CSU Women's Basketball Mentorship
Freshman Point Guard – Destinee Davis (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Currently majoring in Biology and Health and Fitness Management. Previous school is Easter Guilford High School in North Carolina. Named All-Conference in each of first three seasons at Easter Guilford High School, named Co-Offensive Player of the Year, was presented with the Top-10 Athletic Scholar Award and named the program's Rookie of the Year. |
Junior Point Guard – Praise Russell (Jacksonville, Florida)
Currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. Transfer student from Savannah State University. A standout student in the classroom and appeared on SSU's Academic Honor Roll her entire time with the basketball program. |
Introduction:
Since graduating from Clayton State University in 2014, I have maintained a close relationship with the coaches of the women’s basketball program. The head coach, Kaleena Coleman, was my assistant coach during my collegiate basketball career (2010-2013). The assistant coach, Brittany Hall, is my former teammate (2010-2012). My relationship with both ladies has been consistent since becoming a Laker in May 2010. This past summer, Brittany shared an idea with me that I thought was cool. She stated that she wanted to start a mentor program with the current basketball players and players from our national championship team. She mentioned how the playing standards have dropped, the championship mentality has faded, and the morale is no longer the same. Essentially, the players have lost the pride of playing for “The Real CSU.” So, in order to gain that competitive spirit again, Brittany suggested creating a mentorship program. She believes that if we consistently reach out to the current players, provide them with constructive criticism, feedback, advice, and help mold their game, then they’ll get a sense of what a “championship mentality” looks like. After discussing the idea, we tried to figure out the best time to implement the program. I suggested waiting until conference play, which would start in mid-December. Brittany, on the other hand, suggested starting the mentorship program after the completion of preseason (end of October, the beginning of November). Unfortunately, the most challenging part was getting in contact with some of our former teammates.
By the time preseason started (October 2019), we had not discussed the mentorship idea any further. I was unsure if we would still commit to doing it. After recently asking about it, we sat down and assigned current players to former players based on their position, their style of game, and personalities. We hope that each player will create a lifelong friendship, learn from previous players, and learn how to win despite adversities. For now, this is only a season-long project. If it proves to be helpful, we will hopefully continue the program year after year.
Since graduating from Clayton State University in 2014, I have maintained a close relationship with the coaches of the women’s basketball program. The head coach, Kaleena Coleman, was my assistant coach during my collegiate basketball career (2010-2013). The assistant coach, Brittany Hall, is my former teammate (2010-2012). My relationship with both ladies has been consistent since becoming a Laker in May 2010. This past summer, Brittany shared an idea with me that I thought was cool. She stated that she wanted to start a mentor program with the current basketball players and players from our national championship team. She mentioned how the playing standards have dropped, the championship mentality has faded, and the morale is no longer the same. Essentially, the players have lost the pride of playing for “The Real CSU.” So, in order to gain that competitive spirit again, Brittany suggested creating a mentorship program. She believes that if we consistently reach out to the current players, provide them with constructive criticism, feedback, advice, and help mold their game, then they’ll get a sense of what a “championship mentality” looks like. After discussing the idea, we tried to figure out the best time to implement the program. I suggested waiting until conference play, which would start in mid-December. Brittany, on the other hand, suggested starting the mentorship program after the completion of preseason (end of October, the beginning of November). Unfortunately, the most challenging part was getting in contact with some of our former teammates.
By the time preseason started (October 2019), we had not discussed the mentorship idea any further. I was unsure if we would still commit to doing it. After recently asking about it, we sat down and assigned current players to former players based on their position, their style of game, and personalities. We hope that each player will create a lifelong friendship, learn from previous players, and learn how to win despite adversities. For now, this is only a season-long project. If it proves to be helpful, we will hopefully continue the program year after year.
Plan of Action (Destinee):
Destinee has been a challenge for me for several reasons. She's extremely shy, not very social, and she rarely has contact with people who are unfamiliar. I have seen her interact with her teammates more, but it's still somewhat conservative. Whereas Praise is always hungry for information, I have to constantly reach out to Destinee. However, I plan to continue reaching out to her via text messaging to remind her that she belongs in this program while building her confidence. I believe the most important part of her game is encouragement because she's used to being the "Superstar," and now she's barely touching the court. Consistently building her confidence is crucial; especially since freshman can't fathom the importance of being an even better teammate when you aren't directly contributing to wins. In my opinion, energy and presence are necessary. Below are goals I asked Destinee to set that she thought were reasonable and attainable after the first full week of official practices.
