Heading Northwest

Finals are over! Our student athletes had a busy academic week and I am confident they finished well. With that being said they LOVE road trips without any study table or books to carry in their back packs. It will be a light load this weekend. Seattle is going to be a fun one for the Cats as we have A LOT of family in Washington so even though we are on the road we will have somewhat of a home reception with plenty of Blue & Gold still in the stands. There will be little downtime, however, with back to back games so thankfully we have a DEEP bench to keep running. The last time I tried to slow a team down was at the Baylor Tournament a few years back when we were low in numbers, on our third game in a row, and Rachel Semansky woke up that morning throwing up with the flu. I kept yelling at Katie Bussey to slow down in transition and finally gave up on the attempt. We won that game with six healthy players running for 40 minutes. I guess when transition is in your blood you can't fight it. We face to very good transition teams this weekend so if you like uptempo games we will see you in Seattle! Lace up the shoes & Go Cats! Coach Bin

Tourists

After our trip to Florida it is now clear you know you are a tourist when: You hand a parking attendant a $20 bill before he gives you the change. We never saw the guy again after he sprinted faster than Carl Lewis over to the 7-11 with our twenty. You have the entire beach to yourself. The locals stay home when it's below 80 degrees and raining. You buy magic "stuff" for your kids just because the clerk entertained them with his magic tricks. You walk around in your shorts and flip flops but everyone else needs sunglasses because your legs are so white. You sing along to a Neil Diamond impersonator at the restaurant. While driving by, you take a picture of a person lying on the ground getting handcuffed. We had a great trip to Miami, Florida, capped by the CATS remarkable comeback victory which was sparked by Jackie Elliott's bank in 3 to go into overtime. I have never seen such white eyes and a higher vertical in my career after that shot went through the net. I am proud of our ladies for showing such perseverance. Now it's time to bundle up, get back to work, and warm up by the fireplace. Go Cats! Coach Bin

Confidence

This week of mental training our team is focusing on confidence and what I find to be so simple is how you can build stronger confidence just by practice! The more you practice, the more time you put in, how many hundreds of shots, how many hours of ball handling is a reminder that you are prepared. So the next time you question your ability or have self doubt ask yourself if you have done everything in your control to prepare. Coach Bin

NEW vs OLD

New is often exciting, whether it's a new car, new house, new clothes, new phone. However, there is something about old that is familiar, and most of the time just better. That's how I feel about the game of basketball. When it comes to drills, plays, defenses, etc. the more familiar you are with the objective, the better performance you will see when it comes to retention and execution. I always say the less a player has to think, the better. Hopefully along the course of an entire season, she becomes better and better at making reads and the right decisions when put in familiar situations over and over again. It is challenging, however, to sustain focus and motivation throughout the lengthy season. It's an easy solution, however. Sign athletes who love to be in the gym, are competitive and who take pride in striving for perfection. There is a responsibilty of each athlete to bring their passion and love for the game to the table each and every day in order to get better. If you are trying to keep your athletes motivated with new drills and plays, your team's ability to grow will be nearly impossible. So don't throw away the old if it's working as you may find that is your best strength after all. Coach Bin

Eyes, Ears, Calm Bodies

Taken from the words of my daughter, "eyes, ears, and calm bodies" are great words of advice for the pre schoolers at the Child Development Center at Montana State University. Brooklyn tells me that's how you pay attention and listen to your teacher's instruction. I wonder how my players will respond today when I ask that of them in practice? Coach Bin

Transition Defense

Action matters! Have you ever watched a player on the court and tried to judge their personality off the court and been completely wrong? That's because the game requires you tap into parts of your personality that may or may not be natural, to perform at an elite level. Transition defense, for example, REQUIRES all five players to talk, act, be urgent, and assertive with one another. Tough, aggressive action and immediate response is all necessary to be an effective defensive unit. Very different than when I'm playing Lego's with my children! Go cats! Coach Bin

