Our other son, Tyler, is with his grandparents. Because he's being treated for leukemia, his immune system is much weaker than the average person. If he gets sick, it becomes more difficult than just resting on the couch. It could mean a visit to Johns Hopkins Hospital and possibly getting admitted as an inpatient. So, we do our best to avoid that.
While she's gone, Brenda checks in throughout the day. Usually she's either in a gym, traveling to a gym or in her hotel room. Her opportunities are limited, but we try to talk on the phone, do "Face Time", send texts, photos and videos. The boys are always excited to hear from her. They get really silly, which is a lot of fun.
It's not uncommon for Brenda to be in a gym from before 8 a.m. until after 10 p.m. On days like that, she watches 10+ consecutive games. Her staff members do likewise and they are in contact during the day, sharing observations. Imagine several consecutive days of doing that and add in short nights and travel. That's how you get it done, when you're trying to build and sustain a program. I truly admire my wife's drive, determination and ability to outwork her husband.
When my wife was pregnant and only the two of us really knew about it, I traveled with her some during this recruiting period. We wanted to do our best to ensure a healthy pregnancy, so my job was to get her food and drink, carry her bags and do my best to make sure she was comfortable. Actually, that doesn't sound all that different from my life when Brenda isn't pregnant.
If you want an amusing sidebar, during that time of accompanying my wife during her pregnancy, some coaches from other schools accused me of illegally contacting recruits in the gym. They did it anonymously and submitted it to the NCAA. I responded that the charges were completely false. I also offered that if any of my accusers were willing to reveal themselves, I would travel at my own expense to see them and we could clear up this misunderstanding. I never heard back from any of them. Nothing ever came of it, but this has to be a window into what the NCAA gets flooded with on a regular basis. I do have to admit, I did find it funny and flattering that strangers would think I have these amazing powers of persuasion. Trust me when I tell you that for most of my life, women haven't wanted to hear anything I have to say. LOL
If you want an amusing sidebar, during that time of accompanying my wife during her pregnancy, some coaches from other schools accused me of illegally contacting recruits in the gym. They did it anonymously and submitted it to the NCAA. I responded that the charges were completely false. I also offered that if any of my accusers were willing to reveal themselves, I would travel at my own expense to see them and we could clear up this misunderstanding. I never heard back from any of them. Nothing ever came of it, but this has to be a window into what the NCAA gets flooded with on a regular basis. I do have to admit, I did find it funny and flattering that strangers would think I have these amazing powers of persuasion. Trust me when I tell you that for most of my life, women haven't wanted to hear anything I have to say. LOL
These days, I'll still take occasional recruiting trips, a.k.a. "dates" with my wife. I like to call it "Driving Miss Brenda". I'm her chauffeur while she gets work done. It actually is a big help for her to not lose those hours of possible productivity in the car. We also get a chance to talk, which any couple can tell you is a challenge when you're raising kids. Sometimes, we even get to try some fine dining, like Panera. Yes, we are two hopeless romantics.
As far as this July recruiting period goes, the staff, led by recruiting coordinator Tina Langley, meets and organizes who goes where. Many of the locations are familiar and repeat visits from previous years- i.e. Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago. Brenda is very involved in recruiting. Not every head coach is that way, but my wife really wants to know the players she's ultimately attaching her fate to. She also has a good eye for identifying and evaluating players.
The four members of the staff- Brenda, Tina, Marlin Chinn and David Adkins- all hit the road during July recruiting. Three of them can be "out" at any given time and the fourth is usually "on deck" waiting his or her turn to go back "on". In the gym, there is a lot of socializing going on among coaches from various schools. It makes sense that friends try to catch up in these settings.
One of my all-time favorite July stories took place back in 2008. In a certain stretch, Brenda had to decide what event she was going to travel to and where her time was best spent. The conventional decision would've been to get on a plane and fly to South America, where a young USA Basketball team was competing in an international event. Theoretically, USA Basketball is comprised of the best players in that age group. Brenda decided instead to go to a little event called "The Battle of Baltimore" which had no reputation as a "big time" event, stacked with high major talent. When she walked into the arena where it was being held, the few college coaches on hand were mostly D-2, D-3 and low D-1. And the talent on hand lived up to its advance under-billing. However, also on hand that day was an AAU team named the "Mid Penn Motion", coached by Tina Thomas and featuring a young Alyssa Thomas. All I can say is that it was love at first sight and going to that event ranks as one of the best decisions my wife ever made. The rest is history.
As far as this July recruiting period goes, the staff, led by recruiting coordinator Tina Langley, meets and organizes who goes where. Many of the locations are familiar and repeat visits from previous years- i.e. Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago. Brenda is very involved in recruiting. Not every head coach is that way, but my wife really wants to know the players she's ultimately attaching her fate to. She also has a good eye for identifying and evaluating players.
The four members of the staff- Brenda, Tina, Marlin Chinn and David Adkins- all hit the road during July recruiting. Three of them can be "out" at any given time and the fourth is usually "on deck" waiting his or her turn to go back "on". In the gym, there is a lot of socializing going on among coaches from various schools. It makes sense that friends try to catch up in these settings.
One of my all-time favorite July stories took place back in 2008. In a certain stretch, Brenda had to decide what event she was going to travel to and where her time was best spent. The conventional decision would've been to get on a plane and fly to South America, where a young USA Basketball team was competing in an international event. Theoretically, USA Basketball is comprised of the best players in that age group. Brenda decided instead to go to a little event called "The Battle of Baltimore" which had no reputation as a "big time" event, stacked with high major talent. When she walked into the arena where it was being held, the few college coaches on hand were mostly D-2, D-3 and low D-1. And the talent on hand lived up to its advance under-billing. However, also on hand that day was an AAU team named the "Mid Penn Motion", coached by Tina Thomas and featuring a young Alyssa Thomas. All I can say is that it was love at first sight and going to that event ranks as one of the best decisions my wife ever made. The rest is history.
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