Remember the butterflies racing around your stomach when you were waiting for that squad to be announced?
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Remember how quickly they disappeared to leave an empty feeling when you checked the list and your name wasn't there?
That's the message Kelsey Griffin is using to make sure her the small group of teammates left in Canberra don't take the Capitals' WNBL playoff tilt for granted.
Griffin led a six-player Capitals outfit at practice on Tuesday with star trio Marianna Tolo, Olivia Epoupa and Kia Nurse overseas for Olympic Games qualifiers.
She was joined by starting guard Maddison Rocci, and bench quartet Keely Froling, Alex Delaney, Abby Cubillo and Shakera Reilly.
Gemma Potter and Lily Scanlon have been told to focus on their under 20s national championship duties with Victoria while Pyper Thornberry and Maddy Wheatley are back at school.
Assistant coach Kristen Veal has taken the reins with Capitals coach Paul Goriss linking up with the Opals in France.
MORE CANBERRA SPORT
It will be much the same story over the coming eight days before the reinforcements roll in ahead of a WNBL semi-final opener against the Melbourne Boomers at the AIS Arena on February 16.
But Griffin knows the Capitals needn't worry about the young group taking their foot off the accelerator, even if there are less eyeballs around to catch them.
"We had a little chat about not taking finals for granted. Even though we were able to accomplish our goal last year, you never know when you're going to be back," Griffin said.
"That's really set the standard for what we want to get out of this break - I hate calling it a break because it's not really a break - but this time with no games.
"They get it. You have to speak to something they can relate to. Maybe they can't necessarily relate to eight seasons playing WNBL.
We had a little chat about not taking finals for granted. That's really set the standard for what we want to get out of this.
- Capitals co-captain Kelsey Griffin
"But at times in their career, whether it was missing out on state teams or junior teams, or times when they might have thought they were going to make a team and didn't, that's relatable to missing out on finals.
"You just try to strip it back to something that is tangible to them, and they can understand it's the next level up it can happen at.
"I think they got the message. We do have a really coachable group which is why I really like our group."
There is perhaps no player better equipped to guide Canberra's young group at practice while a raft of wiser heads are plying their trade aboard.
Because ask any one of them how they will cope without Goriss and they will tell you they'll be fine, because "we've still got Kelsey here".
"It's something that throughout my professional career I had, and really lacked at other times," Griffin said.
"When I did have mentors, it made life a lot easier. That guidance really helped me. I also know what it felt like when I didn't have that, and how lonely it felt just looking for answers.
"Throughout my career, I've learnt that the hard way. It can be pretty lonely if you don't have it.
"I just want to try to give back and help the younger generation so they don't have to feel the way I did at points in my career."
WNBL SEMI-FINALS
Semi-final series two (all times in AEDT)
Sunday, February 16: Game one - Canberra Capitals v Melbourne Boomers at AIS Arena, 5pm.
Sunday, February 23: Game two - Melbourne Boomers v Canberra Capitals at State Basketball Centre, 6pm.
Game three date to be confirmed if necessary.