The Great Intangible -- Being a Teammate

This year's squad.

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  When you're on the sideline, you tend to notice the little nuances about your team. You see the things that make it 'tick'. The good, the bad, the ugly. It amounts to being an outsider, with inside information.

  You see interactions and chemistry in a new way. Not being on the court during games and practices gives you a different perspective. The emotion of the game is taken out of it, so you can see things for what they are.

  It also makes you see and remember all the things it requires to be on a great team. And miss all the things you don't have.

  I guess it's true: "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."

It's Not a Right
  I look at being on a team as a privilege. It's not a right. Especially as you grow older.

  As a kid, everyone is on a team. You sign up, you get a jersey. Easy as that. As you get older, maybe you have to try out. Teams get a more selective as the talent gets better and better. But as a pro, and even as a collegiate athlete, they ask you to be on their team.

The Intangibles
  I think there are two qualities that make or break your chances of being a member of a team as you get deeper and deeper into your playing career: 1) talent, of course, and 2) being a great teammate, having the intangibles.

  If you have both of those qualities, it's very likely you'll be asked to be a part of quite a few teams in your day. Your career will be a long one. There won't be a team out there that doesn't want you on their squad.

  If you're a talented athlete only, and not a stellar teammate, chances are you'll still be sought out quite often to be a part of a team. Pure talent overrides attitude and intangibles in many cases. But after time, your reputation will catch up with you, and the well will run dry. People, coaches, managers, etc will catch wind of your unwillingness to be a teammate first.

  On the contrary, if you're just an okay athlete, but a great teammate, your career will be just as long, if not longer. By being a great teammate, you can make up for any downfalls you have as a player. 

  What makes a great teammate?

Probably the best 'team' I've been a part of.

Positivity
  Having a positive attitude is A, number one. I think it goes without saying, but you'd be surprised how often athletes are mired in negativity. Through thick and thin, a great teammate remains upbeat, and encouraging.

  Seasons are long, and there are a lot of ups and downs. Whether you're playing well, or not (or maybe not playing as much as you'd like). A great attitude can push you towards playing even better (or more).

  Looking from the outside, a negative attitude (pouting, disinterest, lack of effort, etc) is the fastest way to get yourself a selfish player label. 

Tireless Worker
  Great work ethic and positivity go hand in hand. And often times, they're both contagious. You talk, your teammates talk. You go out of your way to help a fallen teammate up, they're going to be more apt to do the same. You see your teammate working their tail off, you turn it up a few notches, to either match their effort, or surpass it.

  And a hard working team can't help but be successful. 

Make Your Teammates Look Good
  You make your teammates better players. I think it's a teammate's responsibility to do everything they can to help their other teammates succeed. Rotating over to help out on defense (there's nothing worse than seeing an opponent stroll in for an uncontested layin because no one rotated to help). Setting a solid screen (even if it hurts). Making a perfect pass, so all they have to do is put the ball in the bucket.

  Being a great teammate is also the willingness to go the extra mile (or kilometer, since I'm in Europe) for your teammates every time you step onto the court.

  Each member of a team has a role. No matter how big, or how small , for a team to be successful, those roles have to be fulfilled each and every time the ball goes up. You want to pull your own weight, do your job and not let your teammates down.

  Look at your role as your job. In order to do your job, first, you need to know your role. What is expected of you? What are your team's strategies, both offensively and defensively? To me, letting down a trusting teammate is the worst feeling on the basketball court.

Intangibles lead to celebrations -- Como.

Team First
  Putting the success of your team before your individual success. Are you trying to win the game, or are you trying to score 20 points?

  Sometimes you have to sacrifice a little personal success for the betterment of the team. Whether it'd be playing fewer minutes, making the extra pass, taking a tough defensive assignment, or maybe playing a different role than the one you initially had in mind (all the while keeping a good attitude), there are numerous ways to sacrifice for the good of your team.

  You cannot play with yourself, and only yourself, in mind. If you do, you might as well go play tennis, or golf.

Trust
  Through all these elements, you and your teammates develop a trust. A trust that you'll be there when the chips are down. Whether you're tired, hurting, or on the contrary, completely healthy, you'll be there. They can count on you, and you can count on them. It has to go both ways.

  And trust, to me, is the crucial key to playing on a successful team. But it all starts from you striving to be a great teammate first.

