Most of the time, I think life is a disconnected series of attempts to transform yourself into a different person, despite all evidence suggesting that you pretty much are who you are.

What am I currently doing to create a better, more successful me?

I’m watching videos about motion offenses, zone defenses, and basketball training drills. You see, I kind of inherited a fifth-grade basketball team this fall, and now if I can find a way for us to win some games, maybe I’ll feel better about myself. Maybe I’ll be better.

In fact, I have proof because we did win a game last weekend, and I did feel kind of accomplished for about an hour until we got blown out by a far superior team in our second game… and then again by that same superior team the next morning. I felt accomplished even though my primary contribution to the game was standing on the sidelines, waving my arms around, and shouting things like “GET BACK!” “STOP BALL!” “HANDS UP!” and “PASS IT!”

As I’m slowly discovering, I’m not really built for coaching basketball, but I’ve found over the years that I’m not really built for much of anything, so I’m fine adding one more thing to the list.

I’m hyperaware of how I am perceived at all times, so not only do I have to do my best to wrangle young children into some semblance of a basketball team, I have to do that while constantly evaluating how every parent, referee, coach, player, and random onlooker feels about my every word and action.

It’s as soul-crushing as it sounds.

Extreme self-awareness is, I think, a trait that most successful coaches don’t have. It’s hard to project the necessary confidence and inspire young athletes when you’re using half your brain power to observe the game and the other half to speculate on whether your last celebratory fist pump was a little too aggressive, or maybe not demonstrative enough.

I stumbled into my current coaching position because my son joined an AAU basketball organization that has two teams. Because the main coach can’t coach both teams when their game schedules overlap, and I was one of the few parents who stuck around for the practices instead of dropping their kid off, I was tasked with filling in as coach at tournament games when required. That slowly, but inexorably, spiraled into me being the primary coach for the younger team (I think… it’s still a bit unclear).

Anyway, I was, by all appearances, the head coach for three games last weekend, and we won one game. The team’s first win in our second tournament of the season. My first-ever basketball head coaching win. It felt great for a minute or two until I started thinking about the postgame huddle with parents and players, where I knew I’d be tasked with selecting a team MVP for the game.

When my turn came to talk, I started saying something vague about what a great team win it was, and how proud I was of everyone. I drew on years of watching post-game interviews on TV in which every player and coach pulls from an accepted list of about ten phrases.

After I praised the team for getting the job done, the main coach was like, “Yeah, that’s nice, but we need an MVP.” I asked, “Can I do two?” and he agreed, so I chose the top two point scorers from the game.

I felt reasonably okay because there were only six kids on the team, so a full one-third of them got official recognition. I also threw out a few specific compliments to the other four, including my son, who honestly didn’t have a good game, but, you know, it happens.

I left the huddle exhausted.

Luckily, there wasn’t much time to dwell on my decisions and parse the parents’ facial expressions because we had another game in an hour. As I already mentioned, we got blown out, which was honestly a bit of a relief because that meant I didn’t have to choose an MVP.

Instead, I made a few cliched comments about how we ran out of gas, and it’s hard playing with only five or six players, but we have to keep pushing. I didn’t highlight the real reason for the loss, which was that the other team had much better players. It definitely wasn’t the coaching!

The legendary basketball coach John Wooden (or, depending on what source you believe, a sportswriter named Heywood Hale Broun) once said, “Sports do not build character… they reveal it.” I think that’s probably true to some extent. At least it is for me.

At this point in my life, my character is pretty locked in. As much as I’d like to change a few things about who I am, the largest parts of me are fixed. While growth and development are possible around the margins, I’m never going to morph into Coach K.

I’m not going to magically become forceful and supremely confident. I’m probably not going to hold kids accountable for their mistakes and push them to be the best they can be. I’ll be kind and supportive, and I’ll always care deeply about what other people think.

My coaching days might ultimately be short-lived, but I’ll look back on them fondly. Getting to be right there in the arena while my kid does something he loves (or hates?… it’s hard to tell the difference sometimes) is what every dad dreams about. I’ll remember it forever.

Unfortunately, because of who I am, I’ll also remember the one non-call I tentatively questioned by saying, “Wasn’t that like seven steps?” while the ref jogged by. He turned to me and said, “It was clean, coach. We’re good.”

