Viking Coach

Today, the most recognizable name of a naval officer of the American Revolutionary War is that of John Paul Jones.

On September 23, 1779, Jones fought one of the bloodiest engagements in naval history. Jones struggled with the 44-gun Royal Navy frigate Serapis, and although his own vessel was burning and sinking, Jones would not accept the British demand for surrender, replying, I have not yet begun to fight. More than three hours later, Serapis surrendered and Jones took command.

Right now it feels like I am commanding a ship that is in similar situation to John Paul Jones.

Kelcey Lass, my main gunner is out for the season and now Katie Mattern, my steadfast first mate, is hobbling around on crutches after severely spraining her foot. The ship was a little short handed to begin the season so having two of our top players out of action it feels like we are on a burning ship.

We will go into the next three games with an “iron six”. (Sarah Voigt, Haley Hoyer, Chelsea Bjerke, Steph Torkildson, Lexie Thorson & Kendra Coleman)But like John Paul Jones there is no room for the thought of surrender. There is still so much we can learn as players and as people so we must weather this storm and keep on fighting because in the end, we will be stronger.

This is the part of basketball that will hopefully help kids learn how to handle tough "life situation" in the future. Like life we sometimes have had to deal with the fact that things don’t always go as planned and you have to make the best of tough breaks.

The fact is that we could easily be 9 - 9 right now instead of 6 - 12(we have had three losses by a combined six points) makes a person wonder. . . "why us". There is no doubt that people being out of the line up has definitely been a part of the reason we do not have a better record. But that’s our state of affairs and it is up to each one of us to make the best of the moment.

Right now the key to our successes comes down to the team deciding to forge ahead. . . to keep on keeping on. . . to be relentless in your pursuit of bigger things.

If ten years from now the girls that are playing on this team are better at handling the challenges of life because they were tested and found not lacking. . . I would say that this season is truly as successful as any season I have coached.

I love the following story:

"As Time Runs Out" By Gary Smith

The following is excerpts from an article written on Jim Valvano in Sports Illistrated January 11, 1993. Pages 10-25

"GRAVELY ILL WITH CANCER, JIM VALVANO (Head Basketball Coach of the 1983 NCAA National Champion North Carolina State University Wolfpack) IS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE THE SAME WAY HE COACHED BASKETBALL, BY LEARNING ALL HE CAN, TALKING UP A STORM AND INSISTING ON THE LAST SHOT"

FLASHBACK --- Jim Valvano at age 23, When he was the Head Coach of John Hopkins...

...His players called him to the back of the bus. "Why is winning so important to you?" they asked. "We've never seen anything like it. You’re irrational."

"Because the final score defines you," Valvano replied.

"You lose; ergo, you're a loser. You win; ergo, your a winner."

"No," the players insisted.

"The participation is what matters, the constancy of effort. Trying your very best, regardless of wether you win or lose--that's what defines you."

It took Valvano 23 years of living....to admit it:

"They were right. The kids at John Hopkins were right. It's effort, not result that define you. It's in trying that we define ourselves.”