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Mineral Wells seniors, from left, John Dobbs, Tanner
Morgan, Matt Maxwell and Anthony Tam became a close-knit group while lugging a
telephone pole named "Old Glory" in off-season drills.
Jan 28, 2005
MINERAL WELLS - "Old Glory," as they call it, has become a symbol for the Mineral Wells boys basketball team.
It's an old telephone pole the players use for the team-building exercises they have used to unite the group toward a common goal -- winning.
That goal seemed pretty distant only two years ago, when Mineral Wells won only three games all season. Now it's something they do regularly, having posted a 21-5 record and a 4-0 mark in District 6-4A.
"We finally clicked as a team," senior captain Tanner Morgan said. "We have a group of guys who love playing together."
It started when coach Pat Brown arrived at the school before the 2002-03 season. Brown's first objective was to build cohesiveness among the players and form a foundation of trust and tradition.
That group, which included Morgan and senior John Dobbs, practically did more team-building off the court than practicing on it.
Most of the activities were military-type drills -- wounded soldier relays and log relays, among others. In the log relays, five players would carry "Old Glory," working as a team to complete the task.
"It is fun, but it can be tough, too," senior Anthony Tam said. "It works, too. It was a little more laid-back and not as intense [before Brown arrived], and it showed by our records."
The players wanted to continue the drills last season, and as they got closer and formed more trust within the team, the Rams started stringing together more wins. Mineral Wells was 12-20 last season in District 5-4A, which consisted of mostly Wichita Falls schools.
Things are even better this year, as Mineral Wells has its best shot at a district championship since winning one in 1995. First, the Rams will have to get past Stephenville (18-7, 4-0) at 8 tonight.
Both this season and last, the team painted its ultimate goal on "Old Glory" on the first day of practice. It's a reminder of what they were working toward when they carried the log during drills. The one-word goal: Playoffs.
"I knew it was going to be tough, but we've got a good team," sophomore Todd Ball said. "We have an awesome defense, and our offense is starting to click now."
GAMEDAY
MINERAL WELLS AT STEPHENVILLE
8 tonight, Stephenville High School
Records: Mineral Wells 21-5, 4-0; Stephenville 18-7, 4-0
Notable: A District 6-4A matchup of undefeated teams. ... This game marks the end of the first half of district play, and the winner will be in sole possession of first place. ... Mineral Wells and Stephenville are Nos. 7 and 8 in the Star-Telegram Class 4A area ranking
UPDATE: Jan 29,2005
Junior post Todd Ball recorded 14 points, 12 rebounds and six blocked shots to lead Mineral Wells past Stephenville 55-48 in a District 6-4A showdown at Stephenville.
The Rams (22-5, 5-0 6-4A) are atop the district standings, while Stephenville (18-8, 4-1) is a game behind. Tanner Morgan scored 11 in the win, and Michael Ball contributed 10.