  It's not always easy, but it'll be well-worth it!

  Playing on a team, and having great teammates, is a special situation. I think I've taken it for granted when my teams have had 'it'. But not every team has it -- where each member is striving to be a better teammate. It's what separates good teams from bad. And great teams from good.

  But it's those the teams, those seasons, you remember with a smile.

Game Day = Test Day

France '12.

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  If there's a day of the week I need to be at my best, it's Saturday.

  It's the equivalent of test day back in our school days. We put in the work during the week, to hopefully earn that passing grade, a win, come Saturday.

  It's game day.

  That's when it all matters. Why we put in the work. Why we get paid. Fans are there. Family and friends are there. Media is there. It's your one time during the week to show your stuff.

  With so much on the line, you obviously want to be at your peak, both physically and mentally. Not to mention it's your job to be at the top of your game. If you're not, you're letting your teammates down (not to mention yourself!) and your opponents will quickly take advantage.

  Nothing frustrates me more than not playing my best come game day. Unfortunately it's been known to happen. So I do whatever I can to physically prepare myself for Saturday. If that means I need to do a little extra work, so be it.

Balancing Act
  Each, and every week, it's a constant battle to find the right balance between preparing yourself, while not over-doing it.

  If you do too much over the course of the practice week, you find yourself sluggish, with tired legs on Saturday. Hardly at the top of your game. If you take it easy during the week, on Saturday you're soft, lethargic, maybe even getting winded too easily. Again, far from your best.

Germany '09-'10/

  But if you find that balance, the sweet-spot, you feel like you could play forever. You have a rhythm for the game. Your legs are there throughout, and you recover quickly when you get tired. It's your goal to feel like that every week.

  For me personally, I need to be ready to play anywhere from 35 to 40 minutes a game (of a 40 minute game). That means I need to be in great shape. It's tough to play at a high level for 35+ minutes!

  I've found that taking it easy during the week, and saving your legs, is not going to cut it. For me anyway.

When Practice Doesn't Cut It
  In a perfect world, you get all your necessary preparation in practice. And there would be no need for extra work. But I've found in the last few years, I don't always get what I need out of practice.

  For example, sometimes we don't have 10 players. When that's the case, we're unable to go up and down the court and play five-on-five. There's not a drill in the world that can simulate playing full-court basketball at an intense level, so obviously that is the best way to prepare physically for games.

Sweden '08-'09.

  On those days, where I feel like practice didn't get me ready for Saturday, I have to do a little extra work on my own. That might mean a day of extra shots at game speed, or extra running/cardio, or maybe an extra session in the weight room. Or maybe all of the above.

  It depends on the week, and it depends on how I'm feeling. Over the course of my career, I've learned to trust my body. And think I have a pretty good idea of what I need to be at my best.

Training For a Game, Not a Marathon
  But sometimes it's about mental health and happiness too.

  Since I love running, the easy thing for me to do would be to go out and run 20, 30, 40 minutes. Nothing makes me feel better than being outside, clearing my mind, working up a sweat, while on a run.

  While that might give me a good workout and a mental release, running long distances isn't the most efficient way to train during basketball season. It's probably not in my best interest to be out there pounding on my legs day in and day out. That would be overdoing it. And my time and effort could be used doing something more-applicable to basketball.

  So I've come to realize that I might have to sacrifice wanting to go out and run everyday in order to be ready to play on Saturdays (even when I look out my window and see runners racing by!). While running might make me feel better in the short term (that day), a few days down the line, I might find myself tired. And I can't have that.

2012-2013 team.

  Outside of a recovery run early in the week, I'm trying to stay away from pounding the pavement. And instead, I'm giving interval training a try. Either on a bike or an elliptical machine, simulating short sprints (like you find in a basketball game) with even shorter recovery time. It's a sure fire way to get your heart rate pumping fast (without the wear and tear and pounding)!

  It's something new for me, so we'll see how it goes!

  I'm always experimenting and exploring things I can do to make myself better. I want to be in tune with my body, and always do what's right in order to be at my best come Saturday. I realize it's important to allow time to recover after physically demanding games. And it's an extremely long season, that we've only just begun!

  So I'm working now to find that balance -- to earn that A on game day!

Off to a Slow Start

DMBC team huddle.

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  Two regular season games in the books. Two slow starts. Two losses.

  Not exactly how I wanted my team to start the 2012-2013 basketball season. But that's the reality we're faced with.

