Coach Macy's Blog

Coach Macy (March 18, 2010)

As the 2009-2010 basketball season came to an end, I could only think about everyone who made this season a truly special one.  Our friends, family and fans showed their support every step of the way throughout this exciting season and we want to thank you for all you have done.  No other school in the Peach Belt has fans with more passion than FMU.  There were always great fans of FMU even at the farthest destinations.  Oh, and when we played at home, it was a packed house directly behind our bench, creating a fun, loud, and exciting atmosphere

The seniors of the 2009-2010 FMU women's basketball team will embark upon a new leg of their journey and we cannot thank them enough for their contributions to the FMU program.   They experienced another hugely successful year.  We know they will continue that success within their bright futures.  Dawn, Eboni, Shana, Nicole, and Precious will always be part of the FMU family and the FMU tradition.  Thank you for being part of the FMU family today and we expect you to be part of the FMU family always.  

Although the 2009-2010 has drawn to a close, there will always be the memories that will live on from this special season.  Fans and seniors, thank you for everything you have given to us.   FMU is preparing for another new and exciting season and the tradition will live on.  Get ready for another successful year.  We believe we have what it takes.  Do you believe?

Coach Macy (Feb. 22, 2010)

What makes FMU Women's Basketball such a dominant force?  Some would say its Shannon Singleton-Bates' scorching dribble drive scoring instinct.  Others would say its Robin Colbert's leadership on the floor and her ability to rebound and defend at the point guard.   Sure, we could go down the entire roster and say how each player contributes to the FMU tradition.  But, there would still be a piece missing.  There is a force in itself that provides the foundation of FMU basketball, provides the fire behind FMU, and has been a part of the winning tradition since the very beginning.  That very power propelling FMU forward lays within the FMU Patriot fans.  FMU fans feel each sweet victory and share in each loss.  No matter what the circumstances, you are the support structure that stands firm.  You are the flames behind our heat.  You are the voices encouraging us to give our 212-degree effort.  You are our rock.  You are FMU Fans.

FMU fans came out in record numbers and in loud fashion when #19 FMU went head-to-head with #7 Lander University on Senior Night.  Senior Night could not have been more of a crowd pleaser as FMU beat Lander 82-71.  FMU women knew we needed our rock to play well; and we knew the rock could be found in ourselves and found in all of you who believe.   Seeing so many fans at FMU beaming with Patriot Pride created the perfect atmosphere for our girls to put forth a 212-degree effort.  Each play of the game, the girls were inspired by the cheering and incredibly enthusiastic fans.  Every possession was treated as the last possession of a tied game.  Each shot made was cause for a celebration, a shout of joy, and a high five.  The Smith University Center was alive and blazing; igniting FMU pride!  From the students, to Macy's Minute Men, to the long standby fans, everyone had a part in the win.

FMU fans are not just around when RUN FMU is on a winning streak.  You are always here for us from the very beginning of the season to the exciting end of the season.  Time after time you have come out to show your support against nationally ranked teams and against teams where a W is assumed.  There is no such thing as being a fair-weather fan of FMU.  You know all too well that our girls rely on you for support.  At practice, we often discuss our rock and our source of strength.  We circle together around the Patriot logo and link arms.  We take the time to talk about what point we are at in our journey and how we should progress.  We take the time to think about where we get the stamina to keep climbing towards our vision.  We know that our support is both inside and outside the circle.  We know that you will be there sharing in our vision and showing you care because you are always there.

Coach Macy (Feb. 3, 2010)

The midpoint of basketball season is an intense cycle of practice, game, practice, game, practice, game.  How do we keep the fire burning at Francis Marion University Women's Basketball?  We just keep turning up the intensity at practice, going out and making a difference in the community, and always keeping our vision and mind on the prize!

We have gotten back into the swing of things after a fun holiday break.  With each practice, we feel we are getting closer to reaching our goal.  Drills that we have been doing since the first day are done now with even more precision than before.   We keep adding challenges to practice and therefore; we keep the intensity blazing!   The drills we do are tweaked in order to keep the temperature at 212 degrees.  212 degrees symbolizes the extra effort and steps we are taking to continue the legendary tradition of FMU basketball.

Instead of the basic Transition Three drill we normally do, two parts were added; 1.  the girls had to send an immediate outlet to the opposite 3-point wing without dribbling, and 2.  if the shot was good, the girls had to grab it out of the basket and pass it in out of bounds.  At first, the girls had some difficulty, but we were determined.    I pulled them together after their first attempt and told them that they have been doing this drill since October- so what‘s the big deal?  Now, that there is an adjustment, how should we respond?   Games are full of adjustment and we need to respond all the time.  We regrouped and started to encourage each other that we can do this and we can accomplish this together.

