UNDERSTANDING LADDER DRILL STEP SEQUENCING

Although most coaches already incorporate speed ladder drills into practices, I came across a video that does a good job of showing a step sequences for couple of the basic ladder drills (for players that struggle with them).



(Thanks StrongerTeam.com)

THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE

I've coached Varsity level girls for the past five or six years and have been extremely successful and I just assumed coaching any team would be just as easy as it has been.  Boy was I wrong... I coached a boys game tonight and quickly realized how big of a difference there is between the two.

After the game, one of the parents summed it up nicely... "coaching girls is easy.  They are great listeners, they are eager to please, and they actually enjoy working together (teamwork).  It's far tougher coaching boys... they already know it all."

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SCHOOL GETS PROBATION FOR ILLEGAL UNIFORMS DONATED BY NIKE

I've been hit with technical fouls for allowing my players to wear black Under Armor under royal blue uniforms, even though the uni's were trimmed with black at the neck and sleeves.  Was it a little over-the-top for the referees to hit me with a tech?  I think so... it's not like the black UA gave us any kind of advantage over our opponent or made it difficult for the refs to distinguish between the two teams.
But the story below is even more over-the-top...  
L.A. school gets probation for illegal uniforms donated by Nike
By Cameron Smith

When Los Angeles Roosevelt (Calif.) High wore black uniforms custom made by Nike in a highly touted rivalry matchup against Los Angeles Garfield (Calif.) High earlier this year, the Rough Riders broke a California Interscholastic Federation City Section rule stipulating that uniforms could only contain school colors.  As it turns out, Roosevelt caused itself even more trouble than that, first forced to forfeit the game,then hit with a City Section ruling that the Nike uniforms were so egregious they actually warranted a one-year probation for the football program.

"They had the opportunity to choose colors and for some reason they didn't choose the school colors," City Section commissioner Barbara Fiege told the Los Angeles Times.

The City Section ruling not only forced Roosevelt to essentially toss the brand new, state-of-the-art Nike uniforms aside, taking away badly needed gear that would have cost upwards of $25,000 from a publicly funded program, it also said that Roosevelt coach J avier Cid was responsible for letting the team take the field wearing them in the 76th annual East L.A. Classic. Cid previously told the Los Angeles Times that he knew the uniforms being furnished by Nike would be black, yet he played no part in choosing the color scheme used.

Nike provided the uniforms as part of a brash, grassroots marketing campaign for the company's Pro Combat line of uniforms, which it also has debuted with college football teams across the country this season.  The looks in almost all of the Pro Combat line uniforms are edgy and sometimes outside of a school's traditional colors -- Virginia Tech used an all-black uniform similar to Roosevelt's for its first game against Boise State -- while also providing a tighter fit meant to aid mobility.

Yet the company's lack of foresight to clear the colors it used for Roosevelt before the game -- part of a complex plan to keep the uniforms a secret for both teams until the game that night -- backfired magnificently.

Interestingly, there might still be a caveat that could allow Roosevelt to use the uniforms in the 2011 season.  The City Section regulations which have been used to punish Roosevelt specifically cite the need for a team's uniforms to include only a school's colors.  If Roosevelt filed for a school color change to add black to it's traditional colors of maroon, gold and white, those black uniforms would suddenly be legal again.

The move would be a bit over the top and quite brash, but then again, handing down a year-long probation sentence for uniforms a school had no say in picking seems brash in itself.

(Thanks Rivals)

NIKE'S VISUAL TRICK MADE OREGON LOOK FAST

I think I became an Oregon fan this season just based on their multiple color combination uniforms.  Here is a link that gives some insight into what Nike was trying to create.  Link


(Thanks Rick Allison & Fast Company)

WHAT NOT TO DO IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE CALL

In a game between Florida high school teams Arcadia DeSoto and Port Charlotte, DeSoto's Mason Holland shoved a Port Charlotte player, and then, after a technical foul was called on him, went ballistic and threw the referee to the floor.  Holland was kicked off the team the following day.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

I thought that I had seen it all until I watched this earlier this morning...



