32 More Minutes with Mike and Paulie
A weekly show solely based on Reading High School Basketball.
32 More Minutes with Mike and Paulie
Episode 13 3/30/26
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A look back at the State Playoff run. Special Guests Squires Club President Wendy Boyd discussing off season fundraisers and the Squire Club banquet and Strength and Conditioning Coach, Coach Janet. She will be discussing the commitment everyone makes in order to continue the tradition of excellence within the Red Knight Nation. Also, a quick look into Charter and Catholic Schools place in the PIAA.
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And now thirty-two more minutes with Mike and Paulie. Hey guys, how you doing? It's Mike.
SPEAKER_03It's Paulie. How's everybody doing?
SPEAKER_01Oh guys, we're missing you. We're missing you a ton here. Um Paulie and I have been uh hanging out a little bit, talking about the show, how much we miss it. I mean, it's we're we're Jones and to do shows, man. Uh, we just need some content, and we feel like we got a bunch of content today.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, uh another year in the books of uh Pennsylvania high school basketball, uh girls and boys. Um it was uh very it was it was a very good 6A boys uh playoff Final Four and Final Eight, actually.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, really.
SPEAKER_03It's super except well, I mean, Mike, you and I were up up at um the big double header at the Geigle uh phenomenal first game was uh was that judge in central central York. Central York, yeah. Um Central York ended up forcing double overtime and uh two or three guys fouled out. Um they didn't have enough. That brown kid, phenomenal career at Central York. I mean, man, I never in my life thought Central York would even be able to hang with them.
SPEAKER_01And well, when they lost their that that that player, you remember they lost him the to go to to play football. That changed their perspective on their team a little bit, but yeah, because he averaged like 15 a game. Yeah, that that's 15 points lost every night. But you know, I'll tell you what, you're right. Central York played fantastically. I I I I can't say enough good things about them. They've really played well.
SPEAKER_03Right, and and you know, a couple of their fans, I said to them, um, they were saying to me, Yeah, this team's better than the state championship team. He said, because this team has more heart. This team bought in from day one. He said, and they work their tail off every day. He said after the state championship, the next year, that team kind of like checked out. He said, But this team just had more heart than any other team. And you know, it showed, man. Um I mean, look, there were a couple calls down the stretch that I could have gone either way that could have favored Central York, but uh they lost to him by like seven or eight and double overtime. Great atmosphere. Yeah, and then the next game was uh Oh we left. Yeah, well, the crazy thing is York knocked us out on that floor at the Geigel to end our season. Then they get to play on our court and their season ends on our court. It was never even a game. Immotep was beaten on by 35 at halftime in it. You know, that Barnes kid ended up getting like a quiet 17, but he had like two points at halftime. I mean, it shows, man, when you play the big boys.
SPEAKER_01I'll tell you, though those were uh men among boys on that team, boy.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, emotep was just you know, and then Emotep beat Judge um in the final four, and then Central Dolphin beat Upper St. Clair, and then the state championship. Central Dolphin was uh ended up coming back and tying it and held for one shot, and with 11 seconds to go, they made a layup and one, and then Moltep's three bounced off the rim. And congratulations, Central Dolphin. Just wasn't that one hell of a uh a run and and and and a great basketball team all year. Great guards. Um, the Sterling brothers. Uh the ninth grader, they they a lot are saying that he's probably one of the best defenders in the state.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, he's really good.
SPEAKER_03And uh Shakur, the 11th grader, he ended up having 24. He um uh they said after that game he had like LaSalle and a couple other D1 schools reached out to him, you know. So, but Central Dauphin, man, I I I honestly never thought, you know, I thought uh when we saw him no temp at the Gango, I thought, man, who's beating them? It's like a call. Central Dauphin, man. They they had the heart like like Redding did them then them two years.
SPEAKER_01I'll tell you what, Pully. I the day you got surgery is the day they played over at uh G Mac over at Mifflin, and they played Central York that night. They beat Central York. But I'm thinking to myself at that game, I'm going, I I don't think there's anybody that can compete with Emotep. I mean, I'm looking at Emotep when we saw him up to Geigel, and I I I'm thinking to myself, there's nobody touching this team. But somehow, some way, Central Dolphin, I don't know where it came from, but look, you're right, they are a good team. But I I'm telling you, I didn't think anybody could run with with the emotep, and and they withstood everything and came out on top. I really can kudos to them, man.
SPEAKER_03Well, uh, it's like I always say to everybody every year, it comes down to who has the better guards. Yep, you're right. And and I and and somebody had a post online, and I wrote, yeah, the guards beat him, and somebody was like, No, not really. Yeah, it was really, because them them Sterling brothers, the one locked up the kid from Mimotep, held him like seven points, and he averaged like 17, and the other one scored 24. And and then this guard that transferred in from Cent, which I'm still puzzled by this one. Yeah, I don't get that either. In December, he he transferred from Cumberland Valley to Central Dolphin in the middle of the season, and he was on Cumberland Valley's team, and supposedly he was getting picked on at school and stuff like that. And I don't know, somebody tried to fight him, and he went to Central Dolphin, and they allowed him to play in the playoffs, which is puzzling. And I think he's he's only a junior, he'll be back next year. Um, but yeah, the Central Dolphin guards were the difference, totally the difference. And you know, they're gonna be they're gonna be they're gonna be really good next year. They're gonna be they have they lose that Easter kid who made the shot at the end, and they lose another kid off the bench, but they have pretty much everybody else back. And I messaged Coach P. I said, let's get them on the schedule next year, and he hearted it. So I would love to get them on the schedule, man.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you know, the more the I you well, you know Reading. Reading is gonna play anybody that uh that that wants to play. They don't lay down to anyone. Uh let's go up there and play them. I don't care. I don't care where we're playing. Let's do it. We can play him at the garden for all I care.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I I want the competition. You know, if somebody could say, Whoa, you really want to play them? Yeah, I do. If we go up there and they beat us, okay. We'll see him again. I mean, come on, man. You you know, they they've always had a decent program, but they never could get over the hump. And this is their first ever state title. Um just a first year coach. Uh, my understanding is York got rid of this guy, and he went to Central Dolphin because they were they were people were writing, thanks to York for giving us the first year coach. And you know, the kids bought in, man, they love this guy, and he, you know, well, that's always what it is.
SPEAKER_01Uh, you know, we had this discussion yesterday, Paulie, about buying in. And and I equivalate, and I it it it sounds funny, but I equivalate a head coach to a used car salesman. Now, I'm not I'm not being mean to either one of them, but if you buy what they're selling, they're gonna buy in. It's the same way with buying a car, it's the same way with coaching. If they buy your system, if they buy what you're saying at the at the at the auto uh at the dealership, you're intrigued. You're you you you want to buy in and and and that's what that's what the the main thing is to me, is these kids buy in and and I don't even know how to I I I I I'm at a loss for words. I I if the kids buy in, I think you're gonna be pretty successful. It's when the kids don't buy in is when you have the problem.