40 Days

Not nearly the challenge that Jesus faced in his 40 days of fasting, but next week begins MSU's 40 days before our first collegiate game. Next week will be fairly easy to bring the intensity and focus necessary to get better at a solid pace. The challenge is when you are about halfway and the first game still seems far away. Jesus was tested at a level none of us can comprehend. He was at his weakest point, where he hadn't eaten, had a level of fatigue and hunger that even the hardest conditioning workout couldn't match. Yet, he was prepared. He knew what was right, was so sure about it that the ultimate temptation couldn't break him. For athletes, that breaking point is where you find the most mentally tough teams and players. When you find the athlete that competes day in and day out regardless of playing time, first practice, 15th practice, injury, an official's call, opponent's actions, they are unbreakable. Those athletes and teams have a resilence because they have a mental mission that keeps them driven one play, one game, and one day at a time. The emphasis for our team this year is to CONTROL HOW WE COMPETE and HOW WE RESPOND. That will take a commitment on the court. It will also take a commitment in how we prepare off the court. To prepare for the unknown adversity aheaad is also one of the most challenging responsibilities of a coach. I am anxious for October 1st. I will be anxious for October 16th. I will also help make sure our team is anxious on all of our 30 practices before November 10th when we open up with Cal State Northridge. Go Cats! Coach Bin

You are In or Out

A friend of mine told me once when I first got into coaching that my biggest frustration as a coach would be that the players would not have the same level of passion and competitiveness as I have for the game. Today I still find that opinion to be an incredible driving force in identifying the athletes I want to represent Montana State Women's Basketball and wear the Blue & Gold uniform. The "diamond in the rough" so to speak is that unique kid that raises the level of everyone around her because she competes so hard. You either choose to fight back or you are already defeated. I have seen over the years that the ultimate challenge is having enough players with this competitive trait and passion for the game to infect the whole team. What's exciting about the Bobcats this season is I am seeing those ingredients in Ausha Cole. After a year of red shirting, there is just something in her blood about getting on the court and taking advantage of every second. As a result Lindsay is "in the ring" and next Margreet, and Kalli, as it is trickling in to every position. You are either in or you are out. The Bobcats will be in! Coach Bin

Back in Action

Our newest member Coach Coppa had his first opportunity with our guards this week and brought some great drills to the table. Our athletes were as focused as ever to Salvo's instruction to detail. Whether it was respect for Salvo's knowledge or the challenge of understanding him through his thick italian accent doesn't matter. With that being said, I have signed up Amy, Kellee, and I for a foreign language class this fall. Go Cats! Coach Bin

Welcome Back!

It's the first day of school and I have to say the parking lots are spectacular! Most people talk about the Bridger Mountains or the Tabacco Roots, or even our beautiful campus, BUT the newly paved lots were a special entry to start off the new year. It's also amazing to see the transformation of our community from summer to fall which I first hand witnessed going through Wal Mart this weekend while picking up my son's school supplies. If I was a more organized parent I would have done this a month ago, but what would be the fun in that? Instead I got to see many busy families purchase furniture, food, supplies pretty much everything in bulk that will possibly last a month if they are lucky. For certain, however, their pocket books have been wiped out! The pace of life has also changed bringing a little stress with it as well. The anticipation of finding classrooms, meeting new people, getting books makes every student's heart race just a little faster, but the students aren't the only ones feeling that today. One of those people is Drew Inghram, our marketing director, who I saw this morning. The Volleyball Blue and Gold scrimmage last night wrapped up successfully and now he is preparing for our football season opener this Thursday. I tried to offer him an ice tea from my fridge with the disappointing response of "no more Pepsi Max?" Isn't the ice tea so much better for him? So as you walk around campus today you will see alot of smiles and a lot of lost faces, but the most important thing you will see BOBCAT SPIRIT in the air!! Go Cats! Coach Bin

Year Round Basketball

The seasons have changed since I played the game. Legislation allows college coaches to train our athletes 8 weeks during the summer. Practices start the beginning of October rather than the traditional October 15th back in the day. College teams play at minimum, 30 games a year so when is the off season? For those of us who love basketball this seems like a dream come true but when it drizzles down to our youth programs, I am not so sure. Junior high is now playing travel ball, and the challenge now kids face is when they HAVE to start playing to keep up. As a kid, I grew up in the mountains of Swiss Village 20 or so miles out of the town of Carbondale, Colorado. I recall having a ball in my hands most of the day, or tree jumping, navigating the forest and doing plenty of tick checks with my older brother. Whether it was winter where we went 20+ miles down the hills on tubes until we ran home with bloody faces, or the summer where we played capture the flag and ran home when I lost to my brother, the last thing on my mind was playing travel ball every weekend because it didn't exist. Later on when we put a hoop in our driveway my time shifted to 1 on 1 games, shooting, and evenings spent working on my shot. My choices were my choices and I thank my parents for that. I feel like our generation today is in a catch 22. Starting travel ball so young seems to put athletes at risk for chronic injuries or burnout. However, kids who don't start competing with these teams may not have the confidence to play when they get a littler older. Perspective and knowledge are key so I choose the perspective that it's a great opportunity that kids now have with the knowledge that I don't want my kids to burn out or over train their bodies. So, my answer is go tubing and wait until Justin and Brooklyn ask me to go shoot at the park! That's what my family did this weekend anyway. Coach Bin

