Basketball at Chatham High School was held for 50 consecutive weeks each year. When one season ended, the next practically began. It simply became our way of life and we loved it. When the college season ended in early March, you had two weeks to rest your body and recover mentally and physically for the following season. Coaches were prohibited from scheduling formal workouts and practices until November 1, when the season officially began. However, starting in the last week of March, this group of guys that you just went to war with for 50 straight weeks came together. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and every other Saturday were training and agility days, Tuesday, Thursday, alternating Saturday and Sunday were training days. These training days were a time for the team to come together, and where we all learned each other's style of play and how one player's role on the team perfectly complemented that of all the other players . For example, I played the Power Forward position (Chatham was a very small school), which meant I spent a lot of time at the bottom of the paint and did pick and rolls with the point guards and forwards. shot. The guards and frontcourt worked together every practice to determine every possible way the guard could pass the ball. Playing with the same group of guys day after day allowed each player to memorize all the other players' moves. Our leader was Mike Flemming. He was 5'11, which was taller than many opposing guards, and he easily out-dueled them in almost every aspect of the game. I remember seeing Mike dribbling down the court in the middle of a game, and just by the way he dribbled the ball, or the pattern he followed while running, told me what play he was trying to execute and each... middle of paper. ......f our players, Vince Cipkowski, had become very irritated with Sam Mackerer, who was our starting small forward, for forcing bad shots that rarely went in. Sam had made huge strides in the offseason, and was now taking away a lot of minutes from Vince. Sam heard what Vince was saying and confronted him. Some of what Vince was saying was true, but it should have been directed at Sam, not people outside of the team. Since all this happened, Sam and Vince's friendship has never been the same. This drama ultimately slowed the team in its progress to reach the playoffs and play better together. Sam was now more aware of the shots he was taking, causing him to overthink things on the field. As any basketball coach will tell you, you just have to play the game, because thinking about the game is how you will make mistakes..