THE PERFECT COACH

This Christmas was an amazing reminder of HOPE in celebrating the birth of Christ. When I think about Jesus's birth, His life, His sacrifice, and love for all of us I immediately reflect on what kind of coach Jesus would have been. How about a coach who sees your full potential, who is loving, forgiving, strong, always present, who does not ever give up on you or walk away. He is the only coach worth playing for! Coach Bin

Conference

Big Sky Conference opens tonight, a good 2 weeks earlier than in the past. With the addition of Southern Utah and North Dakota we now have 20 conference games on the calendar which means every game counts from here on out! The Cats open with the Hornets in the Fieldhouse and those are two perfect descriptions of our teams. The Cats are aggressive, relentless, and the best news of all is that we have a deep bench full of them. The Hornets buzz all over the court and are scrappy, quick, and tenacious. I can't think of a more exciting game for our fans to get out and see as the conference begins. Besides, you all need a break from Christmas shopping! The Big Sky is strong, with wins over conferences such as the Mountain West, WAC, Pac 12, ACC, West Coast, and Big West among others. Check these ladies out. They play hard, together, and never give up. Go Cats! Coach Bin

Home Sweet Home

After 3 weeks back and forth on the road we get to be on our home court for the rest of the month of December and we are thankful for that. Why is it so nice to be at home? #1 Our Fans & Cheerleaders- We have had great support so far this season and have as a goal to PROTECT HOME COURT. Our fans help make that happen. We even have the "cookie club" starting once conference begins and I am not talking about who can eat the most cookies. That would be Coach Close. #2 Our Band- Talk about rockin the Fieldhouse. Our band tends to be the loudest and craziest. I think we should move them closer to our opponent's bench. What do you think? #3 Less Driving- Although Margreet thought I was the bus driver on our last trip to Logan, driving is exhausting regardless if you are the driver or not. I am ready to be done with the GPS for awhile as it seems to get us lost more times than actually finding our destination. #4 Kellee is much more pleasant to be around at home. She is in charge of our team travel and nearly ripped her hair out when National gave away our vans on our trip to SMU. Then the restaurant in Logan forgot to have our pre game meal ready before Utah State. I just asked for an ice tea and was fine when they brought out a pitcher and family portions of bacon, hashbrowns, and eggs. #5 Last but certainly not least, I get to drive home every night to our tiny little decorated deer outside, beautifully decorated Christmas tree by our kids, and read stories of Jesus's Birth and listen to Christmas carols before resting in my own bed. Home Sweet Home.

Coach Bin

Experience

Nothing can replace getting experience in certain situations and that is exactly what we got this weekend. What an exciting tournament for the Bobcats to have the opportunity to play an ACC opponent, play in a championship game, and wear shorts throughout the entire weekend with such great weather. Our Cats have improved a ton learning that a shot fake, shot works against high flying defenders and solid box outs work against any level of athlete as we got two over the back calls in the first half. Against SMU, the host of the tournament, we saw our offense begin to click over the course of the game with great ball movement and decision making going inside/out through the paint. Then with three minutes to go and a ten point lead SMU turned up the pressure, MSU panicked, and SMU pulled out a one point win. I think about the line in THE REPLACEMENTS, a football movie where Keeanu Reeves is the quarterback and talks about quicksand. It's where one thing after another goes wrong and you can't settle yourselves down. You can't focus on execution, you rush, and your mind gets caught up in the pressure. How do you fix that? You admit it and you FACE IT! We know what happened on Saturday and we know what we are going to do now. Great teams don't make the same mistake twice. It was a heartbreaking loss, but one we have grown tremendously from. Our CATS are confident we can be successful on the road and that's going to be absolutely necessary to win the Big Sky Championship. With that being said, we are anxious to get on our home court this Thursday for our first home game of the season and can't wait to hear our fans! Go Cats! Coach Bin

Congrats

Congrats to our football team and our winningest football coach in MSU history. It's so satisfying to see great habits that are put into place bear fruit. To our senior football class, you are the winningest class because you made a commitment your freshmen year to consistantly focus, compete, and play together as a team every day you showed up on the field. Champions don't get bored with the process. They value every practice, film session, focus on the details and go game speed even when there is no defense. Our team has created a habit of excellence and we are proud of you. Good luck in the playoffs, and to my team, remember the "process" is where you separate yourselves from everyone else. Go Cats!

Road Trip

First road trip is down without many hiccups. We found out that this group sleeps very well through anything, especially our new radio guy Adam. Here are a few other things I learned: 1) My kids should only swim once a day. Justin came back home with an ear infection, probably from a combination of 24 hour pool and altitude. He did manage some big time cannonballs though that got our players wet during their recovery workouts. Good job buddy! 2) Update my gps. I don't know where "Olga", my gps, is taking us half the time but she sent us the wrong way on 1-25 away from downtown and kept trying different routes to the game. Todd decided to follow Kellee's van. 3) Jackie has the coolest pajamas, the Grinch. Rechel has the prettiest head band, and Lexie is the sleepiest in the morning. 4) With Katie graduating the players prefer junk food again. Coach Barney worked diligantly to put to go bags for our early trip back home filled with granola bars, apples, and other goodies in which our players ended up at McDonalds at the airport. I have to admit I was extremely jealous when I saw the hashbrowns. We finished the first trip with a sweep on the road, something no coach will take for granted. On another note, good luck to our #2 Ranked football team this weekend for their annual Cat Griz game! Coach Bin

State Volleyball

State Volleyball is here in the Fieldhouse this weekend which brings back such great memories. You are probably surprised to hear that I played volleyball in high school and don't assume I was a setter either based on my size. I was in fact a strongside hitter but pretty certain that Kyle (our volleyball coach) wouldn't have recruited me. Fortunately in my career we didn't have the spandex. Otherwise I would have probably been pulling on those all game rather than digging for the ball. I love to watch recruits in a different sport to see the consistencies in how they handle the big stage of state championships. What is their leadership like and most importantly can a basketball player get down that volleyball group cheer? Most basketball players can't and or don't really want to. I have watched many of our great bobcats play other sports. For example, Katie Bussey was an incredible outside hitter. Lindsay Stockton was versatile at the net as well as the back row and had a deadly arm. She had such great precision in her placement of the volleyball and Kyle knows she is not available until her fifth year. Jackie Elliot was as tenacious in soccer as she is on the court and I remember her checking an opponenet on the field that opposing parents weren't real fond of. Inside I was cheering! As I sat in the gym this morning I went through our roster on who was a multisport athlete in high school and I would say the majority of our players were. So parents, encourage your daughters to mix it up. It's great for their athleticism and great for their bodies to get a change. Just make sure in the end their favorite is basketball. Good luck to all those at state this weekend! Coach Bin

