After being released from the San Antonio Silver Stars last year, former Middle Tennessee State forward Alysha Clark (@Alysha_Clark) is back in training camp for a second shot at making the roster. She has offered to provide us first-hand insight about her experience with a training camp journal. Today she writes about continuing to concentrate and execute through fatigue and working with Vickie Johnson.
Day 8:
Today we were back at our regular practice complex. We picked up right where we left on Friday. We started practice with a film session from our Friday practice. Coach also talked about the "No Jean Rule". Yeah, some of us will be running to the mall tomorrow ha-ha. After film we took the court and introduced some zone basics and then stretched.
We started with out defensive closeout drill and then moved into some 5-0 review. Today was about tempo and execution. We did our 3 on 3 conversion drill where you start 3 on 3 and then go to 3 on 2 and come back 2 on 1. Everything we're doing now is to help condition not only our bodies, but our minds. Coach has been stressing that when fatigue sets in we need to concentrate and execute better. We broke up and did some post and guard shooting; then we did some team shooting competitions. At the end we played a few 7 and 5 minute games. Lastly, Coach worked on some time and score situations. He had one team down 3 with less than 30 seconds and they were shooting a free throw. He coached both teams on what to run and how to play it out. It was a good practice, but we still have some improvements to make.
After practice I stayed and shot with my teammate and then we did a shooting & conditioning drill with Coach Vickie Johnson. I love having her there to work with. She not only understands the game as a coach, but she understands it as a player and knows what to put you through to push yourself physically and mentally. After that workout, we still had to lift weights. I got a great lift in and pushed myself until I was tired. It was a long day at the office, but I wouldn't want to be doing anything else :-)
I decided to stop by the store to get stuff for dinner. I'm made a steak, baked and sweet potatoes with some steamed veggies. I thought about going to Longhorn and getting it to go, but I'm working on money saving habits and I like to cook :-)
Until next time,
Alysha