These Men Brought Their A-Game... Kind Of
The Sparks held try-outs for their 2010 Male Practice Squad yesterday at the Toyota Sports Center. Over 35 hopefuls came out to put their skills to the test. Some of them had what it takes and some of them soon found out that they were not in the right shape to face off against Candace Parker, Tina Thompson and the rest of our team. For the men who made it through the entire try-out, (yes, someone lost their lunch), they were able to gain a new understanding of just what WNBA basketball is all about.
The try-outs began with the guys coming in to register, receiving their jerseys and shooting around on the Lakers and Sparks official practice court. On the wall in the Toyota Sports Center hang jerseys of some of the greatest players in NBA history including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabar and Jerry West. On the sideline sits the chair that Phil Jackson sits in during Lakers practices. The atmosphere was buzzing with anticipation as slowly more and more men came through the door.
There was excitement in the air as all different kinds of men showed up for the try-out. From tall to short and big to small, everyone was represented. We had 19 year olds and 50 year olds. To top it off, one guy came in wearing a Phoenix Mercury shirt. From ESPN Zone managers to LA Times writers, everyone wanted a chance to show off their skills. One hopeful said his playing experience was just the fact that God had blessed him with his abilities. Another player was a senior at Biola University and he brought his A-Game.
Sparks assistant coach Steve Smith gave a brief introduction of what the Sparks were looking for and turned them over to Head Athletic Trainer Courtney Watson who made sure to stretch, loosen and warm our guys up. Once the warm-up was over, it was time to get to work. Coach Smith quickly got the group into various drills, the three man weave, three man weave into two on one and then a five man weave back to a three on two. Needless to say there were a few turnovers but after a while they seemed to catch on.
"This was a great opportunity for us to be able to find talent for our players to scrimmage against this season," said Smith. "These guys came in and worked hard and I think they understand a little bit more what it takes to be a professional athlete, not just a female professional athlete. The men that we pick from this try-out will play an integral part in our success this season."
The try-out ended after scrimmaging, full court suicides and sideline runs. Sparks VP/GM Penny Toler was on hand to speak to the guys about what a crucial role they play in preparing the team for the season. Of the men who tried out, 7-10 of them will have the opportunity to play against the Sparks this season.
