Caitlin Clark- 2025 Indiana Fever Preseason Thoughts

I am really looking forward to the 2025 WNBA season. In particular I am excited to see how the changes to the Indiana Fever work out. I have immersed myself, trying to do as much research as I can about this season in the WNBA and the Fever. 

Friday Fotos- Weight Room Important?

Old school says that basketball players don’t really need to lift. 

Lifting weights is not fun! 

Lifting weights is work!

Caitlin Clark found out that the WNBA is much more physical than college basketball. She did not play in the Unrivaled League this winter, instead her focus was to become physically stronger. 

Legends- 1964 Cobden Appleknockers

The Amazing Appleknockers

This blog post is based on information from four sources. The most valuable resource was the book entitled,”The Amazing Appleknockers.” It was written in 2010 by Teri Campbell and Anne Roman. If you have not read it and you are a basketball fan, read it. 

I also had conversations with Galesburg players/fans, who played Cobden in 1964. I made a special visit to Cobden and attended a basketball game. And I delved into old newspaper articles.

Old School Coaches- Mike Tracey’s Blueprint for Success

 

Mike Tracey and I grew up a couple blocks from each other on the east side of Savanna. We went to different grades schools and junior highs, but ended up together at Savanna High School. 

We were project partners in Ron McCready’s World History class where we solved many of the world problems when we weren’t talking about sports. 

We were teammates in football. He was a lineman, and I was a defensive back and a wide receiver. During those rainy, muddy games, I had the clean jersey that all of them could wipe their hands off on. I had a huge impact on his later coaching career. I am convinced my inability to block helped him develop a strategy on how to hide a weak player in his lineup. 

Unfortunately our youth came before video games so we could only play sports board games. None of us could beat Mike in football. While we threw lots of long passes, he kept going with the runs up the middle and moved the ball up and down the field on us. 

It has been great to remain friends thru adult life. With both of us coaching in the WB6, there were numerous times that I have reached out to pick his brain. I think most of the time my conversations started with,”Have you ever had this happen…” 

I have reached out to some of Mike’s coaches and players to share their thoughts about him. 

Inside Hoops- 8 Thoughts From The NBA

I believe strongly that there are things that can be learned watching the NBA and WNBA games. I know there are a lot of critics of the pros, but you are watching the best players and in many cases some of the best coaches in the world. 

It is easy to say that the pros are a different game than the high school game. That is true, but what the pros are doing this year will be done by colleges in the next 2-3 years and then it will be done by high schools 2-3 years after that. Like it or not, the game evolves from the pros to college to high schools. 

Old School Coaches- Mike Cooper’s Blueprint for Success

In Illinois girls basketball, Mike Cooper was one of the most respected coaches by his peers. For me, although he was a competitor, he was and still is a respected friend. I can’t count the number of times that I called him for advice. 

Sometimes I was calling to seek his advice on X/O’s. His knowledge of the game was second to none. If it was calling to ask him to share some scouting info or to share how to handle a certain defense- he was willing to share. 

Once before we were to play an opponent in the Sectional who played  a zone vs OB’s, he shared a zone ob with me. We scored 4 points on the play and it made the difference in the game. 

In 1999, we went to State and I wanted someone to scout for us at the State Tourney. Coop was willing to do this. His insights were tremendous, and with his help, we took second in State.

While I enjoyed our X/O’s conversations, my best conversations involved his insights about building relationships. Coop is thoughtful of others, professional, and respectful. I have not met anyone who doesn’t have the highest respect for Coop as a coach and as a person. 

I asked coaches and players to share their memories of working with Coop. 

Legends- 1964- Gene Denisar 154 LB State Champion

Dr. Gene Denisar was a 1964 graduate of Galesburg High School. After attending Indiana University, he came back to be an assistant principal at GHS. He moved onto other school administration jobs. And then he came back to be Superintendent of District #205. During his tenure, District #205 was able to complete Kimbrough Fieldhouse. 

Anyone who knows Gene, knows he is intense. He has been successful in his career because of his drive, commitment, and competitiveness. People who know him as an adult would not be surprised that he won the 1964 State Wrestling Championship at 154 pounds. 

Streaks Scrapbook- Galesburg & WB6 Coaching Wins

I did a post this spring looking at Galesburg boys basketball coaching history. This past week, a local newspaper posted a list of the “5 Top Streaks Coaches in Wins.” The newspaper’s list was NOT accurate, so I decided to repost the correct list of GHS coaches with most wins, and also add the top WB6 coaches in terms of wins.

Inside Hoops- Evolution of the Game- What’s A Foul?

Basketball has evolved over the years. Some obvious examples:

** A player initially could not run with the ball. This was interpreted that they could only pivot. It evolved that a player could in effect move with the ball if they dribbled the ball. They were running but did not have the ball when dribbling. 

** Originally play stopped after each made basket and they jumped center again. The game evolved where the defense simply took the ball out of bounds after made baskets. 

** Originally when a player committed a foul, they had to leave the game until the other team scored two baskets. Eventually the game evolved to have players stay in the game after a foul until they committed their fifth foul. 

Greatest Galesburg Player of All-Time- My Opinion

 Over the years, people have asked who would be my all-time starting five in Galesburg girls basketball, or who I think is the all-time best girls player in GHS history. Usually I respond with something like,”There are too many good players to decide on that.” 

For me as the coach of girls basketball, I have a bunch of all-time favorite players. When it comes to all-time best GHS player- it is obvious to me who the all-time best player has been. While I know a coach should not share their opinion, I am willing to tell you who I think is the all-time best GHS basketball player!!

Legends- 2025 IBCA HOF Inductions

The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association inducted coaches, players, teams, and media into the IBCA Hall of Fame. Some people that I would like to recognize:

Friday Fotos- More Than A Job

At its core, coaches are building a partnership with their players. Together they share a commitment to team, invest in the process, and share in both the joy victory and agony of defeat. 

Coaching is more than a job. Successful coaches and successful players share an investment in each other. 

This picture of Coach Bob Anderson of Williamsfield certainly captured the relationship between a great coach and his players. 

Classic- 1954 Corpus Christi vs Galesburg HS

 

Corpus Christi and St. Joseph Academy consolidated in 1945, with the high school becoming Corpus Christi. By 1957 there 326 students enrolled in Corpus Christi. The last school year at Corpus was 1963-4 school year. The high school was moved to the north side of Galesburg, and renamed Costa.

Up until 1941, private schools were not allowed to participate in the IHSA State Series. So Corpus Christi and Galesburg High School had a limited history on the basketball court. 

Old School Coaches- Coach Bennett’s Blueprint for Success

Coach Greg Bennett is a legend in central Illinois coaching. He spent most of his career at Lewistown, coaching almost every sport at one time or another. 

No matter the sport, his teams always reflected his personality- they were unrelenting competitors. 

I have asked some former players and coaches to share their experiences with Coach Bennett.

Old School Coaches- Coach Anderson’s Blueprint for Success

Coach Bob Anderson has been a legend in Illinois coaching. No doubt, he could have gone onto coach at bigger schools but he chose to stay coaching at his hometown, Williamsfield. 

Over the past fifty years, if you went to any basketball clinic in the Midwest, you would find Bob Anderson sitting in the front row, arriving early and leaving late. 

My last year coaching, I asked Bob if he would watch some films of my team and of our opponents. He volunteered hours watching and analyzing for me. He was honest when he analyzed my team. He was detailed when he analyzed future opponents. He would either send me handwritten analysis, or call. Our phone conversations usually ran 30-60 minutes.