In the Backcourt with Backes
November 22, 2018 | Women's Basketball
What is takes to turn around a program
MADISON, Wis. – Get an inside look at the Wisconsin Women's Basketball team all season long as freshman Carmen Backes writes a bi-weekly blog called "In the Backcourt with Backes!"
In her second blog, Backes writes about the Badgers overtime win over IUPUI and how Coach Jonathan Tsipis is rebuilding Wisconsin.
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There is hopeful excitement in the air at the Kohl Center this week.
Our record now is 4-0 for the first time since the 2006-07 season, and we are starting to take pride in our success and strength as a team.
Monday night was our toughest battled yet against a strong IUPUI team. The entire game was a battle, no team ever pulled away with a substantial lead. As the clock wound down in the fourth quarter, the score was tied. We geared up for an electrifying five minutes of overtime. With 15 seconds left in overtime, we were down by a point and IUPUI had the ball.
When their player picked up her dribble, Kendra left her player to go double team the opponent. Determined, Kendra reached in and locked her hands onto the ball. The refs blew their whistles, indicating the jump ball. It was our possession!
Coach called a timeout and drew up a play. We executed and got Marsha the ball at the top of the key. Â No one was going to get in between Marsha and the basket. It was very appropriate that the game was in her hands because we look to Marsh as one of the major leaders on the court. She came through for us when we needed it by putting us up by one point. IUPUI threw up an off-balanced three and missed, securing us the first 4-0 start in 10 seasons.
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People always talk about rebuilding a program and creating a family culture, but those are very abstract concepts extremely difficult to attain. Yet Coach Tsip seems to have a niche. He turned around George Washington's team in four years, leading them from a record of 11-18 to winning two Atlantic 10 Conference championships along with two NCAA tournament appearances. Our team this year is the turning point Wisconsin women's basketball has been waiting for.
I had a chance to sit down with Coach Tsipis in his office this week to discuss the practical themes behind his rebuilding mindset. He brought up four points that he came to Wisconsin ready to implement. It was an enlightening opportunity for me to understand how what we do every day as a part of this team fits in with the bigger picture of building a powerhouse program.
The first focus he had coming to Wisconsin was on the daily habits of our team. This is a rare perspective to hear from a head coach because they typically see things in the big picture only. With our team, the focus is on getting better today, not just as an athlete, but as a student, and a person. We hold ourselves accountable to give full effort everyday by going to class, practicing hard with a good attitude, and taking care of our bodies.
As a member of the team, I see this attention to detail and emphasis of being present and taking advantage of all opportunities. After each practice, our wonderful manager squad calculates an energy rating for each player from the number of high fives they give and their effort in practice. Each practice we get tangible feedback about our positivity and effort which ensures we never take a day off mentally.
Secondly, the goal for this program is to develop balanced individuals who contribute value to the people around them. We push each other to be the best version of ourselves on and off the court. We truly are more than friends, we are family and we take care of each other like a family.
On the court, in the weight room, and in the classroom, we are the types of people who aren't satisfied just being mediocre. We have high expectations for ourselves and others and that is what makes us better every day.
The only true part of a program that matters is the people involved in it. This year Coach Tsipis was able to make big additions of enthusiastic people to this program. A common thread in our personnel, coaches, and players is that we are self-motivated, and positive. Rebuilding a program requires a specific type of person who is optimistic, patient, and determined.
This summer our team cultivated this necessary enthusiasm by working through a book called The Energy Bus. We gathered each week and discussed different themes from the reading. This was very beneficial because now we all have common vernacular and can collaborate our visions and work towards a clear common goal.
The most valuable part of the book was the platform it provided for us to really get to know each other more than how we interact on the court. We shared about life goals and visions outside of basketball and how we can come along side each other to encourage everyone's dreams. This experience taught us how crucial positive energy is to a team environment.
Another component of rebuilding which is evident in our team this year is consistency. Consistency for us is not having everything work smoothly all the time. Instead, it's having consistent steady reactions to the unexpected negative outcomes.
These roadblocks come in many forms – injuries, losses, and bad days. They are inevitable, but we have learned that we can consistently react in a positive manner in these circumstances. Our coaches are steady people that we know we can go to in those rocky times. They help us find perspective and re-center.
There is an environment of consistent greatness here at Wisconsin. Academically students have access to world-class professors and classes. In addition, many other teams here at Wisconsin are ranked incredibly high nationally. Across the board, we are surrounded consistently by successful coaches and athletes. This attitude has rubbed off on our team and now we have taken what we have learned from other programs and begun to contribute back to the culture of winning.
In honor of Thanksgiving today, I think it's appropriate to reflect on how blessed we are to be a part of this special team this year. It's an honor to represent such a prestigious school like Wisconsin and spend every day with the wonderful people involved with the women's basketball program. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!
On, Wisconsin!
