Thursday, December 26, 2019

Milestones - 2019



Coach Scott Celli notched his four hundredth Melrose career win. 

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Christmas DNA revealed

Paula and Karen Sen (MHS 2006) shared DNA testing as a Christmas reveal. 


Wednesday, December 18, 2019

How Are You Improving Today?

Repetitions make reputations. "I can't get better today, it's snowing." Really?
  • Get stronger. Shovel some snow. 
  • Jump higher. Where's your jumprope? 
  • Study the game. 
  • Become mentally tougher. Use mindfulness
  • Develop your "minute clinic" of self-teaching. 
  • Read, read, read, read, read. "There is no ability without eligibility."
  • Write. Think and communicate more clearly. 
  • Are you spending your time or investing it? 

Saturday, December 14, 2019

The Meritocracy of Sport and the Reality of ROOTS

Coach Celli is my friend but he's also a genuinely good guy. No matter how hard he might try, he can only play six players at once. In the NBA, Hall of Fame Coach Chuck Daly said, "every player wants 48 - 48 minutes, 48 shots, 48 million." 

There's not always much difference between the top six or seven players and players 8,9, 10. It might be imperceptible differences in experience, skill, confidence, size, or potential. But it's hard to invest time, emotional energy, and money in a sport and get limited "reward." 

How would I know? I pitched one inning of varsity baseball in two years of walking on to a Division 1 baseball program and threw hundreds of hours of batting practice. In high school basketball, while waiting our 'time' (which need not come), we were the ROOTS - Royal Order of The Splinter (wooden bench). 

There's a natural belief that with experience and age, more playing time will come. That's never a given. Physically gifted and committed young athletes may surpass upperclassmen and earn rotations, roles, and responsibility. Sport is meritocracy. 

Yes, sometimes coaches are monsters, but they're relatively few. I share my thoughts on this on my basketball site. 

When not happy with your role, always address this directly with coaches...in any sport. Ask how you can contribute more to the team and where you need to improve. "Do more to become more; become more to do more." 

Friday, December 13, 2019

Breakup Dinner Images

Bill Heafey and Steve Karampalas share volleyball banquet images. Click to enlarge. 













Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Randolph Adds More Hardware...Boston Globe All-Scholastic

Emma Randolph adds more hardware to her collection with recognition as a Boston Globe All-Scholastic. 

The senior outside hitter earned team and league MVP honors, All-State selection, Boston Herald All-Scholastic, and team best offensive player...truly a season to remember. 

Friday, December 06, 2019

Banquet Highlights

In addition to captaincy announcements, Coach Celli and staff present awards:

Here are some other highlights:

Top Server-Nicole Abbott
Top Offensive-Emma Randolph
Top Defensive-Nicole Abbott
Unsung Hero-Mary Kate Mahoney
Most Improved-Eva Haralabatos
MVP-Emma Randolph
Coach's Award-Erin Torpey
JV MVP-Ava Burns
JV Most Improved-Gia Vlajkovic
Frosh MVP- Bella Fay

Emma Randolph named Boston Herald All Scholastic

Congratulations to all on another outstanding season!

Thursday, December 05, 2019

Breakup Dinner

Melrose celebrated the 2019 season at Rosario’s restaurant.

One of the highlights is the naming of captains.

Your 2020 captains are:
Emily Hudson
Autumn Whelan
Chloe Gentile

Sunday, December 01, 2019

Information That You Can Use

Today's basketball blog shares 'soft science' that produces results. It covers servant leadership, gratitude, and coaching philosophy with inputs from Bill Belichick, Bill Walsh, Don Meyer, Robert Greenleaf, Shawn Achor and others. 

Our attitude reprograms brain chemistry (software) and brain structure (hardware). The Achor video on the Happiness Advantage is worth your twelve minutes.