Blog 14: Independent Component 1

"Great teamwork is the only way we create the breakthroughs that define our careers."

LITERAL

(a) Statement saying: “I, student name, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”

I, Darlene Good, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work. (More to come though) 

(b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.

My sources are the coaches at Southland's for the girls' varsity basketball team: Julius Johnson, Monica Martinez (a close friend of coach Johnson with prior experience), and Trish Milhiser (JV coach).

(c) Provide a digital spreadsheet (aka log of the 30 hours).   Post it next to your mentorship log.

Make it easier when checking this post: click here

(d) Explanation of what you completed.  

A huge thing that I feel must be said is that I filled in my first play for a game as well as told the girls which position to play and really play the role of a coach. 

INTERPRETIVE 

Defend your work and explain how the significant parts of your component and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work. Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.

Mainly what I did was go to practice and lead a few or help the coaches with drills. When I say help the coaches with drills I mean, there are two main coaches, Johnson and Trish, and we'd split the girls into three groups so each coach and I had our own set or girls and we either had competitions on which group can do drills faster or actually split the girls so we each can do whatever we wanted with them.

When it came to the weight room I actually worked out with them because it's a way for the girls to see me as part of the team rather than just helping the coaches out.

All the schedules for practices and games are on a googledocs that's shared between the coaches and I. That to me is like another class blog that I need to be constantly checking on everyday to see if I agree with the schedule and/or if there's anything I would like to add or replace.

APPLIED

How did the component help you understand the foundation of your topic better?  Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped. 

My independent component really helped me see the different perspectives on coaches for different sports and it gives me answers to research and pay more attention to during practices and at home. With two coaches involved now it helps me see the different coaching types within the same sport and I know for my actual mentoring it will give me a third perspective on coaching.

A specific example is the idea I call "C.T.C." which basically stands from "Character. Teamwork. Commitment." I came up with this because Character forms a Team and a team must be committed to the same goal. Not quite sure if the order will be that but my independent component actually helped me for this concept so I feel like this is a perfect example i've gotten out of being part of the basketball team.

Blog 13: Lesson 2 Reflection

"Passion and teamwork can turn a bunch of ordinary folks into an unbeatable, winning team." -Prakah Iyer

1. Positive Statement
I wasn't as shy as my last presentation and I think that was helpful. This isn't my last presentation and I can only get better from this.

What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 Presentation and why?
I really enjoyed the way my activity turned out and how people really participated/ wanted to come up and share their answers.

2. Questions to Consider
       a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE       P          AP       CR       NC

       b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.
I understand I didn't mean time but I feel like what I did say was enough to cover the important grounds that I wanted to share.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?
My activity definitely worked and i'm glad because I had to change it about three times for it to connect with my answer.

4.  (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?
I thought maybe I had enough to talk about for 10 minutes but I guess not and I talked way too fast so that didn't help at all so maybe just take my time and give more examples.

5. Finding Value
What do you think your answer #2 is going to be? 
Well I have this idea called "C.T.C." which basically stands from "Character. Teamwork. Commitment." and I came up with this because Character forms a Team and a team must be committed to the same goal. You can't really do one without the other and the order is still debatable but I really feel like these three things are constantly talked about/ shown in my mentorships.

Blog 12: Third Interview Questions

"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results."

1. What are certain things you can do to better yourself at coaching?
2. Were there any goals you set as a coach and if you've accomplished any, how?
3. How do you form a relationship with your players while still maintaining boundaries?
4. What is your coaching philosophy?
5. What drills do you believe reflects a players best skill?
6. Have you kept in touch with any of your past players?
7. How important is team bonding to you and what are some thing you do to make sure you're players bond?
8. How can a coach influence a players life outside of the game?
9. What had coaching taught you?
10. Is there any advice you have for someone wanting to become a softball coach?

Blog 11: Mentorship 10 Hours

"The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind ahead even more than teamwork."

Content:
1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?
La Puente High School with the varsity softball team.

2.   Who is your contact?
Jennifer Dorado


3.   How many total hours have you done (total hours should be reflected in your mentorship log located on the right hand side of your blog like your WB)?
15 hours

4.   Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.
Considering the fact that my topic is Coaching a Softball Team (high school) and softball season has not started my mentor Jennifer gave me the great idea to pick a girl from her varsity team that is in a travel ball team to help me with my mentoring hours and the only girl that lives near me that's in a travel team is a senior by the name of Karissa Martinez. Which works out perfectly since she's also my best friend.

For my mentoring hours I attended a tournament with Karissa's travel ball team, Storm USA called City of Lights Showcase in October 26-28. This tournament took place in Las Vegas and every game day lasted about 5 hours or more. Karissa needed to arrive around 7AM to the fields to go warm up with her team and Day 1 of the tournament was when I met Coach Diego in person. While the girls were warming up, Diego talked to me about what was going to occur in the 3 days of tournament and what I was able to do for him/with him to help me for my hours.

Tournament: Consists of three days and each day has 5 games with an additional individual camp. "An individual camp is basically where the girls play with other girls from other teams to help the coaches see how each player on their team plays under unfamiliar circumstances," said coach Diego. There are only 3 individual games per day that are 45 minutes each.

5.   Email your house teacher the name of your contact and their phone number confirming who they should call to verify it.  
Done

*You need 50 hours plus the original 10 in the summer by May. The original 10 from the summer do not count toward the 50.  By the end of the year, you will have 60 hours counting that original 10.

