trying to get on the team this week, so my advice to you is that you sign up quickly or you will be left without playing for a team this season. Our only need at this moment is a big man for the Varsity team. Other than that, all our teams are full. The JVII team is starting to look like a formidable team also. We are to getting some quality players on that team too. The one team that has my concern is the 7th grade team. They have been struggling this season and morale has been low. We want the parents to know we care about those young men and we will do our best to get them motivated, build camaraderie, to play hard and aggressive and more than anything...have fun playing basketball. We really need the kids that have not been coming to practice to start coming back so we can start building a winning program once again. Coach Eric is really working hard and we will get more aggressive defensively. The parents will enjoy watching their kids flying around out there.
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Coaches Comments (March 2008)
A lot of things are happening this month, but next month will be a very busy month for our teams and the organization. Some of our teams will play at least three tournaments, and a couple of our teams will be attending the Kingwood tournament. Players that plan on playing in this tournament (Varsity and JV) will have to be fully registered and updated with their fees. We will be taking individual and team photos on the 20th of this month, so please bring your uniform to practice. We also need everyone to turn in their registration forms, if you have not already. We need to send a roster to Kingwood by the end of the week, so it is imperative that you get signed onto the team before the end of the week.
Coach Joe Francis will be doing a fundraiser for his team this weekend at Gattiland to help out some of his players that need assistance with their fees. Parents and players need to understand that this is not free and everything we do costs money. We are trying to be a self-sufficient organization that does not have to depend on fundraising all the time. If everyone pays their fair share, we can pay for our own gym time, hotel, tournament and travel fees. Compared to most organizations, what we do for our players is worth the investment. We have great kids and parents, and we plan to keep it that way.
The tournament for the Varsity, JV, and 8th grade team on the 29th of this month has been changed from Killeen, TX to Waco, TX. We would like to go there to play in that tournament as long as everyone is OK with driving there and back. It will give us an opportunity to see and compete against a whole different group of teams that we have not played against before. I want to play in alot of different tournaments so that our players can be exposed to different teams and styles.
We had to drop our 9th grade team because we were not getting enough kids to join in that age group, so I decided to develop another JV team consisting of 9th/10th graders because the 9th grade team was going to have to play up most tournaments anyway, and because we have alot of 10th graders that want to play. Players that I was going to build the team around decided not to play for us this season. It was disappointing for me because I really do care for them and wanted to see them succeed. I wish them the best in the future and hope they get a chance to play for someone this season. My concern now though are for the kids in our program.
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Coaches Comments (February 2008)
With the season fast approaching, we are anticipating numerous successes for all our teams. The older teams will participate in some of the most competitive tournaments we have ever played. Parents and players should anticipate some tournaments be replaced with more highly competitive tournaments. My job as Director is to try and expose our players to the best competition out there and make sure that they're prepared to play at that level. The talent level that we've recruited is the best since I started the organization. We have huge expectations going into this season. The Varsity team is full, and we're just waiting for a couple of our high school players (Uriah Hall, Duane Coleman, Adam Nawazo, Elgyn Chandler, and Glen Goloe) to finish their playoff run. The team has the potential to be special and we should be able to make some noise in Kingwood once again this season. The JV is nearly complete, with 2 roster spots still open, but we will go with what we have if we need to, but I would like another shooting guard/ point guard (Lewis Wright, we want you!!!) and another big man, but the depth is solid throughout this team. The 9th grade team has the least amount of players on it thus far, but I'm expecting this team to fill up quickly in the next week or two. This team will probably be the biggest team size wise with 5 or more players 6'-3" or taller. Even with all the great talent we have on our other teams, this team has the potential to be the best. The 8th grade team is a solid team and I think that they will play better as a team than the others and will be more consistent. We are waiting on decisions from a couple of top recruits for the 7th grade team that we hope will come aboard and make this team a very formidable team. Coach Eric is a very good coach and the kids that play for him will be fundamentally sound when they leave this program. The practice schedule is out for the rest of this month through the month of April. Just click on calendar, find the month and the team your son plays on. Starting March 1st, all of our practices will be at the 1st Baptist Church in Round Rock, right off FM620 and I-35.
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Coaches Comments (December 2007)
LINK TO THE 2008 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
First of all, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and will have a safe New Year. With the new season getting closer, we have a few things that need to be said. We are having tryouts the next two weekends because of the volume of kids and needing players for two new teams and a few older teams. Also, there won't be too many excuses for people that may not be available this week or next week. Keep in mind new parents that this is highly competitive basketball and not “rec” ball.
