TommieSports Blog

In a little more than an hour, we leave for the U of M Aquatic Center and the Falcon Invitational. We'll see some outstanding competition there, including the University of Minnesota (their non-traveling team members), perennial Division II powers U of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Mankato, plus a number of very good Division III teams. There will be great racing in every heat, and a nice challenge for our top kids.

I'm especially excited to see some of our relays compete against the best. Every coach plays with splits, adding up potential bests and comparing the total time to the national qualifying standard, and think about what it might take to win an MIAC championship. Having a chance to take those splits from my scratch paper into a great pool like the U of M is exciting indeed.

All our relays are going to be fast this weekend, especially the women's medleys and the men's freestyle relays. (of course, as I wrote that sentence, I found myself thinking, "well, our women's free and men's medleys are going to rock, too!"). No matter what, it's going to be fun.

Be sure to check our swimming and diving website on Sunday or Monday for results...and don't be shocked if you see UST popping up among the best of what D-II and D-III have to offer.

Posted by Tom Hodgson at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Welcome to the Swim Team's Blog (at least, the coach's blog). It's hard to know exactly where to begin...we've had such a fantastic start to the season. We have 56 swimmers and divers on the roster, more than we've ever had on either the men's or women's team.

You can feel the energy in practice. Kids are working hard, but even more important, they're working hard together. From the deck, I see kids working side by side, dragging each other to fast repeats in sets, with lots of encouragement and even more smiles. The social kicking is really social, and that's just fine.

Our team's activities have been great, too. The fall Welcoming Party had a great skit (one of the best), with the new kids lampooning the returning kids (and Pat Hangge doing a great impersonation of the old coach, right down to the shaggy grey eyebrows). That party and skit is a 29-year old tradition that is still going strong.

The team also went on a pre-season camping trip, the Seniors and Captains hosted all the new kids at a pasta feast at Buca di Beppo Italian restaurant, and the team came out to our house for our annual Bonfire Bash, complete with chili and cornbread...the bonfire got rained out, but no one went home hungry. Another tradition is our swim-a-thon, this year as a part of the Ted Mullin Hour of Power. We raised $605.00 for research at the University of Chicago.

All told, it's been a great start to what promises to be fantastic year. Stay tuned to this blog, to learn more.

Posted by Tom Hodgson at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For an athlete there is nothing better than having the opportunity to compete. Wednesday, November 28th marks the date of this season's first home game and first game against a MIAC opponent, and I don't think you can find another team with the excitement that we have heading into this game! Not only do we have the opportunity to compete, but we are able to do so in our own arena. To some, Schoenecker Arena, our home floor, is just another gymnasium, but to this team it is something more. It is an arena that is filled with championship history. St. Thomas Women's Basketball owns 10 MIAC Championships but the championship effort exceeds far beyond the conference. In 1991, the St. Thomas Women's Basketball team won a National Championship on our home floor, in Schoenecker Arena.

Sure we have taken the floor in our arena plenty of times, whether it be for open gym, shoot arounds, or team practice. But when we take the floor for our first home game, we are walking onto the same floor where past champions have been born. We can look up and see the 1991 National Championship banner hanging above the bleachers and we know that our history and our tradition is that of champions; and that is what we have set out to accomplish as well.

Our team motto this year is 'Play Like a Champion.' On Wednesday, November 28th we have the opportunity to do just that. To give championship effort is to play to the best of your abilities - and not only play like a champion but think like a champion. In the six weeks leading up to this game, our team has put in the time and the effort, working together to find a way to succeed.

Looking around at my teammates, I know that collectively we will give the championship effort that is rooted in our tradition, and as past Tommies have done before, we will step onto the floor in Schoenecker Arena with an opportunity for achievement waiting for us. We will give our best, believe in our abilities, find strength in one another, and take the floor as champions ready to compete.

Posted by Anna Swanson at 08:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

2007-2008 Blog
Posted by Ruth Sinn 11/13/2007

When does a season officially begin and end? Officially, we began our 2007-2008 season on Monday October 15th. Unofficially we began after our final game last season when a group of our sophomore players decided they wanted more: more dedication, more purpose, and more from themselves and their teammates. So it began last spring in the weight room, at the football field with agility and conditioning drills, and in the arena for open gyms. It continued to build in the summer with leagues, individual workouts, more lifting, and more open gyms. As the ‘official’ season began this fall, it all came together with the establishment of a unified women’s basketball culture. Our culture is grounded with a shared vision of excellence. Excellence is each of us working towards maximizing our full potential, as well as, working together as a team to bring out the best in each other.

In speaking to this belief of excellence, our motto this season is to play like a champion. Everyday, whether we are in the weight room, classroom, or on the basketball floor, we give championship level effort and enthusiasm. Holding ourselves accountable is how we evaluate ourselves and ensure we are maximizing our full potential.

We are now in our fifth week of the basketball season and the past four weeks have been fantastic! Our hardworking, purposeful, and enjoyable practices and scrimmages have enabled us to make great strides as individuals and as a team. A true team is where everyone on the team has a voice, feels ownership and pride to the team, and contributes their gifts to the team unconditionally. Our team is a ‘true team’ and they are a joy to be around. I love coaching because of the people. Having the opportunity to get to know these young ladies is so rewarding. Their spirit, care and commitment to bringing out the best of each other sets them apart. They understand the true meaning of success. The journey!

Our first game is scheduled for this Friday November 16th. As a team with a vision and purpose, we are prepared and focused for the task at hand. We understand that this season, these games, are something we must work for, work through, and keep investing ourselves in being the best we can be. “Good, better, best; never let it rest till your good is better and your better is best”. We also understand that improving is all about change. Learning from our mistakes, and welcoming the challenges we will face with a belief and a certainty that we will succeed. We are ready to be in the arena… and dare greatly… for we know we will… play like a champion!

Posted by Ruth Sinn at 06:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Welcome, UST sports fans! Players, coaches, and other affiliates of the University of St. Thomas will soon be blogging about all things related to Tommie Sports!

Stay tuned to http://blog.stthomas.edu/tommiesports, and remember to visit http://www.tommiesports.com for the latest news on all your favorite UST teams!

Posted by Charlie Schuman at 07:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)