Game Time

Tonight we open up with Montana Tech who is currently 2-0 and led by Kelsey Dewit, the older sister of our red shirt freshman Kayla. Coach Close tried to quiz Kayla on her sister and how we needed to defend her, but Kayla knows the strong bonds of sisterhood. For the Bobcats, it's our first game this evening, which means our players got roughly four hours of sleep with a great level of butterflies, but I find that a refreshing replacement over our court loving regular flies. My daughter was also excited about the game tonight, asking if Champ was going to be there, the bouncy house, and then the most entertaining question, "are you going to go too mama?" Yes I will be there and to our fans, YOU SHOULD BE THERE TOO!!! We have an exciting group of young ladies this season. Go Cats! Coach Bin

ONE WEEK

Game number one October 29th, a week from today! For all of you coaches out there I am sure you are asking the same question, what do I get in before that first game to be ready for a "surprise" verses putting in less and being great at it. I will tell you this. I am not as concerned about our pre game warm up as much as I am ready to see execution vs a press or being able to defend any kind of screen action. What I am certain of is that there will be plenty of learning lessons that we can apply to the next play, next practice, and next game. What I am not so certain of is knowing each player's number since we seem to have a million new faces. I love the first game because it's such a reward for our players to put on their uniforms after the hard work and sweat of daily grinding practices. I love to see the butterflies in our pre game talk. I love to see how our new players respond when I "flip" out on them in an intense huddle. I love to see who feeds off our crowd and elevates their game to an entirely new level. What I could do without is my increased intake of caffeine but let's be honest with each other. That is just not going to happen because the 2012-13 Season has started! Coach Bin

Blue & Gold Wrap

Our SID is giving you the stats of our Blue & Gold scrimmage last Saturday. What I will give you is the behind the scenes description. First of all, we didn't have any out of bounds plays yet so our offense for out of bounds was to get it in! You may be surprised to hear our success rate was above 50% so I am thinking I might not put in out of bounds plays this year. JK-We put them in today. Secondly, we didn't have a press breaker in yet so when white was up late in the second half and blue was pressing their job was to pass, advance, and take care of the ball in which they did. Ironically we had less turnovers without offense than we did when trying to execute offense. That, however, will come when our team gets the reps and begins to make reads rather than thinking and processing as you do when you first introduce new things. Highlights for me: Blue's Start-They came out aggressive and jumped on White early White's Comeback-They came back from a 14 point deficit to WIN! Our depth-We have competition at all positions which is extremely exciting Our steals-I am crediting our great defense here rather than our multiple turnovers by both teams. Biggest highlight though was our sparkplug Shayla Mack who is official now my first player that is at eye level for me. I won't get a neck cramp coaching this one. Here's to another building week ladies. Act like a champion, work like a champion, respond like a champion. Go Cats, Coach Bin

Blue & Gold Scrimmage

This is a shout out to all of our fans to see our 2012-13 Squad in action this Saturday in the Fieldhouse at 9:30am. We will have rosters on hand as there are seven new faces this season and I can't even get their names right. I called Kayla Shayla yesterday. Remember that we have been on the court for a week and half so you have to bring your imagination with you as we don't have much in yet considering the seven new additions. With that being said, you will get to see what we are optimistic about and that is our talent, depth, speed, and strength. Do I sound like a strength coach right now? Anyway, I look forward to seeing you for the beginning of an exciting season. Not only do we have new faces but our conference has two new teams in North Dakota and Southern Utah, as well as a new Big Sky Logo. Since everyone likes "new" I think I will go get myself a new ice tea. These early morning practices are demanding that! Coach Bin

The Countdown

A week from tomorrow begins the official first practice of the 2012-13 Season, and it has come fast! A few years ago the Women's Basketball Coaches Association pushed through legislation for women's basketball to start 40 days out of our first contest. Our reasoning was to transition our teams into the preseason with somewhat of a buildup after having roughly 8 hours a week of fall training. We are now allowed to have 30 practices during that window which gives coaches great flexibility on which days to take off. If you ask our players, they would say that change was awesome as semester schools have already had more than their share of preseason conditioning. Now we are a week out from our first official practice so I thought I would give a wrap up of our fall training. 1) Mental Training-If you have been following my blog you have seen we have targeted the Four C's as a point of emphasis in becoming a tougher team both mentally and physically. Now we will work on applying these concepts until they become habit. 2) Strength Training-As I'm sure you know, the game has gotten a lot more physical in recent years. One of our points of emphasis has to be for our squad to be a more PHYSICAL team. The weight room builds strength, expolosiveness, speed, quickness, and most importantly focuses on injury prevention to keep us on the court. 3) Speed & Agility-Our team would tell you that 11 seconds and 32 seconds enters their dreams (or nightmares!) because they have had plenty of Up Back sprints and "Champion" sprints to make. If you don't know what a Champion is it's a better term for "Suicide" sprint as we want to think of it as making us a Champion. Our strength coach has pushed them to their limits and it will pay off when we get to our high octane transition game this season. 4) Dictating Defense-Coach Starr ran our fall individual practice sessions and made a major point of emphasis on being a more aggressive and physical defensive team than last year. We may see double digit foul trouble in our first few games but the eventual payoffs will be transitioning off of the steals we get. 5) FOUL LINE, FOUL LINE-Yes, we want to and will be getting there this year. Last season we lit it up from 3 which I have no problem with but our mentality will be to get to the rack, first. Our fall emphasis has been our moves at the basket, whether off the dribble or the catch. So if you are in Bozeman on October 7th, enjoy the sunrise and come watch the Bobcats at 7AM. Yes, we start the day the right way... in the GYM, and will be working toward an exciting 2012-13 Season. This team is FAST & PHYSICAL, has depth and experience, so it's time to get the Fieldhouse rockin! Coach Bin

