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The January back to school week is a huge adjustment for players, coaches, and families. Christmas break is unlike any other week during the basketball season. Teams play games at unusual times and often against non-league opponents. Tournaments also are common. And practice times can be all over the place.
One of the most important priorities for a high school basketball player during vacation week should be to get the appropriate rest. Students typically sleep in when possible during break. The routine of the school year is thrown out the window with the vacation week schedule. That is why it is such a challenge to return to school.
The first day back to school can very often be a game day. Hopefully at this point during the season a player has a game day routine that they are comfortable with and can easily follow. Even if this is true, going back to school in January will be an adjustment. A full day of classes after having a week or more away from school can be mentally and physically tiring. So players should do all that they can to make this adjustment as smooth as possible.
Take Care of the Grades
Taking care of academics should always be a top priority for any student-athlete regardless of the time of year. The end of a grading term usually is shortly after the return from Christmas break. So it is important that all players have completed any missing assignments, prepared as well as possible for major assessments, and have completed any long-term projects. Often times during the return to basketball and the excitement of league play, students can let the grades slip a little bit. It is important to not let this happen.
No More Secrets
There are very few secrets left in terms of scouting reports after Christmas Vacation. Teams have completed up to 25% of the season. Box scores have been shared, twitter highlights have been promoted, and coaches have often scouted several games before playing an opponent. So players who are scoring points and having an impact on the game are identified. Teams will adjust their game plans to make it difficult for these players to succeed. Junk defenses can be used to stop a prolific scorer. Teams and players have to be mentally ready for this.
The Holiday Hangover
The Holiday Hangover, as many high schools coaches know, can be taken literally and figuratively. There are high school student athletes who drink and some drink heavily on New Year’s Eve and this can have a lingering effect into the following week and the return to school. For others, it is just a figurative hangover of having free time, being able to relax and watch TV, and perhaps squeeze in a few extra individual workouts. Whatever the case may be, there is a little bit of a letdown upon the return to school.
Clearer Pecking Order
The league and state pecking order becomes more clearer in January, Teams start to gain a better understanding of where they fit in the league, and in the state. There are very few teams that are undefeated at this point. Likewise, there also are very few teams that are winless. Most teams fall somewhere in between.
Now that league play is in full swing, teams have a good understanding of who is at the top of the league, in the middle of the league. and at the bottom of the league. There’s a good chance there have been blowout games with margins of victory being 15 or more points. Teams now need to start and understand what they need to do to win.
Team Chemistry
Team chemistry is growing or deteriorating based on the direction of the team and the roles of the players. On some teams, underclassmen will be gaining a more prominent role as the season goes on. Some upperclassman may be forced to except a role they did not for see at the start of the season. How well both these groups handle these situations will have a great impact on the team chemistry. Senior captains and leaders should have a good pulse of the team and coaches also need to be aware of situations that need to be addressed
The Peanut Gallery
At this point in the season expectations are being met, exceeded, or not being reached. The parents and community members will react to all of the above situation. Teams exceeding expectations will see an increase in crowd and support. They will be talking around school and in the barbershops of how the team is doing and when the next big matchup will happen.
On the opposite end of the spectrum teams that are failing to meet expectations will have disgruntled parents and community members and will start pointing fingers at the coaching staff and perhaps players. Regardless of where a team is, the players and coaches must continue to focus on getting better each game and coming closer together as a team.
The league schedule is ahead and the team musts be ready to move forward in the same direction. It will be an exciting few weeks in the fate of the playoffs starting to quickly approach.