The Ultimate Skill

Young Hoopers TAKE NOTES “Playing hard is a strength. Playing hard is a skill. A lot of people think skill is dunking. Or passing and shooting. No, playing hard is a skill.” I would argue that playing hard might be the most important skill 🗣️ https://t.co/8gxh1B80Wm

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) November 10, 2026

Coach Dave Smart says, "Excellent teams play harder for longer."

How can you play hard? 

• Focus - the first price is paying attention
• Energy - energize yourself and teammates
• Communication - recruits and energizes teammates, intimidates
• Good decisions are a skill. In a game I saw last night, with the score tied at 22, a player had a free ball, a "get me over" ball. She passed it into the net. Lack of skill? I doubt it. 

MVB has succeeded over time partly by playing hard. All the teams remaining in the tournament play hard. Can you play harder than they do?