Composure & Concentration

To wrap up the keys to mental toughness our team reviewed the importance of composure & concentration & how to maintain them in the face of adversity, the unexpected, or pressure situations. Our team came up with many scenarios where composure & or concentration may be challenged; whether it's an end of game situation, an official's call, fatigue, sickness, or an opponent's influence. We discussed steps that would help us maintain focus on the task of performance rather than letting our emotions negatively drift our minds elsewhere. We can establish consistent routines of preparation, practice unexpected situations ahead of time, & visualize ourselves in these situations with the response we want to have. Concentration can also be improved by focusing on eye contact, staying mentally in the present, & focusing on the details that improve our performance rather than the "what ifs." I want my playrs to own their emotions & use them to their advantage. Whether we get angry about something, nervous about the moment, if we can properly channel them, caring actually can heighten our level of play. Many people make the mistake of thinking these emotions are "wrong" and we should cover them up. Our team is going grasp them, enjoy the opportunity, and leave the worries that are out of our control behind. Mental Toughness is a skill, strength, and an asset that can be helpful both on the court and in life. Our team has learned that "toughness is not usually seen in the actions of a person, rather than in the reaction of that person." Ralph Jean-Paul Coach Bin

HOF Inductee Jessica Blake Carlson

Following a dismal 1999-2000 campaign, then-head coach Frank McCarthy knew that the key to any future Bobcat women’s basketball success, especially in Big Sky Conference play, lay with the post position. And, fortunately for the Bobcats, McCarthy found the answer to his quandary just three hours southwest of Bozeman in Rexburg, Idaho. When Jessica Blake arrived at Montana State following two seasons at Ricks College, she made an immediate impact on the MSU campus, both on the court and in the classroom. On the court, she quickly established herself as one of the most dominant posts in the Big Sky Conference, earning all-conference honorable mention accolades and all-academic honors in her first time through the Big Sky ranks. Combined with backcourt sensation Rebecca Alvidrez, the duo produced the fourth-best turnaround in the nation at the NCAA Division I level. The table was set for a memorable and remarkable 2001-02 campaign. Paced by Blake in the middle and Alvidrez at the point, the Bobcats notched an 18-11 overall mark and an 11-3 league slate, which gave the team a share of the Big Sky Conference regular season title. The season was highlighted by two victories over Montana in a seven-day span, the latter in the semifinals of the Big Sky tournament. Although MSU eventually lost a heartbreaking 53-47 decision to Weber State in the championship game, the season's most important and lasting achievement was the resurrection of a once-proud Bobcat women’s basketball program. For her efforts, Blake was named the 2002 Big Sky Conference Most Valuable Player and was a unanimous first-team All-Big Sky pick. She still tops the Bobcats' all-time shooting chart, hitting at a .546 clip from the field. “Jessica had, arguably, the best set of hands to ever play at MSU and maybe in Big Sky Conference play as well,” said MSU Sports Information Director Tom Schulz. “When Jessica caught the ball on the blocks it was money. There wasn’t a prettier sight then an Alvidrez-to-Blake conversion for two points.” And while Blake enjoyed an outstanding basketball career at MSU her work in the classroom may have proven even better than her work on the court. The Shelley, Idaho, native was a two-time Big Sky All-Academic choice, earning Second Team CoSIDA District VII Academic All-America honors as a senior. She became only the second Bobcat ever to earn an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship, and was also named the NCAA Woman of the Year for the state of Montana after her senior season. Years at Montana State 2000-02 Hometown Shelley, Idaho Honors 2002 Big Sky MVP, 2002 First Team All-Big Sky, NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship, NCAA/Montana Woman of Year, No. 1 Career FG Pctg.

Commitment

Commitment is defined as the dedication to the tasks of preparation to succeed. Our team highlighted a few of these tasks: Nutrition, Strength Training, Conditioning, Sleep,and Skill Work. The first question our team addressed is why do we commit? Most of us commit to things that we have a passion about or maybe good at. I believe the great athletes separate themselves from the good ones because they commit themselves to the tasks that are more challenging for them because they understand it's value in their higher success. Take for example sleep. Our goal for our student athletes is to get around 9 hours of sleep a night. However, we have 7AM practices which means most of our athletes are at the gym by 6:15AM. In order to get 9 hours of sleep our athletes would have to be in bed by 9:00PM. Does that sound realistic for a college student? The great athletes would say yes because they can manage their time and get their studies done early and will be willing to make some sacrifices on social activities. It certainly isn't easy and not everyone will be convinced of its significance to greater performance. Other factors may also prevent us from committing; fear of failing at the task, we aren't confident in that area, it doesn't come as easy for us, we don't know how, or we just don't think the task is that important to our overall success. The number one reason why we don't commit is that it is just flat out HARD. Here is what my team is working on and what WE are going to do to overcome these challenges. 1) We are getting educated in the vaule of the tasks that improve our overall performance. If we don't believe it has any affect then why would we commit to it. 2) We are going to face our fears. Get them out on the table, be upfront about it, and attack it head on. 3) We are going to continue to rechannel our mentality to becoming more confident & envision what we can and will become by committing to these things 4) We are going to train our athletes on how to eat better, how to time manage, and produce the drills that will enhance their abilities. 5) We are going to constantly put them in hard situations, reflect on what they have overcome, dust them off when they fall down, and hold a hand out for them to get up themselves with the reminder that we are on their side. See, our team isn't like any other team. We will separate ourselves not because we will be comparing ourselves to anyone else but because we will find our greatest motivation & satisfaction in the things that are hard. Coach Bin

Confidence

Follow up to last Friday of Mental Training Session 1: Our team had great discussion on what is and isn't mental toughness. To start we had to understand how critical mental toughness is to performance. It is absolutely essential to an athlete fulfilling her potential and her ability to capitalize on opportunities. We covered the first C of mental toughness, CONFIDENCE (as described by Spencer from the company Icebox). Our definition of confidence is "Having a consistent belief in your ability to achieve your goals in the face of adversity." As we know, some athletes don't need a lot of help in this area, and many even need to come down a notch. However, you may be surprised how much doubt does go through athletes' minds. The key here is to acknowledge that doubt is normal, but how do we retrain our mind to remove that thought and replace it with a performance enhancer? First we identify the triggers that hinder our confidence. Some of the triggers our team came up with were mistakes, criticism, comparison, or a previous experience. We then tense up, focus on that rather than the task at hand. Once we recognize the trigger we can then change the negative chatter in our mind into a positive self-talk. Our sports psychologist Pat Donahoe was facilitating awesome discussion on how we need to rephrase these thoughts in our heads without using absolutes. The third piece of this discussion is transitioning quickly so we can stay focused on the task or goal. For some of our athletes there is no rephrasing, it's letting go and moving on. As in any part of the game, the real work comes now as they practice these tools to make them a habit. Much more to come as tomorrow we cover commitment. Stay tuned! Coach Bin