Blog 10: Senior Project: The Holiday

"Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek." - Mario Andretti

1.  It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school.  What did you over the break with your senior project?
I attended some of Karissa's individual practices that she has with her personal family coach. He gave her tips on what she should improve on as well as what she's starting to slack on due to her being so used to doing it all the time. We went to the La Puente Park on Monday (Dec. 23) for about 2 hours just me pitching to her and me hitting different kinds of balls while she runs to catch them. We also went Friday and Saturday (Dec. 27-28) morning with her family and had our own game of  guys vs. girls. We also went running a lot and did some of her drills so she can stay in shape. On Monday (Dec. 31) Karissa gathered some of the teammates from her high school varsity team about 6 girls (8 with Karissa and I) and played a game. We continued to play with the 6 other girls on Thursday and Friday (Jan. 2-3) since they all were willing to drive to the park again.
*Softball season doesn't start until 2nd semester so that's why no practices are being held right now*
2.  What was the most important thing you learned from what you did and why?  What was the source of what you learned?
What I really learned was how committed Karissa was to softball. She's been playing since she was 7 and continues to play not only for La Puente High on varsity since freshman year but also for a travel ball team since she was in 6th grade. She also has her personal trainer that's a close family friend who has his own batting cage in his auto shop which he helps Karissa bat but also gives pointers to what she should work on/is slacking.
Source: Karissa Martinez. Senior. 17 years. Varsity softball on LPSH's team. Storm USA #3 travel ball team. 

3.  If you were going to do a 10 question interview on questions related to answers of your EQ, who would you talk to and why?
Definitely Karissa because she's actually been to CIF as well as Krystine Lopez who is another member of the varsity softball team. I would talk to Karissa because she's experienced and she would have more knowledge on the topic. As for Krystine, she started playing softball 6th grade on a travel ball team just for fun and then turned out to be good at it. When she found that out she started working really hard so I feel that she would be perfect because most of the other girls on the varsity team have played softball all there lives vs. starting in 6th grade.

A short mentorship breakdown

Considering the fact that my topic is Coaching a Softball Team (high school) and softball season has not started my mentor Jennifer gave me the great idea to pick a girl from her varsity team that is in a travel ball team to help me with my mentoring hours and the only girl that lives near me that's in a travel team is a senior by the name of Karissa Martinez. Which works out perfectly since she's also my best friend.

For my mentoring hours I attended a tournament with Karissa's travel ball team, Storm USA called City of Lights Showcase in October 26-28. This tournament took place in Las Vegas and every game day lasted about 5 hours or more. Karissa needed to arrive around 7AM to the fields to go warm up with her team and Day 1 of the tournament was when I met Coach Diego in person. While the girls were warming up, Diego talked to me about what was going to occur in the 3 days of tournament and what I was able to do for him/with him to help me for my hours.

Tournament: Consists of three days and each day has 5 games with an additional individual camp. "An individual camp is basically where the girls play with other girls from other teams to help the coaches see how each player on their team plays under unfamiliar circumstances," said coach Diego. There are only 3 individual games per day that are 45 minutes each.

*sorry this is posted late but I really felt like this needs to be said since softball season hasn't actually started and my mentor Jen isn't in work right now for this. My topic is coaching, softball just happens to be the sport I chose so Jen suggested this idea to help me since i'm still talking to a softball coach and getting mentored along the way just in a different way which in a way help show me that this could also be a career path because Diego started coaching a high school team before he became a travel ball team coach.*

It has been too long since you've heard from me!

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships" 

-Michael Jordan

Well let me catch you up on what I've been doing. Just because I haven't been writing doesn't mean I haven't been doing my hours. So the Southland's basketball team have been having a few games but I haven't gone to all because sometimes it's too far away or there isn't enough room on the bus for me (only sits 9 people). Now when the varsity girls have games, the jv girls are at practice and vise verse. I take turns going to each practice and games and the first time which was on December 3rd the varsity girls had a basketball game in La Verne and I wasn't able to take pictures because I didn't have anyone else to help me but I did keep track of the girls stats and write down anything I saw that any of the girls can improve on. I wish I can talk the girls up by saying they were amazing, but they weren't. And it's okay because almost every girl on that team is a first timer at the sport and you definitely saw their dedication at practice pay off.

Once I get the official schedule of the girl's games I will definitely be letting Purther know, as well as my friends so the word can spread, when the games are so we can all enjoy some basketball! :-)

Here is what the 2013-2014 Girl’s Basketball Varsity Schedule for preseason:

11/16 Team Night APU Vs. Cal Poly Pomona (@ APU 3:00pm- 6:00pm)

11/29 Alumni Scrimmage 10:00 am

12/3 VS Crossroads   4:45 pm

12/6 VS Pacific Lutheran 4:45 pm

12/9-14 @ Cougar Classic TBD *(one game played at 2pm)

12/19 @ Vict Val Christian 3:15  

1/9 @ Connelly   6pm (@ American Sports Center)

1/14 @ TVT TBD

1/17 @ Crystal Cath. TBD

1/21 VS Bethel 3:15

1/24 @ Liberty TBD

1/28 VS Eastside 3:15

1/31 VS TVT 3:15

2/4 VS Crystal Cath. 3:15

2/7 @ Bethel     5:30

2/10 VS Liberty 3:15

2/12 @ Eastside 5:30

2/14 VS.  LV Lutheran 4:00

Junior Varsity Schedule

11/16 Team Night APU Vs. Cal Poly Pomona (@ APU 2:30pm- 5:30pm)

12/9 @ Spirit Academy 4:15 pm (@ Anaheim Sports Center)

12/12             Vs. Immaculate heart.      3:15 pm

12/17             @ Milken Community (finals)     3:00 pm

12/20             Vs. Valley Christian 2:00  pm

12/26- 30       Spartan Classic (@ villa park) TBA

1/7                @ Cantel SHM.              3:00 pm

1/14               Vs Valley Christian 3:15 pm

1/22 Vs Edgewood 4:00 pm

1/30 @ Edgewood 3:30 pm

1/31               VS  Gabrielino TBA