Hey Jill whats next? “Hey Tiny I just verbaled to St. Francis of PA and I am so HAPPY”
To understand why Jill Falvey gave St. Francis of PA a verbal commitment last night you have to see the big picture. This marriage was in the making the day she attended the Red Flash Elite Camp. You see when a young lady meets with coaches there is a feeling out process. The coaches want to know if a kid fits in with other players, will they be happy and most importantly do they understand what the program is about and what it has been about…Jill Falvey answered all those questions and now St. Francis has a player that is going to help them continue to be one of the best Mid Major programs in American…that’s right… in all of America.
St. Francis Head Coach Joe Haigh is all smiles
Jill Falvey understood something most young ladies don’t know….playing at St. Francis of Pa is special. She knows there are only two schools in college basketball that has played in more conference Championship games…U-Conn and Texas. You see St. Francis of Pa has played in 15 NEC championship games, the next closest team to them is Robert Morris who has played in 4. She understood that Coach Joe Haigh has taken the Red Flash to Conference Championship games in his two seasons. She knows the Red Flash played in the NIT last year and that winning at St. Francis is expected and they have a long tradition of success. She knows games at St. Francis are an event and they have one of the best following in women’s basketball, people actually go to St. Francis games I’m talking a lot of people and they care. She knows about the state of art, spanking new Weight Room and how that will help her become an even better player. But most of all Jill Falvey understood that you have to WANT TO BE PART OF ST. FRANCIS PA TO JOIN THEIR FAMILY, and Jill not only wanted to be part it, but dreamed about it…Here is what she told me last week “I have dreamed that a school like St. Francis would recruit me, I wanted to go there the moment I saw the school, if they offer me I am going there.” Dream school mission accomplished and it took some hard work and help along the way.
Middletown South are a Family…just like St. Francis
When Middletown South won their first State Championship since 1979 this year, it was Jill Falvey who battled the two 6’3” athletic and Division one bound forwards from Neptune, Lorena Hubbard (Fla/AM) and Iyonna Crenshaw(LaSalle). She played every minute of the game and never allowed either to dominate. She rebounded everything that came off the glass and the ones she couldn’t get, she slapped out to teammates, Falvey was FAV-bulous and she proved that night she was the real deal. But it’s what she said to me after that game that got my attention. She said “ We wanted to win this game for Coach Brennan he does so much for us, watching tape, scouting and believing in us” Folks this is why St. Francis is happy to have Jill Faverly. She actually believes being a good person matters and St. Francis proved it matters to them as well.
Jill Falvey better use to court storming because SFPA has played in 15 conference championship games
On her visit to St. Francis what did she talk about? Not herself, nope she wanted to talk about what she says is one of the best players in New Jersey; Her teammate Step Karcz who she says is so nice and talks how she loves playing with her. Yup this is what impressed the St Francis staff about her after her visit. They understood this is a young lady who is not full of herself and understands it about relationship building. She has the same thing that the St. Francis of PA program has had for a long time… CHARACTER!
Jill Falvey brings more than her special skill sets
When you live in the gym all fall and train year round at some point it has to pay off. Yesterday Jill Falvey and SFPA each got their payoff and that’s each other. Jill Falvey gets her dream school and St. Francis gets another player who fits what their program is about… winning consistently. I can assure you St. Francis has no idea how good this young lady will be; once she walks on their campus in over a year from now. They are going to be shocked that she will be stronger and even more polished. Remember Jill torn her ACL folks and lost a year. It was AAU master coach Beth Chambers who told her to go play for the Whalen Shoreshots because she knew it was a better fit. How many AAU coaches are doing that folks? It was Tracey Sabino who then convinced her to join the ShoreShots and to train year round. Then it was Joe Whalen who let her play both inside and out in an AAU setting. But in the end it was “the Professor” Coach Tom Brennan of Middletown South who gave her the road map. He taught her how to play the game of basketball the right way and he taught her how to win. Tom Brennan folks has developed and notice the word “DEVELOPED” more D1 and college bound players than anyone. His kids may not arrive as D1 players but so often they leave as one.
“We wanted to win it for him” Jill Falvey another D1 player developed by Tom Brennan
Jill Falvey and her family should be proud because here is a kid who did not take short cuts to reach her dreams. She was ok with being a teammate and was happy to share the spotlight and allow everyone their moment to shine and feel special. She took baby steps on their family journey together and then she out worked a lot of people with bigger reps along the way. Remember I see them all in a little training ground called NBS and she very quietly won almost every battle, week in and week out, most people don’t know this, because many people don’t do their homework…kind of reminds you of the St. Francis PA basketball program; a lot of people don’t know their history and record of dominance which Joe Haigh and his program have been done for 20 years and will continue with the help of Jill Falvey
“Hey Jill, we stand up for each other and will do the same for YOU”
Learn more about the St. Francis Program and its amazing sucess go to http://www.sfuathletics.com/index.aspx?path=wbball
When I think of Jill Faverly this John Mayer song jumps out at me… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVdeq6KNrgA
Coaches Week at Hoop Group starts tomorrow 9am-2pm…parents be smart great week of camp