Excitement for the 2019-’20 Season Grows

With substantial experi-ence and good size return-ing for the Hunters, the coaching staff is very ex-cited to get the season go-ing. Coming off a 12-16 season we look to a team that will return 2 starters, who were our leading scor-ers, and 7 letter winners from last year’s Region 7AA team. We saw con-stant improvement and played some very exciting basketball. We are coming off a season in which our team came together and played very tough down the stretch.

We are very excited about the players we have returning. We have some good size and height and experience. The loss of five seniors will leave some major gaps to be filled but the talent pool is solid. We had a very in-tense summer of games and scrimmages. Players from grades 10-12 will be in the varsity mix this sea-son as a promising group of sophomores join the varsity ranks.

Duncan Gregory will remain as head assis-tant on the varsity and brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. Gabe Mayfield has joined our staff as freshman coach as Alex Walther has decid-ed to focus on his college degree and career. Gabe will do a great job as our new frosh coach and will provides long-term stabil-ity at that position. Last year’s freshman team made tremendous improve-ments over the course of the season. Former Hunter standout, Steve Williams did an outstanding job last season with the junior var-sity will remain as JV coach for the upcoming season. Steve brings a stel-lar basketball resume’ to Denfeld as a player at Den-feld . Good luck to Alex on his life venture. The staff we have put together is outstanding and we all look forward to working together. We have, what I believe, are the ingredients for success for many years to come. It was extremely important for our team to improve their skills this

past summer and from all indications many did just that. As the players have been told, ”Teams are made from November to March; players are made from March to November”. The coaching staff would like to congratulate the players on a fine summer of work and again thank the Hoops Club for their great effort to help im-prove our basketball pro-gram. A special thanks to Michelle Kilroy and Kari Bulthuis for all of their hard work. We would also like to thank the parents, faculty and community members for their support of Denfeld basketball. We look forward to a great 2019-’20 basketball sea-son.

Coach Devney

The All Important “Role Player” We can't all be super-stars,

or even starters. We don't all have great shooting skills or ball-handling skills. But we can still be important "spokes in the wheel". We can still be very important to the success of our team. We are important "role players". Coaches love good role players, because they know better than anyone that there will be times in a

game, or during the season, that they will have to get good play, some good minutes from their bench personnel. Usual-ly, you cannot be a champion-ship team with just five good players. You need important players who can come off the bench and play quality minutes. The role player hus-tles in practice and works hard. He is not a complainer

(about playing time). Rather, he has a positive attitude, encourages his teammates, and understands his im-portance to the team, and the importance of his contribu-tions. He realizes that "his time will come". This really takes a special person; because most of us want to be starters... it takes great maturity to be a good role player.

Volume 1, Issue 2

November 2019

Denfeld Basketball

MN Rankings 2

Team Unity 2

Why Kids play Sports

2

Thoughts from Players and Coaches

3

Armon Freeman 3

Captains 4

I believe 4

Special points of in-terest: • Role players

• Team Unity

• Player profile

• Thoughts form Players

and Coaches

• Hoops Club

You were born to be a play-er. You were meant to be here. This moment is yours.” – Herb Brooks

Practice starts No-vember 18, 2018.

Tryouts will be that day at 6:00am and

Pa Denfeld Basketball

teammates successes than their own triumphs. Individuals on those teams had no jealousy and would embrace the role they were assigned. It takes a level of maturity, that not a lot of teen-agers have, to put all team goals first.

In the end, a team fails or succeeds together. The best way to serve the individuals on the team is to see that the whole team wins. We all have some level of self-interest in high school sports and finding your inner passion is very important. The most

important thing is your level of selfless-ness towards your teammates. Do that, and dreams can come true for every-one. Even when you've played the game of your life, it's the feeling of teamwork that you'll remember. You'll forget the sets we ran, the scores of games, and the stats, but you'll never forget your teammates. Remember that nothing is more important than togeth-erness and team unity.

Team Unity Coach Devney

After coaching for thirty-three years, at a variety of levels, I have come to one undeniable truth about basketball and team sports in general; the most im-portant ingredient to success is team unity. The teams that I have coached that were most successful and the greatest joy to coach were the teams that truly cared for each other. They had each other’s back at all times. Players on those teams would sacrifice themselves for the betterment of the team. Most were more happy for their

Believe

or The Man Who Thinks He Can

If you think you are beaten, you are;

If you think you dare not, you don't.

If you'd like to win, but think you can't,

It's almost a cinch you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost,

For out in the world we find

Success begins with a fellows will;

It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you're outclassed, you are;

You've got to think high to rise.

You've got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go

To the stronger or faster man;

But soon or late the man who wins

Is the one who thinks he can.

Denfeld fans are crazy for Denfeld Basketball!

Athletic Footwear Associa-tion Survey of over 20,000 kids nation-wide asked, "Why they participate in sports."

1. To have fun

2. To improve their skills

3. To stay in shape

4. To do something they are good at

5. The excitement of the competition

6. To get exercise

7. To play as part of a team

8. The challenge of the com-petition

9. To learn new skills

10. To win Over 65% said they partici-pate in sports to be with friends.. Only 20% want to improve their skills. Winning was LAST.

