Freshman No Excuse & Baby Steps

[RockyMTblue2]

How Geno Auriemma uses college football in UConn basketball practices - Hartford Courant

"When Auriemma isn’t using college football as an example for his players, he’s explaining why New Year’s resolutions aren’t something that’s going to work for them as a team.

“I don’t believe in them because they last how long? Like three days or until you don’t feel like it, so I think you’re better off making resolutions for today," Auriemma said. "Like ‘Today I want to do this.’ Or maybe go for a week. ... I think that’s more appropriate for us, and for me personally...”

Senior Katie Lou Samuelson said Auriemma’s take on resolutions came as a bit of a surprise because he didn’t mention them in her past three years with UConn, but that it makes sense because this year’s team has been avoiding looking toward the end of the season.

“His big speech today was we need to make day-by-day resolutions instead of trying to plan out something for the rest of the year," Samuelson said. "He kind of showed us we need to come in every day with a goal for practice, and if it doesn’t happen fix it and do it the next day. So rather than something for a long time, focusing on day-by-day because once you don’t hit that big goal it feels like the end of the world so if you set little goals each day stuff happens.”

 

[DaddyChoc]

depends on the Coach... and if he/she lets you in the game

 

[eebmg]

so how to reconcile this idea that incoming freshman should live up to the same standards and be capable of great things with the idea that freshman need to learn so much and get used to the college game. Clearly, both can be true depending on the player and the coach has to be able to handle both cases properly.

 

[Tonyc]

Another great lesson from Geno. I learned along time a go. Set a goal and work towards it inch by inch its a sinch yard by yard its very hard. Take small steps and its alot easier and less pressure. Its a marathon not a sprint. It takes time to get rid of bad habits and learn new habits. Work on fundamentals every day until they become reflexive and they just happen without you having to think about them. It takes time and you must understand that. Repetition is the mother of skill and only repetition learned correctly. This is where good coaching comes in. Learn the right way to do it and practice it until you dont have to think about. This is why imo its so important to have the opportunity to play for Geno. Because he holds you accountable for your practice. He teachs you the right way to do something and expects you to practice it until you get it with guidance from his coaches. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and thinking things will change. At UConn you learn the right way to execute and do things and you do them until you cant get them wrong. Thats why Tina Steph Kiah Stewie have become great and have shown so much improvement because they were committed and trusted in their coaching staff. Now look at them and look at some others who had great potential and didnt come to UConn. IMO many of those great HS players who didnt come to UConn didnt reach their full potential...some did many didnt.