HS Summer Games Wrap Up- Questions Every Player Should Be Asking

In Illinois, players workouts and games with their high school teams are probably wrapping up the last weekend of June. Hopefully it has been a great opportunity to work with your high school coach and understand the coach’s expectations. As these team workouts and games finish, it is important for players to take the time to reflect about how things went, and about their goals going forward. 

I would recommend high school players reflect on the following questions:

HS Summer Games Wrap Up- Questions Every Coach Should Be Asking

For many high schools across the nation, the month of June can be a wild scramble. Coaches go from the last day of school right into summer basketball. The players often are not in basketball shape, yet coaches want to do as much as possible in limited time. 

So this year, most of the Illinois HS teams are playing one last tourney the weekend of June 28. At that point, coaches are often ready to take their family vacations and decompress. 

Before the summer workouts get too far in a coach’s memory, it is important for the coach to sit down and take notes. The purpose of the notes will be to help prepare for the winter season, and also make next summer’s program more effective. 

So here are questions that are important for coaches to address soon after their summer programs end. 

Caitlin Clark- It’s A Long Season But

With the Fever this year, there have been some highs and some lows.

*** Inconsistent first few games.

*** Clark injured

*** Clark and Fever explode vs. New York Liberty

*** Fever win the East and will play for the Commissioners Cup

*** Fever looks dominate early vs Golden State and Las Vegas then falter.

It is a long season- 44 games, but having played 13 games, the season is about 30% over for the Fever. 

Knox College’s Tribute: Elizabeth Eckford Of The Little Rock 9

On my morning walk one morning, I came across this monument to Elizabeth Eckford at Knox College. 

In 1954, Brown vs Board of Education ruled that separate was not equal, and outlawed segregation in American public schools. While the federal government worked to support and enforce desegregation, some states resisted desegregation. 

Streaks Scrapbook- 1929 Boys Basketball- Sweet 16

I have had this ticket stub by my mom about 50 years ago. It was from her senior year at Galesburg High School. I have kept it on my desk since that time. I think I have kept it as a reminder of a connection with my mom. 

This past week, I was looking at the ticket stub and thought, I should go check out this tourney. And this is how I got started with this blog post- looking at the 1929 Galesburg basketball team. 

1934- More Things Change, More They Stay The Same

I was doing some research in the Galesburg newspaper from March of 1934. I came across the cartoon below. 

Corpus Christi At The 1935 Catholic State Tourney

 In 1935, Catholic schools were not part of the IHSA and held their own State Tourney. This tourney was being held in Decatur. Corpus Christi was one of 16 teams in the State tourney field. 

Corpus lost their first game but at this point won their first game in the consolation bracket of the tourney. 

Corpus Christi had won the 1934 State Championship. 

Streaks Scrapbook- Galesburg HS State Champs

This is a look back thru history at Galesburg HS’s 22 IHSA State Champions. GHS athletes have won: 4 Team State Championships, 1 Relay Team State Championship, 1 Doubles Championship, and 16 Individual State Championships.  

The first was the 1913 Boys Basketball team, and the most recent was Gauge Shipp in wrestling in 2023. 

Josh Eiker accounted for 4 of the 21 State Championships, Goff Eyre won two State Championships (one as an individual and one as part of a team), and Greg Whittle also won two State Championships (one as an individual and one as part of a relay).

Boys Track has accounted for 11 of the State Championships, while Boys Golf and Wrestling have each won 3 State Championships. 

Caricia Andrews in Girls Track has accounted for the only State Championship won by a female athlete at GHS. 

Fever vs Sun: Chaos On The Court- Your Thoughts?

The Indiana Fever defeated the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night 88-71. By my count, the match up produced 3 ejections, 5 technicals, 2 flagrant fouls, and too much trash talking to count.

History of Bad Blood- It is obvious that Caitlyn Clark (Iowa) and Jack Shelton (Ohio State) have bad blood. I am sure Iowa fans could explain to me the evil things that Shelton did in college, and the Ohio State fans could explain to me the evil things that Clark did in college. 

William Allen: GHS Teacher Makes Ultimate Sacrifice in WW2

 William Allen was a 1939 graduate of Knox College. While at Knox, he became a political activist. He was part of a large group of students who were unhappy with the school’s “chapels.” They felt that the chapels had become a way for the college to indoctrinate students with conservative, pro-business speakers. His activism led him to take a leadership role as the editor of the Knox Student (school newspaper). His outspoken approach caused some to label him as un-American and a Communist.  

After graduation, he taught three years in Fairview. He moved back to teach at Galesburg High School in 1942. He was an English teacher and in charge of all of the drama activities. At this time, before TV, school plays were performed almost monthly. 

Caitlin Clark’s Comeback, Fever Stun Liberty, Commissioner’s Cup Implications

I wasn’t the only one that was anxious to have Caitlin Clark back. The game set a record for most watched WNBA game. 

Streaks Scrapbook- From 1954 JH City Champs To 1957 Elite Eight

 

In 1954 Hitchcock hosted a junior basketball tournament at Steele Gym. The tourney included Galesburg’s three JH teams- Hitchcock (today Hitchcock apartments), Lombard, and Churchill (still downtown), as well as ROVA. 

Hey Coach- Happy Father’s Day

Mike Reynolds- DeKalb

"I Doubted I'd Ever be a Streak"

The old GHS located just off the square.

This post was originally published Nov. 13, 2011. 

When we think about segregation and racism in America during the 20^th century, most of us in the North immediately turn out thoughts to the South. The reality is that there were many examples of segregation and racism in the North during the 20^th century.

My mother told a story of when my father was coaching basketball in Savanna, Illinois in the 1940’s. Savanna was located about 40 miles from Wisconsin, so definitely the “North.” My father had an African-American player on his team. If the team was going to stop for a meal after a road game, my father would always go into the local restaurant to see if they would serve an African-American. If they would not, he would go back out and tell the team, “The restaurant is full.” And they would look for another place to eat. Having grown up in the 1960’s, I found this story to be a revelation. I was sure that only happened in the South.

Inside Hoops- Learning From Sue Bird

One of the best ways for coaches and players to learn about the game is to learn from the best players in the world. A great opportunity to do this is with Sue Bird’s podcast. Bird’s Eye View with Sue Bird drops every Friday. The podcast can be listened to as a podcast or on YouTube.