Middletown’s South Freshman Stephanie Mayerhofer
I am always harder on the most talented players in my program. It’s rare that I get on a kid who is not a star or mega talented. You can kill a young players self esteem, if they are not confident enough. How you talk to a growing player is important as you try to build there confidence and skills at the same time…YOU CANNOT BE A PHONY! A good coach knows, never have a player question what your saying regarding there abilities? Phony motivation is never long lasting..
Stephanie Mayerhofer is not a star, but like I said, I’m tough on my kids especially the great young player or those with Division 1 offers or a reputation. I’ve had many of great players leave the program, nobody is treated special at NBS. There is no weekly program in the country with the talent of NBS… NONE. NBS produces over 60 perfect of the Division 1 talent in the state in most years. In the case of Mayerhofer, I treat her like a proven star and Future Division 1 player. She doesn’t get the pass, that many growing and developing players in the program get and that’s the way she wants it.
Stephanie Mayerhofer is the ultimate gym rat, with no agenda’s..except too get better
When Stephanie Mayerhofer comes into the gym, I say “soccer practice is next door”. When she arrives for shooting I say “oh I thought you retired”. I say these things as if she is not dedicated, which is complete nonsense. Stephanie is one of the hardest workers …I have ever seen period…. and I mean ever. She is the rare kid who loves basketball with no agenda attached to it. She is not worrying about a scholarship or having her name in print. She plays basketball, because it’s what she does.
I am hard on Stephanie, in fact over the top hard. My guess is at times she must think… Tiny doesn’t think I am very good or can do anything right. I tell her “your shot needs work, it’s not good enough”. “I tell her your taking shorts cuts when she is not in the gym …ONE DAY”… I tell her that her “ball handling is weak and not next level”. I ask her “why are you training against weak competition, are you scared to play against baller’s?”. When I know she went to train with her high school team or another training environment. Now most of what am saying is total nonsense.
So why do I say such things you ask? She is not a superstar, no way she has the confidence of my older players. So why? Because Stephanie can not only take the heat, she responds to the heat. She like proving me wrong, she likes that I doubt her, it makes her stronger. I tell her that her shooting stinks and she is at the HOOP GROUP after school shooting. Then she stays after NBS on the weekends and shoots for a hour. I tell her, ” your handle is weak and not good enough to play point guard”. She comes down and works on her handle and then goes to POINT GUARD SCHOOL. I know she lives for competition, she thrives and feeds on it. Stephanie does not want me to baby her. What she wants from me, is to help her get better. SHE WANTS TO GAIN A EDGE. So Stephanie Mayerhofer responds to hard tough coaching, she feeds off it. Give her a challenge and she responds with fire.
Stephy at #NBS pic.twitter.com/qKDmKBvJMX
— Mayo (@kennymayo) September 28, 2015
Change of direction, pace and stopping for Stephaine at NBS
When NBS started last fall, Stephanie signed up for one day. Truth be told I was annoyed. I thought to myself another set of parents who won’t trust the process. In most cases, I just move a one day kid to the waiting list and forget about them. It’s like deuces, you don’t get what we’re trying to do here. But Stephanie is special to me. She’s reminds me of Megan McGuinness, who arrived at Middletown South with no rep and out worked everyone to become one of the best players in New Jersey. Stephanie is that kid who just wants to please you, she will run though a 100 walls for you. I told her mother, she needed to do both days. “She can’t do both” her mother said ….I was disappointed. Because I know the track record for kids who do NBS both days in the fall…by the way the opening week has again proven me right. But I knew still Stephanie would put work in. I knew this because I saw her at HOOP GROUP 4 days a week for 3 hours a day.
One day, I asked Stephanie’s mother, why she was missing NBS on Sunday’s. She said “she has games”. My heart broke, I said to myself, other hard working talented kid, getting lost in fall AAU games. I then told her mom something, I have told too many parents in the past. I told her mom, “all those hours spent driving in the car and playing meaningless games…. Well you and she, will want those hours back one day”!… I normally wouldn’t be so direct with a parent. But I’ve seen this movie too often. I tell parents every year before the season starts. When that jumper doesn’t go down…when the ball handling lets them down…. when the defense is not there, when they need it. When they come up short for that rebound. When they don’t play or have their minutes reduced....THERE GOING TO WANT THOSE HOURS BACK! Oh, I’ve seen it year after year, it’s like clockwork. I am watching it this year, as I type.
I did not want such things to happen to Stephanie Mayerhofer . Because she works too hard and puts too much effort into becoming a better basketball player. Stephanie did attend Sunday NBS’s sessions. She joined her AAU team for games as well. She decided she was not going to take short cuts, if she had to do both, she was going to do both. There just aren’t many kids with Stephanie’s commitment, desire and more importantly will to get better.
Mayerhofer is relentless in her pursuit for perfection
If somebody told me, I would mention these words two years ago, I would’ve laughed. But I believe Stephanie Mayerhofer one day is going to wear a Division 1 basketball uniform. Here is why, she has this insane appetite for coaching. She’s excuse free in anything you tell her, that must be done. Then finally she has something that all players, who hope to one day be successful have…She is EGO FREE and open to criticism. But does not allow it to crush her confidence or desire. Now if you think that last one is easy. I’m here to tell you it’s not. Because there’s one thing I’m very sure about. There is a fine line in coaching. I’ve seen many a kid who was pushed to hard and had their spirit broken. Then I’ve seen too many kids who don’t develop because coaches are afraid the player can’t handle the heat in this feel good era. There’s not a chance anyone could break Stephanie Mayerhofer’s spirit and that’s because she just wants it too much.
Mayerhofer(r.) with teammates and Mega freshman star Kayla Richardson(L.) at USA BASKETBALL CLINIC
The high school season started last week. Those freshman with big reputations were hoping to make a big statement. Stephanie Mayerhofer was not one of those big name freshman, people like Tiny Green write about. She does play with the player most believe is the best freshman in the Shore. Middletown South’s Kayla Richardson is a high school coaches dream and a college coaches wish. On Tuesday Miss Richard brought our her full arsenal of goodies. She had 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 assists vs. Wall. Backing up what most already knew, she is special. But another freshman on Middletown, a virtual unknown freshman made a statement too..Stephanie Mayerhofer, had 16 points, 3 assists and 2 steals. Unlike her superstar Freshman teammate. Nobody expected Stephanie Mayerhofer to have a night like this, so early in her career…that is except Stephanie. Stephanie Mayerhofer, bet on herself, when others dismissed her. College coaches are are going to want her services on day. Stephanie Mayerhofer, will be that good one day. Middletown South High School has a true gym rat and a real teammate. Stephanie Mayerhofer is a role model for kids WITHOUT big Reps… but have BIG hearts. Stephanie Mayerhofer’s hard work is showing up on the court.. I’m happy for her, because it’s always easier…. to root for great kids!
UPDATE-
THE HOLIDAY HOOP CAMP…DECEMBER 26TH TO DECEMBER 30TH…parent I don’t let your kids sit home. Let them grow and have fun….one man’s opinion!
join us for a week of fun, skill and games.
CORE SKILLS SATURDAY IS FILLING UP…YOU BE WISE TO SIGN UP FOLKS!…STARTS JAN 7TH AND…. WILL SELL OUT.