Capel's Mailbag Has Been Delivered

June 14, 2007

Good news, everyone. Lost for several months, my Mailbag has finally been located and delivered to the SoonerSports.com offices. I know many of you were waiting for answers to your questions. Well, for those of you who sent questions I selected, the wait is finally over!

Before we get started, I want to share with you the link to submit a question for future "Mailbag" installments. To ask your question, CLICK HERE.

Now, on to the Mailbag!

Coach Capel's Mailbag Archive

From: Andy Wray (Scott Depot, WV)

Question: How do you feel freshman Chris Early is going to fit into your system next season and are you excited to have him on your team?

Answer: Hi Andy. We're very excited about Chris Early. We think he's a talented young guy with loads of potential. He comes from a very good high school program that won three straight state championships, and he was a very important part of each of those teams. I thought the experience he got last year with how much national exposure his team received will be helpful and beneficial for him his first year here.

He's in summer school right now and from the reports I've been getting it sounds like he's working hard. We're excited about him and the things that he can bring to our program.

From: Ryan (Granite, OK)

Q: How hard is it to coach a young team?

A: That's a good question, Ryan. I'll probably be able to answer that a little bit better after this next year. I've never really had what I consider a really young team. I've had some young guys in some really important positions since I've been a head coach, but I've also always had veterans with experience to help guide those young guys along.

When I took over at VCU, we had a pretty veteran team because we returned all of our backcourt. We went out and added some post guys. That first year we had two fifth-year seniors, another senior who was about 23 years old, and we had another guard who played a lot. From there we just continued to add.

I've always had a freshman starting for me. But this will be the youngest team that I've had. And that's exciting for me. I think the young guys and new guys we have will bring an infusion of energy into our program. It's going to be fun to work with them and it's going to be fun to watch this team grow.

It's also important that our older guys really work this summer. I told them that this is their most important summer. They can't get complacent or think just because they played a lot last year that it's just going to happen this year. We think these new guys are talented. Our returning guys need to get into the habit of working and working the right way.

From: Marcie (Denver, CO)

Q: Hi Coach Capel. How do you spend your summer? I know you have camps and you recruit, but do you get to do anything fun with your family?

A: That makes me chuckle a little bit, Marcie. My summer this year is different than any previous year because of the addition of a daughter. My wife and I are proud parents of a little girl we had about six weeks ago. So a lot of my time this summer has been spent changing diapers, getting our daughter to go to sleep and things like that. Because of that, my wife and I aren't going to be able to get away much. But that's totally fine because we're very excited about being parents.

May is a month where there's usually some down time. There's not a whole lot going on and we don't have camps then. So I try to get some rest and hang out with my wife, my coaching staff and friends. June is our big camp month. It doesn't consume the whole month, but almost. Recruiting is an ongoing thing, so that always keeps me busy. July becomes hectic and then August usually provides another chance to get some rest.

My wife and I are going to try to do something in August if she is okay with leaving the baby for a few days. Both of my wife's brothers are getting married within a week of each other, so that will be interesting.

So there's my summer in a nutshell!

From: Nick Beene (Searcy, AR)

Q: What role do you think freshman Cade Davis can come in and play?

A: It's hard to define roles right now when you don't know everything about each guy yet. We know what we recruited in Cade, but we hope by the time we get around to practice he will be better. Hopefully the strength and conditioning program and some of the skill work he's doing on his own right now will help him improve.

The role I want all of our guys to play is that of being a great teammate and working hard every day. That includes Cade. We want Cade to be a good player. We recruited him because we think he's a talented young man with good upside. The reports I've received tell me he's been working hard and playing very well right now. We look for him to be a good player for us.

From: Trent (Fort Worth, TX)

Q: Hey Coach, how are you doing? I want to be an NCAA basketball coach when I grow up and was wondering if you can give me advice on what to do to be a good head coach like you are.

A: Well thanks for writing, Trent. I'm doing well and I appreciate the compliment.

Once you figure out the level at which you want to coach, I think you need to study the game as much as possible and also network as much as possible. Once you're in high school, if you're not on the team maybe you can be a manager for the team. Be around the program, learn about the coach and what he likes to do from a coaching standpoint.

Wherever you decide to go to college, if you're not going to play then be a manager. Really try to study the coaching staff there and the intricacies of how a program is run. Also, try to work as many camps as you can. Get out and network at different camps - not just the ones at your school.

When you get out of college, you have to be willing to be a basketball vagabond. You have to be willing to do anything. I've heard about guys who want to be a coach but they only want to take certain jobs. To me, those people don't really want to coach. Coaching is coaching, on any level. It's about helping kids, helping them get better.

So be around the game, be around good coaches, learn as much as you can, be observant, network and just be hungry for it.

Good luck to you!

From: Michael (Anaheim, CA)

Q: I wanted to start out by saying that you did a great job with our team last year and I think the best days are ahead of us with you at the helm. Do you think Blake Griffin will be a major factor on next year's team?

A: Thanks, Michael. Blake definitely has the chance to be an impact guy - he's the most heralded of our group of newcomers. His body looks like it's ready for Big 12 action already.

Blake is very talented but he still has a lot to learn. One of the many things I love about him is his work ethic. He wants to be really good and he's a very willing listener. He's not the type of guy who thinks he knows everything. He'll play hard and work to be the best player he can be. We do think he has the chance to be an impact player for us.

From: Walter Martin (Ponca City, OK)

Q: Coach, who on the team do you think will be most improved next year?

A: I'm not sure, Walter. I hope all of them improve. It will be determined by how good our guys want to be and who's willing to work, who's willing to pay the price to be good.

I tell all kids I come in contact with that I don't think I've ever met a person who doesn't want to be good. But the people who actually become good and successful are the people who fall in love with the process of becoming good and successful. It's a process for each person and that's what's important for our guys. Our players have to understand what it takes to be good. We'll see.

My dad used to say when I was younger that the basketball season in the winter will tell what you were doing in the summer. The guys you see next year who are improved will be the guys who really worked on their games this summer.

Thanks to all of our fans who submitted their questions and comments. Our program sincerely appreciates all of you!

Wishing you a fun and relaxing summer,

Jeff Capel

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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