Maine Firecrackers Alumni Reflect

1. Now that you have completed your Freshman year college basketball season please take a moment and reflect back on your AAU experience with the Maine Firecrackers. What skills both basketball and non-basketball did you gain that helped you transition to college?

Olivia Smith:

AAU was a great experience for me because it taught me how to push myself beyond what I believed I could become. Playing throughout the spring and summer each year provided me with not only a great basketball experience, but also a great life experience. The traveling and out of state competition helped prepare me for the type of competition I have faced in college. From AAU, I learned how to compete, how to get in shape, how to maintain mental toughness, how to play physical, how to be a good teammate, and the value of physical toughness and discipline. The attitude that I learned to play with in AAU helped me tremendously in college because it put me ahead of my teammates.

Brianne Maloney:

Being mentally tough and physically tough. Being a vocal leader on and off the court. Being able to take what the coaches said and just saying “okay coach and yes coach”, discipline, Firecrackers taught me lessons like being coachable.

Allie Clement:

I definitely was a lot more mentally prepared than many people on my team. My play is critiqued on a regular basis and without my previous coaching I would not be tough enough to handle it. AAU may have seemed hard at times, my college career is an everyday battle to remain positive and confident. It is a lot of fun and I absolutely love my teammates and the atmosphere but I am so thankful I have the support I do coming from home, because my college coaches are harder on me. That is all part of the transition and proving myself, but I am so thankful to know people at home will always be cheering me on. Non-basketball wise, I learned how to communicate with teammates, support each other, and care for one another outside of basketball. The girls became my sisters and the program became a family. Also I learned how to travel and prepare for games, a lot of college basketball is being on the road. Firecrackers taught me about work ethic, drive, and passion for the game. I always knew I loved basketball, but with the Firecrackers in my life I was always happy to get an opportunity to play in games and practice. I genuinely valued the time we had in order to get better…before I had never thoroughly appreciated practices. Especially my senior year (HS) when I was just practicing with the Firecracker teams in order to stay in shape, it made me appreciate and understand how much I was getting out of each and every minute. Each drill was beneficial and the conditioning was great to keep in shape. Each area of the game was always developed, individually and as a team. Each and every moment was a time to get better and someone was always pushing you to do so.

Nina Davenport:

Skill wise, with basketball the ability to play great help-defense assisted me the most in my transition to college basketball. Being taught the technique of how to rotate defensively and play help-defense (for 7 years!) made playing college basketball a lot easier. Playing for a coach who doesn’t play a help-defense, I was able to standout in that I did and it led to me having more steals, and stops on defense. Another skill gained from playing AAU basketball was shooting off the dribble. By practicing off the dribble shots every day in AAU practice, I was ahead of many of my teammates in the ability to do this and it created the opportunity for me to get minutes very quickly. Off the court skills I gained by playing AAU basketball were to make the right decisions even when everyone else decides not to. This was another life lesson that was pounded into our minds every day at AAU practice. If you have a game the next day, it might be a good idea to get a good nights rest. In college I found that no one goes to bed before 11pm. But by being an athlete you have to make those decisions to get rest in order to benefit your team and yourself for the next day.

2. Do you feel that you were properly prepared for College Basketball from a skills perspective as well as physically and mentally?

Olivia Smith:

I feel like I was properly prepared for College Basketball mentally, and physically I felt like I was able to compete. Being a college athlete means being in the best shape of your life, and with that I had to physically compete with not only my own teammates in practice, but also the other Division 1 athletes in competition. Playing on the Firecrackers has prepared me physically in the way that now I know my limit is farther than what I believed it was. I learned how to push myself and improve, and how to contribute and play my role on a team. Obviously as a freshman, you will be underprepared in a physical sense somewhat because your other teammates will have been lifting for one, two, or three years more than you. What made the transition easier for me was contacting the strength coach and asking for a lifting workout to work on in the spring and summer leading up to freshman year. Being able to compete physically with my teammates in practice and having a ruthless attitude on the court earns any freshman playing time, and the Firecracker Program prepared me for just that.

Brianne Maloney:

Yes, Firecrackers allows you to compete at a level that is always pushing you to get better. You play against the best and practice with the best. We had physically and mentally challenging practices. We pushed each other to get better which made the games more fun. Coach Briggs would say all the time…”anticipate movement” and “beat them to the spot”.  

Allie Clement:

I absolutely feel like I was prepared for college basketball in many ways. I think my skills were well developed but mainly defensive principles were very critical coming into a college atmosphere. Another aspect I feel I was very prepared for was having a coach who was hard on me (held me accountable) and yelled. At the time it was frustrating, but my coach now is not a big complimenter so I am extremely thankful I had someone who was hard on me. Without that, my mental strength would have never gotten me through the season. Physically, I think the running we did in practice and the way we went about our practices was awesome, they were intense and we were always supporting and cheering one another on. The only area I didn’t feel physically prepared was in lifting, but before I came I put myself on a lifting program that further prepared me and I did not expect AAU to get muscle strength ready. Each coach has a different style and different specifics that he/she values, but Coach Briggs developed my mental strength and game IQ which allowed me to transition very well into a very complicated (college) system.

