Athletes Don't Lay on the Couch

The more you read or hear about high level athletes, the more impressed you become with their tremendous work ethics and self-discipline. Larry Bird would go to the top of the Boston Garden and runs several miles after practice “to keep in shape.” There are legendary stories of Kobe Bryant’s individual workouts. More recently there are fascinating stories about the workouts of Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu.

Great athletes not only work on the skills of their sport. Great athletes also work on trying to become better athletes. They work on their strength and their conditioning. Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, and Sabrina Ionescu were each great practice players. But what separated them from the pack was what they did on their own. They each became great by creating their own workouts. 

Kelsi- Competing at Next Level

Kelsi Legge was a two-year starter at GHS. She played point guard as a junior, and then an off-guard as a senior. The reality is that she had the size and quickness to be able to play any position for us. She could guard the point guard, and turn around to guard a post player.

Anyone watched Kelsi play realized that she competed. She only knows one way to play- she plays hard. She always had the ability and the willingness to do all the little things- that in reality are the big things.

In the summers, she has worked as a coach/instructor in our camps and in our leagues. Kelsi knows the game, she has been a great coach in the summers for us. She brings energy and gets after it.

Kaylee- Still Working

Kaylee had a horrible ending to her season, when she hurt her knee with just a couple weeks left in the season. So, I wanted catch up with her and how her rehab is going. As one would expect of Kaylee is approaching it with her usual energy and her usual work ethic.

Kaylee has been an important leader in our program. Often people mistakenly just think as leadership involving being able to give verbal messages. In order for the verbal message to be accepted by teammates, the leader has to have first developed a relationship with teammates. In other words, the players must see the leader as someone who really cares about them. And an effective leader’s actions must show that they are invested in the team. The expression that we use- they must “walk the walk.”

Kaylee is not a good leader, she is a GREAT LEADER. In is so much more effective when words of inspiration and words of criticism come from a teammate instead of just the coach. Kaylee has never been afraid to speak up and say not what her team wants to hear, but rather what her team NEEDS TO HEAR.

Chad Thompson- Great to Have in Galesburg

Chad Thompson is a teacher and coach in District #205. Chad grew up in Galesburg and played basketball for Coach Reynolds and the Streaks. He had a very good basketball career, and he played on one of Coach Reynold’s very good teams. After graduating from Monmouth College, he came back to Galesburg to teach, and be a coach on the staff of Coach Reynold’s. Galesburg is very fortunate to have Chad teaching and coaching in our schools. It is exciting to have one of our best choose to return to Galesburg.

I have gotten to know Chad as he has officiated in our summer league since his senior year in high school. He and his brother took on the thankless job of removing all of the carpet and nails in the upstairs of our house. And this past winter, I was an assistant to Chad as he ran the Future Streaks program for the boys and girls basketball programs. He is not afraid to work hard, he works well with people (even his brother), and he really connects with young people.

Abby- Working Her Way Back

Abby & family finishing a mile run at Lake Storey.

Abby had a heartbreaking year of basketball. She hurt her knee in the third practice of the season. It is tough to have worked hard and feel like you are ready go for some of your basketball goals, and then have to put the goals on the backburner while you develop a whole new set of goals about rehab.

It is probably easy for some to look at Abby, and figure she is good because she is tall. This summer Abby was one of our best players, and in some games she was our best player. Just going into her sophomore year, and having success already could be pretty heady stuff for some players. But this summer, it became clear to me that Abby has been successful because of her inner drive.

We had planned games at Breese. We were really challenged as a team, it turns out we played  4 of 5 games vs. teams who were state ranked. And we played vs. some really good post players. After the last game, I was standing next to Abby in the lobby outside the gym. She turned to me and said, “This weekend I showed me that I have to get stronger. I have to get into the weight room, I don’t want to be pushed around.” Clearly Abby wasn't just happy to be on the varsity, she wanted to get better!

Successful athletes have to be willing to do self-examination and be willing to challenge themselves. Abby isn’t afraid to challenge herself. And because of that attitude, she is successful as she does her knee rebab.

Shayli Florine- Finishing Up College

Shayli Florine had a great high school career. No one was better in the low post. Vs. Richwoods in the Sectionals, she dominated a good post player inside. Time after time, we took the ball to the wing so they fronted her. Then the ball went to the high post, she sealed the defense, got the feed and made a nice, soft little hook shot going into the lane. By the time they recognized they had to give her more attention than just one defender, the game was over. This was the story of her varsity career.

Shayli wasn't just tall, she REALLY worked to develop her game. She had a good junior season. When she came back as a senior, you looked at her and said,"Wow, she is a lot better!" She invested time into her game, and it showed.

It seems like just yesterday that she was playing as a Streak. But four years have gone by, and Shayli is getting ready to graduate from McKendree. She had a great college experience, and is headed off to grad school with big things ahead of her.

Emily Meinert- Headed to NIU

Emily Meinert is headed to Northern Illinois University at DeKalb to play basketball on a full scholarship.

Emily had a very good high school career. As a junior, she was first off the bench for a team that went 26-8, and was ranked 11th in Illinois. It was a team that beat Morton in the regular season, and then lost to Morton in the Sectionals.

As a senior, she had an outstanding season. She was First Team All-Conference, averaging 9.5ppg and 6.3rpg, while shooting 48% from the field and 60% from the line. The team didn't have the year they had hoped, going 15-16.

Emily wanted to play college basketball, and like many players she dreamed of playing D1. As an 18 year old, she got no D1 offers. She headed off to Parkland College in Champaign to play basketball. Her first year things were ok, but not what she had hoped for. The team went 16-14, while Emily started only 7 of 30 games. She led the team in rebounding with 6.4rpg and twice scored 18 points.

Home Workouts

No matter our age, all of us should be taking care of ourselves and following the directions of the health experts (and our Mom’s). To remain safe, we should be practicing social distancing. Our number one priority needs to our health and the health of our families. We must follow directions of health experts- we MUST practice social distancing. Stay safe!

There are things you can do to improve yourself as an athlete without leaving your house, and without leaving your driveway.