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| Last week at the coaches luncheon Amber spoke.She was followed by coach Stephens reminding us that her favorite thing about freshmen is that in a year they will be sophomores. As we are starting the conference season now is a good time to take a look at this freshmen class.
Kayla Pearson is the only guard in the class. She started the season trying to do things that used to work in high school and discovering that they don't work at this level. She has progressed a long way from there. Defenses can still get her to pick up her dribble in the wrong spots and she still tries some passes that have zero change of reaching their target, but she's doing much better on the whole. If she keeps progressing at this pace she'll be in good shape come tournament time.
Steph Running is currently getting the most playing time. I'm most impressed by her footwork. Most post players didn't need good footwork to get by in high school and it takes a while to learn this instead of reaching and fouling. She also runs the court very well. Seems to have picked up the offensive and defensive schemes very well and knows where she is supposed to be in most cases. She gives us quality minutes as she continues to learn.
Katie S (too lazy to look up the spelling). She has a great shot and a really quick release. She has great potential, but needs to learn to be more agressive in grabbing her space on the floor. She gets pushed around on defense and still needs to work on her footwork. Runs the floor like a stereotypical post, too upright. First off season conditioning / strength work should solve that.
Liz Nauman. I haven't seen enough to give a fair evaluation yet. Odd minutes here and there just aren't enough.
Taken on the whole this is an impressive class at this stage of their development. If they continue developing as they have, they'll be an important part of this program going forward. |
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| Blue, this is an interesting topic. I don't feel able to add much in the way of critique for a variety of reasons that I won't discuss, except to say that I am impressed by the freshmen and sophomore classes as a group. They are talented, smart (as are all Drake students), competitive, and their efforts to grow as players seem evident to me, even in just the past month. And, they handle themselves pretty well on the court.
A lot of credit goes to our coaching staff -- they are doing a great job of recruiting and with player development. And I cannot emphasize enough the importance of the on-the-floor leadership provided by the two seniors -- Jordann and Monique'.
-G |
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| | Gotta agree on both the soph & freshman classes. I thought Mica Parker did a good job in recruiting, but since coach Pohlman has taken over coordinating recruiting things have stepped up. I've heard from someone who's opinion I trust and value that next years class will impress equally. |
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| BlueDawg (1/10/2010)
Gotta agree on both the soph & freshman classes. I thought Mica Parker did a good job in recruiting, but since coach Pohlman has taken over coordinating recruiting things have stepped up. I've heard from someone who's opinion I trust and value that next years class will impress equally.
Great thread!
1. If the best thing about Freshmen is they become Sophomores, why are RH and AW on the bench with 3 frosh in the game while UNI was stretching its' lead? And if I were RH I'd be kicking some tail in practice today for not getting me the ball in the post.
2. Player development? The recent teams are some of the least basketball savvy I've seen in 25+ years of watching Drake Women's basketball. And if RH is showing how Stephens is great at player development, then Haley Sames should have played at Tennessee.
3. The great Micah Parker. After a Sunday win, I was talking to Parker about how well the team played and if they played as smoothly and with as much confidence as this, they should have no problem with the next two road games at SIU and Evansville. He responded by saying we've always had problem there, it's a hard trip, and 'We really have to get on and after the team this week to get ready for this road trip.' I told him with that approach Drake would probably lose both games and I turned and walked away. Being asked by my friend what we talked about, I said he doesn't get it and they'll lose both games next weekend. And they did.
This program loses games it shouldn't. I wasn't close enough to see, but Pohlman must be creating a wound from biting her lip so much. It should pain her to see the program she's with now to get beat by the way she was coached to play. Make no mistake, Tanya Warren learned her lessons from Tony D very well and that's why talent doesn't always win games. |
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| I have to admit that I am hesitant to participate in online forums/debates, but there are times when I feel compelled to participate, and this is one of those times. To me, one of the greatest things about Drake Women's Basketball is the quality of the people who are involved. From the players, who are intelligent young women of high character, to the coaching staff who works hard but doesn't compromise principals, to the incredible community of fans who are faithful, dedicated, knowledgeable, and affirm and embrace the program for embodying great basketball and great values.
