United Way Day of Caring...

Men's Basketball Coach Sean Strickland, Sports Information Director Pat Ross, Athletic Director Tony Berich and I spent the United Way Day of Caring at Seton Hill Child Services in Irwin, PA. For most of us, our task was to hand-wash all of the children's playground equipment. Tony, on the other hand, misread the instructions and thought spraying people with the hose was the intended project. We all had a great time helping out the kids and their teachers!

What YOUTH means to US…

So, we’re going to be a young team this year, a very young team.  And next year, we’ll be even younger - featuring a team comprised of all freshmen and sophomores. Although I’m sure I’ll have gray hair before age 30 because of these next two years, I think YOUTH is an amazing thing.

It was awesome on move-in day to see families say goodbye to their only child, their youngest child, their middle child, their only child to attend college, etc. There were smiles, a few dads who almost cried, and moms who couldn’t wait to see their daughters again over Labor Day weekend. I had the privilege of being stationed at Robertshaw Hall on move-in day, which means I got to help each of my newcomers move in to their dorm room. I would say without hesitation that our players win for bringing the most absurd amount of clothes, heels, basketball sneakers, and wall to wall carpeting.

Our influx of YOUTH is a huge motivator for our four returners. Certainly, they are thrilled to have a “normal” roster size this year. They are remembering what it was like to be the newcomers as they learn to lead a group of freshmen. More than anything, they are excited to have new teammates, new friends, and a new basketball family.

YOUTH is a huge sense of comic relief for the coaching staff. As the first week of classes came and went, we had freshmen convinced they were going to fail a class simply based on syllabus day. They forgot where the library was, where the writing center was, what time the fitness center opened, and the fact that sometimes I have to leave my office to go to meetings, to lunch, and at times even  to go home for the night.

YOUTH keeps all of us YOUNG. It keeps us ON OUR TOES. It keeps us MOTIVATED. It keeps us LAUGHING.  It keeps us GROUNDED. MOST IMPORTANTLY, it MAKES US FAMILY.

I am so excited for the future – I can’t wait to watch our players define it.