COACH SALLIE'S BLOG

BEAR BRYANT'S SECRETS TO SUCCESS

2011-05-26T16:09:00.001-05:00

1. “Never compromise with what you think is right..."

2. "Find your picture, your own self in anything that goes bad. If it's bad, you're the head coach, you're responsible. If we have an intercepted pass, I threw it..."

3. "Don't ever give up on ability. Don't give up on a player who has it"

4. "Don't over-work your squad. If you're going to make a mistake, underwork them. Our 1961 national championship team went five weeks without pads on for practice"

5. "Don't give up before a game starts"

6. "Don't lose your game at the half. Concentrate on winning the second half. Don't waste time on stuff that can't help you."

7. “If you start to make a decision, go ahead and make it. Don't mealy mouth around."

8. "Don't ruin a practice by not disciplining yourself. If you're upset, don't take it out on your team."

9. "Make sure you don't kill your team off early. Have your 'studs' ready when you need them. Rest that great football player some."

10. "Don't over-coach them. Let them play some."

11. "Don't do a lot of coaching just before the game. If you haven't coached them by 14 minutes to 2 on Sunday, it's too late then."

12. "Don't change your game plan if you don't have to."

13. "Don't talk too much. Don't pop off. Don't talk after the game until you cool off."

Spartan Basketball Strength-Agility-Conditioning

2011-05-25T12:16:00.000-05:00

LADDER DRILLS:

(15” x 15” squares – 18 total squares)

Imagination is the only limitation – used a nylon ladder but most of us have it taped to the floor somewhere. We emphasize to our players that they need to imagine they’re jumping over a pencil. Feet hit and leave the ground as quickly as possible!

STANDARD DRILLS –

 R/L Single Leg Hops – side/side

 R/L Single Leg Hops – front/back

 Both Feet in Each Hole – side/side - - front/back

 Both Feet in Every Other Hole – side/side - - front/back

 Bunny Hops – hit the hole, jump outside ladder, back in hole, jump opposite side of ladder

 Hip Twister – same as grapevine runs

 Zig-Zag – skip a hole to cover quick ground

 W – jumping front/back in W shape

 Slalom – just like snow skiing, quick 2 feet

 FINISH – every trip w/ a 5 yd. burst

“Practice is for real”!

~Mike Vorkapich, MSU Strength Coach

WARM UP & COOL DOWN ACTIVITIES –
I was amazed how simple yet effective their work day was. Many times we over think these phases of our workouts but it’s vital to the success of your plan. Anything you can do to get your players heart rate up and core temp elevated. Don’t complicate warm ups or cool downs.

 Bear Crawls – we’ve all done this one, great total body exercise

 Jump Ropes – we do 10 sets of 15 – 25 reps (R/L, boxers feet, both feet)

 Line Jumps – standard Foot Fire drills

 Dots – any patterns you can imagine

 Lunge Matrix – clock steps (12, 3, 6, 9 o’clock) - - step lunges at each # on the dial, 3 sets w/ each foot

 Ab Work – if it works the core (abs/lower back) they do it !!

“Positive Peer Pressure”

~ Coach Vorkapich

(Eluding to coaching a TEAM Mate)

SAND BAGS –

This was the best part of the entire workout! The intensity it brought out in the TEAM was amazing to me. Mental, physical and TEAM toughness is a big focus and can be built when the bags come out. Rogers Company (football catalog) makes these and they would be well worth the investment. You can get them in 25, 35, 50, 75 or 100#. Ours are on the way!

EXERCISES:

 Wall Sits – MSU would start w/ 300# sitting on the lap of each player. At 1 minute they would peel some weight off, then more weight as time went along.

 Split Squats – hold the bag however you’d like, if you dropped it you had a consequence.

 Farmer’s Walk – hold bags by handles and walk high on toes, great competition drill

 Roman Dead Lift – for hamstrings

 Lunge Matrix – w/ bags!

“Lifting is 100% Manual Labor.”

~ Coach Vorkapich

(Commented to Spartan Players)

WEIGHT LIFTING SESSIONS –

I was able to catch an upper & lower body workout. Again, amazed at the few number of different lifts executed – it was the work put in by the coaches and players that was eye opening to me! Every TEAM session I attended seemed to be more spirited than the next. Here are a few of the exercises that caught my attention.

LIFTS/EXERCISES:

 Rope or Towel Pull-Ups – great for hand strength and overall tuffness! 40 sec.

