To steal a famous quote… “Tell me it ain’t so Joe!” Richard, needless to say I am shocked and disappointed with your decision, but I can certainly understand your reasoning to spend more time with your wife. Both YOU and your coaching staff did a marvelous job with our women’s basketball program this year, and under your leadership the program was headed for great success.
If at anytime in the near future you reconsider your decision, PLEASE feel free to contact me. Your coaching style and friendly personality will be greatly missed by our female athletes, and especially by all of us in the athletic department.
Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to Trojan Athletics. It’s been a genuine pleasure working with you these past two years. May all of your days be blessed with smiles and sunshine.
Sincerely,
Coach D.P. "Mick" Lorusso
Director of Athletics
Valley Forge Military Academy & College
1001 Eagle Road
Wayne, PA 19087
Phone: (O) 610-989-1491 (Trainer Hall)
(FAX) 610-989-1496
Email: dlorusso@vfmac.edu
Website: www.vfmac.edu
The Finest Institution of its Kind in the World!TM
Friday, June 4, 2010
NEW PRIORITIES: MY DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD
I have just forwarded the following letter to the school's athletic director and administration:
Mick et al:
With the benefit of time since the final game of the VFMC Women's basketball season to reflect on all that was accomplished last season, and after consultations with others including those on campus and off-- especially those with my life partner, Barbara Brooks (Pomerantz) as we now turn our own focus to the new and very exciting personal and professional priorities we have in front of us the remainder of this year and beyond--I have decided to leave it to a successor of the school's choosing to lead the VFMC Women's Basketball team into the next season.
To have established the foundation for and realized the unprecedented experience of the 2009-2010 women's basketball program (including but not nearly limited to the institution's first ever women's intercollegiate athletic victories), can best be summarized the way it was described to me the first day on the job last summer: "To be a successful coach at VFMAC is unlike any other experience...It will challenge you in every which way...and more...as a leader...as a motivator...as a teacher...It's a bit like paraphrasing the Frank Sinatra song New York New York: If you can be successful there, you can do so anywhere..."
It did...and I have appreciated the opportunity...
Kindest personal regards.
Dick Pomerantz
Mick et al:
With the benefit of time since the final game of the VFMC Women's basketball season to reflect on all that was accomplished last season, and after consultations with others including those on campus and off-- especially those with my life partner, Barbara Brooks (Pomerantz) as we now turn our own focus to the new and very exciting personal and professional priorities we have in front of us the remainder of this year and beyond--I have decided to leave it to a successor of the school's choosing to lead the VFMC Women's Basketball team into the next season.
To have established the foundation for and realized the unprecedented experience of the 2009-2010 women's basketball program (including but not nearly limited to the institution's first ever women's intercollegiate athletic victories), can best be summarized the way it was described to me the first day on the job last summer: "To be a successful coach at VFMAC is unlike any other experience...It will challenge you in every which way...and more...as a leader...as a motivator...as a teacher...It's a bit like paraphrasing the Frank Sinatra song New York New York: If you can be successful there, you can do so anywhere..."
It did...and I have appreciated the opportunity...
Kindest personal regards.
Dick Pomerantz
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
LOOKING BACK BEFORE MOVING FORWARD
Almost Memorial Day and as the VFMC Women's basketball coach there's been a good deal of time to reflect on in looking back at the past season. It really had to be done for there are a critical decisions to be made. The experience in putting in a strong foundation for VFMC's women's basketball program was what it looked like it would be when I took on the job last July: an exhilerating once-in-a-lifetime learning experience filled with challenges and surprises that called on all those who were part of it (players and coaches especially) an intensity of focus and zealous commitment. The truth is there were times it seemed the odds were against achieving the kind of success against which benchmarks were set early on:
Could we put together a team of nine or ten players out of a total college female enrollment of just 33 students?
Could we put together a team of nine or ten players out of a total college female enrollment of just 33 students?
- yes...even if it did not seem possible, especially as it was not until the first week of November that we were able to have more than five players at practice...due to the players'other commitments (volleyball, soccer, band, choir, military obligations, and of course studies, etc.)
- yes...to the credit of my assistant coaches and the players the team never lost their desire to play...and did so surprisingly competitively for at least the first half of almost every game save for three or so...during which the other teams' talent and depth clearly trumped enthusiasm....even though only three of our team members had had substantive high school basketball experience, and one of those three left school at Christmas break.
- yes...we had them all...off court and on court...and yet still had something in the tank to give it our very best, even in our final game that had been delayed for a week due to the unprecedented snow storms of this past winter.