We will be looking for volunteer coaches for our teams to start out as assistants, but not just stay in the background. There will be times when you may have to coach the team, so I would like to get coaches to learn the plays and the kids, demand their respect, learn our philosophies and our schemes and are dependable.
We are also looking for parents that will help us coordinate and organize our concessions and gate receipts for our upcoming tournaments. We will be expecting our parents to step up and help out, especially the parents whose kids play on the 9th-Varsity teams, because they will travel more than the other teams, and this will help cover the cost for their hotel stays. These teams will be traveling to Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and New Orleans, Louisiana so your help in the tournaments will be expected so that you will not have to come out of pocket for hotel stays. We have a couple of other fundraising ideas that can raise a lot without working too hard. We will not be washing any cars this year!!!
I would like to have a parents meeting in a week or two after we have picked our players for our teams. I will be getting the schedule out for the younger teams in the next couple of days. The schedule for the older teams is out, just click on tournaments and you can see the season schedule for the older teams to find out when and where we are playing so you can make any arrangements you need to make. Practice times will be posted on the website. However, I won't let you know where we practice on the website, because finding gyms has become a major pain in the neck. I have found a new place for the Hustlaz practices and I will e-mail and call you with the information.
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Coaches Comments September 07
September 23, 2007 --
Now that the 2007 basketball season is over and we took a break in the action, we are now gearing up for the 2008 season. All of the coaches are fired up and looking forward to the upcoming season. We have been going out and watching our young men play for their high school teams during their fall league games. It's been nice to see so many of them playing for their schools. We plan on watching all of them play for their high school teams this season.
The registration forms for the upcoming season are ready and if you have access to a computer you can print copies off the website. Just click on "registration forms", find the forms you need and print them off. We are expecting alot of players returning and we are also expecting alot of new players joining the organization, so it would be in the players best interest to sign up as soon as possible.
We are in the the process of getting Nike to sponsor the team this season. Coach Thomas and I will be talking to them this week and they have already expressed an interest in sponsoring us. We are also in the process of planning a huge teen dance as a fundraiser in the next month.
The organization is finally turning the corner and we are known throughout the Round Rock, Pflugerville and Austin area and recruiting is not a problem anymore. We will be having our own tournaments this upcoming season, and we will be fielding some of the most disciplined and fundamentally sound teams out there. We want our players to not only play the game, but think the game. I'm convinced that we are doing some great things for the kids and parents of our organization, and I feel the appreciation whenever I see current or former players. This is going to be a great and exciting season and so my advice to you would be to get on board ASAP.
Unfortunately, not all players will be able to play for the Hustlaz organization, whether it may be because of grades, discipline, talent, or financial reasons. There are other teams out there and I will not hesitate to try and help that player find a team to play on. I'm glad that there are teams out there that may be able to accommodate the player for whatever reasons they need in order to be able to play.
Our budget may not fit every family out there and I respect that, but what we offer and bring to the players is worth the price and then some. I used to feel like we were competing against other teams but I don't feel that way anymore. I'd rather stand on our results with our kids that we've coached and let that speak for itself. I'd like to work with the other organizations and help their programs grow because if we all work together we will all succeed and it will mean that more kids will be able to play for a team.
We will participate in local tournaments and support organizations that are willing to do the same for us. There are other organizations like the Austin Ice, ATX Boys, Austin Knights, Georgetown Fury and even the Texas Extreme. There's no need to be competing against each other. There's enough to go around (players) for everyone.
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Coaches Comments July 07
July 7, 2007 --
We're now in the stretch run of the AAU basketball season, and through the ups and downs, I've had alot of fun with the boys this season. I'm proud to say that our teams have been playing in more tournaments than any of the teams in this area, and I know that the parents have gotten their money's worth, the boys have gained experience as players and they've had a good time as well.
We'll still be going strong in August with our last two tournaments in that month. Varsity and JV might play in Nationals in August, in Dallas TX. Team 2 will play in three tournaments which means they will play in at least 15 games this month alone. All the teams are guaranteed to play at least 5 games in the National tournament this weekend.
We lost two good players in June for different reasons, but I really do believe that the losses will make our team stronger and we will play more as a team and play unselfishly. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions on kids and no matter how good the player is, in the end it's always about the team. Sometimes you can get addition by subtraction, meaning that some players will step up their games and play more within themselves and as a team, not having to depend upon one player to do most the scoring. The Hustlaz will still be playing basketball no matter what. That has been proven time and time again, whether it be organizational changes, coaching changes, or player changes.
