Cheshire Jets: John Lavery says mid-term report shows room for improvement

Dec 15 2011 by Alec Doyle, Chester Chronicle

SO it’s the end of term which means it’s report time – and the comment on the bottom of the Jets’ report reads ‘should do better’.

We have beaten Durham Wildcats, Guildford Heat and Glasgow Rocks in the league, but also lost very narrowly to Durham, Mersey Tigers and Newcastle Eagles, lost by more than we should have done to Milton Keynes Lions and were decidedly second best to a very impressive Leicester Riders outfit.

It would be easy to put the narrow losses down to the short rotation and a number of unfortunate injuries. But if the truth be known, we had the opportunity to close out at least three of the games that we lost but for whatever reasons we failed to do so.

The overseas players have now returned to homes, families and friends for a well-earned break and a chance for their tired bodies to recuperate.

The rearrangement of our game against Sheffield Sharks for early January for Sky TV has worked in our favour because the original fixture on December 23 meant that Adam Brown, Matt Schneck and Bill Cole would not have been able to return to the USA, nor Colin O’Reilly to Ireland, until Christmas Eve, and they would have had to be back before the New Year to prepare for the next round of games!

This way, at least, they get quality time at home and for Matt in particular, an opportunity to recover fully from injury.

Talking of Sky TV, I was given the opportunity to be part of the commentary team a couple of weeks ago and a very interesting experience it was.

I can’t remember a time in the recent past when I attended a game without concentrating on my team.

I could get an overview of the game, the tactics that the opposing coaches were using, how the teams were executing, as well as being allowed to talk at length about basketball and scout two of our league rivals!

Well, that’s it from me for 2011. On behalf of the Jets organisation I’d like to thank all the fans for their continued support and wish you all the best for the festive season.

Here’s hoping for a more successful 2012, free from injuries and with the close games finishing in our favour.

Next time I have to write an end of term report, hopefully we will be ‘top of the class’.