Cats Out of the Bag! 2014 Ohio University MBB Schedule Has Been Released

The 2014-15 Ohio University Men's Basketball Schedule has been released to the public! Are you excited? Ha, probably not as much as I. If you would like to check it out, you can find it on the university athletic's website, or just press HERE.

You want to know why I am really excited?

I am truly excited because I have purchased lots of new Ohio gear, and I am quite giddy for the games! I already had a good amount of green attire from our time at NDSU, but I did find some reason to purchase lots of good things especially with all the sales at ShopBop, Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, good ol' Target, and a few Athens finds! 

And of course there is the need for additional accessories. This past weekend Coach Kemp and I did a lot of good shopping in Columbus. I am temporarily placing myself on purchasing restrictions - for anything green & white.

Don't judge my photography skills. I have asked for a nice camera for my birthday, as the I-phone is simply not cutting it any longer.

It is my plans to share my Game Day attire for all the home games that I attend, and any away games that I decide to jump on the bus for :). 

Go Bobcats!

Michelyn

Currently seeking any college football or basketball wives/fiances/girlfriends that would like to be featured. Please contact me at michelyncynthia@gmail.com

Athens 6 Week Update!

Happy Monday folks! I know, I was MIA for a little bit! You forgive me, right!? Good, I love you for it!

Team Kemp has officially resided in Athens for 6 weeks and I am proud to announce that I love it! I know, this city girl actually loves the college-town of Athens, OH! Can you believe it? I am a little shocked to be honest!

If you have been following my blog, all 4 of you, you know I was anxious about the move. For starters we had just moved from Fargo, ND to Toledo, OH and I was finally feeling "settled." Part of my angst for our move to Athens - was simply that we were moving AGAIN!!! You can read about that in this post.

Then there was the obvious, I am a city girl, and was moving to a city that's focus is the university. Now I did view this as a positive, and still do. It is so awesome to walk around town and see students and others adorning Ohio University gear! Like super awesome. NDSU and Toledo both have a great fans base, but being a coach's wife, it is really nice seeing Ohio gear everywhere you go, even in the local restaurants! I did attend undergrad at the University of Florida which too is a college-town, but being a student, I had no perspective of living in Gainesville as an adult. It was challenging at first to imagine myself being an adult in a college-town. I am here to report, it is going just fine!

Granted I have only lived here for six weeks, I can announce that there is more happening than simply the university! Athens is home to some of the most beautiful trails and parks, in my opinion. On Saturday, I had the opportunity to run the Sells Park with some members of CrossFit SEO! Wow, just beautiful, and you would never even guess that the trail is tucked behind East State Street! Check out the Athens Trail Network, I am giddy just looking at all the options!

And talking about CrossFit SEO!!! Love my gym!!! The instructors are beyond amazing!!! (Wow, lots of exclamation points for those few sentences, lol.) For starters they are all super knowledgeable about CrossFit, proper form; and then top it off with their great personalities. I will forever cherish Renegade (Toledo) and Maximum Performance and Fitness (Fargo), but I again struck gold with CrossFit SEO!!! Just realized, that I previously raved about them in this post too.

Along with fitness, I have a love for the Athens Farmer's Market. Coach Kemp recently got some bummer dental news, so we have removed all extra sugars from our diet. Prior to this realization, we too had discussed lowering our dairy-intake overall. The farmer's market is convenient and open three days a week in the summer (Wednesday, Thursday [in the evening], and Saturday). I have been buying a large portion of our veggies and fruits from the market, swoon!

My shopping fix, or obsession, has been met with our new subscription to Amazon Prime. Not so sure where Coach Kemp and I have been, but hello free shipping! Even if I were living in a big city, I would still use Amazon. I love that everything can be found on one website. I kind of detest having to visit multiple online stores and even store fronts to find what I am looking for. Oh, and I am excited to check out the TJ Maxx in Parkersburg, WV which is only like a 45 minute drive. And if I just need a quick fix, then I head over to Uptown Athens where there are a number of cute stores! I am looking forward to stopping by Nelsonville too for some shopping as well.