Mental Toughness

I believe that mental toughness is at the heart of how far and athlete gets in reaching her potential and better yet, what her team is able to achieve through the course of our long season. Many coaches shy away of training this skill for a number of reasons. Maybe coaches believe an athlete either has it or she doesn't. Maybe coaches think that the way their workouts are designed is enough to challenge their players, or possibly we just aren't as confident in teaching how to improve the mind. Here is what I believe. Some athletes are born with mental toughness but can still improve this skill. Other athletes may not be as mentally tough but given the right sets of tools and situations can vastly improve, just like any skill. This is an area I am spending much more time with the team on so they have the tools that are needed when our athletes are in those mentally challenging situations. Today is our first session on one of our 4 C's, Confidence. I'll let you know how it went with a follow up blog on Monday! Have a great Labor Day weekend! -Coach Bin

Quick Tips from Alexa Dawkins

Im a freshman student-athlete here at Montana State University. I'm super excited about this upcoming year and the incredible opportuinty ahead of me. This past summer I was enrolled in two class at MSU, which gave me a little bit of a head start with the whole "college expierence". That being said, I have some advice for the freshman students on how to make your year a fun and memorable one. 1. Get involved in as much as possible. This creates opportunities for you to meet new people and know what's going on around campus. If you're shy and meeting new people and getting involved intimidates you don't be because truth is everyone is in the exact same position as you. 2. Check out all the dining halls on campus, the two that I know of are Miller and Hannon. If you had to choose between the two I would definitely encourage you to eat in Hannon... The food is VERY delicious! If you're not into the dining halls there are other popular food places close to campus like Town and Country AKA TnC, Pickle Barrel, and Junga Juice. 3. Since we are in a very outdoorsy place people love to ride their bikes everywhere... all I have to say is watch out for the BIKERS!!! You're a little safer in the summer, but in the winter when it's icy be aware!!! If you're reading this and you're a frequent biker no offense! :) 4. Winter in Montana lasts about six plus months which makes walking to class in the snow a little difficult. I would strongly suggest that you have at least one pair of snow boots to wear to class in the winter months. If you're worried about looking cute, don't because you can most defintely find some fashionable snow boots! 5. Come out and support your athletic teams! The more fans the better and the more exciting the games will be. First football game is this Thursday at 7pm under lights, which is the first time in MSU history. So come out and show love to all of Montana States athletic programs. I hope my advice was entertaining as well as helpful and wish all of you the best of luck this year! Go Bobcats! -Alexa Dawkins #22

Defining Success

Witnessing some of this media coverage over the Olympics has me wanting to defend these Olympians as much as I would want to protect my own children. The latest critics ripped Lolo Jones for finishing fourth in the 100M hurdles. As a former athlete I find Lolo's accomplishment absolutely remarkable. Is the Gold medal how we define success rather than the injuries and personal challenges Lolo has overcome?

We can learn a lot from these inspiring athletes and their stories. Such as Harper and Wells showing enthusiasm, love for their country, and gratitude for the opportunity to compete and coming home with the Silver and Bronze with such pride. But also true sportsmanship, congratulating the incredible performance by Sally Pearson who broke the Olympic Record. (Our Aussie players will appreciate that shout out!) As we are watching these amazing athletes and undoubtedly hope for the best, we should congratulate their story of success, no matter the medal or lack there of and more importantly remember to support those who fall short of their dreams. Take a page from Pistorius. That was the most touching post event interview I have seen to date because of his ability to see and articulate what success means. I am proud to be an American and am watching as closely as anyone with the hopes that the USA wins the most Gold medals. As a coach, I believe in pushing athletes to their full potential and challenging them to be more mentally tough. But as a fan of these Olympians, I believe they have achieved this, thus they are representing our great country. Olympians put themselves out there and sacrifice more than most of us could imagine. Let's not criticize them. Let's change the culture that only defines success by winning a Gold. What if our media more often researches what is deeper than the clock, the score, and the Gold medal, and sticks to every individuals story of success? Isn't that what we want to hear? The success of an Olympic champion, as defined by the story of their lives. Coach Bin

Parent Hat

This week my family returned from recruiting and vacationing in California. It was the last week of summer school for our team (great job ladies) and the Montana Coaches Clinic was being held in Great Falls. Justin started basketball camp and Brooklyn had her four year old birthday party coming up Saturday so getting all of these things in took only one extra ice tea a day. At basketball camp I would sneak in to the Fieldhouse to see how Justin was doing and then head back to my office. I may have yelled at one point for him to get back on defense while trying to keep my mouth shut and let his camp coach do the coaching. Emily or "Elmo" Allen was his coach which in his words was "awesome". By the end of the week the campers were worn out, and I think Justin broke a world record on how many popsicles you can eat during the week. Can I brag as a parent and tell you he also hit the game winning shot! Great Falls was also a success as we got to connect with a ton of our Montana High School Coaches, my staff all received roses from our good friend Larry Aasheim of Universal Athletics, and I finally remembered who "Pepper" was and I am not talking about the spice. He works at Universal and apparantly I worked with him at Utah State. Don't get him started on that. Then my last minute planning for Brooklyn's party came. Todd roles his eyes at me a lot when I say one thing and do another. I can't imagine why. This time it was because I said we would do a small party and in return I kept "running" into people that Brooklyn would enjoy having her party with so I invited them. As it turns out, our house can hold around 50 people. If any of you bake cakes as well as I do, PLEASE go to Big Sky Bakery for some help as Kristen Priebe made Brooklyn the prettiest pink barbie cake ever. By the end of the night we were all at the park playing basketball. This is the perfect level of competition for me these days although I still had to ice afterward. What do you define as success? My players would tell you to "put yourself and your team in every possible situation to be successful and then persevere in those situations." I would tell you that your kids had smiles on their faces and you had enough food to feed 50 people. Coach Bin

