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Admin
Last updated
06-27-08 05:31 PM
 
VIRGINIA BEACH BLAZERS
blazers01@verizon.net
3756 Chimney Creek Drive
Virginia Beach, Virginia
23462
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 Past News |
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Monday, January 28
UP NEXT FOR THE BLAZERS.............
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April will see the Blazers take part in two tournaments. The Legends Spring Invitational will be held in Newport New, VA April 12th- 13th while the Garner Road Super Regional will be held April 25th – 27th in Raleigh N.C. Blazers fans should as so look forward to May when the team takes part in the Division II Eastern Region Finals in Hampton, VA May 9th-11th
All three Tournaments will be exciting, competitive, and educational. However, in order to get the maximum enjoyment out of the time spent in the Raleigh area of North Carolinia, the Blazers' recommends that you immediately begin to prepare yourself for the trip up and the weekend stay.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ITEMS TO PACK:
- Blazers' Uniform
- Blazers' Warmup Shirt (white)
- a sleeping bag
- two pairs of jeans
- two shirts
- four pairs of socks(two pairs should be black)
- three days supply of underwear
- a pillow (optional)
- toiletries (toothbrush, plastic cup soap/soap dish, a hairbrush, ECT.)
- towel
- swimming trunks
PLEASE LEAVE BASKETBALLS, & JEWELRY AT HOME!
Thursday, March 20
HOTEL INFORMATION
The Blazers will be staying at the Days Inn Winston-Salem in Winston-Salem, NC for the Fastbreak Basketball Tournament March 28th-30th. Rooms will not be held by the Virginia Beach Blazers, if you would like a room please call the hotel to reserve by Wednesday, March 26th. A night stay at the hotel will cost about $55.99 not including taxes. To get this rate please mention that you are with the Virginia Beach Blazers Tournament
Days Inn Winston-Salem
3330 Silas Creek Parkway
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Phone: (336) 760-4770
Please let Coach Winston or Glen know if you plan on traveling with the team by March, 26th
Wednesday, March 12
GETTING READY WINSTON-SALEM
The Fastbreak tournament will be exciting, competitive and educational. In order to get the maximum enjoyment out of the time spent in the Winston-Salem area, the Blazers' recommends that you immediately begin to prepare yourself for the trip up and the weekend stay.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ITEMS TO PACK:
- Blazers' Uniform
- Blazers' Warmup Shirt (white)
- a sleeping bag
- two pairs of jeans
- two shirts
- four pairs of socks (two pairs should be black)
- three days supply of underwear
- a pillow (optional)
- toiletries (toothbrush, plastic cup soap/soap dish, a hairbrush, ECT.)
- towel
- swimming trunks
PLEASE LEAVE BASKETBALLS, & JEWELRY AT HOME!
Saturday, January 19
BLAZERS SPIRIT NIGHT
On February 13, 2008 the Hilltop Chick-Fil-A will host the Virginia Beach Blazers Spirit Night between 5pm-7pm. Patrons & Blazers fans that order meals that night will help raise funds for the team’s 2008 season. Fans will be able to take photos with their favorite players and receive autographs. Elmo, the team’s unofficial mascot may make appearance. Bring your family and friends dressed in their Blazers Red & White to show their support and team spirit.
GO BLAZERS!!
Sunday, March 9
THIS TEAM HAS TO WIN BASKETBALL GAMES.
| |  | | New Blazers need a scorer like old timer Cordell J. |
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Many of the top 12-and-under AAU boys basketball teams in the Hampton Roads area will be competing in the March 15th AAU Super Regional in Hampton. The Super Regional format is designed to insure that teams will face the highest level of competition in each game.
If the Blazers finish first, second, third or fourth in a Super Regional they could receive a bid to the 12u Divison II National Championship in Memphis, TN based upon the following:
NUMBER OF TEAMS PER AGE DIVISION IN SUPER REGIONAL
3-5 Teams – One (1) bid
6-8 Teams – Two (2) bids
9-24 Teams– Three (3) bids
25-47 Teams - Four (4) bids
For the Blazers to have any chance in Hampton they will have to improve in some key areas. The team has known all season that their weakness is in the paint. Losses to Team Richmond, Denbigh Wildcats, and Spotsylvania Knights have shown just that. In the most recent defeat, opposing teams have abused the Blazers in the paint and kicked out to three point shooters when the perimeter was forced to collapse. With the improved play of Nytee S., and the mid-season pick up of Jamil B. the team may have found the right combination to control the paint and be formidable force.
