Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

The strength of the group is the strength of the leaders.
-- Vince Lombardi

Coe 80 - Ashford U 90

Joe Parys swipes a pass and finishes with a flush on the other end.

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.
- Stephen Covey

LeBron James steals ball, Thunder fan's french fries

Happy Birthday Larry Bird - One Of My All Time Favorites

NBA - Larry Bird - 3 point contest 1988

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

Teams do not go physically flat, they go mentally stale.
- Vince Lombardi

Dan Onorato - Life As A Student Athlete

With finals upcoming next week this is without question a busy time for all of us! We constantly have to balance the demands put on us both academically and athletically as basketball season is also in full swing. As far as finals at Coe go they begin Dec 10th and end on Wednesday December 15th. Some finals are comprehensive as they cover all the material covered during the semester but most professors elect to just have finals be like any other normal exam. One really nice thing about Coe is that they institute a reading day one day before finals. This semester the reading day is December 9th and classes are cancelled for that day so that students and faculty can prepare for final exams. Each class has a specific time to take their final, as it is usually not at the same time as your normally designated class time. Some teachers choose to alter their final time in order to allow students to take their final early so as to not have to worry about it later on in the week. For example, in my economics class we are scheduled to take the final on December 15th, which is the last day of finals. Instead of taking it on this day my professor kindly moved it to Monday December 7th so that our class wouldn’t have that final hanging over our heads. We can now take the final and get it over with before finals even technically begin. During finals we are also given three days off of practice so that we have plenty of time to prepare for our exams. As the semester draws to a close, all of us are excited about finishing strong academically and continuing to improve on the hardwood!

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

Leadership

A good leader can be a catalyst for motivation in the short term, but the best leaders create the conditions for the team to motivate itself.

We have all seen examples of how leaders inspired teams to accomplish some phenomenal task. History books and Hollywood are full of these stories, and we come to honor these leaders.

But the charismatic leader that can be so effective in the short term, cannot necessarily sustain motivation indefinitely. Motivation is inherently intrinsic, residing within oneself. Therefore, if one depends continually on another for their source of motivation, eventually it ends.

Great leaders have a knack for helping others see the best in themselves, providing the stimulus for self-actualizing behaviors.

But great leaders also understand the importance of team purpose, challenge, camaraderie, responsibility, and growth, and focus much of their time on creating the conditions for these to exist.

Great leaders understand that their team members have needs, and that for motivation to grow and continue, the activities of the team must help in some way to meet these needs.

Coe @ Knox College

Cunningham Beats The Shot Clock

Coe @ Knox College

Alex Tatman - Junior - Humboldt (Humboldt HS)

Seth Light - Freshman - Carlisle (Carlisle HS)

Dan Onorato - Junior - Naperville (Nequa Valley HS)

Kevin Gaster - Sophomore - Cedar Rapids (Jefferson HS)

Coe vs Lawrence University

Alex Tatman Knocks Down A Big 3 Late In The Game

Coe vs Mount Mercy

Senior Cass Behrens In Transition

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

Kohawks Fall Short In Season Opener 64-76

Cass Behrens - Senior - Highlands Ranch (Mountain Vista HS)

Alex Tatman - Junior - Humboldt (Humboldt HS)

Ryan Baade - Sophomore - Havelock (Pocahontas HS)

Jordan Cunningham - Sophomore - Mankato (East HS)

Joe Parys - Junior - Crystal Lake (Prairie Ridge HS)

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

Success & Excuses do not Walk Together. If you give Excuses - Forget about Success & if you want Success - do not give Excuses.

Dan Onorato - Life As A Student Athlete

As the basketball season is getting going the semester is beginning to come to a close. In all four of my classes I have taken or will soon take my final exam before finals. The end of the semester is always a hectic time at Coe because although it is only mid November class time is at a premium due to Thanksgiving break. We get three days off of class for break, as some colleges get the whole week off we enjoy fall break in October instead. As it is mid November it means that the games are about to begin as we play our opener against Mount Mercy tomorrow. It will be nice to play some outside competition as we have constantly been beating up on each other in practice for almost a month now. This time of year though is really important to balance academics and athletics. With finals approaching we will be given a day or two off of basketball to prepare and study. Not every class offers a traditional final, as some classes require presentations or papers in place of a final. In addition, not all finals are cumulative as all four of my finals this semester will not be comprehensive. Also on the academic front we recently registered for classes for next semester. Students are required to meet with their advisors before they register to talk about requirements and then students sign up for their classes online based on the number of credits they have completed. It’s definitely crunch time for school and basketball!