Official Visits-What to Look For

Prospects and parents will be visiting campuses in the next few weeks if they haven't visited already. Here are a few things to look for and ask as you have only 48 hours to determine the best fit for your next four years. 1) Would I like this university and community if I wasn't playing basketball? 2)What does the community say about the program? 3)What do the players & staff say was the hardest situation they went through? 4)Do you have my number? 5) Where is the gym? 6) How long does it take to walk from one end of campus to the next? 7) How many hours a week do you average on the court as a team? 8) What's your APR? Coaches will explain what this is-your retention and eligibility standards. 9) What are your former players doing now? 10) What is the coach's pet pieves? Ask both the coach and players. 11) What's the best day and worst day you have had at your school? Ask both coaches and the players. Bottom line is that there are probably 100 questions to ask. The challenge is to get through the "red carpet" and see the program as you will see it when you are LIVING it! Official visits can be so much fun and they can give you a very clear description if you know what to look for. Coach Bin

DEFENSE

What I love about our game is that you can play it so many different ways to still be successful. The options on the defensive end are limitless. 1) Where do you pick up? Half court, 3/4 court, full court. Many teams will change this choice depending on a made basket, dead ball situation, end of game situation, end of half situation. Plenty of stragic options to consider. 2) What is your go to defense? Are you conservative and stay in the play and force contested shots where you have great rebounding position? Conservative defenses run correctly have been very effective. However, my personality hasn't always matched this mind set having played aggressively in the back court, taking chances on steals, forcing quicker decisions of my opponent, with the motivation of dictating from the defensive end. I have always believed that the biggest rewards come with the greatest risk. Hard to win in my perspective if you don't put yourself out there. 3) What is your strategic plan defensively? Do you like to switch, plan man, zone, trap? Part of this choice also matches the kind of recruit you select to represent your program. I remember a few years back another coach describing our team as "wiry" as we were athletic, fast, and aggressive. Regardless of choice of defense the successful teams have two things in common. They dictate shot selection & limit second opportunities. Coaches have the responsibility of practicing these situations daily, having consistent points of emphasis, and making sure their players LOVE this end of the floor as much as they do. GO CATS!

Mental Training

We are on our 5th week of mental training as a team and today our junior class will lead the session on TRUST. These 30 minute sessions once a week are one of my favorite times with our team as we grow stronger as a unit. Next week our final session of the summer will be led by former Bobcat and doctoral intern, Scotta Morton. Scotta will be in town to host the annual Sid & Frosty Camp as well. If you are an athlete and want to take your game (any sport) to the next level you need to check out Scotta's camp. It runs August 5-8th in the MSU Rec Center and covers the mental parts of performance including visualization, relaxation, goal setting, self talk, and focus to name just a few of the main points. If you think about the elite athletes in sport they are exceptional when it comes to mental toughness. I believe and Scotta believes this is a skill & can be developed & strengthened over the course of time. Case in point-Katie Bussey. Katie came in as a freshmen, took the mental skill development to heart, and left Montana State at an entirely new level. Now she is competing professionally because of her mental toughness & ability to focus on what's important. We can all continue improving on the mental part of the game as we continue to develop on the physical aspects. I remember my high school coach tell me you are either getting better or you are getting worse. I think this would apply to the mental side of things as well. Go Cats! Coach Bin

July Recruiting

Round One Done! Legislation has slightly changed this year allowing 7 days to evaluate prospects, 10 days off where we allowed to make phone calls, and then 7 more days to evaluate prospects again. This year I racked up my miles this first round covering Oregon, Washington, and finishing on a red eye to Boston MA. As anyone can attest changing timezones takes some time for the body to get back on track. My advice is to get a day on the lake and you'll be fully recovered. Activity & Results: 1) swimming-recuperating 2) cliff jumping-Exhilarating 3) boating-wind, scenary, and water together-relaxing 4) tubing/waterskiing-intense & at times hilarious (laughter is best form of medicine) 5) unknown-anticipation (when seeing a snake swim in the water twice your length certainly makes you swim faster) Next round is still unknown, but I do know for certain that I will be completing July with another day on the lake with hopefully a few less amphibians joining us. Good luck to all of the talented recruits in July! Coach Bin

