Millionaire coach supports prep girls hoops team

This story is pretty awesome.

A USA Today feature profiles Coach Jim Justice who, over the past  25 years, has coached more than 1,000 games — from AAU teams to West Virginia’s Greenbrier East girls high school team, which he took over 10 years ago.

What makes the 58-year old coach different from most high school basketball coaches is the fact that for him, it’s much more than just a job. He’s a millionaire who owns coal mines, farms and the nearby Greenbrier Resort.

He’s a coach whose generosity directly benefits his players. He paid $300,000 to have a parquet floor installed in the Greenbrier East Gym. At every game, the players run through an inflatable tunnel to the court when they’re introduced, and a video screen flashes their pictures.

When two feet of snow threatened to postpone a game against Huntington Spring Valley in late December, Justice hired a contractor to plow the parking lot.

Jeff Bryant, principal at Greenbrier East, admits there might have been cynics when Justice took the job. After all, why would a wealthy businessman want to coach? And how would he have time?

“That’s so pitifully easy to explain,” Justice says. “I love the game.”

He says he thinks he makes $3,300 to coach but doesn’t  know for sure because he gives the money to his assistant coaches.”

“There’s a lot more to him than what’s in his pocket,” wrote Alexis Hornbuckle, a former Justice pupil, in an e-mail. “He has a great heart and is a very loving and forgiving man.”

Hornbuckle played on one of his AAU teams before leading South Charleston to victory vs. Greenbrier East in the 2004 championship game. She played on two NCAA championship teams at Tennessee and now is with the WNBA’s Tulsa Shock.

For those who believe that wealth transcends dollars, Justice is an example of someone who has gotten way more back from life than he’s been able to give.
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Play It Forward: Coaches who make a difference

Behind every athlete is a great coach.  Has a coach made a difference in your life? Now is your chance to say Thank You.  Nominate your coach and Play It Forward.

YouthNoise Play City is a nonprofit campaign that promotes using sports for social change.  Last Friday, they launched a nation-wide writing contest called “Play It Forward” that asks entrants to submit stories and photos of the coaches who have made a positive impact on their lives. Prizes are available for both writers and the nominated coaches.

Do you have a coach who has made a positive impact on your life? Enter the contest!

The details:

“Play It Forward” runs from August 21 until September 21, 2009.

Contest is open to any US resident age 13 or older.

Top 3 nominated coaches will be flown to Washington, D.C. to be awarded as “Coach of the Year” at the national Up2Us Coach Appreciation Week conference.

Prize includes round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations, food and conference registration.

Approximate Retail Value: $850 each.

Three first-place writers will win $250 Eurosport gift cards, and three second-place writers will win $100 Eurosport gift cards.

Check out the contest site at http://www.youthnoise.com/playcity/playitforward/!

How NOT to coach youth sports: A lesson from Minnesota

Fellow WTS blogger, Nicole LaVoie, at One Sport Voice, writes about a recent youth soccer match in Minnesota:

The scene: Two Minnesota Thunder Academy (MTA)  teams played each other in the State Cup final to see who would advance to the Regionals. The 12-and-under girls soccer club, playing above their level, fought to a gutsy 1-1 tie through two overtime periods against the favored 13-and-under team from the same club. That set the stage for a dramatic penalty shootout.

As this moment of truth played out on soccer field, Coach Mark Abboud instructed his girls to “roll the ball” nicely to the goalkeeper, virtually ensuring the “better team” move on. The girls were shocked, but followed orders.

Chaos, tears, frustration, confusion, emergency meetings at all levels, commentary, opinions, anger, a public apology from Abboud, and parental support for the coach ensued. To read all the details go to, the Inside Minnesota Soccer article, the Star Tribune article, and Coach Mark Abboud’s own contrition on his blog.

LaVoie points out that sport provides many “teachable moments”. Good coaches teach athletes to give full effort, focus on what they can control, treat opponents with respect, and accept the outcome with grace. One decision by a coach does have an impact on everyone involved, and this is a cautionary tale of how not to coach because, simply put, it taught the wrong lessons.

In his team blog, Abboud wrote that he will never forget watching a star player take a weak kick at the goal and walk off in shame. “The silence was deafening. I felt the sun on my face, brushed a tick off my lower leg, and listened to the highway traffic on I-94,” he said. “I felt sick to my stomach.

Those familiar with the way soccer clubs are organized and the intense politics that play out at the administrative level probably aren’t that surprised at this story.  At issue is what’s best for the players and what’s best for the club. Unfortunately the answer isn’t always the same for both.