The Blazers will need to play strong perimeter defense if they hope to succeed in the Super Regional Tournament. They need to disrupt opposing guards early and make them think by coming at them from different angles. If they are forced to double down on the interior they must to a better job of it than when they did against Team Richmond. They were able to move the ball with ease in & out of the Blazers’ double team and get their best shooters the ball in wide open spots. The Blazers can't afford to leave any player with wide open looks at the basket.
The Blazers will also need to play with intensity on the offensive end. They have let their opponents jump out to big leads in their last two contests, and were only able to come back from it slightly once before. Kevin G. seems to have come out of his shooting slump just as Breon W. appears to be entering one. They are right now a team that lives and dies by their outside shooting and needs to work harder at getting Nytee S. and Jamil K. actively involved on the interior. The Blazers also needs to get back to attacking the paint early in games. Lamont M. is not getting to the paint as he was earlier in the season and he is not looking to take the shot once he gets into the paint. This will need to change in order for Blazers to get easy baskets and get to the foul line.
This is a tournament that the Blazers needs to win and should win. But they need their front line to play well. But if they didn't figure it out from the last month’s tournament, they need to for this one. This team has to win basketball games.
Sunday, December 21
BREATHING ROOM
In an effort to get the team off to the right start the Blazers have moved their first tournament date back a week. The team will now be taking part in the VSC High Riser Classic in Richmond January 18th -20th instead of the Legends New Year's Tip Off held in Newport News January 12th -13th. This move will give the team much needed breathing room between the start of the New Year and tournament play. The team will take this opportunity to get practice time and raise the team’s war chest. For more information about the VSC High Riser Classic please go to http://www.vasportscomplex.com/.com/
Saturday, December 6
AAU INSURANCE
The coverage we have from the AAU National Association is secondary medical and liability. It is accident insurance not health insurance -it won't cover heart attacks or kidney transplants. Key facts about the AAU insurance program, that everyone should be aware of, include the following:
- EVERYONE (players, coaches, club organizers) associated with AAU basketball is required to be a member of the AAU.
- Our association recommends that everyone purchase the "AB" card. This is the $12 card for players. "AB" stands for "added benefit". The added benefit is that our team may participate in non-AAU sanctioned tournaments and still be covered.
- The coverage requires that EVERYONE on the team be an AAU member and have the AB card.
We encourage uses of the Internet as you can get the card instantly! "CLICK HERE!"
Wednesday, December 10
"CALLING ALL BLAZERS PARENTS!"
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This Sunday December, 9th the Blazers’ coaching staff will be holding a parent’s meeting at the Hilltop Family YMCA @ 5:15pm. Please be sure to attend this parent’s meeting if at all possible. Your son’s basketball experience will be better if you are familiar with the program and the volunteers who are part the Virginia Beach Blazers. This will save our volunteers a lot of time and help us do a better job of working with your child.
As parents, you have certain responsibilities that must be met. This meeting will be used to identify those responsibilities along with a brief discussion of the following subjects:
1. Introductions of parents and coaches
2. Checking of rosters for correct information
3. How to obtain an AAU Insurance cards.
4. Discussions of coaching philosophies including the expectations of the players and parents regarding sportsmanlike conduct, attendance of practices and games, team rules, parent volunteers requirements, overviews of practices and any other pertinent information or insights.
5. Tournament and practice schedules.
6. Team uniforms
7. Team Parent: We must select a team parent (cannot be anyone on the coaching staff) that would represent the teams concerns, assist in the coordination of fund raising and team information
Please E-mail (blazers01@verizon.net) if you have any concerns or would not be able to attend.
Sunday, December 7
TEAM STATISTICIAN WANTED
The Virginia Beach Blazers position of Official Statistician is open. Successful candidate will serve as team Official Statistician for all games. He / she will keep record of the team's major stats (blocks, rebounds, shots ect.). The candidate will work closely alongside the coaching staff, and may be assigned additional duties. Training will be proved. Candidate must be able to multi-task, able to travel, and must have a representative or relative connected to the team. For information please contact the Virginia Beach Blazers.
email the blazers01@verizon.net for more information
Monday, November 26
DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH
| |  | | "It’s about learning how to play the game,” |
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Virginia Beach Blazers tryouts are challenging. After five minutes into a session, many realize that this team isn’t like any other team they have or will play on. The team isn’t about just playing the game, it’s about learning how to play the game the right way! Blazers tryouts’ and practices’ are tough on new players because they are expected to improve their performance from prior attempts, in addition to keeping up with terminology, and other critical parts of the practice session.
