Blog #13 - 2/4/10
SCREAM, YELL, POUT, FIGHT, OR EVEN CRY!
I’m not sure when it happened, where it happened, or how it happened but it happened - at a very young age I learned to hate losing. I don’t mean disliked losing (sorry mom) – I mean hated losing. Growing up I had an uncle that was 4 years older than me, and we would play baseball, basketball, football, hockey, ping pong, you name it, we played it. When I lost I would scream, yell, pout, fight, or even cry. I didn’t care that my uncle was older, bigger, faster, smarter, or tougher. I didn’t care. I just cared about WINNING!!!!!!!
You know what it taught me? It taught me how to compete, and I learned to compete at everything that I did, which in some ways wasn’t always a good thing, but that’s life. Competition is why you play the game. Loving the taste of victory and hating the feeling of defeat is why you do everything in your power to prepare for VICTORY!!!
Teaching a team to compete every day, every minute, and every second is what our struggle is right now. Until we understand the concept of competition, we will continue to go down the same road. The road traveled by many is not the right road we want to travel. Competitors (winners in the game of life) learn early and often that the road less traveled is the road to victory.
What do you mean the “road less traveled”:
Weight-room in the summer at 6am!
In the gym shooting at 8pm on a Friday night!
Running 5 miles after you worked a summer job all day!
Shooting 1000 Free-Throws after a game that you just won by 20, because you went 1-4 from the line!
Running the first and last sprint in practice the hardest you have ever run before in your life, I guarantee that road is less traveled!
Victory doesn’t come easy that’s why it tastes so SWEET!
Go Compete!!!!
“A lifetime of training for just ten seconds.” - Jesse Owens
“Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.” - William Arthur Ward
“Champions keep playing until they get it right.” - Billie Jean King
“Gold medals aren't really made of gold. They're made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.” - Dan Gable
Blog #12 - 1/18/10
CHAMPION!
What’s the difference between a champion and everyone else?
Size? Strength? Natural Ability?
If you think it’s one or all of these I would disagree.
So, what is it?
The MIND – yes you need size, strength, and natural ability but to be a champion you need the mind of a champion. Champions aren’t born they are made, and made over time. Champions understand being the first to the gym and the last to leave. Champions understand working hard on the same old boring shot, shooting it 100,000 times so when it’s game time you know it’s going in. Champions understand working hard isn’t good enough, but working the hardest you’ve ever worked today and working harder tomorrow. Champions understand what they can control and what they can’t, they also understand preparing for the unexpected and enjoying the challenge. Champions don’t complain when the ball bounces the wrong way, they just fight a little harder. Champions train because they hunger to be the best. Champions see themselves as champion’s way before anyone else. Champions believe in themselves more than anyone else because they were there when they did all the hard work. Champions think positive thoughts all the time, even in tough situations. Champions are problem solvers not problem makers.
So, if you want to be a champion, dig deep in your soul and ask yourself one big question before you take that voyage – DO I REALLY WANT TO BE A CHAMPION?
I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion." - Muhammad Ali
The vision of a champion is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when nobody else is looking. -Mia Hamm
Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday. - Wilma Rudolph
What happened in the past is just that, the past. Champion or not. - Steve Nash
I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion. - Mia Hamm
A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning. - Billie Jean King
GO BE A CHAMPION!
Blog #11 - 1/11/10
WOW – I can’t believe it’s been a month since the last time that I wrote a blog – with a ton of LSC crossover games and Christmas break complete – it’s time for LSC North Conference play!!!!!!! Recapping the fall is very interesting – it looks like a shopping list for Wal-Mart - you name it, they have it – you name it, we had it happen.
2 – Broken Bones (1 facial – 1 hand)
2 – ACL’s – (1 new – 1 old)
16 – Made 3’s in a game
17 – Hours on a bus traveling to Florida
42 – Largest margin of victory in school history
101 – 101 points - most points scored by Cameron since 1986-87
Now that our shopping is done for the fall – it’s time to move on to the spring - We are very excited about the growth of this team and can’t wait to compete every day working toward our goal to be playing basketball in March.
We open LSC North play Wed. Jan 13th at Aggie Gym 6pm – Hope to see you there wearing BLACK & GOLD!
