Sophomore All-American Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)), the State Farm/WBCA Division II Player of the Year, was been named to the Great Britain Senior Women's National Team Training Squad earlier this summer. The team is in the midst of a series of two-legged qualifying contests for the 2009 European Championships in Latvia on August 13 at the Ukraine.Johannah is keeping a weekly journal of her experiences with the Senior National Team during training and during the qualifying games in August, which will be presented here on the Franklin Pierce athletics website. Check back often to keep track of Johannah and her teammates this summer. Links of interest: British Performance Basketball Website FIBA Women's EuroBasket Website basketballgb.com: "Women Record First Division A Win" basketballgb.com: "Clark Takes Positives from Lithuanian Loss" Leedham Named to Great Britain Women’s Senior National Team Training Squad NCAA.com: "Leedham Eyes 2012 Olympics"
Leedham Named State
Farm/WBCA Division II Player of the Year
Before we arrived in Germany, we had been training very hard, especially after our loss against one of the best teams in Europe. It had been frustrating for us as a team to lose by so many, as we know even though they are a great team, our performance level has still not been where we know it can be. We trained extra hard prior to leaving for the Germany game, knowing that this game was the most important game in our careers at that moment in time. This was a huge game for us, as it was a must win so that we could finally get off the mark and get our momentum finally going. The fact that we were playing Germany was even bigger, as there is a lot of history between the two countries. No matter what sporting event it is, when it is us and Germany... it's a big one!
It was such an amazing experience, and to go into Germany's own backyard and beat them by two, especially ending like that, was just amazing for us! It was such a great team effort, and it just finally felt that we had "arrived" as a team, and we had finally performed to a level that we were much capable of. The last two minutes of the game was so intense, but I'm glad that it went our way, as we fought so hard all game and I know how much we really wanted this win! For those of you that were at the AIC game last year, the ending was sort of like that, with the point guard pushing the ball up the court, passing it to me, then I took a jump shot that went through on the buzzer. Except this time, it was from the baseline and slightly more off balance. But, who cares how it looked, because if they go in they count right?!!!
We were all so happy, and I did have some of my teammates thanking me, as we were so tired, overtime would of been a challenge. Haha !! Overall, it was such an amazing 12 man effort, and hopefully we can take that momentum and energy and carry it on over to Wednesday's game against Israel, which will be another huge game for us!!
"Always remember, someone, somewhere
else is working harder than you, and if you don't work hard, when
you cross paths with that someone, they will take your opportunity;
there is NO substitute for hard work" "Right click" here to download Johannah's comments in the postgame press conference
Week Four & Five (August 18): "Traveling the Eastern Block"
Holland and Croatia were both very tough opponents and we were able to come back from the trip 3-1, splitting the wins and going 1-1 with Croatia, which was a huge step for us as a team as Croatia were in the top 16 last year. It showed us where we are at as a unit and also gave us that confidence and belief as a team to see that we can compete on the A division level.
It was so hot in both countries, more so Croatia, however we never had time to go out and catch a tan!! After a short break upon returning to Cardiff, we had little preparation time to get ready for our first EuroBasket game in Ukraine. The flight was so long, almost four hours, and when we got there, it was so hot and we were all just hoping there would be air conditioning in the gym. But, guess what? There wasn't! Hahahaha!
It was a great opening game against Ukraine, but as people have probably already seen by the results, we lost by five. As a team, I think we came away very disappointed in ourselves, as we felt we could have gone in there and taken our first win, but looking on the positive side, it was good to see that we can compete, and we were able to send a message to other teams in our pool that we were here to play and we are ready!
Since the game, we have come back to Cardiff, rested up for a few days and gone back to working hard and improving on things so that we are ready to get our first win on Wednesday, when we host Lithuania in our first home game. Hopefully we are able to come out with a win so that we can get some momentum going into a long stretch of games that we have coming up. The next ten days or so are going to be very hectic, with traveling, training and games, but this is what is the best part about it all!!
However, I can say that I am not looking forward to be going straight into preseason when Ii return to University in the fall!! HaHa! At least I will be in good shape! Hopefully, by next entry I can report back telling everyone about our first win!! If you want to check it out, you can't actually view (the games) but you can watch live updates, on www.fibaeurope.com, then go to the EuroBasket Women's A Division!!
Link to Women's EuroBasket Website
(EDITOR'S NOTE: A link to the
"live stats" section for each game will be set up via the Franklin
Pierce athletics website on game days. So you can get the link there
as well." Week Three (July 30): "First Senior Team Games" Our first games took place this weekend. They were only practice games, but still who doesn't want to win every time they step on the court? Some crazy person anyway. Haha!
