A Thought on Experience

It occurred to me today that although we have 5 seniors, we don't have as much as experience as you might expect. I never paid much attention to UP Athletics before my freshman year (07-08), so correct me if I make any mistakes but this is what it seems to me:

Of our 5 seniors, only Ethan and Taishi have played at UP for 3 seasons. Also, Ethan's time last year was plagued by injury and Taishi has seen fewer and fewer minutes since the arrival of one Mr. Campbell. Nik transferred here before his sophomore season and is entering the year with 2 years of Pilot experience. Robin had to sit out a year because of the rules, be they fair or otherwise, and has only 2 years of active experience. And TJ, of course, has only played one year under the Pilot banner.

So where we might have a combined 15 seasons of experience under the collective belt of our 5 seniors we have only 11 (3+3+2+2+1), and that doesn't account for the decreased role and minutes of Taishi, or the effective half-season of Ethan last year or anything else that may escape my limited knowledge.

I don't have a particularly groundbreaking point to my revelation; I think that we are STACKED and ready to made a serious attempt to ascend to the top of the conference. I do, however, salivate at the thought of what Rev & Co. will be capable of as he begins to bring through classes that have been through 4 years of his system (as well as Coach Scott's workouts which seem to make WORLDS of difference).

TO PILOT VICTORIES! PRESENT AND FUTURE!

Eh, I can see what you are getting at, but such is the same story in a lot of programs... Even players having to sit out years get the entire year of practice, instruction and fitness. And a player going the JC route is generally going to be getting a TON of playing time, as opposed to a freshman who might spend time on the bench and only see 7-8 minutes a game.

Experience won't be a problem. One thing that I still feel about our team though is that the whole is much greater than the parts. We can't afford any key injuries. If Ethan goes down again, for example, we can't contend in the WCC. No way.