The students have returned to the classrooms and the players have returned to the courts. The spring semester is underway and with that, the journey to wherever we are going to end up this season has kicked off.
This time of the year is quite exciting and this year is certainly no different. We have four new players in the fold this semester and I am eager to determine what each of their contributions will be going forward.
The first week of practice is often telling. It is pretty easy to uncover a few things by what is observed. I already know who worked hard over the break and who did very little. I don't really even need a trained eye to see which players attempted to stay in shape, those that didn't and those that dedicated themselves to improve so as to hit the ground running on day one. I would love to report that the entire roster was indeed dedicated to the cause, but at this point, we look like a November team. We have a long way to go and in very little time as we open the season versus NCAA D1 Monmouth University on Saturday, February 16th, just five weeks from today. However, I really like my team. I know that we have the potential to accomplish special things in 2013 but the players will have to do the work.
Essentially, we have to come together as a team. We need to play for each other and fight for every point for each other, whether it be in practice or match play. We all like each other and get along and so forth, but the bottom line is, we must not have players quitting on points, drills or conditioning exercises. We need to have an unselfish team. Unselfish players care more about what the team needs rather than how they feel. Players can say "I’m not selfish" - but, yes, if you skip practices and workouts and you don’t play every point hard and you don’t work your absolute hardest during drills or conditioning, because, by the way, that’s exactly what your teammates need you to do, then you are a selfish player. If we can find a way to be unselfish and play for each other at all times, we will be very successful.
Let me repeat myself...
I really like my team!
Nuff said...
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