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!