- Easy:...the final buzzer of the first game: the hugs and smiles.. the looks of disbelief..amidst the ear-splitting cacophony of cheering from the crowd that had come out of curiosity to watch, but having become caught up in wnhat turned out to be an extraordinary Hallmark Hall of Fame-like moment, literally willed our team to an amazingly improbable victory...the first ever by any women's team of any sport at Valley Forge Military College...It was an extraordinary moment...matched closely by our second win in the last second of the return game played against the same competitor, played this time on their court a couple of months later...Another incredible drama...where life and competition and good sportmanship all intersected...and we came away one basket up victors for the second time.
- there were several...but as with all disappointments, they were learning experiences
- to be sure, there were several which I will never forget...but one off the court that was memorable, gratifying and humbling...being invited to give the guest sermon ON SERVICE at the VFMAC's weekly chapel service...which was video taped and can be seen seen on YOU TUBE at 01-31-10 VFMAC Chapel Service.mp4 (INTRO begins at 23:30...the sermon at 28:18)
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Season-Ending Game 2/19/2010
It's been over a month since my last entry, and over the short while I intend to speak about the remainder of the season that took us from 2&4 to 2&12...Yet, as the schedule had to be extended unexpectedly with the unprecendented snow storms that caused cancelations turn to postponements to be rescheduled including our final game at Lancaster Bible College, this is a good place to begin put a remarkable personal experience into perspective as communicated to the VFMAC community....
SEASON-ENDING GAME SUMMARY
The game was best summed up by a group of LBC fans at the end of the game who stopped me while en route to the dressing room to say this about what they'd just observed:
"Coach, we were just talking among ourselves that you must be very proud of your team. Congratulations on their performance. It's obvious they do not have the talent or depth, but to see the effort they put out--their refusal to quit, their hustle on the floor to the very last second, it's really something you and they should be so proud of. Despite the score, it made for a very entertaining game for those of us in the stands..."
VFMC scoring was led by Cadet Ariel Coreth with 11 points and 5 assists, followed by Lancaster native Cadet Veronica Ygarza with 9...LBC proved to be formidable opposition--not just in the height of their players enabling them to crash the offensive boards-- but in their outside shooting ability.
Before leaving for the 2009-2010 season's final bus ride home, I told the team the following:
"On a very personal level it's been a privilege--in truth the experience of a lifetime-- to be your Head Coach. I want to take a moment to thank all of you--including Coaches Brian and Paulette-- for the extraordinary effort you put into this game and the commitment you put forth the whole season. Everyone of us here knows the inherent challenges this team's faced since the start of the season. Which is why I will never be able to adequately convey how proud I am for what you accomplished for yourselves and for your school. Your two wins alone changed forever women's sports at Valley Forge Military College. Your never quit attitude touched so many at home and away. For those of you who head off to military service academies and/or other universities, may the wind always be at your back. And for those of you returning next year, hopefully you will be able to look forward to more women being enrolled in the school, with that much more basketball experience. That being the case, and with the school giving your team the institutional support and commitment required at all levels to allow you, to enable you to come together more quickly as a full and cohesive group you've shown yourselves to be as the season eventually unfolded, the foundation of what you have done this year will be built on."
SEASON-ENDING GAME SUMMARY
The game was best summed up by a group of LBC fans at the end of the game who stopped me while en route to the dressing room to say this about what they'd just observed:
"Coach, we were just talking among ourselves that you must be very proud of your team. Congratulations on their performance. It's obvious they do not have the talent or depth, but to see the effort they put out--their refusal to quit, their hustle on the floor to the very last second, it's really something you and they should be so proud of. Despite the score, it made for a very entertaining game for those of us in the stands..."
VFMC scoring was led by Cadet Ariel Coreth with 11 points and 5 assists, followed by Lancaster native Cadet Veronica Ygarza with 9...LBC proved to be formidable opposition--not just in the height of their players enabling them to crash the offensive boards-- but in their outside shooting ability.
Before leaving for the 2009-2010 season's final bus ride home, I told the team the following:
"On a very personal level it's been a privilege--in truth the experience of a lifetime-- to be your Head Coach. I want to take a moment to thank all of you--including Coaches Brian and Paulette-- for the extraordinary effort you put into this game and the commitment you put forth the whole season. Everyone of us here knows the inherent challenges this team's faced since the start of the season. Which is why I will never be able to adequately convey how proud I am for what you accomplished for yourselves and for your school. Your two wins alone changed forever women's sports at Valley Forge Military College. Your never quit attitude touched so many at home and away. For those of you who head off to military service academies and/or other universities, may the wind always be at your back. And for those of you returning next year, hopefully you will be able to look forward to more women being enrolled in the school, with that much more basketball experience. That being the case, and with the school giving your team the institutional support and commitment required at all levels to allow you, to enable you to come together more quickly as a full and cohesive group you've shown yourselves to be as the season eventually unfolded, the foundation of what you have done this year will be built on."