As a result, I am always disheartened when I am confronted by comments that seem to lose sight of what an incredible community we are a part of (as fans as well as team members). I think the reality is that the process of developing talent as well as success on the court is one that is far more complicated than it may seem. I am not at all suggesting that we as fans cannot analyze and discuss what we see on the court: that is a part of the high level of engagement and passion that is so integral to the thriving fan-base. However, my stomach is tied up in knots any time we start singling out individuals for criticism.
Personally, I find criticisms of Coach Parker to be unneccessary and incorrect. Perhaps, as fans, we would prefer for coaches to suggest that we will win every game, and maybe you are right that they should. But the way that a coach talks about an upcoming game to a fan after a game does not reflect his (or her) knowledge of the game of basketball, ability to motivate young people, or ability to cultivate talent. In fact, my experience suggests that it is the games that are underestimated that often pose the greatest challenge (and often create surprising loses). I think if you will listen closely to the way the coaches talk about games, you will find that each one is described as difficult and less than a sure thing. That is part of keeping young players focused. So, I think the criticism of Parker is unfair. Furthermore, he was a man of incredible character, integrity, and passion for the game of basketball that contributed to a great deal of success.
Generally, I think we can all agree that the players and coaches are working hard. Certainly, we hope that the young players will continue to develop, but I believe that we can have confidence that they will. History indicates that we have reason to be confident: I expect that Rachel Hackbarth will be amongst other recent post players who demonstrated great improvement over the course of their career like Jill Martin, Brandy Dahir, and Monique Jones. And while Jordann Plummer has always been a talented player with great tools, she has clearly developed into a force over the past few years. I think we have lots of reasons to be hopeful about the future.
And while the Bulldogs have lost some games they shouldn't have, if you look at the Valley standings, they are not alone in that regard. Tonya Warren's team has certainly taken its lumps over the course of the season. And if we look at Amy Stephens track record, Drake teams have consistently finished strong. So lets cheer them on to a strong finish.
Believe. |
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| I'm glad to see this post, Bulldog Faithful. More thoughtful commentary of this ilk would elevate the level of conversation one sees on these (and other) discussion boards. 
And you are right that teams lose games they shouldn't all of the time. In the past week alone, a not so good Mizzou beat a GREAT Baylor team; a good Georgia beat a better Tennessee team at Thompson-Boling -- one the toughest places to play in the country; an unranked Iowa State team beat a ranked Texas team at Texas. There are more, but one or two mid-season games don't define teams, players, or coaches.
Finally, I would underline that one ought to take a longer view of what is going on with a program besides their W-L record or post-season tournament experience. Call me old-fashioned, but I think it's all about the quality of the overall student-athlete experience.
-G |
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| [quote]Bulldog Faithful (1/24/2010)
I have to admit that I am hesitant to participate in online forums/debates, but there are times when I feel compelled to participate, and this is one of those times. To me, one of the greatest things about Drake Women's Basketball is the quality of the people who are involved. From the players, who are intelligent young women of high character, to the coaching staff who works hard but doesn't compromise principals, to the incredible community of fans who are faithful, dedicated, knowledgeable, and affirm and embrace the program for embodying great basketball and great values.
---Great values yes. I never said anyone was a bad person. Just not very successful.
As a result, I am always disheartened when I am confronted by comments that seem to lose sight of what an incredible community we are a part of (as fans as well as team members). I think the reality is that the process of developing talent as well as success on the court is one that is far more complicated than it may seem. I am not at all suggesting that we as fans cannot analyze and discuss what we see on the court: that is a part of the high level of engagement and passion that is so integral to the thriving fan-base. However, my stomach is tied up in knots any time we start singling out individuals for criticism.
