Lady Plainsmen fly past Skyline

Richard Anderson photos
At top, Laramie's Ariela Schreibeis, 11, and Kylee Anderson, 20, run the ball up the court against Skyline. At bottom, Amber Vandiver takes the ball strong to the basket.


By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The Laramie High School girls’ basketball team never rests. Halftime might be the toughest time for them … they have to sit still.

The Lady Plainsmen revved up their RPMs for 32 minutes in stopping Skyline (Longmont, Colo.) 68-41 Friday night in the Laramie Girls Basketball Invite at Plainsman Gym.

Laramie (3-2) started and finished strong in winning its home opener. The Lady Plainsmen will close the two-day invitational on Saturday when they host Niwot (Colo.) at 10:30 a.m. and Lander Valley at 2 p.m. Niwot thumped Lander 61-32 in the first game on Friday.

The Lady Plainsmen put pressure on the Falcons from start to finish, regardless of the score. Although mistakes can happen when they move a little too fast, they say it is the only way they know how to play.

“That’s our game plan this year,” Laramie junior guard Alyssa Schmidt said. “We try to get in their space and cause turnovers. When we’re flustered, they are even more flustered. We just try to keep up the pressure all game long and good things happen.”

Walking the ball up the court might get a player a seat next to first-year head coach Rod Tyson, who is not afraid to substitute. In fact, a few times in the game, Tyson used the old hockey line shift, putting in five players at a time.

“The way we play, we have to (substitute) because we are a really fast-tempo team,” Schmidt said. “Obviously, we run out of energy pretty fast.”

Tyson played 15 players on Friday night, including 10 in all four quarters.

“It helps because our bench is so deep,” he said. “We can keep putting pressure on … apply pressure, apply pressure. I have been working with them for quite a while now and they know what I want and they know how to rotate. We actually had some poor rotations, but they make up for that with their speed.”

The game appears to be just an extension of practice, regardless of the player’s age. Freshman Ragen Wilson was one of even freshmen or sophomores to play in the game.

“We practice very hard and we just go out to do our best and know not to quit,” Wilson said. “We go out with the mindset to win and hopefully that is how it turns out. But we never stop. We don’t like to quit.”

Wilson played in the third and fourth quarters and gave the Lady Plainsmen a lift after Laramie struggled in the final half of the second quarter. Wilson scored 13 points, either finishing a break or using her quickness to beat her opponent with the drive.

“I go out and do my best. I try to block everybody out and just go for the shot when it is open,” Wilson said.

While Tyson isn’t afraid to play his bench, it really doesn’t matter what time of the game he does it; if they can keep the energy going, they’ll be in there.

“I trust everyone on the team. There is a lot of things they can do,” he said. “As the year progresses, hopefully, they will get a little more confidence in themselves and it will show even more.”

Schmidt had the hot hand, especially early with a pair of 3-pointers. She led all scorers with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Along with Wilson’s 13 points, junior Kylee Anderson added 12. Ten of the 15 Lady Plainsmen who played got in the score column.

“I think everyone is meshing together really well,” Schmidt said. “A lot of younger girls, including the freshmen, are stepping up and that is always nice to see. Whenever we step up, it’s a fun game.”

Laramie broke a 6-6 tie in the first quarter with 10 unanswered points and led by as much as 22-9 midway through the second before hitting a cold spell. The Lady Plainsmen actually missed all nine free throws attempted in the second quarter, but still led by 10 at halftime.

If the pace was fast in the first half, it only picked up in the final two quarters. The aggressive Lady Plainsmen defense never let Skyline get back in the game and wore the Falcons out down the stretch. Laramie outscored Skyline 43-26 in the second half.

“We’re really proud of our game tonight. There were a few things that we could have done better, but that game is over with and we’ll just go out and play well tomorrow,” Wilson said.

On area of struggle for Laramie came at the free-throw line. The Lady Plainsmen were just 17-of-38

“We have to do a better job of boxing out and obviously still make our free throws,” Tyson said.

