Itching to hit the road

Coaches agree that traveling for tournaments helps a team bond.

By DAVID MURPHY
Published December 19, 2007

Take one charter bus, one motorcycle raffle and enough car washes to wrinkle every human hand in Florida and you've got the foundation for the Gulf boys basketball team's holiday trip to Chicago two years ago.

With a $21,000 price tag that included a stay at a ritzy hotel and catered meals, it sounds like something straight out of a corny credit card commercial. But for Steve Feldman and the Buccaneers, their four-game run at a Christmas tournament in 2005 truly was priceless.

"The dividends it paid down the line were very measurable," said Feldman, who credits the experience for a late-season surge that saw the Bucs earn a playoff berth.

This year, though, he and fellow coaches in Class 4A, District 8 have been hard-pressed to coordinate such excursions, thanks to a loaded schedule that affords them just four nondistrict, noncounty games.

It's one of the drawbacks to the district growing to nine teams this year, thanks to the implementation of varsity programs at Wiregrass Ranch and Sunlake. Though South Sumter left the district, coaches were left with two more district games than a year ago. Particularly in Pasco County, where schools also have mandatory Sunshine Athletic Conference games, the result was a scheduling pinch that left coaches with four nondistrict, noncounty games.

Because Gulf couldn't fit a tournament in its schedule without exceeding the Florida High School Athletic Association's 25-game limit, the Bucs aren't playing in one. Feldman says it is the first time in his 13 seasons as coach Gulf will be home for the holidays.

Springstead, the No. 1 team in the district, isn't playing in a holiday tournament. Neither is Pasco, which is ranked second.

But coaches have compensated in their own ways.

Hudson, 5-6 and a playoff hopeful, will participate in a four-team, two-game shootout Dec. 28-29 at Tampa Jesuit. Cobras coach Jason Vetter also scheduled an overnight trip to face Florida Air Academy in Melbourne so his team wouldn't miss out on the camaraderie that is built on road trips.

"Going away is a great team bonding experience," Vetter said. That's why we went to Florida Air, even though we only spent one night. We go away as much as we can."

Most coaches seem to share Vetter's philosophy. Central coach Eric Hayes, whose team participates in Class 5A, District 7, comprised of five teams, is taking his team to tournaments at Berkeley Prep, Orlando Bishop Moore and Ridgewood.

"What I try to do is try to get us in different areas to expose us to different types of basketball," Hayes said.

Hayes also sees it as a bonding opportunity: He assigns hotel rooms based on players' needs to interact with one another on the court.

Teams like Gulf won't have that opportunity this season. But there is a bright side: With no games for 19 days, the 4-9 Bucs will have plenty of time to practice.

"It's not an enviable situation," Feldman said, "but it's the lay of the land, and you have to deal with it."

David Murphy can be reached at dmurphy@sptimes.com or 352 848-1407.

Tournament time

A few of the tournaments North Suncoast teams are playing in over winter break.

Girls

Keeler Memorial: Dec. 27-31 at Jefferson and Tampa Catholic; Sunlake competing

Christmas Chaos: Dec. 27-28 at Springstead; Springstead and River Ridge competing.

Indian Rocks tournament: Jan. 3-5 at Indian Rocks Christian; Ridgewood and Nature Coast competing.

Lady Rattler and Friends vs. Cancer Classic: Dec. 27-29 at Belleview; Gulf competing.

Florida Prospects Invitational: Dec. 27-29 at Gainesville; Land O'Lakes competing.

Willie Clemons Holiday Classic: Dec. 27-29 at Bradenton Southeast; Mitchell competing.

Boys

Tampa Hoops Classic: Dec. 26-29 at USF Sun Dome, USF Sun Dome Corral, Jefferson High; Ridgewood competing.

Ram Jam Classic: Dec. 27-29 at Sarasota Riverview; Land O'Lakes competing.

Jesuit Shootout: Dec. 28-29 at Tampa Jesuit; Hudson competing.

Alonso High Classic: Jan. 3-5 at Alonso High; Wesley Chapel and Land O'Lakes competing.

Ram Classic: Jan. 3-4 at Ridgewood High; Sunlake, Wiregrass Ranch, Zephyrhills, Central, Ridgewood and Hernando competing.

Indian Rocks tournament: Jan. 3-5 at Indian Rocks Christian; Mitchell competing.

Hernando Christian Holiday Invitational: Jan. 3-4 at HCA; HCA and Academy at the Lakes competing.

[Last modified December 19, 2007, 00:24:51]