Forward Alysha Clark is one of eight players the Storm has signed to contracts for training camp to try to make the team. She’s blogging about the experience for StormBasketball.com. You can follow Clark between blogs on Twitter @Alysha_Clark and stay tuned for future installments!

May 8

Hey hey, everyone!

So I’ve waited a few days to write because I wanted to have something more to share with y’all! The first week of training camp has come and gone so fast! The main theme Coach has been emphasizing these past few days is defense. He’s so passionate about us playing defense and being a great defensive team!

Over the weekend we got a day off so I got a chance to see Seattle a little bit. My aunt and cousin told me to make sure I ate at Ivar’s, so I went there for lunch before I went to the aquarium. The aquarium was pretty cool, I just wished there were some sharks! I also got a chance to visit the antique mall right across the street and there was a lot of really cool old stuff in there!! For dinner I went to the Space Needle and that was by far one of the coolest experiences! The view was gorgeous and the food was delicious!!

Today we scrimmaged the Chinese National team. It was good to scrimmage against another team and have to guard some players and plays we weren’t used to. But we all got better today!! Tomorrow we have Media Day and then a scrimmage against the Canadian national team, so it will definitely be a long, but fun day:-)

Oh I almost forgot! I went to the EMP museum too! I learned a lot about some artists that I’ve never listened to and got a chance be an Avatar! :-) it was a lot of fun!

Until next time,
Alysha

Forward Alysha Clark is one of eight players the Storm has signed to contracts for training camp to try to make the team. She’s blogging about the experience for StormBasketball.com. You can follow Clark between blogs on Twitter @Alysha_Clark and stay tuned for future installments!

May 1

Day 3 is complete!! These last two days have been about conditioning, whether defensively or offensively. Yesterday Coach really broke down his defensive philosophies and had us get a lot of reps in to start building our defensive conditioning. There was one point during the 3-on-3 where Vick, Strick and I were in there until we got a stop. We were all a little winded and had to gut it up and get a stop because we weren’t coming out. At that moment, I was so grateful for my high school coach, Chris Fryer, and college coach, Rick Insell, because I was put through many of those situations haha so I knew how to dig deep and keep fighting to get it done!!

Today was about defense as well, but it was just as much about offensive conditioning as well. Seeing who could think and execute through fatigue. Coach even takes us back in time by having us play 6-on-6. It’s the first time I’ve ever played that way and I have to say it’s kind of cool!! Only having one aspect of the game to focus on makes things a little bit easier!! :-) Tomorrow is our first off day, from practice that is. We are still going in to do some shooting and reviewing from the first few days of camp.

I decided to go spend the night with my aunt and uncle just to get out of the hotel setting and enjoy a home cooked meal :-) It’s nice to have a little getaway to keep from over thinking about everything going on :-)

Until next time,
Alysha

Clark gets instruction from Coach Agler (Neil Enns/Storm Photos)

Forward Alysha Clark is one of eight players the Storm has signed to contracts for training camp to try to make the team. She’s blogging about the experience for StormBasketball.com. You can follow Clark between blogs on Twitter @Alysha_Clark and stay tuned for future installments!

April 29

Hey hey, everyone! So today was the first day of training camp. A lot of emotions going in. Even though this is my third time, I still get a little nervous! It went as expected today, a lot of nerves, energy, mistakes and hard work. The coaches introduced a few of the basic offensive calls as well as their basic defensive principles. I love that the majority of the drills they do here in Seattle are competitive! I think it helps build toughness and a winning attitude.

The vets here – Camille, Tina and Katie – are awesome! I know it’s the first day, but they were so positive and encouraging. They were offering advice anytime they could. They’re some of the best in the league, so anytime one of them was talking I made sure to get close enough to hear. It’s such a blessing to be able to work alongside them, for real.

After practice I stayed and shot with Rachel and then went straight to the ice bath! One thing I’ve learned how to do in my career is take care of my body! The ice bath is my boyfriend haha!

For the rest of the night I’m just going to rest up, stretch and go over what we learned today so I can be ready for tomorrow!! I’m just trying to work at being the best in the world at being me!

Until next time,
Alysha

Forward Alysha Clark is one of eight players the Storm has signed to contracts for training camp to try to make the team. She’s blogging about the experience for StormBasketball.com. You can follow Clark between blogs on Twitter @Alysha_Clark and stay tuned for future installments!