Even when mistakes are made, the Lady Plainsmen’s aggressiveness and quickness have the ability to overshadow those miscues.

“A couple of plays there, one of the girls would have a turnover but go back and steal it,” Tyson said. “In the stats, it is a turnover and a steal, which sort of balances it out. We’ll take it. I think both teams got a little sloppy there, but a win is a win.”

Tyson getting another shot

Richard Anderson photo
Laramie High School girls' basketball head coach Rod Tyson watches a scrimmage Thursday night with some of his players.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

Rod Tyson had it all planned. One more year of coaching the Laramie Junior High School ninth grade girls’ basketball team and then switch over to coach the boys -- with his son, Jareel, going into the eighth grade.

But Laramie girls’ head coach Bruce Schmidt resigned after last season and suddenly those plans went by the wayside.

Tyson’s daughter, Yalandra, was going into her sophomore season, and the tug to go for the Lady Plainsmen head job was too tough to ignore.

So now, the former Plainsmen all-state player, the former Wyoming Cowboy, was taking his second shot at being a head coach for Laramie High -- he coached the Plainsmen in the mid 1990s.

“We had it worked out. I was going to start working with the boys and work my way through that program,“ Tyson said after a late practice on Thursday. “But Coach Schmidt resigned and the girls wanted me to coach. I’ll coach for at least four years ... I’m going to try.”

Tyson is certainly no stranger to youth girls’ basketball, as he as been involved for several years, starting up again when his oldest daughter, Brittany, now a freshman in college, was in seventh grade. When he started the Laramie Youth Girls’ Basketball Program, they had seven girls. Now, they number in the fifties.

“Hopefully, it pays off,“ Tyson said. “We have a lot of girls who have worked hard. Some of them stopped to do other sports. It was a great experience for them and they learned a lot. It helps them in every sport.”

Because of his familiarity with the youth girls' program, stepping in as varsity head coach wasn’t too much of a transition.

“It really doesn’t seem so different, mainly because I have coached these girls for so long,” Tyson said. “Maybe if I would have come in and didn’t know the girls, it would be a little different. Most of the teams, we have played before. I’m just coaching now instead of watching them the last couple of years.”

Tyson was part of the last Plainsmen team to win a state basketball title in 1985. After beginning his coaching career in 1989 for then Lady Plainsmen head coach Paul Street, Tyson took over the Plainsmen program in the mid 1990s and struggled to get it going.

In his second stint as head coach, it might be a classic case of, “if I knew then what I know now.” Tyson said he is not near as cocky now as he was then as a young coach.

“It’s not about me as I used to think back then,” he said. “When you come out of college, you think you are an unbreakable type. You know, it’s ‘my way, boom, boom, boom.’ But there are other ways.”

Tyson credits many of the coaches he played for or coached under for guiding him. That goes back to high school under Dennis Diehl and Dale Parker, to his college coaches -- Jim Brandenburg and Benny Dees -- to Street and Schmidt.

“I’ve learned a little bit from everybody,” Tyson said. “That sort of makes who I am now as a coach, as opposed to being, 'it is going to be my way, too bad.' I try to adapt every day, I try to learn every day. I learn more form the girls. It’s not all about winning. It’s about enjoying the game and loving the game. Hopefully, they can enjoy it and we can do both.”

The biggest thing Tyson said he wants his players to do is believe in themselves. He said that if a player works hard, good things will happen. And of course, they need to play defense.

“If there is any individual out there who thinks they are better than the team, then we are never going to be any good.,” he said. “If you can’t get along with your team, I can’t work with you. That is the only way I can have it. The big goal for our team is to get better every day. I think we did that last week (at the McDonald‘s Invitational in Cheyenne). Against Kelly Walsh, it was probably the worst I had seen these girls play. We came back and played well against Rock Springs. We played really well against Natrona and played really well against Star Valley.”

The Lady Plainsmen finished 2-2 in the opening tournament and will host a three-game round-robin tournament Friday and Saturday at the LHS gym. Laramie hosts Skyline (Longmont, Colo.) Friday at 7:15 p.m., with Niwot, Colo., Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and Lander at 2 p.m.

