1995 Camp Notebook

We had experienced great success in Streaks basketball from 1988 thru 1995. We had been rated in the top 20 each year and we had won 20 games. In 1995 we had our best team ever, we made it to the Sweet Sixteen. We won the Sectional at a packed Thiel Gym. It was a dream season. We lost some of our best players. Our expectations for 1995-6 were lower. People on the outside did not have high dreams for the team- but the players had very high dreams. The 1995-6 team surprised everyone but themselves. Sound familiar???

Big Win at Maine South (Updated)

Streaks upset Maine South 67-60 on Saturday. Maine South had an 8 game winning streak going into this game, including wins over highly rated New Trier and Niles West. They are the #4 seed in the Bloomington Tourney.

Fun Day in Chicago

Varsity relieving pregame tension with serious word game.

Alicia Brannon- Start of 20 Wins

We went 35-14 my first two seasons at Galesburg. Then over the next six seasons, we had one winning year and were a combined 65-85. We definitely were headed for mediocracy. Why weren't we winning?  Maybe part of the problem was the school district eliminating junior high sports. Maybe part of the problem was an inexperienced coach. Then in 1988, we won 20 games (20-8), and we continued to win 20 games for the next 21 years. What turned things around? I think it was simple, we got some good players who were great people.

Jessica Lieber- Athlete & Fan

Jessica has been involved in sports since a young age. She has already successfully competed on the varsity level in both golf and basketball. She was part of a highly successful GHS varsity golf team this fall, that concluded the season by qualifying for the IHSA State Tourney. In basketball she was able to play some on the varsity as a freshman, and was leading scorer on the frosh-soph team that year. This year she is one of the regulars and one of the leading scorers on the varsity level as a soph. Her future in athletics is certainly bright.

Micaela Rodriguez- Still Playing

Micaela Rodriguez is not your typical basketball player. Most kids in her situation, choose not to stick with sports. In 7^th and 8^th grade, she seldom got to play in games. As a freshmen, she had a classmate on the varsity and another classmate on the sophomore team. She got to play on the freshmen team but was not a star. 

Cindy Ricketts- The Athletic Mom

When we first become parents, I got three bits of wisdom from three different people. 

1- Peggy Watson gave advice on toilet training. And although my son was a slower learner in this area than I wanted, her advice was great.

2- When Allen was 2-3 years old, I told Dawn Snyder I wished he could stay that age. Her wisdom was, "You will find every age is different but they are all enjoyable." And she was right.

3- And finally, Harley Knosher told me, "If you want a model on how to raise kids, watch Duane and Cindy Ricketts." And he was right.

Why Every 35 Seconds

I had watched Grinnell play at Knox many times since the mid-1990’s. I knew the basics of the “Grinnell System”- fastbreak, quick shots, taking threes, pressing all over, and subbing five for five. In the winter of 2009 I had begun to read more about the Grinnell approach and was thinking about whether I wanted to go that direction. So when I went to the Knox vs. Grinnell game in the winter of 2009, I went more as a student than as a fan. One of the things I was struck by was how often Grinnell was subbing. I knew they would sub often and five for five, but not as often as they were subbing. Everything about the Grinnell system seemed to make sense, except how often they were subbing.

Paige Klinck- Stepping Up

Winston Churchill said, “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

In sports some things don’t happen as we plan. Often the successful athletes and successful teams are the ones who work and work, and then when an opportunity appears, they are ready to take advantage of the opportunity. Paige Klinck was someone who took advantage of opportunities last year.

Foul Shots

It is interesting that you don't think of a three point shooting team as being a team who is going to shoot a lot of foul shots. But this year opponents have been selling out to take away our three point shooting. As a result, we have done a lot more going to the basket and getting the ball inside. One consequence shows up at the foul line-
Galesburg-- FTs Made 119- FTs Attempted- 195
Opponents-- FTs Made 51-  FTs Attempted- 91
If you look at successful college teams, the top teams will often make more ft's than their opponents will attempt. It statistically says something not only about a team's offense but also about a team's defense. It is interesting to look at some of the free throw numbers of some of our teams in the '90's and early 2000's.

Keeping Busy- Sarah Main

Participation in extracurricular activities has changed during the time I have been in coaching.  It is hard to get kids to remain involved in school activities and athletics if they are not going to be the “star”. Obviously in sports it can be very discouraging to work hard and not get a chance to play. It seems like at many high schools, you see fewer and fewer kids involved in sports and activities.

Why Is This System Called "THE System"

Definitions for “system” in Webster’s dictionary include:   A complex unity formed of many often diverse parts,  subject to a common plan or serving a common purpose.

In regards to basketball, the first time I heard the use of “the system,” was when I heard Paul Westhead speak at a clinic.

Practice Player in the Big City

We have been very fortunate to have some good guys help us out through the years as practice players. Their added size and quickness can challenge the girls to improve their skills. And they can often prepare us for an opponent by simulating things our opponents may do.

Internal Leadership

“The single most important ingredient is internal leadership. It’s not the coaches as much as one person or people on the team who set higher standards than that team would normally set for itself.”

Mike Krzyzewski, Duke Men’s Basketball

Galesburg 68 Rock Island 61

We won in an unusual game. The first quarter we played as well as we have all year. We were effective creating turnovers with our press, and we moved the ball well versus their defense and made open shots. We jumped out to a 22-8 lead and looked in command. It seemed like we played with a lot more energy than Rock Island, we seemed to get all the 50/50 balls- on rebounds and loose balls. The second quarter was an absolute flip. Rocky totally dominated, outscoring us 22-9. They got all the 50/50 balls and played with much more energy that us. And on top of it, our defense was ineffective. We reached and fouled. Fortunately we took a 1 point lead into the half.