Cooking Tutorial

I am not necessarily the one to give cooking advice as my father is the chef in my family, but I do know how to create some healthy dishes in 20 minutes or less. With the schedules student athletes have it's also necessary for them to know how to make some good meals quickly. So that's what we decided to do. Since we are in our first 6 week session of summer school the staff came up with 3 different meals (under 20 minutes), divided the players into three different groups and had the team cook the meals. The first meal was the "Bader Delight" named by my dad which had sausage (can subsitute a turkey sausage), cabbage, onion, and potato. I think our athletes were intimated by the cabbage as they selected a few leaves rather than the whole ball to put in. I must say, it was a DELIGHT. The second meal was Coach Starr's dish that was a Tai Chicken noodle dish that turned out to be yummy with a nice spicy kick to it. This dish forced my son to run to our neighbors for a bigger pot, but that's the advantage of having great neighbors. The last meal Coach Barney oversaw which included salmon, salad, and rice. Our newest member to the squad Mekayla Carew pretty much too over like Rachel Rae from the cooking network and seasoned the salmon and created an incredible dressing for the salad. After that I encouraged the team just to have Mekayla cook the rest of the meals. After it was all said and done, I decided it was time for a bigger kitchen, more pots and pans, and Ausha decided this should not be considered an "occassional" meal since they made it. Good work ladies. Three dishes down, and the next 4 weeks they will rotate between their houses giving their teammates their favorite meals as well. I can't wait to see what Kalli Durham comes up with! Coach Bin

Bin Tid Bits

School is out for most of us, camps begin next week, so what better time to give some off season tid bits to those who are getting after it on the court this summer. Less is More-Many people make the mistake of doing more and getting good rather than focusing on less and becoming great. This could be certain sacrifices you cut out of your day or even concentrating on a few moves to perfect them over multiple moves. What weak hand? How to fix this? Eat with your weak hand, write with your weak hand, rep your weak hand twice as many times as your strong one, make your defender shade your strong hand. "The Better Me is a Better We" quoted from US Army General Becky Halstead who spoke at the Center for Coaching Excellence last week. We can all be leaders and to begin, start with leading yourself. She was incredible and even 2 inches shorter than me. Go Rock Climbing-I say this every year to basketball players, but strong fore arms will make you a stronger dribbler & passer. Plus, cross training is good for the body and mind. Put your feet up-Literally, straight up against the wall for ten minutes at the end of camp or in between games and let the circulation flow back through your legs Read-I have about a dozen books on my list for this summer either by recommendations, gifts, or borrows but this is a habit that needs to overcome our social media. Smile-It's amazing what a smile will do for your attitude and how much a smile will influence your day. Yes, I will want you to smile at 7:45pm next Wednesday after the 3rd day of camp when you are exhausted, sore, and it will help you enjoy every minute of it! All I have for now. There will be plenty more at 9:00am Monday morning for our 170+ screaming campers!!! Go Cats, Coach Bin

BEST TOWN EVER

Yesterday I opened the paper to see an article regarding "BEST TOWNS EVER" with a Top 10 List shown by Outside Magazine. I don't know what the criteria was in the selection, but I can tell you that 2 of the places on the Top 10 List are pretty fantastic choices as Bozeman, Montana and Carbondale, Colorado both made the list. Here are a couple of the similarities: 1) GREAT PEOPLE-I always tell prospects in the recruiting process that their decision will ultimately come down to the people because at the end of the day you are going to spend the majority of your time with them. The people in these two places define scripture in Mark so well with the words "love your neighbor as yourself." 2) MAJESTIC-God had some pretty incredible days creating Mt. Sopris in Carbondale and the overlapping ranges in every direction of Bozeman from the stretches of the Bridgers to the Spanish Peaks. If I wasn't a coach I should be a photographer! 3)THE GREAT OUTDOORS-I am not talking about John Candy & Dan Akroyd taking on a Grizzly bear, but I suppose that could happen if you didn't "hit the sticks together" to detour them from your hike. At least that is what Dale Dawkins, Alexa's dad suggests. I grew up ski racing on the slopes of Buttermilk Mountain, learned to kayak from my brother on the Colorado River, know the difference between a brook & rainbow trout from my dad, and that I could use lint from our laundry dyrer to start a fire from my husband. Yet the most important lesson has still been and always will be only eat Spam while camping. It doesn't taste the same once you get home. 4) ATHLETICS-So dear to my heart is the game of basketball and it has been since the day I had to make a choice between that and ski racing. Considering I am 10 degrees colder than everyone in my family I think choosing the sport that is always 70 degrees was a wise decision. What is so "EPIC",as my son would say, is that Carbondale and Bozeman get behind their teams & support in consistent fashion. When our high school team went on to win 3 consecutive state championships nearly our entire town filled the lower bowl of McNichols Arena, and when our women's basketball team runs out of the Bobcat Head in the Fieldhouse we see & hear around 1,500 people in the stands. I love sports, indoor and outdoor doesn't matter. I love the great outdoors, nature, and these two great towns our country has even recognized. So if you visit Carbondale please buy some Carly's Gold sauce to marinate your meats for grilling this summer, and when you visit Bozeman you better sport the same colors that the Roaring Fork Rams own, the BLUE & GOLD because we are the BOBCATS! Coach Bin

