There’s something about the number 3. 3 undefeated seasons. 3 straight championships. 30 wins. 3 losses. All earned. None given. And now, one final statement that brought it all full circle. The Championship Game The Hornets opened the championship with purpose—focused, locked in, and aggressive. 13–3 by the end of the first quarter. That wasn’t a run. That wasn’t a comeback. That was the start—like a team that knew exactly who they were. And from there, we never let up. We didn’t give the opponent hope. We didn’t let them breathe. Every moment was managed with intention, like the game was still on the line—because that’s who we are. The…
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YMCA Hornets – Championship Game Day There’s a moment before every championship game when things get quiet. Not silent. Just still enough to feel everything at once—anticipation, pride, reflection. And this morning? That moment came before the sun even broke through the clouds over Central Florida. This is it. Not just the end of a season. Not just a shot at a third straight championship. It’s the closing chapter in something bigger. A journey. A philosophy. A belief system built over four seasons—etched into every drill, every rotation, every mantra. From that very first loss… to a legacy. The Trophy That Wasn’t Ours—Yet Look at the photo above. There are…
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Thursday night marked our final practice of the season. Maybe the final time I ever coach at this YMCA. No big sendoff. No big speeches. Just focused reps, clear intention, and a group of young men who’ve grown far beyond where we started. It didn’t feel like the end. But it was. The last practice before a championship. Before a possible three-peat. Before the final page in a story that started with chaos and evolved into culture. From Uncertainty to Identity We didn’t start as champions. We started as a team that barely had structure, showed up without rhythm, and didn’t know how to win—yet. But we learned. We installed…
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Playoff Week Preparation: The Pause Before the Push After a few weeks off—due to Memorial Day, summer camp season, and scheduling gaps—I found myself staring down an all-too-familiar coaching moment: Fatigue wasn’t physical. It wasn’t mental, really. It was weight—the weight of leadership. The invisible strain of showing up, holding it together, driving something forward when the clarity you started with begins to blur. I’ve been coaching this Hornets team for four seasons now. We’ve gone from 0–2 at the beginning of my volunteer journey to three undefeated seasons with 27 wins and only 3 losses. That doesn’t happen without structure. It doesn’t happen without culture. And it certainly doesn’t…
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No Suspense Needed: The Hornets Held the Line Let’s not save the drama for later—the Hornets won 35-21. But how they won tells the real story. Because it wasn’t just about the scoreboard; it was about structure, system, and a commitment that has now become a defining identity for this team. We were built differently. And it showed. Starting With Purpose: Practice, Prep, and the Six Who Were Ready We came into the game knowing we’d have six players. Our core four were locked in. One player, who had been out sick, showed up last minute. Another, my son, was with me that morning after a difficult week. It was…
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A Day That Almost Broke Me I woke up that morning not with fire—but with fatigue. Not from the schedule, not from the coaching… but from the emotional weight of being a volunteer coach carrying the hopes and development of these kids—and wondering if it even matters anymore. There’s no guidebook for this. No rulebook that tells you how to process discouragement when it comes from all sides. The first hit came in the form of an email—from a player’s guardian. He wouldn’t be at Saturday’s playoff game. He’s attending a basketball camp. And while that might seem minor, it cut deep. We’re two games away from a championship three-peat.…
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It’s often said that championships are built on talent, but won with discipline. That belief couldn’t be more true after Game 5 of the Hornets’ season—a 28–17 win over a tough and gritty Lakers team. Was it our best game of the season? No. Was it another step toward a championship culture? Absolutely. Because sometimes the real story isn’t about how you start or finish—but how you hold the middle together when execution slips, rotations shift, and the structure is tested. A Win That Raised Questions From the outside looking in, a double-digit win might appear comfortable. But from a coaching standpoint, it was a game filled with important teaching…
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In youth basketball, the difference between a good team and a great one often comes down to details—not just on the scoreboard, but in how a team prepares, adjusts, and executes under pressure. This weekend, the Hornets face a familiar rival. It’s a team known for grit and hustle, one that always plays hard and keeps the score close. Games like this have history, emotion, and momentum. But this game won’t be won by passion alone—it will be won by preparation, discipline, and accountability. Building a Culture That Travels As the season progresses, each game becomes less about record and more about identity. Every pass, screen, substitution, and timeout becomes…
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The game had just wrapped up. As the coach of the YMCA Hornets, I was doing a quick post-game recap—just taking a moment to reflect on how things went. The effort. The execution. What we did well. What we could improve. And then—out of nowhere— I got stung by a hornet. Not once. Twice. Now here’s the kicker— Who are we? Hornets. What do we do? Hustle hard. That’s our team mantra. That’s our identity. That’s our culture. We’re usually the ones doing the stinging. But today? I got stung. Twice. And it wasn’t subtle either. If you’ve ever been stung by a hornet, you know—it hits hard. Hornets are…
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In youth basketball, where scores often hover in the 20s and 30s, the outcome of a game is rarely decided by flashy plays or three-point barrages. More often, it comes down to something quieter—but no less critical: youth basketball foul management. If you’re a volunteer coach, it’s easy to focus on rotations, offensive sets, or teaching defensive positioning. But understanding and leveraging the team foul and bonus system can be the difference between a gritty win and a frustrating loss. Here’s what every coach needs to understand—and how to use it to your advantage. 🧠 Understanding the Foul System In many leagues, especially at the YMCA or recreational level, the rules…
