July 11, 2003
In some ways it is the most unique month in college basketball: July. With two "live" periods in the month where coaches are permitted to evaluate prospective student-athletes, July becomes a whirlwind of planes, bleacher seats and automobiles.
For the second consecutive year the Villanova's men's basketball coaching staff will offer periodic updates from July's Journey at villanova.com. Please note that NCAA rules prohibit the coaches from commenting on any individual high school player or team.
Today's Traveler: Jay Wright
Monday, July 7
Villanova, Pa.
We began the third and final week of our Villanova Basketball Camp this morning and that makes for a full day. Fortunately, our coordinator of basketball operations Billy Lange does a great job of organizing this for us and that allows me the freedom to move about the camp and say hello to some of the young guys who are here.
By late afternoon, I even find time to sneak in a run around campus. It's good to fit one in now: once I get out on the road it's often difficult to find 45 minutes where I can sneak away.
(Assistant coach) Brett Gunning heads to the airport to catch a flight to Indianapolis this afternoon. We like to have a member of our staff arrive a day prior to the start of a major event like the Nike or ABCD camps. This way, Brett can get us registered and pick up the rosters that tell you the times and court slots where we will want to be. Meanwhile, (assistant coach) Fred Hill is in Teaneck, N.J., doing the same thing in advance of the adidas ABCD camp.
One of the features of the Villanova Camp is the "Coaches Clinic" we offer each evening. It's a way for us to discuss basketball strategy with our counselors, many of whom are aspiring or current coaches themselves. We begin at 11:00 p.m. in the Pavilion Press Room and the sessions have been known to carry on into the wee hours. They're always a lot of fun and it's not uncommon for one or two stories to be told.
Tonight's session is about par for the course.
By the time I leave the Press Room the clock on the dashboard of my truck reads a few minutes after 2:00 a.m.
This time of year, sleeping is usually something you do on airplanes.
Tuesday, July 8
Indianapolis, Ind.
My flight out of Philadelphia International Airport gets me into Indianapolis at 11:25 a.m. Brett picks me up at the airport and we head to the very modern facility at IUPUI.
One of the first people I encounter is a familiar face in a very unfamiliar golf shirt: Joe Jones, wearing the light blue colors of Columbia University. Of course, Joe is just beginning his own head coaching career after working on the Villanova staff for six years and it brought back a lot of memories of 1994 for me. That was the first summer when I journeyed out as a head coach after taking the Hofstra job and the feeling is a little different than when you were an assistant. The days of doing a lot of the advance work are gone but you also understand the final decisions on evaluations belong to you.
We spoke with Joe for a while. All of his many friends at Villanova should know that Joe is very excited about this opportunity and is putting that great work ethic of his to use.
Although we aren't able to announce our 2003-04 schedule until September, we do have a plan in place to bring Columbia into the Pavilion for a game with us on Dec. 22.
It's the kind of game that will be good for both programs. We always enjoy facing good academic schools such as Columbia and there is obviously a great deal of appeal in having Joe come back. I had the same opportunity to coach in a game at Villanova when I was at Hofstra and it's really what this is all about. It's always heartwarming to see a member of your family like Joe bring his own program into our house.
This will be a chance for Joe to be introduced before our crowd and I hope everyone lets him know through their cheers how much we appreciate his contributions to Villanova Basketball.
During the afternoon, we move about the facility and watch the games of interest to us. By the end of the session, Brett and I huddle again to go over our plans for the evening. I also check in with Freddie in New Jersey to hear how things are going there. There are also calls to (assistant coach) Ed Pinckney, Billy and a host of others before we head back into the gym.
It's been an exciting day and you always know there are more to come in July.
Wednesday, July 9, 2003
Indianapolis/Villanova/Teaneck, N.J. It's up early to meet with Brett and then return to the Indianapolis airport. From there, it's back to campus to spend some time at our Basketball Camp before taking a late afternoon ride north to New Jersey, site of the ABCD camp. When I get there I consult with Fred about the goings on and we fan out to check out the action on the campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University.
There are always a lot of players to consider at these events but I think our overall focus right now is on finding talented guys who will fit in well with what we are building here. We want the best players but you can't overlook the intangibles. I feel good about the chemistry I see developing among our young guys and we want to find the right kinds of young men to fit in around them.
As coaches, we are not permitted by NCAA rules to watch our current players in pickup action during the summer. But in being around these guys off the floor, I am very impressed with their commitment to getting better. They are in the weight room working hard and doing all of the little things in the off-season that are so critical to success in January, February and March.
I just feel like this is a very driven, self-motivated group and those are the kind of teams as coaches you love to work with each day.
When I get to ABCD camp, I know I will find lots of recognizable faces too. All of the college coaches are out and about this time of year and it's fun to catch up with them.
When the evening session ends, I'll be back on the highway headed south on the New Jersey Turnpike back to the Pavilion. This marks the final evening of the overnight camp at Villanova and it's always fun to interact with the campers and counselors. Plus, we sometimes prevail upon a notable college coach to make the drive down to speak at our Coaches Clinic before returning to Teaneck for the Thursday afternoon sessions at ABCD.
We're only two days into this "live" period and have watched some great action already. The rest of the month promises more of the same and I hope you can check back in with our staff here at villanova.com as we make the rounds in July.
As for me, it's been an awesome day. There were stops in three cities, three camps, and chats with dozens of people in all three places. I even found a few minutes to have lunch at Villanova with my wife Patty and daughter Reilly.
By the late evening, I'm back in the Pavilion Press Room. Tonight we have a major game of Trivial Pursuit underway among the coaches and counselors. There are moments where the outcome appears to be in doubt, but in the end our team pulls out the W.
All of us had a blast.
Thursday, July 10
Villanova, Pa./Teaneck, N.J.
We wrap up our final week of the Villanova Basketball camp in the morning. The winners of our Attitude awards usually get the biggest applause and that's how we like it. I love the young guys who bring that great attitude with them every day and it's something we want to recognize.
By noon time, I am in my truck and headed back on to the Pennsylvania Turnpike bound for New Jersey. There are afternoon and evening sessions to take in at FDU. Of course, I couldn't have a better tour guide than our own coach Freddie Hill. When I arrive Freddie and I go over our game plan and then move to different courts to take in the action. The day moves quickly.
After viewing the night session, it's back into the truck so I can head home. I'll be headed back to the airport to begin the next phase of our summer sojourn.
We're off to a great start. Thanks for taking the time to check in with us here at Villanova Basketball.
