Wynne's- Positive Sports Family

I have posted blogs with negative stories about parents being out of control. Stories about parents thinking the purpose of high school sports is to get scholarships, obsessed with stats, or out of control about winning. I thought it was time to do a positive story about athletic parents. 

I first knew John and Michelle Wynne from when Michelle was the 8^th grade coach at Churchill. I can still run into her former players and they ask me how Coach Wynne is doing. No coach did a better job of getting JH girls excited to play basketball. She cared about the players, she was enthusiastic about basketball, and she convinced them how great it would be for them to play at Galesburg HS.

 

John was instrumental in our success, particularly in 1996. When we went to State, in our walk thru at State, he played the role of Taija Catchings. I would like to say when we played Stevenson that Catchings was not as good as John had been, but that would not be true- we lost. Catchings was better than John, not as enthusiastic as John.

Toby Vallas- Strength Program- "One Team, Farmington"

In my first "interview" with Toby Vallas, I was interested in what he was doing at Farmington that was creating such a high level of participation in football. In answer after answer, Toby came back to explaining their approach to strength and speed was at the center of the Farmington student-athlete enthusiasm for sports. So I had to go back to Toby and ask him to spell out the details of their strength and speed program.

Massey- In the earlier blog, you described when a player comes into your weight room, they are not coming in as a football players, or a basketball player, or baseball player- they are coming in as an "athlete." And you emphasized your goal is to make each student a better athlete- stronger and quicker. If your strength program is a “one-team” approach, what is the basic model you use? I believe Noonan said you initially decided to train them all like you would train a 200 runner? What do you train them as today, why did you choose that, and what is the benefit of training them that way?

Vallas- I think Noonan is getting old.  We try to achieve the athleticism of a college triple jumper.  I love the speed, explosiveness, and coordination of the event.  I also think that there is a lot to be said about the strength and durability of putting so much pressure on one leg. What we realized was we didn’t have the big heavy kids that couldn’t get off the ball and if we did it was usually an attendance issue or a kid who was hesitant because they were new to the sport and overthinking, not a coordination of explosiveness problem.  Plus, all the other sports (and us) wanted kids that were faster and could jump higher and even in football at least at our level speed and toughness tend to win out.

Marc Hart- Resources of Online Basketball Clinics

Many of you have just finished your busy June summer basketball seasons with your HS teams. As you head into July and then the Fall, it is a great time to explore new ideas for the coming season. 

In the Spring of 2020, I had planned to attend a basketball clinic in Chicago. I always have found clinics as a way for me to refresh and reenergize myself. It is a great way to begin to look at ideas for the coming season- from drills to schemes to culture. As we know, all plans for the Spring of 2020 came crashing down. 

I don’t know how I got connected, by I found online clinics run by a high school coach out of California. His topics varied, and he had presenters all over coaching landscape. They might be famous like Paul Westhead or they might be D2 college coach or a State Champion HS coach from California. During Covid, my son or I would watch 3-4 clinics a week it seemed. 

Sports Promotions- Best High School Promotional Idea

In 2009-10, we started running the “Grinnell System.” The basic concept of the “System” was to get the game going up and down as fast as possible. The “System” involved-

- Pressing all the time all over

- Fastbreaking and taking quick shots

- Subbing five for five in 35 seconds

- Shooting lots of threes

Hunter Rhodes- Taking Basketball Skill Work To Another Level

I am writing about a great basketball skill development opportunity. Players in West Central Illinois can go to Hunter Rhodes for a workout. Players and coaches anywhere in America can use his app to improve their game or to improve their coaching.I hope you will read this. 

Great teachers have a passion for their subject. Great teachers pass their passion onto the student. This Spring, several players went to Canton to work a couple times with Hunter Rhodes. It was noticeable they showed stronger ball skills and higher confidence with just a couple sessions. That was impressive to me. When I got to see them do drill work with their high school team, they went thru drills with a higher intensity and greater passion than they had before. 

Caitlin Clark- Chi-Town Matchup June 23, 2024

St. Louis Cardinals- I wonder if the Fever are headed

to be the WNBA’s version of the St.Louis Baseball Cardinals. Until 1958 there were not teams west of the Mississippi in MLB. The story is that supposedly the Cardinals developed and spread their games to lots of radio stations west of the Mississippi and built their fan base. 

I have been a mild Seattle Storm fan for years since Sue Bird played there. Today I watched the first half of the Storm game on ESPN3 but then switched to the Fever. The Fever on so much, you learn their team and it is easier to watch them. 

