Golden Week Training Part 1

Well, April is nearing its end and what occasion do we have in that timeframe? Yes, it's Golden Week. So 3 weeks before the Golden Week, the whole staff was present in the training. Tanaka-Sensei and Yoshida-Sensei announced that the team will be having their non-compulsory week-long training in a mountainous area outside of Tokyo.

Tanaka started the meeting and said "As you all are excited for, Golden Week is approaching. We will have our training. For the new freshmen, the school does not require you to attend the said training and we will respect you if you won't join, and we will also stay there overnight, so I will hand out these letters to your parents for their permission. Any questions?" 

Hideki raised his hand and asked, "Uhm, Tanaka-sensei and Coach Yoshida is it okay if I brought my Mom with me? The cafe's closed in Golden Week and we don't have any plans on Golden Week either, so I'm asking her question to you in advance." Tanaka-sensei and Coach Yoshida were looking at one another to confirm each other but they were stumped by the question, it was unexpected so Tanaka raised his hand to answer the question and said, "This is quite a peculiar request Hideki-kun, I'll check the logistics for the accommodations later if we can accommodate your mother." Hideki included a final piece where the tips of the scale moved, "She can help us cook, free of charge" Coach Yoshida and Tanaka-sensei quickly looked at each other and made a thumbs-up sign to Hideki and said "She's in"

Coach Yoshida cleared his throat and said, "In this training camp, we will focus on our teamwork but there will be a portion of our camp where we will focus on our individual abilities, it can be improving your offense, defense, screen navigation, shot creation and much more. For your defensive concerns approach me, for the offensive ones approach Assistant Coach Suzuki. So I will give you time after we conclude the meeting to ponder what skills you want to have before the Nationals"

The players were now chattering with one another and Benjie tapped Hideki on the shoulder to ask "Yo Hideki, what will you do in the individual task?" Hideki told Benjie "I'm not sure, maybe on the defensive end where I will decide on the spot what to do." Benjie thought for a second and said "Why not just do that every scrimmage? And instead, let's sign up with Coach Suzuki for 1 on 2 fastbreak drills?" Hideki then was thinking about it and said "Sure, let's sign that up with coach"

Three weeks have passed and it is now Golden Week.

All of the players joined the Training Camp as this is a yearly tradition, of the school's 3-year short history only one asked to opt out due to a family emergency. The seniors told the freshmen that this training camp helped strengthen their bond as a team and that their coaches were top-tier coaches and would help them improve with what they were lacking. With these Training Camps, players such as Tanaka and Suzuki improved their offensive capabilities.

Hideki is with his mom who is ecstatic as she wants to go together with her son on their training camp, she was happy to know that Hideki first came up with the idea of going with him in the training camp as they will be together on this 'vacation', well this is a vacation for her and Training Camp for Hideki, but nonetheless, she's together with her son. In the end, she also agreed to cook for the team so she wouldn't be a burden for them.

All of the people's luggage and bags were packed for a week-long Camp and even Kanai brought many things, especially ingredients for the team's food, if Hideki's big appetite (for a tall, thin, and lanky figure, she guessed that these boys can eat food good for two person each. 

Megumi decided to help Kanai, "Uhm, Takeuchi-san, I can help you with those ingredients" Kanai was happy and said, "Oh, thank you dear, are you the team's manager?" Megumi nodded and introduced herself "Hai, I'm Megumi Takahashi, Hideki-kun's classmate and the basketball team's manager" Kanai hugged the girl and said "Kawaii, ne Megumi-chan are you Hideki-kun's girlfriend? Since you call him Hideki-Kun?" Kanai smiled creepily and Megumi blushed, got red and steam got out of her head, Hideki heard this and said, "Mom, we're just friends don't weird her out please" Kanai pouted and said "Okay, Hideki-kun"

After 2 hours the team arrived at the mountainside where there was a wide field and a building where the basketball court and mini gym were located. As the students got off the bus Tanaka-sensei called them and said, "Okay, everybody please proceed to the reception area of the institution so we can have our orientation"

Everybody followed suit and by everybody, it includes the 2 coaches, 2 teachers, 2 managers, Kanai, the first string and second string of the basketball team. 

As everybody was in the reception area, Tanaka-sensei then began to tell them about the schedule, itinerary, and rules.

"Firstly the schedule is fairly simple, in the morning we will wake up at 5:30 AM followed by a light jogging, breakfast is at 6:30 AM, then we will begin our practice at 9 AM, this practice consists of drills. Then at 11 AM, we will have a practice scrimmage. Then we will have lunch at 12 noontime"

"In the afternoon, we will have our individual practices at 2 PM, then at 4 PM we will have our last scrimmage for the day, and then at 6 PM we will have our dinner. After dinner you can do anything you like, just remember that it's Lights Out at 9 PM."

"For the rules, simply just do not be late, and follow the institution's rules and regulations. If you have any questions you can ask us"

"Please take note that we will give more attention to the first stringers so to the second stringers, please support the first stringers in their endeavors some first string drills may benefit you so don't think of this negatively"

"Lastly, we would like to introduce you to a parent who apparently wants to help her son. Let's welcome Miss Kanai Takeuchi, Hideki-kun's mother, she will help us with our breakfast, lunch, and dinner"

"So with all that, here are your room assignments, we will have 4 players sleep in a room, us 4 staff will sleep in the 'staff room' so you can find us there. Kanai-san here are the keys to the room for you and the 2 managers. You can now proceed to your rooms and put your things there, we will meet in the mess hall for our lunch provided by the institution. And then we will have our individual drills first at 2 PM after lunch."

In a weird stroke of fate, Hideki is roommates with Benjie, Shogo Aoki, and Renjiro Sato, so they proceed to put their things and talk about how excited they are about the whole Training Camp, and time passed and it's already 12 noon so they proceeded to the mess hall to eat lunch. 

*Terms used:

Screen Navigation: An IRL basketball skill where a player is knowledgeable in decision-making when met with a screen from opposing players.

Fastbreak: After a turnover, steal, or block, the defensive team quickly goes to the basket to try and score a point, usually layups or dunks.

2 on 1 fastbreak drill: 2 players will run towards the basket with one of them bringing it, they can be creative on how to finish in transition(Can be seen with NBA 2K)

Transition: Almost synonymous with fastbreak.