SUSTAINABILITY

This topic isn't discussed nearly enough so I thought in the wake of the NBA Playoffs it somewhat timely. If you consider the length of the NBA season, the number of games, physicality, and the travel, it's hard to comprehend their abilty to sustain that schedule. Here are just a few of my beliefs on how these athletes are able to pull it off. 1)They are in the most elite physical condition possible. This has developed over the course of their careers in the weight room, speed & agility training, and conditioning. 2) Their nutrition matters. Over the course of one's career, your nutrition is one of the most important supplements in recovery after a workout, a game, an injury, etc. 3) They prepare well. I decided to retire from playing basketball because it was taking me close to a half hour just to get warmed up enough to perform at the level necessary. I guarantee these athletes warm up well, stretch well, and cool down right. I didn't do that a few weeks ago when I jumped in at noon ball and pulled my "hammy." I am not getting any younger. 4) They rest. That long of a season doesn't come with 3 hour practices year round. Nor does it include high intense training for 12 months of the year. To all of those young recruits out there taking it to the next level, it is a fact you can over train. Listen to your body, put a program with "cycles" in place where you are building up to the most important parts of the seasons and BELIEVE that rest is part of your program. So sit down in front of that t.v. and- Enjoy the playoffs! Coach Bin

Self Discipline

What a weekend of events. It's always emotional to watch our young student athletes reach their collegiate destination, that hard earned college diploma. I am so excited for their next ventures in life as I know they will all have a profound impact on our society. In sitting their during the graduation ceremony in the Fieldhouse, I began to process my four years with them, their shining moments, their adverse fights, and some of the opportunities that I missed with them. As a coach and a teacher, I reflect on our student athlete's careers and how it's so important for me to slow down in my own world to be a greater impact on their behalf. One of the areas I have committed myself to is taking my quiet time every morning before I begin my busy day. That moment of silence, the time in my devotion I can think, listen, focus and hopefully use that to prepare me for the day of opportunities ahead. Many times those opportunities are right in front of me and I miss either by distraction, busyness, or lack of boldness. I am a work in progress, but my daily goal is to be more than present, to be alert! I just opened up a wonderful card this morning from one of my student athletes with a profound scripture from Corinthians 9:24-27. Here is what Paul says. 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. Paul was one of the most dedicated and focused disciples I can think of. His motivation was an eternal destination with Christ, with daily goals of seizing opportunities with others. I am so thankful for this opportunity to teach, mentor, and to be so humbled every day when I learn from my own student athletes. What a great job but more importantly what a great responsiblity not to waste. Coach Bin

End of Year Banquet/Senior Graduation

The weekend is certainly busy. Don't forget to join us tonight for our Season Banquet at the Comfort Inn 5:30pm. We also have FOUR graduates walking tomorrow, Kelsey Roben, Kate Webb, Chelsea Banis, and LaTisha Adams. I am definitely bringing the kleenex for that one. So much to be excited about and so many young women to be proud of. I LOVE MY JOB!! Coach Bin