It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. – Anais Nin
The secret of success of every man who has ever been successful lies in the fact that he formed the habit of doing those things failures don’t like to do. – A. Jackson King
Blog #10 - 12/1/09
“Why We Coach”
I’ve been blessed over the past 14 years to see example after example of coaches teaching our youth life lessons through athletics. Teaching is the key term. Loving the game is the easy part, teaching life lessons through the game is the most fulfilling part of our job. In today’s world it is difficult for our youth to understand words like team, humility, passion, unity, discipline unless they see immediate self-fulfilling results right away. We want it now and we want it now without much work.
I truly enjoy coaching our team here at Cameron; we have young ladies that want to be special. Every day I see great growth within, some days it’s just a little thing like picking up your teammate after a charge, or a reserve busting her backside defending, sprinting the floor, working so hard to make the starter in front of her better. Teaching our team to commit to something bigger than them is always the difficult task.
“So Why Do We Coach?”
Hopefully Mother Teresa and Dick Bennett have it right!
People are unreasonable,
illogical, and self-centered,
LOVE THEM ANYWAY
If you do good, people will
accuse you of selfish,
ulterior motives,
DO GOOD ANYWAY
If you are successful, you win
false friends and true enemies,
SUCCEED ANYWAY
The good you do will
be forgotten tomorrow,
DO GOOD ANYWAY
Honesty and frankness
make you vulnerable,
BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY
What you spent years building
may be destroyed overnight,
BUILD ANYWAY
People really need help but
may attack you if you help them,
HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY
Give the world the best you
have and you'll get kicked
in the teeth,
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU’VE GOT ANYWAY!
From a sign on the wall of Shishu Bhavan, the Children's home in Calcutta…
"I concluded some time ago that a major part of success of a team, or of an individual, has a great deal to do with the intangible qualities possessed. The real key is in how a person see himself (humility), how he feels about what he does (passion), how he works with others (unity), how he makes others better (servanthood), and how he deals with frustration and success, truly learning from each situations (thankfulness). I believe those concepts are the essence of a good player, team, coach, or individual in any capacity in life." -- Dick Bennett
CU Soon!
Blog #9 - 11/27/09
Growing Pains -
Well we've played 5 road games (2 exhibition and 3 regular season), 3 in the past 5 days, and came up empty twice. Youth, eleven new players, and being on the road for more than 3500 miles over the past 2 weeks would be great excuses for our results on the court. But that's all they would be: "excuses" - Winners don't make excuses because they get it done. Winners understand the importance of self-discipline and don't allow uncontrollable variables to effect their results. We are going to be that team.
Progress doesn't mean happiness or satisfaction. Progress is painful, ugly, difficult, and time consuming. Building a tough, self-confident, self-disciplined team takes time and commitment from everyone that is part of the program. We are making progress but we need to be better teachers - teach self-belief, teach self-pride, teach how to work hard everyday, be disciplined, understand the importance of every little detail. We have talent now it's up to us as coaches to get the talent to understand the urgency of life - yesterday is gone and all we have for sure is today! It's time to get back after it!
Blog #8 - 11/9/09
Questions Asked – Questions Answered
Why did you open the season with two very tough Div I exhibition games – with 11 new players and building a program?
A great question deserves a great answer – Toughness, Competitive Fight, Discipline, Courage, Team – These character traits and more can only be revealed in moments of adversity. Both Tulsa and TCU will give us those moments and more. Last year, we played one exhibition game and won pretty easily – now did that help us find our “pulse” or did it give us a false sense of confidence and security.
The game was exactly what we needed. All fall we have worked hard on teaching the little things and at times I’m sure our team thought and thinks that I’m crazy. All those little things are what got us beat, not working our feet, lazy passes, so on and so on.
On the other side of the coin, I saw toughness at times, competitive fight, discipline, courage, and teamwork, but we need more and more. We have the TALENT. Our young ladies can PLAY. Our potential excites me and makes me hungrier than I already was.
Are we perfect, no and with 11 new players we won’t be for awhile. This group of individuals has an opportunity to be special but they will not be special if I don’t help them see the big picture every day. 2 are only better than 1, when 2 act as 1!
“If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.” ~Frank A. Clark
I know where our path leads!!!!!
CU Soon!
Blog #7 - 11/4/09
Tip-off in Tulsa – Saturday!!!!
Practice, practice, and more practice – this time of year can be a drain for players. Now that fall conditioning and skill-work sessions are over and team practice has begun our team is starting to take shape. With 11 new players and only 3 returners everyone is getting to know the system, their teammates, and learning to compete at a high level every second.