To watch the Lady Plainsmen these days, you might need a program. Tyson likes to play as many kids as he can.

“I think we are pretty deep, talent-wise, but not with experience,” he said. “If there is any chance I can get those younger ones some experience, then I need them in there. It just helps our team get better.”

Tyson relies on his seniors for veteran leadership and his youngsters for a spark.

“I know what a lot of them can do. I try to rely on our seniors for leadership and sturdiness, but the younger girls are in there for speed and quickness. I like their aggressiveness,” he said. “If we put a younger group in, they may be smaller, but they are going to turn up the heat.”

Tyson has been involved in basketball for 37 years, nearly 20 as a coach. Even now as he has also been also coaching the LJHS eighth-grade team at the same time, it doesn’t get old.

“I enjoy it," Tyson said. “The kids are so different, so I get to work on different things in practice, trying to teach them.”

Thursday night in practice, Tyson scrimmaged his sophomores, juniors and seniors against a few male counterparts (non-basketball players at similar sizes). His girls more than held their own, and regardless of who was on the court, it was a team effort.

“All of our kids get along and the root for each other. If a couple of girls make a couple of good move, it gets them going,” Tyson said. “They like to have fun, and the only way to play basketball is to have fun. I’m pretty serious and tough on the girls, but I try to be as fair as possible. If they are working hard, they should get the opportunity at crunch time to see what they can do.”

Indoor practice facility closer to reality

Richard Anderson photo
Just one corner of the new indoor practice facility, located at 725 Skyline Drive.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

For youth outdoor sports such as soccer, football, lacrosse and baseball, the winter months are fairly nonexistent for productive practice. Even in the spring, it can be more miss than hit.

That’s all about to change with the upcoming youth indoor practice facility, located at 725 Skyline Drive in the old Western Flea Market building.

Thanks to the board of the Laramie Blizzard Soccer Club, the new indoor practice facility, almost wall-to-wall in synthetic sport turf, will be available for youth and some adult organizations when the weather turns ugly in Laramie.

“We’re very excited about it,” James Learned of the Blizzard told Sportsline Live (KOWB/KCGY radio) hosts David Settle and Richard Anderson on Wednesday night.

An open house, hosted by the Blizzard, is set for Friday from 6-8 p.m.

“We really want to encourage the public to come by a take a look, even if you come in for five minutes," Learned said. “Believe me, that is all that it will take. Once you see the hard work that has already been done, just making the place presentable and getting everything cleaned up, you’ll see the turf and it should be a done deal at that point.”

The practice surface measures 12,600 square feet or about 90x120 feet, with an additional straight 120-feet agility area. Not only can it be used for soccer, but other sports like football, lacrosse and baseball can continue to work out despite the adverse weather conditions that can plague the Laramie area.

Jon Boyer, developmental coach for the Blizzard, said the offseason in soccer is critical in the augmentation of a player individually.

“Really, what winter time gives us is time to start working on individual skills and develop our players more than we can do in the season,” Boyer said. “In the season, you do a lot team-wise. We have that speed and agility area, so when teams are practicing, we can get in there and work on coordination because kids are growing.

“It’s going to do a lot for the community, not just for our kids in the Blizzard, but it can make all kids better athletes in general.”

Learned said an important part of the facility is that a coach can work with his individuals or teams in any sport that they want. The fields are not lined in any particular way, it’s just an open area.

“We will have the ability to divide the playing surface in half, so we can give as many groups a chance to practice as possible," Learned said. “We even have an elevated area (6-8 inches) where there is an additional level of turf that runs the length of the playing surface. It is dedicated specifically to agility training. We’ll have some people available to run some agility courses. Coaches can use the time to set up their own agility drills while they are waiting for the field to open up. We’re really thinking about as many aspects of improving athletic performances as we can.”

While the facility isn’t large enough for full-scale game situations, what it does allow, especially in soccer, is to set up small-scale game, such as 4v4 or 5v5, to work on technique, problem areas.

