National Team 2013 - Phase 1 - Day 12

Day 12 is over. A long day, somewhat full first day in Prague. Started out cold and rainy but changed to wamer and sunny by days end.

Woke up to an 8:30 breakfast. Welcome to Europe. Meat and cheese for breakfast. Actually there was a lot more. The food has been very very good. Breakfast was a nice homemade hash brown potato mix, fried eggs, different breads, different cereals, fresh fruit, small sausages that tasted like pepperoni but looked more like a hot do. They also had chocolate and cinammon yogurt. Tried chocolate today. Maybe Cinammon tomorrow. Also tried the coffee. Quite nice.

After breakfast we started individual meetings with players. This lasted from 9:15 until 11:55. Yep killed the morning then on to lunch. Another nice spread. Fresh fruits and veggies (tomaotes and cucumbers were awesome), fish, mashed potatoes (phenomenal), broccoli soup (pureed broccoli with some cream and something else - not bad), pasta and a chicken sauce with veggies and spinach that can only be compared to Mom's stewed chicken she used to make. This stuff was phenomenal but not quite as good as what Mom could make. They had these tiny cakes for dessert which were phenomenal tasting and had a nice chocolate icing on top. Great ending.

After lunch the girls went for a quick walk and when they returned we met with the girls to review some team things and introduce some things about our team identity. We met until about 2pm and then we headed off to practice. The practice gym was not far away but it was nice to see some of Prague in a more alert state than yesterday. The architecture is impressive and there are a lot of cobblestone streets. A very pretty city and we haven't seen most of it yet.

The practice gym was nice but a little cool. The girls warmed up and then we took them through some new things and worked on our offense. After this we worked on our defensive stuff and competed a little bit. Nice to get back in the gym and work on some things. When the girls were finished with the practice we headed over to the competition gym and the girls had a weightroom session. While they were doing this Lisa and I went to the gym and watched a junior game featuring the Czech boys vs. Australia. Apparently the world championships are being played here soon so I am assuming this is a tuneup. The game was high paced and Australia looking very good. Up 15 when we left at half time.

We headed back toward our hotel afterward and it was a nice drive through the streets. We got back at about 7:20 and headed straight to dinner. This meal had green beans (very yummy), chicken, rice, a sauce with chicken and cabbage for the rice which was outstanding (all that cabbage, my poor roommate), breads and a nice little cake for dessert. After supper we had another meeting for the day to review some of the stuff we worked on earlier and the girls came up with a GREAT slogan for our team. A great process they went through to get to it.

So after that meeting still another meeting. I met with Ruth, our first year 6'6" post player, to show her some film and help her get ready for tomorrow's game. That lasted about 15-20 minutes and then I met with Lisa, Shawnee, Dipesh and Sarah and we headed to Starbucks for coffee. Across the street was a bakery so the temptation pulled us in. We did not regret the decision. Very yummy.

So now I am back at the hotel. 9:50 pm as I type. Still work to do. Some scouting work for tomorrow and a few emails left on the plate.

Tomorrow we have an early shoot around and then we play the Czech Republic at 6pm. This is what it is all about. "REPPIN" your country and matching wits with the best coaches in the world. Someone asked me before I left what I liked most about working with the national team. There are so many things but one of them is trying to figure out the other coaches. At this level they are considered the best of the best in the world. That is exciting. We are so young and inexperienced at this level, I am unsure of how we will come out but I think this group will be very good down the road. We don't have to be good until September so lots of time.

But now I must go. I will try and post some pics when I can but the internet is very very slow at times. Hopefully I can get some soon

Until tomorrow...............