This 6-foot-3 freak of nature from Arkansas is only 11 and he's already making it thunderclap middle school gymnasium rims. His name is Adrian Moore and he's already considered the top college prospect for the class of 2016. As if we need to remind you, that's nearly half a decade away.   

REDUCING ACL INJURIES

A new study from UC Davis shows that changes in training can reduce shear forces on knee joints and could help cut the risk of developing ACL tears.

"We focused on an easy intervention, and we were amazed that we could reduce shear load in 100 percent of the volunteers," said David Hawkins, professor of neurobiology, physiology and behavior at UC Davis. Hawkins conducted the study at the UC Davis Human Performance Laboratory with graduate student Casey Myers.

Hawkins and Myers worked with 14 female basketball players from UC Davis and local high schools. They fitted them with instruments and used digital cameras to measure their movements and muscle activity, and calculated the forces acting on their knee joints as they practiced a jump-stop movement, similar to a basketball drill.

First, they recorded the athletes making their normal movement. Then they instructed them in a modified technique: Jumping higher to land more steeply; landing on their toes; and bending their knees more deeply before taking off again.

After learning the new technique, all 14 volunteers were able to reduce the force passed up to the knee joint through the leg bone (the tibial shear force) by an average of 56 percent. At the same time, the athletes in the study actually jumped an inch higher than before, without losing speed.

Hawkins recommends warm-ups that exercise the knee and focusing on landing on the toes and balls of the feet. The study does not definitively prove that these techniques will reduce ACL injuries, Hawkins said: that would require a full clinical trial and follow-up. But the anecdotal evidence suggests that high tibial shear forces are associated with blown knees.

(Thanks Dan Peterson, University of California Davis – Health System)

R.I.P. COACH

We often get caught up in the hustle & bustle of each day, trying to squeeze in everything little thing we feel we must get done, without giving a lot of thought to what is actually important.

Lost a friend and fellow coach George Hamilton yesterday to a massive stroke he suffered earlier earlier in the week.  George was only 44 years old.  He spent his life helping kids through basketball.  In addition to being a high school hoops coach, he was a Youth Minister, a teacher at a local elementary school and an immediate friend to all that met him.

It was a poignant reminder to make the most of every moment we have... because our lives can change with every breath we take.

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WHAT IS 4:13?

Our team verse (and the way I end many of my blog entries) is 4:13.  I was asked yesterday "what does 4:13 mean?"  I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
- Philippians 4:13

DEFINITELY SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY

EUGENE, Ore. -- The University of Oregon Athletics Department unveiled another key element for Matthew Knight Arena de-signed to set the facility apart from any other arena in the country. Installation of a unique arena floor is currently under-way and features symbolic references to the Pacific Northwest, as well as the two individuals most responsible for the arena becoming a reality, Phil Knight and Pat Kilkenny.

"We wanted to design the most iconic television presence possible for the University of Oregon by conjuring up a highly unique and visible basketball floor design," according to Tinker Hatfield, vice president for design and special projects for Nike. "It's inspired by our beautiful tree-covered region and the UO 1939 NCAA Championship basketball team nick-named the 'Tall Firs.'"

The court is framed by a representation of a view from beneath a forest of fir trees. Also present on the floor is the new arena logo, designed for the namesake of the building, Matthew Knight.

Graphics: The graphics were completed by United Services based in Idaho Falls, Idaho . Graphics took 2,500 man hours to complete . Almost 2 miles of stencil material was utilized for the completion of the graphics . More stencil material was used on this floor then used for the other 30 floors in the Connor Sports Flooring completed earlier this year.

(Thanks KVAL.com)

SHAKING MY HEAD IN DISBELIEF

I received a disturbing email last night from a parent of a player at a nearby school that left me shaking my head in disbelief.  I wanted to share an excerpt from the email:

"...I don't think (player name omitted) needs to play AAU.  Seriously.  She stinks.  Really.  You should have seen her play tonight.  She missed like 39 shots and only made one.  She got fouled once, and major air-balled one shot (really embarrassing) and made the other shot.  I am so tired of staying with her to rebound her shots (she misses so many so it wears me out) in the gym an hour later than everyone else and for hours on the weekends - while she practices her shot - all for nothing.  She has not proven anything all season - except that she stinks.  I told her tonight after the game that I am done - no more money on ball camps, no more extra practice at the gym.  Done.  This is her last year - she can finish out for Coach (coach name omitted), but no more.  She went to 5 ball camps this summer and played AAU - she should be way better than she is - for all the time and money we have put into it.  She is just a girl who plays basketball..."

