My night at the Liberty game… and you’re invited to a discount, too

“AND HERE ARE YOUR NEW YORK LIBERTYYYYY!”  Those words by the announcer got the crowd rockin’ Thursday night at Madison Square Garden as the New York Liberty hosted the Washington Mystics.  This post will tell you a little about my experience and gives a great offer for an experience of your own.

I have to admit, last night’s game was only my second WNBA game and coincidentally, it was my second Liberty game.  I had courtside tickets for the first time ever, thanks to a recent contest on WomenTalkSports.com.  After last night I realized that everyone sitting around me who were also court side, seemed to all know each other.

It was like the court side fraternity.  No wonder all the celebrities hang out there, it’s a great place to be!  Fans were high-fiving each other and talking to the players each time they’d run down the court.

Speaking of fans, upon first glance, the only one-third filled Garden didn’t seem too intimidating, but I have to say, once the game started those loyal fans can really make some noise.  Although the majority of the first half the Liberty were taking quite the beating, the crowd would still cheer like crazy when something went their way.

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Team Dynamics and Lifelong friendships

  This is not a political or even a current event topic, but I thought I would share a little personal story about friendships and the value of being a member of a team.  Although I am describing my relationships on my basketball team, I do recognize that there are many other “teams” other than relating to athletics. 

  Recently, I received a phone call from a former basketball teammate of mine announcingher engagement.  After pausing to let the shock sink in, I started reminiscingon the friendships I had made with my basketball teammates.  Even though there are many former teammates that I do not speak with reguarly, I still do have contact with a good number of alums.  Only after I graduated from my New Jersey college did I really begin to grasp the sheer privilege of being on my basketball team with 15 or 16 others.  I gained valuable communication skills, leadership qualities, important time management skills, as well as numerous other priceless life lessons. 

 To this day, I regularly communicate with a handful of my former teammates and consider those women to be some of my closest, if not the closest friends I have.  Many go to college, but few leave with the lifelong friendships that were formed from athletic teams.  I cherish my time in school and that I had my basketball family members with me every step of the way and for that I thank each and every one of them.

Coaching, athletic programs and budget issues…Yikes!

Talk about a difficult task. With the economy basically falling apart and with the daily reports saying the end is nowhere to be seen, everyone in this country has to be feeling some effects. I myself, am one of those people feeling the pinch.

As a Division III basketball coach with a fairly small budget to start with, the imploding economy is really no help! Our recruiting budget was slashed to nearly ziltch, travel plans/funds were drastically cut, and the overall morale of my school has been declining for months. It’s tough to recruit in such times, but even more difficult to recruit with no budget.

I can imagine I am not alone in my feelings of angst and frustration with money contraints, so what are the smaller colleges and universities to do? Why are the extracurricular activities the first to go? How about cutting out those university 101 courses that allow all freshmen to hate life and learning about their school?

That should provide some much-needed funds towards athletics. Or, how about cutting the salaries of the over-paid professors that never darken their classroom’s doorway so their TA’s can teach? Such a world will never exist…