gimme the ball.

When all is said and done, I'll have worked 40 games by the end of February. That's combined between my soccer and basketball duties.

Forty games.

I'd work 40 more if I could.

it's getting fun again.

I forgot to mention that, aftter working a pair of weekend soccer double-dips, I took in my first college volleyball match the other night. IUPUI took on Ball State at home and won, 3-1.

My first real recollection of watching competitive volleyball was the 1984 Olympics. It seemed the men's and women's volleyball teams were darlings that year. Similar to tennis, women's was more exciting because of longer points and more even competition. So going to a college match this week was fun for me.

It was fun to be able to attend an IUPUI sporting event and just be a spectator. I rarely get that luxury, so it's fun to relax and just take it in. I don't think I'll ever do PA for volleyball since my commitments are to the soccer and basketball programs first, but I would like to attend another match.

I'm also hoping to attend at least one basketball road trip this season. The only other time I went on the road with the basketball team was to the Mid-Con tournament a couple years ago in Kansas City, which was lots of fun. But they put me to work for the program, so I never had the chance to cheer for the team. I honestly don't think I'd know how to act at a Jags game without a microphone and/or a laptop in front of me.

My next soccer match is Sept. 16,, I think. I'm honestly excited to work again. The first night last Friday wasn't so hot, but I was in mid-season stride by Sunday. It's getting fun again.

not just your announcer, but a wordsmith to boot.

I had the privilege to write an article for my alma mater's alumni magazine about the new men's basketball coach. I've yet to see the final draft, after the internal red ink was spilled, but here's the first draft I wrote about Micah Shrewsberry, head coach of the IUSB Titans.

Titans’ First Full-time Coach Says Program Will Be “Energized. Focused. And Fun”

“I’m still getting around, getting acclimated with the community,” said Micah Shrewsberry, the new men’s basketball coach for the IUSB Titans. “Getting around campus, a lot of people are excited about basketball.”


Micah Shrewsberry, head coach, IUSB Titans.

Since taking the reins as the first full-time head coach for the basketball program, Shrewsberry is focused on reintroducing the program to the local community and campus community. The first-time head coach already knows what Titan basketball will be.

“Energized. Focused. And fun,” Shewsberry said.

Shrewsberry, a four-year basketball player and 1999 graduate of Hanover College, served as an assistant coach at his alma mater as well as Wabash College and DePaw University. His past two years were as director of basketball operations for Marshall University’s men’s basketball program. Being named head coach at IUSB fulfilled his personal goal of being a head coach before the age of 30. For Shrewsberry, setting and achieving goals is a trait he hopes to instill in his players.

“Personally, I’ve had a great role model in my father,” Shrewsberry said. “It was my father who taught me from a young age if you believe in yourself, your goals and your dreams, anything is possible. I’ve seen him achieve at different levels and now I’m following in his footsteps.”

Shrewsberry was born in Jeffersonville, Indiana and was raised in Indianapolis from the age of 12. He knows first hand the tenacity of hoops fans in the Hoosier state; something that is not lost on the IUSB campus, he said.

“Getting around campus,” he said. “A lot of people are excited about basketball.”

As head coach, Shrewsberry will draw upon his own experiences as a player and former college student to related to his current players.

“I’m only 29years old, so I can still relate to many of the things they’re going through and talking about,” Shrewsberry said. “I have an open door policy. They can by every day. I want them to stop in and talk to me.”

For Shrewsberry, that means instilling confidence and basketball smarts in his team both on and off the court. But during the game, he said, he doesn’t want his players to focus on on-court errors.

“Everybody will make a mistake here and there,” he said. “I don’t want them looking over at the bench, worrying about getting pulled out of the game. I want them to play loose and have fun.”

The role of a student-athlete is an easy one to define for Shrewsberry And he knows his first job as the head coach.

“My biggest goal is that all these seniors graduate,” he said. “They put in a lot of time at IUSB and I want to make sure they walk across that stage.”

Getting the Titans to the national championship tournament is one of Shrewsberry’s other top goals.

“Our league is respected throughout the country,” he said. “There’s no question we’re going to be in the top three of our conference each year. We’ll be pushing for a bid to the national championship tournament each year.”

Recruiting talent to come to IUSB, Shrewsberry believes, is made easier by the quality of education and facilities at the University.

“There are a lot of things I can ‘sell’ to a recruit,” he said. “That IU degree is very valuable. If I give a recruit a call, I can say ‘you’re going to get a degree that’s going to be recognized throughout the country and the world. You’re going to play in a beautiful facility, which is Top Three in the league, and you’re going to play an exciting style of basketball.”

In the meantime, Shrewsberry, his wife Molly and infant son Braeden will continue to grow as part of the Michiana and IUSB communities. While basketball is his passion, family is Shrewsberry’s first priority.

“I like being at home with my wife and son, even though the move has changed his sleeping pattern a little,” Shrewsberry joked.

Balancing home life with the rigors of being a coach, educator, mentor and friend to players each year is indeed stressful and time consuming, Shrewsberry admits. But he welcomes his role.

“It’s very rewarding,” he said.

labor day soccer.

My Labor Day Weekend

Two men's soccer matches + two women's soccer matches = $$$$ :-p

Seriously, it was fun to get back into the swing of things. Too bad the men lost on Sunday afternoon. From my vantage point, it looked like they were back on their heels early and it cost them.

I'll be taking in a volleyball....meet? Match? Game? What do they call it? Anyway, I'll be taking it on Tuesday.

I don't have soccer again for a few days. I'm already in mid-season stride with that. Soccer is pretty easy, from a PA standpoint.

time to go to work.

After a fast six month hiatus, it's time to get back in the press box tomorrow night for a soccer doubleheader.

The women play at 6 p.m. with the men following at 8 p.m.

Honestly, I'm excited to get back at it.

Given the price of gas these days, this is gas money!