  In both of the games, DMBC Dunkerque (my team, in case you forgot!), was slow out of the gate. Lacking aggressiveness and being passive defensively, which quickly led to a double digit deficit by the end of the first quarter.

  In the season opener, at home against Pau Orthez, we worked our way back into the game. Even though we trailed by as many at 16 points, we scratched and clawed our way back to take a one point lead midway through the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, we weren't able to build on that lead, and lost by six.

  Our first road trip of the season (was a long one -- 10 hours on the bus overnight) to Laveyron resembled the previous week, almost to a T. Slow out of the gate. No defensive energy as our opponents racked up easy basket after easy basket. We didn't seem to get into the game, mentally and physically, til well-after halftime. We kept the score respectable, but never truly made it a game -- losing by 16.

  The LF2 league is too difficult to spot our opponents a 12+ point lead, and expect to win any games. Only playing 20 to 30 minutes of a 40 minute game, is a surefire way to chalk up the notches in the 'L' column.

  After game one, I attributed our early-game timidness to first game nerves. Being a bit unsure of our opponent put us on our heels. That was all. But after a second consecutive game, you have to think it's a pattern.

Games haven't been all smiles, so far.

  So now we're searching for a solution. We need a different approach to the game. Because once we really start to play, we compete and we succeed. But we need to do it for 40 minutes.

  Whenever there are struggles in games, I go back to practice. You play how you practice, and you should practice how you want to play. Practice needs to prepare you for games.

  The speed, the tempo, the physicality of games, MUST be matched in practice to succeed come gameday.

  I've never been a player who could turn it off and on, so to speak. Some players are blessed with that ability to turn it up a notch when it's gameday, but not me. I rely on practice to help me develop a rhythm and a feel for the game throughout the week.

  Maybe it sounds silly. We've all played hundreds, if not thousands, of games. So we should be able to adjust quickly, right? But your body gets used to certain things, and we develop habits quickly. Practice is the place where you should encounter the difficult situations day after day, so you adapt, and solve them there. And are not seeing them for the first time come gameday. Practice helps you push through the difficult spots when they arise during the game.

  My teammates and I have to work to develop this atmosphere in practice, so we aren't finding ourselves on our heels the first 10 minutes of every game. Adjusting to a new intensity level when Saturday night rolls around, and we're tipping off against a quality opponent, is no way to chalk up notches in the RIGHT column -- the win column!

  We'll see how we develop in the weeks to come. We have a bye, so no game this weekend. But we do have a practice game midweek that will give us a chance to work on the things we've been struggling with in a game-like scenario.

  I'll keep you updated!

No Playoffs, No Climax Point

Playoffs in Germany.

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  The last month of any basketball season usually marks its climax point.

  In high school, you were vying for a league championship, and a state playoff berth. Once you hit college, your conference tournament and a prestigious invitation to the NCAA Tournament caught your focus. Finally as a professional, whether in Europe or the NBA, your motivation is to make the playoffs, and for your team to advance as far as possible.

  The climax is what you play for. All the excitement, all the pressure, all the hard work comes to a head come playoff time. That's when you want to be playing your best basketball. Because that's when the games count the most.

  For me this season, there are no playoffs. There is no climax. And I've decided it stinks! It's like reading a book, or watching a movie that has no climax. It just sputters out, and limps to the finish line.

In college, your focus was the NCAA Tournament!

  The league I'm playing in has no playoffs. There is a Final Four 'tournament' for the top four finishers in the league. But unfortunately my team is not quite at that level this season.

  Some teams are still fighting to avoid relegation for the following season (the bottom two finishers in our league drop down to the lower league). Thankfully, as of a few weeks ago, my team has successfully secured its place in LF2 for the 2012-2013 season.

  So essentially, we have nothing to play for. Nothing, that is, except pride, and satisfaction in your own performance.

Playoffs: Bigger crowds to play in front of, bigger games! (Sweden)

  But let's be real, everyone's level of pride can vary a great deal. Just like our ability to self-motivate can differ enormously from one person to the next. Practices can get lackluster (to say the least), and games can feel like glorified scrimmages. My goal is to not allow that to happen in my final two weeks in Dunkerque.

  At the onset of each season, teams usually sit down together and set goals of how they want the season to go. Some might want to finish with a playoff berth and that's it (in most leagues, that means finishing in the Top 8 in the standings). Others might be more specific, and say they want to finish in the top two, or win the championship.

