I have been saying it for years. In the fall the hardest thing for kids to do is get to the finish line before the season starts. It’s a true balancing act. On one hand kids want to rest up and get ready for the season. On the other hand they need to turn up the heat to be ready for the season. It’s those who master that balancing act that in most years have a successful season.

The Ocean kids and Team will most certainly get to the finish line

There are going to be kids and teams that get more locked in than ever the next 2 weeks. Now everyone knew that first day of practice was coming long ago. Many worked hard for weeks. They did the AAU thing. They did the summer high school practices. They played in the fall league. But none of that matters now. That’s because the final weeks of the fall can derail it all. I have seen it over and over again over the years. That senior who just wants the season to start. The junior who is so concerned with injury that all they do is drill. That sophomore who just wants to get in the weight room but hasn’t figured out it’s about competition. These are all things that lead to a bad close to the fall and leave kids disappointed during the season.

Do not kid yourself, most coaches already know their roster and rotations. Now it’s about performance in a few weeks. It will determine what a season is going to look like. You see some kids are going to get off to a great start. Meanwhile others will struggle. I know in most cases the final weeks of the fall sets a tone for such things. Some kids are going to work right up to the first day of practice. Then when their opportunity comes they will pounce on it. That’s because will be prepared and they got to the finish line. It’s so much harder than people realize.

Madison Kocis will go from a role player to prime time player

Soon role players a year ago will slide into prime time roles. It then we will get truth. Not in blow out games. But in the season defining games. Trust me, you will know the end game long before those games get started. You just have to simply know what a kid did leading to the start of the season. Did they get in the gym against real competition or did they settle into their safe zone. You see the fall league wins and losses don’t matter. But how a kid performs does. It tells you the level of commitment by a kid. It tells you who is going to get to the finish line.

Kids are mentally tired these days. Some want a break. Some just want to be a kid before the season starts, you know refreshing themselves. Some just run in packs with their crowd of friends whose basketball commitment is suspect at best. These kids are not getting to the finish line and championships are not their driving force. They are as I like to say… ARE SIMPLY PLAYING IT OUT!

RBC has been all in and believe it there year and clearly see the finish line

This will be the first time in a long time that the Shore title is up for grabs. There are going to be kids who can smell blood in the water. These kids and teams will roll into the first day of practice with fire and preparation. Others will give big motivational speeches how the fall doesn’t matter now, how everyone has a fresh start, how this is there time. Well none of those things are true. A players time is now and getting to the finish line is the best way to START OVER!