Shoni Schimmel wanted a break after a whirlwind rookie season last year.
Less than a month after Schimmel’s college career ended, she reported to the Atlanta Dream training camp. As an All-Star she didn’t get a midseason break. By season’s end, Schimmel missed her family.
So she didn’t play overseas during her nine-month offseason. Instead, Schimmel helped her mother coach high school basketball, watched her sister’s senior season at Louisville and worked out.
But Schimmel, the Dream’s starting point guard, showed up to training camp in May out of shape. And heading into the Dream’s third game, Thursday night against San Antonio at Philips Arena, Schimmel is still working on her conditioning. Schimmel’s poor conditioning affects her play, but her basketball IQ helps her overcome some of those deficiencies, coach Michael Cooper said.
Both Schimmel and Cooper view the experience as a learning lesson.
“The bottom line is she understands the magnitude of being a professional basketball player, a professional athlete now,” Cooper said. “It’s about keeping your body in tip-top shape all year around to where when you come to training camp, training camp shouldn’t be a time for you to get in shape, training camp is a time to take the shape you’re in and take it to another level with your teammates.”
Many young players struggle with offseason conditioning when they transition from a structured college environment to a more independent professional career, said Jackie Ansley, the Dream’s strength-and-conditioning coach. And Ansley understands why Schimmel took a break this past offseason.
“She was exhausted,” Ansley said. “That was a full year of basketball where she didn’t have a break.”
Schimmel plans to play overseas this year, and Cooper believes that will help Schimmel stay in shape. And an in-shape Schimmel is key to the Dream’s fast-paced offense.
“She has to push tempo for us,” Cooper said Sunday after a 75-70 loss to the Connecticut Sun. “We want to be a running team, and Shoni’s good as far as kicking the ball up the floor.”
But this season Schimmel has played fewer minutes than the four other Dream starters and has more turnovers than assists. The second-year player isn’t concerned with her conditioning, though.
“I’m not too worried about it, and I don’t think Coop is either,” said Schimmel, who’s tied for second on the team in rebounds. “We have an understanding there.”
In about three weeks, Schimmel will be in top shape, Cooper said. Until then, Schimmel said she won’t make excuses for why she can’t do something.
While Cooper wasn’t satisfied with Schimmel’s conditioning after Sunday’s loss, Tuesday, while Schimmel worked on her jump shot after practice, Cooper acknowledged her improvement.
“She’s going to be OK,” Cooper said. “It’s going to be a slow process for her to work herself back in to better shape. I think she’s gotten better at this point.”
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