SPEAKER_03Right. So I I saw uh I saw a clip today of Dan Hurley, the head coach for the uh Connecticut men's team. Um they were talking to him and they said, you know, hey Dan, we heard that there were a bunch of assistants over the the nation that didn't want to coach with you, they didn't like your you know the way you yell around your coaching antics and that. And he said, I I don't care who doesn't like what I do. He said, I only care about what is in my circle. He said, and it's proven that the way I coach has has worked. He said our team has a circle. He said, You could do two things. He said, you can decide to level up from that circle and become better and succeed, or you can not buy into what we're doing, and you could stay in that circle, and then you won't succeed when the basketball court or in life. And he said, I run hard practices, he said, but at the end of the day, look at my results, and it's right. And you know, Gino Ariyama, the the I I think he's the greatest coach in any sport of all time, you know, he's gonna go for his 13th national title. He he said, When I go to recruit girls, I don't care if a girl could score 30 a game. I don't care if she gets 10 rebounds a game. He said, the first thing I look at is when she gets subbed out of the game, how is she reacting? Does she shake coach's hand? Does she shake her player's hand? Is her head down? Is she pouting? Is she at the end of the bench or is she next to the assistant waiting to come back in? He said, I'm watching her the whole time. If that's the girl I'm recruiting, is she clapping for her teammates? Is she, you know, when she gets subbed back in, does she know who she's covering, or does she have to ask the girl, hey, who are you covering? He said, that is the main thing I look at. He said, because that means that you have bought in and you're in 100%. Your mind and your body is in the game. If all you care about is scoring and you go to the end of the bench pouting, he said, I don't want you on my team. And I he said, I don't care. I don't care how tall you are and how many points of the game you score. He goes, and look at this guy. I mean, I mean, listen, Google him and Google his record. He just made his 25th final four yesterday. That's ridiculous. To him himself. He's going for his 13th national title and his sixth undefeated season. And I'm telling you, man, what when you hear guys like that talk, those are guys that are the best at their craft. And they basically say, look, you got same with Reading. Look, there were there were shirts out when Coach P was coaching before, and we have them. It says 365 on the back.
SPEAKER_01And that's just not uh a line that gets put on a shirt. That's how Reading High basketball is.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_01You you are treated. Look, if you guys remember what Stu said when Stu was on our podcast, Stu said if I was telling talking to these kids, the first thing I would say to them would be you are playing on a program that's bigger than yourself. That's bigger than what anything you've ever done in your life. This program is treated like a college program because of the success rate, because of the success that the team has had. Does all what you just said, Pauly, sound familiar?
SPEAKER_03Absolutely. I mean, look at the credentials. Like, like I said about UConn. Look look at the credentials. These kids worked their tail off, and he's going for his third title in four years. Look at Perez, three state titles. Look at Central Dolphin. These kids play year-round. They're an AAU then then that then uh uh the Sterling brothers and the rest of them, because his dad is uh you know the owner and and founder of Raw Sports Productions. So those kids go all over. Like, listen, it's it's 365. And when we say that, and and it look, if you if you have the feeling where you don't feel like playing, you don't feel like practicing, you don't feel like the then you can't show up. You can't get upset that you don't make the team or you don't play. Because this is the way it is. Coach P will tell you firsthand, he don't care about winning, he is building character. If you can't so much show up to meetings or weightlifting or practices, he's gonna move on to somebody who wants to. I'll tell you what, over at Wilson, they every morning before school, if you're on the football program the whole year, you have to go in there and lift weights. Even if football's over and it's it's March, it's a requirement. And when you keep missing, they're gonna look at it and they say, okay, don't be mad at me when you're on the sideline and two other guys who who have worked their tail off are putting in the work better than you and got better. You're only gonna get better if you put the work in.
SPEAKER_01I mean, that's that's life.
SPEAKER_03That's just not basketball, that's life, right? And and and we're gonna have miss Janet on later. And and and yeah, and one of my questions to her, you know, I'll have it, but let's say you're working out with Miss Janet and you're like, oh my God, man, I haven't done a workout like this. Oh my God, this is hard. Okay, buckle down and and and do everything you can to finalize that workout like everybody else, because that's the only way you're gonna be able to succeed and put that jersey you want to get to play in the big game. They're not just not gonna put anybody out there. Just because you wear the jersey doesn't mean okay, you're automatically gonna play against Emotep in a big state playoff game because you wear the jersey. No, you got to work at this year-round. This is when we were in school, Mike, you played basketball, and when the season was over, it went into baseball and basketball was done. You weren't even allowed to talk to your coaches or whatever. You you might have been able to play summerly, but now this everybody's on AAU teams and they're playing in the summer, and then when the summer's over in September, they're getting together during football and they're doing workouts. This is this is a year-round thing, guys. If if you don't have it in your mind and in your heart, then don't show up because you're you're just you're not doing yourself a favor and you're not doing anybody else a favor. You gotta want to do this, man. It's like Mike said, just like life, man. You gotta, you know what I'm saying? Like, like same with same with when you're being a parent, when you have a kid, man, you gotta put that work in to raise that child, man, together. You got to do everything you can to raise that child because that's what you brought into this world. There's no manual to do it. No, you gotta just step up and do it, man. Step up and do it. Look, none of us, you you know, of course we all have lazy times, and everybody's like, oh, I'm just gonna lay around today, even though I need to cut the grass, or I'm gonna lay around today even though I got to go do this, this, and that. I'll get it tomorrow. Okay, but at the end of the day, you end up getting it done. You do, but when when it's needed at that time, no matter what it is, the task, you gotta do it.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. I I I can agree with you.
SPEAKER_03And that's why this program is as successful as it is, because of this the tradition, you know, all these years and the workouts and everything like that. I think it's more intense now, as far as more successful than it was back then, because back then we didn't win state championships and stuff. You know, we had a bunch of teams that were underachieved, and and and the players that were on the team will tell you that.
SPEAKER_01And and and one, one valuable reason is because of one of the guests we have coming on today. And yeah, but you know, our excitement that we were on here on the mic talking to you, we forgot the to tell you that we actually have two guests tonight, one coming up real shortly, and another one in a little bit. Uh, the first one would be Wendy Boyd. She's gonna be joining us in a few minutes, and uh Coach Janet will be uh joining us a little later to talk about uh talk about the fitness and uh and and what it means to the boys. So hang tight, man. This is gonna be another great episode. I can't wait to get this uh get this thing really rolling.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, interesting. You know, two two great people that do great for this uh community and do great for this uh program. Um you know, and another thing, Mike, too, we were talking about 365 buying in. There's times I'll be down at like I'll give you an example. Last year I was down at Bear Park, and there's this kid shooting the lights out before the one game's gonna start. And I'm looking over and I'm like, this kid just hit like five threes in a row. Look at how he's handling the ball. And I went over to him and I said, bud, I said, You go to Reading. Yeah, I'm in 10th grade. I said, Well, what's going on here, man? Why didn't you go out for the team? Oh, well, I didn't get my physical in time. And oh, well, no, no, no. Stop making excuses. I remember that. Listen, I'm watching you out here. Now I get it, you're not playing competitive against somebody, nobody's D'ing you up, but you have a nice shot, you could handle the ball well, you know, you're doing everything and you have nice size. Like, what's the reasoning here? Don't give me listen, we could get you that physical man for the season coming up. Don't make an excuse. Is it because you don't want to work and you know how much it is to work and and and be on a team? Or what what's the deal? Like, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_01No, I I I I get it, I get it 100%. 100%. Hey, and our first guest tonight, um, president of the Squires Club and our great friend Wendy Boyd. How are you doing tonight, Wendy?
SPEAKER_04I'm great. How are you guys doing?
SPEAKER_01Good.
SPEAKER_03We're awesome. We're awesome. You now are at the top of the list of celebrities. This is your second time on the show.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. We have a you and Rick are two times. Well, that's right. Rick, yeah, yeah. Rick was twice. So this is gonna be like the Saturday Night Live where you get it, you get a jacket after the fifth uh appearance of our show.