Over the past 15 days our players have done a great job of taking the concepts being taught and trying to apply them in a “live” setting. Little things like closing-out correctly, jumping to the ball, sprinting to help side are the concepts taught in drills that need to carry over to “live” setting. Pushing the basketball at full-speed all the time or simple communication are some concepts that need to really start to take hold. Our players are still trying to adjust to a faster way of life on the basketball court.
All players have done a “GREAT” job coming to practice ready to learn and get better every day. With the leadership and experience of the 7 upper-classmen and the eagerness and ability of the 7 pups this group should expect a lot from one another. We can play fast, play hard, and play smart. I believe this group of young ladies will do all three.
I believe this quote from Coach John Smith – OSU wrestling coach has it right and when our team can fully grasp this quote – their potential as a team will come to reality!
“Win or lose you will never regret working hard, making sacrifices, being disciplined or focusing too much. Success is measured by what we have done to prepare for competition.” - John Smith – NCAA Wrestling Champion, World Freestyle Wrestling Champion, Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Champion and Oklahoma State Head Coach of 5 NCAA Championships
Don’t forget about Saturday – GAMEDAY!!! YES!!!!
Blog #6 - 10/21/09
John Wooden celebrated his 99th birthday this week. After seeing him on ESPN it made me think long and hard about his influence on the game of basketball. Coach Wooden has to be considered one of the most influential people in America. But why?
Why do we all stop and listen eagerly to every word that comes out of his mouth? Why when he recites a poem or tells a story does it sound so true. Why when we read his books do we go, “WOW” - Is it the 10 National Championships? Is it being the 1st person ever to be inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame both as a player and a coach? – Or is it simply – The man is great because he is true to his heart, didn’t compromise his values, and did it the right way all the time. I believe it’s all three and that’s what is amazing about Coach Wooden.
Coach Wooden is the kind of influence that is needed in today’s world of athletics. He talks about humility, selflessness, hard work, and the list goes on and on. He’s written multiple books about his philosophy. My favorite book is called, “Wooden” – I refer to it as the little blue Wooden book but it is an amazing teacher for the game of life.
Here are a couple of my favorite quotes and creeds
Seven Point Creed given to him by his father upon graduation from grammar school:
Be true to yourself.
Make each day your masterpiece.
Help others.
Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
Make friendship a fine art.
Build a shelter against a rainy day.
Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.
A couple quotes –
“I’d rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent.” (that fits us this year)
“If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.”
Coach Wooden – thank you for helping our program create an environment of success on and off the floor.
CU Soon!
Blog #5 - 9/29/09
“It’s time for all of us to dream and achieve them!”
This week I thought I would reach out to the reader – CHALLENGE YOU – like we challenge our players. We want our players to be the best people we can be. We work hard every day to improve ourselves in the classroom, on the court, in the weight room, at home, everywhere!!!
Once we start practice Oct. 15th I will meet with every player and they will set goals (short term, long term dream) and how we can tackle these goals. The goals will cover 5/6 different aspects for their life – Personal & Family, Spiritual & Moral, Caring & Giving, Health & Fitness, Your Team, Academics & Career.
We are also going to start something new here in our program that I have never done with our players before. About 15 years ago (man I’m getting old)- I made a “Bucket List” – I didn’t know it was a bucket list at the time – I just wrote down everything that I wanted to do before I died – I was a sophomore in college and really just making a “Fun” list – I titled it “Things I want to do” – I put “long-term goals” on the left side of the page and “short-term goals” on the right side of the page – the list turned out to be pretty cool –
Here are a few of my long-term goals (don’t laugh)
Long Term
Get married and have family (YES)
Watch a Final Four with Duke (Done)
Go to a World Series Game (Nope)
See George Strait in Concert (Nope)
Coach College Basketball (YES)
See Cameron Indoor Duke University (Done)
Meet Nolan Ryan (Nope)
Have my own sports radio talk show (Nope)
Here’s the challenge –
Take 10 minutes and dream – thing about all the fun things in life you would like to do or achieve over a life time-
Then Make a Bucket List – look back 10 years from now and you will realize how much you have accomplished in the “game of life.”
“You see things; and you say, “Why?” But I dream things that never were; and I say, “Why not?”
– George Bernard Shaw
See ya!
