THE BEST OF JULY RECRUITING

BEST FOOD:
In & Out Burger
Nothing else came close. It's fast so you can get to your next game, it's cheap, so you don't overspend your per diem budget, and it is GOOD. I wouldn't say it's exactly healthy as I did have two double doubles in one week.

BEST AIRLINE:
Southwest
Southwest still gives you snacks, didn't lose any luggage, is one of the cheapest airlines, and uses humor to deal with all of the overly stressed passangers. I once flew on Southwest where the flight attendant had a peanut cup race down the aisle as the flight took off. It was awesome!

BEST HOTEL:
My mother-in-law's house. I haven't been to a hotel that does your laundry for you, cooks great meals, and has a private pool where the only other guests are your family. Did I mention her husband also took care of all of my flight arrangements in and out for me as well. Those two rock!

BEST CAR RENTAL:
I would have to say the Ford Escape. I had no problem finding the gas tank, my gps was not sleepy, I didn't get lost, it's made in our home country, and it was a comfortable ride.

BEST DAY OFF IN JULY:
Are you surprised? It's hard to find that day off, but I will have to say when I was staying at my sister's house in Carbondale, CO my hometown. I got to go running that morning along the river, scenic view of Mt. Sopris, then took the kids to the pool for some relaxation, went golfing with my brother, brother-in-law, and dad, then finished the evening with my entire family. What a GREAT day off.

Last but not least, BEST DRESSED FAN OF THE SUMMER:
He called himself "Coach Carter." I can't decide whether or not I believe him but the white hat was definitely the finishing touch.



Coach Bin

JULY RECRUITING #3

WHY I LIVE IN BOZEMAN: I once arrived to our airport 30 minutes before departure and was still able to check my bags through security.

1) Airport Travel

Salt Lake Aiport. I was in a rush to make my connecting flight and turned on the Nascar feet. As I weaved in and out saying "excuse me" and moving on to the next I instantly got blocked by two "drivers" or I should say walkers. It was as if this person was in the passing lane but not really passing. Did they just want to torment me and just drive side by side so there was no lane to pass?

2) Crowds

Las Vegas Tram. I was with my family trying to cram among the herd. We missed the first Tram because everyone smothered us and cut in front. The next Tram I held on to my son as we squeezed in. My husband and daughter were left behind as a man with an infant and stroller apparantly are not among manner lessons. Justin said to me as the doors closed, "that wasn't very nice." We must have ruled out crowds when learning our first lessons in manners.

3) Flying

I don't know how flight attendants do it. They have to be the most patient and polite people I have ever met. As they begin their instructions on the exits, flotation devices, and how to buckle your seatbelt, the audience is already in a trance ignoring the details.

Then they get buzzed from a "rookie" how to turn off the air above their head. I was amazed that the flight attendant just turned the nob for the traveler and didn't say a word. Or how about when the flight attendants tell us what snack and beverages they will be bringing only to answer the question to every single one of us when they come to take our requests.

As a coach, I demand our players to listen the first time so I don't have to repeat myself. Can you imagine a flight attendant giving us suicide sprints up and down the aisle for not listening?

Bozeman is at different pace which is very good for me. I don't take my track shoes off while I am home, and I definitely live for competition. However, it's nice once in a while just to go for a run rather than a race.

Coach Bin

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

This week's segment revolves around multi-sport athletes. I figure there will be a few people that disagree with my opinion on this, but that's why it's called an opinion.

I feel that playing in a variety of sports for as long as you can will not only benefit your overall performance in your main sport, but it will also enhance your overall motivation for your prime love.

As a high school athlete, I played volleyball, softball, ran track, and obviously played basketball in the winter. During the other seasons of play I was consistently outside in our driveway playing hoop, but I was able to rest some of those muscles overworked on the court.

When I entered college and ultimately went to one sport I then focused strictly on basketball and felt my overall athletic ability was better because I played other sports in high school.

As a senior in college I tore my ACL, but also felt that injury gave me a new level of motivation for improving my game. It gave me eight more years of high intense basketball training that ultimately allowed me to achieve my highest goals.

Now look at the reverse trend that is happening today. Athletes are encouraged to focus on just one sport early on, training constantly without rest, and feeling torn if they try to do more than one sport.

