2013 Summer Camps

What an incredible summer in Spokane! Having it be Aspire Higher Basketball's first summer in Spokane, WA I would have to say it was quite a success.

We started the summer off with our FUNDAMENTAL CAMP the beginning of July. We had a small but fun group of girls. They all began the camp a little shy, but by day 2 they were encouraging each other, laughing, making new friends, and even exchanging name tags to try and confuse the camp coaches! When it came down to focus and learn a new skill, they were attentive and ready to go.

Next came our annual CHALLENGE CAMP. One of my favorite camps is the high school challenge camp because I get to challenge each player mentally and physically while encouraging them to work as a team and do their absolute best to improve at new skills and compete. For the challenge camp, we broke up the camp into two teams (Blue and Green). The entire camp was a challenge as each player worked to earn points for her team through encouragement, leadership, winning a challenge, working extra hard, and more! I was very impressed how certain players stepped up as leaders and how others became encouragers and listeners during difficult moments. I hope the campers had as much fun as I did with the challenge camp.

Finally, we finished the summer with the VISION CAMP. We covered basically every aspect of the game from position work, ball handling, shooting, team and position defense, attacking the hoop, and more! We also put the skills learned into a game setting with 2-on-2, 1-on-1, 3-on-3, and 5-on-5. What a talented group of athletes! Watch out Spokane, there are some girls who are going to be big time!

I want to especially thank all the coaches who came to help out at camp. This summer's staff included:

Katelan Redmon (Current professional basketball player and former Gonzaga basketball player)
Haden Palmer (Current Gonzaga basketball player)
Brittney Kennedy (Former Florida Gulf Coast basketball player)
Tasha Harris (Current professional basketball player and former Boise State basketball player)

Things to Know Before Coming to France

So I made this list for my two friends, Leah and Labum, who are coming to visit me! But I thought I would also share it with everyone!

Things to know before you come to France:

1. Make sure to smile and say "Bonjour" to everyone, especially when you first enter into a restaurant or shop and "Merci, Ovouh" when you leave. If you don't, people will look at you like you're rude.
2. The tap water here gets boiling HOT! It's either hot or cold, there's not really an in between!
3. Often no toilet seats in public bathrooms. One time there wasn't even a toilet! Just a hole in the ground.
4. There are no coffee shops! If you're looking for coffee go to a bar. Coffee shops and bars are combined into one. Oh and the gas stations have coffee and tea vending machines! So cool.
5. There are roundabouts everywhere. (I get honked at everyday for not driving in the proper lane while going around them)
6. Someone flashing their lights at you means they're giving you the finger or saying get out of the left lane your driving slow. (if the tailgating isn't enough of a clue!)
7. People respect the left lane on the highway!! Definitely for passing only!
8. People drink wine likes it water....breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
9. I'm assuming because people drink wine for lunch they need a 4 hr nap in the middle of the day when it seems like NOTHING is open.
10. Keys to getting pulled over: say you're a foreigner, say you don't have passport or paperwork, talk really fast until they get overwhelmed and just let you go because they don't understand you.
11. Police will try and get Euros out of foreigners if they can't write you a ticket. DON'T GIVE THEM MONEY!
12. Restaurants don't open for dinner until 7pm. Pack a snack.
13. They've def never heard of the dollar menu at McDonald's. 10 Euros for a meal!!!
14. If you ask for well done at a restaurant it comes back medium rare.
15. People smoke cigarettes more than they breathe oxygen.
16. If you walk into our gym give EVERYONE you see a high five and say hi...or they'll look at you in disbelief.
17. There are no screens on the windows.
18. The salads at restaurants consist of leaves on a plate with some tomatoes. If you're lucky you'll get shredded carrots with it.
19. When you order a glass of wine they give you a bottle
20.  People take pride in their language here...don't assume they know english and if you attempt any kind of French they will love you for it!
21. You have to buy your own grocery bags at grocery stores.
22. Have a euro on you if you want a shopping cart (you get the euro back when your done...who steals shopping carts?! uhhh hope....? haha)
23. People eat sugary pastries, french bread, and coissants for breakfast ......with nutella.
24. Watch where you step...dog poo everywhere.
25. All the roads are narrow and a small car is nice for parking purposes.
26. There are no drinking fountains. (even in gyms)
27. You have to ask for ice with your water and butter with your bread before a meal
28. They get fancy! Men are metrosexual and even babies have better style than me.
29. People here STARE. So awkward (do i look away? stare back? wave? uhhhh)
30. Kisses on the cheek is equivalent to a hug.
31. If you travel through paris by train give yourself time to figure out the train system
32. If you talk loud (like normal americans) you will get looks like you're rude haha

Goodness the list could go on and on but I covered what I could think of off the top of my head!! There may be a part two coming your way eventually!

Ovuah!

Thankful for Family!

Bonjour from Perpignan!

