Well the season is finally over and I can't believe that it went by so fast. We started out with a few practices and we were actually doing lay-ups and doing them properly. I felt good about the season because we had a lot of new teams in our division and some of them were just starting out. We played teams from all over Korea. From way down south in Pusan to way up north in Uijongbu. We started out with two quick loses in which we totaled 8 points in both games. That's 4 points a game for you math majors. Our next game was against OSAN a nearby Air Force base that is sort of our friend games since all of our students know theirs and vice versa. Three years ago OSAN was our first game and the final score was 63-1. That's right "1" Ashley Pierpoint hit a free throw in the third period. So I was expecting much of the same but these girls have gotten really good on defense. My motto has always been "If they can't score, they can't win." And they took that and made it reality. We won that game 20-18 What a great game. That game put a spark in them as they went on to win another five in a row. Before that we hadn't won more than three in a whole season. We finished the season 10-8 and in fourth place going into the tournament at the end of the year. The tournament was held up in Seoul. We had to get up really early to drive up there to make a coaches meeting at 8:00. Our first game would be at 9:30 and against a team that we hadn't lost to ever, KENT. But this team has great attitudes about the game. Last year at the tournament we went through and found several players on their team that hadn't scored all season and found a way to make that happen. This year we had had some interesting games and I only had eight girls total...not much of a bench. But the starters got out there and really made things fly. With :30 left in the game we were winning 22-0. I never like to see a shut out, not in basketball, but none of their shots were going in. They were taking them. And they were taking some good looking shots too but they just weren't falling. But they finally did hit a nice jump shot with 30 seconds left and the final was 22-2. Good game and they were okay after. By winning that meant that we had to play ICS-Seoul. A team that beat us in our second game 46-5. They can be mean and evil. We have rules here where once the point total reaches 40 points they have to call off the press and take the starters off the court. 40 points can you believe it. Most of these teams can't even muster 4 points a game and we are going to let it get to that point. I have fought that battle and lost several times...but anyway back to the game. This game was to see who went to the championship game. We weren't expecting much since I had several girls just tired and worn out. We came out and their star players ran the score up to a 20 point advantage. But our girls hung tough, fought the whole way. I wish I could write one of those crowning victories that you see in the movies but that just didn't happen. We lost the game, however, we only lost by 10 points. What a great moral victory for the girls. They fought back and did a great job and lost to the would-be tournament champions. They placed third out of eight teams and really look good if they all come back next year. There were several awards that were given out at the tournament. All-conference went to Sophia Yoo. All-Tournament went to Jackey Lane and Jeeyoung Wolfe. The team also made such great strides and got so much better over the year that the rest of the league rewarded them by given us the "coach of the year" award. As much as it is for the coach, I firmly believe that if it hadn't been for these awesome girls, we wouldn't have even been mentioned for that award let alone received it. Anyway just a couple of pictures that the girls took on the way to games will be below. Above starting from #23 at the top that is Soyoung Wolfe, #40 Chloe Codero, #41 Clara Youn, #3 Danica Auman, #43 Sophia Yoo, #15 Jeeyoung Wolfe, #33 Jackey Lane, #32 Ashley Pierpoint, and not pictured is Amy Peterson, who went sledding in Jan and broke her collar bone.
Next year they will be doing all of this without their coach of three years. I have felt that it is time for me to take a step back and allow someone else to pick up where I have left off.
Great Season girls, I love you guys. You made this a season that I'll never forget.
Peace out...later on.