Carmen BackesÂ
In her second blog, Backes writes about the Badgers overtime win over IUPUI and how Coach Jonathan Tsipis is rebuilding Wisconsin.
Â
There is hopeful excitement in the air at the Kohl Center this week.
Our record now is 4-0 for the first time since the 2006-07 season, and we are starting to take pride in our success and strength as a team.
Monday night was our toughest battled yet against a strong IUPUI team. The entire game was a battle, no team ever pulled away with a substantial lead. As the clock wound down in the fourth quarter, the score was tied. We geared up for an electrifying five minutes of overtime. With 15 seconds left in overtime, we were down by a point and IUPUI had the ball.
When their player picked up her dribble, Kendra left her player to go double team the opponent. Determined, Kendra reached in and locked her hands onto the ball. The refs blew their whistles, indicating the jump ball. It was our possession!
Coach called a timeout and drew up a play. We executed and got Marsha the ball at the top of the key. Â No one was going to get in between Marsha and the basket. It was very appropriate that the game was in her hands because we look to Marsh as one of the major leaders on the court. She came through for us when we needed it by putting us up by one point. IUPUI threw up an off-balanced three and missed, securing us the first 4-0 start in 10 seasons.
Â
Coming off of such a confidence boosting win, I felt like it would be timely to take a step back and analyze the major overhaul of the women's basketball program which has occurred since Coach Tsip took over.THE GAME WINNER!!! pic.twitter.com/zS2AwAvm48
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerWBB) November 20, 2018
People always talk about rebuilding a program and creating a family culture, but those are very abstract concepts extremely difficult to attain. Yet Coach Tsip seems to have a niche. He turned around George Washington's team in four years, leading them from a record of 11-18 to winning two Atlantic 10 Conference championships along with two NCAA tournament appearances. Our team this year is the turning point Wisconsin women's basketball has been waiting for.
I had a chance to sit down with Coach Tsipis in his office this week to discuss the practical themes behind his rebuilding mindset. He brought up four points that he came to Wisconsin ready to implement. It was an enlightening opportunity for me to understand how what we do every day as a part of this team fits in with the bigger picture of building a powerhouse program.
The first focus he had coming to Wisconsin was on the daily habits of our team. This is a rare perspective to hear from a head coach because they typically see things in the big picture only. With our team, the focus is on getting better today, not just as an athlete, but as a student, and a person. We hold ourselves accountable to give full effort everyday by going to class, practicing hard with a good attitude, and taking care of our bodies.
As a member of the team, I see this attention to detail and emphasis of being present and taking advantage of all opportunities. After each practice, our wonderful manager squad calculates an energy rating for each player from the number of high fives they give and their effort in practice. Each practice we get tangible feedback about our positivity and effort which ensures we never take a day off mentally.
Secondly, the goal for this program is to develop balanced individuals who contribute value to the people around them. We push each other to be the best version of ourselves on and off the court. We truly are more than friends, we are family and we take care of each other like a family.
On the court, in the weight room, and in the classroom, we are the types of people who aren't satisfied just being mediocre. We have high expectations for ourselves and others and that is what makes us better every day.
The only true part of a program that matters is the people involved in it. This year Coach Tsipis was able to make big additions of enthusiastic people to this program. A common thread in our personnel, coaches, and players is that we are self-motivated, and positive. Rebuilding a program requires a specific type of person who is optimistic, patient, and determined.
This summer our team cultivated this necessary enthusiasm by working through a book called The Energy Bus. We gathered each week and discussed different themes from the reading. This was very beneficial because now we all have common vernacular and can collaborate our visions and work towards a clear common goal.
The most valuable part of the book was the platform it provided for us to really get to know each other more than how we interact on the court. We shared about life goals and visions outside of basketball and how we can come along side each other to encourage everyone's dreams. This experience taught us how crucial positive energy is to a team environment.
Another component of rebuilding which is evident in our team this year is consistency. Consistency for us is not having everything work smoothly all the time. Instead, it's having consistent steady reactions to the unexpected negative outcomes.
These roadblocks come in many forms – injuries, losses, and bad days. They are inevitable, but we have learned that we can consistently react in a positive manner in these circumstances. Our coaches are steady people that we know we can go to in those rocky times. They help us find perspective and re-center.
There is an environment of consistent greatness here at Wisconsin. Academically students have access to world-class professors and classes. In addition, many other teams here at Wisconsin are ranked incredibly high nationally. Across the board, we are surrounded consistently by successful coaches and athletes. This attitude has rubbed off on our team and now we have taken what we have learned from other programs and begun to contribute back to the culture of winning.
In honor of Thanksgiving today, I think it's appropriate to reflect on how blessed we are to be a part of this special team this year. It's an honor to represent such a prestigious school like Wisconsin and spend every day with the wonderful people involved with the women's basketball program. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!
On, Wisconsin!
Carmen BackesÂ
Players Mentioned
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