Thanksgiving is a time for thankfulness, and I could not have been more thankful to have spent the holiday with my parents! Talk about one big adventure! We traveled from Paris to Barcelona to the castle city of Carcassonne and discovered new places near Perpignan. And of course they got to watch a couple games! It was nice to look up and see a familiar face in the stands again. With Aspire Higher Camps during the summer and playing basketball overseas during the rest of the year, I don't have many opportunities to visit home and spend time with my family. Playing overseas so far from loved ones can be very difficult at times, so having my Mom and Dad around for a couple weeks was a treat! I really am blessed to have such amazing, loving parents. They have always supported and encouraged me through everything and I truly am grateful for all they have done for me! God has blessed me with an incredible family! The only thing missing from the couple weeks they were here was my sister, Jami, her husband, Drew, and my nephew Jack! Can't wait to see them for Christmas here in two weeks! 

Pictures from our adventures are below!

 Found a great little town on the ocean only 20mins from the apartment

The famous church La Sagrada Familia, its taken well over 100 years to build and will take another 30 to finish! Also another picture from Gaudi park!

On the left, is the famous Gaudi park and on the right, my parents were probably more excited to find a Starbucks in Barcelona then to see the park! Gotta get in the coffee fix!

My mom's incredible parking job! Just barely fit! We got lucky on finding great spots the whole day.

Down the famous La Rambla street!

Castle!!

Bonjour from France! It's been awhile since I've blogged and so much has happened! If you follow me on twitter or Facebook, I keep things a little more up to date along with pictures, motivational daily quotes, videos, etc. So right now I'll just share with you one of my most enjoyable times I've had since I've arrived!

After driving by what seems like a hundred castles in France while on road trips to games, I finally got the opportunity to visit one up close! My teammate from Australia, Abby, and I stayed with Abby's friends from home in Marseille after a game. We had a blast! We shopped, walked around town, ate at a nice restaurant, and then went to the castle. I've been so blessed to have met such great people and friends while over here! Being in another country with a completely different culture and language can be difficult at times, but having such incredible teammates and meeting great people has helped make the experience that much easier and more enjoyable. Not to mention having the best job in the world!

Below are some pictures from my adventure....

It's not about the destination, but the JOURNEY!

Bonjour! So one afternoon we had off from practice and I decided to take a drive toward the beautiful mountains I look at every single day that are right along the coast dividing France and Spain! Since I had no idea where I would end up, this was a true adventure! Below I'll take you step by step along the way with pictures! 

As I'm driving down the highway I look up and see a castle up on the hill. It became apparent....this had to be my destination. So not having any idea how to get up the mountain I take a random exit and try to find the shortest and easiest route I could find. On the right you see that route ended up being some back roads!

 As Im getting closer and closer...the roads start to get less like roads and more like 4-wheeler trails! But of course...I continue to drive on them because I had to get to my castle! I eventually found a dead end and realize the hill was full of grape vines. I figure out that this was not a standard road but a road that people take to pick the grapes, etc! Let me tell you, my car barely fit on the road and one slight wrong turn I would have tumbled down the hill! 

 I eventually realized I had to get back on a main road and try a different route. I see the highway at this point...but I am so lost on the vineyard roads. At this point in the picture I was so desperate to get to that highway I contemplated going off-roading down the hill!

 I made it out alive and went around the hill to try and find another way to the castle. Every time I looked up it was so frustratingly close! On the other side of the mountain I found unbelievable views of the ocean!

 The journey to the castle brought me to a beautiful city.

A mini castle along the coast!

My adventure led me to a mini castle right along the coast. It wasn't the large one I was trying to get to, but was still pretty cool.

View from my mini castle.

Well, in the end, I realized that my adventure that afternoon is typical of life. Sometimes we set goals and have a vision of who we want to become and what we want to do with our lives. (Like getting to the castle!) But along the way, the journey to what we thought was our ultimate destination leads us to something more beautiful and amazing than we could have imagined. This adventure was a great reminder to enjoy every second, enjoy the moments, enjoy the journey of your life! If you don't you'll end up missing small blessings and joys along the way because you're so focused on trying to get to the end result! Enjoy the process! 

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21

TOP 5 REGRETS OF THE DYING!

Bonjour! Below is an article I stumbled upon! Absolutely inspiring and a great reminder of what is important in life and what you wish you would have done more of! I can honestly say the article made me re think some of my priorities in life! It is so easy to get caught up in your own little box striving for things that in the end are less important than loving others, loving God, and keeping relationships the most important! 


For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives.People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learnt never to underestimate someone's capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them.When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:


1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. 

This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.


2. I wish I didn't work so hard.

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.


3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.


4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.


5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.
Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose

happiness.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Based on this article, Bronnie has now released a full length book titled The Top Five Regrets of the Dying - A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing. It is a memoir of her own life and how it was transformed through the regrets of the 

Opening Games in Paris!

Our first official games were in Paris, France! All of the teams played the opening weekend. Our team ending up playing the best team in France, Bourge  who have won the league for the past 12 years. We ended up losing but the game was close until the final minutes. As a team we have a long ways to go, which is okay because it is a long season! We left the day before the game and stayed the night a couple nights. We usually travel in team vans, but this time we got to take the train! I finally got to experience the metro system here. As the season goes on I'm looking forward to continuing to improve every day here. We have great talent, a great coach and the opportunity to really go far in the league!

A group picture of all the players on all the teams in France during the opening weekend games.

France lacks toilet seats in public restaurants! Killin me.

 Our first train ride on our way to Paris for the game.

 The team on the train!

 Team picture before our game

 Shoot around day of the game

We got quite the crowd for our first game! Very fun environment.