Coach Flip Naumburg's Journal

Saturday, February 5, 2005

HALF A BUBBLE OFF

I have been "half a bubble off" lately.  That is a construction term, referring to how far off of level whatever you happen to be constructing is.  Half a bubble generally isn't so good.  It's not the leaning tower of Piza, but it isn't even good enough for government work. I just haven't been mentally where I want to be lately, and I'm sure this carries over to my coaching abilities, too.  I will just keep plugging away, shoring things up in the pursuit of dead solid level.

I want to be positive, to push us forward on the field through the drills we do, etc.  With our time limitations on the field, however, and whatever field it might be, I almost feel like I haven't known which way is up lately, and as if there is no time to properly "train" them, because it is so important for us to play lacrosse whenever and wherever we have opportunity just to get game ready. 

We barely stretch, the goalies don't get decent warm-ups, and before you know it our practice time is up or it is dark.  It's like I'm afraid to steal minutes for the kind of drills that break the game down, and that we can't afford to use up clock on that "little" stuff.  Rather, we must play the actual game as much as we can. 

The time has come for me to re-think my approach somewhat.

A WEAK WEEK

In my estimation we did not have a good week of practice.  It was as if there might have been an ugly team thought circulating that "We" can just turn it on at some later date, or whenever we need to, and that all things will automatically fall into place.  Maybe I am just being Howard Hughes.  Either way, this is often and mostly not the truth.  It is my opinion that you play games a lot like you practice, and as of right now we are unable to put enough completed passes together in order to execute in a way that helps to tilt the field in a good direction for our future fortunes, be it game or practice.  

It is as if sometimes the simple basics don't seem important enough right now. I am not sure if this is because or in spite of the fact that I put so much emphasis on all the "stupid" little things like making the supreme effort to catch a less-than-perfect pass from a less-than-perfect teammate, and or just catching the ball in general.  This stuff (supreme effort) also often comes from the drills we haven't been doing, Coach.

We are often "forcing" the ball these days instead of letting the game come to us, trying to make things happen that aren't "there" rather than letting things happen that are.  This concerns me.  I want flow and natural progressions to dictate what happens and what we do. This will also take changing drills and some creative structuring.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

Yes, it makes me crazy when really skilled players do not place the supreme value on things like catching the ball, because catching, and or not catching the ball can be contagious.  Taking pride in every movement you make while inside the lines is also contagious.  How can it not be?  I am looking desperately for a switch, a spark to re-ignite our passion for the mundane fundamentals.

WHO AM US?

I know we have been practicing for a while with no games yet played.  We need a game, but that does not take the place of the fact that we must continually search for what team we want to be, and that is done in practice.  Practice must serve as a microcosm for the game.  My whole coaching schtik is pretty much predicated on that.

GLOBAL WARMING AS A GOOD THING?

I will hope for a few more days of good enough weather here in early February.  We have potentially three practices on campus in the afternoon Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  That possibility thrills me.  I must now dig deep and find a new and better way to get us in a good groove as we prepare for four in Texas next weekend.

SUPERDEEDUPER

For those that wish to make money by betting on the Eagles in tomorrow's Super Bowl, I am picking the Patriots to win.

Next Entry | Previous Entry


Flip Started Blogging Before it was Cool, Read Over 400 of His Entries Since January 2001
Jump to a Period:
2006: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov
2005: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2004: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2003: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2002: Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2001: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Sept Oct Nov Dec