Blog #4 - 9/22/09
BELIEVE
There are a thousand quotes about playing until the game is “really” over; the final tick is off the clock. If you’ve watched ESPN SPORTCENTER or any sporting event the last two weeks you would have seen some amazing comebacks and finishes to games. Teams down and out with no hope and all of the sudden something unbelievable happens and you look up and that team’s the WINNER!!!!
Examples:
Denver Broncos-Cincinnati Bengals
Crazy -87 yard game winning play - It was the longest game-winning play from scrimmage in the final minute of the fourth quarter in NFL history, according to the league.
Virginia Tech-Nebraska
VT drove 88 yard game winning in the last 1:51 to win.
Red Sox-Angels
Red Sox down 1 run going into the bottom of the ninth; score 2 off the AL Leader in saves to win 9-8
I could find 10 more examples – Just look at both Manning brothers this week – but what I’m getting at is this – How does it happen? Where does it come from?
As a coach you look to instill a toughness, a togetherness, a belief in one another, a ‘we against them’ attitude. You practice the situations, you talk about the situations before they happen, you as a coach do all you can to prepare them for that one moment. - -
Someone out there is saying, “Don’t you think all the coaches at that level prepare their teams for those “special” moments?” So if you’re right and they do – what is the difference?
I believe two things–
#1 – Some coaches can get their players to believe they can walk on water – that is needed to be a special team – a team that seems to always be on top. (We can talk about this more in-depth some other blog)
#2 – Players – You need tough, resilient players who have trained so hard they refuse to surrender (the relinquishment of one's own will).
There are a couple quotes that say it all –
“Sport doesn’t build character, it reveals it.”
“Sweat more in practice, bleed less in war.”
See you next week- Go Aggies!
Blog #3 - 9/15/09
Train Like A Champion
I get this question all the time, “So if practice starts in the middle of October what do you do before then?” Some people probably think that our players and coaches don’t do a lot until the start of the season. Actually, with the start of school comes the start of individual and team training.
The NCAA rules allow our players and coaches to work-out together 8 hours a week – 2 hours of skill instruction in small groups (no larger than 4 players at a time) and 6 hours of team conditioning and/or weight-training.
Our philosophy is very simple; train hard, train together, and train smart. We don’t simply run to run or lift to lift. Everything in our program is done for a specific reason. We believe you must deserve victory and the harder you train the harder it is to surrender.
I have recorded some of our skill-work & weight-training sessions to let you get an inside look at our program – I hope you enjoy the video.
“Gold medals aren't really made of gold. They're made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.” – Dan Gable
TWebb
Blog #2 - 9/8/09
Now that Labor Day is past, schools across the nation are in full swing. High School seniors are starting to make their “official visits” – trying to decide which college will be the right fit for them. In return, college programs are deciding where their needs are and who is on their “wish list”. During the early or fall signing period, players make official visits, unofficial visits, and verbal commitments then sign in November with the lucky school of their choice.
Recruiting is a key component to the success of any program, recruiting the “right” student-athlete is a difficult thing to do. Over the past 12 years, I’ve been blessed to have coached some special players; currently 4 of my former players are playing pro hoops.
So what do we look for in a student/athlete?
Due to NCAA rules – I am unable to talk about the student athletes that we are currently recruiting but I can explain our philosophy on recruiting or what we look for in a recruit.
Our philosophy here is very simple
We want young ladies who:
Play hard,
Love the game,
Want to be the best person & player they can be,
Enjoy being a great teammate,
Desire to be coached,
Sets high goals/standards for herself on and off the court,
Brings A&E daily,(attitude & effort)
We believe these 7 attributes/qualities increase the chance of personal and program success!
-Coach Webb
“In all human affairs there are efforts and there are results, and the strength of the effort is the measure of the result.” - James Allen
Blog #1
Well if you read the blogs last year – you’re probably wondering what happened over the summer – and what’s up for the fall-winter-spring
If this is your 1st time checking in – I will catch you up to speed in a hurry!!!
It’s has been a whirl wind over the last 14 months – moving from Washington to Oklahoma has been an amazing experience – my wife and I celebrated the birth of our 1st child this summer Jackson Thomas, he has been a blessing that words can’t explain – we signed 11 new players (7 freshman) – and added a graduate and student assistant coaches to the program - that makes 14 new faces at the games.
I plan on blogging twice a week throughout the entire year with a look inside our program.
Hope you enjoy the blog and I can’t wait to see our team’s process toward the prize.
“Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”- Coach John Wooden
Take Care!!!!
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