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Elevate Your Game

The Cedar Chest Tells All: Coaching Lessons Buried in Memory

by Shawn Jones on Sep 9, 2025

It took me years to learn that my emotions toward my teams didn’t have to come from the team, the players, or the circumstances we encountered. I didn’t understand why some seasons I loved being around my teams while other years felt like sitting in…

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To Three, or Not to Three…

by Shawn Jones on Aug 26, 2025

I challenge you to watch any athlete—boy or girl—over the age of 9 or 10. Where do they go as soon as they step on the court? Yep, straight to the three-point line. Why? What makes that little arc so magically enticing to every shooter?…

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The Varsity Question Every Coach Faces

by Shawn Jones on Aug 12, 2025

We’ve all been in that situation: you’ve got a senior or two who have been in your program for years — maybe they’ve played JV for three seasons, maybe even sat behind sophomores as juniors — and now they’re finally seniors, ready for their varsity…

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What’s Happening to Grassroots Basketball?

by Joyce Ekworomadu on Aug 4, 2025

I’ve been around this game my whole life. I’ve played professionally. I’ve coached for over 15 years at the grassroots level. I’ve worked with middle schoolers learning how to pivot, high schoolers chasing scholarships, and teams grinding just to be seen. I’ve seen basketball at…

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I Spell FUN “W-I-N”

by Shawn Jones on Jul 29, 2025

I’ve coached for 30 years on both the boys’ and girls’ side of basketball. I’ve spent the last decade of my career also serving as an athletic director, watching all sports and noticing the similarities. What I’ve learned is this: kids want to have fun,…

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Training is Hard. Regret is Harder.

by Joyce Ekworomadu on Jul 21, 2025

There’s a reason most people don’t put in extra work—because it’s hard. I’ve been there. After a long day, your body’s begging to rest, your mind’s drained, and nobody would blame you for calling it. But I’ve played in the WNBA—and how I got there…

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Someone Has to Win It—Why Not Us?

by Shawn Jones on Jul 8, 2025

For 30 years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as a head coach and athletic director in Texas, and I’ve learned that one of the most powerful things a coach can do is push athletes beyond what they believe is possible. It’s not just about…

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Do You Coach Like You Want Your Players to Train?

by Joyce Ekworomadu on Jun 30, 2025

We’re always pushing our athletes to get better. “Level up.”“Put in the work.”“Get 1% better every day.” But when’s the last time we — as coaches — did the same? Don’t get me wrong, coaching is already a grind. We wear every hat: motivator, mentor,…

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The Cost of Chasing the Scoreboard

by Shawn Jones on Jun 16, 2025

In today’s hyper-competitive youth and high school basketball world, it’s tempting—almost expected—for coaches to chase wins at all costs. Parents want championships. Communities want banners. Programs want trophies. But too often, in the pursuit of short-term glory, we lose sight of the bigger mission: preparing…

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Challenging the Myth: Why You (Can’t) Be Anything You Want

by Shawn Jones on Jun 11, 2025

I hear people tell kids all the time, “You can be anything you want, if you work hard enough.” The truth is, you can’t. You can’t be something you don’t have the physical size, strength, aptitude, or qualifications for. That’s just reality. I’d love to…

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