Happy New Year Everyone!!!
I hope everyone’s holiday has been good so far.
Reminder, Basketball Season in our schools runs from November to March. If players are in town, it is expected that they show-up to all Practices and Open Gyms. The two week Winter Break can become a big problem for a lot of programs. The best teams/programs practice and play over the break … Last week in Kamloops, SKam, Valleyview, and SaHali Gr. 8 Boys practice twice played games each other. This week the same teams are doing the same thing and they’ve invited VSS (from Vernon) to join them. If a team wants to get good they need to get in the gym over the break and if players can learn that common sacrifice and common commitment pay dividends over time, then success is possible.
The KSS Sr. Boys’ Basketball Team from Kelowna (the best Sr. Boys’ Basketball Team in the Okanagan for the past two decades) just completed a 3 day tournament in Victoria against the tops teams in BC and some teams from Seattle. The best put some time into their games over the break. KSS is the one Sr. Boys’ Team in the BC Provincials every year representing the Okanagan. What do you say we get in the gym boys…and start the process in Gr. 8!
Gr. 8 Boys’ Basketball Practices this Week…
Wednesday, January 3, 2024 … 9AM to 10:30AM (*Our Gr. 6 and 7’s who always attend Gr. 8 Practices are encouraged to attend)
Thursday, January 4, 2024 … 3PM to 4:30PM (*Our Gr. 6 and 7’s who always attend Gr. 8 Practices are encouraged to attend)
Friday, January 5, 2024 … 9AM to 10:30AM (*Our Gr. 6 and 7’s who always attend Gr. 8 Practices are encouraged to attend)
Gr. 8 Girls’ Basketball Practices…
Thursday, January 4, 2024… 10:30AM to 12Noon
Friday, January 5, 2024 … 10:30AM to 12Noon
Shuswap Middle School
Boys’ Basketball
CORE VALUES & STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
“Culture leads when no one else is watching.” You do what is expected when the coach isn’t present. Our Core Values and Beliefs have been established to lead and guide us. One’s behaviours and actions represent who we are as a Team and an program, and shape our identity. “You can be you, but to be a part of Us, you have to Align with Us.” We all make mistakes and make poor choices from time to time. Own your behaviour and actions. Learn from your mistakes. When your behaviour and actions appear to be off the rails and not meeting our Standards, press pause and think. Use our Core Values and Beliefs, to help guide you in your daily decisions.
The Gr. 8 Boys’ Basketball Program believes in Synergy… “The Sum of the Whole is Greater than its individual Parts.”
TO STAY ON THE TEAM
SHOW UP!
· MENTALLY & PHYSICALLY
· BE ENTHUSIASTIC
· ON TIME – EVERY TIME!
TELL THE TRUTH
· TO YOUR COACH, YOUR TEAMMATES & TO YOURSELF
ACT WITH INTEGRITY
· THINK BEFORE YOU ACT
· DO THE RIGHT THING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S DIFFICULT
· TALK TO PEOPLE, NOT ABOUT THEM
BE RESPONSIBLE
· NO BLAMING! Admit your errors & do everything in your power to correct them – NO “YA BUTS” or “I KNOWS” or “HE …” or “THEY…”
· Know how your actions affect others.
· Treat others with dignity & respect – GOLDEN RULE!
· Don’t Freak Out over ridiculous issues or live in a fragile state of emotion.
BE SELF DISCIPLINED
· Recover – sleep – nutrition – SCHOOL
· Your body is your business
· Follow workout plans (never miss)
· Family – School – Team – Social … in that order.
TO PLAY
WORK HARD
· Leads to preparedness …
· Which builds confidence in yourself & your teammates
· Builds a bond of common sacrifice
· Continuous improvement
BE SUPER FIT
· The best are super fit – quick, strong, flexible, & powerful
BE SKILLED
· Continuous improvement
· Pay attention to detail
· “Game shots – game spots – game speed”
KNOW YOUR STUFF
· Do your job
· Embrace your role
TO COMPETE AS A MEMBER OF SMS GR. 8 BOYS’ BASKETBALL TEAM
DEMONSTRATE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT
· Be at your best when your best is needed
BE MENTALLY TOUGH
· FOCUS! Pay attention – play smart – CONCENTRATE
· POISE! Calm under pressure
· Handle success & failure
· Be coachable – accept and act upon corrective feedback
· Don’t whine or complain
COMMUNICATE
· On the court & off the court
BE A GREAT TEAMMATE!
· Put TEAM before self – eager to sacrifice – OVER THE TOP (as teammates and human-beings)
· Enjoy the success of others (when we don’t play as much as we like, we are noble and support the team’s mission)
· Loyalty
“When nothing seems to help, I go look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet, at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.”
DESERVE VICTORY
