CALL OUT THE OBVIOUS ANYWAY

Many things can (and usually do) go wrong on the defensive end, and some of those things can lead to easy baskets for our opponents.

One of the things I see most often is the lack of communication between defensive players. For instance, have you ever watched a screen being set where both defenders instinctively switch? It happens, but more often than not, one defender will switch without calling "switch" and the defensive breakdown occurs.

Although the defender that switched thought it was obvious that the switch needed to occur, no one else thought it.

Just as an athlete uses their feet and hands as weapons on the court... so must they use their voice. Talk to one another to keep the defensive effort alive. Call out the obvious anyway!

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FRIDAY QUOTES

"The Kobe's, LeBron's, and KD's understand this: “Every workout, every practice, and every game is a chance to improve. Take advantage.”
- Alan Stein

"Halfway on anything is just a revolving door of confusion. Invest the time to get better."
- Mark Fritz

"Championship teams police themselves; their is a strong sense of personal accountability; accountability accounts for much of the success!"
- Brian Welch

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment."
- Jim Rohn

"Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results."
– Willie Nelson

"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

DEVELOP LEADERS, NOT JUST PLAYERS

“When you’re trying to get an athlete to lead a team to a championship, you aren’t talking about spin dribbles and slam dunks.  You talk about how to get talented players to use their talent fully; how to get big egos to tone down; how to get lazy players to hustle; how to get selfish people to sacrifice for the good of the group; how to get careless people to pay attention to detail; how to get angry people to calm down; how to get distracted people to stay focused; how to get substitutes to feel important; how to turn disappointment into motivation; and how to learn from mistakes, capitalize on weaknesses, and maximize strengths.”

(from Runnin’ the Show by Dick Devenzio)

MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR

Why do so many defenses force you to the sideline/baseline? Ever notice that whenever you have the ball on the wing, good teams force you baseline?

Smart players know that the middle of the floor causes chaos for all defenses. By driving baseline, you make it easy for the defense to rotate normally on helpside.

Your ability to drive the ball to the middle will bring many easy scoring opportunities to your team. The defensive players will have no clue what their helpside assignments are which will lead to easy baskets and lots of free throws.

Next time the ball is reversed to you on the wing, be aggressive and think middle. Good defenses will try and take this away from you, good offensive players will recognize when an opportunity exists.

(Thanks iAthletes)

IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR

Love some of the new commercials out to start the season...

NEW LEBRON COMMERCIAL

Just saw the latest Nike/LeBron commercial and although I personally think he should have stayed in Cleveland... I can't help but love this reaction to the pub he's been getting from the "Decision."

DEVELOPING A TEAMS MENTAL PROCESS

"I don't want my players' mental energy during practice used on thinking about sprints. I want that energy used on things I think are most important." - Dick DeVenzio


Came across a great read on a unique approach to developing a team's mental process... LINK

(Thanks Rick Allison)

THE RECIPE FOR SUCCESS?

Greats became Great by emulating the Greats that came before them.

THE LATEST CRAZE?

PERFORMANCE-enhancing drugs now have some fierce competition.
PEDs, meet PESes - performance-enhancing shoes, which are said to increase vertical leap.


Concept 1 shoes, a $300 pair of basketball sneakers that house a spring-based system, have been banned by commissioner David Stern and the NBA, despite what creators Adam and Ryan Golston, owners of Athletic Propulsion Labs, describe as high demand.


The twins - both walk-ons at Southern California - said roughly 30 percent of the NBA rookie class and other NBA players have expressed interest, but declined to give names, saying many already have lucrative shoe deals.


"Under league rules, players may not wear any shoe during a game that creates an undue competitive advantage," the NBA said yesterday.


It's mind-boggling why a professional basketball player standing 6 feet or taller needs a shoe with springs to dunk on a 10-foot rim.

(Thanks Philadelphia Daily News)

UNDERSTAND YOUR GAME

Although it is important to recognize your capabilities; it is often more important to recognize your limitations...

WHEN THEY ASK WHY?

You know what sucks more than training hard?


Losing.

CREATING A TEAM IDENTITY

“To hunt, to stalk, to intimidate, to have a killer instinct, to create a nightmare... for this is the way of the Crimson Tide.”  ~ Nick Saban

If you want your team to play a certain way or to even think a certain way... the coach is where it all starts.  Don't just assume your players think the same way you do.  If you want them to have it... then you have to create it yourself and then preach it 24/7.