“Learning is a change of behavior” these are words used numerous times by the team coaching staff to drive home the fact the player are there to learn and to improve on their inadequacies’. Many of these players ask themselves before each tryout session: “I’m I willing to change and improve my skills?” “Can I take advice and act upon it?” Those who say yes continue to come back and try to make the team and those who say no just don’t come back.
Monday, November 12
ARE YOU SURE?
| |  | | Sitting on the bench is not fun. |
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AAU basketball can be a fun and a rewarding experience, but it’s not for everyone. People general think that AAU basketball and rec. basketball are similar, but are shock when they are not. Unlike rec. basketball, everyone doesn’t have to get playing time. Most players take part in off-season camps or played all year round for a number of years. In rec. basketball you take short little car ride to your local school gym, while in AAU basketball you are stuck in a car for hour to hour and half, traveling to some remote gym in the hills.
One reason most players do not succeed on AAU teams is that they don’t have the skills or the ability to keep up with the team. I know what you are thinking, “it’s the coach’s job to weed those players out”. Yes! And No! The coach should pay attention to the players on his or her team and know their abilities and weakness, but players need to be accountable too. Unlike the pros, youth coaches tend to select players on potential. The coach may see something that sets that person apart form the crowd, so the coach may select that player in hopes of harnessing player’s ability for the good of the team. The problem arises when a player refuses or has no interest in changing old habits. As much as the coach tries, the player is stuck in his or her poor habits. So what happens is the player sits on the bench for number of games, the coach is frustrated, the player is frustrated, and time and money is being wasted. After a while, the coach may cut the player or the player will leave on his or her own. This story plays out year in and out in all AAU programs.
Before you make a commitment to play AAU basketball ask yourself: “I’m I willing to change and prove my skills?” “Can I take advice and act upon it?” If you said yes to both questions, then go for it. If you said no to one or both or took two days to think about it, then you may want to re think about playing on this level.
Monday, October 15
NOTES FOR BLAZERS' TRYOUTS
| |  | | DON"T MISS YOUR LAY-UPS!!! |
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Whatever experience you may have, the bottom line is that trying out for a basketball team is stressful. If you have experience, work as hard as you can in tryouts. Everything counts, from lay-ups to wind sprints to stretching. Don't hide in the last row during warm-ups, get up in front. Don't clown around with your friends, there's plenty of time for that off the court. DON’T MISS YOUR LAY-UPS!!! Nothing says "I don't belong here" more than missing the easiest shot in the game. Even when you think the coaches didn't see you, they saw! Catch up to the leaders in sprint drills. Play hard defense on fast break drills. Make everything you do count! You only have a few hours to make your mark.
All you want to do is your best, and hopefully show the coach that you deserve a spot on that team. What can you do to stand out? What will give you the edge? What does the coach really look for? The obvious answer of course is your skill level. Can you play the game? This is the number one factor. Many athletes who were excellent basketball players, but didn't make the team. Why not? Because of their attitude. After skill, having a positive attitude is the second most important factor in determining whether you make the team. Attitude is everything. If you really want to make the team, take a good look at yourself to determine your attitude in the following situations:
Sunday, September 30
DO YOU WANT TO BE A BLAZER?
Virginia Beach Blazers team tryouts will be held on November 3, 2007. This year the team is looking for male players ages 11 and 12. A Player cannot turn 13 before September 1, 2008 unless the player is currently in the sixth grade.
All players attending a Virginia Beach Blazers' tryout must be a YMCA member or have taken part in a YMCA Youth Basketball Program in the 2007 calender year. For more information email the Virgina Beach Blazers
Thursday, December 16
SCHEDULE CHANGE
The Virginia Beach Blazers will not be taking part in this Sundays Dec. 19th tournament in Newport News. However the team will be holding practice this Saturday Dec.18th at 1pm at the Mt. Trashmore YMCA.
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