Monday, January 18, 2010
First Week of Post Holiday Game Results: Our Record is Now 2&4
Last week consisted of three practices following almost five weeks off for holidays for the players. It was not enough.
Still, while it may not have been terribly surprising the VFMC Women's basketball team was defeated Thursday evening by County of Morris (NJ) Community College, the degree of the rout: 75-28 was terribly disappointing.
In short, our obvious collective case of nerves in front of a loud vocal home crowd & rustiness after the extended layoff, resulted in a train load of missed makeable shots, bad passing, and numerous turnovers. Down by 30 at the half, our message was straight forward: use this half to prepare prepare mentally and physically for the next game. All in all it was not a fun experience for any of us connected with the team.
Friday's practice had been intended to be short, made up mostly of some stretching and light shooting. It turned out to be anything but...instead it was shooting...shooting...shooting... mixed in with reaffirmation the players knew the plays...
It all paid off the next afternoon in what one of the referees characterized as one of the most exciting games he's ever been a part of. With hundreds of fans screaming "Defense... Defense", a beautiful set-up by Cadet Danielle Brustmeyer freed up Cadet Ariel Coreth's dramatic game-winning 12 foot shot with 2.2 seconds to go as the Valley Forge College Women's Basketball Team defeated Davis College 52-51 in Binghamton New York.
Down by one with eleven seconds left, a Davis College missed foul shot that would have given them a two point lead led to a clutch rebound, and, the winning shot diagrammed by VFMC Assistant Coach Brian Hunter during the team's last remaining time-out called after the ball had been sprinted up from VFMC's back-court to just past mid-court with 9.7 seconds to go in the game.
VFMC's second win of the year was marked by an up tempo offensive scheme, clutch shooting by leading scorers Cadets Veronica Ygarza (23), Coreth (19), and Brustmeyer (6), and remarkable rebounding efforts at both ends of the court by Cadets Amber Barnes (15) and Alex Efaw (5).
Adding to the experience of what turned out to be for the players and coaches a memorable almost 19 hour day was seeing the players take seriously my counsel for them to spend at least an hour or more on the trip studying, and as I wrote in an email I hoped would receive the widest possible distribution within the VFMAC community:
"...the VFMC personnel (men and women players, and coaches) who were at Davis College Saturday afternoon, were all touched, even inspired, by a tradition that Davis uses to introduce each of their sporting events: beginning with a prayer for the health and welfare of the players, followed by a truly moving and inspirational taped piped in version of the National Anthem (sung by Davis College students), followed by formal introductions of the starting line up.
"...It's fair to say that the thoughtful special remarks within the Davis College prayer dedicated to VFMAC's commitment to developing future leaders was nothing less than striking...and one walked away realizing how much of a positive synergistic impact there would be combining different VFMAC assets: e.g. having a taped version of the National Anthem sung by the VFMAC choir backed by the school Band to be played before every VFMAC sporting event."
We will hold a light practice tonight getting ready for tomorrow's home game against United States Military Academy Prep School.....
Coach Richard Pomerantz
Still, while it may not have been terribly surprising the VFMC Women's basketball team was defeated Thursday evening by County of Morris (NJ) Community College, the degree of the rout: 75-28 was terribly disappointing.
In short, our obvious collective case of nerves in front of a loud vocal home crowd & rustiness after the extended layoff, resulted in a train load of missed makeable shots, bad passing, and numerous turnovers. Down by 30 at the half, our message was straight forward: use this half to prepare prepare mentally and physically for the next game. All in all it was not a fun experience for any of us connected with the team.
Friday's practice had been intended to be short, made up mostly of some stretching and light shooting. It turned out to be anything but...instead it was shooting...shooting...shooting... mixed in with reaffirmation the players knew the plays...
It all paid off the next afternoon in what one of the referees characterized as one of the most exciting games he's ever been a part of. With hundreds of fans screaming "Defense... Defense", a beautiful set-up by Cadet Danielle Brustmeyer freed up Cadet Ariel Coreth's dramatic game-winning 12 foot shot with 2.2 seconds to go as the Valley Forge College Women's Basketball Team defeated Davis College 52-51 in Binghamton New York.
