Arizona has been playing basketball since the early twentieth century with their initial win coming in the first game the program ever played. A 1904 contest that resulted in a victory over the Morenci YMCA team marked the first of what would become many wins in the storied tradition known today as Arizona Wildcat basketball. Long before joining the Pacific 10 Conference (Pac-10) in 1878 many of the games during their first decade of existence came against local YMCA competition, a practice that was surprisingly common in that era. In fact, the University of Kentucky which has the current record for most men’s basketball wins also began their tradition with a single win over a Lexington YMCA team in 1903.

Coming off the 2008-2009 season the University of Arizona basketball program has a twenty-five year streak of consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament. After getting off to a rocky 12-10 start for the 2009-2010 season many Wildcat fans are rightfully concerned that their impressive streak may be in jeopardy. During the twenty-five year streak U of A has reached the Sweet Sixteen twelve times, the Elite Eight seven times, the Final Four on four separate occasions, and has one NCAA National Championship to their credit from the 1997 season.

Much of the success enjoyed by the Wildcats over the last twenty-five years can be attributed to esteemed former head coach Lute Olsen. Coach Olsen came from the University of Iowa in 1983 to inherit a University of Arizona basketball program that had just come off of a forgettable 4-24 record which included only one conference victory. In just three short seasons Coach Olsen miraculously turned the program around from being in the cellar of the conference standings to being an admired organization of national prominence. After winning their first Pac-10 crown in 1986 the University of Arizona basketball machine would go on to be a Pac-10 power throughout the remainder of the century.

Sadly, on October 23, 2008 Coach Lute Olsen announced his retirement with the cause for the unexpected announcement later being explained by his physician as resulting from health concerns. Olsen was 74 years old at the time of his retirement. Assistant coach Russ Pennell took over on an interim basis after the retirement of Olsen. Pennell narrowly made the NCAA Tournament after the 2008-2009 season with a record of 19-13. The controversial selection by the NCAA Tournament committee raised some eyebrows as skeptics considered U of A to be a bubble team at best that was given the benefit of making the tournament primarily to extend their appearances streak to twenty-five years. Sean Miller took over head coaching duties on a permanent basis following the one year stint of Russ Pennell as interim head coach.

It remains to be seen exactly what will happen under the Sean Miller era. Coach Miller knows that he has very large shoes to fill by replacing legendary Coach Lute Olsen. The one aspect of this situation that can be accurately predicted is that University of Arizona basketball fans will continue to root on their team regardless of who holds the title of head coach.

Baseball glove holding the ball or maybe the team locker room is entirely based on the theme of the poster. Sometimes it can be done by taking a player or a home run by an attacker who may be represented in painting. The world series posters can also be subjects of wall art. If anyone should match recently and took the ball fell into the stands, it can be installed or stored in a picture frame and put on the wall. Wall art has a purpose different from person to person and so is the content of works of art.

So, jump higher for basketball is important for several reasons. But one important reason, if you become the best player there.

Great company, you will learn hop has no weapons that will strengthen your calf. Here are the steps: you put your hands behind your head, then began to jump. When you let your knees touch your chest jumps. And let your feet so your feet touch the ground. Do ten sets of this exercise. What this exercise will not strengthen your leg muscles when you strengthen your leg muscles will be easier for you to jump higher. What you do here is train your legs to jump higher.

Another major exercise which are not always mentioned is the visualization. Frankly, the visualization of the most important exercise to increase your vertical jump.

So imagine you jump higher and higher in your game of basketball soak the ball. Imagine the crowd roar and applaud you. Imagine what you want to achieve. You see, you block the ball, see the jump itself, and you see a pass and get the ball to your teammates.

So was the case with my good friend. I was invited over to a housewarming party shortly after he moved into a new home. He and his wife had just bought the house of their dreams they bragged, and they wanted to share it with their friends.

I got to the house and was immediately impressed, the house was unbelievable! I received the grand tour, ending in the media room. The media room was definitely a man cave on steroids. It was themed after my buddy’s favorite baseball team; he had installed two baseball ceiling fans, a bar with a baseball diamond inlayed and had painted the wall his team’s colors. There was baseball memorabilia all over the place, great artwork too. A picture of the baseball field, bats and balls showcased on shelves, and even a digital scoreboard. To cap the room off, there were televisions everywhere, above the bar, three on the main wall, and even a small TV in the attached bathroom.

Needless to say, we spent most of my visit in the room watching the game and drinking beers and enjoying the room. We even had popcorn from a movie theatre popcorn maker, and most exciting for us that the room is fitted baseball ceiling fan.

After I left his house I could not wait to get home and start planning my very own man cave. Call it the competitor in me, but I felt the urge to make my sports room a room that I could brag about with my buddies.

Have you ever wondered why pitchers don’t focus on hitting or play other positions once they sign a professional contract? I believe it is important when a pitcher plays through little league and high school to really have the opportunity to play a lot of positions. They get the opportunity to gain other baseball skills like fielding the ball correctly, thinking about how other players think in different game situations and so on.

Because most pitchers are tall, you will see many of them play first base, especially lefties of course; if they don’t pitch that game. However there comes a time for a pitcher to be only a pitcher and it makes logical sense. I hope a lot of coaches and parents read this article and think about the ramifications of the pitcher/position player mentality in youth baseball.

Coaches need to understand that youth pitching requires a bit more attention than it has been given. Coaches must understand pitch counts at different age levels more clearly and the amount of position playing each pitcher can do in any given week if their pitch count is high.

What kills me is when coaches have their pitchers play long toss with the entire team during team warm ups, the day after the pitcher throws over 100 pitches in a game. Even if a pitcher throws a good 75 pitches they should not be throwing long toss the next day with the team. They should be in the rebuilding phase of the pitching cycle. There has to be a recuperation period and rebuilding the tendons and ligaments that support muscle fibers and connective tissues. The recuperation period varies with every pitcher and with many different game situations and scenarios.

Here are some simple guidelines to follow when you coach pitchers who play other positions.

I received some of this valuable information going to a pitching camp held by Tom House in 2007; I believe it to be very accurate and wise counsel to follow. I have also lived through some of it when my coaches didn’t fully understand what pitchers really go through.

1. If a pitcher starts a game he should not be allowed to play another position that day unless they don’t make it past the first inning.

2. If a pitcher has a higher number of pitches in one game they should have a low number of swings. I recall experiencing a tender elbow a handful of times when I would swing the bat after I pitched a lot. If you believe your pitchers can handle that amount of work in one day try it yourself. You will feel the pain too; it is not enjoyable at all. Take care of their arms.

3. If a pitcher throws a high number of pitches they should also have very little playing time in the infield. Why the infield? Quick, awkward and often hard throws are required! I would add the outfield to that list because the long throws to home plate are difficult after pitching a full game. Then the coaches have that same pitcher play long toss the next day; my word! Double headers can be tricky to work around; use your best judgment in those cases.

Some coaches and parents think this is a little overboard and they are being too soft if they just don’t play their kids a ton. I think it does more harm than good to just throw your kids out there without having some background education. A lot of the coaches do their best and they simply don’t know. Ignorance in this case is not bliss; it can be costly.