For many top-of-the-line basketball players, the AAU experience starts with a 10 & under team.  In the Delaware PAL Wildcats system, this team features Coach Steve Collella at the helm.  "Coach Cee", as he is sometimes known, has a coaching résumé a mile long.  He's coached at Kings College in Pennsylvania, but in these parts, he has seen service with Ursuline Academy and currently is the Assistant Coach for Hodgson Vo-Tech's varsity.

 

Coach Colella believes in a different philosophy and approach when coaching girls at the beginner level.  Wins and individual stats take a back seat.  What matters most is developing each girl's skills and making sure that their initiation into AAU is a positive and fun experience.

 

Here's his report on the weekend:

 

Saturday…  8:30am…. Won   22 – 15 vs the host team Sparks                    

Saturday… 11:00am…Won in overtime….24 – 15 vs       

We were up 15 – 4 when we couldn’t hit the broad side….of anything and they chipped away to tie the game near the buzzer.  In the overtime we played our famous “full-tilt bozo” press and dominated the overtime 9 - 0.  Dominated is a relative term….after all, they are 10 years old.

Sunday…..12:15pm….Lost to an 11 year old team  %#$%&^^ - 20.  Hey, we scored 20 without our top scorer netting any points!   Plus, we scrapped ferociously….again, all relative.

Mariah Lopez scored her first points of the spring with a jumper near the arc.  Think she was thrilled?

Sunday…..2:45pm….Lost  36 – 22 vs the Ravens (Baltimore)…  We were evenly matched and played a close first half but wilted in the second.  Mostly as a result of having played the energy-draining “full-tilt bozo” defense a considerable amount of the time.

My team:

Natalie Mason           10

Alyssa Irons               25

Marissa Aviola          12

Caelyn Brabson         33

Danielle Krawczyk    30

Jasmyn Parker           3

Mariah Lopez             14

Anna D’Eramo            11

Alexandra Heverin     24

Tiffany Wilson            55

Julia Dimarco             20

Elizabeth Marcin        32

Ayanna Thompson      31

We are 2 – 4 overall, but we do not keep score or stats of any kind and we focus on teaching, having fun, making friends and building confidence and self-esteem.

Thanks,

Steve Colella

 

 

Tourney Pics

 

Mariah Lopez looks to pass.

 

Natalie Mason dribbling with both feet off the groud!  (How does she do that?)

 

Julia DiMarco takes it hard to the hoop.  Awesome skills for 10U!

 

Julia again from slightly farther out.

 

Anna D'Eramo displays some nice athleticism and ballhandling.

 

Julia DiMarco with the ball.  Looks like she doesn't appreciate the Blaze player getting so close.

 

A Blaze player puts up a shot.  Danielle Krawczyk (#30) jockeys for rebounding position with #20 of the Blaze.

 

 

Other Delaware Teams:

 

Delaware PAL Wildcats 14U (Amy Rausch), 3 - 1 (11 - 1 overall)

 

Delaware PAL Wildcats 14U (Tom Starr), 1 - 3

 

Delaware PAL Wildcats 13U (Allan Cox)

 

Delaware PAL Wildcats 10U (Steve Colella), 2 - 2

 

Wilmington Tigers 12U (Hugo Romero)

 

Wilmington Tigers 11U (Matt Payne), 2 - 2 (8 - 4 overall)

 

Delaware Lady Sharpshooters 11U

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