Peyton, Summer School, and Epic Adventures

My first session of summer school here is not what I expected it to be... I was excited to come over to Bozeman, but was sort of over looking the school part of it. I suffered from the typical high school "senioritis" and was happy to be done! As the move got closer, I finally started realizing, oh shoot I have to start school again too! Trying to get all of my homework done at the begining was kind of rough but I made it through that first week and then it all got easier. It helps that the teachers give you the entire homework plan for the session on the first day so I've kind of been cheating ahead. Now I have a balance between school, workouts, and going and doing lots of fun things. Outside of school and workouts, I have been able to go on some pretty epic adventures. These adventures have included hiking up to the top of a waterfall with Rachel and Jasmine (they did not think I was going to get back down because it was pretty rocky and steep). Jackie took some of us to the Dirty Dash in Billings which was fun but had its side effects, going to the movies, playing Thursday morning tennis, and just being able to spend time with some new friends. My experience here has been a blast so far and I am excited for more to come.

Gone Fishin'

Montana has some of the best fishing in the world! I learned this weekend there are many kinds of fishermen. 1. The spectator: Those who enjoy being outside with nature and being entertained. They pick flowers, skip rocks, or look for frogs. This is my daughter. 2. The manager: Those who prepare the fishing pole, put the bait on, get you out of being stuck, clean the fish; all of the dirty work and behind the scenes. This is my husband. 3. The unselfish teammate: Those who give a great pass, set a solid screen, or in the case of fishing, always have the net ready to pull the fish to shore. This is my son. 4. The star: All conference player- those who know when to yank the rod and catch the fish. This is our neighbor Ella, who is five. She had six bites before catching her first fish. I thought it was going to pull her in, but what a day to remember. In the midst of the Dead Period, July's break of basketball games for coaches and players, take a day off and go fishing. There is something in it for everyone! Coach Bin

What July is All About

You are probably thinking about the glass water on the lake, breathtaking runs or sipping on a refreshing ice tea, but the glory of July is the balls bouncing! Today was the first day in Oregon City which began at 9:00am and finished this evening at 10:00pm. I checked in last night to the Crown Plaza and just so you know they are not a Marriott affiliate they are a Priority Clubs Rewards. That's like asking Wendy's for a Happy meal, and yes I asked if I could redeem my Marriott points. Today I saw the most left handed basketball players in the history of the sport and think there is some kind of conspiracy going on by Amy and Mandy my two left handed coaches. The first criteria for our newest coach on staff, Kellee Barney was that she was right handed. I want to thank Amy for covering me once again, yesterday helped me find my car and today had an extra highlighter and paperclip. To Mandy, please run slowly in the morning as I will be trying to keep up with you and to Kellee on Sunday, tag you are it! I will be off the road for two days to see my family, Coach Bin

Summer School

Our SEVEN newcomers are all here trying to get their feet under them this first week of summer school. I think our upperclassmen enjoy seeing the stress in the newbies as they have ALL been there at one time. This is the number one reason we do summer school so when we hit the fall our student athletes only have a 100 things to think about instead of a thousand. The highlights so far: 1) Opening Margreet Barhoum's room to see her mom Lisa standing on the table next to the window. I am still not sure what she was doing up there but at least I talked her down. 2) Lindsay Stockton having a blood shot eye from sneazing. She may be related to the Incredible Hulk. I am just afraid to see what happens if she coughs. 3) My son asking me to play and TEACH him basketball in our park last night. This is the first time in EIGHT years he has asked me to do that. Yes, this is unrelated to summer school but very exciting to me. There will be plenty more to come with this class. Until then.... Coach Bin

Justin's Rough Camping Trip

Our first boating and camping trip of the year left my son wondering whether to ever go camping again. It began on Hauser Lake with a bike wreck that left very little skin on his lip, chin, hands, and chest. Shaking that off, Justin was still a trooper jumping on the tube for a day of boating action. Then we found out he lost his retainer. The night was no easier on my boy when his steamming marshmellow fell on his arm as he sprinted toward the lake to stop the burn. Blisters later, and my husband's First Aid Kit drained Justin was happy tomorrow came when it did. A new day with bright sunshine, the blood scabbed over, and guess what, we found his retainer! Coach Bin

Rachel's 6th Grade Adventures

During the month of May I decided to take a summer class. As an education major we have to spend a certain amount of time in the classroom before we can graduate. So the class that I ended up taking was basically an internship in which I had to spend 90 hours in the classroom. I got placed in a 6th grade classroom in Chief Joseph Middle School that taught science and communication arts. I loved it! I was a little wary of working with middle schoolers because I remember those days vividly and they were not so great for me. I was the definition of awkward! However, the experience with these 6th graders was awesome. The teacher that I worked with allowed me to teach the students quite often and allowed me to practice my teaching skills. I learned alot about what teachers do day in and day out and the struggles and joys that come with that. I was able to teach them about the circulatory system and through having to teach it to the students I learned quite a lot about it myself! It was so great to see the students learn about something you taught them. One student was so proud of his homework that he did on the circulatory system and was so excited that he was able to understand it. Seeing that was definitely a highlight of the experience. 6th graders are an interesting bunch, I will never be able to understand how or why they lose their pencils so often. They continually asked me for new ones even if I had just given one to them five minutes ago. I do not understand where the pencils went, somewhere in Chief Joseph there lies a pile of lost 6th grader's pencils. -Rachel #32

CAMP

How quickly a year goes but we are officially in session. I think it's gone by the fastest to Coach Close who is in charge of camp so if you see her at the end of the week please give her an energy drink or at least a big pat on the back. What a stellar class of camp coaches including our assistant coaches, former players, current Bobcats, players from the men's team and even local coaches in the area. This group is as good as ever to learn from this year and there will definitely be a lot of learning. I am waiting to see how Kalli Durham, Jackie Elliott and Destini (or should I say Macy Gray) do for their first coaching experiences. All I know is there are only about 10 campers shorter than I am so to all the campers this week, BELIEVE as SKY IS THE LIMIT. At least from my perspective anyway, Coach Bin