“I think you can do the same thing for sports like football; work on your red zone offense, divide the field to work on specific things," Learned said. “Baseball is the same thing. We might get an opportunity to put in batting cages. There will be room to do whatever your imagination allows. As creative as you want to be as a coach, this facility allows you to do it.”

Laramie Blizzard President Don Barnes said the idea of an indoor facility is something he has thought about for several years, ever since he got into coaching. With Learned and his wife, Mariah, involved in Olympic developmental soccer, they have coached and been involved in clinics across the state and country where the synthetic turf has been utilized.

With the opportunity for the indoor facility at its present location emerging, they all knew it was too good to pass up.

“It’s more uses for this facility, more chances for kids to come in,” Barnes said. “The turf guy came in from Colorado Springs, Colo., and he told me they built one there and it filled up, so they built another one. It’s just that fast. I honestly believe that Laramie will support this because it is a neat facility, a needed facility for our area."

Because there are various costs involved in not only setting up the facility, but maintaining it, fees will be charged to participate, as well as various fundraisers. Learned said there will be several opportunities for business and individual donors to be part of it all.

“Right now, it is just a youth indoor practice facility, it has not been named," Learned said. “If there is a donor who is interested, then we would be interested in any or all suggestions. We know that there is a Rochelle Athletics Center, INVESCO has a field. We know there are ways even professional teams are trying to fund their high quality facilities. Beyond that, we have sponsorship opportunities much like the high school is currently doing, being able to sell banners, and there are various levels to go along with that. Certainly, we want our sponsors or donors to be recognized for their efforts.”

The fact that the Laramie facility will be the first of its kind in the state, it is an example for the entire state, Learned said, and he credits all of the volunteer work that has made it possible.

“They are really a shining example of what can happen,” Learned said. “It’s like the cliché, 'the heart of a volunteer.' They exemplify it.”

It’s already about to pay off, as the state Olympic developmental soccer team will spend a couple days this winter in Laramie training in the new facility.

“We’ll be able to show off our wares to the rest of the state,” Learned said.

Last spring, the Laramie High School boys’ and girls’ soccer teams both won state titles and the Blizzard, year-in and year-out, have been among the state’s best programs. Barnes said this facility is going to bring that winning element to all sports.

“I think people will be copying us very quick. I think it will help our football program get back on top. You can do things on a turf that you can’t do in a gymnasium,” Barnes said.

While adult organizations can also use the facility, Learned said it will be the young athletes who will benefit the most.

“If we can get a few people together to just put an effort behind our kids, we can do some amazing things,” Learned said.
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For more on the indoor facility
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Mountain: Adapting to the times

Richard Anderson photo
Laramie head coach Jason Mountain, right, demonstrates a defensive move in a recent practice.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

Jason Mountain doesn’t have years of experience in running a basketball program one way. Even if he did, that probably wouldn’t happen.

In this third year as Laramie High School head boys’ basketball coach and eighth year in the program, Mountain is only about 10 years from leading the Plainsmen to the state title game when he was a senior in high school.

When he took over for Rob Richardson two years ago, he led the Plainsmen to the state title game. Last year, Laramie also qualified for the state tournament. Time will tell if Mountain can get this year’s Plainsmen into title contenders. But that is always in the back of his mind.

Laramie opened the season Thursday at the McDonald’s Basketball Classic in Cheyenne and March is still a long ways away.

Mountain has confidence in this year’s team and certainly in the way he coaches.

“I don’t feel like I am necessarily as green as I may seem,” Mountain said. “I feel like I am starting to finally get a handle on things and understand how the politics of the game works, how the dynamic of practices go, how the whole situation works and breaks down with games and traveling and all of that stuff.”

It’s not that Mountain didn’t have a grasp on much of that before, but by mixing in a few Xs and Os, going to a few coaching clinics, he now takes things a little more serious as a head coach. He’s beginning to realize that his philosophy is changing from year-to-year as well.

