Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Macalester Practice 11-1-16


Headed over to the St. Paul side of town yesterday evening to Macalester's Leonard Center to take in this Tuesday evening practice of Head Coach Kelly Roysland's Macalester squad.  Senior post Park Masterson led me over to Roysland's office where I was pleasantly greeted and at approximately 6:45 that evening after the men's team finished up their practice for the day, the team entered the arena to get things going.

After a dynamic warm-up session that involved a variety of stretching and movement exercises to get loosened up for the evening, Roysland's first drill of the evening is called "Timberwolves Shooting". What this involves is essentially a full-court three-player drill where they go on a 3-on-0 transition opportunity.  The finishing player has to make a lay-up while the two other players get balls from the next group on the other end of the floor and they have to shoot short/medium-range jumpers.

Next, Roysland has her team work on offensive movement with a 5-on-0 "shell" drill where they work on a variety of offensive plays.  Roysland has the team break up into two groups after she explains how things are supposed to run and she oversees one group of players while Assistant Coach Courtney Euerle observe another group.

After a well-deserved water break, the team splits up into two groups again.  Roysland works with her guards on a variety of tasks such as two-player game and stagger screen scores and one-on-one on the wing.  Euerle meanwhile works with the big forwards and posts on items such as rebounding, one-on-one defensive breakdowns and one-on-one in the low post.  If there's anyone who knows a thing or two about solid post play, it's Euerle as she helped SMU win the MIAC regular season title in the 2013-14 season and garnered MIAC POY honors that season as well.

Next, Roysland has her team work on ball screen defense.  This is essentially a 4-on-4 half-court drill and they work on "jam and under" plus blind screens-switch situations.

Then it's time to put some of these concepts that Roysland and Euerle have had the squad work on put to the test in some good, old-fashioned 5-on-5 full-court play.  Roysland keeps a close watch on things and some of the little items as well such as setting screens and switching on defense where necessary.

To finish up the night, Roysland has her squad spend time shooting free throws; an item that is essential to successful play for any team and, after a short meeting, Roysland and the team call it a night.

Outtakes:  Macalester improved to 8-17 overall (3-15 in MIAC play) last season from Roysland's first year at 3-22 overall (0-18 in MIAC play) and Roysland believes her squad is ready to take the next step.  "We have to stay healthy" she says but, beyond the obvious, she believes that her squad is a little bit deeper this year as well.  The non-conference portion of the schedule appears favorable as the Scots open the season on 11-15 at home against Crown College and a road trip to Grinnell four days later.  Another road trip - this one out to New Ulm to take on Martin Luther on 11-21 - is in the offing before Macalester takes an excursion out to the Motherland (Southern California that is :)  ) for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend where they play at Caltech on 11-25 in Pasadena and then at Occidental the next day in Los Angeles before diving into MIAC play.  They'll need to gather up any momentum that they can (as Roysland believes that they need to) to face UST and GAC at home in Leonard Center in their first two MIAC games........This year's squad appears to revolve around seniors Masterson, Grace Dickman (who missed a good chunk of last season with an injury) and Lauren Clamage with juniors Regan Fruh and Leah Gray playing a big part as well.  I would also suspect that senior Karen Rathjens will play a prominent helper role in the post area as well......Again, this team has to stay healthy if they're going to take the next step.  Dickman looks to be battling some minor issues but should be ready to go.  Junior forward Emilie McGuire went down during practice with an apparent ankle injury but it didn't look too serious.  

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