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John Russ

John Russ

  • What are some favorites on your IPOD? Songs by Switchfoot and Goo Goo Dolls
  • What was your favorite pre-game meal and favorite junk food ? Pasta.  Peanut M&M's
  • What is your favorite movie?  Tommy Boy
  • When did you start playing youth travel basketball at HFL? 4th grade?
  • How did you think that the travel basketball program prepared you for your high school career? (and perhaps college career). Allowed me to play better competition and improve my game.
  • Do you have a few special memories of playing travel basketball that you would like to share? Being a young fan and watching HF-L win the Section V championship.  Seeing Jesse Stratton(Sophomore at the time) carry the team.
  • What were some of the most memorable highlights of your high school team and career? Playing for Coach Flood and priding myself on defense and shutting the other team's best player down(I was a terrible shooter so I needed to do something well to stay on the floor!)
  • What other sports did you play in high school and how did the other sports help you with your basketball career? Football and baseball.  Playing two other sports helped me realize what it took to compete in athletics.  I used basketball to help me in baseball and football, my stronger sports, with staying in shape, developing more quickness, staying active, and most of all just competing with my friends.  There's nothing like being involved in the competition.
  • What advice can you provide to the current youth basketball players? Work hard. Play multiple sports. Enjoy the relationships and teamwork you build. Compete as hard as you can.
  • Tell us a little about your college career and what you plan to do after college. I received a football scholarhip to the University of Delaware.  I am now a Physical Education teacher at HF-L
  • Tell us about your biggest rivals and/or most competitive games. Livonia & Dansville.  Always packed gyms. Livonia had a player named Kevin Downey(played at Canisius) and in my opinion was one of the best players to come out of Section V in a long time.  He could have played somewhere better.  He had it all. He could score at will but was unselfish and distributed the ball to his teammates.  Dansville... only the coache's at HF-L know those stories...
  • What are some life lessons that you learned from playing HFL Hoops? Coach Neenan and my dad taught me was hard work was. What it meant to be a competitor.  How to know your roll on a team.  I am very greatful to have had Coach Neenan(JV baseball & JV basketball), Coach Donegan(football), Coach Clapp(baseball), and Coach Flood(basektball) teach me the lessons of sport and of life.  
  • What AAU team did you play for and how well did AAU help advance your game? I did not play AAU
  • Tell us about your practice habits. What did you work on and how often did you practice? What practice advice can you provide for the youth players? Practices for Coach Floor and Coach Neenan were tough.  Being physical and tough were attributes of the teams I played on.  I remember playing by myself in the driveway during winter. I'd shovel off the driveway, put gloves on, and go play.  Work on what you're not good at. Everyone likes to work on what they're already good at because it's comfortable and makes them feel good.  Working on what you're not good at will make you a better player.
  • Do you still consider yourself a Cougar? Always.