Summary
First game started. Charlestown was playing against Peabody, where O'Brien was smiling as he entered a school he remembered. Before the game, O'Brien says his prayers with the team, to give hope and faith to the players and the past. During the tip-off, the Peabody players begun with force and took advantage of Charlestown. Peabody scored the first shot. O'Brien was furious. Charlestown always ran a full-court press, which pressure the ball handler from forcing a turnover. It was a smart strategy, but the players will tire out easily, thats what suicides are for. As the game progressively continued, Charlestown dominated the game. They won by 30. As they went back to the locker room after the game, O'Brien was outraged by all the mistakes that happened on the court. Even with a blowout, O'Brien criticized the team harshly, like they lost.
Then there was a game versus East Boston. It was a rivalry game, a game that Charlestown needed a win. It was not about the school, ethnicity, or geography, it was about pure sports. In the beginning of the game, Eastie was embarrassing Charlestown by a 23 point lead. Charlestown managed to improve during the second half, but Eastie won by 10 points. It was Charlestown's first lost on its home court for six seasons.
It was already January 4th, 2005, where they are playing against the undefeated Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. This was an important game for Spot, as he was in the starting lineup because Spot was born in Cambridge where his family grew up on and all showed up to watch the game. All players contributed to the game, where Charlestown dove for every loose ball, and contested every rebound. Charlestown beat Cambridge 58-51. Not all played, where Lorenzo, a Charlestown basketball player left the team because O'Brien had not given any game time for him.
"The assist-the basketball term for the last pass leading directly to a score-was one of the most important metrics in O'Brien's world"(Swidey 94). An assist can show players unselfishness to the team, where it's their trust and willingness to put the team with a glorious win.
Quote
"I've got to start enjoying this more. Before you know it, they'll be gone" (Swidey 83).
Reaction
With all the success O'Brien has contributed to the Charlestown basketball team, he didn't get appreciated as much as he should. O'Brien feels that his appreciation is from his players, where he should be enjoying their winnings and not criticizing every move. Since most players are seniors, he will never be seeing and teaching the players anymore. O'Brien's bond with his players is all he needs, to be enjoying every moment till its gone.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
The Assist 1-70
Summary
Jack O'Brien is a successful basketball coach in Charlestown High.In his minivan, he brought basketball kids from the school, Jason White aka Hood and Lamar Brathwaite aka Spot, to experience the life of college. O'Brien was like a father figure to his players, where he wants them to achieve in the future. Hood has a troubling past, where he faces violence and drugs, which he overcomes as O'Brien sees positive changes on the court.
Ridley is a 6'3 senior basketball player in Charlestown High, and wants to become successful by getting a full scholarship to a Division I college for basketball. Charlestown High had been the state champions for continuous years. Ridley's play on the court made college scouts start noticing how explosive his game was, which he is thinking about attending the University of Toledo. Ridley is not only great on the court, as his academics are on point. Division I scholar athletes needs to have a minimum SAT score of 820, where Ridley had 960, complete fourteen courses, which Ridley had twenty-two, and on top of that, he was a honor roll student.
Practice had started, where it felt like torture to the players. O'Brien is strict on the court, where he wants every play to be done perfectly. O'Brien was more prepared this year, where he got a list of drills to execute to the players.After long practices of suicide after suicide, it would only enhance the teams performance in the game. It was only tryouts, where all players had to try there best, or they will be eliminated.
Quote
"I believe that a coach's responsibility does not start at the beginning of the season and end with the last game, but rather is a continuing effort that results in the growth and formation of a well-rounded student/leader" (Swidey 63).
Reaction
This quote is the definition of Jack O'Brien as he becomes an amazing coach to players on the court. O'Brien is not just a coach that wants to tell kids to play, but he wants to become a role model to the students where later in life, they can lead themselves to higher achievement.
Jack O'Brien is a successful basketball coach in Charlestown High.In his minivan, he brought basketball kids from the school, Jason White aka Hood and Lamar Brathwaite aka Spot, to experience the life of college. O'Brien was like a father figure to his players, where he wants them to achieve in the future. Hood has a troubling past, where he faces violence and drugs, which he overcomes as O'Brien sees positive changes on the court.
Ridley is a 6'3 senior basketball player in Charlestown High, and wants to become successful by getting a full scholarship to a Division I college for basketball. Charlestown High had been the state champions for continuous years. Ridley's play on the court made college scouts start noticing how explosive his game was, which he is thinking about attending the University of Toledo. Ridley is not only great on the court, as his academics are on point. Division I scholar athletes needs to have a minimum SAT score of 820, where Ridley had 960, complete fourteen courses, which Ridley had twenty-two, and on top of that, he was a honor roll student.
Practice had started, where it felt like torture to the players. O'Brien is strict on the court, where he wants every play to be done perfectly. O'Brien was more prepared this year, where he got a list of drills to execute to the players.After long practices of suicide after suicide, it would only enhance the teams performance in the game. It was only tryouts, where all players had to try there best, or they will be eliminated.
Quote
"I believe that a coach's responsibility does not start at the beginning of the season and end with the last game, but rather is a continuing effort that results in the growth and formation of a well-rounded student/leader" (Swidey 63).
Reaction
This quote is the definition of Jack O'Brien as he becomes an amazing coach to players on the court. O'Brien is not just a coach that wants to tell kids to play, but he wants to become a role model to the students where later in life, they can lead themselves to higher achievement.
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