SOCCER SEASON

I think all outside sports should only be offered during the months June, July, August, and September unless the sport requires a certain element of weather, for example SKIING. Soccer practices began which means crummy weather. Last night I witnessed both soccer goals crash during the course of the hour session due to the strong winds. Good news was that our kids were not near the goals. It was so stormy that our puppy Cole was shaking in fear, however. In Montana, any game or practice will be held unless there is a safety risk. I think a soccer goal tipping over might qualify for that. Since I am biased I can say that we do have the best soccer coach in the valley. Our kids are getting trained from all aspects of the sport whether it's the corner kick, throw in, pass, it was covered. Next week he is bringing in Mia Hamm for a session, joking of course. The most impressive moment was when I saw the uniforms. WOW! I think I might play soccer just to get the uniform. On a serious note, I do love spring in Bozeman because you never know what you're going to get. We have had 70's, 50's, maybe snow & shine in the same day but it's great to be outside. Except for our student athletes of course because it's finals week. Good luck to all of our EXCELLENT students. Finish strong! Coach Bin

It's a Boy

Last weekend my family adopted an 8 week puppy named Cole. Let me tell you how this happened. It began a long, long, time ago in a galaxy far away; Wait! I am getting off track. It started when our oldest child, Justin wanted a dog when he was about 3 years old. Todd and I were able to hold him off for a few years with the saying "we travel too much," or "it just wouldn't be fair to the dog," or "our yard isn't big enough. Then our second child comes along which bought us about another year, yet Brooklyn then began to talk and feed off her brother. "I want a dog too." So we started with a hamster and named him Opie Indiana Binford. That should solve it right? One month ago our neighbors down the street had a litter of bunnies and happened to be in our driveway with one when we were leaving the house. Justin then decided what he wanted for his birthday, a bunny! Todd and I with our careful consideration and thorough parenting abilities decided that bunnies were still easier to handle than dogs so we agreed he could get the bunny for his present. However, 2 weeks later before we got the bunny He went missing. No present in hand for our son's 9th Birthday party sent my fingers to the internet. Any other bunnies in Bozeman to buy? Then I clicked for some reason over to the Hearts of the Valley webpage and saw a gorgeous dog. I wasn't really serious at the time but showed Todd and said he had been thinking about getting a dog. Who do you call at that point? You call Nana because she knows the good and bad to every kind of dog breed there is. You don't call Papa because he will take all of them! She suggests checking the newspaper and boy did we. Todd went through the paper and saw a Yorki Smorki puppy for sale, we still liked the dog at Hearts of the Valley and were planning on visiting with a family of puppy labs later that afternoon. We met with Nana and Papa at McDonalds before visiting the first home when my dad said "You know what you are getting into right?" I said, "what do you mean?" "You aren't leaving there without that dog." I laughed and said "sure we will. We want to go to Hearts of the Valley and check out the labs too as that's what Justin said he wanted." As we pulled up to meet with the folks who had the Yorki I saw "Cole" sitting in the gentleman's arms and I said "oh no." I was sold as he was SO CUTE! Justin and Brooklyn got out of the car, knelt to the ground and Cole ran right up to them. Justin yelled "the is the one I want!" So we took him home, tried to think of some names and then I asked Justin who the Lego Ninja was that work black. "Cole!" A week later I feel like we have had another baby as Cole is going through potty training, yet I don't recall Justin and Brooklyn stealing my shoes as babies or biting my clothes. It's been a blessed week and my favorite line so far has been by Brooklyn. "Mom, Cole should listen!" Coach Bin

Love to Work

There is a sense of satisfaction when you complete a challenge, a task, & especially an early morning workout. This morning our athletes rose to a chilly but refreshing morning to tackle the prowlers on the football field. Our strength coach threw in some additional medicine ball & situp activities throughout their circuit. My job was to make sure their arms didn't didn't go completely numb. I walked around with my husbands enormously big gloves, patted down the limbs, gave them the Rocky "fake" slap to their bellys as they were in and out of situps, and gave the 2 second shoulder massage. To walk away stronger both mentally & physically is exhilerating, although I think our players would also say a bit exhausting. After the workout I decided to stick around and see how steep the new stadium bleachers are compared to the old ones. I can tell you this. The view from the top of the Gallatin Valley was magnificent but you don't want me behind the wheel of a car because I might not be able to lift my legs up for the brake. They are still shaking! Coach Bin