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Coaches Comments June 07
June 18, 2007 --
This has been a very busy month for the Hustlaz organization. We have been playing tournaments every weekend this month and as far as the coaches go, we are tired but we are having a great time teaching your kids and getting them mentally and physically prepared to play basketball. We have turned it up a couple of notches in our training regiment, practicing 3-4 days a week. Teams 1 and 2 play summer league every Tuesday night through July 24th, and we have practice/ conditioning training on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The kids are enjoying it, and it's starting to pay off in their play on the court and their bodies.
Let me talk about the coaches in the organization. Coaches Arthur Thomas, Eric Francois and Joe Francis have worked their butts off for these kids, and have been dedicated in helping the kids improve. Coach Thomas has been like a brother to me and has gone above and beyond for these young men. I know that they appreciate everything he's doing with them. He has set up a gym in his garage where they can come and get their weight training in without worrying about the harassment at Clay Madsen. The ideas that Coach Thomas and Coach Francis have come up with has really helped to improve the boys performance and is starting to pay off on the court. I really respect their ideas and opinions. We are all learning from each other.
Coach Francis is doing a great job with the 6th grade team. I trust his coaching ability and his opinions, and I let him run his team the way he wants to, I just try and support him whenever he needs me to. I think his team is also ready to make some noise this summer in the 6th grade division.
The parental support this season has been tremendous. I cannot say enough about the Russell family. They are very involved with their child and the organization. Their participation has been a God send. They are not the only ones either. The Jenkins, Ms. Tessa, Ms. Stacy, Ms. Coleman, Ms. Thomas, Mr. Roy, Ms. Youlanda, the Scales, the Rowlands, the Devasteys and other parents have been supportive of this organization and it's people like you that make doing what we do worthwhile because I know that you appreciate what we do.
To the players on the team, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for you to participate in practices and conditioning training. No one's job is secure on our teams and we give our starting positions to the players that put in the work on and off the court. We don't play favorties on our teams, all our players have an equal playing field, and the best man wins. We will not hesitate to let players know when they're doing good or not, and every player knows where they stand with us.
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Parent Comment June 2007
June 18, 2007 --
To the coaches and staff of the RRH organization, the parents of the players would like to use this forum to thank you for your dedication to our sons. It goes without saying that we all want the best for our boys, and this organization is it. This organization is a step above so many in the Austin area. The work ethic, teamwork, discipline, encouragement, direction and coaching the boys receive are priceless at this point in their lives. The tournaments that we register for are challenging and difficult. Even though we don’t always win, our kids are exposed to the best teams that are out there and those challenges provide experience for the future. The constant practice and conditioning strengthens more than just their bodies.
It takes a lot to run any type of organization, and many people play a part of the success of any venture. The individuals that are the core of the Round Rock Hustlaz are a blessing to us in the raising of our young men. We Appreciate You!!
We would like anyone visiting the site to know how much we like our team. If any parent or player wishes to post a comment on the website, let the RRH know via email. A page will be created for comments which will encourage the organization to keep doing a great job!
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Coaches Comments May 07
May 9, 2007 --
The first thing that I want to talk about is the ride situation with the kids. As far as AAU circles go, we go way above and beyond what pretty much all AAU teams do as pertaining to picking up kids for practice or games. Lately, it has really gotten ridiculous so this is what we are going to do. Coach Thomas will only bring kids to practice or games that are able to get to his house. It is the kids or parents responsibility to get them there and pick them up from there or at Clay Madsen. As far as I'm concerned, I will only pickup kids at Clay Madsen and Pflugerville. The kids in Pflugerville need to decide which house they're going to be at. The kids in Round Rock need to be at Clay Madsen and will be dropped off at Clay Madsen. I'm not going from house to house anymore and neither is Coach Thomas. If it is game day or practice day and you're not in one of those places, then you will miss that game or practice. Remember, it is not our responsibility to get you to games or practices.
We are in the process of trying to get team bags for all the players, possibly through donations, and this is what players will bring with them when we are traveling. Some of the players pack for a week and we are only out of town for a couple of days. We really need to limit what we bring out of town as a team.