Game TV Coverage- The main crew with Rebecca Lobo and Ryan Ruocco are pretty good, easy to listen to, insightful and knowledgeable. Both of them tend to have times where they fall into being WNBA promotional agents. Indiana Fever TV crew is easy to listen to. The in set crews of ESPN are raved about by many- but not by me. Andraya Carter and Carolyn Peck are both good, the rest no so much. I would like to see ESPN reach out to some former coaches as their insights are usually good- Muffet McGraw, Tara Vandeveer.

Toby Vallas- Creative Approaches to Coaching Today's Athlete

Toby Vallas is Director of Student Services and the Varsity Football Coach at Farmington High School. I first met Toby when he taught social studies in the room next to me at Galesburg High School, and coached at GHS. As a young teacher and coach, he had energy, and he related well to students and athletes. What stood out was that Toby "didn't know it all." Some young teachers/coaches have all the answers and seem to be done wanting to learning. Toby wanted to learn from other teachers and coaches- he asked questions. I am really happy he agreed to answer some questions- he has done impressive things at Farmington and his answers are a real coaching clinic. 

It seems like it gets harder and harder to get high school students to participate in athletics. There may be many reasons for the reduced numbers. There are lots of articles written on early specialization, travel teams, parental pressure, and over-emphasis on winning. There are actually schools with large enrollments who are making decisions to drop frosh-soph teams because their schools cannot field enough players. Other schools of 300-400 students are going from 11 man to 8 man football.

What happens if you have a coach who is constantly trying to learn, grow, and improve themselves?

What happens if you have a coach who gives players a voice in what they want the program to be like?

What happens if you sell an entire athletic program and all the coaches on buying into one weight program?

What happens if you make a someone who is into the sport of track and they have the entire school do speed training?

What happens if you address SEL through football?

Summer Reading Suggestions- From Prolific Readers (Except Me)

 Mark Massey, retired teacher/coach in Clinton, Iowa

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus   Frustrated chemist finds herself at the helm of cooking show in the 1960’s. She is hellbent to overturn the status quo.

Bear Town by Frederick Backman    Based on a conflict created by a junior hockey team in a small community, which impacts an entire community.

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown    Nine Americans quest to get a gold medal in the 1936 Olympics.

Ordinary Grace by William Kruegor    Boy thrown into manhood as a teen after multiple tragedies.

Small World by Jonathon Evison    Historical fiction tracing multiple generations during settling of America.

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King      Unsolved murder of a man driving a Mercedes. 

Carolyn Kelley- Streaks Girls Basketball in the 1970's

Carolyn Kelley was an outstanding student at Galesburg High School. Carolyn and her brother after college eventually went into the "family business," education. Their father was in higher education at Carl Sandburg College, and their mother was a grade school teacher at Hitchcock. Scott went onto become a professor at the University of Kentucky, and Carolyn became a professor at the University of Wisconsin, as well as an author of several books and numerous publications. While Carolyn was a very impressive high school student when she graduated in 1978,  her career as an educator was even more impressive. 

I asked Carolyn if she would do a Q/A with me partly because I wanted to give myself a chance to bring up Wisconsin's crushing win over her brother's helpless Kentucky team in the 2015 Final Four. 

Mainly I felt Carolyn could give an interesting perspective about playing basketball at GHS in the 1970's during Streaks girls basketball's early years. I especially feel she has a unique perspective having played as girls basketball was getting started, while Scott was playing boys basketball during Galesburg's glory days. 

Carolyn summed up the importance of looking back on the beginning of girls basketball in this way-- "I think in the current context, when women's sports are starting to get a fan base and more attention, it is important to remember the history of unequal support."

Hunter Rhodes- Working with the Streaks

Monday and Tuesday of this week Hunter Rhodes worked with the Streaks. Hunter is high energy instructor. His work focused on ball handling, footwork, first step driving, getting into your shot, dribble moves, and more. 

Hunter is based out of Canton, and does skill workouts year round for players who want to improve their games. You can go to Hunter Rhodes on Facebook to get information about individual and group workouts. 

Partner competing by completing a dribble move before their partner. 

Players working to get shot off the dribble 

Players read defense and try to make straight line drive to basket.

Players working first step off change of direction move. 

Greg Bennett- Driving the Energy Bus in Lewistown

Greg Bennett was a long time coach, teacher, and AD at Lewistown High School. I first got to know Greg because every summer he would bring his girls basketball team up to our Galesburg Summer League. Most summers, they would take the one hour drive to Galesburg two nights a week. On the entry form, there was a spot for "special requests." Some coaches would list teams they didn't want to play and times they didn't want to play. Greg never had any requests. He would play Peoria High, Springfield, or Galesburg. I could schedule them to play at 3pm or at 9pm. And that attitude carried over to his teams- “we don’t care when we play or who we play- we’re going to get after it.”