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RETHINKING SCREENS

If you screen in your offense (man-to-man or zone) it is far more important to teach "how to use" a screen than it is to teach "how to set" a screen.  


A player who knows how to use a screen can use a bad screen.  But a great screen is useless if the player coming off the screen doesn’t know how to use it.

(Thanks Joe Haefner & Jerry Nicholson)

HOW DO YOU SPOT A GREAT TEAMMATE?

Came across an article where North Carolina Coach Roy Williams was telling a story about current Atlanta Hawk and last season's ACC Freshman of the Year Marvin Williams:

Marvin fouled out near the end of a close AAU game. His coach called a time out to talk with the rest of the players. Marvin ran to the end of the bench and filled cups of water for each of his teammates who were still in the game as a way to contribute even though he was on the bench with five fouls. "I don't want the kids who are too cool. I want guys who are focused on how they can help the team. I absolutely love it when the best player on the team is also the best leader."

Championship caliber players (and teams) understand the concept of "we before me."

(Thanks Coach DeForest)

DAY 1 - INSTILL FOCUS & DISCIPLINE WHEN YOU SPEAK

One of the many challenges coaches face each season, is implementing a sense of focus and discipline among the team, especially with a handful of new players on the roster.  I came across a great reminder from Jeff Haefner at Breakthrough Basketball this morning on the importance of this concept:

Set a precedent on the first day of practice. Establishing your expectations from the very beginning is the best way to not only establish your role within the team but to also let your players know what kind of coach you're going to be.

For example: As your first practice starts and players are milling about blow your whistle and call them to the center of the gym. If they don't sprint to you, they get to run right then and there. After they've run, blow the whistle again. This time all your players will enthusiastically sprint to you. And more importantly, you'll have their full attention for the rest of the year.

(Thanks Jeff Haefner & Coach DeForest)

3 RULES FOR GOOD TRANSITION DEFENSE

1.  A fast break usually starts with a defensive rebound... jam the rebounder and prevent that easy outlet pass to start the break.

2.  The FIRST THREE STEPS are the most important in transition defense. Those first three steps should be an all-out sprint to get back on defense. You must beat the ball and your man to prevent an easy score.

3.  Just as important as sprinting; is communicating in transition. Use your voice to point out the obvious. Just because you see the ball going toward the open lane doesn't mean your teammates do. Call it out and be specific.

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SOME GET IT... SOME DON'T

The role of a coach is far more than just teaching X’s & O’s to athletes or attempting to win games.  We’re here to teach life lessons through sports to young and hopefully impressionable minds.  We’re here to strengthen their character, to empower them with confidence and leadership, and to point them in the right direction for the “game of life.”  Some get it… and some don’t.

Last night I sat and listened to a couple of our veteran players share what our program has meant to them with a couple of younger players.  I heard a veteran player say “my time here in this program has been a life changing experience. It has completely shaped my life and who I am.”  Hearing that was worth more to me than any paycheck I’ve ever received.

With Tryouts beginning across the country this week , I thought it would be a good time to remind coaches that it’s not always about winning.

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A LITTLE MONDAY TRIVIA

Came across the latest Jordan release this morning and couldn’t help but smile.  Jordan is cashing in on history now.  It wasn’t enough to release the retro AJ1… now the folks at J are releasing the Air Jordan 1 “Banned.”

For the few of you that don’t know, here’s a little piece of history trivia for you…

In 1985, NBA commissioner David Stern attempted to ban Michael Jordan’s first signature shoe, the Air Jordan 1 because the vibrant black and red color violated the league's uniform rules.  Stern fined MJ $5000 per game that he wore the colored shoes, a tab Nike gladly paid in return for the abundance of attention surrounding the signature startup.  Needless to say, the fine didn’t work very well.

(Thanks Nice Kicks)

BEHIND THE SCENES

Sometimes looking outside the basketball boundaries can provide great teaching tips. 


 On Wednesday Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay pitched the 2nd no-hitter in MLB post season history. The last time that happened was 56 years ago.
Up until this year, Roy played his whole career for the Toronto Blue Jays and never got to the playoffs...


I heard a few of his ex-teammates talking on the radio, they mentioned how Roy arrived 3 hours earlier than everyone else every single day to get his extra work in...success has no secrets, success is hard and it takes time.