Questions to ask when choosing a sports camp

When choosing a sports camp, there are many, many questions to ask. The size of the program, number of session days, distance from home, and philosophy should all influence your decision. The cost, length, and type of a particular program are not necessarily connected with “results.”

Research all potential programs and if possible, meet with a representative and talk with past participants. Brochures, Websites and videos may also be reviewed to answer questions about activities, staff, supervision and facilities. If you’re deciding whether you’re ready to go away to a residential camp, start by asking yourself the following questions.

• Have you been away from home for more than one night without family members?
• Can you take care of your personal belongings?
• Can you care for your own basic hygiene needs, like brushing your teeth?
• Do you like the outdoors?
• Can you cope with unfamiliar people, places, and schedules?
• Do you enjoy making new friends?
• Do you like group situations?

Although age is one factor in readiness for sleep-away camp, a girl’s maturity level and personality are more important indicators. Talk with your family about camp and see if you really want to go. Chances are if you’re enthusiastic about the experience and your parents are supportive, you’ll have a great time.

Once you decide you’re ready for camp, ask yourself these questions to decide what kind of camp is right for you:

Do you mainly want to have fun with your friends? If so, don’t spend a lot of money on a specialized camp. Traditional Camps offer a wide range of activities, including sports & games. They also usually include such traditional activities as arts & crafts, campfires, and water sports.

Do you want a competitive environment? Competitive sports camps generally provide training for athletes who participate in school and other leagues. If you are looking for a program that emphasizes sports in a more informal environment, choose a Multisport program or one that emphasizes non-competitive learning.

Do you want to improve your sports skills? If improving technical skills is your main priority, enroll in a program in a Specialty Camp with coaches who can demonstrate skills and take the time to correct problems. Specialty Camps focus on a particular area of interest such as Goalkeeping, Horsemanship, Pitching, Scoring, etc.

Do you want to improve your tactical sense? Tactics are learned over time and from mistakes therefore, you should consider attending a longer, tactical-oriented program with lots of coaches per player.

Do you want to bond with your team and develop more team strategies? If moving your team to the next level is important, maybe you should talk to your coach and teammates about attending a “Team Camp.” Many programs can accommodate teams or offer special sessions for teams.

Do you want to get in better physical condition? This should only be of concern to girls over 12 years, who will benefit by cultivating growing muscle mass and lung capacity. Check out programs that offer this emphasis–but be sure you have a medical exam to verify your basic physical condition.

Are you getting bored with the sport you play? If your batteries need recharing, pick a program with an athlete you admire or in a special location– which may cost more money but will keep you energized about your sport.

Whatever you decide, the main goal should be to have fun! If you’re looking for a camp, check out our camps & clinics database with thousands of choices. Let the games begin…

Athenas to Zodiac Girls – Team Name Ideas

It’s always a challenge to come up with a name that epitomizes the team’s energy and philosophy. Add to that a name that everyone agrees on and the challenge increases.

Check out our suggestions and feel free to customize as necessary. You can add your team or uniform color to any of the names either before or after e.g. Blue Athenas or Awesome Blues. Be creative with your spelling to give your team some style (e.g. Red Hots could be Red Hotz). Let us know if you come up with some great names we haven’t included here.

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WBCA’s “Think Pink”

Feb. 10, 2009 – The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s (WBCA) “Think Pink” initiative is a global, unified effort for coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond.

The WBCA began “Think Pink” in 2007 as an initiative to raise breast cancer awareness in women’s basketball, on campuses and in communities. In 2007, more than 120 schools unified for this effort and helped make the inaugural year of the WBCA’s “Think Pink” a success. In 2008, over 1,200 teams and organizations participated, reaching over 830,000 fans and raising over $930,000 for breast cancer awareness and research.

WBCA’s “Think Pink” 2009
The WBCA’s “Think Pink” week for 2009 will be held February 13 – 22. The NCAA has also joined the WBCA’s “Think Pink” initiative by implementing the “Calling for a Cure” campaign where all NCAA women’s basketball officials will be blew a pink whistle February 8-17 2008. If you’re playing in, or attending, a game this week, be sure to join the effort.

Born to run – what does your DNA say?

December 3, 2008 – Would a pre-school DNA test have predicted that Mia Hamm would be a soccer prodigy? Would an early DNA test have told the Williams’ that daughters Venus and Serena might be the greatest tennis players of all time?

Well now a new genetic test claims to determine what kind of athletic activities are best suited to the talents of toddlers. It seemed only a matter of time before someone  developed some test to try and predict a child’s future athletic strengths.