Road Trip

My family covered over 1600 miles this past week driving to Carbondale, Colorado for my nephew's high school graduation. With a 3 and 8 year old, Todd and I had everything we needed to keep the kids entertained; drawing books, toys, movies, snacks. Then we reached Four Corners (5 miles out of town) and Brooklyn asked, "Are we there yet?" Highlights of the trip: 1) Carbondale: My home town is set at the base of the majestic Mt. Sopris. It's breaktaking and I will never take it for granted. 2) Friends: We stayed with Karen Crownhart's family whom I have known for 30 years. Karen still continues to give me a hard time about my cooking- at one time I didn't know you need to drain the water out of the tuna can before mixing it. On the way back to Bozeman we stayed with friends in Logan, Dave & Sue. Our team will be tasting their home cooking on November 30th, the day before we play at Utah State this year. Note- palyers better not try the radio game against Dave and I. He is pretty darn competitive. 3) Family: My nephew, 18 year old Tyler Hall, graduated from high school. Sitting under the 3 Girl's Basketball State Championship banners, I watched Tyler blow kisses to the family. When he received his diploma he jumped up on the principal and hugged him with arms and legs. We are SO PROUD OF YOU Tyler! It was so good to see my parents, brother, sister, and our extended families. When you get busy in life please take a breath, think about what is important, and call someone you love to tell them how much they mean to you. I am truly blessed and 30 hours in the car gave me a great deal of time to reflect on the many wonderful people in my life. Coach Bin

Bussey to the Netherlands- It's Official!

Well, it's on to the next adventure!! Amsterdam here I come! I am currently the newest member of the Probuild Lions. The team plays 15 minutes North of Amsterdam and are defending National Champions in the Netherlands. I am definitely excited to join the team. Their uptempo style of play suites me well, and I am ready to help them toward another National Championship. The Netherlands is going to be an amazing place to live. I am told most everyone speaks English (thank goodness haha). We will play many preseason tournaments around Europe, and I will be able to travel a fair amount on my own (plus I hear the travel is pretty cheap). There is another American player on the team who is returning for her fifth season for Probuild, which is a good sign. I will also be the assistant coach for the Under 20 National team, which I am also very excited about to get some coaching experience under my belt. I will be in Bozeman for the summer, training with Chris Scheckler (the best strength coach around) and working odd jobs. I will return to Colorado in August before heading to the Netherlands. I have much to look forward to and am so excited to take the next step in my career. "Tot de volgende keer".. Until next time! Katie Bussey

Memorial Day

To all the families who have lost a loved one our thoughts and prayers go out to you. This holiday is a somber one for many but also a celebration of our freedom because of the sacrifices of our soliders. Today at the parade I was moved to tears when one of the women in the parade said "Wave your flags. It's GREAT to be an American." Thank you to all of our men and women in uniform who serve our country. Coach Bin

NBA Playoffs

As I glance at the NBA Playoffs in between tea parties, games of sequence, and lego building, it seems to be more of a boxing match than it does basketball. In a span of two minutes watching the Pacers vs. the Heat, two flagrant fouls were given and I thought... Kalli Durham could play in this league. I think it's time for the league to get the game back to basketball. These players are truly amazing athletes and are skilled enough to set legal screens, make incredible moves without 3 or 4 extra steps, and do have the ability to play clean & dictating defense. Just watch the WNBA. Coach Bin

Lewis & Clark Caverns

This past weekend my family adopted Giuliana, my assistant coach, for the day and took her to the Lewis & Clark Caverns. Giuliana, who is originally from California, was quite impressed even on the drive up where we got to stop and visit with a family of deer. I couldn't tell who was more excited between Giuli and the kids. The kids, including Giuli, drew some pictures on the drive. Justin drew a bat to torment Giuli on what she may see in the caves. Giuli in return drew Dracula. Then Brooklyn drew a picture in which Justin complemented by saying it looked like a treasure map. Giuli immediately destroyed Brooklyn's confidence with her remarks of "No it doesn't! It looks like a bunch of scribbles." I am a little worried for Giuli's nieces and nephews. As we waited for our tour to start Justin found a caterpillar which Giuli thought may be poisonous so he had fun tormenting her with it in his hand. I might add that neither one of MY kids were afraid of the one inch sized insect.

The hike lasted over two hours and was absolutely breaktaking, especially if you are claustrophobic. We didn't have the pleasure of seeing any bats, but Giuli now knows what a stalagmite is. To the Mendiolas, we had a lovely time adopting your daughter for the day, and as she is home visiting this week my only advice is to keep the crayons out of reach. Coach Bin

P90X

It's spring once again, so you know what that means in the Binford household, P90X! Todd bought this workout dvd last year and, when you own a boat, May becomes very motivational. I want to be completely honest here. Our level of commitment isn't exactly "Eye of the Tiger". It's not like I am good enough to play in the WNBA or anything as Kalli Durham so kindly proved a month back. However, sunshine does get you fired up about feeling good, looking good and proving to Tony "DVD Instructor" that we can do the plank run as well as anyone. Justin and Brooklyn have also jumped in on occassion, whether it's "Ab Ripper" or Brooklyn's favorite "Wacky Jacks." So to Tony, the Binford Household is "Bringing It!"

China

Katie Bussey made it to China after a flight delay from Bozeman. After repacking everything into carryon luggage, Katie sprinted through the San Francisco airport like it was another 300 yard shuttle. After a week of cramming in her finals early and doing a 10 hour commercial shoot for the Bobcat Club, Katie has now had a chance to rest. Katie, we hope you didn't get stuck in a middle seat. Last night was also the annual ALL banquet competition at MSU where all programs compete against each other and Katie missed winning the Best Female Single Event & Season Performances. Congrats and good luck tonight against the Australian National Team. If you want to follow Katie go to www.netscoutsbasketball.com to catch up how her USA Team is doing. Go Cats & Go USA! Coach Bin

Spring Evals

Can you believe it is already spring?

I can't believe this is the last week of our spring workouts even. We have been testing all week and Chris our strength and conditioning coach has worked our ladies!

We had all kinds of PR's such as Jackie Elliot getting a dip. Maybe I should brag more of the vertical improving four inches.

Every single player got a PR in something whether it was the bench, hang clean, or even our speed and agility test.

On the court watch out for Tish Adams posting up on the block next year because she was an animal and on speed and agility she led the way. Watch out for Emily Allen on the agility as she may run you over.

Kalli Durham led our vocal communication. I think she got that from her father. Jk Mark.

