Progress Report

I believe it is about time to give a little update on my coaching journey since that is the name of the blog. I haven't talked about my coaching situation in awhile so I probably should address it.

Right now, I'm not actively doing any coaching. I have been going to high school games especially sectional games. I try to analyze the players I see like a college coach would. What I like about a player and what I dislike...how much potential he has for the next level and if his game could translate to the college game. Obviously, it is hard since I'm not looking for a certain type of player like a college would be i.e. they need a small forward or a big man or a shooter. So, I might say yes that player could play D-1 in the right spot...finding that spot is the key though because I think a lot of Indiana players could play D-1 in the smaller conferences but a lot of the time those conferences aren't coming to Indiana to recruit due to budget problems and what not. That player might end up being a D-2 player in reality.

I've been trying to keep up with my contacts I have met through camps and other venues. I try to help them out with players if possible but usually they are on top of things and have already made a judgment about the player. I'm not doing it to "suck up" or try to prove I know what I'm talking about although those could be pluses in the long run. I do it just to be nice because coaching is a rough business sometimes.

I'm starting to try to plan out my camp schedule. It is basically just for June for me since I have AAU tournaments in July. I believe that rules out working Five-Star Basketball camp in Pittsburgh. I really want to work that camp since I went there as a player and the coaches that have worked that camp are legendary. I tentatively plan on working Brad Stevens' camp for the third year and the Xavier camp for the first time. I'll try to work Purdue and Indiana University camps also but those are always tough since a lot of people want to and I don't have any really strong tie to either program. I was supposed to work Purdue's camp one week last year, but I had already committed to working another camp.

AAU is starting up. Parents meeting Sunday. I am planning on being an assistant for the Spiece Select 2011 team. I haven't been a true assistant in like 4 years and that was only part-time assistant and part-time head coach of the 2nd team. I'm applying for assistant jobs so I figure I should have some solid assistant experience if I expect to get an assistant job. I might help out a different team because they had a head coach have to back out of the position at the last second. I would rather be an assistant this summer but I will help a brotha out if he needs me to.

I emailed about 200 junior colleges last spring about potential openings they might have. I heard back from approximately half of them and had correspondence with about 15 I would say. I was a finalist for an assistant spot with Coffeyville CC in Kansas. I was on a short list for about 3 or 4 others. I will admit that my resume wasn't put together very well last year. I definitely have improved the aesthetics of it while also adding some experience. Hopefully that will lead to more opportunities this year. We will see.

I think that is it for now. Probably will be hitting up the Big Ten Tournament tomorrow since it is just down the street. Prices seem ridiculous especially since I always remember it being half full. I guess there must be some demand if they think they are going to get takers for those prices. I will probably just try to scalp some cheap seats. Scalping is legal in Indiana although I think legally the sellers can't ask for more than the face value but I'm not sure about that. I might have made that up in my head.