No matter the schedule, you could count on Greg Bennett driving the Lewistown activity bus into Galesburg. As I got to know Greg better, every time I saw him pull in with that little bus, I thought of the Jon Gordon book, The Energy Bus. Watching his basketball team's play it was obvious if you were on his team, you were riding the "Bennett Energy Bus." 

If you follow Greg on social media (and all but 12 people in Central Illinois are friends with Greg on Facebook), you know the guy is non-stop:

He is in Illinois football and basketball coaching HOF's. 

He describes himself as the "greatest kindergarten sub-teacher."

At one time was an active rugby player. 

Born April 17 and a White Sox fan like most successful coaches. 

Has 4500 friends on Facebook. 

Streaks Records- State and National Records

National Records

Season- 3’s Made- 397-  2011-  #1 National Record

                            365-  2010-  #3

Season- FT’s Att.-  856-  2001-   #7

                            842-  1999-   #9

Season- FT’s Made- 600- 1999-   #3 Nationally

                             599- 2001-   #4

Season- 3’s Made-  139-  2011-  Jessica Howard- #14

Career- Wins-         1018-          Coach Massey- 15th

Father’s Day- My Dad

My father was one of five brothers born in outside of Hollandale, Wisconsin. The boys in order of oldest to youngest were- Glenn (farmer), Wendell (farmer), Wright Ford (teacher), Oswald (teacher, business), and Dwayne (farmer). My dad in Wisconsin went by Ford, and as a teacher/coach most often by “Mass.” 

All five boys went to a one room school in grade school at Adamsville, and then I believe to Hollendale High School. My dad and his brother Oswald went to the University of Wisconsin- Platteville. My dad played football and trained to be a teacher. Initially out of college, my dad tried banking in Hollendale, but that was short lived. He took a teaching job at New Lisbon, Wisconsin where he also was hired to be a basketball coach in the newly developing high school sport. 

Father’s Day- My Boy

One day when our son, Allen was about three years old, he was sick. It was one of the rare times that Dad stayed home and then took him to the doctor. Amy came home and tagged off, while I went to practice. Allen was not doing well. I came home from practice, and was worried about how Allen was doing. 

The medicine evidently had kicked in. Allen was nuts about Winnie the Pooh. Our house on Tamarind Dr. had a circle path where you could walk thru the living room into the kitchen, then out the other side and repeat the circuit. When I arrived, Allen had his drum out, his Pooh slippers on, and was marching around the circle, and demanding our dog, Lucy to follow. It had been a tough day, but Allen has always had the ability to make any of tough days turn into joy and happiness.

Camps- Making Them Fun, Getting Kids Excited

I had an opportunity to go watch Streaks Girls Basketball Camp one afternoon this week. The girls who will be in 2nd thru 6th grade next year were being given instructions on how to do a variety of basketball skills, and drills to practice those skills. They were doing contests at different baskets. And they excitedly filled out entries to be a ball girls at a Streaks game next winter- the plan to draw out one winner. 

The HS players were engaged in their work with the young players. The HS players gave players tips and lots of high fives. They were tremendous role models for the young players. 

Happy Anniversary- June 13, 1982

Today is Amy and my anniversary. We were married on June 13, 1982. I know that for sure because Amy made a beautiful needlepoint that hangs in our dining room with the date of our wedding. So this is year 42. 

So how did we meet? Amy started her sophomore year at Galesburg HS in 1973-4. I student-taught in the Fall of 1973. Then I was hired to teach in 1974-5. So we were both at GHS for three years together. But Galesburg was a three year HS at that time with 2500 students. We never met, she was never in my class, and we never even knew each other. 

Shot Clock- My Thoughts

The NFHS several years ago allowed each state to put in the shot clock for HS basketball. The IHSA, which governs Illinois, has resisted implementing the 35 second shot clock. Just this week the IHSA announced they are moving forward with the shot clock for the 2026-7 season. 

I would assume the delay is to allow schools to buy and install shot clocks. Some small schools have resisted the move because of cost. Some large schools who play their varsity girls games in an older, inferior, second gym are not excited about having to install two sets of clocks. The shot clock will not have to be used on non-varsity levels. Whether true or not, a rumor is that because there are limited companies who make the shot clock, installation will actually take awhile.

Basketball Rules Changes- Today’s Changes & History of Changes

The National Federation of High School’s announced new rules and changes for the 2024-5 season. Among the most significant:

1- In their continuing role as uniform “police,” school logos will be allowed on the front of a jersey instead of having to spell out the names.