That guy hates me. He’s probably at home right now throwing darts at a dartboard with my face on it.

Yeah, I’m never going to change.

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers power forward Obi Toppin surprised 10 children from the Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis with a shopping spree at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Castleton Square Mall on Sunday.

Every child received a $150 DICK’S Sporting Goods gift card, and Toppin added an additional $100 gift card for each child. In total, the children each were given $250 to shop for holiday gifts, sports gear, and apparel.

“I always spoil my kids with a whole bunch of gifts around the holidays,” said Toppin. “So, being able to be in the position I’m in, being able to come back and give some kids a shopping spree experience is amazing so I feel grateful for it.”

Learn more about DICK’S Sporting Goods mission to support youth sports and strengthen communities here.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The IOC took a big step toward reintegrating Russia and Belarus into world sports Thursday by advising governing bodies to let the countries’ youth teams and athletes compete with their full identity of national flag and anthem.

Athletes have “a fundamental right to access sport across the world, and to compete free from political interference or pressure from governmental organizations,” the International Olympic Committee said in a statement.

That message in support of athletes will be welcomed in Russia and Israel, whose athletes have faced recent discrimination, and comes less than three years out from the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games that risks facing political crosswinds in the United States.

The updated strategy on Russia was set at a so-called Olympic Summit — a meeting chaired by IOC president Kirsty Coventry that invites key stakeholders from the Olympic family.

“It was recognized that implementation by the stakeholders will take time,” the IOC said in a statement, adding that each sport’s governing body should decide how to define youth events.

The IOC’s latest move to ease the sporting isolation of Russia can apply to its own Youth Olympic Games which are held next year in Dakar, Senegal, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13.

Russian teams have been fully excluded from international soccer, track and field and other sports since the full military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, while Russian and Belarusian athletes in winter sports are now starting to return with neutral status ahead of the Milan Cortina Olympics in February.

A small group of Russian and Belarusian athletes competed as neutrals without their national identity at the Paris Summer Games last year, where those countries were banned from team sports.

AP Winter Olympics at https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Player-Curated Bags

The player bags continue to be a highlight of Devils Youth Foundation Day. Each player selected items based on their interests and added signed pieces and Devils gear.

Nico Hischier Bag

A pizza-themed collection that reflects Nico’s love of cooking. The bag includes specialty pizza tools, a cookbook, signed memorabilia, and Devils Youth Foundation items.

Jack Hughes Bag

Jack’s bag centers around his interest in reading and downtime. It features comfort items, books, signed pieces, and Devils accessories.

Luke Hughes Bag

Luke curated a gaming-inspired package that includes entertainment items, signed memorabilia, and Devils Youth Foundation gear.

Dougie Hamilton Bag

Dougie’s bag brings together creative and lifestyle items along with signed pieces and branded merchandise.

Timo Meier Bag

Timo selected items that reflect his personal style, including a signature accessory, Devils gear, and signed memorabilia.

Jesper Bratt Bag

Jesper’s bag includes curated lifestyle items with a Swedish touch, a custom journal, signed pieces, and Devils Youth Foundation merchandise.

Jacob Markstrom Bag

Jacob assembled a collection that blends tech, food, and fitness items along with signed memorabilia and Devils accessories.

Supporting Youth Across New Jersey

Funds raised through the auction allow the Devils Youth Foundation to continue supporting thousands of young people across the state. The Foundation works with nonprofit partners in Newark and throughout New Jersey to deliver academic support, expand access to sports, provide healthy meals, and create safe spaces for kids and teens.

Fans can browse all auction items and place bids now through December 13.

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — There’s a youth movement at USA Basketball camp this weekend with young WNBA players Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese making their debuts with the national team.

They’ve been competing against each other in college and the WNBA over the past few years and Bueckers was happy to have them as teammates again. Many of the young players had competed together for the U.S. on American youth teams. They’ll get their first taste of the senior national team in a camp at Duke this weekend.

“It’s great competing with them for a change instead of against them and I think we really bring out the best of each other,” Bueckers said. “I think that’s what USA Basketball does. Just so many amazing athletes and women coming together for one common goal. I think that’s always brought out the best of each other. It’s really fun to be able to share the court and be on the same side for a change.”