Volume 1, Issue 2

Toughness is a skill and can be practiced and improved like all other skills. “You should always want your coach to be critical. It gives you an opportunity to learn and to overcome adversity.” Steve Nash The more things you can do, the harder you are to keep out of the lineup. You either get better or we get worse. You don’t stay the same, so we have to use every practice and workout to get better. Concentrate on effort and execution; the results will take care of themselves. Proper form and a strong work ethic plus preparation and repetition is the formula that makes a great shooter. No excuses, no explanations. Good teams and players give second efforts, great teams give 3rd, 4th, and 5th efforts. The only way for an individual to improve is to work at an uncomfortable pace in

practice and during the improvement sea-son (April-September) If you aren’t uncom-fortable, chances are you aren’t improving. Contact from the defense is never an excuse to lose the ball. “There is do and do not, there is no try.” Yoda in Star Wars “The game honors toughness.” Brad Ste-vens Expect to get hit hard when you take the ball to the basket. Don’t get upset. The best revenge is making the free throws. A player’s goal every practice and every improvement season skill workout should be to improve yourself for the benefit of the team. Success is the sum of small efforts repeat-ed day in and day out.

"Don't mistake routine for commitment." Tommy Amaker. Don't just show up, but give it everything you've got, every single time. Fouling negates hustle. “Anyone who doesn’t make mistakes isn’t working hard enough.” There are two pains in life, the pain of discipline, and the pain of regret. Take your choice. Your energy level is controlled by your thoughts. We rate ability in people by what they finish, not what they start . Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires and how smart and hard they are willing to work to reach their po-tential.

Armon Freeman

Playing number: 3 Year in school: Senior Playing Position: Forward Favorite Food: Steak and sushi Favorite Music/Musician: Drake Favorite Sports Team: Golden State Warriors Favorite Thing about Denfeld: Student body and support from classmates Favorite thing about Denfeld basketball: The experience and my teammates Favorite memory of Denfeld basketball: Beating Hermantown in the Region 7AAA Tourney Something people don’t know about me: I’m actually a good man. Best Experience so far: Playing varsity basketball Where do I see myself in 5 years: A year out of college with 1 kid and a wife. Advice for young Denfeld basketball players: Stick to it. Anything is possible!

Thoughts from Players and Coaches on Basketball

Page 3

We’re on the Web! Check out Denfeld Bas-

ketball Records and previous Denfeld Bas-ketball Newsletters on the Denfeld Hoops Club

Facebook page.

"Let others lead small lives, but not you.

Let others argue over small things, but not

you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not

you. Let others leave their future in some-

one

“Victory or defeat is not deter-

mined at the moment of crisis,

but rather in the long and un-

spectacular period of prepara-

tion.”

Denfeld BASKETBALL

I Believe…..Author Unknown best time! I believe- That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe- That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe- That our background and cir-cumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsi-ble for who we become.

I believe- That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could

I believe- That you can keep going long after you can't. I believe- That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe- That either you control your atti-tude or it controls you.

I believe- That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I believe- That money is a lousy way of keeping score. I believe- That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the

change your life forever. I believe- That two people can look at the exact same thing and see some-thing totally different.

I believe- That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I believe- That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

"Winning is overemphasized. The only time it is really important is in surgery and war." -Al McGuire “There are only two options regarding commitment.

You’re either IN or you’re OUT. There is no such thing as life in-between.” – Pat Riley

Denfeld Basketball

The coaches and staff

at

Denfeld High School

would like to thank you for

your readership and your

continued support of our

basketball program and our

school.

We are always looking to

improve our program, so if

you have any comments,

questions, or suggestions,

please let us know!

We believe that there is no

secret in the coaching

profession. If you would like

more information about

what’s presented in this

newsletter or you have a

question about another

aspect of the game, please

feel free to ask! We’re more

than happy to help.

Thanks again for your support.

Sincerely,

Coach Devney

THE Denfeld HOOPS CLUB

WILL MEET AT

Denfeld HIGH SCHOOL,

On a periodic basis.

All parents of Denfeld

basketball players, com-

munity members, faculty,

staff and interested par-

ties are encouraged to

attend. Topics for dis-

cussion will include: mer-

chandise sales, game pro-

motions and direction of

the Hoops Club. Parents

of all players are ask to

be there as all money

raised goes directly back

to the Denfeld basketball

program at all levels.

Check the Denfeld Hoops

Club Facebook page for

upcoming meetings.

WORK ETHIC AND WORK HABITS In the short run, we may be able to go for the ―”quick fix” with apparent success. We can make impressions, we can put on charm, and we can con other people. We can learn manipulation techniques – what lever to pull, what button to push to get the desired reaction. But long term, the Law of the Farm governs in all areas of life, and there is no way to fake the harvest. No sport represents the Law of the Farm better than high school basketball.

―THERE COMES A TIME WHEN WINTER ASKS WHAT YOU HAVE DONE ALL SUMMER?

…………..HENRY CLAY

Denfeld High School BBB Staff

Head Coach Mike Devney

Head Ass i stant – Duncan Gregory

Jun ior Vars i ty Coach – Steve Wi l l iams

Freshman Coach – Gabe Mayf ie ld

Practice starts Novem-ber 18, 2018.

“There will come a time when the winter will ask

what you did last summer!”

That time is

coming quickly!

Four Steps to Learning

Unconsciously- incompetent

Consciously- incompetent

Consciously- competent

Unconsciously- competent