With our recruiting now finished for this year, I'm spending time reviewing last season's team systems and planning adjustments that will best fit our new roster. The summer is filled with video work, evaluation, and preparation for the upcoming season.
The in-town players have also been busy putting in the work. Most mornings at 7:00 a.m., our local guys are in the gym working on individual skills and competing in small-sided games. This is in addition to our evening team scrimmages, which provide a great opportunity to continue developing chemistry and building toward the season.
One of the highlights of summer workouts is the opportunity to have some recent alumni and current professional players join us and help raise the level of competition. We've had appearances from James Wagner and Keith Omoerah, and even a brief (but very winded!) return to the hardwood from Ogo Okwumabua. Having former Bisons back in the gym is always a great reminder of the strong basketball family that exists within our program.
With several out-of-town players joining the team next season - including players from Carberry, Edmonton, Montreal, Chilliwack, and Finland - there has also been plenty of work behind the scenes organizing living arrangements and completing class registrations for all players, which took place in early July.
Recruiting never really stops, though. In early August, I'll be travelling to Regina to attend the Canada Basketball National Championships, where I'll begin evaluating many of the top players for next year's recruiting class.
I've always had a passion for coach education, and the offseason provides a great opportunity to connect with other coaches and share ideas. In June, I hosted my second annual coaches' clinic on tactical concepts, geared toward young female coaches, and it was a tremendous success.
In July, I'll be teaching two advanced coaching certification courses at the University of Manitoba. I've been teaching these courses for the past 13 years. While they're above and beyond my normal workload, I genuinely enjoy the opportunity to work with aspiring coaches each summer.
In late August, I'll be travelling to Ireland as the lead clinician at the Irish National Coaching Conference. I'll spend seven days sharing basketball ideas and learning from coaches from across the country. And, hopefully, I'll also have time to enjoy a few Guinness with the locals!
As we look ahead, preparations continue for the opening of training camp in late August. We have something different planned for this year's camp, but those details will be announced at a later date. We are excited to get the new season underway and continue building on the momentum of Bisons basketball.