Bueckers gave the group the nickname “Young and Turnt” — a phrase used by youth players in the past to describe their high energy and excitement playing with USA Basketball.

The trio, along with other senior national newcomers Cameron Brink, Aliyah Boston and JuJu Watkins, are the future of USA Basketball with veterans Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird retired and other longtime fixtures in the lineup nearing the end of their careers. The U.S. has won eight straight Olympic gold medals and four consecutive world championships. Olympic veterans Kahleah Copper, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum will also be at the three-day camp.

“Obviously there’s some vets and there’s the older class who have already came in and won gold medals, and they have that experience,” Bueckers said. “So as a younger group, you want to ask them questions, soak it up, be a sponge. Like, get their experience and then grow in our experience as well.”

The average age of the 17 players at the camp is just over 25. Bueckers said having so many young players who have been together brings a comfort level.

“There’s a familiarity of competing with and against each other,” she said. “We kind of know each other and it’s more comfortable that way, too. We’re all coming in and we’re having the same expectations of just wanting to go in there and compete and have fun and bring our vibes in and just be us.”

Bird, who is now the managing director for USA Basketball, said this camp will hopefully give the new players a look at international basketball at its highest level.

“Really have it be a tone setter,” said Bird, who helped the U.S. win five Olympic gold medals as a player. “What is it to wear USA on your chest? What is it to be on this team? Whether it’s a World Cup qualifier we’ll get to in March or hopefully the gold-medal game of a big competition, you have to set the tone on Day 1.”

Though many invites went out for the camp, Bird said past Olympians such as A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Napheesa Collier had other commitments.

“There’s a lot of moving parts, that’s always how it is for USA Basketball,” Bird said. “For the young players, it’s a great opportunity to get their first feel and first taste.”

___

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Copyright
© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — There’s a youth movement at USA Basketball camp this weekend with young WNBA players Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese making their debuts with the national team.

They’ve been competing against each other in college and the WNBA over the past few years and Bueckers was happy to have them as teammates again. Many of the young players had competed together for the U.S. on American youth teams. They’ll get their first taste of the senior national team in a camp at Duke this weekend.

“It’s great competing with them for a change instead of against them and I think we really bring out the best of each other,” Bueckers said. “I think that’s what USA Basketball does. Just so many amazing athletes and women coming together for one common goal. I think that’s always brought out the best of each other. It’s really fun to be able to share the court and be on the same side for a change.”

Bueckers gave the group the nickname “Young and Turnt” — a phrase used by youth players in the past to describe their high energy and excitement playing with USA Basketball.

The trio, along with other senior national newcomers Cameron Brink, Aliyah Boston and JuJu Watkins, are the future of USA Basketball with veterans Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird retired and other longtime fixtures in the lineup nearing the end of their careers. The U.S. has won eight straight Olympic gold medals and four consecutive world championships. Olympic veterans Kahleah Copper, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum will also be at the three-day camp.

“Obviously there’s some vets and there’s the older class who have already came in and won gold medals, and they have that experience,” Bueckers said. “So as a younger group, you want to ask them questions, soak it up, be a sponge. Like, get their experience and then grow in our experience as well.”

The average age of the 17 players at the camp is just over 25. Bueckers said having so many young players who have been together brings a comfort level.

“There’s a familiarity of competing with and against each other,” she said. “We kind of know each other and it’s more comfortable that way, too. We’re all coming in and we’re having the same expectations of just wanting to go in there and compete and have fun and bring our vibes in and just be us.”

Bird, who is now the managing director for USA Basketball, said this camp will hopefully give the new players a look at international basketball at its highest level.

“Really have it be a tone setter,” said Bird, who helped the U.S. win five Olympic gold medals as a player. “What is it to wear USA on your chest? What is it to be on this team? Whether it’s a World Cup qualifier we’ll get to in March or hopefully the gold-medal game of a big competition, you have to set the tone on Day 1.”

Though many invites went out for the camp, Bird said past Olympians such as A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Napheesa Collier had other commitments.

“There’s a lot of moving parts, that’s always how it is for USA Basketball,” Bird said. “For the young players, it’s a great opportunity to get their first feel and first taste.”

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.