SPEAKER_04So all right, I'll be waiting for that jacket. Okay.
SPEAKER_01We we wanted to get you on tonight and talk about uh you know the off season and and what's going on. And and uh the first thing I wanted to bring up was um uh uh the banquet, and that's coming on on Wednesday. And uh for anybody who doesn't know but should know, you want to give us a little heads up on the banquet?
SPEAKER_04Sure. Um we hold the banquet every year at the end of the season, you know, just as a way to honor our players and especially our seniors after everything they do for us during the season by you know putting on some good basketball. Um the banquet's open only to Squires Club members, but you can join anytime, you know, join the Squires Club and come to the banquet. Um, the last couple of years we've had it at Victor Manuels, and they do an awesome job um setting everything up for us and giving us a really good price. And we honor our seniors by giving them framed um jerseys of their numbers, and it's a full frame jersey, it's really nice. It's something that Rick had started many years ago and just kind of carried on, and the boys really seem to love it when they get their their frame jersey when they're ready to graduate. That's awesome. And we have, yeah, and you know, all the Squires Club members are there, um, the players' families are there, and it's just a nice evening to kind of sit back, celebrate the boys, celebrate the coaches, and just show that we appreciate them.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's a real good time.
SPEAKER_01I was it was there, it's it's a good time. I I can't wait to go. This will be my first one I'm going to, and I actually took it if I drank, it would be it would make more sense. But I I I took off Thursday just because I don't want any pressure that I have to go home. I I want to be able to sit there and enjoy myself and have a good time. My buddy Paulie's off work because of his knees, so him and I are gonna just talk and talk to everybody and drink soda all night. Yeah, be with our be with our red night family.
SPEAKER_04Absolutely. Yeah, it's your chance. You can intermingle with all the coaches, they'll be there um except for Brian. Brian is in Florida with his family for vacation. So we're Brian.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well, at least you're gonna listen to us when you're down in Florida, I hope. You probably will, I hope.
SPEAKER_04Um, but it is a good time to meet you know the players in a different setting away from the basketball court and also meet their families because sometimes we don't we don't see them a lot behind the scenes unless you're you know interacting with them or talking with you know their parents. Um so it's nice to have them in a setting or an event where we are more relaxed and we can all kind of chat with them, get to know them better.
SPEAKER_03Sure, absolutely, yeah. Now, Wendy, would you say like we were talking earlier on here, um Rick had shirts made up a few years back, 365 that the kids 360. Would you say you your job is 365 days a year too? Like the players?
SPEAKER_04Oh my gosh, yeah. That's it's nonstop. Um, I mean, I'm already you know, planning things for the summer. Plus we have our uh board meeting, the Squires Club board meeting every year after the season's over and after the banquet. We have a meeting usually beginning of June where we set our strategic plan for the next season, um, set our budget for the next season, set what we're going to do as far as fundraising. So there's always something in motion and always something that that's going. It it doesn't stop.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Your your tireless efforts are are they never go unnoticed, believe me. I thank you. I I I am so appreciative of what you do. And I I like I said to you before the first interview we had, I said, when do you sleep woman? Jeez and crackers.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Yeah for sure. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01Yeah I I just I mean I and you know of course no sleep. And that she's working on uh Paulie she's working on this the first ever first annual uh the Reading High basketball golf tournament yeah that can't be easy yes that's and that is um well we you know we have a great committee we have a lot of great people helping um we meet every Sunday night via Zoom at or Google meet at seven o'clock um and actually the registration and the flyer are live um we're gonna post it shortly we have everything ready to go where people can now register um for the tournament it's going to be yeah Friday um June 19th at Berkeley Golf Club up in outside of Cootztown um tee off time is at 130 uh get a foursome together because individual golfers um the price is 125 but a foursome is 400 oh you're saying 25 bucks that's that's a good deal right absolutely and that includes you know your the golf that includes um snacks and drinks like while you're golfing plus we have an after tournament dinner inside so that price will include all that um and then we're also you know we're gonna be having certain little contests like you know longest putt longest drive closest to the pin and you can win prizes we're gonna have raffle baskets so it's gonna be a great time and a another good opportunity to come out and you know mingle with our coaches you know golf with them have a good time some of our players will be there and I think it's just gonna be a really great day we're really looking forward to it oh we can't we you know we can't wait and you know I I was telling Paul I said uh um I lost my train of thought oh we were uh you you can actually sponsor a hole which yes we the show did we sponsored a hole I don't know which hole we're getting but I'm sure it's gonna be a cool hole I I I don't know even know how I do it. I just gave you the money and I'm what it's all for I'm just we're we're so happy that we were able to do it. So absolutely I I love it.
SPEAKER_03It's amazing the more and we'll make sure you know the signs are going to be placed all around the golf course um our sponsors and you know people purchase holes we're gonna you know make sure they get a shout out so um if you're if anyone's interested in sponsoring a hole the person to contact is coach Sean Stankowitz he's in charge of sponsorships and whole sponsorships um our miss janet our wonderful trainer she is doing um the raffle baskets and also we'll be helping to coordinate some of the um on course like alcohol drinking things we might have um and so we're we have a a really good solid group of people that you know are in charge of a whole bunch of different things are you still looking for pull it all together I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt you it's okay are you still looking for volunteers absolutely and volunteers is something that I'm coordinating so if you're interested in volunteering either for the whole day or for part of the day we need volunteers you know at the registration table we'll need volunteers to help hand out the goodie bags that each golfer gets um we need volunteers that are going to drive around the course and make sure people are getting drinks and snacks while they're golfing um so there's plenty to do there's plenty to do um and volunteers are absolutely needed for this event well I know I I think I signed me and Paulia and uh we're gonna do sign up you're just automatically drafted oh no got you is there any way we could get a hold of uh I think it's David Garcia's the the baseball coach right is there any way we could get a hold of him to bring some helmets because I I can't guarantee where my ball's gonna go and I hit somebody in the head. So if they want to wear a helmet I mean because you know guarantee where my ball's gonna be hit.
SPEAKER_01Funny story um when I was uh uh when I was young like maybe about 12 or 13 um my best friend and I were actually hitting her on some golf balls and I hit her in the head with a golf so Wendy does not golf can you imagine if Wendy was in our force emoji I'll coordinate it but I will not play golf I'll tell you if oh my God I'm just hoping our ball doesn't hit back the Mueller right now we can keep it on the course.
SPEAKER_04I think you'll be fine I think you'll be fine.
SPEAKER_03Now Wendy have you it's gonna be a great day we we're you know we have a lot of yeah um we have a lot of great people already you know coming in to help I mean Sean Coach Sean's been getting foursoms and signing up people left and right he's already on the move so good um we want it to be a really successful day and again as we say before with anything we do all the funds that are raised during our golf tournament and and like you said this is our first annual so this is going to be a yearly thing um but all money raised goes right back to the team everything that every dollar we bring in goes to support the team fantastic that's great now Wendy have you seen um a difference like have you seen a rise uh have you seen uh positivity with the squires this year like is it on the rise everything with the support and everything or I I believe so I can honestly say this year um in regards to team meals this year was fantastic we I don't think in the years that I have been helping to coordinate this have we had um so many people step up to provide meals for the team as we did this year.
SPEAKER_04And I think people were really energetic they were really you know excited to do that and I'm hoping that continues. But yeah I do see a an increased level of excitement awesome oh good among the fans.