Down by one with eleven seconds left, a Davis College missed foul shot that would have given them a two point lead led to a clutch rebound, and, the winning shot diagrammed by VFMC Assistant Coach Brian Hunter during the team's last remaining time-out called after the ball had been sprinted up from VFMC's back-court to just past mid-court with 9.7 seconds to go in the game.
VFMC's second win of the year was marked by an up tempo offensive scheme, clutch shooting by leading scorers Cadets Veronica Ygarza (23), Coreth (19), and Brustmeyer (6), and remarkable rebounding efforts at both ends of the court by Cadets Amber Barnes (15) and Alex Efaw (5).
Adding to the experience of what turned out to be for the players and coaches a memorable almost 19 hour day was seeing the players take seriously my counsel for them to spend at least an hour or more on the trip studying, and as I wrote in an email I hoped would receive the widest possible distribution within the VFMAC community:
"...the VFMC personnel (men and women players, and coaches) who were at Davis College Saturday afternoon, were all touched, even inspired, by a tradition that Davis uses to introduce each of their sporting events: beginning with a prayer for the health and welfare of the players, followed by a truly moving and inspirational taped piped in version of the National Anthem (sung by Davis College students), followed by formal introductions of the starting line up.
"...It's fair to say that the thoughtful special remarks within the Davis College prayer dedicated to VFMAC's commitment to developing future leaders was nothing less than striking...and one walked away realizing how much of a positive synergistic impact there would be combining different VFMAC assets: e.g. having a taped version of the National Anthem sung by the VFMAC choir backed by the school Band to be played before every VFMAC sporting event."
We will hold a light practice tonight getting ready for tomorrow's home game against United States Military Academy Prep School.....
Coach Richard Pomerantz
Monday, January 11, 2010
Second Half of 2009-2010 Season Commences Tonight
My assistant coaches and I are looking forward to the second half of the season's commencing with the first of three practices before a home game on Thursday and an away game against Davis College Saturday afternoon.
While the latter will be against a team we defeated in our first ever game-- what seems so long ago--this contest comes with built-in challenges of rustiness from a five week lay off and close to a four hour bus ride leaving the morning of the game. We will make certain to communicate to the players before then that what we achieved in our first game--while memorable or as the AD put it "made history"--our opponent will be better and tougher and out for "revenge".
Our team returns to the second half of the season with a couple of short and long term changes too: fully rested after a prolonged holiday break with our roster shortened with one player no longer academically eligible to play. All told, we have a schedule that will challenge us in every way possible: especially with 13 upcoming games in 29 days against competition that will have benefitted from having played many moree games.
Over a luncheon I hosted the Monday after New Year's, the assistant coaches and I reviewed in depth the first half of the season which ended on a losing note that left everyone frustrated And in talking through our upcoming schedule and the challenges we will likely encounter, we "gameplanned" some of the changes we know we have to make.
Tonight, we begin the process of putting it into effect...
By late Saturday evening, we will have a better grasp what other decisions may need to be made...knowing that as the first viable women's basketball team to represent Valley Forge Military College, it will continue to be a focal point of supporting interest and curiosity among the students and faculty and military and administration and trustees and alumni...
Richard Pomerantz
VFMC Women's Basketball Head Coach
While the latter will be against a team we defeated in our first ever game-- what seems so long ago--this contest comes with built-in challenges of rustiness from a five week lay off and close to a four hour bus ride leaving the morning of the game. We will make certain to communicate to the players before then that what we achieved in our first game--while memorable or as the AD put it "made history"--our opponent will be better and tougher and out for "revenge".
Our team returns to the second half of the season with a couple of short and long term changes too: fully rested after a prolonged holiday break with our roster shortened with one player no longer academically eligible to play. All told, we have a schedule that will challenge us in every way possible: especially with 13 upcoming games in 29 days against competition that will have benefitted from having played many moree games.
Over a luncheon I hosted the Monday after New Year's, the assistant coaches and I reviewed in depth the first half of the season which ended on a losing note that left everyone frustrated And in talking through our upcoming schedule and the challenges we will likely encounter, we "gameplanned" some of the changes we know we have to make.
Tonight, we begin the process of putting it into effect...
By late Saturday evening, we will have a better grasp what other decisions may need to be made...knowing that as the first viable women's basketball team to represent Valley Forge Military College, it will continue to be a focal point of supporting interest and curiosity among the students and faculty and military and administration and trustees and alumni...