Have to keep focused as season ends!

  The professional season can be very long. You get tired physically, and you can lose your focus mentally. Once you hit that seventh or eighth month, you might find yourself going through the motions. That's where having goals can help keep you and your teammates motivated. Goals give you a way to measure your success, and will keep your eyes on the prize.

  In situations where the season is seven or eight months, I think it's helpful to break your goals down. 'Shorter-sighted' goals are easier to keep focused on, and easier to measure after all.

  While I'd love to be preparing for a a playoff series, or the Final Four, that's not my reality this season. So my motivation remains on my own personal pride in how I play, and how I can improve as a leader. I cannot control those around me, but I can control my effort and my focus on each and every practice, and our final two remaining games.

LEMO Foundation

LEMO Foundation

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  I've made the importance of athletics in shaping my life no secret. Without basketball, my life would be on a vastly different course. I wouldn't be living in Europe; seeing its sights, experiencing its cultures, and playing the game I love, all while getting paid to do it.

  My road here has had many twists and turns. Maybe without just one of those twists, my journey would have led me to a different destination.

  Everything, for me, started with a solid foundation. My parents, my schooling, and my coaches and mentors, all helped me along the way. But what if I didn't have that foundation? Or what if I was missing one key piece? Then what? Would I have earned a Division I scholarship, leading to a career as a professional overseas?

  I've always thought that every kid should have the opportunities I have been lucky enough to have, no matter their background, and no matter where they grow up.

  A longtime friend of mine, Allison Magner, has recently gotten involved with the development and growth of a non-profit organization based in the Bay Area. LEMO Foundation is exactly the kind of community that would have come in handy, had my foundation developed cracks in it as a teenager.

  The founders of LEMO, Ali and David Taufoou, wanted their organization to be like no other: based on a family atmosphere. Not just a place where kids could receive academic tutoring, or only athletic coaching.

LEMO Playmakers!

  LEMO focuses on the development of kids (or playmakers, as they call them) as people, as students, AND as athletes. They want 'to empower high school students to strive for greatness and to become responsible, compassionate leaders.' 

  They help develop the skills necessary to become a successful student: organizational, time management, and study skills. SAT preparation is also provided, along with NCAA Clearing House guidance (a must if you want to compete at the collegiate level). 

  LEMO provides a family atmosphere that serves as a safety net for kids if their home-life doesn't provide the support they need. As mentors, earning the trust of, and showing commitment to each and every kid, is essential.

  Obviously the athletic training is what brings it all together. Sport is the common denominator for the playmakers at LEMO, and the motivator for many kids throughout the US. By using that interest in sport, and commitment to becoming a better athlete, LEMO (and organizations like it) has the platform to develop the leaders of the future. Athletically, LEMO promotes all sports, but specialties lie mostly in volleyball and football at this time.

The Foundry

  Maybe the most important thing, is that LEMO provides ONE place where all this can happen.  Every facet of LEMO is operated at The Foundry. Whether it's for a workout, study hall, a tutoring session, or practice, the kids at LEMO rely on the cream of the crop facility for everything. 

  Gym time and access to academic facilities can always a stumbling block when developing organizations like LEMO. Matt Krebs has been generous enough to partner with LEMO to allow The Foundry to serve as LEMO Headquarters.

  As part of their mission statement, and vision, the LEMO Foundation will continue to search for ways to "strongly focus on and help guide the spiritual, mental, and physical aspects of each individual that we serve - Liahona 'the Compass' of LeMo. Success is defined differently for each individual, but LeMo offers every avenue for our youth to reach that path according to their specific goals - Motu 'the Rock' of LeMo."

  LEMO might not be for everyone. The commitment has to be there from the playmakers themselves, and not just in one area. Just because you're involved with a great organization, doesn't mean you no longer have to work. The coaches and mentors will not pull anyone along.

  Surely there are organizations like LEMO all over the country. But from my experience it's difficult to weed through the countless after-school programs that may have various motivations. To me, these organizations should have one thing in mind: put the kids' best interests first -- no matter what.

Fellowship at LEMO

  What's amazing about LEMO is that the kids don't pay a thing. Through sponsorships, donations, and volunteers, playmakers are provided with an incredible opportunity without having to take out a small loan to do so.