2- Failure of a player to pass the ball in a timely fashion (or setting the ball on the floor) will now be a delay of game warning. The second warning will be a team technical. Before the only option was for an official to give a technical in these situations which was considered a severe penalty. The hope is that now officials will give more warnings and thus correct the behavior.

3- Flopping or faking a charge will also be a player warning. The second violation will be a team technical. If you have not noticed, basketball rules over the last few years on all levels are trying to encourage greater offensive ability to drive to the basket- thus the dribble drive offenses. One of the adjustments is making it harder and harder to draw charges. In college basketball, it is almost impossible for a weakside defender to slide over to draw a charge.

Herbert Winfield Evans- Great Name, Great Man

As I get older and I have more time, I like writing and reflecting. With Father’s Day coming up, I reflex on the many “father figures” that I have been fortunate to have shape me. I got my name from my grandpa, Herbert Winfield Evans. Although my grandma wants quipped that I should have been “Evans” not “Evan” if I my mom was naming me for grandpa- it was always clear to me that I was named for my Grandpa Evans. 

When I was young, I was not always proud to have the name Evan. On the first day of classes in grade school when the teacher would read the class roll, inevitably a teacher would prounce my name as Even or Evonne. This would bring on laughter from the class. At that stage of life, I wished I was something simple like Bob or Bill. 

Basketball 101- Corner Three

Any of you who have watched NBA or WNBA basketball have heard the phrase “corner three.” A three point shot from the corner has actually become a popular weapon on all levels- high school, college, and pros. In the NBA, the corner three makes up 19% of all shots taken. The reason for the popularity:

1- In the NBA/WNBA, the corner three is only 22’0” vs 23’9” from above FT lines, so the corner three is almost two feet closer. In college, the shot is only 1.75” closer and in HS it is the same distance, so distance is really only a factor in the pros.

2- On every level, many coaches want their wings to run to the corner on the break. This forces defenses to get back farther, and allows either the wing to be open in the corner or if the defense gets to the baseline, it is apt to create shots out front on the break. 

Chennedy Carter- 670 Score Perspective

 

Women’s Basketball Fans- Learning About the Game

Now that I have more time, I really enjoy listening to podcasts my walks. I have stumbled onto one that I really like- The Hers Hoops Stats Podcast. It is all about college and pro women’s basketball. Each episode is about 30 minutes, but their conversation is VERY enlightening for fans of women’s basketball. 

This past week, here are some tidbits that I picked up:

1- The WNBA is packing in all the games before the Olympics, and because the college players are just coming off their season. As a result, all the players but especially the rookies are being guided by nutritionists on each team. The emphasis is on calories and vegetables. 

Streaks- Getting After It

I had a chance to go to Oregon today to watch the Streaks play three games. They won all three games, but that is not what is impressive. What was impressive?

1- They played really hard. They pressured the ball and worked hard defensively. Offensively they ran the court.

2- Everything was a team effort. Coach Demott subbed 3-4 players every 3-4 minutes. Not once did I see a player leave the floor unhappy. Part of the reason that they were never unhappy was because they had played so hard that they were ready to get off the floor. 

WNBA- Four Perspectives on This Exciting Season

I asked some people who are knowledgeable basketball fans and some people who are long time sports reporters if they would share their thoughts on this exciting year in the WNBA. I REALLY appreciate them taking their time to share their thoughts. I hope that some of you will share your thoughts in the comments at the end, and sign your name. Remember- keep things civil.

First up, is my brother Mark Massey. Mark was a long-time volleyball coach at Clinton, Iowa where is in not only the Clinton HS HOF but in the Iowa Volleyball HOF. Mark also actually at one time was a junior college men's basketball coach. For the record, even though he lives in Iowa, he is smart enough to remain a Badger fan. 

I’ve never been a big Hawkeye fan, I liked Tom Davis and his teams, but somewhere a couple years ago became aware of Caitlin. This year I watched many of her games during the season, and almost all during the end of the season tournaments. I was just attracted to her ability to sort of play pure basketball: she didn’t overpower people with size or strength, but just pure, shooting ability, ability to find the open person, and playing with passion and energy.

I think I was, and I am realistic enough to know that she wouldn’t necessarily take the WNBA by storm. My expectations were, and still are that she’d be a strong candidate for rookie of the year and would gradually improve and adjust to the game. 

I knew that there would be a level of adjustment and that the W would be much more physical. I know cheap shots happen all the time and that not every foul is called. I did not expect that Dremond Green type files, such as we saw the other day would just be treated with a shrug by so many. I’m old enough to remember the Bulls and Pistons, I don’t think Jordan accepted that?

