Definition of intensity

Coach's Comments, by Jeannie Hebert

The Wasilla High School girls' basketball program uses the word "intensity"as the backbone of its program. We have a chart that gives meaning to each letter of the word, and we incorporate the following ingredients into every aspect of our practice and play.

"I" is for integrity. Everyone works toward self-respect -- through hard work, dedication and team commitment.

"N" is for noise. Our competitive volume is found in our action, not our words.

"T" is for training. We train hard physically and mentally to comply with strict training rules and to achieve good classroom grades. We must carry ourselves with the highest level of social expectations.

"E" is for energy. As coaches, we channel young people's tremendous energy into achieving our team's goals.

"N" is for need. All young people need to take pride in what they do. Our players can take pride from their contribution if they can walk off the court having given their best. Pride from giving one's all makes them winners in our book.

"S" is for sacrifice. Basketball is a team sport where the team must equal more than the sum of its parts. When a team works together so that the results are more important than individual statistics, you have achieved the team chemistry that championships are made of.

"I" is for intelligence. We try as coaches to teach the game of basketball and how its principles enhance our lives. At Wasilla, we expect student-athletes to realize they are role models and to take that responsibility seriously in all aspects of their life: physically, intellectually and socially.

"T" is for thoroughness. Basketball can be a game of mistakes, and usually whoever makes the fewest mistakes is going to win. Paying attention to details is very important.

"Y" is for you. Every player needs to know they are important to the program in whatever role they play for us at Wasilla High School.

These principles help us teach our young people both basketball and life skills, for someday soon they will leave us and take with them the lessons and skills of how to succeed in whatever they do. We believe that knowing how to train smart and live right is every bit as important as to win often. Earl Campbell once said, "There will always be some who will break your records. It's how you live your life that counts." We strive for this same well-roundedness in the Wasilla High girls' basketball program.

Jeannie Hebert is the girls' basketball coach at Wasilla H.S.