HighSchoolElite.com's Player Journals- Brown 5

Frank's notes:
Practice began on Monday for Proviso East and that made Dee happy, as that meant he could finally get into the gym to shoot. At Proviso East the team is rarely allowed in the gym to just shoot around when it is out of basketball season. Taking his official visit to the University of Illinois campus, Dee and his mother, Kathy, enjoyed their stay. As Dee claims he gained 15-pounds, his mother said that she never saw him eat so good, downing everything from shrimp to pizza. Don't worry though Pirate fans, he insists he is back down to a lean 160-pounds, as he ran the extra baggage off during practice. As for football, the Pirates didn't make it to the playoffs, as they lost their playoff deciding game against Hinsdale South 14-8, ending their season. Until next time, Dee and the Pirates will be preparing for their season opener when they host their own Thanksgiving Tournament during the holiday.

Daniel "Dee" Brown back for another week of share time. Things have been great. School is going well and my grades came out to be good, as well. I'm getting ready for basketball season by working out with my team. But the bad thing about that is we only lift weights, there's no basketball being played (until practices officially started). We cant get into our own gym like other schools so we don't run up and down the court that much. There's no gyms I can go to, to play and work on my game. The gyms around my house you have to pay, or have a membership, or you have to stay in the residence. I don't know, it's so rules they make up. I get very upset when I call one of my friends and they say, "I can shoot and play ball anytime I want because I can get into one of the gyms at my school."

Well, when it comes to me, the only way I can shoot and hoop is outside, and man its to cold for that. If I need to do some extra shooting where could I go? Its just something I have to think about--I'm only one of the top 50 players in the nation. Practice doesn't make perfect because no one's perfect. Practice makes permanent.

But to the good stuff. I took my official visit to Illinois this past week. It was great. I got a chance to hang out with the fellows: Frank [Williams, 6'2" G], Cory [Bradford, 6'3" 2G], Jerrance [Howard 6'1" PG], Sean [Harrington, 6'3" 2G], all of them are good guys. Me and my Mom took a tour around campus and we loved it. We went to meetings with academic advisors, weight trainers etc. Our hotel rooms were great. You know they had cable, massive beds, and spas, which are things I don't got at home? I gained about 15 pounds because I went down there 165-pounds and came back and I was 180.

I watched the blue-orange game, which had great attendance: 10,000 fans. It shows firsthand how they practice and how intense the play of college basketball is. I learned a few things about being a college student-athlete and how I have to be responsible. I will continue to work hard and stay focused because I used to say I can't wait until I get to college, but now I say college can wait, I have a senior year to complete and it will be a good one.

Just remember I said this, for the people who talk about me saying, 'Well, he is OK or he's not a good player. He's this and that.' Not to many people can walk in my shoes. Being an athlete requires more than just stepping out on the court and picking up a basketball saying you are good. It's lifting, conditioning and practice, which requires time, effort, commitment, and dedication to the game of basketball. The list goes on about people criticizing your game and you can't have friends (most are not real), people hating you and you have to be mentally prepared, so just think about how hard it is to keep your mind focused on school and in sports, and it gets worse in college because you travel and there are more teachers who don't take attendance. Time management is the key because once the season starts, in a lot of athletes' minds, school comes second but in my mind I'm a true student-athlete. I put school first and sports second, but its a lot of hard work involved, remember that.

I want to thank the V.I.R. girls at U of I (for showing us around), what's up to my people, LC, DRE, Chris, AT and of course my moms, Cathy B. Brown. Watch out for the Proviso East crew this season.

Holla...Dee Brown#11