Practice begins

#4
#4
My take from the article:

Post player Kasiyahna Kushkituah (Class of 2017) and guard Christyn Williams (Class of 2018) are expected to make unofficial visits this weekend.

If we could get a verbal from KK (I know its probably too early for it without this being an official visit) that would be great. I really can't wait for the season to begin and feel this will be the season we get over the elite 8 hump and make it to the Final Four and hopefully play for (an win the national title)! The key is Russell remaining healthy and dominating like we know she can!
 
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#5
#5
will DD ever play a game for UT? :( She has been hurt too long. Second coming of Jannah Tucker?
 
#6
#6
will DD ever play a game for UT? :( She has been hurt too long. Second coming of Jannah Tucker?

I think she will play, I like the cautious approach (and the possible leverage) Holly has to make opponents think that she may not be available for us in the early part of the season! I think the earliest we may truly need her is November 29th (The Texas Game) and I think we can beat Texas without her. And looking at our early schedule there are 4 teams that scare me (because of their coaches or talent) but I think we can win 3 of the 4 (Texas, Oregon State, Stanford) without her, The game we have to have her imo would be the Notre Dame game which isn't until January 18th so If I am Holly I try to get her as close to 100 % as possible so that I don't have her back early and lose her for the rest of the year
 
#7
#7
I think she will play, I like the cautious approach (and the possible leverage) Holly has to make opponents think that she may not be available for us in the early part of the season! I think the earliest we may truly need her is November 29th (The Texas Game) and I think we can beat Texas without her. And looking at our early schedule there are 4 teams that scare me (because of their coaches or talent) but I think we can win 3 of the 4 (Texas, Oregon State, Stanford) without her, The game we have to have her imo would be the Notre Dame game which isn't until January 18th so If I am Holly I try to get her as close to 100 % as possible so that I don't have her back early and lose her for the rest of the year

While I agree with you that we will only need DD for a handful of games (the 4 you mentioned + the SC games and the NCAA's) , is anyone else concerned about DeShields not being ready to practice at full speed after sitting out an entire year ?
I know that Gule's post above was hyperbole but a similar thought has crossed my mind.
 
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#8
#8
While I agree with you that we will only need DD for a handful of games (the 4 you mentioned + the SC games and the NCAA's) , is anyone else concerned about DeShields not being ready to practice at full speed after sitting out an entire year ?
I know that Gule's post above was hyperbole but a similar thought has crossed my mind.

It is alarming and I miss our old medical trainer Jenny Moshak, it seems like when she was around our players/team was healthier. I think her sitting out the year with us doesn't mean she truly didn't play. Who knows what she did when she went home during the breaks or some weekends (or road trips that she could not attend with the team) that could have set her back. I am giving her the benefit of the doubt though! We really need her for Conference play, the SEC Tournament and The NCAA tournament. We don't reach the Final 4 without her imo
 
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#9
#9
I believe she may be more sore than injured. I think they may want to be on the safe side and ease her in. I think by the start of the season she will be ready to go. DeShields is such a competitor there is no way she's going to sit out when it has always been her dream to play for Tennessee. The way she was hitting threes and step back jumpers repeatedly on a video that was posted on her Instagram last month. If she is sore knocking down shots like that, I can't wait to see what she does with absolutely no pain or soreness.
 
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#10
#10
Moshak didn't keep them healthy either, remember Sade what's her name, Kelley Cain, Spencer, etc etc. they all were either lost for the season or major portions of time.
 
#11
#11
"Russell, meanwhile, said she continues to feel great “mentally and physically” after having surgery last year on both feet."

that is great news,hopefully she has an excellent year

"Summitt Visits: Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt dropped by Pratt on Wednesday for the team’s first official practice.

“It’s always a great time when a legend’s in the building,” Russell said. “There’s no better feeling than that. It was just great to see her.”

all ways great to hear that CPS is on the court :)
 
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#12
#12
Moshak didn't keep them healthy either, remember Sade what's her name, Kelley Cain, Spencer, etc etc. they all were either lost for the season or major portions of time.