Destinee has been a challenge for me for several reasons. She's extremely shy, not very social, and she rarely has contact with people who are unfamiliar. I have seen her interact with her teammates more, but it's still somewhat conservative. Whereas Praise is always hungry for information, I have to constantly reach out to Destinee. However, I plan to continue reaching out to her via text messaging to remind her that she belongs in this program while building her confidence. I believe the most important part of her game is encouragement because she's used to being the "Superstar," and now she's barely touching the court. Consistently building her confidence is crucial; especially since freshman can't fathom the importance of being an even better teammate when you aren't directly contributing to wins. In my opinion, energy and presence are necessary. Below are goals I asked Destinee to set that she thought were reasonable and attainable after the first full week of official practices.
Destinee's Goals:
- Get better everyday
- Learn the system
- Earn playing time
- Learn to control the tempo of the game
- Be confident in everything I do
Plan of Action (Praise):
As for Praise, I plan to continue building her confidence as well. Her confidence-building will mostly be based on her performance in games, especially when she's doing well. If I remember, I try to text her immediately after games telling her good game and reminding her of the things she did well. In terms of the negative plays or things she didn't do so well, I allow her to inform me of what she deems negative. During away games, we still text because I usually watch the games online. What I've noticed about Praise is she really benefits from one-on-one talks where we reflect on her in-game performances. As we converse, I try to be mindful of her familiarity within a new system. Below are goals I asked Praise to set that she thought were reasonable and attainable after the first full week of official practices.
As for Praise, I plan to continue building her confidence as well. Her confidence-building will mostly be based on her performance in games, especially when she's doing well. If I remember, I try to text her immediately after games telling her good game and reminding her of the things she did well. In terms of the negative plays or things she didn't do so well, I allow her to inform me of what she deems negative. During away games, we still text because I usually watch the games online. What I've noticed about Praise is she really benefits from one-on-one talks where we reflect on her in-game performances. As we converse, I try to be mindful of her familiarity within a new system. Below are goals I asked Praise to set that she thought were reasonable and attainable after the first full week of official practices.
Praise's Goals:
- Average at least 5 assists per game
- Work hard everyday
- Control and maintain control of the game
- Minimize turnovers
- Improve every category on the stat sheet from the previous playing year
- Become an extension of the coach on the floor
Monday, December 30, 2019 - Friday, January 3, 2020
There are certain rules that have been established by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) regarding the legal and illegal scheduled team practices, team practices during final exams, the amount of days an athlete has to take off for rest, and so much more. During final exams and going into Christmas, the girl's were off. There was no practice, all players went home (some of out-of-state) and the athletic department was closed as well. Normally, the players would report back the day after Christmas, but because the next game was not scheduled until Saturday, January 4, 2020, they were allowed to report back on Sunday, December 29, 2019. As Monday approached, I grew excited because practice would continue and two-a-days (practice twice in one day) were put in place. Not only did I get to practice with the team, I was able to play against and alongside my mentee's. For the entire week, I practiced with the team and gave them on the court feedback based on the things I noticed. Also, I would meet with my mentee's after practice for about 10-15 minutes individually to discuss the pros and cons from practice. For the most part, both young ladies were able to recognize their mistakes and knew how to fix them as well. Destinee, the freshman, struggles with juggling her confidence, remembering plays, and being a facilitator at the point guard position. I can tell that she is thinking too much about what she needs to do and how she needs to do it, instead of just playing basketball and "going with the flow." It is almost as if she is trying to avoid making mistakes which causes her to make simple mistakes. On the other hand, Praise, the graduate student, has really developed her game. She is playing more minutes during the games, subbing in and out on the starting team, and her confidence has definitely increased. Because Praise is expanding her game, she is eager to learn more. She reached out to me during the week asking me if we (she and I) could watch some of our old game film together. Of course I was stoked, but she wants to gain a better understanding of "ball pressure." Since starting this mentorship program, Praise has definitely grown and become consistent. The first five games she was averaging less than 10 minutes a game, 5 points, and 2 turnovers. In the last 6 games, she is playing 15 or more minutes, aaveraging 10 points, and only 1 turnover.