SPEAKER_01I know Pauly and I had talked about it we didn't get a chance to do it this year but I think uh the show is gonna sponsor a meal one night and we'd love to help you guys out.
SPEAKER_04That would be great. I mean the it's a great time Pauly you know I mean oh it's you've done it before but you get to sit and talk with the boys you eat with them you get a picture you do a prayer circle that is something that that coach Perez you know does and every meal you have to sit and do a stand and do a prayer circle and then you go around the circle and say what you're thankful for.
SPEAKER_03Yeah I you know two years in a row now I did it um with Justine for senior night and we as soon as we pulled up the kids are the kids are at the trunk and we're like what's up and they're like they're taking the stuff in for us and then I my son came with and uh Justin DeCastro was like come sit with us come over here and sit with us and you know uh he was sitting with them and then you know like you said we got in a circle and had had you know everything you're thankful for. I mean it's just and the kids are so respectful. It's an amazing time they're laughing and giggling saying who who would beat who one on one and you know it's it's just a good time you know and and and the smile on the kids' faces is just you know it's priceless just to see that you know it's great.
SPEAKER_04I agree I agree it's you know and providing them with a a solid meal before they play you know and having that com camarader and friendship and you know family feeling is really good. I really enjoy it. Awesome awesome Wendy thank you again for spending some time with us always you guys you guys are the best I mean anything to get the word out about Reading High basketball and you guys did a great job this season I we listened to your show as soon as it was live we listened to it every week awesome it makes us feel really good yeah no we we really enjoyed it and keep up the great work and I'm looking forward to a great summer come on out and play golf and we'll be ready to go next season.
SPEAKER_01Sounds good sounds good thank you so much Wendy you're welcome take care guys you too bye bye bye again thanks to uh Wendy Boyd always always steps up when we need her to come on the show and and believe me there's nothing but love for that young woman yeah listen it you know if anybody knows who Wendy is but never had a chance to like have a conversation with Wendy is just a phenomenal person you know she'll make you laugh you know just you know go over and say hi to her talk to her I mean she's just she's a gigantic part of this program.
SPEAKER_03She's the hardest working person up there I'm telling you absolutely thanks again yeah thank you um Paul you were talking about um what's happening after uh well after the complete season of the PIAA uh it's about a month maybe a month and a half until they start well it wouldn't be summer league it would be like the spring league going into summer league but yeah that's that's Westchester correct because I remember going to Westchester in May two years ago or a year ago um they do Westchester and then they also play at the uh six man center oh is that down at um um we put I saw them play judge down there last year it's okay it it's it's like playing in somebody's basement or like a body zone um but they do they do play down at Westchester I know that um I have to talk to coach P about the one at the six man center and then I know the stash league that uh former Reading High uh player Baba Wapels all time leading scorer at Penn State Burks basketball um he runs a phenomenal league down at Lonnie Land at Bear Park oh absolutely and we've talked about this before yeah guys look even if you say oh I'm from Wilson I'm from uh Burks Catholic I'm not gonna go see right listen all your alums are down there that uh Trayvon Code plays down there from Wilson uh you know the Kiba Mitchell I mean uh all just former players from around Berks County and it's just phenomenal down there there was a kid that played for Mifflin and then Alvernia I can't remember his name off the top of my head oh yeah yeah I know you know what I'm talking about but his brother played also for Mifflin too but um yeah I think he was uh I think he just graduated from Alvernia and he was still over there playing so it's a great league it really is the S Dott is his nickname Shamar Killings from Millenberg I mean that that kid man he was putting on a show last year I mean so many former and especially if you're into Reading so many former Reading players Ruben and Odyssey and and and uh uh Miles you know what I mean Morrow and his brother and Nico and I mean Dayday all the I mean you know Kevin Haynes from back in the day plays down there I mean uh guys the competition is the games are phenomenal it's run great they you know they have music going they have snacks they have drinks um you know it it's just a great i i I know you know uh Pop Wilson last year was brought a grill and he was cooking some burgers and dogs on the grill I mean it's a great time down there guys I mean uh Lonnie showed up last year yeah uh he was down there um but it's just the competition's great man it's and and it's good for Reading because you know Reading's playing against older people and and and former Reading players it's good competition for them and I'll tell you what they they had they hold their own yeah they're that they don't slack no they don't slack at all you know they they might have been I don't know five and four or something last year they made the playoffs but they they they they battle that one game they were playing against all adults and they were down 13 or 14 nothing to start the game do you remember that point they come back and won that game yeah and these guys are 20 23 24 years old and these guys just it was amazing because I I'm sitting there going oh boy we're gonna get blasted here and these 10th and 11th graders came up big and played well yeah and then when you watch Ruben Rodriguez's team I mean there's alley oops left and right I mean it's it's like watching an all-star team but it's so fun to see everybody and you know everybody's mingling and it it's just good basketball Baba runs a great it's just phenomenal over there I know I know he runs one in the winter obviously I'm watching Reading play I don't get a chance to go to the Olivetts in the winter to check that out but phenomenal it's just a phenomenal league down there. It's free. Yeah it's not like you have to pay mission or nothing if you if you're worried about that.
SPEAKER_01It's not only free it's like you know what I get out of I love watching the basketball but I enjoy because we don't get to see our family that we hang out with at the games every night and we get to see them so it's actually a double bonus for us too so and another bonus is you get to see what Lonnie Walker redid that floor.
SPEAKER_03Yeah that that whole court over there after that got uh damaged by somebody drove right there even before that just just what what what they did down there what Lonnie did down there. It's phenomenal just it's it's phenomenal for the city you know and like I said he shows up um Lonnie will be down there you know uh but you'll see a lot of former players and like I said handles their own down there they're not you know they don't lose 95 to 20. You know what I mean? They they they hang with people man.
SPEAKER_01And you know what's funny is and we're gonna kind of end this segment on this note is that not only do the kids come up and greet you when they're in high school but after they graduate they're still coming up and visiting you and saying hi how you doing so what Rick started there as lasted into their adult life and and I'm and I'm really proud to uh to to know that to say that I know these guys see young men not kids young men yeah but um again we're gonna dive right into our uh our next guest our next guest is the uh strength and conditioning coach coach Janet how are you doing I'm doing great how are you Mike and Polly great great thank you for joining us tonight really appreciate it yep yep happy to be here oh awesome you know uh before we got on the air you were talking about uh you were you're up at the the Geigle tonight working out working the kids out right yes awesome awesome and you said you had a full crew so that makes us even happier absolutely everybody was there yeah yep yep some new faces that have been coming to the workouts you know looking forward to getting ready and working towards our summer league and tryouts and see who who's gonna make it for the long ride from what I hear your workouts are pretty grueling so only the strong are surviving here. Yeah that's right I remember last summer I said to Janet Janet I'm gonna come do some of your workouts she's like come on over I'm thinking oh man I don't know if I'd make that man see I'd be picking him up from the hospital again I'm not doing that I need a partner on this I I need somebody on the other microphone here so please don't let him work out with you I I am not giving him mouth to mouth and I'm not picking him up from the hospital. Oh my God well no they work really hard they work really hard and it's a lot of fun awesome awesome you got you're you're another one is pretty busy all the time geez i i thought wendy was was one of the busier people and she probably is but you you're running a close second here yeah yeah I'm I'm busy but I'm lucky you know everything I do I love to do I get to choose to do and you know a lot of that's thanks to my husband as well he's very tolerant of my passions and and encourages me and doesn't hold me back and I'm just really lucky in that way that's that's fantastic support system it starts at home always starts at home so you can he was an athlete so he understands well yeah well you were you were an athlete yourself correct you were cheerleader and uh yeah sort of kinda yep I was a cheerleader and a gymnastic person and a dancer at Reading High.
