Diary Series: Chris Kreider, Asst. Coach - George Mason

It’s here!  College Basketball is back!  One week or so into the season we are currently 2-2 as we return home to take on a solid Brown team.  We are only four games in and we have already had three games go into overtime, which has provided a few learning experiences for our young team so early in the season.  At this point in our non-conference schedule, it is all about getting better.  Every practice.  Every game.

Heading into our first season here at Mason, our goal was to take advantage of the opportunity we had this offseason to establish our culture and to lay the foundation of how we want things done.  When we first arrived on campus this past spring, our first task was to get to know our team.  It didn’t take long to realize that we inherited a great group of guys!  With the personalities on this team there is never a dull moment.

We had a great summer school session in the weight room and continued our preparation with an even better fall with our pre-season conditioning program and individual workouts.  It was a very smooth transition and much of this was due to the leadership abilities of our upperclassmen and returning players.  They did a great job of helping our freshmen and transfer with the adjustment to life at Mason and the expectations that we had for them both on and off the court. 

Coach Hewitt’s motto and mission for this team ever since our first team meeting has been “For the Team”.  For only being three words, it’s amazing how deep and all encompassing this statement really is.  For any team, that is the challenge.  Five players on the court at a time representing the hard work of the rest of their teammates on the bench is a responsibility that must never be taken lightly!   On the court, the “For the Team” mentality is really what separates the “great” teams from the “good” teams.  We all know practices are different than games.  But how we approach the game should never change.  The best teaching tool of these selfless intangibles is film.  In the heat of the moment or in a game situation a player may feel that he is doing his job and leaving it all on the floor for his teammates, when in reality the film may show something different.  Statistics are great indicators of team play, but film is the best teacher.  We stat, clip and make edits of such plays to show our guys both individually and as a team so that we can learn from every possible situation.  Sometimes you have to see it to believe it! 

The ultimate goal and test is for this mentality to spread and carry over to life off the court as well.  When it comes to “For the Team” here at Mason, we recognize that the “team” is so much more than the players that take a step on the floor.  Behind the scenes there are several people that invest their time and energy on a daily basis in pursuit of a common goal: strength and conditioning coaches, trainers, academic advisors, managers, graduate assistants, professors and administrators all play a unique role in the overall experience of the student-athletes.  On a team, roles are clearly defined and each job is just as important as the next.  Here at Mason we are constantly reminded of how fortunate we are to have such a dedicated, qualified and conscientious support staff and academic community!

We are very much looking forward to the journey and another great season of college basketball.  Every time we step on the floor, our mission here at Mason is simple:  Everything we do is “For the Team!” 

Go Mason!

Chris Kreider

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