  The LEMO roster stands at 22 right now; there are 22 playmakers. However, the foundation is looking to progress and grow, so that more kids can reap the benefits of their organization. In order for that to happen, word needs to spread, and more generous hearts need to be found!

  Regardless of their outcome, reaching the collegiate level (or beyond) or not, kids' involvement in a community like LEMO will only be beneficial to their (and OUR) futures. If kids are a part of something, if they have adults/mentors who care for, and who are invested in them, they can achieve anything. 

  Everyone deserves to have the opportunity to be the best they can be -- in all aspects of life -- and the LEMO Foundation is helping kids in the Bay Area do just that.

  For more information on how to become involved, in any capacity, with LEMO, please check out their website here.

LINKS:

LEMO Foundation

The Foundry

LEMO Facebook Page

The Foundry Facebook Page

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Decisions, Decisions

Playing in Poland.

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  Every Spring, about this time, my anxiety level rises to its yearly-high. Summer is quickly approaching, and my basketball season starts coming to a close. I'm sure you're wondering, what's exactly to be anxious about?

  The end of a season marks the end of another contract. And with the end of a contract comes decision time. Do I play another basketball season in Europe? And if so, where? It's the case where one question leads to another. And then another, depending on how you answer each preceding question.

  Decision time, it seems, is coming earlier and earlier each year. It used to be that I didn't even think about the following season until I was in the midst of my summer/off-season. I would play it by ear. See what opportunities arose, both in the US and in Europe, and go from there. But more-recently, I have found that teams are making inquiries about the next season earlier than they have in the past. Or maybe, it is me that is wanting an answer earlier and earlier every year?

Love my summers!

  On the one hand, it's great to have your destination for the upcoming season in the books. You can enjoy your summer, and not worry 'will I have a team to play for?' as the off-season progresses. Call it job security. You know exactly where you will be come September, so you're able to focus on your workouts, and enjoy spending time with the family and friends you miss-out on seeing seven or eight months out of the year.

  But if you're wanting to see all possible opportunities, both on the court and off, you want to try to delay Decision Day as much as you can. The further you get into the off-season, the more teams have contacted you, giving you more on-the-court possibilities to choose from. While you're fielding inquiries from potential teams in Europe, it also gives you the opportunity to put out feelers into the 'real' world, and see what the working world has to offer.

Beautiful -- Dunkerque.

  Networking and navigating the US job-market is a difficult thing to do while in Europe. The time change (I'm nine hours ahead of my home timezone!) makes direct contact a difficult feat. It's something you really have to be committed to. And relying on email isn't going to cut it. Taking into account the number of emails people receive each day, the likelihood that they want to answer your job-market questions becomes minuscule. So networking becomes far-easier when you're on US soil.

  Are these excuses? Maybe so. Maybe I just need to put forth more effort.

  One thing I can say without hesitation, is that I've always had a difficult time turning down a good contract. If it's a good opportunity/location, the money makes sense, and you still love to play the game, how can you say no? Especially when you have nothing else lined up (as in, nothing solid waiting for you when you return home to the US). I've never thought that was good business to turn down a job. Maybe I'm too cautious that way.

Great teammates -- Sweden.

   So how exactly do I go about making that yearly decision of whether to play another season?

  First and foremost, am I healthy? As a professional athlete, your body is your money-maker. And if you aren't able to cut it on a consistent basis, it might be time to find a new profession.

  Secondly, do I still love what I am doing? If you wake up in the morning, and you dread going to practice, or you no longer have the passion to put in the extra work, chances are you aren't
going to enjoy yourself as much as you should be.

  These are the two major questions I ask myself before I make any sort of decision. There are other factors that affect my choice as well, such as potential teammates, location of team, previous experiences, and so on. But health and passion for the game, will always remain the two deciding factors.

Germany.

  In all likelihood, you're not going to find something that tops the profession I have right now. I have to say it's a pretty great gig. But it isn't forever either. So when does it become the time to start writing a new chapter?

  Some people have their mid-life crises, or quarter-life crises. I, on the other hand, like to have my annual life crises. :) One thing that eases my mind is reminding myself that there is NO wrong decision. Whatever I choose, I will be successful at it, and I will be happy. But with professional sports, it's something that you want to be 100% sure about. When you're done, you're done. There's usually no going back once you've called it quits (unless your name is Brett Favre). So you need to be sure. And the contrary is true as well. You don't want to play a season too long, and not have your heart in it.