 Single Leg Lifts – especially dumb bell lifts for shoulders/upper body, balance

 Internal/External Rotation – w/ thera-bands or light dumb bells

 Military Press – arms parallel vs. touch chest, especially for BIGS

 Primary Lifts – 8/6/4 reps this time of year

 Focused On – pushing & pulling muscles the same

 Push Press – split stance or parallel stance

 Shoulder Shrugs – exploded thru up onto toes!
P layers P lay - - T uff P layers W in!

PPTPW

~ MSU Spartans

(Players said this to one another)

“Getting a kid to do something they don’t want to do”, that’s they key to success in the weight room.

~ Coach Vorkapich, MSU Strength Coach

Notes from Larry Eustachy and Jay Wright

2011-05-24T13:01:00.000-05:00

The following is a combination of notes from the Tunica, MS Coaching Clinic in April of 2007

Larry Eustachy:

THOUGHTS ON THE PROFESSION:

• The hardest part of not having a coaching job is the Unknown.

• If you coach long enough, you will: win the league, finish in last place, get a better job, and get fired.

• "I forgot where I came from, and wanted to re-live a collegiate lifestyle as a coach." Coaches need to be able to handle success. Has a lot of admiration for Jay Wright and they way he remained the same during his ascension in the coaching profession.

COMPONANTS OF HIS COACHING METHODOLOGY:

• Use breakdown chart to grade player performance in practice and games. Got the chart from Rick Majerus – his team's are traditionally the best prepared in the game.

• Chart example – When a shot goes up: 3,4,5, to O-Boards with "Reckless Abandon" and the 1&2 get back on defense. The staff utilizes game film to calculate scores for each player.

• Charting helps to truly hold players accountable for the things you are demanding that they do

• The chart doesn't lie. A player with less breakdowns that minutes played has inevitably played very well.

• You must teach your players learn to "think while they are playing" and take pride in being held accountable for their responsibilities on the court.

• Great teams have the ability to play on any court without any change in performance level (home, road, etc).

• Coach Bob Boyd always said that you must find a way to take something from the chalkboard to the floor in order for it to show up in a game.

• A problem for us as college coaches is that many high school coaches don't actually "mean what they say," to athletes. For example, the might say "I will take you out of the game if you don't…" Then when the player doesn't complete that task, the coach does not take him out. There is no accountability. This season they have a lot of new players at Southern Mississippi and as a result are working hard to change the mentality of players who came from places where this type of culture was the norm.

Jay Wright:

THOUGHTS ON THE PROFESSION:

• As a young coach he used to work summer camp at Pitt when Coach Calipari was on the staff there. Coach Cal has always been a person that would share thoughts to help others become better in the profession. He had made a very impressive book that chronicled his daily recruiting activities to show Pitt alumni exactly what it took for them to be involved with the type of players they needed to be successful. Coach Cal gave Coach Wright a copy of this book.

• Upon taking the Hofstra job, Coach Cal's advice was simply "get players." Don't be overly concerned with size, position, etc. Just get good players and figure it out. This was the formula that he then used at Hofstra.

• Respected veteran coaches have the power to positively influence the profession if they so choose. Larry Brown "anointed" the Villanova program through his presence and positive comments over the past year.

• Don't be afraid to have outside people come in and evaluate your program. They have a unbiased perspective.

• What's the most important part of your day? Practice! I started doing practice plans at home so I won't be distracted. My favorite place to be is on the court.

• Thought on scorers: always wants them to have an aggressive mentality regardless of the last shot. Terminology : Shoot'em up or sleep in the streets.

BUILDING THE VILLANOVA DEFENSE:

• Starts with basic man principals of ball-you-man.

• Win or lose – make sure you played "your way." No one ever likes to lose, but when you watch game film, you always want to see that you played "your way," win or lose.

• The trapping and switching nature of their defense is based on "Calculated Risk." They don't want to miss an opportunity to "Blitz and Step-Up."

• Situations where Calculated Risks are appropriate for Blitzing include: 1) anytime the ball is dribbled toward you as a defender. 2) Your man brings you to the ball. 3) The ball is dribbled to the baseline setting up a trap from behind.

• They want to Blitz all ball screens or dribble hand-offs when defenders react to the Calculated Risk situations. Teaching point is that the trappers should never foul or get steals. Trappers are deflectors.

• When a 2-man game occurs, the other three players "load" to the 2-man game.