Season in Review

Start to Finish was the theme for this year's team. The 2012-13 Team got off to a good start even with seven newcomers in the program. Our goal was to define ourselves as a dictating defensive unit which catapulted our uptempo offense. This offense would be inside out oriented with great strengths in our post play and balance on our perimeter. The previous year we averaged 20 three point attempts per game rather than this year's team utilizing our strong post play led by Rachel Semansky and Ashley Brumwell. As a result our team had early wins on the road at CSU and Denver. We played in the championship game vs host SMU, eventual Conference USA Champ, with a ten point lead with two minutes to go. SMU, however, made a remarkable comeback at the hands of a couple of critical errors and lessons for our squad. We walked away from that one with a devastating one point loss. We finished the preseason 6-3 learning that we could beat anyone on our schedule on a given night when we played together and dictated defensively as well as lose to anyone if our defensive intensity was't there. Conference started before Christmas this year which was extremely unusual but it was time to make it count. Quickly we found that success came when Tish Adams mad timely scores and steals. Led by inside outside Rachel, Ashley, and Kalli Durham the fourth offensive key was Tish. Close victories on the road at Portland State, Southern Utah, Eastern Washington and rival Montana proved that. Another ingredient pulled the pieces together as well, our contributions and impact of our bench. We were deep. Midway we were in first before we went to Idaho Sate, our first loss after seven straight wins. Then another close loss verses Eastern at home. This was the game the Cats started to play a little tighter. Decisions became less crisp, offense became more stagnant, and the energy on defense seemed drained. Stopping the slide didn't come easy but our Cats got back in the winning column hosting Weber State. A roller coaster finish to the Big Sky Tournament we battled back and forth with Eastern Washington until a couple of turnovers and quick threes gave Eastern enough breathing room to advance to the semi finals. The Cats, we found ourselves Abruptly short of our mission. Expectations and not reaching them are hard to swallow but this I do know. We had two fantastic seniors finish incredible careers representing the Cats in Blue and Gold. We finished a successful season making the Big Sky Tournament for the sixth year in a row. We finished the season with a winning record for the fifth year in a row. We have fourteen talented Bobcats returning! As far as the Big Sky Conference goes this is one of our most successful seasons in that we have one team representing us in the Big Sky Tournament, and three invited to the WNIT. Our RPI's nationally this year were much more competitive and I know that is going to make the Bobcats even tougher next year. Cat fans, thank you for your tremendous support because we are not finished yet!

Senior Night

To all of you freshmen out there, it DOES go fast.

Latisha Adams and Rachel Semansky will play their final basketball game in the Fieldhouse tonight at 7:00pm so come out and support these two incredible women and their careers at Montana State.

I want to thank Kyle from the Chronicle on giving the readers a glimpse of who Tish and Rachel are in real life. As their coach, I'd like to add how proud I am of who they are as people and representatives of our program.

Tish and Rachel have totally different personalities yet have impacted this team in so many ways.

Rachel is a leader that raises the bar for others as she competes and gives her best effort in everything she does. As a Two Time Big Sky Conference Player and a Two Time All American Academic Award winner, she has an expectation for herself to work as hard as she can in everything she does.  Our team has seen first hand the results of exceptional habits and work ethic in place. She challenges herself and her teammates daily.

Tish, or as her teammates call her, "T Time," has developed into the quiet leader of this team. Tish's career started out quiet and has sky rocketed the last two years through her perseverance and steadfast commitment. For me, she has become my "rock", our team's "steady," the one that doesn't get too high or too low, but can resond to any circumstance. She brings individuals along, grabs them on the sideline and encourages, teaches, and lifts them up.

Together these two complement each other in their way of play, in their way of communicating, in their way of impacting and leading this team. This may be our last home game of the year, but it's not our last game of the season.

Behind these two, I believe we have an exciting post season ahead, yet so much more than that. Their impact in our program will continue on, and in Tish's words she will come back to Bozeman when someone gets married. I am still hoping that crab legs work as well and maybe Bozeman can wrap Rachel right up and keep her here as one of the finest future teachers in this generation.

I love these kids, yet they are not kids anymore!

Coach Bin

DETAILS, CONSISTENCY

You are probably hearing coaches use the words "details" and "consistency" alot at this stage of the season.

One of my favorite challenges as a head coach is to get my players to buy in to the importance of having GREAT habits as they are the catalyst to consistent performance. The other challenge is helping our student athletes figure out what habits they need in order to clear off the unnecessary stressors in their lives as they already have enough stress to begin with. Understanding your stressors are your own internal obstacles can sometimes be easily recognized but not easily overcome.

Let me tell you the major internal road blocks that coaches see daily.