Wiley-Gatewood and Cain both came into the program with knee problems (SWG coming off reconstructive surgery and Cain needing reconstructive surgery). Spencer tore her ACL as a sophomore but did not miss much time at all as a freshman, junior or senior.
 
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#13
#13
Wiley-Gatewood and Cain both came into the program with knee problems (SWG coming off reconstructive surgery and Cain needing reconstructive surgery). Spencer tore her ACL as a sophomore but did not miss much time at all as a freshman, junior or senior.
Cain had back issues, Deshields came to us with pain, nothing the new trainer didn't do, the fired trainer would of done. We certainly looked more fit last season with new fitness guy, and the trainer did a good job getting Cierra, and Graves back, and Izzy from early season injury, in fact except for migraines, concussions and knees, the new trainer seems to be doing a good job. The freshman last year, and Nia were in better shape than previous years.
 
#14
#14
I hope you are right Chitownvol,it would be great for the Lady Vols to have a fairly healthy year for a change
 
#15
#15
I could have given you 20 more injured LV's from Moshak's time in Ktown. Last werd, She was no miracle worker.... :(
 
#16
#16
It sounds like the coaches will limit Diamond's practice time--and probably her game time, too, which is wise. But you can't limit it too much or it will be hard to build chemistry.
 
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#17
#17
If what we have heard is true, there really is no "cure" for either patellar tendinitis or shin splints except rest. So the coaching and training staff are "treating" it exactly how they are suppose to. It's painful, especially throughout a long season, but it's not something that can't be played thru. I'm sure this isn't the first time that DD has played thru pain (we saw what she did at UNC while injured). I think, and no, I have no internal information but I am a medical professional, that DD will be fine. Looking forward to this season.
 
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#18
#18
While rest is needed for a "cure," shin splints can be alleviated by stretching, working the other muscle groups, gait training, orthotics, ice/heat, NSAID's. There are a lot of approaches a good trainer can use to help the athlete. Ditto for patellar tendonitis, +/- bracing, steroid injections, and surgery.
 
#19
#19
If what we have heard is true, there really is no "cure" for either patellar tendinitis or shin splints except rest. So the coaching and training staff are "treating" it exactly how they are suppose to. It's painful, especially throughout a long season, but it's not something that can't be played thru. I'm sure this isn't the first time that DD has played thru pain (we saw what she did at UNC while injured). I think, and no, I have no internal information but I am a medical professional, that DD will be fine. Looking forward to this season.

I had shin splints when I was younger. I agree from experience, rest is the key. Depending upon the severity you can play sports with shin splints.They do hurt while you are playing but you can play through the pain.
 
#22
#22

Well, okay, I guess. Frankly, I'm lukewarm on this kind of stuff. I think it has very little to do with how well a team executes on the basketball court.

Install an offense that can score more than 50 points in a big game, and install a defense that can stop dribble penetration, and I'll get excited about that.
 
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#23
#23
Well, okay, I guess. Frankly, I'm lukewarm on this kind of stuff. I think it has very little to do with how well a team executes on the basketball court.

Install an offense that can score more than 50 points in a big game, and install a defense that can stop dribble penetration, and I'll get excited about that.

In an excerpt from the article "Warlick speaks at the Rotary Club Luncheon", Holly mentions "the Program" and the effort to build teamwork.


"She alluded to a team component of this challenge as well. The Lady Vols spent the past two days doing a series of boot camp-like exercises called "the Program." The regimen was created in 2008 by Marine Eric Kapitulik and has been marketed as a way to forge better team leadership and cohesion. The Tennessee softball team has done it.

The Lady Vols spent several hours in the pool Tuesday, beginning at 5 a.m.

"Four kids couldn't swim," Warlick said. "I tell you, four kids didn't sleep last night."


Warlick apparently doesn't want to sleep on whether the players trust each other.

"That's hard; that is hard for women," she said. "Guys, they can get mad at each other. They can fight. Now women, we get mad at each other and I'm not speaking to her for a month. And I'm not throwing her the ball. I know it's crazy. We have to develop that trust in each other."
 
#24
#24
The team didn't look very enthusiastic about the experience. Hopefully they gained something more important than lugging sandbags around for a couple of days.
 

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