Western Big 6 Update- Jan. 9

 Girls WB6 Standings

1- Galesburg  6-0  (15-3)

2- Alleman     5-1  (14-4)

3- Sterling      4-1 (14-2)

4- Moline        3-3  (7-9)

5- Quincy       3-3  (11-5)

6- Rock Island 2-4  (7-10)

7- UTHS         0-5  (0-16)

8- Geneseo     0-6  (2-11)

Boys WB6 Standings

1- Quincy       4-0   (13-0)

    Rock Island 4-0  (15-1)

3- UTHS         3-1   (11-4)

    Moline        3-1  (13-3)

5- Alleman     1-3   (2-12)

    Sterling      1-3  (9-7)

7- Galesburg   0-4  (5-12)

    Geneseo     0-4  (0-14)

Best Features 2024- #3 Old School Coaches

I started blogging “full-time” this past March. I have absolutely loved researching all sorts of basketball topics and basketball history. Even no one had looked at any the posts, I would still have had fun. I am totally blown away that my blog is approaching 700,000 views. The first ten days of the new year, I want to share my favorites from the past year. I will share my favorite posts each morning and my favorite features each evening. I hope you enjoy!!

Last summer I put together a group of great coaches to write about a variety of topics.  The Hall of Fame coaches share their thoughts on topics from parents, players today, changes they would recommend, best atmospheres, and much more. 

What Does Old School Mean

Have Kids Changed

Coaches They Would Like To Shadow

What A Good Practice Looks Like

Thoughts On Moving Kids Up

Best of Coaching Clinics

Talking About Parents

Great Road Atmospheres

How You Would Change Your Sport

Old School Coaches- What Made A Difference In Your Program

This Week’s Question

There are many things involved in creating a successful sports program. As you look back, what a couple of the things that made your program successful?

Best Posts 2024- #3 If I Had A Daughter

I started blogging “full-time” this past March. I have absolutely loved researching all sorts of basketball topics and basketball history. Even no one had looked at any the posts, I would still have had fun. I am totally blown away that my blog is approaching 700,000 views. The first ten days of the new year, I want to share my favorites from the past year. I will share my favorite posts each morning and my favorite features each evening. I hope you enjoy!!

Dave Wood and I went to an Indiana Fever game last summer. The atmosphere was so impressive. I wrote about how the experience has inspired me. 

If I Had A Daughter

Best Features 2024- #4 1976 Galesburg vs Richwoods

 

I started blogging “full-time” this past March. I have absolutely loved researching all sorts of basketball topics and basketball history. Even no one had looked at any the posts, I would still have had fun. I am totally blown away that my blog is approaching 700,000 views. The first ten days of the new year, I want to share my favorites from the past year. I will share my favorite posts each morning and my favorite features each evening. I hope you enjoy!!

Mike Campbell, Scott Kelley, and Eric Doss shared their experiences with the 1976 Silver Streaks and the epic Regional Championship vs Richwoods. Many describe this as the greatest game ever played in Thiel Gym. 

1976 Galesburg vs Richwoods

Joey Range- Why Didn’t You Yell More?

Joey Range was an all-state basketball players at Galesburg High School. He finished his career with 2390, and his team finished 2nd in State. Many consider Joey to be the best player in Galesburg HS history and in the history of the WB6. So Joey knows something about basketball and about brining championships.

The last game I went to there was a dad who was out of control. He was yelling instructions to his player, criticizing other players, and second guessing the coach. This dad made me think about Joey Range. Watching this dad and thinking about Joey, I couldn’t get a question out of my mind. 

Best Posts 2024- #4 Galesburg’s New, Unnamed Gym

I started blogging “full-time” this past March. I have absolutely loved researching all sorts of basketball topics and basketball history. Even no one had looked at any the posts, I would still have had fun. I am totally blown away that my blog is approaching 700,000 views. The first ten days of the new year, I want to share my favorites from the past year. I will share my favorite posts each morning and my favorite features each evening. I hope you enjoy!!

This is a description about Thiel Gym and the changes throughout the years. It is interesting to see what people thought of the “new gym” and how has been changed. 

Galesburg’s New, Unnamed Gym

Best Features 2024- #5 Sports Reporters’ Great Memories

I started blogging “full-time” this past March. I have absolutely loved researching all sorts of basketball topics and basketball history. Even no one had looked at any the posts, I would still have had fun. I am totally blown away that my blog is approaching 700,000 views. The first ten days of the new year, I want to share my favorites from the past year. I will share my favorite posts each morning and my favorite features each evening. I hope you enjoy!!

 I asked fifteen great sports writers from downstate Illinois to share some of their best sports memories. They shared some great, great memories of some wonderful sporting events. 

