Happy Thanksgiving!

Every year of my life since I left home, my mother has asked me if I will be coming to Thanksgiving.  My reply has always been, "mom, there is no Thanksgiving in basketball".  Of course I meanthere is no break. There is always a lot to be thankful for in basketball.  Many of our out-of-stater's had family come to them this last weekend to enjoy the holiday and the tournament that we co-host.  We were blessed with beautiful weather and two great wins!  Here is a link to the article http://regisrangers.com/sports/wbkb/2013-14/releases/20131130mtv8yc

The love and support of our families is so essential when we endeavor to do something difficult and ultimately pretty darn special.  We coaches appreciate all the families-near and far that help make our program something truly great.  The action on the court is fantastic but the relationships we build are the lasting legacy we all leave and that enrich our lives.

Next up-Metro State!  This Saturday begins league play-we will host the Roadrunners here at 3 pm.   We hope to see you in the stands.

Off and Running!

We played our first exhibition game last week vs Johnson and Wales.  The team came out firing and put up 101 points!  2 more exhibitions this weekend then we start playing for real.

Check out our game schedule at www.regisrangers.com and make a plan to come and see us this year.  Also, stay tuned for special promotions that will take place during most of our games. 

It's not all about me?

WIIFM is the station we find many people tuned into today.  For those of us who work with young people it can sometimes feel like a losing battle to get them to listen to anything else. WIIFM-What's In It For Me; 24/7 self-absorption.  

At Regis, part of the university wide mission is to look out beyond ourselves and find ways to enrich and embrace our community.  All students do a mandated number of service hours and our athletes go well above and beyond what is required.

The Race for Cure is an event our team has volunteered at for many years.  They love to be involved and remind the staff to sign us up every fall.  

So, here is what's in it for them -They leave campus at 5 am to head downtown; wait in the pre-dawn cold to get their assignment and head to their station.  Some of the glamorous tasks have included directing traffic where to park and picking up trash behind the participants. They love handing out water along the raceway and being greeters at the finish line.  After 5-6 hours they head home for a nap and then back to their homework.  

Every year our team relates how moving and impact-full the event is; watching others who have overcome a great challenge reminds them to be grateful for all they have.  This is a team-only activity.  Coaches do not go with them or plan it for them.

Here is an excerpt of an email we received last week from one of the supervising volunteers about our team.

Well, your group of women came to check in and all went fine until no one showed up to take them to their location. ...probably after 30 minutes one of your players came over to say that no one came to meet them.  Finally I asked if I could find the location of where they were going would they be willing to walk.   NO ONE GRUMBLED…no one complained…they just said YES. Had I been in their shoes I might have said “forget this I am out of here”.  Their attitude was greatly appreciated as well as their volunteering! 

I just wanted to pass along how much it was appreciated that they helped out and more important didn’t let the snafu on our part cause them to give up.

I'm very proud to be a part of a university that really does walk-the-walk and lives its mission. And of course I am even more proud of the heart of our team and the way they represent themselves and our program.  

Way to go ladies!

Team Bonding

The sun is back out and our neighbors begin the long road to recovering from our "100 year flood".   Our team camping trip to the mountains got diverted as we had planned to travel to one of the hardest hit areas in the state. 

We were able to stay safe and dry while spending the day talking about team culture, playing games and having a great lunch.  We ended the day playing laser tag-much less painful than our paintball adventure!
 
We continue to train hard-our season will upon us before we know it!

On your marks!!!

The first week of school is almost over.  We have already had numerous meetings with all of our players.  Our new folks are getting settled in and ready to begin their Ranger careers while our older crew is beginning to contemplate life beyond Regis.  Having committed players at all points in the spectrum is the essence of a team.  Veterans help the rookies understand the culture and what it takes to be successful.  New folks bring excitement and enthusiasm that fuel our season.  Seniors are the glue that hold us all together.  Already the coaches feel that we have a special group who will do what it takes to become a true team.

Next week the focus turns to doing the dirty work.  The unglamorous side to being an athlete where there are no fans, uniforms and bright lights to make you feel special.  Just a coach with a stopwatch letting you know that you have to do better.  Sweaty bodies and sore muscles - girls from Texas wondering why Colorado has never considered importing more oxygen.  This is the time that our 12 players will become a team; when they realize that "together" they can accomplish more than they dared imagine.  So that when the bright lights are on and the referee blows the whistle - they will be ready for the ride of their lives.

Fresh new start

Hello again!  After taking a year off, I'm back on the blog.  We are looking forward to an exciting new year (but still enjoying the quiet of summer).  I've been up on the wakeboard a couple of times and Coach Raunig is tearing up the links.

Here is the link introducing you to our new players for next year.  A big thanks to our assistant SID, Sarah Otteman, for putting this together http://regisrangers.com/sports/wbkb/2013-14_Signees.pdf 

We are very pleased with our new class; they are talented basketball players and wonderful young women. 

Our returning players had a productive spring on the court and in discussions about the direction and culture of our new team.  We are relying heavily on our 5 upper-class women, led by seniors Tae'lor Purdy and Brandi Collins, to establish the Toughness and mindset we need to face the challenges of a RMAC season.

Have a great summer and feel free to send a comment now and then.

Coach Bain