Candyce Bingham's Weekly Blog
October 07, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Oct. 31, 2008
Finally, October 17, 2008 had arrived. As you all know this was the first day of official practice. For the returners, this was the day where we begin to pick up where we left off last year. The freshmen, I'm sure couldn't sleep the night before and during the day couldn't focus in class because they all were thinking about practice. We tried to prepare the freshmen during the summer and preseason but it's nothing like actually going through practice. From here on out it's up to them to impress the coaches and show them they want to play, the returners can only help lead and guide them.
The first two weeks have been poignant, overwhelming (freshmen), but exciting. Poignant because we lost a great player in Chauntise Wright, who is out for the 2008-09 season due to an ACL injury. Chauntise will definitely be missed but we can't sit around and feel sorry for ourselves. Personally, I believe this will be good for her, don't get me wrong I hate that had to happen to her senior year. I do strongly believe that next year she will be at her best, she will be in great shape. Chauntise and Brandie Radde will bring great senior leadership to the team.
It has been overwhelming for the freshmen because I guarantee that they have never had to work this hard. College basketball is at an entirely different level than high school. They are no longer the BEST player on the team; everybody at this level is good. It's a lot more intense and the little things are extremely important. Indeed, they are getting better and I hope to see major improvements throughout the year. Exciting because at times we actually look like we know what we're doing. We just have to put all the pieces to the puzzle together, we each have to figure out what our roles are on the team and bring that to practice everyday. The returners pretty much know what our roles are its just imperative that the freshmen figure out what their roles are. They knew they needed to step up but now with the loss of Chauntise, we must all step up, especially the freshmen.
Since the first day of practice things have been better. We have a way to go to get where we want to be, but this will only take time. We have been hit with some adversity, but the challenge will be to see what we make of it. Again, we know nobody is going to feel sorry for us, so we can't feel sorry for ourselves. We know the coaches will put us in a great position to be successful. We just have to believe in them, ourselves and each other. If we continue to get better as a team an individually I believe we can do some very special things, but it's going to take all of us, starting with the coaches all the way down to the managers. Seriously, we must take pride in getting better every day in practice and carrying it over into the games.
Well hope to see you at our exhibition game on Monday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. against the ASGR All-Stars. Hopefully we will put on a show that will make you want to come back to our game Nov. 15 against Austin Peay. GO CARDS!!!!!!
