Blitz Team Powerball Practice

[Nick Schneider]

Nick's eyes widened, watching Taylor make his uncomfortable change from human to wolfman. Remembering the first time Nick had met Taylor, he had no idea that the wolfman he had seen in the D was the same kid he met at Bruno's. Even now, looking at the large beastly predator from old European myths caused a small chill to rush down the young boy's spine.

This also brought up a new problem for Nick. He could understand just about everyone at the school when they talked by reading their lips. Only those with heavy accents did he have trouble with...oh, and those who didn't HAVE lips like everyone else. Communicating with Taylor while he was in his wolf form would be difficult to say the least, if not only for the fact that Nick wouldn't be able to understand a word he said while in that form. Damian would be taxed further, with having to relay information between the two of them.

Falling into the run behind Damian, but edging to the side to give Taylor plenty of room, Nick did his best to keep up with the team, ready to tell Damian when they stopped about the communication problem they're going to have.

[Roy Cale]

Roy was hardly jogging, he just wanted those laps over and done with. He already knew he could run for however long he'd need to.. and he didn't need to warm up either..

[Taylor Blevins]

Taylor jogged along, easily keeping pace with Damian. "You wouldn't believe how much of a rush it is, man."

He ran with the group until Damian was satisfied, and seemed hardly strained for the exertion. Physical exhaustion just wasn't something Taylor felt in his shifted form. When his muscles tore from strain his body stitched them back together before they could get too sore. Nick, Damian, Case, and maybe Roy might need it though and, enjoying running with them, he didn't gripe.

[Thunder Cascade]

Casey jogged in silence. He felt the slight burn he always did after sitting through classes hour after hour, but twenty-five laps wasn't nearly as far as the jog home, and he doubted he would even be breathing hard by the end.

He idly considered how much actual running he'd be doing during the game, knowing most everyone on the opposite team would be moving at speeds he could never keep up with. On defense, they'd blow past him, on offense they'd get to him in no time. Still, it was exercise, and getting a warmup was never a bad idea.

Just the fact that everyone jogging at once gave him the beginnings of a sense of unity, even though thinking about it a little jog probably didn't mean much to any of them... maybe Nick.

He kept on until he'd counted out twenty-five laps, then dropped into some stretches, watching Damian to see what was next.

[Roy Cale]

Once he was finished his 25th lap, Roy slowed to a stop, heavy footfalls shaking the ground slightly. He thought about stretching a moment but quickly dismissed the idea, why bother? Instead he settled for sitting on the gym floor, waiting for Damian's next set of drills.

[Nick Schneider]

Nick had never been an all-star at sports. Never played them really because of his disability, especially before his powers manifested and even more so afterwards. Yet he did do a little bit of exercising in swimming. He learned to swim at a young age from his parents, before they died, and kept with it as much as he could, despite the horrid two years he spent with his uncle.

Because of that, Nick was able to do the 25 laps without dropping a lung or other essential organ behind him. Sweating a little, the youth looked to his teammates. Teammates...I have a team...with friends who are going to let me be on their team... This was something unprecedented for Nick, and he was ready to soak all of it up to the utmost. Right then, he didn't care about winning or losing. He was already on top of the world.

But that wouldn't be enough for the team. The team needed to win, and it was Nick's duty to do all he could to help take the team to victory. It might have been over zealousness caused by Nick's excitement of being accepted into a team sport, or it just might have been Nick's nature, but he wasn't going to stop trying to help Damian win this game until his lungs gave out.

Stretching earnestly, Nick's mind raced through various different plays, shooting styles, and trick plays. Coolly cataloging them and shifting through them like one would a real playbook.

The Fade-away Jumper. That'll be my shot. I won't miss. I can't miss. He thought, repeating the mantra in his head over and over again.

[Damian Singleton]

Damian finished up his laps, watching as the team finished up either before him or right along with him. He figured that 25 laps wouldn't be enough for most of them, hell, it was cake-walk for him. But, getting the team warmed up before the practice actually began was in his and their best interest.

He figured that some of them would of thought that actual running would of been meaningless considering that this was a game that allowed powers. So, why use the normal method when you can teleport, super-speed, or super-jump to the other end of the court.

"I know...regular running, why?" Damian asked as he looked at them. "I figure it this way. If you have stamina normally, then having stamina when you use the powers wouldn't bother you in the least bit. Not to mention, there is still a chance that powers could be turned off. IF, things get dangerous."

"I have an idea that we will run this team technically with and without powers. If you can do it normal, then it will be too damn easy to do it using your powers. Which then, will make the game just that....too damn easy."

Damian bounced the basketball between his legs then switched to dribbling it behind his back, continuing the motion as he brought it in front of him keeping it steady in a tight "V" as it bounced from left to right hand.

"I don't know how many of you actually played b-ball, but I want you all to be able to do this" He said as he bounce passed the ball to Nick, then he teleported it back to himself, "As well as this." he said as he tossed the ball behind his back teleporting it to Roy.

"Its all in the matter of fundamentals...we use our powers everyday for the most part...that will be easy to adjust, we just have to learn the basics. So, first things first...pass drills. Then from there we will go to lay-ups...then incorporate the two as one of you will bounce pass the ball to someone who will be down low," He said pointing to the low key almost under the goal, "Who will then lay the ball up. This is just the beginning."

[Roy Cale]

Gets caught off guard when the ball is ported to him, barely managing to grab it before it hit the floor, having been paying a little more attention to Damian than the ball.

[Damian Singleton]

Damian looked over to Roy as he stumbled with the ball, a smile coming over his face. "See, that's why WE will start with the basics first, learn how to catch the regular ball, and catching the super-powered one won't be that hard."

Damian teleported the ball back to his own hands, "I figure that is whats gonna give us the edge, because I bet they are just working on powers."

[Thunder Cascade]

Casey shrugged. "I'm not totally sure they're wrong, dude. I mean, as a mundane player, I might be alright, but if they're honing using their powers, I'd kinda rather make sure we've got ours up to snuff too... But alright. You're the captain. And you totally get to say you told me so when we win."

[Roy Cale]

"You guys can do that.. I have to work on my basics.. I might have played before.. but that's when I could actually feel the ball in my hand.." Eyes the ball in Damian's hands with suspicion. "I'm probably going to suck hardcore."

[Damian Singleton]

"Well we aren't going to just work on playing with powers off." Damian said in a coaching tone continuing to dribble the ball. " I just want to make sure that everyone is on the same page, that everyone knows how to play. Like Roy said, its been a while for him, and he wants to get used to it again. Same with Nick." he pointed to the books that lay on the ground near the bleachers.

"Don't worry, we WILL practice with powers. I'm not side steppin' that." Damian stopped dribbling the ball pounding it in between his hands. "So, passin' drill, anyone?"

[Thunder Cascade]

Casey nods, slightly reluctant. "Alright, dude, let's get this over with."

The two run through the passing exercises. To start, Casey is a little clumsy and obviously out of practice, but by the end he is managing the simple routines decently well.

He glances to the others, looking a bit sheepish, and motions for one of them to go next.

[Roy Cale]

Decides it'd be a good idea to see just how bad he'd be.. and goes next. He seems to have a good handle on the passing, as long as he's looking at the ball.. the moment he takes his eyes off it things go south quickly, even simple dribbling seems beyond him.