Nina Davenport:

I do feel I was properly prepared for College Basketball. I found that AAU basketball was a lot tougher and more grueling than the college basketball I have participated in. Physically the Firecracker program taught me what sort of shape I need to be in, in order to perform at my best, and hopefully better than opponents. Mentally Coach Briggs helped all of us. He used to say…”I don’t care who we play, where we play or when we play, we will show up and compete”. By playing teams that were older, AAU basketball taught me to never be intimidated and never doubt my skill. In entering College Basketball, playing with upperclassmen that think they own the gym I was able to use my experience from AAU basketball, and play my game with no regard to the age of my teammates and opponents.

3. As you reflect back on your recent season what were the one or two things you wish you knew (or were prepared for) that would have made your experience even better?

Olivia Smith:

As I reflect on the season, I wish I knew many things. First, a basic understanding of our team offense, which is 5 out, and also I wish I had more experience from the perimeter. I have played a post my whole basketball career, and our offense in college requires me to play not only in the post, but also on the perimeter the majority of the time. I got more comfortable with being on the wing towards the end of the season, which came because of the experience I gained during practice and in games. Another thing I wish I did was to enjoy each game, because you only get one freshman year, and that is the year you get to prove yourself and show your leadership ability. I found that if you are doing the things the coach is expecting and asking for, and the upperclassmen aren’t, the coaches notice. Speaking up when the intensity or pace is low, taking charges during games, encouraging other teammates, leading by example by working your hardest, doing things the right way even if other people aren’t, respecting the coach, and getting in the gym for extra practices and lifts are some ways I found helped prove my level of commitment over my other teammates. I wish I practiced all of these things at the beginning of this season, but sharing this with you will hopefully help. One more thing I wanted to mention is that there are going to be practices when none of your shots are going in or when you are matched up with your team’s best starter. These will happen and you won’t feel very good at the end, but my advice is to use the past as a learning experience, and reach to get better the next opportunity you have. I had practices like that, and it benefitted me to look ahead and work harder to improve my game so I can eventually be that starter. One last thing is that when you have early morning lifts, pick a buddy on the team and text each other to make sure you are both awake, because a short text in the morning is a whole lot easier than running for being late.

Brianne Maloney:

The speed of the game and how physical the play is. I felt like I was prepared for that but everyone is good…everyone can shoot, handle the ball, etc. Having Coach Briggs drill into us for many years how important the little things are – boxing out, setting screens on people, communication, and playing with confidence I can now see how important they are and because of that reinforcement I was able to play immediately.

Allie Clement:

One thing that would have been helpful to develop more would have been to focus on reading screens and how to read the defenders in order to get open. Our whole offense (motion) is based on 5 calls off a screen: slip, backdoor, straight, curl, and fade. While it seems simple, there are so many different techniques depending on who you are screening for (shooter vs post player) and different areas of the court to set the screens (ball screens, back screens, down screens). We have so much in our offense that is dependent on screens, and it may have helped to work on these things more in AAU. I still enjoy our Firecracker sets more than this offense and those two words being drilled into my head for 7 years – Discipline and Execution 🙂 Really the only thing I would change about my college career is the lack of energy and positivity in my coach. On the other hand, he is extremely successful and knows his X’s and O’s better than almost anyone I have ever met. I think defensively I need to work on my first step and not allowing quicker players to get by me. My defense definitely improved as the year went on and coach had more confidence in me. College is a tough adjustment for sure.

Nina Davenport:

I wish I had known how much of a time commitment College Basketball is. It wouldn’t have changed my mind to play, but I could have prepared myself for long trips in terms of homework and studying. I also wish I had known how much of a factor the 3 point shot is in College Basketball. I would have spent more time shooting 3’s than I did.

4. If you look back over your entire basketball experience, what advice would you give a young (5^th or 6^th grade) aspiring athlete that loves the game?

Olivia Smith:

If I were giving advice to a young athlete who loves the game, I would tell them to have fun while playing the sport they love. The list of AAU tournaments may seem long and never ending, but in retrospect, it is one of the most fun times in your basketball career, so take advantage of it and how fun it can be. Competing at a high level is one of the best things you can do as a young athlete because it forces you to use skills you may not otherwise use if you played teams strictly from Maine. As a young athlete, I did not have much of a role model that went through the whole recruiting process that I could talk to and look up to. I was a part of the original Firecracker team with Ashley, Nina, Olivia, Brianne, Sam, and Allie, and we were the guinea pigs for the whole program. As I look at the program now, the Firecracker family has grown tremendously, and since you are a part of it, you can certainly reach out to me for help or questions with the recruiting process. So, as a young athlete in the Firecracker Program, your job is to enjoy the time you have with your teammates, realize the opportunities you have, and never take a play off. If you are going to do something, do it to the best of your ability. Challenge yourself daily because it will pay off in the future (I know this from experience). Respect, attitude, and preparation are keys to success on the court and off. Also, thank your parents.