From now on when we have a game, all players will come to the game already dressed in uniform and have their game shoes on. The boys are taking too long trying to get dressed before warmups and by the time they have their gear on, it is time to play the game and they're not warming up properly. We want them focused on basketball as soon as they get to the school. Also we want all rubber bands, jewelry, and headphones off. It will cost the players caught their starting spot or playing time reduced. The next couple of practices will be alot tougher because we feel the teams are not playing to their potential and the players are not taking the practices and games seriously enough. We will have zero tolerance at practice and all clowning, horseplaying, and not paying attention will be dealt with. We do not have the time to baby these kids and they're either going to take it serious or they will be gone.
We are having a car wash on the 20th of this month at CVS and Gattiland at the same time. Team 1 will be at Gattiland and the Varsity will be at CVS. Team 2 will be split between the two teams. This money will go towards paying for the hotel rooms in Frisco, TX. All players that do not participate will have to pay $62.00 for their hotel stay that weekend. Money has to be paid before we leave or you will not be able to attend. Dues also have to be paid before attending.
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Coaches Comments March 07
March 26, 2007 --
This month has been one of the most up and down months since I've been coaching AAU. We've had a change in our organization with Janell Wolfe resigning as Executive Adminstrative Assistant, but everyone has rallied around their son's teams and this organization, and I believe that things will only get better in the future.
I had to attend a funeral in Louisiana this weekend and had to miss the games Saturday, and my friends, coaches Eric Francois and Authur Thomas did a great job in not only coaching the Varsity team in my absence, but I'd like to personally thank them for sacrificing their time away from their own teams and families to help me out because you can't imagine how hard it was for me not to be there with my young men.
I'm very excited about the way the parents are getting together and starting to organize fundraising efforts for their teams, especially Team-1 and Varsity parents. I personally think that this is by far the most support that we've ever gotten from parents since we've started this program three years ago. Everyone is getting involved, even the players on the teams are trying to bring ideas to me to try and raise money.
Just to give parents that think that we have alot of money (we don't), I'd like to give everyone a quick math lesson. On the average, right now we have about ten players on the team and we charge $70.00 a month per player. That's $700.00 a month. The average cost of a tournament is $250.00 and we play 2 a month. We practice at 1st Baptist Church @ $40.00 an hour once a week for four weeks. That's not including other stuff that comes up. You do the math. That's why it's important that even though you make your kid miss a tournament, or not play for a whole month because of issues not related to basketball, you still have to pay your fees for that month regardless if he plays or not. The bills still have to be paid and that's why it really leaves me no choice but to bring in another player if a player decides he dosen't want to pay anymore. There's nothing underhanded going on, we're actually trying our best to keep it as affordable as possible. Another parent meeting is probably needed ASAP.
I'd like to personally thank Rhonda Jenkins for doing a great job with helping make the website even better and easier for everyone to navigate themselves on it. The monthly calendar makes it easier for everyone to know what is happening this month and the months ahead, and it should lead to less e-mails being sent out.
I'd also like to thank my man Uriah Hall for hooking up the new theme song on the Hustlaz website and figuring out how to do it because a computer dummy like myself would have never figured it out. I'd been trying to change the lame music that was on it for over a year now.
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Coaches Comments April 06
April 5, 2006 --
12 April 2006
One thing I want to talk about is team discipline. I expect the players on the team to show respect to the coaches, refs, players on the opposing teams and players on their own team. I expect players on this team to have some sense of loyalty to this team. If you are planning on being on another team, please go on to the other team ASAP and don't be a distraction to this team, knowing that you are a lame duck player. If I find out that you are planning to play for another team, I will dismiss you immediately from this team because I feel that the player will not put forth the effort that I will be demanding from that player. I don't want any bad vibes rubbing off on the other players on the team. As for parents, I will not allow a parent to try and hold the team hostage. Parents have to remember that this is about the kids and not them.
Being that it is so early in the season, I've been pleased with the play of both teams. Team 1 has gotten off to a great start, winning two tournaments, and placing 2nd and 3rd in the others. Team II, as expected has gotten off to a slow start, but the team is loaded with talent and potential. I'm very happy to have such a motivated group of young boys. We will be getting them (Team II) in top condition by playing them in nothing but man defense for the next 2 months, so they can learn to play aggressively and with more intensity. To the parents, let me do my job as their coach to mold them into the players that I know they can be before being critical of my methods. As long as I don't treat players differently (and I don't) let me do what I do best. I have a very good to great relationship with all the kids on my teams, and just because you might see me fuss at your child in a game doesn't mean that I hate your kid or something. I'm not only trying to make these kids better skillfully, but mentally stronger, being able to deal with pressure, and physically. I want results from these kids, not excuses. See "Upcoming Tournaments" Bulletin for updates.
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