U19 World Championships: USA Beats Canada, Keeps Gold Streak Alive
There’s sparse reporting, but we know that Luke Howard ’11was on the team. Jackson ’13 had several FB posts, but reported no details about his brother. Congratulations, Luke!
From Inside Lacrosse, UA underclass team tournaments
Ty Xander on DC team’s and Landon’s Jack Falk: http://insidelacrosse.com/news/2012/06/30/under-armour-underclassman-tournament-day-1-and-2
Landon point guard credits female coach
When Isaiah Colclough tells the story of the toughest coach he’s ever had, he typically gets only one word in before listeners do a double take.
“She,” Colclough begins, “was a police officer, a female police officer. She was always hard on me. She was hard on me more than others on the team, because she saw the potential in me, I think.”
Colclough, a rising senior, is realizing the potential Yolanda Alexander saw — hallmarked by his athleticism and toughness — as he takes over the starting point guard position for the Landon School boys basketball team.
Two years ago, Colclough made the varsity team as a sophomore. While Landon coach Andy Luther was trying to impress upon players the need to work hard and dive for loose balls, Colclough just thought about playing for Alexander while in elementary school.
“That’s what separated me from some of the other people trying to make the team,” said Colclough, an Upper Marlboro resident who played for Alexander at a D.C. Boys & Girls Club. “I was already prepared to do those things, and other people were preparing. I learned those from her.”
After serving as a defensive specialist off the bench as a sophomore and starting small forward as a junior, Colclough is poised to step in at point guard. He’ll replace the physical Joe McDonald, who is headed to George Washington University after averaging 22.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game as a senior last winter.
“I like strong point guards,” Luther said. “I like guards who like to mix it up and get rebounds.”
Thanks to Alexander’s toughness, Colclough fits that profile.
“Being the female, they, I think, anticipated that it would be an easier ride for them,” said Alexander, also an Upper Marlboro resident. “But they soon realized that I was tougher, I believe, than a male was.”
Colclough said he had to run 30 laps each practice — as a warmup. Alexander said it was more like 50 to 100.
And that was nothing compared to a trip to Florida for a tournament. The team lost all six of its games, but that didn’t anger Alexander as much as how timidly her team played.
Before one game, an opponent dunked during warm-ups.
“My boys were like ‘Oh my god,’” Alexander said. “They were like, ‘We’re doomed.’”
And then they played like it. Angered her team had come so far only to give up, Alexander banned her players from swimming in the pool at the house they had rented for the week. Instead she had them crab-walking down the street as curious neighbors watched.
“I got some tears from them,” Alexander said proudly.
And when the team returned from Florida?
“I’ve never ran so much in my life,” Colclough said. “We ran outside for hours.”
But Colclough learned his lesson, one that’s helping Landon today.
“We felt some of these teams might be superior to us,” Colclough said. “But they really weren’t. It was a psychological thing. I think she was just teaching us we have to always play hard and to our fullest, no matter who the opponent is. And that’s what I try to bring to this team and to my teammates.”
Alexander made Colclough cry once. Bigger than his classmates, he had always played center, but she saw his athleticism and moved him to guard. One day at practice, Colclough was turning the ball over too much at his new position, and Alexander was giving him a hard time.
“The kid’s little eyes welled up. Oh my goodness,” Alexander said. “I said, ‘Oh my god.’ He hurt my heart. I said, ‘Are you crying.’ And he said, ‘No, ma’am.’ They cried and whatever, but they know I loved them. It was just tough love.”
At the time, Colclough said, he didn’t quite get that.
“I was always just like, ‘She’s the meanest coach’ and ‘Why am I playing?’” said Colclough, who has drawn interest from Brown, Yale, Cornell, Penn and Columbia. “But looking back, like I said, I credit all my success to her.”
And that tickles Alexander, who said she had no idea she made such an impact on Colclough.
“He’s special,” Alexander said. “I’m pretty sure he’ll be successful in whatever he decides to do, related to sports or otherwise. His family — he has a really good foundation.”
FEARFUL THAT COACH LUTHER WILL READ THIS TO MEAN THAT HOOPS PRESEASON HAS MORE RIGOROUS WORK OUTS!!!
MORE ON THE IC
Academic Elite II: Day 3 Outstanding Performers
http://hoopgroup.com/elite-camp-updates/academic-elite-ii-day-3-outstanding-performers/
Isaiah Colclough| Landon (MD) | 6-1 G | 2013
Colclough calls himself a pass-first point guard but has natural scoring ability and is skilled at picking his spots to attack the basket. He plays tough, and finishes strong around the basket. Colclough has an effective first step, and moves well from side-to-side. He plays with a chip on his shoulder and has no qualms about going one-on-one with bigger defenders.
2012 LAX PLAYERS EXCEL AT UA ALL AMERICAN GAME
Charlie Schneider—2 assists, 2 ground balls, 1 caused turnover
Alex Joyce—12 shots on goal, 7 assists, 5 allowed, 1 ground ball
Quint Kessenich, doing the ESPN play-by-play, noted that the former Bear Goalie now BIG HOYA, made key early saves that set the tempo for the South on their way to victory!! Both of Charlie’s assists were the key to the goals scored.
WARRIOR LACROSSE ALL AMERICANS NAMED
http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/lacrosse/post/_/id/6399/warrior-lacrosse-all-americans
Not 100% sure how these teams are picked, but glad to note that Alex Joyce was the 2nd team All American Goalie. My consternation derives from the fact that some of the players on the 1st and 2nd teams did not play as well as their Bear counterparts. Congratulations to Alex for overcoming whatever invisible bias that is involved.
ONLY SEVEN WEEKS UNTIL THE BEARS’ 1ST FOOTBALL GAME vs. ANNAPOLIS CHRISTIAN AT NAVY MARINE CORPS STADIUM ON 9/8 @ 1PM—2ND ANNUAL PATRIOT CLASSIC
