The Mepham Pirates have been shipshape for practically twenty years.
Women head basketball coach Jim Mulvey and generations of his expert swashbucklers have made the playoffs 17 straight seasons in Nassau County — and his crew appears to be like to maintain the streak going for years to return.
“Our motto is, ‘When a coach units excessive requirements, the winners will adore it, and the lazy will go away,’ ” Mulvey instructed The Put up.
“Both manner, the crew improves,” added the proverbial captain of the Pirates, who has gained eight convention titles — the latest in 2020 — in over twenty years on the helm.
The maroon marauders have big expectations nowadays, however chortle as they attain them season after season, as Mulvey, a former Cortland level guard, retains issues unfastened along with his gamers on the court docket.
“It’s enjoyable to win — it’s enjoyable to work exhausting,” stated the elementary college trainer within the district, who can spot his future stars years forward of their time.
The varsity ladies turned rebounding and scoring drills into exhilarating, small-group competitions throughout a Tuesday follow, the place gamers have been shouting with pleasure to outdo their friends in a pleasant method.
“Once you chortle, and you’ve got an excellent time at follow, it’s extra enjoyable, and it makes me wish to work tougher,” stated senior guard Sienna Linekin.
“Due to that, our crew has grown a lot all through the season to this point.”
Misplaced at sea
When Mulvey began teaching at Mepham in 2004, he didn’t fairly have the crew he does these days.
“There have been some good gamers right here, they usually had all graduated, and the coach had left, and it was a possibility to return in right here and begin contemporary,” he recalled.
“I do keep in mind our one win that season — a loopy sport the place we scored within the 20s. … I believe it was in additional time that we received the win.”
Mulvey mulled over quitting teaching within the days when the report reeked like a freshly worn sneaker, however in the end cared extra about molding impressionable teenagers into younger adults than wins and losses.
“It’s not in regards to the expertise, it’s about making children be one of the best that they are often,” he stated.
It shortly turned evident that he turned this system round and motivated his gamers to push themselves, resulting in his first playoff look within the 2008-2009 season.
That tight-knit crew had an undefeated common season and went 19-1 total, starting a brand new, lasting tradition on Mulvey’s vessel.
“We all the time say children have modified. They actually haven’t. They wish to come out, they wish to work exhausting.”
Anchors aweigh
Present gamers — they bond out of faculty with pasta events and white elephant Christmas reward swaps — eye the highway forward somewhat than trying again at generations previous, in response to Mulvey’s new assistant coach, Anthony Novello.
“They’re targeted on what they must do to win the subsequent sport. It retains their consideration on the fitting factor,” he stated of the close to .500 membership.
“I believe that’s a purpose we are going to get to the playoffs once more this 12 months.”
One other massive M.O. of this system is “preserving the usual” of ending performs and giving 110 p.c.
That got here into impact throughout a good December duel with the Farmingdale Dalers, recalled junior guard Mia Troiano.
“Everybody got here in and performed an element, working exhausting all through the entire sport, even off the bench,” she stated of the turning-point, 47-41 win.
“It was an enormous push.”
The emotional side of play is one thing Mulvey harps on along with his athletes as he sharpens their focus.
“I believe we additionally know to not stoop all the way down to different groups’ stage,” stated Linekin, who careworn that it’s an enormous a part of the crew’s strategy to not have interaction with trash-talking opponents.
“And we hold one another elevated and excessive power.”
Similar to Mulvey, the Pirates additionally search to plunder the postseason repeatedly.
This time, although, they hope to lastly conquer an elusive Nassau County championship for the primary time within the head coach’s prolonged tenure.
Gamers are definitely on board.
“It’s additionally my senior 12 months, so I’d positively like to make it to the playoffs and hold it going so long as we are able to,” Linekin stated.
“Our crew chemistry is simply rising and rising. I really feel it each day in follow, so it’s actually enjoyable working with all of them, and our teamwork is de facto enjoyable.”
