Viking Coach

Over the past two years the girls' basketball program in Pelican Rapids has struggled. Two years ago we won only one game, last year we made it to seven. What really has become clear to me is the direct relationship between love and success.

Right now our boys' basketball program in Pelican Rapids is an ultra hot sport. Coach Brad Strand has created an environment of success within his program and one of the keys to this success is the "love" that the boys exhibit for the game of basketball.

You really do need to have a high level of passion from your athletes if your sports program is going to be really successful. I guess that is true in all aspects of life. . .there is little commitment to anything in life with-out love.

Currently in the girls program, you really only have to "like" the game of basketball and you stand a good chance of going out for the team and getting playing time. The problem this creates is that you really don't get that deep level of commitment when you just "like" something.

An athlete and their chosen sport is very much like any "personal" relationship. If you are really in love with someone you are willing to make the sacrifices necessary for that relationship to be successful.

If you just kind of "like" the person, you may enjoy spending time with them but if something better comes up you don't really feel too guilty going out and doing something else.

Don't get me wrong, we have players that put in a decent amount of time but it is nowhere near the amount of time that is currently being put in by the athletes in the boys' program.

What has happened in the boys' program is that there is a lot of competition for playing time and if you are not passionate about the sport you are probably not going to work hard enough to improve your skills. . . if you are not working on your skills, someone else is and when they compete for playing time, all things being equal, the one that is working hard will have the upper hand.

I see the difference constantly. I walked into the gym the other morning and there were 20 boys playing on the two high school courts. (The gym is open from 7:00 to 8:00 and the boys get their tails in there to play) In fact, since the start of school my eighth grade son has been going in to play hoops 3 to 4 mornings a week.

I have yet to see more than 6 girls in the gym playing a pick up game this fall. They are all aware of the opportunities to play but not enough of them really, truly "love" the game enough to make the sacrifices to come in and play.

I just told a fellow coach that I will know our program is "back" when I pass by the gym and see ten girls playing 5 on 5!!!

There was a time when we did have more girls in the gym than boys. We had girls who were eager and passionate about the game of basketball. We won a conference title, a section title and had numerous 20+ winning seasons. So I know that girls do have the ability to develop a "love" for the game.

I guess my message to parents is this. . . It is important to understand that you can help inspire your kids to be passionate about what they are good at. By really taking an active role, not a demanding role, but an active role in their interests, you can really cultivate a love for extra-curricular activities.

I was talking with a dad of one of our seventh grade players the other day and I told him that she could become a pretty good player for us in the future if. . . HE MADE THE COMMITMENT to her success.

TALENT ISN'T ENOUGH. . .Faith, Hope and Love and the greatest of these is LOVE!

Love helps you break down the obstacles that stand in the way of success. . . I want to give a shout out to two former Pelican Rapids alums who, through their actions and accomplishments, show the "Love Philosophy":

First to Taylor Huseby - An Ultra-Talented individual who chased down his dream of playing college hoops. . . I watched him start for Southwest State the other night at the "Barn" against the Golden Gophers. . .He's living the dream. . . how cool is that!

Second shout out goes to Amanda Belz - One of my former managers. Here is a kid who loves sports as much as she loves the Golden Gophers. . . In high school she set her mind to enrolling at the U of M and pursuing a manager position with the Gophers and her dream came true last year. . . She is a manager for the Ms. Gopher Basketball program. . .She is in the back row of the picture of the Gophers team above, third from the right! Rock on Belzy!



Love is a key ingredient to SUCCESS!