Coach Slaton's Blog

January 2012

2012-01-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

The season is well under way and both teams are making positive strides. The JV under the direction of Coach McCumber and Coach Dinka are 5-4 and starting to compete on both ends of the floor. The Varsity with Coach Slaton and Coach Wilson are 6-6 winning 4 of their last 6 games. The Varsity had a great experience in over the Christmas Break going to a high level tournament in Alabama. They were able to come together as while having some great team experiences. Varsity Basketball is always about playing your best ball heading into the district tournament. The Indians are looking like a team that is doing that. The guys have stepped up their intensity level in practice and it is starting to show in the games.

July/August Blog

2011-08-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

The Indians completed a great summer with nearly 35 guys participating in strength, conditioning and skill work for six weeks. The outstanding numbers and commitment level are signs that VHS Basketball is definitely on the rise. Most players made nice gains both physically and basketball wise over the summer. The group is continueing to work by committing to shoot 400 shots per week from now until the season. They are doing this by the seniors monitoring the underclassmen to make sure they are keeping to their commitment. We will start group work back up at the end of August and work a couple days a week until try-outs the first week of November. There will also be some opportunities to get involved in fundraising, mainly our 2nd Annual Fundraiser Golf Tournament in October. There is a lot going on and definitely a great time to be involved with Venice High School Boys Basketball.

May/June Blog

2011-05-30T18:22:00.000-07:00

We are in the last week of school and I can't believe how time has flown by. Good luck to all the guys with your finals. You have really represented the program well this year in the classroom. The summer will hold many opportunities for the Indians to improve individually and as a team. The coaching staff will work hard to develop our players on the court and in life. I hope everyone has been enjoying this beautiful weather we have in Florida and has a great summer.

April Update

2011-04-20T13:49:00.001-07:00

The spring is winding down and the guys continue to work hard. We are starting to see some big improvements both in the weight room and on the court with most of the players. The off-season is a great time basketball players to make big strides. I want to encourage all the guys to continue to work hard in the classroom and finish the school year on a positive note academically. Summer is fast approaching and I have posted a schedule on the website work-outs and camp. There is so much to be excited about at VHS. Great things happen to those that work hard.

March Update

2011-03-15T18:32:00.000-07:00

Spring is here and this weather definitely makes me thankful to be living in Venice and blessed to work at VHS. We are back working out after school and have a renewed energy that is exciting to be around. I am proud of the way these Indians come focused to improve daily. The Varsity was recently recognized for finishing as Runner-Up for the Academic State Championship. That says so much about the character of our guys. Keep up the great work. There will be many opportunities for the guys to get better over the next several months. It is great to be a Venice Indian!

February Blog

2011-02-21T09:40:00.000-08:00

The season ended in a tough loss to Port Charlotte in the district tournament. The guys really battled and came together at the end of the season. Our seniors (Troy Richards, Christian Kinne, Mike Smither and Brant Biskup) had a big impact on our season and the foundation for the future. We have an exciting nucleus of young players back and look forward to their continued growth and development on and off the court. Travel team lifting and practice will begin Monday February 28th.
We will go on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays until 4:30. Basketball players are made in the off-season. Winning doesn't happen for those who hope for it, but those who work daily to make it happen. Go Indians!

January Update

2011-01-17T14:38:00.000-08:00

The season is past the halfway point and the guys are continueing to work hard and improve daily. The JV and Varsity are both such a great group of guys to be around. They care a lot about Venice and each other. Working hard with a great attitude will take them a long way in the game of basketball, but more importantly in life. There is still a lot of basketball to be played this season with the JV in a big tournament in Fort Myers on January 22nd and the Varsity eyeing the district tournament that begins in February. Come out and support the Indians with one of their remaining games. Go Indians!

October Update

2010-10-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

The season is fast approaching and I am excited about what is around the corner. We have try-outs starting the 1st of November and our 1st game November 30th. Our fundraiser golf tournament is November 13th and we need everyone's help to make this a great event. We have had a great fall with lifting, conditioning and league play. Player's grades as a whole have been strong and we need to continue being diligent with our studies. I want to encourage all the parents to be positive with your sons and the program as the season gets underway. Thanks for all your continued support. "Basketball is not life, just the tool we use to teach life principles". Go Indians!

September 19th

2010-09-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

Workouts continue to go well. I am impressed with the excitement and intensity the guys bring. We start the Sarasota League on Sep 22nd. This will be a great way to prepare for the upcoming season. The fundraiser golf tournament has been moved to Nov 13th. This should give us more time to make for a great event. Keep up the hard work and "Go Indians"!

Work-Outs Started

2010-09-04T06:35:00.000-07:00

We have our first week of our pre-season under our belt and I like what I see. We had 20+ kids for both work-outs! Keep working hard to get yourself and teammates better. We will be selecting guys to play in the Sarasota League over the next week. We are having a parent meeting on Monday night (9/6) at 8pm in the weightroom. I look forward to seeing all of you Indian parents there. Take care and have a great Labor Day Weekend.