In 1997, the Streaks went 28 in the regular season. It was quite the season. Of the 28 regular season games, the Streaks only had five games where the other team came within 10 points.
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Thursday, March 28, 2024
1997 Undefeated Regular Season- Handling Success
In 1997, the Streaks went 28 in the regular season. It was quite the season. Of the 28 regular season games, the Streaks only had five games where the other team came within 10 points.
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
College Women’s Basketball Exploding- Celebrate It
This was a post by Terry Pettit, former Nebraska women’s volleyball coach. Coach Pettit is the John Wooden of college volleyball. In addition to his personal facebook page, he has a page devoted to coaching topics. When one reads his posts, it is very easy to see why he is a coaching legend- his wisdom is off the charts.
Right now women’s college basketball has exploded in popularity. TV numbers are surpassing the TV numbers of men’s basketball. Arenas are selling out in Stanford, Iowa, and UConn. ESPN during the week actually does analysis of women’s basketball. And men’s basketball experts are spending part of their shows talking about women’s basketball and women’s players.
In my opinion, a significant difference between women’s basketball of today and of 20 years ago is that the focus is on players not on coaches. Twenty years ago (and before that), the focus was on Geno A, Pat Summit, Kay Yow, Tara V, and Muffet M. Coaches were the stars. Today the women’s game is focused on Caitlin Clark-Iowa, Cameron Brink-Stanford, Paige Bueckers- UConn, JuJu Watkins-USC, Rori Harmon-Texas, Kamala Cardoso-SC, Aneesah Morrow-LSU, Hannah Hidalgo-ND, Angel Reese-LSU, Lauren Betts-UCLA, Tina Paopao-SC—- the list can go on and on. My list is not intended to be the 11 best, they are just ones who came to mind as I was writing. I am confident most female high school players would know these players. There are many players who young players and even the “casual fan” can recognize.
The casual women’s basketball fan could name not just Clark on the Iowa team but would be able to talk about Gabby Marshall, Kate Martin, and Hannah Stuelke. The players in the college game in the last two years have successfully elevated the game. Caitlin Clark has had a similar impact that Pete Maravich had when I was growing up. He was not on TV, but my friends and I would listen to LSU games on the radio if we could find them, and the nest day be a buzz about what happened. But it is not just Clark drawing attention today, there are a handful of great players who are drawing peoples attention to the game.
As I mentioned earlier, traditionally in both men’s and women’s college basketball attention is centered on the coaches. The present coaches are to be complimented for taking a step back and letting the players be the stars. The only exception would seem to be Kim Mulkey. Letting the players be the stars is the model that the NBA has successfully used in marketing. The NBA is a players league.
For years (and still today), many National League baseball fans complained that adding the DH would eliminate so much of the game that people love- things like the “double switch.” I have never been to a game or watched a game when a manager pulled a double switch where the fans started screaming with excitement. In a basketball game, when a coach changes their defensive scheme in the middle of game to defend ball screens differently, the fans don’t jump out of their seats. Fans are there to watch the players.
Who is the all-time greatest player in basketball- Michael Jordan or Lebron James? My answer, it is a stupid question and I don’t care. There are things I love about each player and things I don’t like about each player. Personally I really admired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and before that I thought Dennis Radabaugh was great. Dennis went to Savanna HS and led the state in scoring. I don’t have to pick- I can admire a bunch of players and I can love to watch each of them play and each of them compete. Do they need to be perfect? No. Do I like it when Steph Curry does some of his antics after he hits a three? Absolutely not, but man do I love to watch him play.
There a multiple college women who have helped elevate the women’s game. I get that Clark has gotten so much attention and now is in so many commercials, that it is easy to get tired of that. But I say, more power to her. Instead of resenting it when another ad comes up, celebrate that a female athlete is getting that much money and that much attention. When her team plays, you don’t have to root for Iowa. (Personally I am a Wisconsin fan who has trouble rooting for any other Big Ten team in anything- if they add a national championship in hopscotch- I probably won’t root for other Big Ten teams.)