Brianne Maloney:

My advice would be to do the little things, coaches don’t just look for the player who scores the most. They look for the players who are going to make the hustle plays, the ones who will dive on the floor for loose balls, take charges to turn the momentum around, who aren’t afraid to take charge on the court and be the leader. They look for players who are coachable and willing to try new things.

Allie Clement:

I would tell them to reach for the stars. Play basketball all the time, do as much as you can, get involved and see how far your game can take you. Whether it be Duke or USM, you should strive to be the best possible player you can to have options as you grow older. Develop relationships with not only teammates, but coaches because they will really help you later in life. Enjoy every second because in 5th grade it seems like the amount of tournaments you will be in is endless, but each and every one is to be valued and enjoyed. When you get older you will wish more than anything you could play in just one more tournament, they are so much fun. Take every opportunity you can to become an admired player, but stay humble and always thank those around you. Be willing to help others and most importantly, be a good teammate and role model and represent the Firecracker name.

Nina Davenport:

I would advise a young athlete who loves the game of basketball to stick with it. If you think you can go a year without playing, you’re probably wrong. Once basketball season comes around, and you see all your friends and former teammates practicing and playing you’ll regret your decision not to play. Also, spend extra hours in the gym. Take more shots (you can never take too many), go for a run on days you don’t have practices or games, and keep in good physical shape because it will be a great advantage. Don’t be afraid of change either. If an opportunity comes along that could better your basketball career, TAKE IT! It won’t be easy to transition to a new team, coach, or position on the court, but it could be the best decision you ever make. (Then you can laugh years down the road about how you almost didn’t take the chance to change and improve). And lastly, have fun! Basketball is definitely a serious sport, but don’t be afraid to smile on the court!

5. Please provide any additional insight or comments that you feel would characterize what it meant to you to play for the Firecrackers and represent the state of Maine around the country.

Olivia Smith:

Starting out on the Firecrackers when I was in sixth grade is the biggest reason I am where I am today. Representing Maine and the memories of traveling to all different states to compete are ones I will never forget. Looking back at my whole experience as a Firecracker, I could not be more grateful for my coaches and teammates. Maine teams typically generated a stereotype of  “soft girls who don’t know how to compete,” and proving that stereotype wrong was my favorite part of being a Firecracker. No matter where we went and what tournaments we played in, there were always teams that didn’t take us seriously. Proving our physicality and toughness against competition is the staple of every Firecracker team, and that is what shaped me into the kind of player I am today. If you fall down seven times, get back up eight. Discipline, mental and physical toughness, and all -out effort are three of the biggest lessons I learned from being in the Firecracker family. Representing Maine as an AAU basketball program is an honor and a privilege, and across the country, we are putting Maine on the map as people you don’t want to mess with.

Brianne Maloney:

Playing with the Firecrackers was some of the best basketball I’ve ever played, we became a family, I made friends I will have for a life time. As a team we achieved goals no other team from Maine had done before. We were able to put Maine and The Firecracker program on the map, something no one can take away from any of the girls on the team. Firecrackers truly is one of the top programs around and one not to take for granted.

Allie Clement:

It was so important growing up that I was a part of a well-known basketball team, otherwise I wouldn’t be where I am now. Maine used to be known as a state where a few people played basketball and nobody had really heard of us. Now, in the northeast and mainly New England, we are extremely well known and that has been very cool to know how far we have developed the program. The Firecrackers are a team that is known for their discipline, dedication to others, and hard work. A lot of AAU teams that my teammates played on were disorganized and thrown together. My experience was far from that. I learned how to be a good teammate, friend, player, and sister all at the same time. If you had told me when I first began AAU I would have learned as many life lessons as I did, I would not have believed it. At first it seems like just a basketball team and program, but in reality it brings so much more into your life. You develop lifelong relationships and a work ethic that is not known by many others. I was mentally and physically ready for college practices and games because of the experience the coaches taught me.

Nina Davenport:

Playing for the Firecrackers was definitely the greatest thing to happen to my basketball career. Being able to play with not only the best players in the state of Maine, but the best friends anyone could imagine playing with made each suicide worth it. What the Firecrackers taught me about the game of basketball, about life, and especially about myself are lessons I will never forget. Finally, playing for the Firecrackers wasn’t only about basketball, for me it was being able to make memories that I’ll be able to tell my kids one day.