• Man guarding the screener calls the "Blitz" or "Switch." If you are guarding the ball-handler, always assume "Blitz" and he must step over the top to trap, or to be put in a ball-you-man position on the roll man if a switch occurs. If a big switches on to a small, the other three defenders should "load to the iso."

• Never want to switch for convenience, would always prefer to "Blitz" if they can.

• These rules are all applicable in the scoring area, approximately three feet beyond the three-line and in.

• Coach Del Harris commented that it is an effective technique to teach someone going over a ball screen to do so by crowding the man with the ball and then throwing his leg and arm over the top in one motion.

VILLANOVA ATTITUDE CLUB AND SPECIAL SITUATIONS:

• Attitude Club is a way to reward players who are doing they ritical things that they put a premium on. A good play per minute ratio is .8 or above. Catagories include: pass to the assist (hockey concept of 2 assists), screen assist, loose ball retrieval, paint pass, o-board, tap-back on FT, quick outlet, paint catches, deflections, shot contest to change shot.

• They like to practice Base OB, Side OB, Endline OB, with specific situations based on clock ( 0-3 seconds, 4-7 seconds). Can run their regular stuff in 8 seconds or more.

WINNING THE RIGHT WAY

2011-05-18T11:54:00.001-05:00

These notes are from Coach Theresa Grentz at the Assistant Coaches Symposium in Chicago, IL on April 30th, 2011. Coach Grentz from Glenolden, Pennsylvania, is the former head coach of the women's basketball program at the University of Illinois, Rutgers University and St. Josephs. She is a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. Her career record is 671-309 and she served as a head coach for 32 years, with the last 13 as the Illinois head coach. SShe is 10th all time in women's NCAA basketball coaching victories and only had two losing seasons in her 32 years of coaching basketball.

I. Getting to know your anchors
a. Exercising your anchors
b. The ability to influence others.

II. Building a Character Base
“The greatest ability in business is to get along with others and influence their actions. A chip on the shoulder is too heavy a piece of baggage to carry through life.” –John Hancock

III. Making a Strategic Plam
“Leadership development is a lifetime journey, not a brief trip.”

IV. Implementing the Plan

V. Assessment of the Plan
a. improvements
“ Unless you try to do something beyond wha tyou’ve already mastered you will never grow.”
– John C. Maxwell

“Elbow to Eyebrow”
“Leaders are made.”
“It’s not OK to play hard and lose.”
“Don’t tell me what I can’t do.”
“You are useful but not necessary.”
“Take the players beyond where they can get themselves”
“The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but has not vision.” –Helen Keller

Book--> How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie & Etiquette by Emily Post

Used to tell her players that a “high C is a fruit drink”, bring me no hooks (no C’s)

What she wanted from her team

1) Responsible
2) Students
3) Courteous (prompt and on time)
4) Trustworthy

She organized her bookshelves into 4 types

1) Military
2) Prayer
3) Psychological
4) Basketball

Know your anchors Who are you? What do you know?

She wanted to be one of the most respected coaches in the women’s game.

Character It builds your reputation.

Players need 1) work ethic 2) sense of humor 3) quest of knowledge

What you need to win a championship? 

1) have to be able to take criticism
2) have to learn to be a leader
3) loyalty
4) have to have the will to win

3 reasons that drive us to do something
1) money
2) strong leadership
3) cause

She always got the band involved wherever she was because they are such a large group that can have an impact on a game or program. Have a party for them, etc.

When parents called and she was tired of listening, she would say “It’s gonna sounds like im hanging up but you can keep talking.

50 TIPS ON BEATING PRESSURE

2011-05-17T14:48:00.000-05:00

Forgive me, because I am not sure who to give the credit to on this blog post. Someone sent me this a few years ago and it is really great information.

1. Execute the fundamentals well—dribbling, passing catching, etc. Also, take only good shots.
2. Be in great physical condition, particularly versus man-to-man pressure.
3. If a mistake is made, forget it. Never allow one mistake to lead to two…three…or more.
4. The press usually wants you to rush and play a fast tempo game.
5. Don’t panic and fire the first 20 footer; apply a little surgery by remaining cool and patient.
6. Whenever full-court pressure is applied on a large court, each defender will be called upon to cover a larger area. Take advantage of this.
7. Don’t be forced to the corners; they are perfect trap areas.
8. Every offensive player must see the ball.
9. Three essential looks—ahead, before you pass, before you dribble.
10. Bust out to meet passes. Turn aggressively upcourt, protecting the ball. See the entire picture.
11. Keep the ball in the middle. You can go to either side of the court with the next pass.
12. Always try to have three outlet passes.
13. Aggressive, pressure defenses tend to foul more than passive types, but never depend on the official’s whistle, especially on the road.
14. Sharpen up your foul-shooting to assure a high percentage.

