Montrose-ism #6: One Possession
Coach Vetter has a player read this poem by Jeff Smith aloud to the team before the start of every season. Yes, it is a tad corny, but it does send a very important message of how important every possession is.
It was only one possession,
Why must my coach scream?
My poor defense caused a basket,
But what can one hoop mean?
As the pass comes my direction,
And I fumble it into the stands,
My coach’s voice rings loud and clear,
“Catch with your eyes and hands!”
C’mon coach, its one possession,
Our team will be OK,
It’s just the first two minutes,
I mean damn, we’ve got all day!
In the beginning of the 2nd quarter,
Their center is strong and stout,
He gets a put back for two, quite simply due,
From my failure to block out.
It was only one possession,
I didn’t commit a crime,
My team is ahead and I’m playing well,
And there’s still plenty of time!
As the halftime buzzer sounds,
I watch the ball bank in,
I know I will hear it from my coach,
Asking why I don’t defend.
But it was only one possession,
Coach – don’t have a heart attack,
We’re only down by one and we’re having fun,
I know we’ll get the lead back!
The 2nd half is much the same,
So it is really no big deal,
That my lazy pass on the perimeter,
Results in an easy steal.
I quickly sink a jumper,
I’m greeted by high fives and slaps,
But the next time down, I give up a lay-up,
While suffering a mental lapse.
It’s only one possession,
C’mon coach just chill out!
It’s crazy to see you so mad,
As you consistently scream and shout:
“Victory favors the team,
Making the fewest mistakes.
Singles possessions are the key,
And will cut down on their fast breaks.”
I step to the line for a one and one,
The game is in my hands,
I can’t believe I miss it short,
And hear cheers from the other team’s fans.
After the game I sit at my locker,
Wondering what more I could have done,
Only to realize the value of one possession,
What a shame we lost by one.
In two weeks I will post a full preview of the 2009-2010 Montrose basketball team.
If you have questions about the Montrose program, please email me at Alan@StrongerTeam.com. I will respond as quickly as possible!
Train hard. Train smart.
Alan Stein