Are you wondering about restaurants? Well, Athens has that covered too! We try to dine at the restaurants that buy local foods, those 30 Mile Meal  restaurants, and they have all been delicious. A few of my favorites include: Zoe Fine Dining, Casa Nueva, Sol Restaurant & Run Bar, and Crumbs! I too had a slight obsession with Insomnia Cookies, but we have placed a ban since we are not eating sugar; thank heavens as my waist band is very appreciative.

But the real reason the last six weeks have gone so wonderful for Team Kemp is because of the amazing people, and ladies in particular, that I have met thus far! Wow! I am beyond amazed at how genuinely friendly everyone is. This of course includes the amazing wives of Ohio Basketball but also extends to other women I have been fortunate to meet, to date. Everyone is so welcoming, inviting me to ladies dates, and functions. My social calendar is popping!!! Whoop whoop! And Prince has been invited to a few of these outings as well.

I know I have only tipped the ice in Athens. I am looking forward to partaking in some of the fun festivals and other outdoor spots like the beach!  Of course I am super pumped for Ohio athletic events, Go Bobcats!

Michelyn

Kindness is Contagious: The Kemp Edition

For those of you residing in the Fargo/Moorhead, you may be familiar with Nicole Phillips, wife of Bison men’s head basketball coach Saul Phillips’, weekly columns in The Forum newspaper. Her weekly columns entitled, “Kindness is Contagious,” document different “acts” of kindness and generosity in an effort to showcase how joyful and caring “others” can be towards strangers or simply those in their community. 

Well, this evening after gifting Jason’s beloved and first manly grill to a set of newlyweds, I decided to check the mail. I was surprised to see one envelope from the parents of my former co-worker. As I walked up the stairs, I jogged my memory as to why I would be receiving a letter from her parents since she no longer resides in Fargo and I had already received her wedding thank you. When I opened the card this is what I found:

The newspaper article from The Forum telling the world that Coach Kemp was moving on. Ok, so I have talked enough about him moving on, but the gesture and note were so sweet and kind. I shed a tear that my former co-worker’s mother would think to cut out the article, send it to me, and write such a special note of congratulations and well-wishes. See, the thing is, both Coach Kemp and I had neglected to get a newspaper with the said article. And, as my former co-worker’s mother stated: “mothers and grandmothers like these types of things.”

I am still smiling!

Michelyn

Many Thanks, Fargo

Granted I have a few more weeks to reside in the state of North Dakota, I wanted to take a moment to reflect and thank the many wonderful people that I have had the pleasure to befriend and opportunities that have been bestowed upon me.

During the summer of 2011, I moved to Fargo, ND to join my then fiancé. If you have read ‘Our Story’ or the ‘Coach Kemp’ page then you will know that Coach Kemp had been working in MN/ND area as men’s basketball coach for several years. Once we got engaged (and many months prior) we had planned that I would move to Fargo, so then we could end our long-distance relationship. Moving to Fargo was simple, Jason had established a tight-knit group of friends and I just fell smitten with all of their wives/girlfriends. Every person that I have met in our athletic crew (football, basketball, soccer, etc.) has been simply wonderful. I do have a few friends whose husband’s jobs have them moving frequently, and I must attest that coaches’ wives and families are so welcoming. I believe this is because we are so used to the constant relocation and our husbands are on the road. I like to think of it as a “sisterly bond.”

I will truly miss the women that I have grown accustomed sitting next to at Bison basketball games, especially our varied conversations. It is funny after games when Jason asks my opinion of the game… Hmm, typically I watch about 1/3 of the game. The remaining portion, I am talking, entertaining kiddos, or daydreaming about something else. Then there are those nail-biting games in which I am screaming at the refs, even though I have no clue what I am yelling at, or wishing someone would call/text for a distraction. As you can see, my life truly revolves around understanding the sport of basketball… not so much. I truly hope the Toledo wives are as clueless as I. Unfortunately/fortunately; one is a former basketball player herself… I am certain she will try to sit at the opposite end of the row, ha.

