Finally would be the term I would like to use, but I know I shouldn't. I completely understand that a new product has to be tested and it needs to be the best it can be. With that said, it has been really tough to be patient while the Sweep Stick has been perfected. At any rate, the time is close and pre-orders can start this week. There will be an awesome discount released in the next couple of days. The tough part will be the wait once again. The first batch of Sweep Sticks won't arrive until late May. However, that is still in plenty of time to have them ready for the #OppSeason (what we our calling our off-season at Baldwin-Woodville)...the opportunity to improve (courtesy of Jamie Gilbert of www.traintobeclutch.com). And yes, I've fallen to the nearly permanent hashtag...I even ordered a banner that reads #SweepStick. Twitter is spectacular for people and business. I know the Sweep Stick probably would not have come to fruition without connections I made with Mike Lee, Alan Stein, Mike Jones of DeMatha, and  Joshua Medcalf ...all initially through Twitter. So I have learned to love the hashtag--except when people speak using them. That is just irritating. 
 It has been a crazy wait, but the release is almost upon us. I probably shouldn't even mention it, but there is another component I'm working on that will make the #SweepStick even more versatile in the future. 

http://mikeleebasketball.net/coaches-clinic/

After attending my first Mike Lee Skills Academy solo, I knew I had to bring my staff back to the next one… and we will be back again for the following reasons:

Intensity

Mike Lee and Luke Meier are passionate about what they do. Their intensity level is awesome! They also train the athletes like they would if we weren’t there—they don’t let them off the hook and demand a full effort. They also praise them when they do well. Mike and Luke truly model how you should coach your players.

Attention to Detail

The attention to coaching points including footwork, body-positioning, ball-location, etc., is invaluable. It is not just the big picture of the drill…they explain the all the little things that add up to the big picture.

Interactive

The experience is definitely does not involve being “talked at” about basketball. Coaches are “talked with” and are encouraged to interact with presenters. I have been impressed with how, many times, questions were answered by creating a drill to fit the situation.

Innovative

Mike and Luke are not just using drills that are out there—they are creating drills that are being used by players at all levels. They are on the cutting edge of basketball skills training. 

All-Encompassing

The clinic goes beyond just basketball specific skills—they also address mental skills training, building athletes, and strength training.

My coaching staff left the clinic armed with information and techniques that would make an immediate impact on our team.

With each day, The Sweep Stick gets closer to production. After securing a patent, I can now officially say "patent pending"...which is pretty cool. We are currently working with our production team to get it out to coaches and players ASAP, but we want to make sure it is done right. In the next few days, I will post some drills that we currently use it that are competitive and unique. Many of the drills are inspired by Mike Lee of Mike Lee Basketball and Jason Jesperson of the WI Playmakers and UWEC Men's Basketball. I have received a ton of positive responses to the product and many coaches seem very excited about it. I'm new to this realm, but am extremely pumped to have a product to offer that could make a difference in the development of players all around the world.  

After working in education since 1995, we decided to offer some unique products for schools to share with staff members. We know it can be tough to find something for everyone, so we put together some products we deemed to be "not lame." :)
We wanted to keep our product offerings low so we can provide excellent customer service. We also will have a few other products coming soon like The Sweep Stick! I will blog about that later...