2 great lessons here:

1) If you show up early for practice, you have time to work on your individual game, throughout the regular season this is hard to do.  Show up 45 min before you have to be there and get 100 extra shots up.

2) Even though Roy lost for many years in Toronto, he never stopped challenging his body and aspiring to strengthen his game, sometimes success takes patience...it makes throwing a no-hitter in a playoff game that much sweeter when you know how far you have come...

(Thanks Danny @ iAthletes)

EMBRACE THE CHALLENGE - THE ULTIMATE POINT GUARD GOAL

Get the best shot possible - PERIOD!

First, don't worry about being fancy.  You don’t need to dribble between your legs and around your back.  Just get the ball up the court and only use the between the legs or behind the back stuff if you have to.  If you are being pressured, then remember to use the court that you have. Don't just go in a straight line and at the same speed.  Be unpredictable to the defense.  Do the little things that unbalance your defender and don't shy away from the challenge.  

Second, identify and KNOW the strengths and weaknesses of your teammates.  Who are your best players or better yet, always ask yourself - which player has the best match up right now and how can I get them the ball?

A true point guard loves to get their teammates the ball in good position so they can score.  They love being in control and making sure each player feels involved and that they’re going to do everything in their power to help their team win.

Without someone on the floor accepting and embracing that responsibility (for running the offense), the team is at a distict disadvantage to an organized defense.  Embrace the nervousness.  Embrace the responsibility.  Embrace the challenge.

4:13

PLAYERS... THIS IS THE STUFF YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO

Came across some tasty nuggets from Hoop Boost this morning about NBA legend Jerry West.

Jerry West is friends with the father of a basketball player at Gonzaga High School in Washington, DC. A couple of weeks ago he stopped in to address the team after a pre-season workout. He spoke from the heart and gave sound advice:

· "If you want to be a great player, you have to learn how to compete. Competing is as important as any technical skill… shooting, ball handling, or passing. Great players compete every workout, every practice and every game."

· "Basketball can help you develop friendships you will have for the rest of your life. Don’t take it for granted."

· "Younger players should find an older, more experienced player on the team to look up to and to emulate (for Jerry West, it was Elgin Baylor). Watch how they conduct themselves during practice and how they prepare for games…study their work habits. You can learn a lot by watching those ahead of you. And if you are an older player, it is your job to be a role model for the younger members of your team. Take that responsibility seriously."

· "Use basketball, don’t let it use you. Basketball can take you to some special places and can provide you with an education."

· "While everyone loves to win, you learn more about yourself and your teammates when you lose. Life is easy when you are winning. A person’s true colors come through during times of adversity."

· "Take advantage of every opportunity you have to get better. Every practice is important."

(Thanks Coach Starkey)

GREAT TEAMS UNDERSTAND IT

“A true teammate knows it’s not about being better than one another, but making one another better.”

- Alan Stein


"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more & become more, you are a leader."

- John Quincy Adams

DON'T JUST BLINDLY GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS

We recently began preseason practices and I’m having to ‘educate’ some of our younger players on the importance of not just "blindly going through the motions" of a half-court play; but instead teaching them to keep an eye open for the many impromptu opportunities within the play that the defense may give them.

Don’t get so caught up in running through the play from Point A to Point B because that is what the coach wants. Instead, adapt to what the defense gives you and then punish them for it! Don't forget to play basketball!!!

4:13

7 BASKETBALL RULES MYTHS

The truth is, some of the most common truths about the rules of basketball actually aren't true at all.

Need proof?  No problem.  Here are seven myths about basketball rules, and the actual truth behind all of them.  They'll make you think twice about what you thought you knew.

1. A defensive player must be stationary to take a charge. Reality: Once a defensive player has obtained a legal guarding position, the defensive player may always move to maintain that guarding position and may even have one or both feet off the floor when contact occurs with the offensive player.  Legal guarding position occurs when the defensive player has both feet on the floor and is facing the opponent.  This applies to a defensive player who is defending the dribble.

2. A dribble that bounces above the dribbler's head is an illegal dribble violation.  Reality: There is no restriction as to how high a player may bounce the ball, provided the ball does not come to rest in the player's hand.

3. "Reaching in" is a foul.  Reality: Reaching in is not a foul.  The term is nowhere to be found in any rulebook.  Why?  There must be contact to have a foul.  The mere act of "reaching in," by itself, is nothing.  If contact does occur, it is either a holding foul or a pushing foul.