Kayla returned the spring to get her conditioning base established. Chelsea looks strong and determined, and Ashly Albert led the charge with her consistency and leadership.

We took advantage of resting the Rugby squad of Rachel Semansky and Ausha Cole.

Now our staff heads all over to find the next future Bobcats. This morning my daughter was so upset she couldn't go on the plane with me that she brought me her piggy bank to pay for her ticket.

It's hard to leave my family, but exciting to evaluate the next tier. As you can see with our returners coming back, our signees coming in, I am inspired about what is ahead for our program.

Final Four Combine- By Katie Bussey

Going into the Combine this past weekend, I was unsure of what to expect. I didn't know any other players that were going to be attending, and wasn't sure how many coaches and agents were going to be watching the show. After checking in on Friday and coming in contact with some of the other players, I was anxious to see how I was going to measure up against players from some of the best conferences in the nation, and was reassured knowing there were a few other players from mid major conferences as well.

The first part of the combine consisted of a 3-minute skills drill; speed, vertical and agility testing; and shooting drills. I performed well in each of the drills and felt at ease knowing I compared well to the other athletes. That afternoon we scrimmaged for the first time, and I learned that team Switzerland (my team) was one of the top two teams in the combine. I felt confident knowing that I was thought of as one of the top players there so when the scrimmages started I did not feel nervous in any way, and played well. Our team was very talented, and it was an incredible experience playing with the talent that I was able to play with. On Saturday we played two games, which concluded the combine.

While at the combine, I learned more about the process of becoming a professional women's basketball player. It was amazing to see all of the potential professionals in the room, and I was so glad to be included in the group. I have dreamed of becoming a professional basketball player for as long as I can remember, and I am truly blessed to know that this dream may soon be my reality. This experience will be one that I will never forget.

The combine was conveniently located in Denver CO, and I was lucky to have my parents watching my performance at the combine. My mom and I drove for 10

hours and she drove the entire way (bless her heart). We stopped at many gas stations along the way so that I could run around and keep the blood circulation flowing through my legs. Who knew that the 10 hour drive would be the most exasperating of the trip! But it was all part of the great memory! I was also one of very few with their college coaches in attendance, and I appreciated the support from both my coaches and my parents. My parents and I enjoyed our short time together, especially in the record breaking 80 degree weather! Unfortunatley we were not able to stay and watch the games at the Final Four, but did walk down the 16th street mall. It was amazing to see all of the support for Women's Basketball in Denver and it was a great environment for the tournament this year. The overall experience was very special to me and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity. That's the size of Griner's shoe as compared to mine by the way. Ha!

Toughness

One of the most important atributes to a winning program is toughness, both mental and physical. Just look at the Final Four teams suiting up this weekend and you can guarantee that all of them are tough.

Our team kicked off our spring training with the mentality of getting tougher; in the weight room, on the court, and in our conditioning.

One of our workouts the coaches had to play with the team because we were short in numbers. As a result, Kalli Durham showed her toughness & wacked me in the nose with her elbow.

After 2 stictches at least I can say my team got the possession because it was an offensive foul!

Coach Bin

It's a Wrap

My wise father once said, "If you keep winning you will become National Champions." I haven't been able to accomplish that feat yet, but I will say our 2011-2012 team had many successes along the way and a lot to be proud of.

Let's start with our pre season:
7-5, undeafeated at home, and only gained five pounds from the All You Can Eat Crab Leg Feast at the Colorado Thanksgiving Tournament.

Our returners Katie and Rachel led our charge, Ashley and Chelsea stepped into scoring roles from last year's injuries, and incoming freshmen Jackie and Kalli showed sparks of great potential.

Conference:
The most competitive conference race of my seven years. Nearly every game ending in single digit spreads helped me lose the five pounds I gained in the preseason.

I am so proud of the identity our team maintained throughout the year, perseverance!

Not quite getting comfortable with leads, we found ourselves losing a heartbreaker at home to ISU at the buzzer. Who knew we would be better coming from behind for the win at their place, thanks to Katie Bussey's thrilling 41 point performance to tie the Big Sky Single Game Scoring record.

Our regular season concluded with a dazzling shooting display by our entire team with 12 made 3 pointers. If only we would have shot that well at our place so we could have gotten the free Chalupas at Taco Bell. Never enough from a coaching perspective is it.

Post Season. This is what you play for! We opened up with our favorite rival, the Lady Griz. Our tenacious defense jumped on the Griz early and rode that momentum into the semi-finals. The game capped one of our most complete games of putting offense and defense together on the same night. It sounds so simple doesn't it?

We finished off our year a little short coming into the next round against a tenacious team, and once again another Bear. UNC kept the Bobcats cold that night, but the future looks hot for the Cats.

I want to congratulate Katie on another Big Sky record, most 3 pointers in a career with 254. Just imagine how many she has shot over the years! Katie was a 1st Team All Conference player and has an invitation to the Final Four Combine next week. We want to wish her the best in her professional career.

To the returners, led by senior and 2nd Team All Conference player, Rachel Semansky, we have a lot to be excited about. We will compete every day, hold the bar high for every teammate, and do it for each other.

To our newcomers, you have had unbelievable high school careers. It is time to retire your old jerseys and put on the Blue and Gold. The 2012-2013 season begins TODAY.

Coach Bin

Your Definition Of Success?

A couple of recent successes in our program:

Katie Bussey-Katie broke the Big Sky Career 3 Pointers Made record last week. She will continue to add on to her already unbelievable number, but what is truly the success is the fact that she has done that against box & ones and being fully denied by our opponent's best defenders. She is just an energizer bunny and you are right. I won't play her in a game of horse.

Sarah Balian-Sarah finished her playing career last season for us, but she is finishing her nursing degree this semester which allowed her to be our 4th consecutive Bobcat to win the All Excellence Award at MSU. She is one of 40 senior students awarded for her outstanding achievements in the classroom and in the community. I can't think of a more difficult major while playing basketball, but Sarah proved you can be great at more things than one at a time. The other night while her community service projects were being read I even asked how she had time to do all of that.

Rachel Semansky-Rachel made the Academic All America Second Team. When my Sports Information Director asked me for a quote on her, I told him Rachel is the perfect example of utilizing her God given gifts to her full potential. She was recognized as one of the top 15 student athletes in the nation for her in the classroom and on the court achievements.