Many of these players who have elevated the women’s game are flawed. Clark whines about too many calls. With Angel Reese, I don’t know where to begin. So yes, these great players do not always model the behaviors that I wish my high school players would model. But I really like to watch them play.
So you like Michael Jordan, that doesn’t mean you have to hate Lebron. So you like South Carolina, that doesn’t mean you have to hate Iowa or LSU. So you like Angel Reese, you don’t have to hate Caitlyn Clark. Maybe that is America today, we pick sides and then feel we must hate the other side. Women’s basketball has something really good going on right now. Hating on certain teams and hating on certain players does not help the game grow.
We don’t have to root for each team and each player, but let’s celebrate these great players and these great teams! Let’s see where our excitement can take the women’s game! And selfishly, my hope is that the excitement grows interest in high school basketball. I am hoping there may be a 4th or 5th grade girl in Galesburg, Il who is watching Paige Buekers or JuJu Watkins, and says, “I want to be the next JuJu.”
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Travel Ball- Yes or No?
There are many opportunities for players of all ages to play on travel basketball teams. There are programs geared for grade school players, junior high players, and high school players. So when we talk about whether being involved on a travel team is important or not, it may well depend on what age player we are talking about.
Those of us who are older may remember when travel ball was certainly not a requirement. In my local community (Galesburg), the YMCA had as many as 12 teams of different age levels playing right in Galesburg. There was huge local participation and it was very convenient. One effect of travel teams in all sports is that participation numbers are way down from where they were 20-30 years ago. But we have to realize, we are not going to go back to those days. And that doesn’t mean travel basketball is bad, it is clearly different than what many of us grew up seeing.
The question many parents asked me as a high school coach,”Does my daughter need to play travel basketball if they are going to be successful eventually on the varsity level?” To accurately answer this question, you have to start by looking at what does a player need to do in order to grow or improve their game. The basic ways for a player to improve their game:
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Secret to Shooting- REPETITION (The Gun)
DOES SHOOTING ON THE SHOOTING GUN REALLY WORK? Yes, absolutely positively!
SHOOTERS SHOOT- The entire point of this particular blog is to explain why shooting on the Gun can turn an average shooter into a good shooter, and turn a good shooter into a great shooter. There have been some shooters who have been called "natural shooters." The reality is that there is no such thing as a "natural shooter." Coaches and players who believe in the concept of "natural shooters," usually are coaches and players who tend to lose. Over the last 100 years of basketball, successful coaches and successful players has recognized that the best way to become a great shooter is to..... SHOOT. Shoot a lot of shots.
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
1974 NCAA Regional in Tucson
This week, I got a wonderful and thoughtful surprise from the 2023-4 Silver Streaks. With a sneaky lie, the players in collaboration with Coach Demott tricked me into going to the GHS lockeroom "to help with some boxes." When I got there, the entire squad was in the lockeroom, and they presented me with tickets for Amy and I to go to the NCAA Regional in Indianapolis. The thoughtfulness of the team and the surprise made it an afternoon that I will always smile when I think about it.
In retirement, you have a lot of time to reflect. My present this week, made me reflect on the first time that I ever went to an NCAA Regional. Believe it or not, my first NCAA Regional was on March 14 & 16, 1974. Yep, my first NCAA Regional was exactly 50 years ago. My brother, Mark was attending grad school and student teaching in Tucson, Arizona at the University of Arizona. We were on spring break, and four of loaded up in my 1973 Mercury Capri and drove to Arizona. All I remember about the trip was that at 6'1", I was the smallest passenger. When I was not driving, I was put in the back seat. It was a long drive.
Sunday, March 17, 2024
The Player Who Surprises The Coach
In the Spring, coaches are formulating plans for summer basketball and for what they think will make the team successful in November. During this process, coaches are thinking about possible starting lineups, and possible substitution rotations. Usually the coaches planning is based on where the players were in terms of ability at the end of the season. Every June when we start camp, there is a player who is clearly a better player- it jumps out to the coaches and to the team. At that point, as a coach you excitedly rethink the possibilities. You realize, "This player is going to be a real factor, and they are going to make us a lot better than I anticipated we would be."