I see chronic injuries developing from overtraining, not understanding the balance of rest and change to the workouts. I am also seeing less motivation and drive to get out and work on skill work because athletes are constantly playing games.

Seriously consider this opinion. Some professional athletes have made it having only played one sport throughout. However, I do know for me and the level I prefer to train at, I would have gotten burned out too early if I hadn't enjoyed those other sports in my youth.

It may also be hard to believe that I was the strong side hitter and not the setter.

Coach Bin

Cat Shorts #6 - Chalk Toss

JULY RECRUITING # 2

This week's segment of recruiting is going to be Bin's Tidbits on Recruiting.

1) All GPS navigators are not the same. This week's GPS was female again, but I believe she was a little tired as she was delayed on turns as I would pass the exit before being told to get on it. I felt as if my GPS needed a cup of coffee.

2) Recruiting Diet. A recruting diet is this: you just don't have time to eat until nearly 9:00pm. However, if you do see a Popeye's on the way, that breaks all cardinal rules. I fortunately got to have my spicy chicken and red beans and rice.

3) Outsmart your vehicle. I enjoy the surprise of what car Avis Preferred will provide me. My last ride was a Chevy Malibu. I pulled into the gas station and spent 5 minutes trying to figure out how to open my gas tank. Being a woman, I was not afraid to ask for help. The first person I asked did not speak English, but then an answer to my prayers brought a lady right on up in a Chevrolet Malibu. I then found my college degree to be inadequate when she said you just push on the cap and it pops open. Duh.

4) Utilize your 3rd grade English lessons. As I spent 5 minutes typing in the address of the gym I was driving to without success, I finally looked at the street and thought "I before E except after C." So I retyped the address in and I was a winner! Moral to this story? Don't expect those who put the tournament packets together to have all of their information correct.

I can't wait to see what's in store next week.

Coach Bin

July Recruiting

Since these athletes this summer are all competing against the best competition in the country I figured they were doing what it takes to get to the Next Level. Therefore, I decided to do a different post today about July recruiting.

Division I college coaches are allowed to evaluate athletes throughout the month of July. I just arrived home from my first tournament and thought you'd enjoy what really goes on the recruiting trail besides evaluating the GREAT talent.

1) You catch up with friends.

I was able to see former teammate, and college roomate, Lisa Fischer. She brought her two beautiful twin girls to the games while we chatted. I asked them if their mommy makes them clean their rooms like she made me during our roomate days. Answer-Yes. They left me with wonderfully sticky hands from their suckers which made me miss my kids more.

Then I got to see another college teammate Janet that has now become Dr. Soderberg after her many years of education. In college we always joked that she had the unlimited vocabulary when being interviewed by the media. She gave me some thesaurus options to my favorite media answer of "great." Just go back and look at all of my media quotes and you'll see it, possibly twice or three times. You may in the future hear me say "fantastic, splendid, or off the hook." Just wait until I am quoted on our recent TOP 4 National GPA Poll in the WBCA.

The main thing for rookie coaches to learn though, is that you don't have time to break for lunch in July when you are getting to the games on time. Just learn from veteran and also former teammate of mine Heather Sower. She has an entire backpack of snacks. I make sure to sit by her when we are watching the same games.

2) You catch up with your conference.

We have our social peers, and the Big Sky coaches are some of the best. This week's talk for our conference was that we finally got our schedules. The Big Sky ruled in favor of Friday/Saturday games. Many weren't in favor of this change, but for those that get really good attendance like MSU, our fans can now drive in and catch 2 for 1 over the weekend. Back to academic success again, we also miss less class during the week.

3) You compete.

Yes, I would say it would be very unlikely if anyone in the coaches section is NOT competitive. Therefore, we are all trying to do what it takes for our programs to succeed. I am not talking about the recruits we are trying to sign, but the big topic of the week.

DO YOU TWITTER OR BLOG OR BOTH?

Answer for Coach Binford = I blog and do not twitter and this is why.

I don't think you really want to hear these things:

when I wake up,

what kind of toothbaste I use to brush my teeth,

what I had for breakfast,

if I got lost heading to the games,

and most importantly if my Associate Head Coach Amy Saneholtz made me go back and change because she didn't approve of the shirt I picked out.