What I am most grateful for was the opportunity to work in am amazing school district and then education service agency this year. When we first decided that I was going to forego an APPIC internship, much was on the line. I had spent nearly five years working towards my degree, and making the decision to do non-traditional internship was pretty risky. However, I have realized that God truly has a plan for each one of us. After beginning my internship, a door opened which allowed me to not only work in the state of MN but also ND. How lucky was I? Well, you have no idea?!?! Working in both states allowed me to widen my breadth of experiences vastly. I so cherish the relationships formed with the school personnel in both states. My time in ND deepened my practical understanding of Response to Intervention (RTI) which was strongly emphasized in my graduate training program.  This past year, being employed with an education service agency has provided me the opportunity to work with so many varied school districts and amazing individuals, many of whom are female. Honestly, the crew I work with is astounding. I am simply honored to have had the pleasure of working with them for this short period of time.

There was absolutely no way that I could leave Fargo without stating my deep gratitude for those who have crossed my path. I hope to stay in touch with many, and am certain their lives will continue to prosper.

With Love, Appreciation, & Gratitude,

Michelyn

And yes, about 1 month ago Jason finally made me watch the movie Fargo. Not sure if that had some affect on our move :)

5 Myths About College Coaching

I often chuckle when people inquire about my husband's job... I thought it would be fun to discuss 5 myths that I often encounter.

Myth 1: The job responsibility of Division I coaches consists only of coaching games!

Truth 1: College coaches have many responsibilities besides coaching actual live games, and I would say this is only a very minor portion of their day-to-day activities. Most importantly, coaches develop student-athletes which occurs during the off-season, individual workouts, and team development exercises. Before a coach can actually coach, they must recruit viable athletes that fit their respective program's philosophy and playing style.  Because student-athletes' first priority is graduation, college coaches also play a pivotal role in their academic development.

Myth 2: Coaching occurs during games.

Truth 2: 80% of coaching - to train or instruct - occurs during practices and not while the players are actually in the middle of a live, action game! I have realized that this is one reason why coaches, many of them, stay very calm during games. In my opinion, coaches typically become irate over "bad" calls by the officials, not always the players.

Myth 3: There is no strategy involved and the fans know best!

Truth 3: If this was true, then I would be the world's best basketball coach, ha. Let me tell you, I am one opinionated fan and coaches wife, but have NO IDEA what I am talking about. I have decided that many fans are more similar, in knowledge, to the sport of basketball than they would like to think. I have heard and read some obscene comments/feedback on various games which are simply comical. And the level of strategy and planning that occurs prior to the game is INSANE. "Watching film" is a nightly activity in our household, one of which I happily neglect to participate in.

Myth 4: Coaching is a profession for those who want to stay youthful.

Truth 4: This is a fact :) I swear, these guys never want to grow up! They have so much fun in this profession, working with the guys and seeing them develop.

Myth 5: The best coaches are at the biggest, well-known schools.

Truth 5: I am in no way discrediting college coaches at well-known schools, but it simply is a myth that these are the only great coaches.

What myths do you have of college coaches and coaching?

Michelyn

Re-dedicating to my Blog

Dear Readers (all 2 of you):

It has been over four months since I last blogged and I want to apologize for my absence... I had really planned to write some wonderful blog posts about my wedding (Wedded Bliss Wednesdays) and updates about the NDSU MBB season. But, I failed!