I also got a chance to get to know them on a more personal level just by spending so much time at the gym. We discussed things like their families back home (parents, siblings, nieces/nephews), things they did over the Christmas break, and hobbies they like to do in their free time or when they are not playing basketball. I was curious to know how much of Atlanta they've visited since being in the city for school, and surprisingly, neither one of them travels more than 15 minutes from the school. They rarely go to the mall, amusement parks or do anything fun or entertaining. I shared with them my college experience at Clayton State University and how my teammates and I were always in the city, at the club, at a party, or anywhere else that we deemed "fun." Now that I think about it, that's probably why I don't like the club, lounges, parties, or loud music now. We were out Sunday to Sunday. Yet, both of them seem to be home body's and enjoy the few activities they have on campus as well as the company of their teammates. Since Destinee stays in the dorms, she has more access to friends other than her teammates.
There are certain rules that have been established by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) regarding the legal and illegal scheduled team practices, team practices during final exams, the amount of days an athlete has to take off for rest, and so much more. During final exams and going into Christmas, the girl's were off. There was no practice, all players went home (some of out-of-state) and the athletic department was closed as well. Normally, the players would report back the day after Christmas, but because the next game was not scheduled until Saturday, January 4, 2020, they were allowed to report back on Sunday, December 29, 2019. As Monday approached, I grew excited because practice would continue and two-a-days (practice twice in one day) were put in place. Not only did I get to practice with the team, I was able to play against and alongside my mentee's. For the entire week, I practiced with the team and gave them on the court feedback based on the things I noticed. Also, I would meet with my mentee's after practice for about 10-15 minutes individually to discuss the pros and cons from practice. For the most part, both young ladies were able to recognize their mistakes and knew how to fix them as well. Destinee, the freshman, struggles with juggling her confidence, remembering plays, and being a facilitator at the point guard position. I can tell that she is thinking too much about what she needs to do and how she needs to do it, instead of just playing basketball and "going with the flow." It is almost as if she is trying to avoid making mistakes which causes her to make simple mistakes. On the other hand, Praise, the graduate student, has really developed her game. She is playing more minutes during the games, subbing in and out on the starting team, and her confidence has definitely increased. Because Praise is expanding her game, she is eager to learn more. She reached out to me during the week asking me if we (she and I) could watch some of our old game film together. Of course I was stoked, but she wants to gain a better understanding of "ball pressure." Since starting this mentorship program, Praise has definitely grown and become consistent. The first five games she was averaging less than 10 minutes a game, 5 points, and 2 turnovers. In the last 6 games, she is playing 15 or more minutes, aaveraging 10 points, and only 1 turnover.
I also got a chance to get to know them on a more personal level just by spending so much time at the gym. We discussed things like their families back home (parents, siblings, nieces/nephews), things they did over the Christmas break, and hobbies they like to do in their free time or when they are not playing basketball. I was curious to know how much of Atlanta they've visited since being in the city for school, and surprisingly, neither one of them travels more than 15 minutes from the school. They rarely go to the mall, amusement parks or do anything fun or entertaining. I shared with them my college experience at Clayton State University and how my teammates and I were always in the city, at the club, at a party, or anywhere else that we deemed "fun." Now that I think about it, that's probably why I don't like the club, lounges, parties, or loud music now. We were out Sunday to Sunday. Yet, both of them seem to be home body's and enjoy the few activities they have on campus as well as the company of their teammates. Since Destinee stays in the dorms, she has more access to friends other than her teammates.
Monday, January 27, 2020
Currently, the Clayton State Women’s Basketball team is on a four-game losing streak. Their next scheduled game is Wednesday, January 29, 2020, against Flager College at the “The Loch.” Flager College ranks last in the Peach Belt Conference, so hopefully the girls’ can use this game as a booster. With that in mind, I reached out to Praise and Destinee to see where they are mentally and to provide a few words of encouragement. I also asked them about today’s practice, the morale of the team going into Wednesday’s game, and if they felt the team meeting after the Columbus State loss was beneficial. As always, Praise provided me with detailed feedback (positive and negative) in terms of the direction she believes the team is headed. Also, Praise stated that the communication between her and her teammates is much stronger and the energy is at an all-time high. As a mentor, former player, and a fan, this was great news!
Another topic we discussed in our group message was their performances in their last game against the University of North Georgia. Although they came up short (68-60), I felt as if the team played a sound complete game. Late game mistakes and careless turnovers cost them the game. However, winning at North Georgia would have been a huge accomplishment because North Georgia is 27-1 at home. Additionally, it would have given the girls’ life again. While having these conversations, I enjoy conversing with Praise because she’s thorough and detailed in her explanations. She recognizes many weaknesses within herself as well as the team. Destinee still isn’t playing high volume minutes, so I understand why her responses are minimal. Although Praise is playing valuable minutes, my ultimate goal is to get her to point where she makes a consistent difference on the floor and on the scoreboard.