Sports Reporters- Part I

Sports Reporters- Part II

Sports Reporters- Part III

Coaching 101- Dealing with Adversity

On my walk today, I was listening to podcast with a baseball executive. His conversation was about how they evaluate prospects. I realize Major League Baseball is a long way from high school basketball, but this exec made a point that fits any level of sports. 

He described in the files they keep on prospects, one of the categories is “handling adversity.” Their belief is that every athlete is going to have to deal with adversity at some point. Adversities of a baseball player could be an injury, not being promoted, being in a slump, being held out of the lineup, losing, and more. 

The point is that all athletes will face adversity. According to this exec, one of the most important ingredients for success is the ability to handle adversity and go onto the “next play.”  

Best Posts 2024- #5 Streaks Parents- Past, Present, Future

I started blogging “full-time” this past March. I have absolutely loved researching all sorts of basketball topics and basketball history. Even no one had looked at any the posts, I would still have had fun. I am totally blown away that my blog is approaching 700,000 views. The first ten days of the new year, I want to share my favorites from the past year. I will share my favorite posts each morning and my favorite features each evening. I hope you enjoy!!

After retiring, this was written to parents and fans, who had been so wonderful to me during my career. 

Streaks Parents- Past, Present, Future

Best Features- #6 Alyssa Carl- Football Coach

 

I started blogging “full-time” this past March. I have absolutely loved researching all sorts of basketball topics and basketball history. Even no one had looked at any the posts, I would still have had fun. I am totally blown away that my blog is approaching 700,000 views. The first ten days of the new year, I want to share my favorites from the past year. I will share my favorite posts each morning and my favorite features each evening. I hope you enjoy!!

Alyssa Carl shares her wonderful first year as flag football coach, and her team’s 4th place in State finish. It is refreshing to see the enthusiasm her team had for their first season in football. 

Alyssa Carl- Football Coach

Strategy- Press Break with Movement

Years ago, Dan Sullivan, Mike Jaskoski, and I worked the Bill Walton Big Man Camp for 3 days. Pro basketball coach Don Casey was across the hall from us. Every night we met with Coach Casey. He told us to bring beer, a posey board, and questions. 

At the time, my team’s were struggling. Because we struggled, everyone pressed us. A lot of my questions were about problems vs presses and ideas for press breaks. After about my 4th question about press breaks, Casey said,”My guess is that you need to do a lot of work on passing, cutting and catching. You team is struggling not because of their press break but probably because of their skills.” Rule #1- There is no magic press break.

Best Posts 2024- #6 Mike Trueblood-Yes, It’s Still A Team Sport

I started blogging “full-time” this past March. I have absolutely loved researching all sorts of basketball topics and basketball history. Even no one had looked at any the posts, I would still have had fun. I am totally blown away that my blog is approaching 700,000 views. The first ten days of the new year, I want to share my favorites from the past year. I will share my favorite posts each morning and my favorite features each evening. I hope you enjoy!!

This post looked back at an article written by Mike Trueblood. Mike described getting a letter from former Streaks who did not want to be included in voting for “all-time great” in a newspaper voting. It is so positive to see players putting team first!!

Mike Trueblood- Yes, It’s Still A Team Sport

Best Features 2024- #7 Toby Vallas All-School Weight Program

I started blogging “full-time” this past March. I have absolutely loved researching all sorts of basketball topics and basketball history. Even no one had looked at any the posts, I would still have had fun. I am totally blown away that my blog is approaching 700,000 views. The first ten days of the new year, I want to share my favorites from the past year. I will share my favorite posts each morning and my favorite features each evening. I hope you enjoy!!

This was the most viewed blog post of 2024. Farmington football coach, Toby Vallas in two different interviews talked about their school’s organization of an all-school lifting program. And his interview spurred several other interviews about weight programs. 

Toby Vallas- Creative Approach to Coaching

Toby Vallas- Strength Program- One Team

Jim Noonan- Building Culture in Weight Room

Learn From The Best

Best Posts 2024- #7 Race, Basketball, and Real Hoosiers

I started blogging “full-time” this past March. I have absolutely loved researching all sorts of basketball topics and basketball history. Even no one had looked at any the posts, I would still have had fun. I am totally blown away that my blog is approaching 700,000 views. The first ten days of the new year, I want to share my favorites from the past year. I will share my favorite posts each morning and my favorite features each evening. I hope you enjoy!!

This is a post sparked by the book- The Real Hoosiers. My post looked at some issues of race in America, Illinois, and Galesburg in the 1940’s and 1950’s. It looks into areas of basketball and race. 

Race, Basketball, and The Real Hoosiers