SPEAKER_05Yeah and your dad you said to me earlier your dad used to coach Southern junior high right yeah yeah he started probably in the late 50s and then that was before I was born I was born in 63 but he was a you know a really great coach down there very well respected got in Southern's Hall of Fame before he passed which was really exciting and and meaningful and um I just really got to see and experience what that was like you know he he ran his practices his teams very much like Rick Perez that it was a family I remember my mom cooking for the team and just it was always a good time and just in you know so it's the environment I'm in is very very comforting to me you know it feels like home so I'm really lucky that I had that experience to draw from and then just to get to be part of that and it's just really cool.
SPEAKER_03Yeah he coached my dad at Southern my dad loved him.
SPEAKER_01He said he was he was like my dad said he was the best coach he's ever had oh my god he was something else he still you know he had even his 90th birthday two years ago we had a little surprise party for him and so many of his former players junior high school players that he's kept in touch with and that still love and care for him came and surprised him so yeah he's a special he was a special guy I was I was lucky to have him for a dad that's fantastic you know you know what's funny is is is now you say that about your your your dad and and this is kind of a two part thing I um excuse me when we had Stu on and I was talking to Stu about his father because I had met his father Harold who was a fantastic guy and he said you know you can't pick your family you can't pick your parents and I said well you hit the jackpot and it sounds like you hit the jackpot yourself. Yeah absolutely yeah but yeah for sure the one thing I wanted to say before we move on to this interview is is I had to say this this was this was weighing on me a little bit um you messaged me after the stew interview and you told me how much you loved that interview and how much how it took you back to going to see him play and and and it made you from what I gathered you looked super super happy and and and that we got to do that and and you got to hear it and it made it actually brought a tear to my eye that I could actually or we I should say we could actually do that for people and especially yourself and and and take you back to your childhood. So that's that's why we had Stu on because we want the the older generation like yourself and me and Paulie like these kids won't know who Stu Jackson really is. No but I to me Stu Jackson is this is this magical myth because I never seen him but he's real life for you and for us to be able to get that to you made me and I think and I know it made Paulie feel really special that night.
SPEAKER_03Yeah absolutely yeah and you know you know you you you my dad you you guys had Stu. I think us was Lonnie now granted we're older but Lonnie bought the first state championship and there's you know no matter what there's always going to be that love for that team that they were the first one to ever do it and that's you know 20 30 years from now that's what we're gonna look back on you know how you guys looked at Stu.
SPEAKER_05We looked at Lonnie you know what I mean right right and oh my goodness I wonder what Lonnie will be doing then again oh my goodness well he might still help everybody out like he does today you know I know that's not gonna change it's a precious soul that man has I'll tell you it just you just can't imagine like when I knew of Stu of course I didn't know him on a personal level um but I was just a little girl probably like second third fourth grade when he was playing and I have memories in my mind that are so crystal clear being at Northwest at his games being at the the um playoff games and everything that went around that it made such an impact on me and then when um couple years ago we had that special event at the Miller Center and Mr. Gano who I love was there and Stu and Cliff like everybody was there and it was just the coolest coolest night and that's when I finally got to meet him and um I know he's a dear friend of my dear friend Lenny so you know now I get to have those kind of conversations and I just yeah I feel really really happy being at this point in my life and I finally got to meet my first basketball idol.
SPEAKER_03Yeah Janet let me ask you so I I've asked my dad this already but I want to ask you so you obviously witnessed the heartbreak when Stu and his team lost by one in the state championship.
SPEAKER_05Oh yeah I was crying my eyes out.
SPEAKER_03When Lonnie won it did that like I don't want to say he raced
SPEAKER_05that but but what was that that moment like so much more uh i it had to be more bigger for you guys because you you guys like we weren't alive yet to witness that but you guys witnessed that and then you see Lonnie win the state title all those games yeah yeah all those games we would get so far everybody was decorating their cars with red and black streamers and riding up in caravans to those games and we just always came back just uh just short of the goal you know so there was so many heartbreaks but that oh that year I'm that year that Lonnie's team won I was sitting with my mom and dad and my husband and oh it was everything it was just like finally and actually I was um at a restaurant with um Rick Binder and a few of the other older guys that played on many teams that came up short we were together um having some snacks and some beverages before that game together so that was pretty funny that's awesome yeah yeah yeah I was with my son and my dad I was balling my eyes out when they won because it man oh my god it was just just unbelievable yep but I have to say the year I mean while that meant so so very much being the first and you know riding the wave with Lonnie and and his great team and coaches the year the next year that we won with Mauro and Renee being seniors yeah that for me on a personal level that was the ultimate because as I always say that's was the season that almost wasn't yeah that's very true um those kids would come in I remember so many times there'd be you know the school board meetings deciding whether or not they were gonna give them the season and you know they had their reasons you know worried about the kids' health and and well being of course but it was such a disappointment to the players but they still showed up for workouts and we were just like maybe next meeting maybe next meeting so you know they fought through like a different kind of adversity they didn't even know if they were going to get out on the floor and put on the put on the red knight uniform so them winning that one with those masks on yeah like just in cra in a in that gym you know it wasn't full like it was for Lonnie's year because it was limited yeah number of people that were permitted so it was different.
SPEAKER_01Yeah well that's that's kind of a great segue to where I want to go because that's kind of the the beginning of Coach Janet isn't it yeah pretty much yeah um pretty much because I know you used to invite them over to uh to retro with the mask to work out because they couldn't get in the gym.
SPEAKER_05Yeah yeah what happened there was when um school got shut down and they were all virtual and no one was allowed in the weight room or in the Geigle et cetera et cetera I had already established a relationship with the coaches and um they were they called me and they're like you I was the fitness director at the time at retro and retro was very very kind and and at that time um you know they gave them pretty much free rain you know we they were over there three four times a week and um we were on the outside turf because you know because of the whole COVID thing. Yeah so they were out there I would say from spring summer it was sometimes 98 degrees and we were still out there working out not knowing if there wouldn't be a season mid to end November in 30 degrees.
SPEAKER_01That's that's dedication there.
SPEAKER_05Yeah it was crazy but the reason it happened was I was just pretty much as the fitness director facilitating you know like Coach Flowers would, you know, message me and tell me what equipment he needed because the outside turf didn't have much out there other than space. So while they before they would come I would get everything set up and and he would pretty much run the workouts and I would help. So that's how I sort of got to know what they were looking for and what they were used to. But then sadly coach um flowers his parents fell ill so um he needed to take care of his family and I was like next man up gotta keep him going and I you know just sort of followed his patterns and then that inspired me to move on and and increase my education in training athlete athletes up until that point I was always teaching group exercise and personal training but mainly personal training people like me you know not these high-end athletes so I had to learn about you know power and explosiveness and how to increase a kid's vertical jump and speed and agility all of those and it was if anybody would have told me 10 years ago that at my age that's what I would be focusing on, I would have laughed. But so it gave me a new um you know reason to to stay up on top of things and to get up in the morning and something to look forward to during the COVID time you know getting to be with those kids you know what they're like you know being being with them is a joy. So they they got me through those COVID times and and the bad times but um and it it just inspired me to better myself I guess that's what it said to not be stuck doing what I've always been doing but you know learn something new and I think I've done that.