Alex Tatman - A Look Inside Coe Basketball

We are only a week away from our season opener, but we have a lot to get done before then. Practices continue to be extremely competitive and productive. We are working on becoming more consistent in terms of execution and intensity. These practices are really important because we are focusing only on ourselves and improving. Once games roll around we have to spend more time scouting and preparing for opponents and getting ready for different situations. On Wednesday we are heading to Fayette to scrimmage DII Upper Iowa. They have already played exhibition games against Northern Iowa and Drake, so they will definitely be prepared for us. It gives us an opportunity to play against somebody besides ourselves and provides another learning experience. Mount Mercy comes in on the 17th already having a bunch of games under their belt. We are going to have to be on the top of our game right away. They recently won their early season tournament, so they are going to be confident and ready to go.

Dr. Dish comes in this week. This is going to be an awesome tool for us. Guys are going to be able to get a ton of shots up in a short period of time. We have to take advantage of it and get better. This is an exciting time of year all over the country with NCAA games starting. It's going to go fast!

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

Energy and persistence conquer all things
- Benjamin Franklin

If You've Never Failed, You've Never Lived

The Coe College Mission

Coe College's mission is to provide students an education of superior quality that prepares graduates for satisfying lives in a global society. Coe believes that a liberal arts education allows students to discover their real talents and interests, while developing the skills, abilities and habits of mind that will make possible a successful career in any field of endeavor, including ones that do not yet exist. The Coe Plan, an innovative and unique program grounded in the liberal arts, is designed to ensure that Coe students make an effective transition from college to career. Coe is one of the few private liberal arts institutions in the country to make practical experience-internship, off-campus study or research-a requirement for graduation.

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

J Mac - A Hoop Dream - This never gets old to watch!

High Standards and Life Lessons - Coach Juckem

One Shot

I must have the drive to develop my abilities and become the best I can be so that I'll be ready. If I'm prepared, perhaps my chance will come. But if I'm not primed, I'll miss my opportunity, and it isn't likely to come again. I have to think as if I'm only going to get one shot, so I must be ready.

Life Wisdom - from - Coach Wooden

Alex Tatman - A Look Inside Coe Basketball

We are ten practices in now and getting ready for Kirkwood this Wednesday. This scrimmage is always good for us to see where we are and what we need to improve upon. Kirkwood has been practicing for a couple months now and is always a really solid JUCO team. It is a learning experience for all of us, especially the young guys, and it is great to compete against somebody besides ourselves. I'm sure we'll get a good film from the scrimmage to learn from. We had a big time practice last night. We did some real competing where guys had to dig down deep and get it done. Nobody in the conference works harder than we do. We've got less than a month until our first game. Things are moving fast and it'll be Christmas before we know it, but we are enjoying the moment now.

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.

~Vince Lombardi

Dan Onorato - Life As A Student Athlete

With official practice beginning on October 15 this time of year is a busy one for all collegiate basketball players. Personally, I have two tests this week and a quiz but it is definitely nice to have basketball practice, which serves as a great study break. It is a NCAA rule that student athletes are provided with at least one day off a week. This week our off day was Tuesday and I used it to my benefit to get a lot of studying in! The day of the week that is our off day usually varies but when we get into conference play, we have games on Wednesday and Saturday nights and Sunday becomes our day off. This weekend we have an exciting event going on within our Coe basketball family. After an open practice Saturday morning some of our alumni will be returning to play and then at night there will be a steak dinner, which serves as our fundraising event for the year. Parents, friends, family, alumni, and Coe supporters will be coming out on Saturday to enjoy the event, have fun, and to support Kohawk basketball. Every year we usually do one fundraising activity to provide funds to basketball to cut down on traveling expenses and meal costs (when we are on the road for games Coe covers most of our meals). Overall it is an exciting time as we continue to get ready for our first scrimmage next Wednesday against Kirkwood….I can’t wait!

Pepperdine Midnight Madness - Sick Dunk

I don't know if he needed to pull his practice jersey off - but it was a pretty impressive dunk!

"Impossible Is Nothing" - Gilbert Arenas

Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

The difference between champions and near champions is the ability to play for something outside of self. That’s motivation! No one can achieve lasting success without it.

Believe In Yourself - All Things Are Possible!