I failed because I have been really struggling with finding my purpose for the blog and my niche. I know this may sound crazy, but I wanted (and still do) want to (a) better define who my audience is and (b) what is my purpose. So, over these past four months I have not solidified either, lol BUT I have decided that sometimes writing will assist in this process. So, with all that being I am announcing my return to the blogosphere. Additionally, I have been struggling with desiring a proof-reader. I know this sounds crazy but the perfectionist in me does not want to mess up and write with many grammatical errors. Well, although I may have an advanced degree, I still struggle with the correct placement of commas, semi-colons etc. Yea, yea... that catholic school education and years of education did not nail all those funny rules in my head. However, I am not allowing that to stop me any longer. I am trying to learn that things do not always have to be PERFECT to be done well.

I must thank my husband for his continual support of my blog. He assisted me get all the tabs at the top   and gave input into the summaries that I wrote.

What are your thoughts on my niche? What do you want to know about?

Check out the tabs: About Me Coach Kemp Our Story or leave a Comment

Thank for the input!

Michelyn

UND vs NDSU: MBB Gold Uniform Unveiling

Greetings Bison and BBB Fans. I am a very happy basketball wife as are the football wives!

Congratulations to the football team for beating Wofford College in a defense-packed game. The Bison team fought well and beat the Wofford Terries 14-7. Go Bison! Make sure you cheer on the football team as they host Georgia Southern in the NCAA FCS Semifinal on Friday. I wonder how many people will call out sick on Friday?!?!

Sunday was a busy day at the FargoDome as the MBB hosted the UND game and the football team held individual meetings and walk throughs. Well, all the commotion did not interfere with guys focus! The team also unveiled their new Nike yellow jerseys!

What do you think of their new jerseys?!

In the spirit of Golding out, Jason wore a yellow tie. Below, is a picture of us after the game!

I got the idea to tie my scarf in the "muffler" style from scarves.net. I must admit that it looked way cuter when I left the house. Please understand that this is after cheering on the team. Here is the video I watched!

Oh, and the team won :) 72-52!

Tomorrow the MBB play the Minnesota Gophers!!!!!

Michelyn

NDSU vs. Morehead + My Superstitions

Last night the Bison MBB played Morehead (Kentucky) at the Johnson Arena. And, the team won: 69-57!

Let me tell you... the team had me completely stressed out! Yes, me, this Type-Aer. Let me explain.

I am having some difficulties going to MELT in the early morning hours (that is 5:35am workouts), so I elected to do the 5:30pm class instead. Well, this put me in a pickle as the MBB played at 6pm. When I jumped into my car, the men were ahead in the first half (13 to 11).

I got home, took a shower, made my dinner salad and then decided to watch the rest of the game through the Morehead's website. WRONG MOVE!

By this time, the game was well into the second half with a score of 33 to 19. I started watching in the second half and I swear at that moment, the game took a terrible downslide! The Bison went on a 12-0 run and had me pleased THEN in the last 5 minutes of the game Morehead's turned up the pressure- mean mugging all over the court. They then responded with a 19-2 run of their own.

Like seriously, this is when my superstitious behaviors came into play. I first damned myself for even thinking of watching the game. Like really, the team was doing well! I should have stuck with the mobile ESPN checks. And then decided to turn off the computer and ate my salad in silence. Thank goodness the salad was delicious  because I was in a terrible mood because of the game.

Well, we know the end... the guys pulled it through, but this really brings to light my insanity, lol. I truly have a problem during away games. I swear that if I change my routine the game will turn on the dime. I have so many examples of this insanity that I could most likely write a whole blog about it.

Here is an example. I recently traveled to Green Bay after the men won 3 games straight. While Jason was getting dressed, he placed his shoes on the bed and I freaked out that it was bad luck. Jason responded that he had put his shoes on the bed the entire time they were in Pitt. To appease me, he took the shoes off the bed and guess what happened... They lost to Green Bay!!!! See what I am talking about?!?!

Now I am screaming.... Throw the shoes on the bed!

Michelyn

Coaches Corner: Fit + Well All Over the World

In another installment of Coaches Corner, I sat down with Emmy Smith wife to former NDSU standout  and professional European basketball star Andre Smith.

How did you and Andre meet? 

