Keeping In Touch With Erica Schiefen

Oct. 27, 2006

Well, another basketball season is already upon us. We're now two weeks into official practice and after about two months of preseason conditioning, we are at last able to hit the court with daily practices with each other and our coaches. What is most exciting about the start of practices is the promise of the beginning of games that is not far off.

This season our team is without Stefanie Collins, but we have added three very talented freshmen, two from Pennsylvania and one from Michigan. They fit in really well with the group of returners and we are all very excited with what they will be able to contribute this year. In addition to these three, we also have a new assistant coach, Sarah Cartmill. Sarah is a graduate of Ithaca High School and Binghamton University, so she is kind of a local as well.

Because of a change in NCAA rules this year, our team was only allowed to practice with the coaches a total of two hours a week in the preseason, which is from the end of August until about the middle of October. In that time, we were not allowed to practice as an entire team until the middle of September. The NCAA also moved the start of games up one week. These new rules made it so we have less time to practice as a team before the games get started then we previously had. With less practice time available before our first game, we have been having longer practices and have had to work even harder to make sure that we are ready to get started with games.

Practices so far have been going well. To be honest, they have been very challenging both physically and emotionally. But we all know that is how you get better and prepare yourself for every game and every game situation. Each day we are improving individually and as a team. We have all been through a tough few weeks of workouts and practices and can not wait to put all that hard work to the test in games.

This Saturday we have our first test against another team, as we travel to Akron for a scrimmage ... stayed tuned for those results next Friday. But what I am really looking forward to is another chance to be able to go home and play in front of my home fans in the St. Bonaventure Shootout. There really is nothing else like being able to show all of the hard work that you have put in the past couple of months to the people who know you and care about you the most. The Shootout is a great motivator for me whenever I need something to make run a little harder in a sprint or push a little harder with the weights. Mark your calendars, because I know I have! 22 days until the Shootout!

Go Bonnies!