---You don't want criticism? Go DIII.
Personally, I find criticisms of Coach Parker to be unneccessary and incorrect. Perhaps, as fans, we would prefer for coaches to suggest that we will win every game, and maybe you are right that they should. But the way that a coach talks about an upcoming game to a fan after a game does not reflect his (or her) knowledge of the game of basketball, ability to motivate young people, or ability to cultivate talent. In fact, my experience suggests that it is the games that are underestimated that often pose the greatest challenge (and often create surprising loses). I think if you will listen closely to the way the coaches talk about games, you will find that each one is described as difficult and less than a sure thing. That is part of keeping young players focused. So, I think the criticism of Parker is unfair. Furthermore, he was a man of incredible character, integrity, and passion for the game of basketball that contributed to a great deal of success.
---Completely incorrect. Those two games were won by a loose an confident team and a coach told me they were going to work them extra hard before the next 2 road games. I did anticipate both loses, but he's around his team every day and probably knew best about how to prepare them. Oops. I didn't criticize Parker, I shared a real conversation.
Generally, I think we can all agree that the players and coaches are working hard. Certainly, we hope that the young players will continue to develop, but I believe that we can have confidence that they will. History indicates that we have reason to be confident: I expect that Rachel Hackbarth will be amongst other recent post players who demonstrated great improvement over the course of their career like Jill Martin, Brandy Dahir, and Monique Jones. And while Jordann Plummer has always been a talented player with great tools, she has clearly developed into a force over the past few years. I think we have lots of reasons to be hopeful about the future.
----What is the standard of success you want for Drake? If a winning season and 3rd-4th place in the MVC is all you want, then it appears AS is the coach for a very long time. In the list of names given, I would say Monique has developed the most from whence she started. You name 3 players over 7 seasons. Janae Mosely, Carla Bennet, Maureen Head, Steph Schmitz all showed great improvement in their time at Drake. And that's just a few names from a couple of classes. And the conference was quite a bit stronger then than it is now.
And while the Bulldogs have lost some games they shouldn't have, if you look at the Valley standings, they are not alone in that regard. Tonya Warren's team has certainly taken its lumps over the course of the season. And if we look at Amy Stephens track record, Drake teams have consistently finished strong. So lets cheer them on to a strong finish.[/quote]
---Finish strong? Other than catching some home cooking in the 2007 MVC tournament, no.
---And seeing LG's post above: The student athlete experience? By analogy then success = negative student athlete experience. You are also making a DIII argument. Please. I don't think Carla Bennet had a negative experience just because the teams she was on were successful.
---Finally: If the posters of the previous two posts would admit they would post such an item on the Men's basketball forum, I will admit my error and go away. Criticism of Mark Phelps was hot and heavy for about 18 months and I didn't see either type of post on that forum. I see the women's basketball program as truly equal to the men and I believe the previous two posts show a particularly devious form of sexism. "It's ok, they're nice girls, they work hard and are great students". Fine with me. Just post the same thing on the men's forum and have the same expectations of the men's program. |
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| "And seeing LG's post above: The student athlete experience? By analogy then success = negative student athlete experience. You are also making a DIII argument. Please. I don't think Carla Bennet had a negative experience just because the teams she was on were successful."
I don't follow your logic, dtdog. I think one has to consider the whole student-athlete experience before passing judgement on a program. I didn't say that winning equates to a bad experience.
If you wanna have a respectful conversation about women's college hoops programs, great. If you want to hack the coach, players, or the whole program using an alias online, sorry but I'm not going there. I really do have an ethics issue with the whole "criticize people in a public forum using an alias" behavior. You try to pull me into that kind of dialogue one more time and I'm not responding. Sorry, got better things to do.