Now, we were beaming with confidence and positivity and ready to put forth the 212-degree effort once again.  We took pride in the fact that we were going to make this drill look good!  Just as expected, Transition Threes started to look better and better.  The fire was blazing in our eyes and we were ready to keep applying our best effort to practice!

Not only have our practices provided more passion and 212-degree effort, but our community service activities also energize us and allow us to come together and give back to others.  The girls attended Bingo at the Carolinian Retirement Home on January 19.  This day gave the girls the opportunity to have fun and give back to the community at the same time.  It also allowed us to bond over a common cause in helping others and sharing a good time off the basketball floor.  The retirees enjoyed spending time with FMU Women's Basketball.   We truly had fun this day and we cannot wait for our next opportunity to give back to the community!  FMU Women's Basketball knows that 212-degree effort is to be used both on and off the basketball court.

Another way we keep trying our best and showing our passion is through the thought of the day.  Thoughts of the day are important to the FMU Women's Basketball Team.  Each day, we discuss the thought of the day and how it applies to life.  The girls know what the thought of the day will be in advance.   Then, they are able to think about it and think about how it applies to our FMU mission.   The thought of the day helps fuel and feed the 212 degree intensity at FMU women's basketball!

Each and every day, FMU Women's basketball works hard toward the goals set at the beginning of the season.  Each and every day, through our 212-degree effort, we get closer and closer to tasting the victory at the end of the road.  We know FMU Women's Basketball will be ablaze and scorching with 212 degrees each and every day.   This heat we bring will keep FMU women's basketball flaming!

Coach Macy (Jan. 8, 2010)

A simple shot.  A free look at the basket.  An automatic two.   A free throw.   If it is so simple, then why do many teams and individuals on teams struggle with foul shots?  We have been trying to improve our free throw shooting with the knowledge that free throws win games and great free throw shooting teams win championships.  If our goal is to win the National Championship, then we must look at succeeding on the free throw line as an integral step in pursuing our ultimate goal.

The women at FMU have been shooting free throws since they picked up a basketball as little girls. They have practiced, practiced, practiced.  So free throw shooting should be easy, right?   Not necessarily.  Shooting a free throw is not just skill, it's mental as well.  So how do you coach fourteen ladies to master their minds and make their free throws under pressure as well as every time they step to the line?  Well, at FMU we have practiced, visualized, as well as tried some other unconventional, yet effective methods.

At one particular practice this week, each FMU player made 212 free throws.  There is your practice, practice, practice part.  Why 212 free throws?  Well, the number 212 has significance fr FMU women's basketball because it symbolizes the extra degree we have to take in order to reach our goal of winning a national championship.   It's our boiling point and the number encourages us to keep pushing ourselves to the highest degree possible.   We take pride in the fact that we are going to outwork every other team in the nation in order to produce the desired result.

But, the gym was not silent while the FMU women were shooting 212 free throws; rather we simulated what we would actually face on the road at the free throw line.  Boos, cheers, clapping, and obnoxious shouting provided all too familiar distractions for the girls.  Our goal was to remain mentally tough and still concentrate while at the all important free throw line.  The crowds on the road are not going to be kind, so we must practice for the adversity we will see and stay confident in ourselves that we will come through and convert at the line.

After making those 212 foul shots, we tried some different methods to bolster team unity and team faith in each other.  The girls gathered in a circle and sat around the Patriot logo.   As a team we made statements such as, "I am a good free throw shooter", and "We are a good free throw shooting team."  Then, the girls lay down and closed their eyes to visualize themselves on the line.  While we were visualizing, soothing music was playing in order to get us calm and reflective on our free throw shooting.  The girls came away refreshed and more confident than before.  The combination of these result driven methods helped the ladies realize the importance in free throws.  We now know that if our goal is to win the National Championship, then we must look at free throw shooting as a key ingredient in the recipe for winning it all.

