Streaks Parents- Past, Present, Future

Streaks Parents (Past, Present, & Future)

To be successful in high school basketball, it truly takes a "team effort." Individuals don't win, it takes a team. For the Streaks basketball program, our parents have been an important part of our team, and critical to the success of the girls on the floor. While we can find negative stories about parents at other schools- stories of parents tearing teams apart, the opposite has been true at Galesburg. As I look back on the last 46 years of Silver Streaks basketball, I had very few negative parent experiences. At Galesburg, parents have been very important to our success. Our parents helped create a positive championship culture. 

There are literally hundreds of examples of parents stepping up to help make our program a winner and making our players feel special. There were times when parents making treats for long road trips or camp sessions, volunteering for the concession stand or to take summer league tickets, filming our games or doing the score book, racing down at State to let us know we were close to a scoring record, Mama Pacheco being mom to every player, parents hosting team dinners, after tough losses putting an arm around their daughter's teammate, calling the morning after a tough Regional loss wanting me to know they would do whatever needed to help with the banquet, at summer league a whole group of parents wearing khaki shorts and a gray t-shirt to be "Coach Massey's", the Burga's giving me the keys to their station wagon for a tourney in Chicago (this was before people knew my driving issues), parents driving players to tourneys/camps, and Grandpa & Grandma Daniels supporting us at Missouri Camp. The list could go on and on- parents have been so supportive, enthusiastic, and giving so much to make Streaks Basketball a championship program. 

As parents, I hope you appreciate all of the behind the scenes experiences- The trips to the Bulls game;  Team camps in Michigan, Carolina, Purdue, Wisconsin, and Missouri; Tourneys at Maine West; Overnights to Mattoon; Joy of a shared win; Bonding on a school bus ride home from a painful loss, While we worked hard to compete and win games, my hope is the experience playing basketball taught your daughters lessons about the importance of hard work, the value of team work, the need for accountability, and the development of leadership skills. 

It is not easy being a parent. Your daughter works hard and invests time, but then she may not get to play in a game. The coach can make strategy decisions that make no sense to you. The coach brings your daughter off the bench, and you feel she deserves to start. Then there are times like this year when games are cancelled, and we added games and practices at the last minute. Parents want the best for their daughter, and sometimes the coach's decisions just aren't what is best for your daughter. Decisions can make a parent disappointed, frustrated, or even angry. I am familiar with stories from other schools, where parents corner a coach, call, text, tweet, or post their frustrations on Facebook. I am thankful that when confronted with the frustrations of being a basketball parent, the vast majority of Galesburg parents chose to focus on the positive aspects of their daughter's experience. I hope going forward, parents will give the same respect to the new coach. 

For parents of players still at GHS or at GJHS, this is going to be an exciting time for your daughter. While change can produce a level of stress, I am confident this change in coaching will be exciting for your daughter. The first meeting she has with the new coach will be exciting. The first day of camp with a new coach will be even more exciting. And next November the first game will be REALLY, REALLY exciting! Your daughters are going to be the new coach's first team- this will make them feel unique and special! I hope all the players will be excited to step up and take advantage of the opportunity for a fresh start with a new coach. 

The new coach probably won't do things exactly the same way. There may be different drills in practice.  Offensively and defensively there may be tweeks to what has been done before or complete revisions in style. The new coach may be less tolerant or more tolerant of mistakes by the players, and they may be more demanding or less demanding of your daughter's time. The new coach may play a slower style which requires more ball handling skills, or they may play a more aggressive style which requires greater athleticism and conditioning. There are many ways to coach and play basketball. Help your daughter to embrace the changes and enthusiastically support the new coaches.

Participation in sports and activities will provide tremendous learning experiences and give the young women an opportunity to learn valuable lessons and skills. I hope parents will work with the new coach to promote the importance of hard work, the value of team work, the need for accountability, and the development of leadership skills. Let's all get behind the new coach in a way that not only shows the new coach an supportive of him or her, but also shows the players that we are enthusiastic about a new start. 

A big thank you to all the parents in the past who made Streaks Basketball a championship program- you were great! And to the present and future parents- continue the tradition of being positive and supportive parents!

Let's go Streaks!

Coach Massey