"Finally: If the posters of the previous two posts would admit they would post such an item on the Men's basketball forum, I will admit my error and go away. Criticism of Mark Phelps was hot and heavy for about 18 months and I didn't see either type of post on that forum. I see the women's basketball program as truly equal to the men and I believe the previous two posts show a particularly devious form of sexism. "It's ok, they're nice girls, they work hard and are great students". Fine with me. Just post the same thing on the men's forum and have the same expectations of the men's program."
Hey, dtdog, I don't post on the men's board. I just don't. Not a big men's hoops fan. Support the student/athletes, but men's basketball isn't my thing.
-G |
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| Dtdog--
I apologize if I misrepresented your statments; that was not my intent. I clearly misunderstood part of your post, and did not intend to make you feel attack. Honestly, (though my post directly followed yours) I did not intend to "rebut" your statement.
I also do not intend to suggest that winning is unimportant or that it is not a part of a "great experience". I think you are absolutely right that the memories of the Sweet Sixteen team are probably going to be one of the best experiences of those players' lives, and I certainly hope that more Bulldogs get to experience that soon. It is great that Drake has a fan community that has experienced that level of success and continues to hold those high standards for the teams of the present. In addition to the values that I referenced in my first post, that is certainly another important component of what has made Drake Women's basketball great--that winning tradition.
At the same time, I just tend to be sensitive about [i]the way[i] in which we single individuals out for criticism. My point is not that we suggest that if you have values, then winning is not important. Nor would I suggest that we hold women athletes to a different standard than men. (In fact, I believe this is evidence in my response regarding Coach Parker--though it may have been off-topic.) I am simply suggesting that I think it is important to maintain the balance of remembering that these are amateur athletes doing their best and coaches doing their jobs, (on both the men's and women's side). I also, just think that the business of winning games is a tough one, especially when you are dealing with amateur student-athletes. While I think your criticisms are valid (and I do not intend to be dismissive), I just wanted to provide another perspective.
As far as finishing strong, I believe that if you look at Drake's record over the back nine under Amy Stephen's their record would be pretty impressive. I do think that they still are not where they want to be in terms of dominating the MVC, but as we are unfortunately in a one bid league that is decided by the conference tournament, I think there is still a great opportunity for this team to get hot and have a strong finish. I will certainly be rooting them on towards those ends, even as they have struggled the past few games.
Believe. |
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| Hey dtdog:
It seemed like you raised some reasonable questions in what I considered to be a reasonable manner.
Other than being put in your place, I'm not sure you trvrivrf much in the way of answers.
If I may, I would like to add a few of my own.
1. Why is it necessary to substitute almost every 2 minutes?
It really seems to disrupt the continuity of play.
When a group is playing well together, wouldn't it be worth leaving that group intact? Playing together is how a team learns what the other members of that team do in certain circumstances.
The players on the floor have hardly had a chance to get into the flow of things when they are taken out. Unfortunately, the substitute is hardly in long enough to know what is happening and out they come.
2. Do the players not set screens for Amber and Jordann or is that not part of the game plan? Amber, arguably one of the best shooters, had a total of 7 attempts in 34 minutes of the BU game.
3. Do the players realize that "blocking out" on a rebound doesn't mean watching it bounce and an opposing player get the ball. Often you will see 2 and 3 Drake players doing an excellent job of blocking out, but they don't grab the ball. Usually the person that gets a rebound is the person that went after it with the most effort.
4. Sixteen games into the season and we still don't have a consistent player rotation, not to mention a starting line-up. Players that start might play as few as 9 or 11 minutes. Players that started at one time or another play one minute.
Granted, I'm not seeing what the coaches see in practice and I have no idea how much injuries are part of this.
Now, before I get straightened out, I'm asking questions and am looking for answers. I'm not picking on players or staff nor do I have any interest in a love-in for them.
They are most likely very good, capable people ot they wouldn't be in there.
I do use a screen name that some seem to consider an alias.
I don't see where that has any bearing on the questions, but if it is an issue for someone, PM me and I will give you my name and our seat numbers.
Charles  |
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