Top Tier Participants Going The Extra Mile

Our Top Tier Training Program for boys has been a huge hit this year because of the array of talent that we have in the program. Each Saturday these young men get up early and hit the court for some intense pre-season training so that they can be ready for their upcoming basketball season.

The last couple of weeks have been challenging for most of the boys but I feel that everyone's beginning to get a feel for each other and are starting to understand that success comes with a price.

I'm very encouraged by the work that each of these players have been putting towards their game.  Every week they come to practice focused and ready to learn and compete.  This upcoming weekend we will conduct a regular game-like scrimmage.  Although our scrimmages are controlled, the main focus is player development from a team setting.

I have no doubt that the majority of these players will have a good high schoool career if they continue to put forth the effort that it takes to keep getting better. They are smart, talented, discipline, athletic and skilled.

Never Give Up on A Child Who's Behind

Gifted teachers must teach; but they must not lose heart nor become discouraged with teaching those who are behind and who are in need of extra help. For the one's who need extra help (who are usually forgotten) may be the one's that God has specifically chosen and destined to do greater things or even lead our nation. And you (the teacher) spending extra time with them could hold the key that unlocks their destiny. 

"Never, Ever Give Up On A Child Who's Behind, Give Them Your Best and Trust God For the Rest!" 

dh

Coaches Bare Some Responsibility

Winning comes with a price and so does losing. When coaches are only concerned about winning, they too must share some of the blame; not just for the loss of the game (s) but for the loss of our kids. 

Coaches (like parents) bare the responsibility of helping to instill character, honesty, integrity, ambition, citizenship, self-respect and personal responsibility. When a coach is only concerned about winning and helping to shape the life of a child is no longer important, they fail.   

"I realize that parenting isn't the responsibility of a coach; but being a mentor and role model is." 

Coaches are an authoritative figure; therefore they bare and shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that the health and total welfare of the child is intact, at least as long as they are under their watch. 

"Helping kids develop a healthy pathway for life is the difference between winning and losing."

Honoring God's Word Encourges Team Work

When we work together and honor the word of God we are strong. When we disregard the word of God we are weak.

Being a family member, co-worker, husband & wife, partner in business, neighbor or teammate involves unity and selflessness. Although we are often taught and encouraged to stand up and stand out, we must not allow ourselves to think for a minute that we can do everything by ourselves.

Individualism in many cases can deter others from wanting to socialize, work with, feel a bond, trust, love, assist or more importantly have anything to do with those who are self absorbed and selfish.

"When a person isolates him/herself it can sometimes have an appearance that they feel they're better than others."

When we (The Human Race) chose to honor the word of God and work together in brotherly love; it makes it much easier to experience things such as: patience, kindness, teamwork, sportsmanship, workmanship, creativity, happy hearts, forgiveness, helpfulness, community pride, trust, giving, support, compassion, strength and all of the blessings that flow from honoring the word of God.

"When we honor and obey God's word, blessings abound."

Talented Players All Over the Gym Today

Today was the first day of our 7th & 8th grade "Top Tier" Program. And boy was there lots and lots of talented players on both sides of the court. Although some players felt a little out of place at times, I was still very excited about the level of athleticism, talent and discipline that each player brought to the court.

As we move forward during the next 7 weeks, my game plan is to create a healthy environment from which each player feels led and challenged to grow. One of the things that I noticed from our boys and girls session today was that many of the players are not use to playing multiple positions. I personally believe that players should learn how to play more than 1 position.  This can ultimately make a player more valuable to the team.

Although today's workout was more of an evaluation process. We were ecstatic about what the level of talent was in the gym and we are looking forward to what the remaining 7 weeks will look like once we fully develop our game plan. Our game plan will be based on what we know everyone can do and needs to learn.

About Today:

Today, all of the players were encouraged to speak with a voice of authority, look coaches directly in the eye when talking and bring more energy to the court.  These mannerisms are non-negotiable.

In total honesty, there were no players on the court today that I think shouldn't have been out there. If I was a middle school coach (girls or boys), I would love to have the type of players on my team that we had in the gym today.

Now that this day is behind us, our work really begins.  My staff and I will take all things into consideration as we create a wholesome game plan that has the balance needed for each player to gain the confidence needed to become a better basketball player.

"As for the parents of the kids, they were great!"

Regards,

Deon

The Road To Success Involves Discipline

Student-athletes must all work diligently in order to perfect their God given gifts."It's never easy but it's worth it".

Too often talented individuals underestimate the sacrifices that they must make in order to fully develop the skills needed to be successful or for that matter stay on top of their game.  I'm a firm believer that commitment to working smart pays off. I also believe that without proper training, talented people fail.

In conclusion, a person can reach unlimited success by remaining dedicated, believe in what they're doing, keep it simple and fun and be disciplined throughout the process.

4 Gentlemen to Be Proud Of

Jon Beadles, Derek Rich, Austin Soldner & John Paul Noland. These are 4 of the most outstanding guys that I have ever met. They attended Southlake H.S. together and played basketball since middle school. I had the privilege of training and mentoring them as a group here at Hoop Hunter Basketball.

This is the best  boys group of 4 that I have ever trained together for a lengthy period of time. All of them attended college and are very successful.