Expectations leading up to the tour

With the final fundraising out the way and the excitement of receiving the majority of equipment passed, the boys have been working in earnest to prepare themselves for playing basketball at the highest level. We have a limited amount of time to prepare and with the tour fast approaching we ask that all students adhere to the following:

• Students are prepared to follow team rules and ethos as specified in the tour playbook.

• Students are competent with understanding of the playbook, including offence and defensive structures. This should be studied and known inside out. It is obvious when students don't do their 'homework' and subsequently try to learn on the 'fly' at training; it slows the progression of the squad.

• Students where possible must attend all specified training sessions. Students are expected to prioritise training sessions over work. First and foremost the tour is about playing and experiencing basketball, and getting team structures in place and solidifying playbook knowledge is difficult when training sessions are missed.

• Hard work and dedication by students has not gone unnoticed by coaching staff. Some boys have gone out of their way to approach staff before and after training, as well as during the week to make sure they are comfortable with team strategy and seeking ways to improve and/or what areas to focus on improving.

We expect our boys to enjoy themselves in the USA, but make no mistake it is a lot more enjoyable when our teams play at the highest level and stay competitive. Our experience from previous tours is that students who take the time to learn the team strategies find it easier to control game day nerves, in game performance and often get more out of the games as they are not stressed about last minute learning.