To this point, scrimmaging has gone well. There are some clear improvements from last season and off-season individual work that has been done by some of the players is showing on the court. As expected we still have some clear concerns in areas but will keep getting better each day and will enjoy seeing how the team grows and progresses throughout the season. We have also had to deal with players being sick which has helped us see how we need one another to always come prepared to compete and give their best when the time comes. Having our season during flu season can be rough and with the flu being more intensified this year, we have already delt with the effects of players absent from practice. Even though the preseason can seem lengthy at times the duration gives us a good time line to replicate much of the season’s occurences and learn how to handle and deal with them as they happen. Each opponent we face, whether on or off the court, gives us another opportunity to “scrimmage” and get better prepared for the time when we are officially tested. Scrimmage time is not just a game against a different opponent - scrimmage time is a chance to face all obstacles and prepare ourselves the best we can mentally, emotionally and physically.

What a BLAST! We had an awesome MC in Ryan Gresham, one of our awesome Wittenberg student-athlete alums and current admission counselor. Alongside Ryan was a DJ playing music all night. The first 50 students that came into the gym received a free WITTness Wednesday t-shirt as well as a free slice of pizza and drink. Once inside the gym, students had the opportunity to compete in shooting games for prizes such as basketball t-shirts and plastic drinking cups. Following the student competitions, our team, the men’s team and the cheer squad were introduced to the crowd of students. The team then had the chance to scrimmage and preview the team for the season. There was an excellent turnout and the students in the stands had great energy!

This was our first year hosting the event and I look forward to making it an annual event - a fun, exciting way to kick off the season!

DO NOT DELAY - CLICK the LINK TODAY!

Help our Tiger mascot win the first-ever mascot face-off between the Wittenberg Tigers and the Wooster Scots! You have until the Witt-Wooster football game on Saturday, November 14, to click once a day and help our Tiger beat the Scot! Place the voting link in your favorites bookmark and cast your vote daily!

Make sure you watch the video too - it is a riot!

This is a great competition between longtime rivals! Show your support and stay tuned for the results during the Witt-Wooster football game on November 14.

Gooooooooooooo TIGERS!

In our student center, they opened Founder’s which will be a new place for students, faculty and staff to gather - it’s across from the game room in the bottom level of the student center. The renovation of what used to be Wally’s Pub is terrific and Founder’s should be a great place for people to gather and spend time without having to go off campus. They had the grand unveiling on Friday night where there was standing room only capacity and performances by Just Eve and WittMen Crew. A fun way to kick off a fun place!

Saturday morning started with a Tiger Tailgate and Award’s Breakfast. The football team beat Carnegie Mellon 28-7 to continue their undefeated season at 7-0. The women’s soccer team battled a tough game en route to their 4th tie of the season and a 4-2-1 NCAC record; on the men’s side, soccer lost to Denison 2-4.  Swimming and Diving was off campus but had a great showing at their conference relays with both men’s and women’s teams finishing 4th. Volleyball also competed off campus during Homecoming weekend going 2-1 at Heidelberg against top national opponents.

The weekend for us, the basketball team, was one of celebration too. The team did an amazing job of helping to celebrate what has been one of the most memorable weekends in my Wittenberg lifetime. On Thursday night we had red velvet cake. On Friday, I walked into my office with red and white streamers everywhere and into practice with the team wearing my picture on their shirts (hilarious!). I was so happy that they embraced being a part of my Hall of Honor induction. Never, when I was in their shoes, would I have thought that I would have been a part of such a prestigious group of former athletes here at Wittenberg with a tradition of success as rich as we have. But the reward for hard work most often surpasses what one can ever imagine. I am thrilled I can share with this current team this particular reward for my passion and dedication to the game I love. I can feel their passion and energy for this game grow with each practice we complete and can sense their desire in team grow more and more each day - this is the best feeling of Homecoming to me.

At the end of practice today, the seniors ran out of the gym only to return with not one, not two, but THREE red velvet cakes! One rectangular and two circular cakes all topped with creamy white frosting and decorations (sprinkles!) to boot. HOORAY! Red velvet cake is my favorite! After a good, hard practice we enjoyed a slice of the delectable treat.

We have officially been through one full (calendar) week of practice. The cake wasn’t celebrating that accomplishment, but it was a nice coincidence. We got to  celebrate Wittenberg basketball - the past and present for a moment at the end of practice today. A very appropriate occasion for red velvet cake, in my opinion.

The players have worked hard the first three days so a little two day break is good for their bodies and their minds. And, just as they need a break from the grind, so do I; a break gives all of us the ability to refocus and get back at it harder. I look forward to having them back on the court refreshed and ready again to go. I look forward to the chatter, the determination, the improvement. I look forward to getting this “lonely” coach back surrounded by excellent company out on the court.

Here is where sport is, once again, a wonderful component to have in one’s life. Working out relieves stress, it takes your mind off of what normally is consuming it and releases endorphins that make you feel better. During this time of mid-terms (and it will inevitably happen again at the end of the semester during finals) the team is encouraged to use practice as a time to leave the school work behind for a couple of hours and use basketball as an outlet. I am IMPRESSED with the level of focus the team has demonstrated through this week of mid-terms, better than I have seen in the past. Even though it is the first three days, the indication that this team is choosing to be disciplined is clear. There is a lot to learn at the beginning of any season and the team is doing a fabulous job of knowing gym time is basketball time, not time to worry about their biology exam or English paper. The team is finding a way to stay focused on basketball when the time requires them to do so. It’s a compliment to the upper-class players that they have devised a plan for handling these times in the semester that normally create higher anxiety levels and, oftentimes, the inability to focus. Their success in handling this situation sets a great template for the new players to follow.

What all of this translates to is a fantastic first three days of practice - covering a lot of information while working hard and making clear strides in a short amount of time. Focus and discipline through adverse situations is a valuable trait to have. I’m happy to see the team developing that trait.

An excellent tone has been set.

Now that the season has begun you can expect to see more frequent posts from me as well as additional posts from Coach Cody, my assistant, and some of our team members. Check back in often to follow the Tigers through the exciting 2009-2010 season. Keep an eye on our web page too for updates on games and news around our season! http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/wbasketball/

Happy Basketball Season … up, up and AWAY!!!

I am SO PROUD of Stephanie and Danielle and I know Coach Smith is incredibly proud of Stephanie too! A true testament of what it really means to say “hard work pays”!

Read more about Stephanie and Danielle on the Wittenberg web: http://www4.wittenberg.edu/news/athletics/news/2009releases/09_22.html

There are places beyond Wittenberg that are lovely compliments to our campus as well such as Buck Creek, John Bryant State Park, Mad River and Glen Helen, to pen a quick list. Some of the team members went out to Glen Helen last Saturday to hike and hit Young’s Dairy afterwards for homemade ice cream. With, again, incredible weather on their side, it made for a memorable and delicious way to start their weekend off right! Combine a great place with wonderful teammates and a bit of scrumptious ice cream and one can truly see how Wittenberg DOES get better beyond the weather!