SPEAKER_01Not think you did let me tell you you know it's funny because I remember that year because I lived three minutes from uh from retro and uh I remember going over to redners and uh just driving by and I beep the horn and waved to them guys in their mask and like yeah go red knights and and you know as much as you guys or were those guys and you were praying at the re season believe me so was I and that was that was like every day I'd see them over there I'd beep the horn oh go red knights go red knights so uh it it just it you know it it was such a an unfortunate situation uh back then but you guys and you especially helped uh helped the team make the best of that and and we we surely appreciate that well yeah you you know after that when we were down 13 to 2 I I turned around and my dad they called timeout and I remember even saying that when 69 news was at my house doing an interview before after they won I said I turned around and my dad said if Redding wins this game they can make a movie out of it.
SPEAKER_03And everybody else told me Redding's heart and conditioning won that game and now that you're saying what you're saying that these boys still showed up not knowing if they were even going to have a season I think I honestly I get the boys play and and the coach's coach I gave I gave you 50% of the credit I'm giving you I'm giving you 75 80% of the credit that they won that state championship because of all that.
SPEAKER_05Well I I probably don't deserve that much but I like to say that that I made a difference.
SPEAKER_01I love that I did so that's what means the most to me and it it just they're just you know they're just such great kids and those coaches are are such gentlemen and and so inspiring so you know those coaches kept those kids together those coaches kept those kids believing and um there you go state championship yeah Miss Janet I if you ever I which I know you told me you listened to the show and I know I know at least now we've done this will be our think our 13th episode and I bet you nine to ten of those episodes conditioning the word conditioning has come out of my mouth I'm I and and I believe now this is going to let me segue into my first question is it's how many I I gotta word this the right way but I I really believe that the conditioning that these boys get via from yourself is the reason why they've win games uh when there's no reason for them to win the game. I just think they outlast the other team and that's the that's the biggest advantage that that team has. They might be small that I look at it this way. When they when you guys played Fells opening the opening day okay and that team was running up and down the court and they had a big guy they had two big guys and we're up were we how many were we up 30? It's a lot and this is a Philadelphia public school this is a Philadelphia public school and you guys are running circles around this team and I'll say this about almost every county team is that at halftime right before halftime these county kids are grabbing their shorts because they're they're they're just they're blown up they're tired and writing looks at him like we gotta have to go you still got to deal with this for another 16 minutes. I truly believe that this is because of the conditioning that you give them every week and every day.
SPEAKER_05Well it it's a big combination like Rick really runs a great practice he knows how to get it done. If you you know research which I have now um you know how the great coaches run practices for to improve their team's conditioning game and be game ready that's how Rick runs the practice they're like drill to drill they might be doing a shooting drill at one basket a ball handling drill somewhere else but they're doing conditioning like just it's constant movement and that's your game you know that's your game so he practic the way he runs the practices is makes them game ready and then oh they're just their workouts with you know the things that they do if you ever wanted to see something really crazy you should see what they do on the steps from the first floor all the way up and that didn't come from me. I my mouth was hanging open the first time I saw them they you know so they do a lot the coaches do a lot of really great conditioning with them as well what I'd like to think is I bring them a different perspective now because of my education and background experience. So for instance in the weight room you know coaches before me being involved might have been running a pretty straightforward lifting kind of workout where what I've learned to do is to get them strong in movement. And so when they're in the weight room as well they're constantly moving and conditioning. And um I also like to give them a lot of agility a lot of power a lot of things that that's just going to enhance their skills on the court I always try to teach them being a former educator myself I I am a teacher not just a trainer so I always make sure that they understand why we're doing what we're doing and how it will translate to the court. So in doing that it makes them work harder because they understand and so if they work harder they're going to get more fit in every way you know be it their mobility their strength their speed all of that you know so um I as I said I think I would just hope that that kind of different type of training that I bring to them is what is making a difference for them. That's you know I think I I remember the one time when it was back during the COVID when I was training them at the at retro fitness and um I started bringing in some different training methods now now that I was sort of taking over what they were doing and you know we were using med balls and ladders and battle ropes and I Rick said something to me a little while ago saying you know he started seeing some of the things I was doing and he was sort of scratching his head like what the heck is that and he said until I started seeing the boys jumping through the room higher than I've ever seen them jump. So he was like then I was a believer so yeah so those are the things I bring to them but back to your statement of um their conditioning yes I think other teams who are taller what what have you might um underestimate us and we come in and you know we outshine some of those taller teams because like you said we're in shape and they can keep going they have the stamina and the strength and so it's all good.
SPEAKER_03Yeah yeah absolutely now let me ask you um so so Janet when you okay let's say there's a certain workout you're doing with the whole team and let's say there's like two or three players that can't get that workout like like they're not successful like everyone else do you change the workout or do you just keep making them do the same workout till they can get it well there's I'm experiencing that a lot right now because we have a lot of um eighth and ninth graders coming up that are in there that they've never worked out like this before you know and I hear hear some of the kids being like well they're not used to Miss Janet's workouts yet but um they develop they require a lot of coordination and thought you know because they're doing some strength with movement a lot of times and they don't understand the movement pattern.
SPEAKER_05But I know that what I'm giving them will make them successful. So I just need to be patient and I need to break it down and teach them. And that's where my teaching ability from all my years of of teaching fitness and being an educator and seeing how my dad taught as well you know I will take a movement pattern be be it something that's on the agility ladder to something as basic as a barbell back squat I'm gonna break it down and teach that kid the basic. We're gonna slow it down we're gonna teach him and we can do that because you know I'm not in there by myself like tonight we had um John Vell and RJ Dixon who are awesome and we work together and we're all you know they see that they know what the workout is and we're all getting around and trying to teach the kid good all the kids good form. And that's the thing like um coach Perez always preaches everything we do is with intent. So I am a believer in form and I will not let the boys do something that's in bad form just to get through it.
SPEAKER_02That's awesome.
SPEAKER_05But there's really nothing I would ever say that I've given them that it was just oh no we're gonna take that out. It's just like okay we're gonna maybe break it down better and teach the parts.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_01Awesome you know this is excuse me this is a kind of an open up an open-ended question. You can answer this any way you want to but you know there's this point in time where you just get it. You know what I mean? Like I got it okay I understand. But my thing is is how long does it take until your players understand how vital it is to improving their overall game I mean when did when is it that I got it moment usually happen.
SPEAKER_05Well sadly sometimes it's after they leave the the Reading Village and nest and they go to college and there's no Coach Perez and no Miss Janet no Squires Club you know all of that. Yeah I'm still friends with many of our old players and I often you know when they come home or they text me and they'll be like oh wow I really miss your workouts or will you send me a workout to do I'll write them and send them so they really get it they really often don't understand and sometimes totally have an appreciation for what they have until it's gone and that's human nature. Yeah that's you especially you know with teenagers but um I would say probably you know by their senior year when they're maturing and they're starting to see you know what they didn't do and therefore what they didn't succeed at and what they did do or who did you know really worked harder and what they were able to do that those you know those light bulb moments sort of happen for them you know and it's just you know I have to really rely on senior leadership because the young ones coming in they don't get it and how could they get it? You know they haven't done that yet there some of them must think I'm absolutely out of my mind you know so you know having the senior leadership you know saying hey listen to her hey she knows what she's talking about do that better go back and see they'll teach you know and I think we have a nice group of seniors and juniors who are showing a lot of leadership right now. So um hope it keeps going that way that's what we want to hear.
