11/10/06 - Back in the Swing of Things…

After a long off-season, we are looking forward to getting back in the swing of things this weekend with a trip to Old Dominion. Obviously, we are very excited about the opportunity the trip presents, as we will play 3 good teams in 3 days. Arkansas State, Monmouth, and Old Dominion present 3 unique challenges as each team plays a different style that will force us to be very solid in our preparation and execution.

Personally, I am excited to head back to Norfolk, VA where I spent over 12 years as a player and coach. Coach Smith, one of my assistants, also played and coached at Old Dominion and is looking forward to returning as well. This will be the first time we have been back for a game since I took my Dayton team to Norfolk a few years ago and escaped with a 4-point victory.

I know our players are just as excited to get back in the routine of the season and get things started in a big way. We have really picked up the pace and pushed our guys this week in practice and they are responding like we felt that they would. As I talk to my players about everyday, the season is a marathon and not a sprint, but we want to get out of the gates strong if we are to have the type of season that we talk about having and the success that we expect.

I cannot express enough how excited my players and I are about the upcoming season and the opportunities it will present for us to grow as a team. We look forward to testing ourselves early in front of a hostile crowd in Norfolk. We feel like this will be a great opportunity to prepare for other hostile environments that we will encounter throughout the season in the ACC. In order to be the team we want to be, we must develop a toughness and mindset that we will not be broken as a team and this weekend is a great first step for us in this regard.

This blog is a new feature on my website that I will update periodically throughout the season, so please check back frequently. I would also like to take a moment to thank our fans for all of their support these first 3 seasons and I hope we can turn it up another notch on the court as well as in the stands as we “Fill Up Littlejohn”  this season!

-- Coach P