THE ESSENCE OF THE GAME IS DECEPTION

At my PEC camps, I always repeat a quote I heard from Dena Evans... "the essence of the game is deception." During our lecture sessions, we cover various ways to be "clever" on the court and LEGALLY take advantage of certain situations... but this isn't one of them. 

With 8.3 seconds left, down by 2 points and out of timeouts, Jason Kidd uses his cleverness to get his team a much needed timeout... and a $50K fine as well.

JASON KIDD "SPILL" VIDEO

NOTHING LASTS FOREVER...

Thanks Rebecca Tillett!

IT'S WITHIN YOU

Your success or failure has very little to do with your opponent, your coach or the referees. It is a choice every athlete makes within themselves... whether they realize it or not. You must believe it to achieve it.

SELECT WISELY...

Don't look for a shot you think you can make... look for a shot you cannot miss.  Shot Selection is the #1 thing that usually determines whether a team wins or loses.  Sports Center type shots may look really cool, but they rarely go in, which is why they're shown on TV.  High-percentage shots are the shots that win games... and Championships.

AN IMPORTANT LESSON

There is no shame in losing to a great team. Many athletes mistakenly assume every loss is a bad loss, and although some losses hurt more than others, this assumption is not always true.

Losing to a great team (I mean like a 65+ point loss) should serve as a measuring stick for both you and your team. If the only teams on your schedule are ones that may as well be considered "your little sister"....well, being able to beat up your little sister is not a very valid way to determine how good (or bad) your team actually is.

Use those embarassing losses to great teams as a way to evaluate what your team does well, and what your team struggles with and needs to work on. If you're not willing to learn from these kind of losses, then you'll never be one of those great teams. You'll always "believe" you're a great team because you didn't realize that all this thime you've been beating up "your little sister."

There is no shame in losing to a great team...IF... you use the loss as a way to show what you need to do to become better.

CONFIDENCE

When your team leaders exhibit confidence, it becomes contagious to the rest of the team... unfortunately, showing a lack of confidence is just as contagious.

WHO ARE YOU BEATING?

You can beat average and mediocre teams in a lot of ways… but there's only one way to beat good teams... and that's with thoughtful preparation, discipline and leadership.

LISTENING OR HEARING?

There is a big difference between Listening and Hearing. Hearing is easy to do... Listening is far different... and much more important. But what does it mean to listen?

Once heard a story about a high school music appreciation class that provides a meaningful answer to that question. The teacher of the class asked for a volunteer to explain the difference between listening and hearing. At first, no one wanted to answer; but finally, a student raised his hand. When the teacher called on him, he said, “Listening is wanting to hear.”

Coaches usually use timeouts to make their game-strategy adjustments. Often, the difference between winning and losing - especially in a close game, comes down to whether the players hear... or listen.

Don't practice until you get it right. Practice until you can't get it wrong.

HOW TO PLAY vs KNOWING PLAYS

Good coaches focus on teaching their players "how to play" rather than just teaching them "plays." 

In this particular picture, the Defense is playing a 1-2-2 or a 2-3 Zone. The corner player forces the low wing defender to choose betwee

n guarding her or the low post player. Whatever decision the low wing defender makes... the corner player will punish her for it.

If she stays home to guard the low post, the corner player has a wide open look from outside. If the low wing defender chooses to come out and defend the corner shot (which she does in this picture), the corner player lobs it over the top to her low post player for an easy score.

Knowing "how to play" is far more valuable than knowing a dozen plays.

WHAT MAKES YOU A GREAT DEFENDER?

A good defensive player never focuses on steals or blocks to reinforce their reputation as being a great defender. Instead, they look to deny what the offense wants to do and force the offense to react to their defensive pressure. Few offenses practice, prepare, or even have a Plan B.

Being a great defender means taking away offensive opportunities before they can ever develop. 

WANT MORE MINUTES?

Unless you are one of the 5 or 6 "star" players on your team, your minutes will always be determined by how much you can contribute to your team.  The players who can consistently help their team win games are the ones who get playing time - it's just that simple.   Want more minutes?  Then you need to understand how to make yourself valuable to your team.

You do this by embracing your role and focusing on things other than scoring.  Sure, you've spent your whole basketball life developing and displaying your offensive game, but suddenly you aren't getting those scoring opportunities in games.  You take thousands of shots in the offseason, you work on your shot before and after practice, yet you may go weeks without taking a jumper in a game.

If you can become really good at things like screening, passing, defending, communicating, boxing out and rotating defensively, you can have a huge impact on your team winning a game.  If those parts of your game become a habit and you develop consistency and embrace whatever role your coach places you into, you are going to be valuable to your team and  you will get more minutes.

