Another Step in the Right Direction

I can't resist updating about our wonderful dog. Gus has been let out twice now in the front lawn with no check cord, no leash, no fenced-in area, nothing (except his new collar). Once was a practice session on "come" and he did great- I only had to buzz him once and never shock him. Tonight was a practice session on going "bye bye." He came out and hopped right in the car. Kari and I are proud puppy parents and I just had to share the news!!
-Jimmy

Coming Around

It's been awhile since I've posted on here. I guess without basketball games to update, I just haven't had much to say. I must admit, the final loss of this season has taken longer to bounce back from than other years. So much mental and emotional energy went into this season that when it was over, there was a hole left that I hadn't experienced previously. I think it's what happens when you coach a great group of kids and when 6 of those kids are seniors and you know that you'll never coach them again. But time is moving forward and we're already beginning to look toward next year- starting our weight lifting and spring programs (AAU, etc.). So we're kicking it in gear and that's exciting. So I'm starting to feel more and more like myself again and that is good.
Another area in our lives that is coming around is Gus. We've had to resort to a static collar, but boy does he listen now! I think he is starting to "get us" and we're starting to "get him" as well. In other words, a bond of trust is beginning to develop. He's such a good boy. He stays inside while we're at work and we've had (knock on wood) no issues. It's great to have a dog to come home to each day. It makes coming home after a long day even more rewarding!
-Jimmy

This Stings

Our season ended tonight. We played a very athletic, quick, and talented team. They shot the ball better than we had anticipated and we had to adjust our game plan because we got behind. We lost the game 68-54 (giving up the most points to an opponent for the season and scoring around 9 below our season average). I'm sure when I look back on this year in a couple of weeks, I will really appreciate how special it was. Right now, though, this loss stings because we did have much higher hopes. Our final record was 24-2- it was a great group of guys to coach. I can say that at this moment without hesitation.
-Jimmy

Region Champs

We are the Region 3, Division 4 champions. After beating Broadway on Friday 65-51, we made the 2 hour trip yesterday to Roanoke to take on William Byrd. We trailed early, 10-5 at the end of the first quarter. From there, though, we simply took over the game. Our defense and our tempo was too much for WB. We outscored them 47-12 in the next 2 quarters and went on to win the game 70-44 to claim Spotswood's first regional crown since 1993. It's on to the State quarterfinals where we play a very athletic and talented Salem team. The good news- they come to us. The game is Saturday at the JMU Convo. The funnest part about the weekend was having my parents and Kari's parents in town for the weekend. It was great to be able to share this moment with them!
-Jimmy