I want to also wish our four incoming freshmen the best of luck as they lead their teams into tournament. They have all had incredible seasons so far and come from winning programs. I have no doubt they will use their gifts to their full potential as they each have great work ethic and a little motivation called competitiveness.

We are so proud of our graduates, our current Bobcats, and our future Bobcats.

Coach Bin

What Champions Are Made Of

The end of January to early February is probably the most challenging time period for athletes and their motivation. Let me just explain the 6 months of the basketball season.

October-Practice begins. It's exciting, new, fresh, and roles are still yet to be established.

Novemeber-Games begin. Enough said. Practice is put into action!

December-Everyone wants to finish strong before hitting conference. Preseason is now over.

Early January-Conference begins. It's a new season and every game matters for placing in your conference.

Mid January-Early February: You have played everyone in the conference once. You are now hitting the second scouting report, second time preparing for the same teams, have been practicing for four months, and are probably going through the same drills you have been running for four months. The Champion is at a heightened level of focus in this month over the details to give them an edge.

March-There is a reason it's called March Madness. It's tournament time and everyone is excited and wanting to work at tournament time. The question is whether or not it's too late.

Back to Mid January-Early February: It can be the most critical time in whether or not your team is for real, or whether or not their goals are just written on a piece of paper.

Questions to ask yourself if you are a true champion?
1) What are your individual goals today? True champions have them.

2) What sacrifices are you willing to make this week? Champions have the discipline to make sacrifices for long durations.

3) What are you doing this week that is above and beyond what's being asked of you? Champions don't have excuses as to why they don't have time. They find time by cutting something else out.

4) On a scale of 1-10 how hard did you practice today? Champions don't get bored with the process or the drill they've done a thousand times. They value repition and routine as a way to perfect their game.

5) Are you satisfied with your role and what are you doing to improve it? Some athletes give up when they see their role as one not being as big as they would hope for. No one should be satisfied with their role as there is always room for improvement.

The last question is what champion teams are made of and the answer is simple. It's a team full of individual champions pursuing the same goal. You know the one that every team in your conference has also written down as theirs.

Coach Bin

Random Thoughts by Former Bobcat Jamie Thornton

For those of you that are new to MSU women's basketball, let me introduce myself. I played for the Cats from the 2006-2007 season until the 2009-2010 season. After I graduated in May 2010 with my undergrad degree I decided to stick around Bozeman for a while and try life as a normal student as I pursued a masters degree in statistics. Nearly two years later I find myself only one semester away from having to get a real job and join the real world, and I can't help but to find myself looking back to the years I spent as a player here and all the good times I had.

Some of my fondest memories include road trips, like the time our whole flight to Northern Arizona got cancelled and we had to rebook 17 passengers to Phoenix that day. To make matters worse, we had lost a tough game to Northern Colorado the night before and no one wanted to be stuck in the airport for 12 hours while we tryed to re-book flights! But we kept a Coke in Coach Bin's hands an luckily we didn't have to run sprints in the airport.

Other memorable times are of the recruiting visits of some current players. We all clearly remember Katie Bussey's recruting trip, she probably weighed about 85 pounds when we met her. As soon as we heard she had signed, we all said "She'll have to red shirt, she'll be broken in half!" She proved us wrong! In our defense, she did gain some weight during that summer!

But this is a post titled "Random Thoughts" so here we go:

1) Is Dove chocolate and Dove body wash the same Dove? If so why is a chocolate company making body wash?

2) Why does everyone in Montana have vanity plates? And why does it bother me when I cant de-code them?

3) Are marriages legal all over the world? Like if you are married in the US are you married in China too?

4) Did you know that fog occurs when the temperature and due point are close to eachother. And it only counts as fog when visability is less than 5/8 of a mile.

5) What country is made up of over 54,000 islands? Canada!! Seriously!

6) Does anyone else think it's crazy that Christmas is in the middle of the summer in Australia? I do! Christmas is for winter, maybe they should mover theirs to July. I would go celebrate that.

7) Di-hydrogen mono-oxide and sodium chloride = salt water, why not just say salt water?

8) Why are knee braces allowed in games but not bobby pins? I'm pretty sure running into a knee brace hurts more than a bobby pin would!

And that my friends, is from the ever-pondering mind of Ms. Jamie Erin Thornton. She'll make a great addition to "the real world", don't ya think?

Super Fans

Our families of our players and coaches bring amazing support to our team whether home or away. At home some of them take up their own section in the Fieldhouse and on the road make themselves heard very early on to our officials. Fortunately, this season, no one has been asked to leave the gymnasium.

Some of our recent road trips:

Las Vegas Tournament. If you are not sure if Katie's sisters are at the game then they are NOT. You will know when they are there. This year, however, we welcomed the additional loud section of the Mendiola family.
They have had some education on how to cheer at games. I now know where Giulianna gets her loud clapping from. Just watch her during introductions. I am personally flying the Mendiola's in for our Cat Griz rivalry(on Giuli's dime of course.)


Our Eastern Washington trip brought in incredible family support, including returning parents and even former player's parents. Jamie Thornton came in to do the radio with Tyler which brought Joe and Sandy back for another round of stress. Jeff and Patty Seidensticker also showed up for support which was most crucial as Coach Starr found out after the game that she had a hole in her pants. Thank you to Patty for sewing them after the game and Lisa Semansky's teamwork for bringing them to Portland the following day.

This year I have lost 10 pounds since we don't get to see Anne Strand after every game with 5 loafs of banana bread.

I feel a sense of comfort this season knowing that if I tweek my knee in my high heels I have Dr. Elliott there.

Most importantly I don't ever have to worry about getting over confident as Duane Bussey is always there at his usual 6'9 self to come over for support after games and remind me I am still only 5'6 even in high heels.

Thank you to all of our parents for your support of your daughters and our team. It's going to be an exciting Big Sky season, and it would not be the same without all of you joining us for the ride.

Now to our Super Fan Competition. If you want to get in the running the only stipulation is that you can not be related to any of the Bobcat players or coaches as family should automatically be super fans.

To our two front running "super fans" Carrie Benke and Bob Schwann you better show up with Blue and Gold face paint on Thursday because we have plenty of Super Fans that will be here at 7:00pm as we take on the ISU Bengals!

Coach Bin