A lot of players can't or won't do these things because they don't see the value in it.  However, those that "get it" look at it as sacrificing your own game for the greater good.  This is true to an extent, but you don't just play this way because you are a nice player and you are willing to let other players shine. You do it because you want to win, to be a part of a championship team, and you do it because you want to create value for yourself.  If you come off the bench and you start to take more shots, to take your scoring average from three points a game up to five points a game, not many people are going to notice.  You are doing the same things, just in a more inefficient way. 

On the other hand, if you average only five points a game but defensively you can adequatelty cover the othe team's best 3 or 4 players,  you are going to be able to play plenty of minutes  over your career.  At the same time, your play will have more of an effect on winning than it would otherwise. 

The goal is to try to make it very difficult for your team to replace you, so that they have to do what it takes to keep you around. That's how a player creates value for himself.

(Thanks Nick Collison & Bob Starkey)

JUMP STOPS CORRELATE WITH JUMP SHOTS

I don’t think there is much debate over the shooting ability of Ray Allen (Celtics) or Mike Miller (Heat).  Let’s take Ray.  If you will notice the he gives a little hop (Jump Stop) prior to receiving the ball.  “Ball is in the air and his feet are in the air.”  Catch and shoot (Its’ quick)! It is quicker than the other way.  I don’t believe you can change the method over night...it is going to take a true commitment but it is definitely worth the change.

Most coaches teach from the shoulder up etc.  I personally think it starts with the feet (Balance).  “Don’t sacrifice balance with the jump shot!!”

My best pupil was Nelson Franse at the University of New Mexico.  He was taught as a youngster the two step jump shot but it was too slow and he couldn’t get off quick enough.  So we changed his shot over the summer.  Nelson would go to the “Pit” everyday and spin the ball out in front of him and step into the ball with a jump stop and catch and shoot.  He MADE 100 everyday from the 3-point range and won several ball games for us with his outstanding shooting.  Note: When we did the R/F/S Rebounder/Feeder/Shooter drill daily Nelson would knock down 20+ shots in a 60 second turn.

Watch Ray Allen (Boston) or Mike Miller (Heat)...  It’s all about JUMP STOPS (hops) and being on balance squared to the basket.

(From Gary Colson on Fastmodelsports.com)

AFTER EVERY WORKOUT

At the end of a workout, there’s a tendency to want to head for the showers and rush back to the pressing issues of the day.  But how you transition via a brief recovery period will determine how well your body repairs itself and responds in the coming days.  Use this simple checklist to kickstart your body’s recovery process—and get the most out of each workout.

1. Reflect
It’s important to recognize what you’ve accomplished with your training and how it contributes to your long-term vision, not just for your physical well-being and athletic pursuits but how such commitment is fueling your success.  “You’ll feel great in the short-term regardless,” says Anthony Slater, director of performance at Core Performance.  “But it’s important to reflect on how you feel and connect it back to your goals.  That reinforces the behaviors you’ve chosen and is something people don’t do nearly enough.”

2. Track
There’s no shortage of gadgets and smart phone apps to log training and measure progress.  It can be a simple spreadsheet or even paper.  The important thing is to track your workouts, not only to give yourself a pat on the back, but also to have a reference point for the following workout, or to review months later.   Track everything from your weight, energy, productivity, and sleep, for starters - and see your progress charted over time.

3. Stretch
Active-isolated stretching is most effective after a workout when the muscles are warm.  This can range from a full routine to the three or four stretches that address any mobility issues you might have.  You can also do some reflection while you stretch.  What worked and what could you do better during the next training session?  “When you combine the stretching and the reflection, it allows you to shift gears and re-enter your day-to-day responsibilities and shift back into the real world,” Slater says. (Click here for a guide to active-isolated stretching.)

4. Refuel
To refuel you body after a workout, consume a mixture of carbohydrates and protein immediately afterward, preferably within 10 minutes of training.  At this point, your cells are wide open and screaming for nutrients, and by drinking a shake or another balanced carb/protein small meal, you expedite the recovery process and maximize lean muscle growth. (Click here for five delicious post-workout shake recipes.)

5. Cool down
If you have access to a 55-degree “cold plunge” tub, spending 1 to 3 minutes in it is a great way to decrease post-workout inflammation.  Alternating between a cold plunge and a hot tub (three to five minutes) stimulates bloodflow and muscle recovery with hardly an effort.  If you don’t have access to a hot tub or a cold plunge, you can get the same effect in the shower by switching between hot and cold settings.

(Thanks Pete Williams & Sefu Bernard)

DO YOU MAKE TOO MANY EXCUSES?

Came across another great nugget about "excuses" on the PGC Blog that every player should read...

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Excuses are for mediocre players.  Forget them.  There are thousands of excuses available to all losers.  To have a good excuse is to have what every other loser in the history of the world has had.