SPEAKER_03Yeah absolutely yeah so what uh let me ask you so is are the workouts in the summer the same as the regular season or do you do you like revamp them before the season starts?
SPEAKER_05Well we sort of play around and and experiment as well um truly what you're doing pre-season postseason which right now we're like in pre-season postseason like what is we need a new word because we are preparing for summer you know late spring summer ball so it's you know we are preparing to play we're not preparing right now just for end of November beginning of December but the these workouts look different than in season workouts clearly so um we are we experiment with isometric we did um several weeks we started this pre-post season we'll call it postseason I don't know but anyway we started off you know teaching them which we have not utilized yet but um in doing some research learned about the importance and the effectiveness of isometric workouts so we did that which I think was really really effective because that held them in a still state if you don't know what that means like instead of doing 12 repetitions of squats they were getting into good squat form mid-range and holding well if you're not in good form you can't do that so I think it was really effective to teach form and just to teach them the strength and the breathing. So now we move into another phase that we're doing more reps and different sets and adding explosiveness and you know mixing things up a little bit and we'll work out that way for several weeks and then we'll change the stimulus again you know so right now it's it's just sort of a lot of fun because we um you know we don't want the boys to get bored. It's a long time till real season and it's really fun to condition and strengthen um young bodies in a lot of different ways and see what they respond to. Yeah at the end of the day I try really hard to make them have fun you know if they're not having fun they're not gonna come right exactly yeah so you know I even take you know some um requests you know like I ask them you know did you like that what did you like what didn't you like and all of that but um yeah you just have to change it up and work out differently pre and post season like we're during pre um real season we're not you know focusing so much on heavy lifting at that point and yeah you know we might do a little of that but right now we're really trying to get strong you know we our team is not as strong physically muscularly as we need to be to compete where we want to compete next year. So we are focusing on the strength aspect. Okay good but when it comes to basketball you have to incorporate strength with movement because you know we can't have big bulky muscles and then we can't move.
SPEAKER_01Yeah right hey my my My last question for you is and again, this is this is maybe tough for you to answer, but as as a reading coach, what's been your greatest uh your greatest memory is being a wedding coach?
SPEAKER_05Getting to be one.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_02There you go.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Yeah, getting like being considered, you know, part of the staff and and having that respect and being given responsibility by somebody like um Coach Rick Perez, you know, and he he trusts me and puts me out there, that's just it blows me the heck away. So um that is just like the best thing to me. And I just hope that my dad's proud of me.
SPEAKER_01Don't you worry about that, I guess. Don't you worry about that.
SPEAKER_05Like just all the gate, you know, when it comes to just gate, you know, just that my first state championship, you know, with Mauro and Renee, and then on with um Ruben and Amir, everybody, like we we just so many fabulous memories. Because when I think in the picture, how about of the one of Joey flying through the air intercepting that path and take play off me like that moment I'll never forget? It it goes back to um one of my favorite old basketball memories is when Cleftor made his cliff was one of my dad's boys, um, you know, Cliff was a big part of our family's life. Like it was really cool, you know, being whatever great I wanted to make that like I can see that as clear as day, and I can compare that to Joey making that catch. So it was funny. I got um Cliff was taking tickets or a girl game at the high when Joey and I and some of the other guys were leaving the high after a workout, so I made sure um Joey knew who Cliff was and got a picture of them together.
SPEAKER_01That's awesome.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah. So those are the kind of memories that you know you got them to, you know, just stick with you forever.
SPEAKER_01I'll tell you what, um that picture of Joey, I have it on my wall. It's in a frame. Yeah, it's it's encased, and I'll I'll send you it's somebody actually this is this is an absolute truth. A friend of mine said, Mike, I won this on a raffle. Do you want it? I went, yeah. And and it's beautifully encased. It has it's written out and the only thing I can't get it is I can't get it autographed without taking it out of the thing. And and so because I'd love to have him autograph it for me.
SPEAKER_05But yeah, and I'm sure he would love to do that.
SPEAKER_01He would do it. Well, Janet, thank you for geez, I I kept you on here probably be 30 minutes, but I hope you don't mind. We we had a lot of great time talking about uh talking about our red nights and and and yeah the importance you uh you the important part you play in this team's winning per uh in and just the performance.
SPEAKER_05Absolutely yeah, thank you thank you for believing that and believing in me, and it's really, really a joy. So I'm blessed.
SPEAKER_01We are blessed to have you. Absolutely, we are.
SPEAKER_05Thank you.
SPEAKER_01Thanks, Janet. Take care.
SPEAKER_05You too.
SPEAKER_01Bye bye. Again, thanks to uh again, thanks to uh Coach Janet for giving us some of her her precious time. She is a busy woman, and uh we can't thank her enough for uh joining the show tonight. No, we're gonna you know we're gonna poly this letter. I saw this letter and it's it's kind of resonated. It's it's kind of resonated to what we were talking about for years now. Uh for years now. I don't know if you saw it or not, but uh it's a letter from uh a superintendent. Uh um yeah, I have it in front of me here from uh Old Forge School District, and it was a superintendent talking about the uh the Class 2A boys' basketball state championship. And uh it was about the the subject was about what you and I talk about all the time is with the um the Catholic schools and the Philadelphia Public League schools coming up here to play in the PI double a you have some interesting stats. You have some interesting stats that just blow my mind and I'll tell you, I I there's there's times I look at this and I think you know what the hell with it, let them play. We beat 'em. But then but overall you look at the uh the emoteps and and the West Catholics and and and you know, they have their own public league and their own Catholic league for a reason. And and I never understood why they why they had to join.
SPEAKER_03Can you can you uh trying to look something up here? Um as I'm uh uh so I'm I'm trying to look up the stat I saw. So from 08-09 is when they came into the PIAA. Um look, we've all complained about this over the years. Um everybody complains about it. And when you're online, the people from the public league and the Catholic League will say, Oh, here we go, you're crying again. And I and I say to them, and I say, So you like that you have five Division I kids in your starting lineup playing against a school that doesn't have one and you win by 65 in a state championship? What do you get out of that?
unknownWhat do you get out of that?
SPEAKER_03But where are you at when you played in your in your in your Catholic League championship and you lost to the big boys? See, and and that's what I get at like the like the people on the other end, I'm still trying to look for that. The people on the other end will say, Oh, stop crying, stop crying. But at the end of the day, there is no fair okay here, okay, here's the thing. So out of the 12 teams this year, so you obviously 1A to 6A, you have 12 teams for the boys, nine out of the 12 teams were Catholic League or charter schools that win the state championship. Five of them won it. The girls had five Catholic League or charters, and three of them won it. Um so you know, I'm trying to look here because there was something online that had records, and you guys would be uh it's unbelievable.
unknownIt's unbelievable.
