The 3 Differences Between T Ball & College Basketball

Being the proud mom of a first time T baller, it has been a highlight of my spring. After watching four to five years olds I have noticed a few differences between T Ball and DI basketball. Here are the top three on my list.

3 Differences Between T-Ball and DI Basketball

#1 You pick your equipment by color rather than "durability."
My son thinks blue is the coolest. The bat is blue, regardless of being twice his size, as well as hit mit.

#2 Not being focused is considered "adorable" rather than detrimental.
If any of you have watched T Ball, you all have witnessed grass pulling, sitting on bases, kids waving to parents as the ball is hit. I can't imagine what I would do on the sidelines if I saw Jenny Heringer waving to her mom before she shoots her freethrow.

#3 Knowing your teammates names isn't necessary to having a good time and communicating with one another.
My son had a full on conversation in the infield with a teammate as they were comparing hats. After practice I asked him who it was, and he called him "that boy."

You probably wouldn't think there are similarities, but surprisingly there are many.

#1 Four to five year olds are just as competitive as 18-23 year olds. I have never seen a bigger fight for a ground ball than the swarming of the infield. The baseball is like a magnet that draws in every single player as they jump on top of each other like it's the Holy Grail.

#2 Parents are as intense as ever. I am trying not to include myself in this category, but I will admit it's hard sitting there on the sideline and not being a voice over the coach telling your kid to "run to 2nd base, rather than sit and look at the mountains."

#3 Treats after a hard fought game is always a must. My MSU team wouldn't know what to do if one of our parents didn't show up with the banana bread.

Whether you're rooting for the Green Tadpoles or the MSU Women's Basketball Bobcats, athletics is not only great for kids physically, it's enjoyment for all those who watch.

Coach Bin

p.s. The Green Tadpole's next game is Thursday at 5:30pm, Beall Park. We'll see you there.

Binford's Ball Handling Keys To Success

Those of you wanting to improve your "handles" this summer, here are a few pointers I lived by to better my game as a player and have some fun doing it!

#1 Take up rock climbing: When summer hits and you're enjoying the great outdoors there is no better way to improve your forearm strength. Just make sure you are with someone who has experience and have someone to belay.

#2 Eat all of your meals with your "weak" hand. I am not talking about a chicken leg either. Go after the rice with chop sticks, switch your knife and fork and work that hand until you are ambidextrous. You may give yourself an exception to the rule if you're at a fancy restaurant and don't want to cause a scene.

#3 Lock yourself in a racquetball court for an hour and pound the ball or two at a time as hard as you can. You can work your "handles" and have four corners to bring the ball right back to you when you lose control. Exaggerate every dribble and you should be sweating and hurting (in a good way) toward the end.

Have Fun! I'll see you with the Harlem Globetrotters

Coach Bin

Champions Are Built In the Offseason

I am back in the office this week to the most quiet week of the year. School is out and our student athletes have a break before their summer workouts begin.

It's so quiet around here that I can hear Sarah Strand coming all the way down the hall because her crutches are creaking. Sarah had a microfracture surgery and is one day away from walking on her own two legs after six weeks of buffing up her upper body. She is quite excited about balancing that muscle more proportionately.

The noise will quickly return tomorrow evening as Carrie Underwood performs in the Fieldhouse. My husband and I are true IDOL fans so yes, we will be in attendance.

Then it's onto next week, the first day of our team's summer program. We will leave that for my next blog as I love the summers and what to look forward to when our student athletes return in the fall.

Till then,

Coach Bin

What Happens In Vegas...

I woke up this morning at 5:30a.m. to take my family to the airport as I am staying for an extra two days for the Nike Coaching Convention. Being from Bozeman, I find it somewhat unusual that it's already 70 degrees outside and will probably hit 90 before noon.

We have had an incredible vacation, but like most it has gone by way too fast. There have been many highlights to our trip beginning with the motorcross championships. My husband grew up on dirtbikes and secretly hoped for our four year old son to be the next Ricky Carmikle. That dream may have been short lived as our son slept through the entire event.

Our most eventful day was Wednesday as my husband and I started with hour massages. The most stress I had that morning was decided who to tip and how much. I was shocked when the receipt included the "host" as a separate tip on top of your massage therapist. Next time I will just walk myself to my locker.

We capped off the evening with a romantic dinner and the best show in town, O! The dinner was incredible, although my husband and I joke that the more expensive the meal the lesser the portions. Sure enough he got charged $4.50 for his first Pepsi and another $4.50 for his refill.

Being a professional athlete for seven years I had a unique appreciation for O. Not only was it incredible, but they performed to perfection. I told my husband afterward that I was praying the entire show as the performers are on the absolute edge. The slightest mistake for them could be deadly. He tried to convince me they have done this a million times. I said, so have our basketball players shooting a layup. However, I still have seen an athlete miss a layup from time to time.

That's all for now. We'll talk to you next week!

Coach Bin

THIS IS MY BLOG

How hard is this?

This is my first blog and I have erased it four times already.

So, to keep this simple I will let you know I am leaving for Las Vegas today for a family vacation. I have to admit I feel a little guilty as our student athletes are finishing up their finals, and I am thinking about the motorcross championships and "O" tickets that my husband bought.

To wrap up the week Coach Scanson and I will hope to learn some new techniques at the Nike Coaching Convention that will be held in the Orleans Hotel. Heading into my six month of pregnancy all I truly care about is that the facility has chair back seats this year.

If this was a really exciting post for you, tune in as I MAY or MAY NOT post another one while laying around the pool. And if any of my student athletes check this, Finish Strong! We need another top five finish in those WBCA academic polls!

Coach Bin