While there were many players who "surprised" me in June, Sara Wood and Antonia Kisler. Sara Wood had started as a sophomore but was not a very good shooter. Molly Watson was a year behind her, and I projected Molly to take Sara's place in the starting lineup. When we started camp in June, Sara had not only improved her shot, she was automatic- she never missed.
After Antonia Kisler's sophomore year, I figured she would be able to play on the varsity as a junior, but I figured she would be a "role player". I envisioned Antonia playing maybe 8-10 minutes per game. She had committed to the weight room and had not only gotten stronger, but her weight room work improved her vertical jump significantly and improved her quickness. Her improved ability and her high energy the very first day of camp, changed my thinking completely. As coaches, we excitedly began to change our plans.
Sunday, November 13, 2022
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
The Pacheco's- Megan & Sarah
Sunday, September 20, 2020
Lynda (Clevidence) Erickson- Mom & Coach
Lynda (Clevidence) Erickson played for the Streaks in 1990 & 1991. She was a very athletic post player. She was not afraid to be physical, and sometimes the refs thought too physical. Lynda was a great teammate, who understood what it meant to play hard. She was very coachable. When you spoke, she listened with her eyes. Lynda helped create a positive culture on our team with her attitude.
Saturday, September 19, 2020
Barry Swanson- Rivalries & 1966
Sunday, September 13, 2020
Barry Swanson- Looking Back
The John Thiel era of the late 1950’s thru the early 1970’s was an exciting time in Galesburg. Boys basketball took over the community. Galesburg had just built a new high school, and a new gym. Everyone in town wanted season tickets to see their beloved Streaks play, and every boy in town wanted to play for John Thiel.
Barry Swanson grew up in the Thiel era. He was inspired by the teams of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. He was able to live out the dream of playing for the Streaks in 1964, 1965, and 1966. It meant playing in front of a packed houses every night.
My first experience with Barry was when he returned to coach the “Ponies” (Soph Streaks) for the 1974-5 season. I was just out of college, and was his assistant on the 1975 team. I had fun living out my dream of being a coach, and realized how much I had to learn. It was fun and exciting, in part as our team went 22-0. Eventually I moved over and coached girls basketball, and Barry went onto become the Streaks varsity boys coach.
Barry Swanson has a unique perspective on Galesburg boys basketball. He grew up watching the Thiel teams of Bumpy Nixon, played for the Streaks in the 1960’s glory days, and then coached Galesburg. I appreciate he was willing to share some of his memories of these times. I am posting his responses into two different posts. The first post I ask him about growing up in Galesburg, playing in the 1960’s, Dale Kelley, John Thiel, the 1976 team, and teams of the 1980’s. Later I will post with the focus on the Galesburg, Pekin, and Quincy rivalries of the ‘60’s, and the 1966 season. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
Thursday, September 10, 2020
Stef Mitchell- Tough & Confident
Stef Mitchell was a great shooter for the Streaks from 1991-1995. She could do a little bit of everything. She could handle the ball vs pressure and she could pass. Today she still ranks #9 all-time in assists with 364. She could score from threes but she could also post up. Today she is still the #10 all-time scorer for GHS with 1135 points. She had the height to guard multiple positions, to post up, and to rebound.
The biggest thing she brought to the Streaks program was a combination of a toughness and of a confidence. She started as a sophomore in 1993 on a team dominated by seniors- Christy Hickey, Heather Aten, and Ann Henderson. They went 26-4, and lost a heartbreaker in the Sectionals. To play as a sophomore on a mainly senior team is not easy, you are tested. This experience helped shape her over the next two years.
A huge part of Stef’s competitive strength came from her experience as an all-state golfer. In golf, you are out there by yourself. As a golfer, she learned to handle tough situations. That personality gave her an edge that she brought to the basketball court. After golf, often it seemed like tough situations basketball were easy for her to handle- she seemed competitive but calm.