Richard Pomerantz
VFMC Women's Basketball Head Coach
Monday, December 14, 2009
HOLIDAY SEASON: LOOKING BACK at 1&3
As much as I enjoy coaching, the game of basketball has a much less compelling hue, as my good friend Merlin Dewing passed away two weeks ago the day after tomorrow. Being asked to give his eulogy for a man who was the finest leader and finest person of integrity I have ever known was an honor and I am just grateful it turned out to be the best speech I have ever given among the thousands I have given over the years...as a coach...as a motivational speaker, consultant, radio and television talk show host, student body president, political campaign manager, etc.
As for the basketball team, we enter the holiday break with a record of 1 win and 3 losses, and time will tell if the first game, that history making win, was lightning caught in a bottle. Or if the players just found themselves with lost focus after coming back from Thxgiving break knowing they were about to enter exam period.
Our games against Mercer County and then Harcum were embarassing, although against Mercer we were just 6 down with 12 seconds to play, with the ball in our possession and called for one shot. Poor execution led to a terrible shot, quick up and down the court by Mercer, a basket, a steal, another basket and we went into half time 10 behind...Within a couple of minutes of the beginning of the second half, we were down by close to 20 and we eventually lost by close to 40. Against Harcum I could tell on the bus the girls lacked focus in this their first away game. We arrived at the wrong gym, found ourselves walking to the gym we were to play in, and within minutes of warm up one of the players complined she had problems with the gym lighting...and that was the best of the game for us! We lost by close to 80 points, literally gave away (I mean GAVE AWAY points with passes that were more like football handoffs)...It was so bad one of the refs came by, saw that I had a wry smile on my face, and commented "Coach..love to see coaches smiling no matter how bad..."
It was an experience that convinced me the players need to decide whether or not they really want to play next semester when we have 14 more games...so I put it out there for them after the game. They said yes...but we will wait and see...
Two mornings later on Saturday morning (when I was at the funeral in Minneapolis) we lost 64-41 against Luzerne County CC which came with only 5 players! One bright spot apparently was point guard Ariel Coreth who scored 22 points...In any event I'll know more after I get a full debriefing...
With so many games in Jan and Feb there will have limited practice time, so we will have to use it effectively...and use the game experiences as teaching tools...If someone had told me we'd be 1 and 3 at the beginning of this initiative, I would have said "NEVER" and I would have taken it and been happy...but now that we actually won I know the girls IF focused and playing at the top of their game can compete better than we have over the past three games...and being focused and playing at the top our game will be the underlying theme going forward....The holiday break will afford the coaching staff time to review what we can do better, who to play more, etc.
As for the basketball team, we enter the holiday break with a record of 1 win and 3 losses, and time will tell if the first game, that history making win, was lightning caught in a bottle. Or if the players just found themselves with lost focus after coming back from Thxgiving break knowing they were about to enter exam period.
Our games against Mercer County and then Harcum were embarassing, although against Mercer we were just 6 down with 12 seconds to play, with the ball in our possession and called for one shot. Poor execution led to a terrible shot, quick up and down the court by Mercer, a basket, a steal, another basket and we went into half time 10 behind...Within a couple of minutes of the beginning of the second half, we were down by close to 20 and we eventually lost by close to 40. Against Harcum I could tell on the bus the girls lacked focus in this their first away game. We arrived at the wrong gym, found ourselves walking to the gym we were to play in, and within minutes of warm up one of the players complined she had problems with the gym lighting...and that was the best of the game for us! We lost by close to 80 points, literally gave away (I mean GAVE AWAY points with passes that were more like football handoffs)...It was so bad one of the refs came by, saw that I had a wry smile on my face, and commented "Coach..love to see coaches smiling no matter how bad..."
It was an experience that convinced me the players need to decide whether or not they really want to play next semester when we have 14 more games...so I put it out there for them after the game. They said yes...but we will wait and see...
Two mornings later on Saturday morning (when I was at the funeral in Minneapolis) we lost 64-41 against Luzerne County CC which came with only 5 players! One bright spot apparently was point guard Ariel Coreth who scored 22 points...In any event I'll know more after I get a full debriefing...
With so many games in Jan and Feb there will have limited practice time, so we will have to use it effectively...and use the game experiences as teaching tools...If someone had told me we'd be 1 and 3 at the beginning of this initiative, I would have said "NEVER" and I would have taken it and been happy...but now that we actually won I know the girls IF focused and playing at the top of their game can compete better than we have over the past three games...and being focused and playing at the top our game will be the underlying theme going forward....The holiday break will afford the coaching staff time to review what we can do better, who to play more, etc.
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