April 27

Today was a pretty short day. More of the girls got in last night so at workouts this morning we had six people. We worked a lot on the different options out of pick-and-roll situations and got a lot of shooting in. Jenny and Nancy have so much knowledge about the game and about life … it’s truly an honor to be able to learn from them.

After the workout we had a luncheon with the front office staff. It was great to get a chance to meet all the people that work so hard to make what we do possible. Everyone in this organization from the top to the bottom is so supportive and really makes you feel a part of the Storm family! I love the energy here!

On the way out from the luncheon Camille was hating on the beautiful rental car I was given!! Haha she said it wasn’t cute at all and that Rachel should lean back as far as possible to avoid being seen!

For the rest of the afternoon I just rested in bed, watched TV, did my nails, and oh yeah, let the front desk know they charged over $2,000 on my debit card!! Lol I was like, “Um, sir, there’s a mistake!” But they were great, they took care of it right away!

For the evening I’m heading to go spend some time with my family again :-) My grandma is making me some of her amazing smothered pork chops!!! There’s nothing like grandma’s cooking! I love having them so close!!

Until next time,
Alysha

Forward Alysha Clark is one of eight players the Storm has signed to contracts for training camp to try to make the team. She’s blogging about the experience for StormBasketball.com. You can follow Clark between blogs on Twitter @Alysha_Clark and stay tuned for future installments!

April 26

This morning I woke up a little sore from my workout! All that repetition on my left quad has me walking like a pimp haha! But I didn’t have time to worry about my soreness because I had another workout at 9. In this workout Rachel Allison and my roommate Lindsay Taylor joined us too. We did a lot of spot shooting and worked on some pick-and-roll shooting as well. Once the other two girls left for their physicals, I stayed with coach Jenny and worked on some rhythm dribbles and my pull-up jumper. At the end of our workout she was talking to me about keeping your identity and making sure to just be free when you play because how you are on the court translates to your everyday life. It really means a lot to me that she can take the time out from training and give me advice not only for basketball, but for life too.

After the workout we had to go get our physicals. I seriously have a slight panic attack when it comes to needles haha … I really dislike getting my blood drawn! But I manned up, covered my eyes and got it done! The rest of the afternoon Lindsay and I flipped back and forth between First 48 and Real Housewives of Atlanta! Haha we’re very diverse in our entertainment. Then for dinner we went downtown to The Crab Pot! I have been craving crab legs since before I got home from Israel! They were SO delicious! I definitely will be back :-)

Until next time,
Alysha

Forward Alysha Clark is one of eight players the Storm has signed to contracts for training camp to try to make the team. Clark spent the last two years in training camp with the San Antonio Silver Stars, who drafted her in the second round of the 2010 WNBA Draft. Last year, she blogged about her experience for SwishAppeal.com, and this time around she’s bringing her blog from camp to right here on StormBasketball.com. You can follow Clark between blogs on Twitter @Alysha_Clark and stay tuned for future installments!

Hey hey, everyone! So it’s 7 a.m. and I’m sitting in this hotel bed wide awake! My goal was to wake up at 10 to eat breakfast and get ready for my workout with Coach Jenny. Since I’m up, I’ll write this blog to start my day :-)

I am so excited about my opportunity here in Seattle!! The city, the team, the fans, just the whole organization is the best. Everyone I’ve talked to has had nothing but great things to say about the Storm. I’ve been working so hard to make this transition from the 4 (power forward) to the 3 (small forward) and I’m ready to just come in to camp and show that. I think the past two years, I’ve been so scared to make a mistake or to “do too much” that I never gave myself an opportunity to just play. This year I’m coming in with a new mindset!

I got a nice workout in today with Coach Jenny and Camille. Working with a player of Camille’s caliber is such a blessing. To be able to learn from her is going to be great! Coach Jenny is really focusing on helping me develop a rhythm on my shot and letting my body work for me. I feel a lot more confident this year with my shot and just hope to continue improving it!!

I am loving Seattle already! I can’t wait to see what the city has to offer :-) Now it’s time to go spend the rest of my day with my family that lives here! It’s so great to have people you know in a place you’ve never been:-)

Until next time,
Alysha