Coach Macy (Dec. 8, 2009)

It's the most wonderful time of the year - that's right...basketball season! It's a time for competition, growth, achievement, and learning. Competition starts in practice.  We practice as hard as we play, but it also happens with everything we do.  Sometimes, I think we would even compete on how much water we drink weekly.  Oh wait...actually, we do!   The growth of this team has been amazing since October 15.  We have made a conscious effort to learn about ourselves and each other to build on our team chemistry.  The more we know each other, the more we can trust and communicate on the court. Starting with preseason, we focused on knowing one another's strengths and weaknesses.  We worked on knowing the tendencies of our teammates, how each teammate likes to catch the ball, our go-to-moves and how each player scores best.  Off court, we learned more about how our teammates learn and respond to each other in different and stressful situations.  All of these things come with a learning curve and I am impressed with how quickly we've moved forward.  I've actually had fans comment that we look like we've played together for years.  What a compliment.  I attribute that solely to the commitment each individual has made to one another and to this program.  We know that to achieve our goals, we must be pulling in the same direction. 

This season is also a time of thanks.  I am most thankful for our team's selflessness. I'm proud that our players are competitive enough to push each other at practice, but at the end of the day to be more concerned with one another's well-being.  See, we have All-Americans that will play 20 minutes a game and understand that with maximum effort we can do more with less.  Every night, we see a new "star" emerge.  We have so many stars that sign bright on the court and in her teammate's eyes.  We are thankful to one another for sharing our time on the court...We are fresh, we are strong... We are FMU.

Coach Macy (Nov. 16, 2009)

As the buzzer sounded for the start of the game, the moment became surreal. November 5, an exhibition game with UNC - Chapel Hill had been on our  schedule for a long time - and it had finally arrived. For the beginning of the game, the announcer reminded us of how UNC and FMU are connected.  Two standout FMU players, Karen Leatherman and Pearl Moore and former FMU athletic director  Gerald Griffin were all recognized.  I was proud and grateful to see so many familiar faces and former players in the stands.  It was a "Sea of Red" in the Carolina blue seats!

The exhibition game gave us the opportunity to connect many old and new faces - from long-time program supporters, young alumni, to new friends and fans of the program.  Players from my first year were wearing their championship t-shirts and reminded me that we are continuing the path of something special. The winning tradition has returned to FMU and this game bridged the two decades. Our alumni are so vital to our success.

After the UNC game concluded, we went into the stands as usual to thank our fans for their support. However, we had one extra visitor in the stands - a man in bright yellow jacket. He was "my" security guard and followed me around the entire night- even into the stands! I bet that was a new adventure for him! As the players and I shook hands and spoke with family and friends I was overwhelmed. It took a little longer than normal to get out of the stands because of all the supporters from the Florence community we greeted. We got back to Florence a lot later than we expected, but it was well worth it, as we have the best community support. Thanks to all who were there. We greatly appreciate it and we are looking forward to our first home game. Can't wait to hear you in the stands!

Coach Macy (Oct. 20, 2009)

Over the summer, I visited one of our biggest supporter's beach home.  As I walked into the dining room area I noticed a huge jigsaw puzzle that was only half way completed.  The first thought that popped into my mind was how complicated it looked.  It was so intricate and it obviously took an incredible amount of patience and poise to connect each piece so perfectly. The pieces were so tiny and most of them looked the same. It would have been easy to say that this jigsaw was too hard to put together and could have been left in a box on a shelf.  However, our supporter later explained to me how it was a work in progress and that her son works on it each time he comes to visit.  He is patient and diligent, and that is what it takes to put together a complicated puzzle.  To start, all of the pieces were scattered on the table, but once the first two pieces were interlocked, we were able to build on those two as our foundation.  Just when you think one little piece may be so insignificant, you find that it fits into a spot you have been stuck on for a while.

The more our conversation progressed, the more I couldn't help but think about the group of players we were in the process of   forming. Our puzzle was somewhat connected, as we had seven key returning players that I felt were the   foundation of our puzzle.  These key pieces understand winning, understand work ethic, and understand the FMU Way.  Now, the question is, could the eight new faces be willing and ready to add to the inner workings of our puzzle?  To do this they must train harder than they have ever trained and commit themselves to being a part of something greater than themselves.

I really feel our season is a work in progress and we need to be persistent in    putting the pieces of our puzzle together to form a whole.  You need to keep at it and don't turn away when you are stuck.  We need to outwork everyone when we don't know where to put one of the puzzle pieces.

We still have some unanswered questions, but I know for sure that all of the pieces of our puzzle are here.  I wake up every day with that puzzle on my mind.  I see it all meshing together.  I know that one day our puzzle will be whole. When that day comes, I will know that we were patient, worked diligently, and connected each part carefully to build this puzzle.