Core Values and Team Motto

“G.R.O.W.T.H.”

Daily improvement as a young man and athlete

1.  – Grace: unmerited or unearned favor

• Players will love, accept, and encourage one another unconditionally
• Worth will not be based off of statistics or performance
• Players should perform freely without the fear of failure
• Love will be the main motivation
• Players will not point the finger or blame other players. Communicate to and with your teammates, not at your teammates.
• “I will hold myself to a standard of grace, not perfection.” – Unknown

2. – Respect: treating people in a positive manner

• Players will respect themselves to give their best effort to the team
• Players will have eye contact with coaches when being coached
• Players will treat others how they wish to be treated
• Players will value the coaches’ and others’ opinions
• Players will respect facilities and equipment home and on the road
• “Respect a man, and he will do all the more.” – John Wooden

3. – One: characterized by unity; undivided

• Players must know who they are and embrace it
• Players will star in their role for the benefit of the team
• Players will surrender comfort, praise, and pain on behalf of the team
• We win as a team, and we lose as a team
• “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” – Abraham Lincoln

4. – Wired: full of energy and enthusiasm

• Players will compete with great intensity and enthusiasm whether it be practice or game
• Our goal is to be the most excited team on the floor
• Coaches will teach players how to communicate on and off the floor
• Our bench is engaged and talking to the guys on the floor, getting water and towels for their teammates, and paying attention during timeouts
• “Success always demands a greater effort.” – Winston Churchill

5. – Toughness: how much energy a material can absorb before breaking

• Players will embody toughness, especially mental toughness
• Players will have strong, confident body language – no pouting, eye rolls, shrugs, etc.
• Players will be coachable and have eye contact when being coached
• Players understand that the next play is the most important play
• Players play hard regardless of their environment or previous plays – control the controllable
• “Being tough is important on the playing field, but it’s an essential part of success in ever day life. Toughness wins. Toughness prevails.” –Jay Bilas

6. – Habits: what a person does often in a regular and repeated way

• Players must make habits of each core standard
• Players must hold their teammates to a standard of G.R.O.W.T.H.
• When crunch time hits, we will fall back on what we’ve always done, will that be good or bad?
• “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always be what you’ve always been.” – Henry Ford

The Mount Marty Lancer Way on the Floor

Mission: to compete to win each game one possession at a time

We are not going to talk about what we are going to accomplish, we are going to talk about how we are going to do it. Process > Product

Don’t think about the end result — winning the game, winning the GPAC regular season or conference tournament, making it to nationals, etc. We need to think about what we need to in each drill, in each possession, in each moment. Let’s think about what we can do today and the task at hand.

Lancer Basketball

Before, During, and After Competition Expectations

Home Games: Game dress during the school day. Arrive an hour before the first game of the day. When not in uniform, wear Mount Marty Warm-up or basketball t-shirt. If shooting around on the court, wear your game shirt and shooting warm-up. No hats or boots.

Road Games: Players, wear game dress during school unless otherwise noted by coaches. On the road, wear athletic clothes and Mount Marty clothing. No baseball hats and no boots. Have all work made up and be on the bus at load time. Double check to make sure you have everything for the game (jersey, warm-up, shoes, etc.) Bus ride should be quiet. Prepare yourself mentally for the game. Read over the scouting report and watch game film. Always pick up the trash around you whether it’s yours or not. Tell the bus driver or other people we come in contact with (cashier, delivery guy, managers, concession stand worker, etc.) “Thank you.”

Prior to Game: Sit together during the JV or girls’ game. Pay attention and cheer on your teammates. Never react to the game officials or the opposing players, coaches, or fans. During the national anthem stand at attention with your hand over your heart. Run out to take the floor before the game, after half time, and timeouts. Get a great, game-speed warm-up – Be intense and talk. Talking will get you ready to play.

During Games:

• Jersey will be tucked in at all times.
• Players should be positive. Coaches will do correcting.
• Positive body language – No eye rolls, crying, or shoulder shrugs will be tolerated.
• Swearing or “oh my god” will not be tolerated.
• If a teammate dives on the floor, four guys should sprint to help him up.
• Acknowledge your passer on a made field goal with a point and verbal cue
• When exiting the game, sprint off the floor, high five your teammate and tell them whom you’re guarding. Bench players should be standing waiting to high five their teammate.
• Look coaches in the eye when they talk to you. Be coachable.
• Be active and engaged on the bench.
• Sprint over to timeouts. Bench will have water and towels ready for players on the court.
• Listen and pay attention to what the coaches are saying. Eye contact.

After Game: Shake hands and show great sportsmanship whether we win or lose. All players should pick up the bench area and make sure the cups, warm-ups, and towels are picked up. Players do not start getting undressed until coaches have spoken to you. Following post-game meeting, players should shower and get clothes on before leaving the locker room. The locker room should be clean – no tape, clothes, or trash lying around. We leave the locker room better than we found it.

Represent the community of Yankton, Mount Marty University, and Lancer Basketball, Your family, and Yourself in the most positive manner possible.

** Failure to comply and engage with these core standards will result in practice dismissals, potential game and practice suspensions, and even permanent dismissal from team **