4.   "Over the back" is a foul. Reality: Similar to the reaching in myth, there must be contact to have a foul.  Coaches holler for over the back fouls when their shorter player has seemingly better inside rebounding position and the ball is snared by a taller opponent from behind.  Penalize illegal contact; don't penalize a player for being tall.

5. If it looks funny, it must be traveling.  Reality: The traveling rule is one of the most misunderstood in basketball.  One of the basic tenets is that a player cannot travel unless that player is holding a live ball.  A bobble or fumble is not "control" of the ball, therefore, it cannot be a traveling violation.  If you immediately identify the pivot foot when a player receives the ball, you're well on your way to judging traveling correctly.

6. After a player has ended a dribble and fumbled the ball, that player may not recover it without violating. Reality: A dribble ends when the dribbler catches the ball with one or both hands or simultaneously touches the ball with both hands.  A fumble is the accidental loss of player control when the ball unintentionally drops or slips from a player's grasp.  It is always legal to recover a fumble.  The rules do not penalize clumsiness.

7. Referees should not make calls that decide the outcome of a game. Reality: Officials do not make calls that decide the outcomes of games.  Players commit fouls and violations; officials view those infractions, judge the action and then apply the rules of the game to what they have viewed.  The rules then determine the penalty.  The officials do not decide the outcome of the game; the players do.  If the rule results in the imposition of a penalty that determines the outcome of the game, such is life.  Ask yourself this: If you would have called it in the second quarter, why not call it at the end of the game?  You are a credit to the game when you are consistent from the opening tip to the final buzzer.

(Thanks iHoops)

ARE YOU CREATING DISTRACTIONS?

Finally watched the movie "More Than a Game" last night and in addition to being a great movie; I think it really hammered home the critical importance of team chemistry in the overall success of a program.

Just as important though, is understanding what will erode and destroy great team chemistry... distractions.

Distractions are those seemingly minor personal issues that interfere with a teams ability to maintain it's focus on the goal at hand.  Most teams have to deal with a variety of distractions every season.  Some distractions are outside of a teams control... while others are controllable... stuff like a selfish player putting their personal desires over those of the team.  Or maybe a player that is unhappy and is constantly bringing a negative "vibe" into the team chemistry.  Another common form of distraction is when one teammate shows one or more of their teammates a lack of respect.  As minor as these may seem on the surface, they can be devastating to team chemistry and can easily turn an overachieving team into a very average team.

Want to avoid totally wrecking your teams chances for a successful season?  Then don't allow your own personal desires to overshadow those of the team.

4:13

YOU DECIDE... NOT THE OFFENSE

The first rule of defense should be dictation. Defense should dictate to the offense and not let the offense control the game. Basketball is a "read and react" game. In most cases, the offense makes a move and the defense reacts and tries to stop it. A good defensive team forces the offense to react to them.

When the offense brings the ball up the floor, does your team stand back and let them decide where they are going to start? Or do they force the ball to a particular area or to a particular player? When faced with a ball screen, do you force the ball to or away from the screen? When playing cutters, do you allow them to come through or do you try to force them to take a different route?

Forcing the offense to play your style and in the areas where you are strongest is the first step in becoming a better defensive team.

(Thanks Jeff Haefner at iHoops)

HOW IMPORTANT IS CREATING A "CULTURE OF SUCCESS?"

Success breeds success... but to maintain that success, it takes a concentrated effort from every last player, manager and coach to buy into it and keep it alive.  They must demand it from one another... and then hold each other accountable.


If you don’t think creating a winning culture is really that important, check this out: Only 8 NBA teams have won a Championship since 1980.  That's right... just 8 teams in 30 seasons.

Maintaining a culture of success year after year is something few teams ever understand or accomplish... the only way it happens is if the team stresses it to each other in everything they do.


4:13

(Thanks Alan Stein)

FRIDAY'S QUOTES

“You only feel pressure when you are not prepared.”
- Alan Stein

"A complementary team is one where strengths are made productive and weaknesses made irrelevant."
- Stephen R Covey

"Attitude will precede skill development- a player must have a learning attitude."
- Don Meyer

“If you want to be uncommon, you have to do what everyone could do or should do, but very few are willing to do.”
- Tony Dungy

"A person is not defeated by their opponents but by themselves."
- Jan Christiaan Smuts

"You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them."
- Michael Jordan

“Don‘t look back unless you plan to go that way.”
- Earl Nightingale