I have also heard that I am up to 6 readers now that Anne Phippard mentioned her mom Barbara viewing every now and again. Barbara, I will tell you which shirt that was. Just call me.

Coach Bin

p.s. I already called all of you, but great job Bobcats on once again another OFF THE HOOK job on your success in the classroom.

Next Level

Happy Fourth of July, you get two posts from me today. Make sure to read about camping pros and cons.

So, to tap on to Next Level tips, today I am going to provide you with the three C's my staff looks for in student athletes to take our TEAM to the next level.

1) Competitiveness: I really believe someone has this at birth or they don't. The fact my son competes at brushing teeth, the first to arrive home after a game when we are driving two cars, and even getting into the kitchen first for a glass of water makes me think he naturally has it. I love athletes that compete. This takes practices to another level, and when it's crunch time, the difference between a win and a loss.

2) Confidence: Those you surround yourself with definitely can influence this trait, coaches included. However, I think by the time a kid reaches high school they have become confident or possibly struggled with their confidence. The college level is so demanding with many challenges that when you get in an adverse situation, you have to fight for playing time, you MUST have this. When I was in training camp for the Utah Starzz I had a teammate tell me she heard the coach was going to cut me that day. Fortunately I was confident from within not having to rely on someone else to give it to me and I was NOT the one to get cut that day.

3) Commitment. Commitment has many levels. To take the next level, however, I expect our players to put in a higher level of commitment that the average Division I program. Who wants to be 500? I sure don't. Our team wants to take our program to the Next Level as well which is why all 13 of them decided to be here for six weeks of summer school so they can all train together.

I had my first team barbecue last night with our 2009-2010 squad. Let me tell you, this team has character. I first learned from LaTisha Adams that in Albuquerque a "barbecue" includes ribs and steak. If you cook hotdogs and hamburgers it's just a cook out. So we made sure to include some ribs. Then I found out who our next American Idol Finalists for the 2010 season won't be, Katie Bussey and Erica Perry. Beata Bak tried to jump in on karaokee but we didn't have any Polish songs available. We finished off the night of smores on the back patio and I saw this new squad begin to come together.

This team is not only commited to getting better individually, but they are commited to each other. I can't wait to see what this six weeks will do for our upcoming season.

There is no doubt in my mind we have the Next Level of commitment. How confident and competitive we end up being is why I coach.

Coach Bin

Camping

I just returned form Dworshak State Park with my family. Nearly 20 in our party, it was nearly a Binford family reunion. The trip was a success without any major injuries, my 11month daughter sleeping through the night, and no bear encounters.

With that being said I thought I would give you the pros and cons of my last camping trip

Pros
1) No cell service = break the phone addiction. It was amazing to not be able to check my e-mails, messages, etc.
2) Eating. Everything tastes great when you camp. When I was a kid my sister, brother, and I all loved SPAM when we camped. We finally got our dad to buy it for the house even though he said we wouldn't like it. Dad's are always right. It was horrible. This trip, however, we ate better than when we are at home. It may be the first time I gained more weight while camping.
3) Rest. For some camping might not be restful, but to me being in the woods, taking in God's creation, listening to the crackling campfire, and laying out on the dock put me at complete peace. That is until your brother-in-law does a cannon ball dive right next to of course.

Cons
1) The bathrooms. There are a variety of ways to go to the bathroom. a) cop a squat-you never know what's behind you b) RV-toilet included-not real camping. We are tenters in our family c) jump in the lake-where everyone else is waterskiing d) outhouse-this trip included 2 gag reflexes from the stench and a National Geographic insect the size of my hand. He was just staring at me.

2) The cleanliness. This trip we did have showers and running water so my daughter smelled pretty rosy. The rest of us did jump in that lake (look at con #1). I also am not quite sure about the ten second rule for food falling on the ground when it's around the campfire.

3) Packing & Unpacking. Can I just say my husband is an animal in this department. Not only do we have to think about packing tents, sleeping bags, etc. but boat supplies, food, cooking gear, baby pack and play, flashlights.

Oh wait, did I say WE? I meant Todd had to do that. I am on vacation relaxing, remember?

Coach Bin