SPEAKER_03How many since 08? It was like it was like 75 Catholic League schools, won it all between girls and boys, and it it listen, it it listen like I said, the people that are on the end of the Catholic school and the charter school, they look at it as oh, you guys are crying. First off, I ain't crying because we handle our business against you guys. Okay, now I was gonna save this stat, and I can even use it for next year when we start the year because people will probably forget about it. So under Coach Perez, I did this the other day. I did this the other day against Catholic and Charter League schools in Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, this is including Burks Catholic because that's a Catholic school. He's 26 and 15. With two state championships without Burks Catholic in the mix, if you take them out, he's 15 and 11. He's 15 and 11. On our end, I still say it's unfair and it's and it's BS. But we've been there and done that. We take care of our business with them schools. I ain't worried about them schools. I mean, we've we've we've handled our own against them for the last uh 10 years. Um, but it's not a bit guys, it when you're on the end, uh if you're on the other end, your kids go to Catholic school and you're like, oh God, I'm sick of hearing people complain about this. Do you realize that when you when when when you're at Roman and you take two kids from Chester, Chester, why would you want to leave Chester? They're always good and loaded. Okay? You take two kids from Chester, you got two kids from Delaware Valley, you got two other kids that came over from somewhere else. And it's like you could pick from anywhere you want within like a 50 mile to a hundred mile radius. But Mulenburg, you have to live in Muhlenburg. Reading, you have to live in Reading. Wilson, you have to live in Wilson. You know what? Mifflin, you gotta live in Mifflin. Mifflin doesn't have Mifflin and and and all that and Wilson and Reading, and they don't have the chance to go out and get six kids that are six foot eight, that are Division I, that are gonna go play for Duke and Kansas and Kentucky and North Carolina. Like it what they need to do, and I said this to you, Mike. Then they need to do a jurisdiction. And they need to do a jurisdiction. Like back in the day, if you lived on this side of the city, you went to Central. You lived on this side, you went to Holy Name. So if they want to do this and allow them in the PIAA, you're gonna go to Roman? Well, you can't go to Roman because you live 52 minutes away from Roman Catholic. You gotta be in a certain radius. It's just unfair. Like, like Exeter had the best team. Listen, Exeter should have beat us twice.
SPEAKER_02Exeter shouldn't have beat us twice.
SPEAKER_03That's 32 and one. They they get to the state final, and I tell everybody anybody else they play, they win. They gotta go up against Justin Edwards, who's playing for the Sixers right now and Imhotep. Justin Edwards didn't even have to do anything. He was, and I told everybody, they'll lose by 40. They're like, no way. Well, they lost by like 44.
SPEAKER_01Well, they lost by like 44. Yeah. Well, I I bring this up. I bring this up, this letter, because uh as I'm reading it now, because I printed it off earlier. Uh Swickley Academy. I I don't even know where they're from.
SPEAKER_00They're loaded. Apparently.
SPEAKER_01Okay, yeah. Well, apparently so, because this team from Old Forge, Old Forge, uh, I don't even know where Old Forge is, but it's their diameter that they can have in their school district is 3.4 square miles. So now you can only pick between within that 3.4 square mile radius where this Sowickley can recruit from anywhere.
SPEAKER_03This old Forge, I think, is up in the coal regions because they played Central slash Burks Catholic in the state playoffs a lot. I remember they hooked up with them. So they're up in like the Scranton area. But this So Wickley, if I'm not mistaken, like they were like four or five A, and then they dropped to like two A, and then they made them go back up because of how good they were. Now they're six A. Now they're six they're six A and they're still the recruits guys are just it's not fair. It's not and listen, I've talked to people. I went to the palestra and watched the Catholic League Championship and Public League, and I've talked to the people down there, and I said, Do you guys think you're good enough to win the state title? And the guy looked at me and he goes, We don't care about that. He goes, This is what we care about. He goes, He goes, Yeah, it's good and all. He goes, but half of us don't even go. We just sit at home and throw a party at home. He goes, if we lose the state championship, we don't care. This is this is our championship.
SPEAKER_01And you know what? It's evident because when you watch it on TV, there is no one.
SPEAKER_03And it's a pollution they sell it out. Mike. I don't know if but Mike was sitting next to me. Guys, I'm not making this up. I tell you this. I tell you, I am not making this up. I am not making the Calice. Judge is at the giggle. And I'm yelling, how many of you kids are Catholic, right? And there's there's a white kid for Judge standing next to me, and he looks over and goes, I've been Catholic my whole life. I've been a Catholic school my whole life. I said, Yeah, you're the only one on that team. Nobody else is Catholic or from a Catholic school. And he looked right at me and he goes, You're exactly right. This is a kid from Father Judge that admitted this to me when I said that, and we were laughing back and forth. And his other teammate said, What's he talking about? And he started laughing too. He said to me right out, You're right, I'm the only kid that went to Catholic school on this team. So how is that fair, guys? How does anybody out there think that that's that's fair? That that that you can have a Division III college slash high school team go up against Exeter. Go up against Exeter like and then you're like, oh, we beat him by 44. Yeah, oh bang your chest, dude. That's like me. That's like that's like me when I was like when I was 25 going out playing a bunch of eight-year-olds out in the yard, beating them, saying, aha, I beat you, like swatting them and like come on. Like we gotta make it a fair playing field for everybody. And even even though Reading has had their success, you still have to make it a fair playing field for Reading too, because this Central York team was a damn good team. And they went up against Judge and went into double overtime. They didn't have enough because Judge had a 6'9 kid in the middle that they just lobbed it into and got away with murder. Immotep had a 6'9 kid go in division one hitting threes. So what does Immotep do? So what is Immotep? I said to Mike, are you ready to leave? They start in the fourth quarter. It's a run clock up 35. Imhotep coach decides to call a timeout and put his bench in. What does that matter? He puts two 6'9 kids that are on the bench in the game. That would probably win the county. If they feel that they're five on the bench. What I'm getting at, man, is these teams are loaded from top. Their worst player on their bench player on their would be player of the year in Berks County.
SPEAKER_02No, you're you're 100.
SPEAKER_03No, you're you're at 100%. You gotta have a jurisdiction. You gotta if you want to keep them in the PIAA, which it's they've ruined it. And they've ruined the east east west, too.
SPEAKER_01Where that's I say that all the time. Well, that's I I say that all the time. I I I don't understand why there's more teams going ridiculous than there are coming easy.
SPEAKER_03Wilson opens a Wilson opens the state playoffs four hours and 42-minute drive on a Saturday afternoon. Are you kidding me? It's crazy. Come on, guys.
SPEAKER_01If we did it last year, yeah.
SPEAKER_03It's ridiculous, man. Four hours and 45 minutes. I mean, and listen, I get it, they lost by like 30, and that team was good. But at the end of the day, you can't tell me that 15 points of that loss was because the kids who wants to play a basketball game when you're sitting on a bus for five hours? You know what I mean? Like something's got to be done. But you know, and we have a group chat that we that we all text through about this. But all my answer to everybody is guys, we can complain all we want. It's not gonna change, man. It's not gonna change because it's easier for them to just tell everybody to shut up and live with it than it is for them to make jurisdictions and change the rule. And Central Dolphin winning this year, and Reading winning two out of the last three does not help. They look at it and go, oh, well they look at it and go, oh, well Redding in between Reading and Central Dolphin, I mean three out of the last five years, a 6'18 that's not a charter school or a Catholic school won it. So what do you want us to do about it? What do you want us to do about it? And and but it's gotta be a it's gotta be a fair playing field. It really does.
unknownIt really does.
SPEAKER_01I I I I cannot disagree with you at all about that statement. Well, Pauly. Well, Paulie, we've run longer than we ever had. And I don't know how we're doing it because we have no material and we are just going full force at this, but I I'm glad hey, look, this is uh times me. This is what this is good times, man. This is what friends do.
SPEAKER_03We and we got two special people on that gave everybody out there, including us knowledge of stuff that we're not aware of. Absolutely. And you know, it helps us too.
SPEAKER_01So it helps us. Again, thank you Wendy and Coach Janet. And uh on behalf of Pauly, we're gonna let you guys go and uh see you on the safe, go red nights. Go red nights.