Andre and I met at NDSU in 2006 at a  basketball party…..he walked me home and I told him we should hang out again sometime and his reply was: "That's Ok. I'm going to marry you some day so it doesn't matter." Needless to say we eventually started dating awhile later and look at us now ;)

So, you are a graduate of North Dakota State University as well. What was your major? 

Dietetics

And, you played basketball for the Bison. Do you miss the sport? 

I totally miss Bison Basketball. Not just the games, but mostly the girls, teammates. I spent so much time with them I was so sad when it was over but fortunately I'm still really close with several of them.  As far as the actual game of basketball is concerned,  Andre fulfilled my desire to be involved with the sport. Our life for sure begins when the season starts and I love every minute of it. It's funny because I played guard in college, while he's  an inside guy. We have a lot of disputes over guard vs. big man and sometimes I wish people could record our arguments….it's entertaining. I still have so much passion for the game and I'm so thankful I get to watch Andre follow his dreams.

After college I got into personal training which was the smartest decision I made (besides marrying Andre!). I love to workout but I love helping people understand that working out is a part of life,  not just something you have to do. The fitness industry is also something I can take everywhere in the world because everywhere in the world people are working out! I recently became a certified health coach which is not only helping people get in to shape, but helping them to modify their life for healthy living.

Do you have any funny workout experiences overseas? 

Ha, Yes! So many I wish I could record them all. It's funny to me because being a former athlete I've always known how to workout with intensity and I consistently still do. But overseas, not many women do….don't get me wrong, there are countries where I've seen women workout hard, but the intensity isn't quite the same and I think I surprise some gyms with my craziness….haha, can't help it. It may also have to be with the fact that I've got a terrible sweet tooth. Just recently I was on the stair climber at the gym here in Russia, and some guy watched me for a full ten minutes…weird uh? I thought maybe he was waiting for someone, or to use a machine, but he literally just watched me. Yikes.

Your husband plays professional basketball overseas. How many countries have you two lived in? Which country has been your favorite? Why? 

This is his sixth season and his second season I started traveling with him. We were in England, then Turkey for two years and in Italy last year. Without a doubt Italy was my favorite. I loved it. I loved the food, the culture, the lovely people I met, the language (which I was so lucky to have a tutor to learn) and of course the historical parts of Italy (Rome, Venice). Such a beautiful country. We are in Russia this year and just like any new place, it takes some time to adjust, but I love our place and as long as I have Andre, I could live anywhere! 

What is ‘Fit and Well All Over the World’ referring to? 

Meaning that no matter what country I'm in with Andre, I can find ways to stay fit and well, or just plain healthy! In my opinion there's no excuse to not taking care of yourself, therefore, I believe you can be 'well' anywhere you want.

You must dish- are the ladies anything like what we see on Basketball Wives? 

Honestly I haven't experienced quite the extreme of Basketball Wives in America, but like everywhere you go there's a little drama, a little rudeness,  a little I'm on a high-horse action, but in my opinion the wives that are overseas with their husbands have to find ways to get a long because sometimes we're all we have! I love going to new countries and meeting new people…it's great. My best friend last year is from Croatia, how crazy is that?!

What is your most memorable basketball experience? 

There was a road game my junior year at NDSU and for some reason we were having a hard time preparing mentally for the game, so in the locker room we turned the music up (I think it was Fergie..haha) and just started going crazy, being silly girls. I'll never forget a few of us dancing on the benches and making up actions to the song. Needless to say, we went out and played one of our best games that season. We totally 'rocked' it if you know what I mean ;)

www.gobison.com

Thank you Emmy for the interview. I really enjoyed her stories about her former teammates, many whom I have had the pleasure to get to know personally. I also think this couple is special since they both played and love the sport of basketball.

Also, please follow Emmy's blog, Fit and Well All Over the World, as she chronicles fun workouts and healthy recipes. She recently posted some videos of workouts that can be completed in about 15 minutes. I am waiting for her fitness contract as her body is INSANE! I did just run a quick 4 mile run before reviewing her post. Really, if I had a body like that... I would need to move to the Caribbean ASAP!

