Speaking for Ball State professors (never a good idea) our lofty goal is to help students develop their brain. Good athletic coaches, though, attempt an even loftier goal, to develop the character of players. I'm not sure how well the professors are doing, but it appears to me that the men's basketball coaches, Tim Buckley and his staff, have accomplished their goal.
As a season ticket holder and occasional practice-watcher, I am awed by how consistently hard the team works. They not only work harder than their opponent during games, but the practices are equally intense. Laziness is not in their vocabulary.
Nor is whining. It's hard to watch a missed call and not shout at the ref. So hard, in fact, I rarely resist the opportunity. The players, though, make a brief facial expression and then it's gone, in an instant, ready to concentrate on the next play. The team also demonstrates courage and diligence, sometimes coming back from huge deficits, either to win the game or make it close. Watching from the stands, I may give up on occasion -- but the players never do.
The character it takes to go through an exhausting 3-hour practice and then study later that night is inspiring. And apparently the studying pays off. In addition to a winning record, our basketball players -- in fact all of our athletic teams -- have one of the best academic records in the country. Three of our basketball players are already working on their master's degrees.
While we're on the topic of character, working through adversity is a good sign of it. Terrance Chapman is one of the most amazing players I have ever seen, and I'm not just talking about his talent. In addition to having overcome a difficult early background, he plays with reduced depth perception due to the loss of an eye. He'll make an employer mighty happy some day that he's hired a guy who can turn adversity into success.
Then there is Anthony Kent. Sure he's a tall man and this is a tall man's game, but he's also quite thin. To avoid getting pushed off the court by a heavier player with a lower center of gravity, he's learned to develop his agility to an extraordinary degree. At his height, it's amazing to watch him bounce around his opponent and attempt to deny him the ball.
Matt McCollum and Tom Howland are warriors, coming back from surgeries that would discourage most players. Dennis Trammel, an ESPN Academic All-American and just a joy to watch play, and Michael Bennett are two of the smartest players I have ever seen on a basketball court. I can't wait to watch a Bennett-coached team play some day.
Peyton Stovall may become the best player in the MAC conference next year, and Skip Mills is not far behind. And to think we can watch these two guys for two more years is an added bonus. Jesse McClung and Darren Yates have not played as much, but they are superb athletes who work hard nonetheless. And Landon Adler, Charles Bass, Anthony Newell, and a walk-on named Marcus make their contributions in practice only, and hope to play next year.
If you have not seen these guys play, you'll be amazed at their talent and proud of their demeanor. Regardless of whether the coaches build character or they just recruit remarkably well, take advantage of this team and come out and root for them next year.
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