Setting Up Versus a Full-Court Press:

15. Begin your attack from one basic formation; it will enable you to see what the defense does.
16. There’s time to walk and a time to run.
17. Fifteen seconds can be forever in the backcourt—5 seconds to inbound and 10 additional seconds to bring the ball across the centerline. Women have 30 seconds to shoot after inbounding the ball; thus they have no backcourt.
18. Whenever the opposition scores don’t rush to pick the ball up. The five-second court begins once you have the ball out of bounds in a position to make the first pass. Give your teammates a chance to organize and get to their spots quickly.
19. Don’t take the ball out directly under the basket. The backboard will become another defensive player if you look to make a high, long pass.
20. Spread your offense as much as possible to make the defense cover a great deal of the court.
21. Determine whether the press is man-to-man or zone by sending a player through on a cut. A man press stays with the cutter, zones usually do not.
22. Once the ball is inbounded, (a) look up the sideline for an open man, (b) to the middle for a flash post, (C) back for a trailing man. Dribble if the outlets upcourt are covered.

Guards:

23. Must set the tempo by showing confidence (never getting flustered).
24. Try to have your best ball-handlers (usually the guards) handle the ball as often as possible.
25. Guards must look to score, but must be aware of backcourt responsibilities on a turnover or a missed shot.
26. Break down court, then button-hook back as release points.
27. When flashing to meet a pass, start from behind the defenders, making it difficult for them to see you and the ball at the same time.
28. Don’t leave the ball-handler stranded. Come as near to the ball as necessary. Keep the hands high, catch the ball, and turn upcourt.
29. Use the tallest player as a post; he makes the best target.

Passing:

30. This is the quickest way to move the ball against a press.
31. Make your passes short and snappy, 12 to 15 feet. Avoid lob passes.
32. After passing, step toward the receiver. Don’t run away.

Dribbling:

33. Dribble as far as the defense will allow. Avoid double-teams by passing before the trap is set.
34. Don’t back your way upcourt; you’ll make yourself easy to double-team and you’ll lose sight of potential receivers.
35. Teammates must warn the dribbler of any defender attacking him from the rear.
36. It’s smart to follow the dribbler and be available for an outlet pass.
37. Beware of the sidelines and baselines when dribbling; they become defensive players.
38. Don’t cross with the ball; whenever two defensive players are brought together, they can easily double-team.

Forecourt Attack:

39. Don’t let the press throw off your normal offense once you get the ball to the forecourt.
40. Look to score; don’t lose momentum by becoming too cautious.
41. Scorers should be placed in the most desirable areas.
42. Press is vulnerable to lay-ups and short jump shots. Be patient; try to work the ball to an open player.
43. Teams whose primary defense is the press usually don’t play their secondary defense as well.

Pressure Checklist:

44. Do we know our alignment?
45. Are we in condition to be pressed for 40 minutes?
46. Have we prepared for every defense?
47. Can we be patient?
48. Do we have an offense that we can easily go into once the press is broken?
49. Have we practiced against pressure every day, even to the point of putting more than five defensive players on the court?
50. Have we practiced under game conditions whenever possible (time, score, officials, noisy gym)?

How To Be A Good Assistant Coach from Coquese Washington

2011-05-17T08:37:00.002-05:00

These are notes from Coquese Washington Head Coach Penn State on 5/1/11 in Chicago, IL at A Step Up-Assistant Coaches Symposium. Coach Washington is a former assistant coach at Notre Dame University.

I. Understand being a head coach is much harder than it looks.
a. Responsibility grows exponentially
i. Assistant coaches
ii. Sports information
iii. Marketing
iv. Athletic training
v. Strength and conditioning
vi. Facilities
vii. Community outreach
viii. Fundraising and development
ix. Academic services
x. Other miscellaneous areas

b. Coaching becomes more about managing people and less about x’s and o’s.
c. Give your head coach some grace sometimes.