No Excuses - Coe College Basketball

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

"The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime." - Babe Ruth

Dan Onorato - Life As A Student Athlete

How’s it going Kohawk basketball blog followers? This past week was definitely a great week here at Coe College. Unlike most colleges, homecoming at Coe is a big deal for the current student body. Throughout the week there were several activities that took place such as powder puff football, a bonfire, and follies. During follies, skits are performed and its a time when the student body brings out all the dirt that they have on the homecoming court. The week is culminated on Saturday with the football game and the dance. This year we played Dubuque in football and won! The dance was really fun; it is located at a nice hotel located near Coe in the downtown area. There are shuttle buses to and from Coe to provide transportation to students and it is so close that some students elect to walk. The dance includes a Dj who plays current music and pretty much all of the Coe student body is there which is a good time. The dance is also open to alumni and it is always especially nice to see returning basketball players. Certain students choose to go out to dinner before the dance in a big group. What is really nice about the dance is that most people choose to go stag and not with a date which makes it a lot more fun for everyone. There really isn’t a dress code at the dance but most of us went with the classy shirt, tie, and black pants look. Overall homecoming week at Coe is always one of the best! It’s sad that it’s over but on another positive note we now have fall break upcoming next week, and oh yea practice starts in less than a week…can’t wait!

Andrew George - 2007 Graduate

Andrew may have been one of the most involved student athletes to ever walk the campus of Coe College. Fortunately for Coe College Basketball, Andrew decided to volunteer his time and knowledge of the game of basketball to our program. Andrew was a vital part of the coaching staff taking a lead role in editing game film, putting together scouting reports and recruiting. Andrew was named the 2006-2007 Coe College Most Outstanding Senior Student while graduating from Coe with a B.A. in Business Administration and a B.A. in Sport Management.

Since graduation, Andrew went on to become a Graduate Intern at the University of Iowa for the Men’s Basketball program. From there, Andrew moved on to one of the most selective graduate programs in the country at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He received his Masters of Sport Management in May of 2009 while being part of the UMass Men’s Basketball coaching staff.

In October, Andrew will be moving to Palm Beach where he has been hired as an Operations Assistant for the Honda Classic. The host venue for the Honda Classic is the PGA National Champion Course in
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
http://www.thehondaclassic.com/

Good luck Andrew!

Accountability

No group ever becomes a team until is can hold itself accountable as a team.

Most of us enter a potential team situation cautious; ingrained individualism discourages us from putting our fates in the hands of others. Teams do not succeed by ignoring or wishing away such behavior. Mutual promises and accountability cannot be coerced any more than people can be made to trust one another. Nevertheless, mutual accountability does tend to grow as a natural counterpart to the development of team purpose, performance goals, and approach.

When people do real work together toward a common objective, trust and commitment follow. Consequently, teams enjoying a strong common purpose and approach inevitably hold themselves, both as individuals and as a team, responsible for the team's performance.

From "The Wisdom of Teams" by Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith

High Expectations - Coach Juckem

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

At the heart of every great group is a shared dream...all great groups believe they are on a mission.

The Kohawks Will Visit Greece In May 2011

 

Alex Tatman - A Look Inside Coe Basketball

We are setting the bar high this year! Our pre-season workouts have been tough to this point, and we've embraced it. This is a huge part of preparation for the season. If we are better conditioned and stronger when the season starts, we can put more time and energy into execution and skill work during the first few weeks of practice instead of having to catch up physically. Judging by our weightlifting numbers and the way guys have been getting after workouts, that is going to be the case. Just over two weeks until practice gets started, and I think guys are ready for it. Open gyms and workouts have been going well, but it's always nice to have things a little more compacted and organized. This week is Homecoming, which is always a great time. The football team is off to a great start, so it'll be fun to watch the game, and the dance at Crown Plaza is a blast! This is an important couple of weeks coming up!

Coach Juckem's Monday Motivation

Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion - Michael Jordan

The Coe College Family - Coach Juckem

Coe Graduate Fred Jackson Running Wild On The NFL

Jackson is proving small schools have talent too.

Fred Jackson has done for his alma mater what Marv Levy never could.

After graduating from Coe College, a small liberal arts school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Levy went on to Harvard University for his graduate studies, and the latter educational experience was cited most in the narratives of Levy’s Hall of Fame coaching career.

But one of the finest moves Levy made in his brief run as the Buffalo Bills general manager was to sign Jackson in 2006. With Jackson’s recent rise to prominence in the NFL, seven years after he earned All-America honors with the Kohawks, Coe College has gotten bit of national recognition that Division III programs rarely receive.

Wearing eye black strips that recognized his D-III roots Sunday, Jackson was the best player on the field during Buffalo’s 33-20 win over Tampa Bay. Rushing for 163 yards and gaining 25 more on six receptions, Jackson drew comparisons to another Hall of Famer, Thurman Thomas, who was honored at halftime of the franchise’s 50th anniversary celectration.

Jackson’s 337 yards from scrimmage in the season’s first two games rank second in the NFL, behind Tennessee tailback Chris Jackson, and is the third-most productive start in team history, behind Thomas’ 410 yards in the first two games of his 1991 NFL MVP campaign and O.J. Simpson’s 405 yards (all on the ground) in 1975, when he was a first-team All-Pro.

“It’s definitely an accomplishment to just be mentioned in the same breath as those guys,” Jackson told BuffaloBills.com on Monday, before deflecting the credit toward the team’s young offensive line and rookie coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

Including the final two games of last season, Jackson has gained 600 yards in his last two games. The Bills haven’t had a back total more than 100 yards in four straight games since Travis Henry did so early in the 2002 season, despite having used first-round draft picks on Willis McGahee and Marshawn Lynch.

“He’s a workhorse,” Van Pelt said. “There is no question. There is nobody in this organization that doubts his ability.”

There were doubters all over the league, however, when Jackson came out of Coe College in 2002, having rushed for 1,702 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior. He then spent two seasons playing for the Sioux City Bandits of the United Indoor Football League, making $100 a game and working as a part-time youth counselor to make ends meet. The Bandits have since retired Jackson’s number.

After he was signed by the Bills, Jackson was assigned to the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe, where he ran for 731 yards. He made the Bills’ practice squad in 2006, and ascended to the 53-man roster in 2007, where he eventually became the first former D-III running back since Chris Warren (Ferrum College) in 2000 to start an NFL game.

Jackson gained more than 900 yards last season, using the receiving skills he refined playing arena ball, and showcasing an aptitude for moving the pile that belies his lean frame and upright running style.

“Unbelievable,” teammate Lee Evans said after Sunday’s performance. “He probably had 50 yards in extra-effort yards. He just kept running and kept playing and he’s just never down.”

When Lynch returns from his three-game personal conduct suspension in Week 4, Jackson’s workload will be reduced.

“Obviously, we miss Marshawn because we don’t want to pound Fred 30 times a game and when we get those two guys back together I think it’s a dynamic duo,” Van Pelt said.

Only O.J. has a higher career rushing average than Fast Freddy — Simpson averaged 4.8 yards on 2,123 carries while Jackson has picked up 4.7 yards a pop on 230 attempts. He’s shed the “backup” label like a lazy arm tackle.

And run right over the Division III stigma.
By Jonah Bronstein
Niagara Gazette

World's Longest Basketball Shot

This is crazy. I wonder how many shots it took before he made it?

Dan Onorato - Life As A Student Athlete

As I am now almost a month into classes it is an extremely hectic time to be a student athlete. This week I have an exam in every class which means that I have four exams. At times like these certain people may feel more stressed out about balancing academics and athletics but I find that it is at these times that I am happiest to be a student athlete as basketball gives me an avenue to release a lot of stress that I have built up! Many professors have offered to come in at night a couple of days before the test and go over any last minute questions we as a class have about the upcoming exam. I have always found these sessions to be helpful and are no doubt a perk of going to a college with a great professor to student ratio. Students at Coe choose to study in a variety of places, but for me the library is always the place where I get the most work done. The Stewart Memorial Library is a place big enough where you can find a space all your own, and I am always motivated when I see a teammate or fellow athlete studying hard alongside me. During these busy times as a student I have found that it is best to take everything day by day and to try to manage my time efficiently. When I am at basketball or basketball workouts my focus is completely on basketball but when in the library or in the classroom my focus has to be 100 percent on academics. The exams here usually take place during the normal scheduled class time however in certain upper level courses the tests are arranged at an alternative time to give ample time to complete the test. For example in my business finance class we usually meet Tuesday and Thursdays but our test this week is Wednesday night. In exchange for coming in and taking the test at night class on Thursday is cancelled so it isn’t a bad deal. The amount of time that I study for each subject varies drastically depending on the class and the material that the exam covers. Usually professors put together a very general study guide which can be really helpful. This week is definitely going to be a challenge, but one that will soon be over!

Champions

"Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character."
- T. Alan Armstrong

2009 "One Shining Moment"

Goose bumps in September - I love it! Its never too early to start thinking about March Madness!

Alex Tatman - A Look Inside Coe Basketball

I am Alex Tatman, a junior from Humboldt, IA. I will be blogging throughout the year about being a basketball player at Coe. We are about a month in, and everybody has already made improvements on the court, in the weight room, and in conditioning. We started getting after it as soon as we got on campus. We've been playing pick up several nights a week, lifting three times, and doing a plyo/yoga or run three times each week as well. It is a busy time of year with workouts, class, and studying, but we are having fun with it. It's been great having everybody on campus and together. We're really excited about the upcoming season!

Giving Back

This past Saturday, players from the Coe Men's Basketball team took time out of their busy schedule to take part in highway cleanup.

In a world where everybody seems to have a million things going on in their own lives, it is important to take time and give back. Whether the focus is on your neighborhood, your community, our state, our nation, or the world - giving back to society is so important and something we should all find a way to do in our own way. One way our team has given back has been through highway cleanup. Since the fall of 2008, our players have been cleaning the largest stretch of highway in the Cedar Rapids area.

Each member of our team is truly blessed and I hope this gives each one of us a sense of being invested in something much bigger than ourselves. Also, I hope it gives us a greater appreciation of the great lives that so many of us lead and deem to be “normal” – when it is extraordinary in its own respect relative to many other individuals around the world.

Our players have also taken advantage of volunteer opportunities through reading to children and cleaning up after the historic flood of 2008.

Look Me In The Eyes - Michael Jordan

Why I Succeed - Michael Jordan

Maybe Its My Fault - Michael Jordan

Strength Training with Steve Nash

As the steely-eyed General of the Phoenix Suns, Steve Nash rules the court without the slightest hint of caution in his game. Whether fighting through a pick, absorbing an errant elbow to the ribs, or hitting the floor after one of his commanding drives, Steve shows little concern for his body. Off the court, its a completely different story.

Steve Nash’s incredible awareness of every detail of his body has propelled him to two NBA MVPs and 13 successful professional seasons. Since the start of his basketball career back in Canada, the 6’3” guard has been constantly honing, perfecting and developing all aspects of his athleticism. As a result, he’s drawn every ounce of performance and ability out of his wiry body to reach the pinnacle of the basketball world.

By now it should be passé to doubt Steve, or even to bring up the fact that he doesn’t look the part of an NBA star. That was kind of a fad in the mid-90s, when every major college coach in the U.S. had Steve’s videotapes showing up on his desk. The footage showed an undersized point guard at St. Michael’s University School crossing over fellow Canucks, mercilessly dominating entire defenses. Yet coaches rejected Steve’s scholarship applications, doubting his ability to take on quality competition. “People have always doubted me,” Steve says, recalling that experience. “I used to keep all of the rejection letters I got back in a shoebox. I held onto that for awhile as motivation. I was given one scholarship offer, to Santa Clara University.”

Despite its underwhelming size, Santa Clara proved to be a big opportunity for the imported point guard. Steve flourished under head coach Dick Davey, and the team made national noise during his four years there. The Broncos plowed into the NCAA Tournament as a 15-seed, shocking high-powered Arizona one year and taking out Maryland in another. It was during his career at Santa Clara that Steve got used to being underestimated and running with [and putting down] bigger, higher-rated opponents.

Steve’s collegiate career, combined with his impressive performance at the Nike Desert Classic, garnered enough attention before the ’96 NBA Draft to convince the Suns to take him as the 15th overall pick. Many times, this is when an athlete can stand up, call out his doubters and say, “Look at me now!” Not for Steve, though.

“Fortunately, I was somehow a first-round draft pick,” he says. “But I was still doubted that I’d have a long career in the NBA. Then I was doubted that I would be a starter, and doubted that I’d be an All-Star. At every level that I’ve taken it, I’ve always had naysayers.”

Now sitting atop the game, Steve has proven the doubters wrong with every milestone and award earned throughout his NBA career. He no longer keeps rejection letters stuffed in a shoebox, but Steve doesn’t have to look far for motivation. “I would say the last few years there have been a lot of people supporting me,” he says. “I seem to have overcome [being doubted] only to find that now I’m an ‘old man’ and I’m ‘over the hill’ [laughs]. That’s good though; that’s what I’m used to. I wake up every morning as an underdog, regardless of the awards or the amount of years of success I’ve had.”

The perpetual underdog started 81 games for the Suns last season, supplying his team with more than 11 dimes per game and shooting 90 percent from the foul line and about 43 percent from behind the arc. Steve continues to elevate his game by refusing to overlook any part of his preparation—in season or out. “I set goals for myself and know I work hard throughout the season and throughout the off-season so that I have peace of mind,” he says. “If things don’t go well, I know that I’ve worked as hard as I can. It puts me in a good state when I’m slumping and not playing well. I don’t feel like I’m second-guessing the amount of work I’ve put in. It eliminates a whole psychological barrier that I would have to overcome if I felt like I had been cheating myself.”

Steve’s exhaustive approach demands an incredible amount of time and dedication, along with help from one of the league’s best, Suns’ strength coach Erik Phillips. Phillips acknowledges that Steve is an immaculate pupil. “His work ethic is always perfect,” Phillips says. “He maintains a level of strength and stabilization throughout the whole year, so we will take little steps here and there pre-season, during the season and post-season. Steve’s an unbelievable athlete who is so in-tune to his body. He knows what he needs to work on and what he needs to lay off of. Anything I ask him to do, he is the poster child for the correct technique.”

Steve’s ability to talk the strength and conditioning talk proves that Phillips isn’t exaggerating the point guard’s knowledge: “Erik’s philosophy of [using] corrective exercises, which help you correct deficiencies as an athlete and prevent injuries down the road, is a great baseline to set any training regimen by,” Steve says. “His ability to use functional training to get gains off the court, which allows you to transfer more easily onto the court, is another way to become more athletic and better prepared for the longevity of the season and the competition at this level.”

Every off-season, Steve and Phillips work to get Steve’s body strong enough to support the reckless style and hustle that define his game. “Most of the strength component of Steve’s workout is [centered around making him able to] absorb blows on the court—fighting through picks, getting knocked down, getting fouled,” Phillips says. “We’re working on Steve being the first off the ball and beating a person to a spot.”

Steve adds, “My training goals are always to get into great shape so that I can prevent injury and that I’m well prepared to take on the competitive level and pounding it takes to get through a season. We’re trying to find ways to get a little more athletic, stronger, more powerful, quicker and with better endurance. We’re always trying to get little gains every day, at the same time having the thoughtfulness to go about it the right way to prevent injury.”

This goal is achieved through adherence to the philosophy of the National Academy of Sports Medicine: build the base of the pyramid first, then build the top. In Steve’s case, stability is the base, with strength, then power comprising the rest. Not surprisingly, Steve grasped this concept when we met up with him. “Today we [did] a chest and back workout,” he says. “We were looking for strength and power gains, while at the same time adding elements of instability so we can work the total body. We use an unstable plane—whether it be on the [physio] ball or one leg—to create a more challenging and athletic approach to isolating a muscle group.”

Coe Basketball Alumni Golf Event

The first annual Coe Basketball Alumni Golf Event was held at Saddleback Ridge Golf Club in Solon, IA on Saturday, August 8th.

The Coe Basketball Family (From left to right)
Nick Wilkins 2005, Brad Axdahl 2006, Coach Thompson, Brian Brungard 2008, Kevin Dux 2009, Coach Juckem, Kyle Kuenstling 2008, Kale Petersson 2008, Chris Kehe 2008, Andrew George 2007, Nate Feldman 2009

On August 8th, several former Kohawk basketball players and coaches got together for a day of golf and storytelling. After battling the extreme heat and humidity, two foursomes (Coach Thompson, Nate Feldman, Chris Kehe & Kyle Kuenstling and Coach Juckem, Brian Brungard, Kevin Dux & Andrew George) tied at -9. Too fatigued to play a tiebreaker, the two teams decided to double the stakes in 2010! Highlights from the outing included Andrew George holing out an eagle from 160 yards, Nate Feldman hitting a wind-aided 400-yard drive, and creative attempts by all at psychological warfare. It was a great day for the Coe basketball family!

Dan Onorato - Life As A Student Athlete

Hi my name is Dan Onorato and I am a junior Business major and Economics minor from the Chicagoland area. Throughout the season I will be blogging about life as a student athlete here at Coe. With the school year just starting as well as voluntary preseason workouts for basketball it is a busy time of year.
Balancing basketball and academic life at Coe can be challenging, but the small class sizes and personal relationships that are developed between students and their professors help to make life a little bit easier. The first week of class was low key for me. We were given an overview of what material was going to be covered and went over expectations for the semester. As classes continue to roll on I look forward to writing more about what it is like to be a student athlete at Coe College.

Kohawks Fullfilling Expectations

The Coe Men's Basketball Mission Statement: To Excel in the classroom and on the court, contribute to the broader community and have fun in the process.

The Kohawks did excel in the classroom last semester averaging a 3.2 grade point average. In addition to that, three Kohawk men's basketball players (Kevin Dux, Christian Parent, Marc Gorenstein) were named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court. The award recognizes junior and senior basketball players for their excellence in the classroom.

Needless to say, we are very proud of the work our guys do in the classroom!

Cedar Rapids Named As One Of America's 10 Best Places to Grow Up

If you could create the ideal community to raise a child in, what ingredients would you include? First off, you'd probably want a low crime rate. A strong school system would also be key. From there, you'd need lots of other children, expansive green spaces to play in, and plenty of nearby family events. Toss in an abundance of artistic and recreational activities, and all of a sudden you've got one heck of a place to grow up. At U.S. News, we wanted to find out if any communities like that already existed—and if so, where they were located. So we dug into our database of 2,000 different places all across the country and pinpointed the locales that met these criteria. We then examined these communities more closely to determine which places offered the best combination of safe neighborhoods, fun activities, and top-notch educators. Our selections appear below, in our list of America's 10 Best Places to Grow Up:

Cedar Rapids, Iowa: It would be tough to find a safer community than Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where the crime index is about a fifth of the national average. And with a solid school system, plenty of fun activities, and affordable housing costs, this eastern Iowa city can keep your kids happy without emptying your wallet. Tim Boyle, the executive director of the Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, says the city's manageable size—it has just 123,000 residents—allows its young people to get involved in a variety of different activities. "The thing that I like about Cedar Rapids is you could end up with a junior or senior in high school who is an offensive tackle on the football team and has the lead in the spring musical," Boyle says. In addition to a strong music program in its public schools, the area has more than 50 public tennis courts, more than 75 parks, 23 sand volleyball courts, and even a BMX dirt track. During the winters, which can get extremely cold, children can remain active on three indoor soccer fields and five ice-skating rinks.

The rest of the list:

Virginia Beach, Va.
Madison, Ala.
San Jose, Calif.
Overland Park, Kan.
Boston
Denver
Rochester, Minn.
Plano, Texas
Edison, N.J.

U.S. News and World Report
By Luke Mullins

Thompson Promoted to Associate Head Coach

Coe College head men’s basketball coach Pat Juckem has announced the promotion of assistant coach Aaron Thompson to the position of Associate Head Coach with the program. Coach Thompson joined the Kohawk coaching staff during the 2006-2007 season helping lead the Kohawks to a 19-7 record and second place finish in the Iowa Conference. According to Juckem, “This promotion reflects the significant role Aaron plays in our basketball program. The student-athletes in our program benefit from Aaron’s passion for their development on and off the court. We share a vision for our program competing at the highest level on a yearly basis.”

Thompson was a three-time All-American at Mayville State and was inducted into their athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

Coe Graduate Fred Jackson in USA Today

Confident Jackson ready to give Bills' backfield a boost

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — If Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson's NFL rookie year in 2007 was a chance to prove himself, then 2008 was affirmation that he indeed belonged in the NFL.

What is 2009 for Jackson?

"Just continuing to build on a successful career," he said. "I've got a good foundation for myself so I want to go out and still make plays and help this team win. We've still got a long way to get to where we want to be. That's my No. 1 goal — to help this team and get quite a few wins."

Jackson's path to the NFL is unusual. He played at Division III Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, didn't get drafted, starred in the United Indoor Football League and NFL Europe's Rhein Fire before getting a chance with the Bills. And when he wasn't playing in an indoor league or Europe, he worked as a youth counselor.

Former Bills coach Marv Levy, a graduate of Coe College and one-time coach there, helped get Jackson a tryout with the Bills.

"Coach Levy told me to keep doing what I'm doing and get some more film," Jackson said.

Jackson's versatility — he can run, catch and block — earned him a spot on the team and at the end of the 2007 season, he had a 136-yard rushing performance against Miami and a 82-yard rushing, 69-yard receiving performance against Washington in consecutive weeks.

Jackson played in every game last season, again posting a 100-yard rushing game and multiple games with three-plus receptions. He's similar to New England Patriots running back Kevin Faulk, a third-down back who does a little of everything.

Marshawn Lynch (47 receptions) and Jackson (37 receptions) combined for more catches than any running back tandem in the league last year.

With Lynch, the starter, suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the league's personal conduct policy, Jackson is slated to start.

Even when Lynch returns, Jackson will be involved in the offense, which is expected to be more up-tempo, often using no huddle. Jackson might even line up as a receiver on occasion.

"I get a lot of positive feedback from my coaches and teammates and in turn, that just makes you confident, and you want to go out and make plays for those guys," Jackson said. "I've got an expanding role that again creates confidence."

By Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY

Character vs Reputation

Abraham Lincoln was very concerned with character, but he also was aware of the importance of having a good reputation. He explained the difference this way: “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Put another way, your reputation is what people think of you, and your character is what you actually are.

In a world preoccupied with image, it’s easy to worry too much about our reputation and too little about our character. Building a reputation is largely a public relations project; building character requires us to focus on our values and actions. Noble rhetoric and good intentions aren’t enough.

What we’re looking for is moral strength based on ethical principles. Character is revealed by actions, not words — especially when there’s a gap between what we want to do and what we should do, and when doing the right thing costs more than we want to pay.

Our character is revealed by how we deal with pressures and temptations. But it’s also disclosed by everyday actions, including what we say and do when we think no one is looking and we assume we won’t get caught. The way we treat people we think can’t help or hurt us, like housekeepers, waiters, and secretaries, tells more about our character than how we treat people we think are important. People who are honest, kind, and fair only when there is something to gain shouldn’t be confused with people of real character who demonstrate these qualities habitually, under all circumstances.

Character is not a fancy coat we put on for show; it’s who we really are.

By Michael Josephson

Brad Axdahl - 2006 Graduate

Brad Axdahl is a sharp shooting 2006 graduate from Nora Springs, IA. You can find Brad’s name all over the Kohawk Record Book. He is 2nd with a career free throw percentage of 86.8, 5th with 160 career three point makes, 3rd with six three point makes in a single game and lands 34th on the all-time career scoring list with 699 points.

Brad was very involved on campus being a member of Psi Chi, Mortar Board, Flunk Day Committee, and the Business Honor Society. He also completed two internships, one of which was working with the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Los Angeles Angels Minor League Baseball Affiliate).

Immediately following graduation, Brad was hired at TrueNorth, an Insurance and Strategies Agency in Cedar Rapids.

Brad and his wife Bri were married on August 31, 2008 and live in Cedar Rapids.

A LOOK BACK AT OUR PAST

Kohawk Men's Basketball Hall Of Fame Members

Most Recent Inductees listed first - Along with the induction year!

Eric Johnson 2007
Randy Johnson 2007
David Johnston 2004
Bill Fitch 1998
Harold Phillips 1997
Gordon Kerkman 1997
Marcus Jackson 1997
Donald Faris 1996
Donald Dunlop 1995
Leonard Cooper 1995
Edward Cisler 1995
William Schmarzo 1994
Mark Parker 1993
Bob Tvrdik 1993
Bill Carrithers 1992
Jack Fulton 1991
Theron Thomsen 1990
Silas Hudson 1989
Ron Barnes 1988
Fran Rohlman 1987
Ron Schirm 1986
Benjamin Kammer 1986
Ed McFalls 1985
Donald Belknap 1984
Gay Dahn 1983
John Prasch 1982
Elmer Keith 1981
Joseph Schneider 1980
Ken Allen 1979
Wendell Schrader 1978
Lawrence Kremers 1978
Al Diamond 1978
J. Harold Kremers 1977
Jack Skien 1976
James Carrithers 1976
Glenn Bailey 1975
Bruce West 1975
Forest Rittgers 1974
Ralph Martin 1974
Phillip Hubbard 1974
Harold Weenimont 1973
Al Pursell 1973
Merle Makeever 1973
Marv Levy 1973
Harris Lamb 1973
Willis Lamb 1973
Ira T. Carrithers 1973

 

Whatever you are, be a good one

Whatever you are, be a good one. Success is always built on doing well the job that's in front of you today. I've found that people who are always worried about the next move in the chess game of their life never quite get at that move. Don't think that way because, if you're always worrying about the next step, it will compromise your ability to do your current job well.

Defensive Thoughts

• It’s a “shoulders game." Defender should always make sure to keep his shoulders lower than the shoulders of the player he is guarding.

• Do you teach how to foul late in the game? Make sure to wrap both your arms above both arms of the offensive player so that he can never get into his shooting motion.

• Do you have rules in regard to late game fouling? Consider only fouling a man who has his back to the basket, making sure it will never be a shooting foul.

• Do you teach your players how to talk on defense? Consider teaching them that all talk should be (1) early (as play is developing or even before it develops); (2) loud (make sure your teammate hears your talk (3) continuous (make sure if they don’t hear it the first time that you always repeat it – good rule is 3 times, e.g., LEFT-LEFT-LEFT).

• Do you detail how to switch? Consider teaching 3 steps: (1) talk it (2) touch it and (3) switch it.

• Defender must make contact with his man before the screen makes contact with him or he will be screened and his man will be able to control the cut.

• Transition defense: do you teach your team that in transition they are guarding the open men on the other team, not their man?

• Focus on contesting shots early in the game so that you can take some of the shooter's confidence away early in that night’s game.

• Do you mandate that your players get to their help spots early, making sure that the offensive player sees no open seams as soon as he catches it.

• Have you gotten your best player to buy into the importance of your defense? When you get that you have a chance to be special defensively; we learned that last year with Kevin Garnett!