Fun experiences abroad -- Sweden.

  For nine years I have chosen to play 'one more season'. Maybe I should make it a nice round number, and go for season 10. What do you think?



 




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Pushing Through the Rough Patch

Who knew I had a defensive stance like that?!?

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  I'm not going to pretend like losing is the worst thing you can go through. Unfortunately, we are reminded on a daily basis that there are things much more difficult to experience. But let me tell you, losing starts to wear on you after a while.

  I'm not exactly sure what my personal record-losing streak stands at for my career, but it's safe to say, if we haven't already surpassed it, we're getting dangerously close. Losing streaks aren't something you really want to keep track of, so you'll have to excuse my lack of stat-keeping.

  My team and I suffered our fifth straight loss over the weekend. That puts our last win coming before Christmas. Here's a situation where only having one game a week isn't doing me any favors. Nearly two months without a win makes for a very frustrated blogger/basketball player!

On the drive.

  When you lose a game, you're chomping at the bit to get back out on the court as quickly as possible, to right any wrongs. To somehow correct the mistakes you made that may have contributed to your team's loss. Practicing makes you feel a little better. But it's not til you get that win, that you're finally 'over' any loss. Until then, you keep seeing the mistakes over and over in your head, playing like a movie.

  I can say, though, after our most-recent game against Armentieres, I am encouraged. We played with fire, and intensity. I could see in my teammates that we were all into the game and focused on winning. It was the most 'together' we had played in months. We played hard, we fought for loose balls, we had a team-spirit that brought us closer. Unfortunately, we just didn't make the plays down the stretch, and came up short on the scoreboard.

  But we'll keep plugging along. There's no other choice. We'll learn from our latest loss, and hopefully become better players (and a better team) because of it. Losing is never ok! But if there's anytime you can be 'ok' with a loss, or a failure, it's when you turn it into something you learn, and grow from. You never want to numb yourself from losing, or from failing. If you're numb, and downfalls no longer affect you, then you're as good as finished. Cause that means you no longer care.

  One quote I continuously come back to is Michael Jordan talking about his failures: "I've failed over and over and over again in my life...and that is why I succeed." That's how MJ made himself the best ever. He took those failures and made himself better. He used his slip-ups as motivation. We can all do the same. We can't let our failures be for naught.

  We're close to turning it around, I can feel it! Fingers-crossed for a better report next week. I think it'll happen!

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Team Chemistry: Still Learning After All These Years

Singing the CU fight song after a W.

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  As the team bus was pulling up to the gym Saturday night for our game against La Roche, I had an interesting thought: every Winter, since I was nine years old, I've been a member of a basketball team (that dates back to 1990 for those of you doing the math).

  And I thought, each and every one of those years has been like riding a roller-coaster.

  No matter how much experience you have, you never know what to expect because no two teams are ever the same.

  Even after 22 years (?!?!), I've yet to tire of being on a team. The basketball is roughly the same year in and year out, but the dynamics of a team are always changing, and always keeping you on your toes.

Learning Experiences 
  Basketball aside, you're constantly learning about yourself, and learning about your teammates. So that's why, to me, being a part of a team (any team), can be one of the greatest learning experiences you can have. You don't learn just about basketball, you learn about people, and through that, you learn about life.

Easter 2001 with my Buffs!

  I can still remember my first uniform ever--purple t-shirts from the YMCA. I'm sure everyone remembers their Y-ball days. My dad was our coach, and he taught us the basics about the game. You know: the fundamentals (how to dribble, shoot, etc.), spacing, the pick and roll, give and go.

  But we also learned the basics about teamwork, and how to be a good teammate: sharing, communication, encouragement, working together.

  Of course, as we get older, the game gets more intricate, and the personality of a team grows more complicated. But the most-important aspects of playing on a team never change.

  If you don't have the basic fundamentals of basketball honed and sharpened, you can't play the game at a high level. The same goes for being on a team. If you forget the basics of what goes into being a good teammate, chances are, your team won't be as successful as it could be.

Team Chemistry 
  You can never predict what a team's chemistry will be like. Just like you can never take it for granted. Team chemistry to me, is basically how well people get along on AND off the court. It's unrealistic to expect every person on a team to be best of friends. Personalities will clash; that's only normal. When that happens, it's important that differences are put aside for the betterment of the team.