Are you ready for this... the player she's talking about, her daughter, is just a 7th grader!

I tried to put her mind at ease by reassuring her that players mature at different times in their careers and the best thing she could do for her daughter is to make sure her daughter is having fun.  There won't be a lot of growth if she isn't enjoying the game.

Often parents have a warped perception of their child's athletic abilities. I can't count the number of times I've heard comments like "why isn't my daughter starting? she's much better than..." or "...why do you always pull my daughter out before she's had a chance to find her rhythm?..."  Most parents think their kid is the best player on the team and that's something that I think most coaches have had to deal with.  But when a parent places unrealistic expectations on their kids, they are sucking the fun right out of the game.

4:13

FEELING TIRED?

As an athlete, eating a balanced diet is an absolute MUST to maintain the level of energy needed to perform at your best. If you usually find yourself too pooped to pop, you could have a slight magnesium deficiency.

"This mineral is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including breaking down glucose into energy," says Samantha Heller, MS, RD. "So when levels are even a little low, energy can drop."

In a study done at the Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center in Grand Forks, N.D., "women with magnesium deficiencies had higher heart rates and required more oxygen to do physical tasks than they did after their magnesium levels were restored. In essence, their bodies were working harder which, over time, can leave you feeling depleted."

The recommended daily intake of magnesium is around 300 milligrams for women and 350 milligrams for men. To make sure you're getting enough, Heller suggests:

Add a handful of almonds, hazelnuts or cashews to your daily diet. Increase your intake of whole grains, particularly bran cereal. Eat more fish, especially halibut.

(Thanks Colette Bouchez)

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."

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.

4:13

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)

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

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)

THE EMOTIONAL CONNECTION TO AN INJURY

A month after breaking her left leg and blowing out her right knee in a skiing crash in Switzerland, Picabo Street, the fearless, spunky media darling of the 1998 Nagano Olympics, shut herself in the bedroom of her parents' house and closed the blinds. She would not let family or friends in, she took no phone calls, did not watch television, did nothing for weeks but lie there in the darkened room thinking miserable thoughts.

"I went through a huge depression," Street said. "I went all the way to rock bottom. I never thought that I ever would experience anything like that in my life." What sent her hurtling into a depression was the realization of how long and difficult her recovery would be. In the end, it took 20 months.

It is hard to pin down how common depression is among injured athletes; research in this field of sport psychology is limited. But one study of 343 male college athletes from a variety of sports found that 51 percent had some symptoms of depression after being injured, and 12 percent became moderately to severely depressed.

"I'd say one out of every four or five of the injured athletes who come to our center suffer from depression," said Dr. Gerald Kaforey of the Vanderbilt Sport Medicine Center at the Vanderbilt Medical School.

Those who get depressed may stay that way for several weeks after being injured, their mood lifting only as their injuries begin to heal. Some athletes, especially those with longer recovery periods, may stay depressed for months. And in rare instances, injured athletes have attempted or committed suicide.

Emotional reactions to injury can often be harder to deal with than the actual injury.

Dr. Deborah Saint-Phard, who treats patients at the Women's Sports Medicine Center of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City said, "There's a pervasive sense that athletes are superhuman, not only in their abilities to perform athletically, but also in their morals, their ability to handle pain, disappointment and injury." Saint-Phard, a former Olympic shot-putter, is a physiatrist, a doctor who specializes in rehabilitation.

Athletes themselves take on these larger-than-life expectations and may not reveal to others how much they are suffering. Nicole Detling, who tore a ligament in her knee while playing basketball in college a few years ago, could not endure people feeling sorry for her, so she withdrew into her dorm room.

"I was an athlete," Detling said. "I not only had all this physical strength, but I had mental strength. And being injured felt like a huge kind of weakness."

4:13

(Thanks SFGate.com)

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