| Pre-Season Meetings 2025-2026 |
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| TEAM |
DATE & PLACE |
| Varsity |
Wed, 10/15 , HSE room 261 @ 7:45 AM |
| JV |
Wed, 10/15 , HSE room 261 @ 7:45 AM |
| Freshman |
Mon, , HSW Gym, @ 2:35 |
| Modified |
Wed, , Gowana Cafeteria, @ 3:35 |
| Team |
Date |
Gym |
Time |
| Varsity |
Nov 17 |
Main |
5-7 |
| JV |
Nov 17 |
Arongen |
3-5:30 |
| Freshman |
Nov 17 |
Main |
7-9 |
| Modified |
Nov 24 |
Arongen |
4:00 |
Why Didn’t I Make the Team
If you are wondering why you / your child did not make a team, I will attempt to offer some insights. We cannot respond to each individual request to explain why someone did not make a team. We also cannot respond to each individual request to explain what your child might need to improve upon.
Basketball is so much more than shooting, passing, and dribbling.
I would argue that the 3 most important skills for basketball, and most sports, are:
1. Intelligence
2. Toughness (mental & physical) & Aggressiveness
3. Desire to COMPETE
One can use intelligence to outsmart opponents. This is the hardest skill to acquire. There are many facets to being an intelligent basketball player and it is sometimes hard to explain, but a good sign of intelligence is that the player is an OUTSTANDING passer and the player is constantly talking on defense.
With that being said, the skills that generally separate players at tryouts, are “toughness / aggressiveness” and the “desire to COMPETE”. The best part about these skills is that they are entirely under the control of each player.
Unfortunately, most players do not display toughness / aggressiveness or the desire to compete at tryouts. Players that are aggressive and love to COMPETE act like it is their mission in life to:
- box out every time & grab that rebound – even if they have to wrestle someone to the ground;
- dive on the floor for that loose ball;
- do everything in their power to prevent the person they are guarding from getting to the basket. Players that love to COMPETE and are aggressive, STAND OUT at tryouts.
Toughness / aggressiveness and the desire to COMPETE also apply to offense. These players attack defenders and pursue offensive rebounds relentlessly. Players that do not make a team are generally passive on offense, thus, they never effectively demonstrate their skill set of passing, shooting, and dribbling.
There are two more factors that contribute to players not getting selected to a team – strength and conditioning. These factors are also totally under the control of the player. Most players that do not make a team are not in the best shape & / or they are not one of the stronger players.
Players that are stronger and in better shape than other players STAND OUT at tryouts.
Lastly, every player generally needs to improve their shooting, passing, and dribbling skills. Shooting in the driveway or while warming up is way different than shooting in games or at tryouts. Dribbling and passing without defense is way different than when facing extreme, “in-your-face” pressure that can occur during games.
The players that are the most aggressive stand out.
The players that have the desire to compete stand out.
The best “in-game” shooters stand out.
The best passers stand out.
The best dribblers against pressure stand out.
Players that are passive never effectively demonstrate skills they may have.
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