Playing into the obsession of parents, Colorado-based Atlas Sports Genetics is offering an at-home test ($150) that aims to predict a child’s natural athletic strengths. The process is simple. Swab inside the child’s cheek and along the gums to collect DNA and return it to a lab for analysis of ACTN3, one gene among more than 20,000 in the human genome.

The test’s goal is to determine whether a person would be best at speed and power sports like sprinting or football, or endurance sports like distance running, or a combination of the two. A 2003 study discovered the connection between ACTN3 and elite athletic performance.

The analysis takes two to three weeks, and the results arrive in the form of a certificate announcing Your Genetic Advantage, whether it is in sprint, power and strength sports; endurance sports; or activity sports (for those with one copy of each variant, and perhaps a combination of strengths). A packet of educational information suggests sports that are most appropriate and what paths to follow so the child reaches his or her potential.

Is there another way to determine if a child will be good at sprint and power sports? How about lining them up with their classmates for a race and see which ones are the fastest?

Or how about letting kids try different activities and determine on their own what they like and don’t like. Or discover, through trial and error, that even though they’re never going to make the cross-country team, they still enjoy running.

Of course factors like environment, training, and nutrition all play into the equation as well so it’s wise not to forget the importance of hard work as well as a bit of luck. Who honestly thinks one single gene is a predictor of athletic success?

Many experts fear that the test will be misused by parents who go overboard with the results and specialize their children too quickly. Most coaches agree that a child shouldn’t be put in a highly competitive environment until about the age of 8 to avoid burnout.

So what’s next? A test to determine artistic or musical ability? Or an accountant gene?  Would you take these tests or give them to your kids?

10 essential things to take to a competition

October 18, 2008 – For athletes, there’s always another competition right around the corner. Whether it’s a swim meet, a gymnastics meet, a soccer tourney, or a downhill comp, it’s best to be organized!  From our friend Char at Sports Girls Play, here’s a list of 10 essential things to take to any youth sporting event, from swim meets, gymnastics meets, track competitions, volleyball games, you name it!

1. UNIFORM – Every sport has a competition uniform of some sort. For a swimmer, it may be just a team suit. For a gymnast, it is her team leotard, warm ups, white socks, white tennis shoes and her gym bag. Whatever your sport, be sure you have the team uniform clean and ready to go a few days in advance.

2. INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT - These are the little extras you may need at a meet like gymnastics grips, or goggles and a cap for swimmers, tennis racquet for a tennis player, or spikes for a sprinter. Whatever it may be, make sure it is packed in advance and if you have spares, be sure to bring them. If you don’t, I highly recommend picking up an extra in case something is broken, misplaced or just doesn’t feel right on competition day.

3. EXTRA T-SHIRT or CHANGE OF CLOTHES – After each gymnastics meet, my daughter’s team likes to go out to eat. We always pack a spare set of clothes so I don’t have to stress at meal time about her getting ketchup on her $100 team jacket or leotard. Many competitions sell meet shirts or have a pro shop on hand in the event you forget, but unless you have specifically budgeted for that extra expense, it is better to pack a change ahead of time.

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C. Vivian Stringer becomes third women’s coach with 800 wins

PISCATAWAY, N.J. Feb. 28, 2008 – C. Vivian Stringer has joined one of college basketball’s most elite clubs.

The Hall of Famer became the third women’s basketball coach to win 800 games, joining Pat Summitt and Jody Conradt, with No. 4 Rutgers’ 60-46 victory over DePaul on Wednesday night.

Everyone at the game was given signs marking the 800th victory, but the Scarlet Knights couldn’t start celebrating until the final minute. With 30 seconds left, fans gave Stringer a standing ovation and chanted her initials CVS. When the clock reached zero, senior Essence Carson threw her coach the game ball.

The following day, U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced a Senate Resolution to honor Stringer.

Selecting a sports camp or training clinic

Look for these points when choosing a sports camp or program:

Type of Program: Whether a Summer or Holiday Camp, a weekly class, local league, week-end clinic, or adventure trip, most programs fall into several categories:

Residential Programs are generally for those age seven and older. Most are co-ed but there are many girls-only sessions. Resident programs offer varying accommodations such as dorms, cabins, or tents. Check to make sure the living quarters are comfortable and sanitary. Are there bathroom facilities and electricity? How does the staff deal with problems such as homesickness or conflicts with others? If applicable, what is the policy about food packages, letters home, TV, trips to town?

Day/Commuter Programs are similar to Residential programs but campers may enroll at a younger age and everyone returns home at the end of the day. Commuters usually take part in a resident program on a day basis at a pro-rated fee.
 

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