  Many times, a team's chemistry is what allows it to overcome its opponent. Chemistry is immeasurable, but it might be the most-important intangible a team can have.

Having fun with my teammates in Sweden!

  Each team I have been on has been drastically different in that regard. But I've always found, the closer a team is off the court, the better they play together on.

  You'll go that extra mile, and work that much harder next to someone you like and have a mutual respect for, versus a teammate you don't necessarily get along with.

  The same way you can bring friendships and chemistry onto the court, you can also take what happens in games and practices, off the court. You can grow your friendships with teammates through the difficult, funny, or memorable situations that you face together on the court.

  Some of my favorite memories with teammates and friends have come after re-hashing particularly difficult practices, and being able turn those moments into things we can laugh about.

  By comparison, bad team chemistry, would be when you take a negative experience off the court and bring it onto the court, and vice versa. It's not rocket-science, but it's important nonetheless.

  Two of the most successful teams I've ever played on were extremely close off the court, and I believe it led to us working that much harder together, and that much better together on the court.

Close Team = Successful Team

Team dinner in Como.

  My Colorado teams from 1999-2003 grew from being a tight group of friends that lost more often than not (my freshman year), to a team that could get through almost anything together.

  We advanced as far as the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, my junior year, and the Sweet 16 my senior year.

  The same can be said for the first professional team I played on in Como. Even though we came from all corners of the world, we enjoyed spending time with each other off the court, and we enjoyed working together on the court.

  What started out as a difficult season, losing games we necessarily shouldn't have lost, resulted in a team (that wasn't the most-talented in the league) that won the Italian Championship at season's end.

  Here are some other valuable lessons I've learned through participating on basketball teams throughout the years. Things I will always take with me, in every aspect of my life:

• I've gotten better at learning how to lose (that doesn't sound right). Maybe learning from failures sounds a little bit better. Losing is never easy, but it used to consume me. Now I try to learn from it.
• Win graciously. Act like you've been there before, act like you've done it before.
• While you learn from failures (losing), success (winning) is what keeps you going. You need to experience the positives along with the negatives to keep pushing yourself.
• I've learned what you CAN, and CANNOT control. Usually all you can control is yourself! You can try to lead your team to change, but a leader needs people to lead! Kind of sounds like the old adage: 'you can lead a horse to water...'

NCAA win -- nothing better!

  I've said over and over again, that being part of a team is one of the greatest, most-special experiences you can have.

  The friendships and camaraderie are the obvious benefits. But what you will learn from your teammates, and will experience is probably the most-rewarding benefit of them all.

  Do you think team chemistry can be 'fixed'? Or is just a natural thing, where, whatever will happen, will happen?

Your Experiences With Team Chemistry
  Is there an aspect about teamwork, or being on a team that I missed? And I mean any kind of team. Your team at work; that's a team! What things do you learn from your teammates or co-workers? And how important is chemistry in the workplace?

  I'm also wondering about the differences in the importance of team chemistry within men's teams, versus women's teams. I can obviously only speak from one perspective, but would love to hear the contrary!

CU Alumni game -- still all the best of friends.

  Please, let me know your thoughts and experiences about being on a team, and how it has benefited your life, and how you have grown from it.
 

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Getting Real About Winning

Versus Voiron.

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  Our first game back from the Holiday break was a frustrating one. I was hoping my team, DMBC Dunkerque, would pick up where we left off in mid-December, and continue our winning streak. But those hopes were quickly put to rest.

  Granted we had a month break in between games, so rust could have only been expected. But there's a difference between rust, and work ethic. A difference between rust, and passion and intensity. A difference between rust, and the desire to win. And Voiron, our opponent, was dealing with the same 'rust'. So you tell me what the difference was ...

  When you spend 12 hours on a bus to get to a game, you want to, at the very least, make those 12 hours worthwhile by playing a good game. Of course, you PLAY every game to WIN every game. If you don't believe you can win the game, you shouldn't be on the floor. Now I'm not delusional enough to think you will win every game, but the possibility of winning every game is there. And the possibility of winning every game is there because you prepare over the course of the week of practice by working hard, and working intensely.