Don’t make the ridiculous mistake of thinking that your particular brand of excuse is somehow more valid than the last 20 million that have been uttered.  You can hope your mother will believe you and maybe your girlfriend - or at least they may sympathize and keep their mouths shut if they don’t, but everyone else knows an excuse when he hears it.

Your particular excuse is just as stupid as everyone else’s.  There.  Now you know it.  Now you are free to accomplish things, and to work, and to concentrate.

Forget about excuses. They are enormous wastes of time and words.

"A successful person is not one who has found the right set of circumstances, but rather, one who has Developed the right set of attitudes."
- Dick DeVenzio

(Thanks PGC)

THERE IS AN "I" IN TEAM

Don't buy into the myth... there IS an "I" in team - it's personal accountability... our choices impact our teammates.

UNDERSTANDING SHOT SELECTION

"When it comes to shot selection, you must differentiate between a bad shot and a missed shot.  A missed shot can still be a good shot."

- Sefu Bernard

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Mike Thomas, boys head basketball coach at Kalamazoo Central High School found himself in a tough situation while in East Lansing this past weekend. His situation wasn’t on the sidelines late in the State semi-final or Final game at the Breslin Center for the MHSAA tournament. Nope, it was the MORNING of the State championship game in which they were in for the third straight year.

Three of his players decided to do what a lot of teenagers try and do... they broke curfew the night before and the young coach (only 28 years old) had to make a difficult decision.

Do you allow the players to play? After all... it IS the championship game... right? Or do you send a message that the TEAM depends on each other to be ready and selfish behavior will not be tolerated?

The coach suspended all three players for the entire game, one happened to be a starter.  I personally think it was the right decision.  All too often coaches preach about all the life lessons sports teach, it's nice to finally see one of those lessons in action.

Oh yeah, The Kalamazoo Central Maroon Giants won the championship without the three players.

(Thanks Coach Finamore)

6 TYPES OF TOUGHNESS

Came across a great read on the PGC Blog regarding the often used (yet often misunderstood) word in sport - toughness.  Here are six type of toughness...

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Mental Toughness
Championship players are continually focused on the areas of their game they can control. They aren’t focused on a referee’s poor call or a teammate’s mistake. These players know they can only control their own effort, enthusiasm, and attention to detail. They keep focus on those areas of their game rather than on other external factors. Are you mentally tough enough to fight through the usual excuses; including fatigue, boredom, and blaming others?

Injury Toughness
See Steve Nash. Nash’s face has been bloodied and beaten up over the years, and he has a constant back injury. That must all be very painful; however, it hasn’t stopped him from participating in many games and practices with his teammates. Are you tough enough to play through a minor amount of pain, so long as no further or more damaging injury could arise?

Verbal Communication Toughness
Point guards are always communicating; providing verbal instruction and encouragement to their teammates on the court, in the weight-room, and even on road trips. A great point guard communicates clearly, concisely, with consistent enthusiasm, and the appropriate tone. Are you tough enough to provide on-going and non-stop communication with your teammates on an everyday and every-drill basis?

Physical Toughness
The best guards invite and welcome contact. Basketball IS a contact sport. On the offensive end, you have to connect with the first punch. On the defensive end, you have to make the offensive team uncomfortable with your defensive presence. Are you tough enough to not allow a bump on the hip or slap on the wrist from finishing a strong, powerful dribble move to the basket?

Body Language Toughness
Psychologists say that over 90% of what we communicate is non-verbal. However, few players are aware that (based on how they stand and position their bodies), their actions and words often are incongruent. Are you tough enough to act present and engaged in every moment of your life, both on the court and off?

Improvement Toughness
Successful people in life have a resilient desire for improvement in every aspect of their life. With improvement comes change, and with change comes the discomfort of the unknown. Special players welcome that awkwardness, knowing improvement is on the horizon. Are you tough enough to face some temporary inconvenience for the end goal of permanent improvement?

(Thanks PGC and Lyndsey (Medders) Fennelly)

PLAYING WITH A SENSE OF PURPOSE

As I sat watching Uconn destroy Duke last night in a 75-40 nail-biter (cough cough), I couldn’t help but notice the difference in style each of the teams played… and what a difference one style made versus the other.

The one word that best describes UConn’s game is “quick.”  The moment fingers touch leather they are in a race to get to the basket on the other end of the floor.  They attacked without hesitation and most of their scoring came off of fast breaks. 

Duke on the other hand, didn’t push the ball up the floor with any sense of urgency.  Instead, they were content with allowing UConn’s defense to get down the court and get set up… which made it far more difficult to get an easy basket in transition. Why would you willingly allow a defense to setup before trying to score?

Unless of course you wanted to lose by 35 points...