Amanda Gunther Egli- Galesburg HS HOF

Congratulations to Amanda Gunther-Egli, who was selected to the GHS HOF. Amanda graduated in 2003, and had a successful career in both tennis and basketball. She qualified for State two years as a tennis player, while earning All-State honors in basketball.

In basketball, Amanda was on the varsity all four years, playing an incredible 116 games in her career. Her varsity teams were 126-22 during those years, while finishing winning Sectionals all four years. The Streaks finished 4th in State twice, Elite 8, and lost in Supersectional once. Her four years, the Streaks won three WB6 titles going 36-4.

Amanda was a regular her sophomore, junior, and senior years. She earned All-State and All-Conference honors twice. Her senior year was spectacular. While she averaged only 15.4ppg during the regular season, Amanda led an unbelievable finish to the 2003 season by scoring over 22ppg during the tourney run. 

Basketball 101- Arsenault’s Threes or Layups

Kareem vs Unseld

BACKGROUND

Basketball is not the same as it was in the 1970’s. Offensively it has changed significantly. 

In 1960’s- John Wooden wanted to fastbreak but then they ran the “UCLA High Post Offense.” Today, we still refer to the UCLA cut by the guard going off the high post. 

In 1960’s, 1970’s, 1980’s- Offenses still ran thru the post. The best players were Bill Walton, Bill Russell, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In HS, college, and pros- everybody tended to put the big guy down in the low post.

Bob Knight- Indiana

In 1970’s Bob Knight popularized “motion offense.” The concept involved moving and screening away from the ball. Most scoring was the resulting of a pass for a cutting offensive player. It was tough to teach players to randomly read and cut, as a result many HS coaches followed the direction of coaches like Jerry Leggett and put in set plays involving screening, passing, and cutting. 

John Calipari

Caitlin Clark- Is Logo Three A Good Shot?

Caitlin Clark has become famous for her “logo threes.” While obviously she can make “logo threes,” are they statistically a good shot or not? 

When Michael Jordan was in his prime, I noticed how many boys players before and after practice would line up trying to dunk the ball “like Mike.” While it seemed to bring joy to the players, I thought most of them would have been better off to spend their time working on their jump shot.

In the mid-‘80’s when the three point shot went in, it seemed like boys and girls players before and after practice spent all their time shooting three point shots. It didn’t matter if they were a good shooter or a bad shooter- you shot three point shots. 

So pan ahead now to the era of Steph Curry and Caitlin Clark shooting “logo threes.” I wonder how this movement will impact high school players. Will we now have HS players shooting from 30 feet before and after practice? In games will HS players be looking to shoot 10 feet off the arc? And my question is- should they actually be working on this shot?

Coach Massey’s Advice to Parents

I would like to think of the basketball court as being a “classroom” for high school players. There is so much besides just the skills of basketball that can be learned. The exciting thing for parents is that unlike the “academic classroom” where parents  do get to observe their son/daughter, in basketball parents get to regularly be spectators in this unique classroom. 

With 50 years of coaching, I have had the opportunity to watch parents who have taken advantage of watching their son/daughter in basketball, and watch them have a positive impact on their son/daughter’s experience. And in other cases, I have observed parents who have had a negative impact on their son/daughter’s experience. Here are some tips for parents based on my 50 years of observations-

1- Praise your son/daughter for participating in sports. You want them to stay involved, the experience will help them in so many ways. 

2- As you watch them play, focus on your son/daughter’s effort, work ethic, body language, and interaction with their teammates. These are the skills that will make them successful later in life. When you see positive examples of behaviors in these areas, make sure you praise them.

3- Don’t allow your disappointment in your son/daughter’s playing time affect your son/daughter’s pride or happiness. When you complain about their lack of playing time, your son/daughter hears you saying, “Your role is not important.” I was surprised when a player did not go out for basketball as a senior. I was puzzled and asked another player why they had not come out. The other player replied,”They told me that they could not handle seeing how unhappy it made their dad when they didn’t play.”

Caitlin Clark- A to Z Plus Some More

Last night I got an interesting text from a friend that asked if I could think of any other rookie that veterans have gone after as much as they seem to be going after Caitlin Clark. I was with my son, so it provided a good conversation. 

Lebron James evidently was at least “challenged” by the veterans when he first entered the league. And veterans had made negative comments about his ability. 

Kareem Abdul-Jabber was physically challenged, but NBA refs responded by him shooting lots for free throws.

And obviously Jackie Robinson was attacked verbally and physically by oppoenents, and for the most part MLB umps let it go.