Currently, the Clayton State Women’s Basketball team is on a four-game losing streak. Their next scheduled game is Wednesday, January 29, 2020, against Flager College at the “The Loch.” Flager College ranks last in the Peach Belt Conference, so hopefully the girls’ can use this game as a booster. With that in mind, I reached out to Praise and Destinee to see where they are mentally and to provide a few words of encouragement. I also asked them about today’s practice, the morale of the team going into Wednesday’s game, and if they felt the team meeting after the Columbus State loss was beneficial. As always, Praise provided me with detailed feedback (positive and negative) in terms of the direction she believes the team is headed. Also, Praise stated that the communication between her and her teammates is much stronger and the energy is at an all-time high. As a mentor, former player, and a fan, this was great news!
Another topic we discussed in our group message was their performances in their last game against the University of North Georgia. Although they came up short (68-60), I felt as if the team played a sound complete game. Late game mistakes and careless turnovers cost them the game. However, winning at North Georgia would have been a huge accomplishment because North Georgia is 27-1 at home. Additionally, it would have given the girls’ life again. While having these conversations, I enjoy conversing with Praise because she’s thorough and detailed in her explanations. She recognizes many weaknesses within herself as well as the team. Destinee still isn’t playing high volume minutes, so I understand why her responses are minimal. Although Praise is playing valuable minutes, my ultimate goal is to get her to point where she makes a consistent difference on the floor and on the scoreboard.
Thursday, March 27, 2020
The women’s basketball team ended their season on an 11-game winning streak, which included them knocking off the #15-ranked North Georgia Lady Nighthawks on senior night. However, the Peach Belt Conference Tournament did not go in our favor. In the second round, the Lady Lakers were knocked out by the North Georgia Lady Nighthawks in what felt like a revenge game. As the Lady Lakers prepared for the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Tournament held at Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina, the NCAA made a heartbreaking decision to cancel the remainder of the season due to the corona-virus pandemic. At first, it seemed like a bad dream, but as time passed and reality set in, the Lady Laker’s dreams and goals seem accomplishable. After about a week or so, I reached out to Destinee and Praise to see what their feelings were toward the NCAA’s decision. Praise stated that the season-ending abruptly was bitter because they were working so hard as a team to take care of unfinished business. In the first round of the region tournament, they were to face North Georgia once again. Praise went on to say that they could have possibly played for an NCAA Division II National Championship title. Yet, she was heartbroken for the five seniors because they did not get a chance to complete their senior season. Through it all, Praise mentioned how she has learned to appreciate her gifts as a student-athlete because it can all be taken away. Destinee did not respond to the text message.
I enjoyed the mentorship project and I hope it continues for many seasons in the future. Through the years I have watched countless teams under Coach Coleman and Brittany, but this year I truly felt connected to the program. Not only was I able to practice with the team, but mentoring Praise and Destinee taught me patience, techniques to build confidence on and off the court, and a different appreciation for the game of basketball.
The women’s basketball team ended their season on an 11-game winning streak, which included them knocking off the #15-ranked North Georgia Lady Nighthawks on senior night. However, the Peach Belt Conference Tournament did not go in our favor. In the second round, the Lady Lakers were knocked out by the North Georgia Lady Nighthawks in what felt like a revenge game. As the Lady Lakers prepared for the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Tournament held at Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina, the NCAA made a heartbreaking decision to cancel the remainder of the season due to the corona-virus pandemic. At first, it seemed like a bad dream, but as time passed and reality set in, the Lady Laker’s dreams and goals seem accomplishable. After about a week or so, I reached out to Destinee and Praise to see what their feelings were toward the NCAA’s decision. Praise stated that the season-ending abruptly was bitter because they were working so hard as a team to take care of unfinished business. In the first round of the region tournament, they were to face North Georgia once again. Praise went on to say that they could have possibly played for an NCAA Division II National Championship title. Yet, she was heartbroken for the five seniors because they did not get a chance to complete their senior season. Through it all, Praise mentioned how she has learned to appreciate her gifts as a student-athlete because it can all be taken away. Destinee did not respond to the text message.
I enjoyed the mentorship project and I hope it continues for many seasons in the future. Through the years I have watched countless teams under Coach Coleman and Brittany, but this year I truly felt connected to the program. Not only was I able to practice with the team, but mentoring Praise and Destinee taught me patience, techniques to build confidence on and off the court, and a different appreciation for the game of basketball.