RECOVERY

We are in the thick of preseason right now with 5 games over 9 days. It feels like a WNBA season.

This past weekend we played Wisconsin on Friday with 3 players playing 30+ minutes. These same three players played 30+ minutes on Saturday against Valparasio. With ten minutes to go we were able to pull away. That spark of energy down the stretch managed to be the difference in the game for us and it was led by these three.

When you have that many games piled up in a row, your ability to bounce back physically and mentally is critical. Simple methods such as hydration, stretching, ice baths can be hugely beneficial. I also make them do my version of "yoga", which is not real yoga.

Proper nutrition is also crucial. I am thankful that Katie Bussey is a Kinesiology major as she does a better job of educating our underclassmen than I do.

We have Colorado State coming to Bozeman tomorrow. Our strength coach will take the team through a recovery workout today, we will go through our scouting reports, loosen up our bodies on the court and get ready for CSU's tendencies.

Fortunately for Coach Starr and I we do not have an In N Out Burger in Bozeman so we are all forced to prepare properly for our next home game.

Coach Bin

Happy Thanksgiving

To all of our families and supporters we want to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving.

Our team will be in Boulder, Colorado tomorrow preparing for the CU Thanksgiving Tournament. I was asked yesterday what food I was most excited about eating. After Tish Adams gets through the line, I will be thankful if there is any food left at all.

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Cat & Griz Brawl of the Wild

Yes, today is the day of the Cat Griz rival. It's going to be a high of 17 degrees so layer up because the show begins with a presentation of the United States Flag that is the length of the football field, a fly by of some kind of jet(my husband would know what kind), and senior introductions on our new video screen. If that's not enough, the new lights will be turned on, and the game will begin!

Good luck to our football team today, ranked #1 in the nation. Let's finish #1 as well.

Hope there is hot chocolate!

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It's Official

We want to welcome our newest members to the Bobcat family, Lexi Dawkins, Peyton Ferris, Jasmine Hommes, and Lindsay Stockton.

Not only are they talented young ladies, but they are tough, competitive, and most importanatly, great people.

In our press release, however, you won't hear about the most important details that make each of them so special.

Beginning with our most local, Lexi was the first Bobcat to commit by a card that she placed on my desk. I was only gone five minutes, but when I returned and read it, along with a cool basket of creative goodies, I sprinted out my office to find her younger brother filming me in the Fieldhouse. (Lexi- I am out of Diet Pepsi). Lexi is so fast she even won in Go Kart racing.

Peyton, our second closest to Bozeman is our recruit behind the new knee pads the team is currently wearing. Peyton likes to be on the floor more than a broom, hence the knee pads, so our players thank you! They LOVE them. Your mom will also thank you when you cut down your ER visits to one per year.

Jasmine may be furthest in distance, but her name is quite familiar for Bobcat fans. What you wouldn't know about Jasmine, however, is that she actually got her great height and strength by eating hundreds of her favorite food, PICKLES. All of the signs pointed to MSU for Jasmine as we have The Pickle Barrel and a jersey already with the name Hommes on it. Her aunts never threatened her if she did not commit to the Cats. HA!

Lindsay, our second Washington recruit actually taught her dad everything she knows rather than the other way around. John wanted to do behind the back, between the legs, and flip passes, but Lindsay's first words when she was born were, "Keep it simple, dad." We almost had a nightmare for Lindsay's visit when she forgot her makeup. When she was able to turn around and get her makeup she realized Bozeman was close enough. Crazy connection, but John's sister was my trainer when I played for the Utah Starzz.

It was a big day for all of us and we are just thrilled. Now seniors- go win your high school championships and finish off some amazing high school careers.

Go Cats!

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MSU FOOTBALL BIG SKY CHAMPS

Congrats to our Football team as our victory this weekend over Weber State University guarantees our team a share of the Big Sky Title. One more game and they can OWN it all together!

As a fan of our men's program, but also looking at it from a coaching perspective, it is not a surprise to any of us that our men have consecutively won the Big Sky Conference Championship. The reason is in their habit.

Example #1-The weight room is to Cody Kirk as a home is to the rest of us. He lives in that place and I can honestly say there is NO ONE that will out work him.

Example #2-Leadership. Since Coach Ash has taken over our men have improved in the classroom, given more hours in the community, and taken the field performance to a whole new level. Champions are disciplined in everything they do. They don't just pick and choose what to apply that habit to.

Example #3-Accountability. Teams can only go so far with the coaches. The trenches where huge changes happen is within the team itself. Accountability and responsibility to one another can vastly improve a team's ability. Ours starts and ends with Denarius McGee. He is a leader in every sense of the word and the guys raise their level because of his motivation.

Example #4-Mental Toughness. Talent can only get you so far. The ability to overcome a physical challenge is hard, but the mental challenge is a unique gift. Focusing on what is in your control and letting go of everything else, whether it be a call, the opponent, or just the last error was exactly what our guys did yesterday. They started the game with multiple turnovers. Many teams would tank in a situation like that, but our guys didn't. They stayed confident in who they are and what they do.

Congrats boys. We are proud of you on and off the field!

Coach Bin

Tea Party

Sorry to disappoint Rachel on the spider costume. That seemed to be WAY too much work. The good news is that Brooklyn changed her mind by Halloween and wanted me to be a frog instead. Fortunately she was distracted by the other trick & treaters that I got away dressing warmly.

Tonight we had an evening practice, did a self scout, ran a drill over three times until we got it right, but finished with crisp execution. Then I came home to a Tea Party hosted by Justin the waiter while Brooklyn and I were the guests.

It was a very entertaining evening as it began with Brooklyn spilling our drinks as she poured actual water into our tea glasses. Our waiter cleaned it up quickly and reassured Brooklyn that his job was to pour our drinks.

Justin is quite the creative spirit as he cooked over Brooklyn's toy kitchen in her bedroom. It was your typical kitchen with the stove, microwave, and dishwasher. Then Justin started to pretend to utilize another utensil on the stove. I asked him what it was. "It's a cool down device so you don't have to blow on your food to cool it down yourself." Not a bad idea I thought.

Justin said it would be cool to have water fountains where you can push a button for every drink you would want. He said my drinking fountain could have Diet Pepsi in it.

Our evening was a delite as Justin brought us the final bill on one of the building blocks. I paid with a heart. He told Brooklyn and I we made the cook's day as "he was a little grumpy before we arrived since there was no one to cook for."

I look forward to tomorrow's pretend and tomorrow's reality. My main focus will be to make sure my cup of tea is at minimum, half full in both.

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