Michelyn

See Ya in May

Well folks, the basketball season officially started yesterday......


This means that Coach Kemp will be at practice, games, preparing for games, and recruiting even more.

This morning he rose at 8am for another weekend of recruits and practice. His day was packed with breakfast with the "official" recruits (including parents and high school coaches),  tours around campus, meetings with important people (i.e., Athletic Director Gene Taylor, admissions, specific colleges dependent on their potential majors), catered lunch, team autograph session prior to the game, the Bison football games (They lost! Happy I did not stay to see that, instead I went shopping :) ), and now he is at practice until 9pm. Who would envy him?

Well, the season is jam-packed and officially ends in May!

Is it May yet :)

Coaches Corner: Georgian Princess

Welcome to another installment of 'Coaches Corner' in which I discuss some aspect of college basketball!

In a previous post about the U.S. Men's Olympic Basketball team, I shared that the most important asset  that a player/coach posses is his wife... To stay in that vein I interviewed Amanda Woodside, wife of former NDSU basketball player and current professional European player Benjamin Woodside, to share a little about her background, how they met, and life overseas. Enjoy!

How did you and Woodside meet?

Our romantic love story began in the Bison Sports Arena (BSA).  Benjamin was shooting hoops and I was at practice for the NDSU dance team, circa 2006. However we did not begin dating till much later.

So, you are a graduate of North Dakota State University as well. What was your major?

Entering college as a Freshman I declared a Public Relations major.  After a year of uncertainty I pulled a 180 and started taking engineering courses.  Three years later I graduated with an Industrial Engineering and Management degree.  

http://www.mattaddington.com/

Your husband plays professional basketball overseas. How many countries have you two lived in? Which country has been your favorite? Why?

We have been fortunate to live in 4 very different countries since graduating college.  Basketball has taken us to France, Slovenia, Georgia, and now Turkey. It is difficult to overall rank a country higher than another.  I enjoy many aspects of each location.  Each culture brings us new adventures, wisdom, and food!  However there are also difficult moments and humbling times, but I wouldn’t trade any of those experiences.  I will break down the positives from each country:

France: Loved their food, the good friends we met, its powerful history, and the language.

Slovenia: Awesome views, good location, absolutely beautiful, and somewhere I plan on retiring.

Georgia: Experienced some of the most incredible hospitality, and I like what it taught me living there.

Turkey:  We have only been here 3 weeks and I feel so comfortable.  It a warm, friendly environment.  The city we live in is HUGE with almost 5 million people and has a lot of offer.

What is ‘Georgian Princess’ referring to?

Hehe.  Well...while living in Georgia, Benjamin officially became a Georgian citizen and I, unofficially, became their Georgian Princess.  With a badge and all!

http://www.mattaddington.com/

You must dish- are the ladies anything like what we see on Basketball Wives?

Unfortunately, yes, sometimes it can feel that way.  There have been some catty females, but that can happen anywhere, anyplace.  It all depends on what kind of women are mixed together.  We could go into a whole different interview for details on that topic.  Beyond the drama, I have been blessed to meet outstanding women who are very dear to me.

What is your most memorable basketball experience?

There are quite a few funny mishaps. However, with out a doubt it was last year.  We made a difficult decision to leave a team in the middle of the season.  Within 24 hours of that decision we had to pack up our entire life into 4 suit cases total, address any loose ends in that current country, and then fly blindly across the globe to (The Republic of) Georgia.  Whoa.  Side note: to ensure no risk of getting stressed out, we each enjoyed 3 long island cocktails during the layover.  

Thank you Amanda for this insightful interview into the life of a former Bison overseas. Please, wish them luck for this season! You can follow Amanda at her blog, Amanda Mosaic.



Michelyn

Coaches Corner: Olympic Fever

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