Up close: Royals basketball

Amanda Renalds and Dustin Galyon, members of the EMU's women's and men's basketball teams are confident that their teams will be competitive among the ODAC's best teams, whereas the coaches are more cautious with what they say.

Coach Kirby Dean, an EMU graduate chosen to lead men's basketball after serving as assistant coach at Virginia Military Institution in Lexington, came to EMU where wins were hard to come by in previous years.

Junior Dustin Galyon, coming to EMU from Hesston, KS., is a recent recruit of Dean. Here are a few questions directed to each:

Ritter: Since EMU, as a part of the NCAA on the division three level, can offer no athletic scholarships to student-athletes, what do you tell recruits in hopes of them coming to improve the basketball program?

Coach Dean: I sell them on the fact that they have the opportunity to come in and contribute as freshmen. Lots of kids like the idea of not having to sit for a couple years before they play. I also try to sell them that they could be cast as heroes if they can come to a school like EMU and be a part of a turnaround of the program.

I told Dustin Galyon last May in my office, "I'll only promise you this. I'll give you every opportunity to succeed. I won't promise you a jersey. I won't promise you playing time. I won't promise you a certain team record, but I will promise you that I'm going to try and give you every opportunity to become a winner with EMU."

Ritter to both Dustin and Coach: What does the preseason ODAC poll mean to you and the team, especially since the Royals are predicted to finish last?

Dustin: I think that we are all aware of the preseason ODAC poll, and I think that it gives us great motivation to go out everyday and battle. To come to every practice with the mentality of working as hard as you absolutely can. My own opinion of the preseason poll is that I'm going to use it as motivation for everyday that I put on my EMU jersey.

Coach Dean: It offers motivation to me because other coaches still think we are the worst team in the ODAC which I don't agree with. I posted the picks in our locker room so my kids and I can be reminded everyday what the rest of the league thinks of us.

Ritter: What are your goals for the team in the 2004-2005 season?

Coach Dean: I want to qualify for the ODAC tournament, get as high a seed as possible and then make some noise in the tournament itself. I also want my kids to buy into the concepts of God first, family second, academics third, and basketball closely behind. I want them to develop their relationship with Christ, move toward graduation, and kick butt on the basketball floor.

Ritter: With a team that appears to have a lot of talent and athleticism, how do you keep everyone happy with playing time?

Dustin: I think that all players regardless of playing time are expected to do the same thing each and everyday and that is: go as hard as you can possibly go everyday, bring a positive attitude to the floor, and be willing to compete at every chance possible.

Coach Dean: You don't. You do your best to sell them on being a great teammate, but it is hard because everyone wants to play. If we play as hard as I want them to play this will allow us to use a lot of players which will help in this area.

On the women's side of EMU basketball, the Royals are defending ODAC champions with second year coach Richard McElwee returning to the helm. McElwee came to EMU from a high school coaching position. Junior Amanda Renalds is one of the four returning starters who was interviewed.

Ritter: Does the team look at the preseason ODAC poll closely or do you think it means very little?

Amanda: Last year we were preseason sixth and you saw what happened (eventual conference champions). We usually just use it as motivation. It's hard to do a preseason (poll) because no one really knows how everything will come together along with injuries. A lot of us were upset that we didn't receive at least one first place vote. We use it more as inspiration, something to prove wrong to the league since no one believes in us.

Ritter: What do you hope to accomplish in the 2004-2005 basketball season?

Amanda: Our goals are to play every minute of every game as if it is our last. Leave everything out on the court. If we do that we know we will be successful. We have a goal of getting back to the ODAC Championship and bringing back to back [championships] to EMU. Of course we want to get back to the Sweet 16, but as of right now we are concentrating on the ODAC.

McElwee: The only goal I have is to play as hard as we can every game and to play every second like it is our last. I think if we do that everything will take care of itself.

Ritter: How high in the ODAC standings could you see your team finishing at the end of the regular season?

Amanda: I see us at the top. We have just as good as a chance as anyone else. We are returning four starters that have major experience. As long as the newcomers step up, we will be very high up. Only time will tell how our game chemistry will be. We already are a tight group and I think that will help with our on court play.

McElwee: If things go well we could be good again. We have to catch a couple breaks and if we don't improve our foul shooting we will lose close games. Hopefully when it all pans out, we will be there in the end with a chance to win. If we do not improve we could be as low as maybe seventh.

Amanda on the upcoming season: Any time you win the championship, you have a target on your back. Since we went to the Sweet 16, I think the bulls eye is ten times what it would be if we had just won the tournament.