"By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail" -- Benjamin Franklin

  At the forefront of winning comes the desire to win. Everyone loves winning. There's no doubt about that. But the difference lies in who is willing to prepare to win. Preparing to win on the basketball court means practicing as if it were a game. You play in practice with the same intensity in which you play a game. You run just has hard, you chase down rebounds, you finish every play just as if it were a game. Sure it's not easy. But it's what has to be done if you want to be successful on game day.

  'Going through the motions', I think, is one of the worst phrases you can hear in regards to an athlete. That phrase indicates: lack of passion, lack of intensity, no work ethic, and not serious. And going through the motions is exactly what you don't want to do in practice. Going through the motions will not prepare you for the intensity of a game, and it will not prepare you to win.

  Playing basketball, whether it's in practice or in a game, has always brought me great joy. I think the things that have drawn me to basketball are the necessary cohesiveness, and the competitiveness. To me, there's nothing better that going out on the court with your four teammates, playing your hardest, and competing against the five players across the way.

Versus Voiron.

  Winning will not happen on its own, because, more than likely, your opponent loves to win just as much as you do. Especially at the professional level. Sure, sometimes you can get away with lacking intensity, or not working hard. Maybe you're just more talented than your particular opponent that day. But when talent is equal, it will be the preparation, the passion, and the work ethic that will push one team over the top.

  So here's my motivation for the rest of the season: I will focus on myself, and ensure that I am holding up my end of the bargain. Maybe that sounds selfish, but at the end of the day, I can only control one person: me. I will take every opportunity in practice to play my hardest, and try to bring up the level of intensity that way. We can continue to be mediocre, but that's not something I'm willing to do. The only way we will be successful, is if we play with more intensity, and our desire to win is higher than our opponent's.

  Winning will not 'just happen'. You have to put in the work first, and only then, will the results come.

  Make today a great one!

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The Days When the Shot Isn't Falling

CU vs. UNC - 2003 NCAA Tournament.

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  One thing I have always prided myself on as a basketball player is the ability to be a multi-dimensional player. Being one-dimensional just won't cut it. There are too many facets of the game to ONLY be good, or productive, at one of them. The players I respect and admire the most have ALWAYS been the players that can impact a game in more than one way.

  We all know that the part of the game that gets the most shine, the most publicity, is the ability to put the ball in the bucket. That's a no-brainer. Everyone wants their name in the headlines as the top scorer. But the reality is, what happens when that shot's not falling? No matter how much you practice, and how good a shooter you are, you WILL have those days! So when that game comes, do you find a way to contribute in other areas, or do you become an ineffective player?
  

2009 - Germany.

  For me, that game happened on Saturday versus Limoges. I got open shot after open shot, and didn't knock down nearly enough of them. Sure, it's frustrating! But you can get frustrated with yourself and quit playing, or you can dig down and play even harder. Grab rebounds, get some steals, create open shots for your teammates. The game doesn't end on the offensive side of the ball!

2009 - Germany.

  I think that is the process of maturing as a basketball player as well. You can't pout when you miss shots. I know I still become furious with myself for missing shots. But the difference between me now, and 5-10 years ago, is now I don't let it affect the rest of my game. I work even harder to positively impact the game in other ways.

  Actually, I think it's kind of fun. How you can literally dominate the game without necessarily scoring. No, I don't think it's fun when you can't hit the broadside of a barn. But what I mean, is it's fun to find other ways to be a dominant force.

2008 - Sweden.

  Think about your favorite player. What do they do on the court that draws your admiration? We all know Michael Jordan was an incredible scorer. But he also wasn't afraid to mix it up defensively, hit the boards, or find an open teammate for an easy bucket.

2007 - Poland.

  On the women's side, the same can be said for Tamika Catchings. She's been a player I have admired since I was in high school. She plays incredibly hard, and absolutely fills the stat sheet. That's something I've always tried to emulate.

  You can't be a one-dimensional player and make it very far in this game.

   My team had a great win versus Limoges on Saturday. Winning by 20-plus points, for our second blow-out win in a row at home. Even when I missed more shots than I thought I should, I managed to walk off the court happy with the way I played. Yeah, I felt I could have played better (but I always feel that way), and shot the ball better. But because I dug down I found other ways to contribute, I still was proud of the way I played.

  That's one of the things I love about basketball: there are so many ways to affect a game, or even one specific play. There is not one thing that makes you a player. It's the combination of all the things you can do, that makes you standout. There's always a way to make an impact on the court, you just have to find it.