Well, I am happy to say that we are currently 2-0 after collecting two wins over Norway in the past weekend just gone. The first game we played really well, great team basketball, especially for our first proper game together. We ended up winning by about 30, however the second game wasn't as easy. Norway came out and played a lot harder than the first game and their shots seemed to fall a lot more in the second game than what they did in the first. However, despite being down by double figures at one point, we were able to pull ourselves out of the hole and come out on top, winning by eight. A win is a win. No one ever said that a win had to look pretty, now did they!!
The weekend went really well and we
definitely benefited from it as a team and individuals. We all got a
feel for each other and how we play, and for the new people, we got
a feel for what it is like to play for the senior women, and
overcome any nerves that any of us had! Now we are looking forward to a weeks trip starting in Holland and ending in Croatia. Both teams are tough competition and this trip will be a great test for us, showing us where we're at right now, and how much we have to do with little preparation time when we come back. I am really excited to go to Holland because my family is coming out to watch me play, and plus (former Franklin Pierce soccer player) Matthijs Eppinga - aka EPPIE!! - is coming to watch me play, so i am excited to be able to see him. :)
Hopefully, by the time I write my
next journal, I will be able to tell you all that we are currently
6-0!!!
Week Two (July 25): "Eat, Train, Sleep, Repeat" So, the first week of camp is over, only about 8 more left now. Haha!
The week has been very tough and physically demanding, but has been a lot of fun. There was a lot of strength and conditioning this week, just to make sure that we are all in the best shape we can be! I have found that my days are very repetitive, which is not a surprise, but for any athlete that is looking to perform at an elite level it is the perfect life; sleep, eat, train, eat, sleep, train, eat and sleep, than wake up and repeat!!! I know it sounds very boring, but it isn’t. And its way better than going to classes!! Plus, if you aren’t an NCAA athlete you get paid to do that! So hopefully if all goes well, this will be my life after college. Haha! Yesterday was our day off and we went to a ropes course, called The Success Factory, to do some team building. It was a bit more challenging for some people, though (with me being one of them!). I mean, come on, who wants to climb a pole like 50-feet with a little square platform on the top, that fits four people, and be told that four of us have to climb it, one at a time and stand on the top together! Not me! But hey, guess who was one of the four? LOL. Of course it was me. Even though it took me a while to climb up, and I had to stop because I was almost crying, (haha) I still EVENTUALLY got up there, and might I add when I got up there, one of my teammates Ros (Rosalee Mason) was already up there and she was having to hold me and my other teammate Georgia (Jones) to stop us from falling as we were so scared! What a teammate, ay! However, although the day was a huge challenge for some of us, the day did what it was supposed to, and our team is becoming more and more of a family each day! Which is sooo cute! Haha! We're like one big happy family, I love it! We have practice games this weekend against Norway, so that is happening Saturday and Sunday, then Monday is a day off! Yay! Who doesn’t love a day off? :-) The days are going by really fast, so it is exciting as the games are coming up soon and I can’t wait to play! Well, that’s it for now. Gotta get my sleep in before my train. (train is practice, by the way) Haha! "Always remember, someone, somewhere else is working harder than you, and if you don't work hard, when you cross paths with that someone, they will take your opportunity; there is NO substitute for hard work"
Week One (July 17): "Preparing for Training Camp" There are only a few days left until it is time for me to join my Senior Women's National Team. This is what I have worked hard for all summer; going to the gym everyday, shooting everyday, sending off my training diary every week so that the strength and conditioning coach knows my every move!! Not the usual summer for any other person. However, I am really excited to finally be playing and knowing that all my hard work has paid off.
I have never played with the women's senior program before, so I am excited to see the competition, especially since we were promoted last year, we are finally able to play in Division A after a successful previous year. The competition is going to be so tough. This is the best of the best and is going to be a real test for me as an individual and for us as a team. The summer should give me a great insight of what the future holds for me in European basketball, which is where I would love to play. I think that some people don't realize how big the sport is and how competitive it actually is in Europe. Even though I have only played in Division B (with Great Britain's youth national teams), the standard in that division alone has been to a very high level. Most of the women I played against in Division B were professional and have been since about the age of 17.
I look forward to testing my skills to an even higher standard. (Training) camp starts soon, so I am enjoying my last few days at home, even though I am excited to leave and go and spend the rest of the summer in a five star hotel!!! Might I add the hotel is the host for the 2010 Ryder Cup. Check it out and just google: Celtic Manor!
"Always remember, someone, somewhere else is working harder than you, and if you don't work hard, when you cross paths with that someone, they will take your opportunity; there is NO substitute for hard work" |