“I’m learning more innovative ways to do things, and taking things from coaches that I like and getting rid of things I have taken from other coaches that thought I had liked,” he said. “I feel like I am getting more and more prepared each year. I just have to keep telling myself that I am trying to build a program here, so be patient and don’t hope for that instant gratification, it doesn’t happen over night.”

Two seasons ago, though, Mountain probably didn’t think that way. After all, he was a rookie head coach in the state title game. The Plainsmen fell to a very good Casper Natrona squad, but just Laramie’s appearance opened some eyes, especially those of the young head coach.

“It was bittersweet having that championship game come my way my first year, but I also felt that that team was capable,” he said. “I think I also made some good decisions in the post-season and my team played well. It just happened that my team peaked at the right time.”

Laramie was just 8-19 overall, although the Plainsmen did make another appearance at the state tournament.

“Last year, we did well to get to state, but the whole year certainly could have gone better for us,” he said.

Don’t expect Mountain to sit back and settle on one style or one coaching philosophy. In his mind, coaching high school athletics is all about being patient and adapting.

“I’m not going to sit here and say that there are not coaches who are amazing at doing the same thing year-in and year-out,” Mountain said. “I guess I feel like I have to adapt with the times and adapt with the players and work with the arsenal that I am given. I feel that if I have to mold kids into one system, it just doesn’t work for me. I high school, you can’t recruit. If I have a bunch of bigs one year, I might want to play to their strengths, play to their talent. If the next year I don’t have a lot of big players, I might want to play something that highlights the strength of my guards -- can we transition more, can I run a continuity offense? I think it is about adapting and changing with the times.”

Mountain’s overall coaching philosophy? Defensively, he said he is working on being a good man-to-man coach.

“Coaches are really a good zone coach or a really good man-to-man defensive coach. I want to be the type of coach who eventually gets my players to be able to work hard on defense the entire game,” he said. “I have always been a believer that defense wins championships and offense wins games.”

On offense, the faster, the better … that is, while still being under control.

“I like my guys to be able to score in transition and not have to set it up every time,” Mountain said. “It seems like my first couple of years, I have had to kind of slow things down at times.
That hasn’t been enjoyable to me, but that was what I have had to work with. This year, I think I can let the horses loose and let them play and create on their own. They have great basketball minds and they are great independent thinkers.”

Of course, Mountain thinks back to his playing days with the Plainsmen. He was one to never sit still.

“I never liked slowing it down much, being real methodical,” he said. “I certainly draw off my own personal experiences as a player, what worked best for me and what I enjoyed the most. I think every coach takes that with them and plays off of it.”

With that in mind, Mountain said most players like the quicker game, as well as the fans.

“They like an up-tempo game where there is a lot of scoring and a lot of fun. It works for me,” he said.

Mountain is rapidly putting a stamp on his program -- his entire program -- beginning with Rage Youth Basketball, a league he formed for young players in kindergarten through sixth grade.
Next year, he is going to expand the program to seventh grade. This past fall, he had about 200 young players learning the game.

“It’s been phenomenal for us. It has been a great feeder program,” he said. “Kids, when they start coming up in the seventh grade, they know a little bit more. It’s about fine-tuning, so when they come to us as freshmen, they know how to shoot a layup, they know what a defensive stance is instead of being so raw. It will help myself and the next coach down the road, helping them be competitive every single game and every single year.”

If that happens, Mountain, a physical education teacher at Slade Elementary School, will have basketball control of every grade in town.

“That’s exactly where I want to be,” he said.

Plainsmen fall to KW

The Laramie Plainsmen got the 2008-2009 seaqson off to a tough start, falling to Casper Kelly Walsh 81-62 Thursday afternoon in the McDonald's Basketball Classic in Cheyenne.

Kelly Walsh took control late in the first half and never really looked back. Laramie climbed within 11 with about three minutes left in the game, but could get no closer.

Dan Estes led the Plainsmen with 25 points, followed by Mason Orcutt with 14 points and Karsten Hiser with 10.

Laramie comes right back in the three-day tournament at 6:30 p.m. Thursday night and will face Star Valley.