RMAC Time!

Conference games start this week.  We will open on the road at Metro.  Game time is 5 pm -come and make some noise for the Rangers if you are able.

While our team is still a work in progress-we are definitely making progress.  Our mantra is to get 1% better everyday.  Every practice, every shoot-around, every game.  Our foundation has been laid and now we have to build on what we know and work to refine areas that we will have to count on during our 22 game conference grind.

Our team is made up of wonderful people who lead and respond to each other in an amazing way.  I can't wait to go on this ride with this group and see just how much they can accomplish.  I feel blessed to be a part of our RUWBB family.

PS:  Check out Tae'lor's new blog about her adventure in Holland.  She is wonderful writer!
http://taelordeepurdy.wordpress.com/

Road Trip!

RUWBB started our season on the road in Oregon.  It rained like crazy the first day but temperatures in the 30's felt like heaven compared to the single digits we had here in Denver.

Road trips are great for teams-especially early in the season.  Time away from campus and other friends allows us to focus on each other and the game we truly love.  There are a lot of laughs and loud music in the vans.  The players always seem to be able to catch up on some much needed sleep.

We were able to build on the great experience from our exhibition weekend and go 2-0 in our first regular season games.  As usual, there were many ups and downs and lots of things for us all to work on.  Our team was impressive in our resilience and ability to stick together through all of the momentum swings.

We play again this Saturday at 5 pm.  Our team is conducting a canned food drive and fans can receive $1 off admission for each can of food you bring.

Here is a link to our full season schedule.  http://regisrangers.com/sports/wbkb/2014-15/schedule

Game Time!

Tomorrow we will play our first games of the season.  They are exhibition games which means they don't count for anything but are played like real games.  Our players have been working hard and are ready to play against someone else, finally.

The early part of the season is usually filled with ups and downs as we mold our identity and work to establish our roles.  We have many worthy opponents who will test our toughness and execution.  We use these games to get us ready for our difficult 22 game conference season.

Playing games is the celebration of the hard work and commitment that our players put in day after day.  Tomorrow marks the beginning of a dead sprint from now until Christmas break.  We play 7 games in the next 22 days and then 5 conference games before taking a week off.

The coaches and players are ready!  We couldn't ask for a better group of people to be around and believe in each and every one of them. Come support us along the way.

I went to a conference this week for women who are college administrators.  The conference does an outstanding job of honoring pioneers in women's sports as well as those who are continuing to make a difference for our female athletes.  I found it very cool that many of these women got their start in the sport of basketball.

Whether they had been players or coaches or both.  Many of them lit up when they found out I was a coach and said "Basketball season is about to start"!  Even in the airport I heard one say, "Every October 15th I still get that feeling that I should be starting practice with my team".  

October 15th is our official start date.  We have 2 practices under our belt as I write this post.  Our team is excited and engaged.  Our leaders have done their best to prepare themselves and our team for the journey that is ahead of us.  We remind ourselves everyday to focus on the process.  It is in the process that we become a team, that we build the skills and chemistry that will lead to success.  In the process we will fail over and over and then learn what is takes to be successful.

Those outside of our team will judge us by the results on the scoreboard.  We will judge ourselves by a much higher standard.  Did we become 1% better everyday, did we stay in the bubble, did we learn to trust ourselves and each other?  Am I a good teammate, did I respond to failure productively, did we refuse to beat ourselves?

These are the questions we must answer during the process.  The results on the scoreboard will be what they may-but the answers to these questions are paramount to truly being successful on and off the court.

One of the many great things I learned at my conference is that 97% of top female executives across 5 different countries had ONE thing in common - they all played a sport when they were young!  



You can follow me on Twitter @CoachBain
Facebook at Regis University Women's Basketball Fan Club

Race for the Cure

Volunteering at the Race for the Cure is an annual tradition for our team.  The girls get up early and support the thousands of racers that participate each year.  This experience is always gratifying and moving for our team.  A reminder to be grateful for all we have and a time to admire those who have faced down extremely difficult challenges.

I want to take the time to recognize a friend of our program this year.  Jess Adams was a volunteer coach with us several years ago and has remained a fan of team from her home in Boston.  She was diagnosed last year with an aggressive form of breast cancer.

Jess didn't miss a day of work last year and managed to go through 12 rounds of chemo, two surgeries and 8 weeks of radiation.  Did I mention she has 2 kids under the age of 5?

So, as we getting ready to embark on a long a grueling season, I'm glad we choose to participate in events that helps us keep our perspective.  We are so incredibly blessed to have this opportunity to play a college sport.  Having the support of teammates and working together toward a common goal is a powerful and life-changing experience.  The difficulties and challenges are great.  There are times when we wonder why we are putting ourselves through the pain when it would be so much easier to just give up or give in.

At the end of a season or playing career, we look back at how far we have come and sometimes barely recognize the person we were when we first started.  Being on a team transforms us and brings to light qualities we did not know we possessed.  Our friend Jess had her team that helped her through her life-threatening season.  They inspired and transformed each other and none of them will ever be the same.

Please join us and support us as we get ready for our 2014 season.  Go Rangers!

Early Risers

Last week marked the beginning of our conditioning and fitness workouts.  Fall is an important time for a basketball team.  Not only do we get in shape-we team bond.  Something about shared pain brings people together.  Teammates find out a lot about each other as they file into the gym before the sun is fully up.  Sometimes it's hard to understand how chasing tennis balls around the gym floor and trying walk with really tight bands around your ankles is going to lead to hitting 40% of your 3 point shots.

Playing college basketball is a huge commitment.  We are running sprints on September 15th in order to have a shot at being in a championship game on March 15th.  Fall is the time when toughness is revealed and team cultures are formed.  Players have to ask themselves "how much do I really love this" because it is way too hard to fake it.  

