CROWN POINT | Six months ago, Mike Cronkhite circled Oct. 26 on his 2009 calendar.

Then two weeks ago, he started the official countdown.

"It was starting to drive my wife crazy," Cronkhite said. "Then about three days ago, I switched to hours, like 72 hours left until the first day of basketball."

Cronkhite's first practice as the third Crown Point girls basketball coach in four years started with a few running drills, then the Bulldogs picked up the basketballs. The roster will be whittled down tonight and the varsity team will have its first full practice on Wednesday.

Since he was hired on April 20, Cronkhite and his new staff have worked all summer to prepare the Bulldogs for Monday, then now will work for the rest of the season. As part of the new era at Crown Point, the varsity and junior varsity teams will practice together, on the same floor at the same time.

"He's all about all the teams being together," junior Kelly Gross said. "It's not separated and we're all one team. (Cronkhite) talks about that a lot."

With the loss of five seniors and no returners older than the Class of 2011, the Bulldogs have heard that word around the halls is that they're in for a bumpy year.

"People aren't really expecting anything from us at all," junior Madeline Moore said. "That's kind of good, I guess, because we're going to surprise some people."

Cronkhite said he has been stopped around town and reminded of the high expectations in Crown Point. The Bulldogs won state championships in 1984 and '85, but their last sectional title came in 2001.

"My wife and I were in Merrillville just a few days ago, I had on a red sweatshirt, not a Crown Point sweatshirt, just a red sweatshirt and a guy asks, 'You're the new coach at Crown Point?'," Cronkhite said. "He just said, 'I'm a big fan of the program and I come to a lot of games, and I just can't wait to see what you and your staff do.' That was kind of cool."

"I think there's lots to live up to because the five seniors last year were such good leaders," Gross said. "So that's a huge transition for us to live up to, but it's not like we're nervous because we've all be together for so long."

Last season, with Scott Reid in his second year as the 'Dogs head coach, Crown Point opened with a 9-0 record before losing seven of their next eight games.

Cronkhite, whose record is 82-33 in five seasons of coaching at both South Newton and Kouts before his move to Lake County, said this year is similar to starting in his first years at both previous schools, with the excitement that comes with taking over a new program.

"My wife asked what I'll count down to now," Cronkhite said, "November 13 at Hebron. That's our first game."

GIRLS BASKETBALL | FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE