THE SANTA BARBARA BREAKERS BEGIN THEIR NINTH BASKETBALL SEASON AS THEY BEGIN PLAY IN THE WEST COAST PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE AT THE SHEPHERD HILLS ARENA IN PORTER RANCH. GAME ONE WILL BE MONDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 28, VERSUS THE HOLLYWOOD SHOOTING STARS.
THE FOLLOWING Q & A SESSION WAS CONDUCTED WITH PRESIDENT AND HEAD COACH CURT PICKERING OF THE BREAKERS:
Q. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES FOR THE BREAKERS OR THE LEAGUE THIS SEASON ?
A. YES, THERE ARE SEVERAL. WE ARE BEGINNING THE EIGHTH YEAR OF THE WCBL AND PLAYING OUR GAMES IN THE FALL AS OPPOSED TO THE SPRINGTIME SEASON. THE REASON IS THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OUTSTANDING PLAYERS WHO ARE STILL PURSUING PLAYING OPPORTUNITIES OVERSEAS AND IN THE NBDL BUT DO NOT HAVE A HIGH QUALITY SETTING OF GAMES TO PLAY IN WHILE THEY WAIT FOR THAT CALL AND SIGNING OF A CONTRACT. WE WILL, ONCE AGAIN, OFFER THAT SHOWCASE FOR THE PLAYERS, AGENTS, GM’S AND PLAYER PERSONNEL DIRECTOR’S.
FOR THE BREAKERS, WE ARE CONTINUING TO SIGN HIGH LEVEL PLAYERS BUT ARE PUTTING A GREATER EMPHASIS ON MENTORING AND A PERSONAL SUPPORT TO EACH MEMBER OF THE TEAM. WE STILL VALUE WINNING (191-90 WIN-LOSS FOR 8 YEARS) BUT WE SEE A GREATER NEED OF CONTINUING TO ASSIST IN CHARACTER/COUNSELING AS THEY TRANSITION FROM FULL-TIME PLAYING, INTO THEIR NEXT PROFESSIONAL FIELD OF OCCUPATION. I LIKE TO CALL IT THE “SYNDROME 29”. WHEN PLAYERS REACH THE AGE OF 29, THE COME TO A CROSSROADS. IT CAN BE PAINFUL SEARCHING FOR THAT NEXT PLAYING JOB EVERY 9-10 MONTHS. IT IS ALSO, NOT EASY GIVING UP THE GAME. SO, WE ARE THERE TO HELP THEM SEGUE INTO THEIR NEXT LINE OF OCCUPATION FULLTIME, OR CREATE A SEAMLESS SHORT TERM GOAL, PLAYING FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME, IF A JOB DOES NOT BECOME AVAILABLE IN THE NBDL OR OVERSEAS.
Q. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE BREAKERS DURING THE PAST 8 YEARS.
A. WINNING WISE, WE HAVE BROUGHT HOME THE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY 5 YEARS. WE HAVE SENT MORE THAN 160 PLAYERS OVERSEAS OR TO THE NBDL FOR PAYING OPPORTUNITIES. WE HAVE TRAVELED ON TOURS TO CHINA, HOLLAND AND MEXICO 15 TIMES. SEVERAL PLAYERS HAVE RECEIVED NBA TRYOUTS. WE HAVE CONDUCTED CLINICS FOR LOCAL YOUTH AND TO THE CITIES WE TRAVEL/PLAY IN, REACHING OUT TO OVER 16,000 KIDS, ESPECIALLY IN CHINA, WHERE MASSES OF 1-2,000 ARE UNDER OUR TEACHINGS AND AMBASSADORSHIP CLINICS. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE PLAYED IN FRONT OF 850,868 FANS DURING OUR 281 GAMES. SOME OF OUR CHINA TOUR GAMES HAVE ATTRACTED OVER 15,000 PER CONTEST.
Q. ANY NEW FACES ON THE BREAKER ROSTER FOR THIS SEASON ?
A. YES. WE ARE ADDING TOMMY MITCHELL, POINT GUARD WHO PLAYED IN RUSSIA LAST YEAR; LUTHER BURKS, JR. WHO PLAYED AT LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL AND EDGEWOOD COLLEGE IN WISCONSIN. ANTHONY STOVER, 6’10 FROM UCLA; AUSTIN OKOSUN, 6’10 FROM SETON HALL; DONALD JOHNSON FROM CS-BAKERSFIELD; 6’9 RYAN GOSLING FROM CARPINTERIA; 6’7 DARRELL ARNOLD FROM MISSISSIPPI; LOCAL RESIDENT DARNELL CAMPBELL, 6’7 AND 6’9 ISSAC JONES.
Q. ANY OLD FACES THAT WE WOULD RECOGNIZE ?
A. OF COURSE. WE WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER TIM TAYLOR AND “THE GLUE” ALLAN PURNELL. BOTH ARE RETURNING FOR THEIR 8TH SEASON. WE KNOW THAT THEY WILL BRING GREAT LEADERSHIP AND SKILL TO OUR TEAM EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE HEADING TOWARDS THAT “CROSSROADS OF SYNDROME 29”.
Q. WE HEAR SO MANY STORIES OF THE INSTABILITY OF MINOR LEAGUE BASKETBALL. WHAT CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT THAT.
A. IN TODAY’S ECONOMY AND THE SATURATION OF GREAT BASKETBALL ENTERTAINMENT IN THE USA, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CLAIM OR MAINTAIN STABILITY YEAR AFTER YEAR. THE BREAKERS ARE ONE OF THREE MINOR LEAGUE FRANCHISES STILL STANDING SINCE 2007, THEIR INAUGURAL SEASON. THERE HAVE BEEN 18 PROFESSIONAL MINOR LEAGUES THROUGHOUT THE USA. THE IBL, THE LEAGUE THE BREAKERS PLAYED IN, IN 2007, ARE NOW DEFUNCT. THEY CLOSED DOWN SUMMER OF 2014. SO, WITH OVER 240 MINOR LEAGUE TEAMS ACCOUNTED FOR IN 2014, 3 TEAMS REMAIN SINCE THE 2007 SEASON. I THINK THAT SAYS IT ALL FOR THE FRAGILITY THAT CAN DISMANTLE FRANCHISES ON THE MINOR LEAGUE CIRCUIT.
Q. FINAL QUESTION, HAS THE BREAKERS MISSION CHANGED DURING THESE EIGHT, GOING ON NINE SEASONS ?
A. NO, IT HASN’T. WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED WITH A COMMITMENT AND CONVICTION OF 4 FOUNDATIONAL PILLARS: 1) DEVELOP, ASSIST AND PROMOTE PLAYERS FOR PAYING JOB OPPORTUNITIES 2) PROVIDE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE FANS AND MEDIA 3) CONDUCT CLINICS FOR OUR YOUTH BOTH LOCAL AND ABROAD AND 4) ENHANCE AMBASSADORSHIP WITH ALL TEAMS AND PLAYERS OUTSIDE THE USA BORDERS; REPRESENTING THE USA, THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA, THE GREAT STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE BREAKERS ORGANIZATION, AS A WHOLE.