I love this time of year and sometimes my smiles during a particularly grueling session are viewed as sadistic.  But I smile because I know our team is being transformed.  I know we are going through a fire that, if we embrace it, will make us resilient and unbreakable when we are being tested.  There is no glamour or fanfare this time of year.  No family or friends make the trip to be in the stands at 7 am to cheer for a perfect plank.  It's just you and your teammates, pushing each other to get better and leaning on each other to get through that last sprint.

It's when the championship dreams come to life.       

New Year's Resolution

I have never been one to commit to any kind of new year's resolution in the past.  Frankly, I think the whole thing is kind of silly.  Anything that I really want to do for myself-I will just do.  Plus, New Year's is a really busy and stressful time in the life of a college basketball coach.  We barely even notice there is an event going on (unless you mean watching more game film for the next conference opponent) and we certain don't stay up til midnight!

Now is the true New Year for coaches and teams.  We are excited and anxious to get started and bring our new players into fold.  Everyone has great dreams and expectations and we will all be asked to renew old commitments and make many new ones, as well.

One of the commitments I'm going to make is to stick with this blog for the whole year.  It's good for me to take the time to reflect on what is going on in the midst of the craziness of our season.  It's good to share with the people who care about us and love to have an "inside peek" into our day-to-day. Basketball is one of the longest seasons in all of college sports.  We will start going conditioning and preparing 5 days a week on September 15th.  Our season ends in mid-March.  We have many, many ups and downs, joys and sorrows, pains and triumphs.  Remembering to enjoy the ride and truly embrace the whole experience (good and bad) is sometimes very difficult.

So please, come along for the ride.  Let me know your thoughts from time-to-time and we'll see where the New Year takes us!

Coach Bain

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

Spring!

Finals week is winding down.  The players are reporting stress laced with optimism.  Everyone has put in a lot of work this semester and they are anxious for it to pay off come report card time.  We are always super proud of our athletes and their dedication to their studies.  Good luck and good work!

A couple of shout-outs to Kara Larson and Tae'lor Purdy for being named to the All-Jesuit teams.

 

http://regisrangers.com/sports/wbkb/2011-12/releases/201205011xzq8v
http://regisrangers.com/sports/wbkb/2011-12/releases/201204248jxqzq

Student-Athlete Spring Celebration

Regis held it's 2nd annual student-athlete award celebration last week. Teams and individuals were recognized for athletic and academic achievements. Erica Von Stein provided the following write-up for our blog.

"We had our all-athlete end of the year banquet last night April 4th at the Arvada Center. All Regis athletics team attended and it was great to have everyone in the same place at the same time. The event started off with a great dessert buffet and then on to the awards.

Our team earned recognition in the classroom with Kara Larson, Kellie Deremo, and Meghan Hollenga earning All-RMAC academic honors. On the court, we were represented by Brandi Collins and Kari Ameling making 3rd team All-RMAC and Tae'lor Purdy making 1st team.

Bri Simbeck and Kari were recognized as our two lone seniors who we will miss greatly. It was a great night to have our team together."

Spring is in the air...

...as well as some snow. Someone from out of town asked me if we were having unusual weather for this time of year. I replied that there is no such thing as an "unusual" spring in Colorado. We are truly blessed to live in an amazing and beautiful place.

Our team has enjoyed some time off and is now back at it. We are conditioning and working on our game. Everyone knows that players are made in the off-season and building a team happens during the season.

Coach Raunig and I had an amazing time at the Final 4 and the convention that was held here in town. The energy was great and we might have learned a thing or two, as well. We celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Title IX and the courageous people who fought for our inclusion all those years ago. It reminded me that we all have people in our lives to be thankful for.

"You cannot be happy without being grateful"

Shout-out!

http://regisrangers.com/sports/wbkb/2011-12/releases/20120215g140n7

Jesuits -Amen!

Home Stretch

We enter the last third of our season this week. These weeks are critical as more than half the teams in our league are tied or within 1 game of each other. There is a 5 way tie for the final 2 playoff spots.

This time of year, our season is a real physical and mental grind. The teams with toughness and leadership start to rise to the top.

We have to dig really deep to find that extra spark that can get buried by the aches and pains, long bus rides and late nights in the gym. The beauty of being on a true team is the support given by the members to each other. It's the relationships and the trust, the shoulders to lean on and the occassional kick in the pants that makes the journey the trip of a lifetime.

Literally before my eyes I've seen the players on our team become better people. Better teammates and leaders, better friends and better students. More humble and more confident and overcome unspeakable adversity.

I love the people on this team and I spend everyday doing my part to push them to become more than they dreamed possible. We will do everything we can to finish our season as strong as we can, leaving our basketball hearts and souls on the court. Walking away on the last day proud and confident that we gave our best.

Hooray!

Check out the story on our 4 smarties. Great job you guys we are super proud of you!
http://regisrangers.com/sports/wbkb/2011-12/releases/201201175purhg

Professional Season

We all enjoyed our Christmas break and are happy to be in our professional basketball season. No school, just the team. It can be a great time to relax and hang out with each other and spend extra time working on our game. Coach Raunig hosted a team dinner; thanks to Kara and Nicole for contributing appetizers and dessert.

Basketball is an extremely long season and our relationships with one another keep us steady through the inevitable highs and lows. We strive to value each moment of our unique journey, to celebrate the victories and to become stronger through our struggles. I believe our team is truly a "team". We are committing and recommitting each day to bring our best, trust and be trustworthy, and put team before self.

We are determined to focus on the process, enjoy the journey and be confident that we did our best every single day.