1. Fatigue-The organized athlete who has their "routines" down is able to get around 8-9 hours a sleep at night. Sleep does affect performance & your ability to focus. Stress is also an energy drainer whether it's the stress of your schedule, studies, or even practice. 
2. Conditioning-Think about your number 1 strength. How many times in a row can you do it? The elite athletes are in premier shape which allows them to repeatedly attack over & over again.
3.  Mental Toughness-Some have it naturally, others develop this skill over the course of their careers. When you don't have it, you focus on how tough the drill is, how stressful the environment, the call that didn't go your way. When you have this skill you turn every obstacle into your advantage, "bring it on," "I want the ball in my hands," "what call?". The great have short term memories to begin with, block out the outside, and focus on the only things that allow them to get from point A to point B. Work on this daily, your inner voice. Put yourself in these situations to work through how you WANT to handle the situation. Visualize the way you should and want to respond. 

Our team has been in the middle of the mental challenge as we went through the storm of 7 straight wins to 6 straight losses. We were able to survive the run by Weber State last Saturday to get off that "streak" but that was the problem. We were focusing on the "streak" rather than the details.

Dan Hughes, my former Head Coach for the Cleveland Rockers, used to always say "play hard, play smart." I have used that line so many times with my team as it really is as simple as that. If you are able to compete consistently & you're able to focus on the details of execution at both ends, then you aren't losing focus mentally, you aren't losing composure with the play, and you aren't stressing about the situation.

Our team has seen both sides. We have seen what happens when we keep it simple & focus on the details, and we have been in the storm of unnessary burdens. All I can say is that I'd rather keep the umbrella at home & put on some sunscreen.

Coach Bin

Round Two

Can you believe it's already the second round of the Big Sky Conference race? It's as competitive season as ever. For coaches, it's a great way to keep your athlete's attention as every day matters. Here are a few tidbits for Round Two: More shooting. Yes I know that one's easy since we aren't the best perimeter shooting team YET. Fundamentals make a huge impact in the second round. More carbs! If you have athletes like ours you have to do what you can to keep the weight on. We got described as "wiry" once. I took that as a complement. More ice tea. That just sounded good. Less reps in the weight room. Less is more certainly pays off when you still maintain the strength while lifting a strong percentage of your max. The motivated, the focused, the hungry, & those that don't get bored with the process will finish on top. Habits of Excellence shine in round two! Coach Bin

Fun Matters

Maintaining "court" conditioning is a challenge when you only play 5 players at a time and maybe have a bench of 11-13 athletes. Our rule at MSU is that if you don't play 15 minutes per game you have to do an extra cardio workout the following day. Our athletes do a great job of motivating each other during their extra workouts as they understand the importance of being ready when their opportunity comes. With that being said, I have been in their shoes when I played in the WNBA and did a few extra workouts of my own which can get monotonous. So to change it up on Friday in between games I decided our staff should play against our players who didn't get many minutes in the game instead of them doing their usual bike & treadmill routines. I figured Kalli wasn't playing so I wouldn't end up with two stitches again. The result?? Coach Barney with a fat, black and blue lip from Peyton Ferris. (Barney is also her position coach so I am wondering what that was all about). Coach Starr concussed twice. One by a brick that came off the front rim, her cat-like reflexes are a little slow these days. And one ultimately by herself as she got wrapped up with Kayla Dewit and paid the price. The first game was played until the coaches actually scored. I won't say how long or how many points the team had before that occurred. The second game I started to get my feel back and made my first reverse lay up without hitting the bottom of the backboard. The third game our trainer brought out the stretchers. By Saturday we couldn't move. Kellee said the only thing on her body that didn't hurt were her eyes. Lindsay Stockton said I had a "dirty jumper" and then informed me that was a compliment. The good news? Our players and coaches had a lot of fun and remembered why we love this game so much. I think in another two weeks I will be over being sore and then we'll try it again, Go Cats!

Resolutions & Reality

Hopefully you all had a chance to see the best FRIENDS episode ever on New Year's Eve when Ross and Monica did "the routine." For those of you who didn't I suppose you had bigger plans for your evening. My New Year's Eve was spent with my "adult" kids on the court preparing for conference play this week. I am sure they will tell you that's exactly who they wanted to spend it with as well. Don't worry. It's not like I had them on the court for Midnight Madness. New Year's tends to bring on many new resolutions but let us be reminded that change does not occur without the greatness of habit. Much like I tell my team, you can't show up game time and expect execution if you haven't seen it all week. Proper habits don't get their due appreciation. I think it's because of their consistency that people overlook their importance. In our world today, we get thrills off the glamour, excitement, but true success is the result of basic, consistent, and powerful habits. Ask yourself today what your habits are. We all have them. Is it a habit that over time produces excellence or do we need to replace it with something else? Happy New Year Coach Bin