II. Be someone who is “easy” to manage

a. Master Your Current Responsibilities
i. Be focused on what you are responsible for; don’t compete with co workers
ii. Be very thorough
iii. Finish tasks in a timely manner
iv. Do it right the first time, proofread so you can be mistake free
v. Work well with other assistants and support staff
vi. Get your personal life together (finances, kids, health, etc.) Head coach has lots of issues to deal with…you can’t be one of them.
b. Create New Opportunities for Yourself
i. See what needs to be done…and make sure it gets done
ii. Find new ways to do old tasks more effectively/efficiently
c. Pursue excellence
d. Be the example you want your players to follow, in your professional and personal life.
e. Be the type of assistant coach you would want to have working for you if you were a head coach.
f. Remember-Loyalty is key

Keep frustrations in house.
Head coach’s agenda=your agenda
Voice frustrations in a professional manner

III. Become a Servant Assistant

a. What does your head coach need from you outside of you doing your job well? (A confidence boost, lunch? A listening ear?)
b. What things can you take off your head coach’s plate?
c. Be proactive in finding bringing solutions to the table.
d. Make it a priority to take care of the student athletes in all ways’ willingly give them your time and attention.
e. Build relationships in the athletic department, university, community, and surrounding community to help extend the reach of the program and your head coach.

Qualities of a Good Assistant Coach

2011-05-16T09:12:00.000-05:00

These are some notes from John Margaritis the head coach at UC Riverside speaking at the Assistant Coaches Symposium in Chicago, IL on May 1st, 2011. He was a lifelong assistant coach until becoming the head coach at UC Riverside. He took over a team that had been 7-21 prior to his arrival and had them in the NCAA tournament 2 years later. He had tons of great insight and was a very funny and personable guy.

I. Knowledge of the subject- Be a student of the game. Learn as much as you can. Keep learning all the time. Learn about thing that you may never use.

II. Become a great teacher (affect behavior) At the end it’s not what you know that matters but what your students know and can execute that will make a difference. Make coaching your 1st priority.

III. Stay on task (Do not confuse the issue.) There are as many philosophies as there are coaches. Understand what the head coach wants and use your knowledge to improve individual and team play, rather than change the approach to basketball that the head coach wants.

IV. Make Coaching your #1 priority. (Minor input will not yield major results.) It’s way too competitive. There are way too many people that want your job so coaching at the D1 level is only meant for those few who are willing to outwork the competition.

V. Loyalty above all except honor (Be loyal) Always act as if your head coach is there to listen to what you hear and say. It’s important to your progress if people can trust you. It’s also important that you have scruples.

VI. Learn to evaluate talent. (Know what you are looking for.) It comes in handy when it comes to recruiting and or helping your won student athletes to get to a higher level.

VII. Be attune with today’s technology. (Stay current) Your ability to break down film, create scouting reports and preparing for the next opponent will not only help your team win the next game it will prepare you for the next job opportunity. “Be an assistant coach while you’re learning to be a head coach.”

VIII. Get involved with money. (Budget) Know how to manage budgets. Order equipment, set up travel, issue scholarships.

IX. Get involved with “student” in student athlete (Academics) Know what it takes for your players to get a degree. Oversee class schedules, study hall and academic progress and integrity.

X. Be a head coach (leadership) Take ownership. Be ready to take over at any given time, to handle boosters, to look and act as a head coach.

“Remember I’m the one that hired you and you liked me then.”

“The only way to win is to eliminate reasons why you can’t.”

Stephanie Glance on the Role of an Assistant Coach

2011-05-15T00:14:00.000-05:00

Here are some notes from when Illinois State head coach and former Tennessee and NC State assistant coach Stephanie Glance spoke in Chicago during the Assistant Coaches Symposium on May 1st. Coach Glance has great insight from being a lifelong assistant coach to now sitting in the role of head coach.
Spent 22 years as an assistant coach.

She thanked all of the coaches in attendance and said it shows that you care about your profession.

Don’t miss all of the opportunities you have as an assistant.

No such thing as over organization.

Over organize your head coach.

Have to make a decision of, who will I be in recruiting.

When deciding how much work you’re going to do, think about this…how much would I do if this was my program?

Take ownership of your job, which leads to accountability.

How to Support Your Head Coach and the Program
1) Sell the head coach directly’ sell yourself indirectly
2) Over organize
3) Realize your role
4) Powerful positive promotion
5) Take initiative
6) Communicate clearly
7) Be proactive
8) Plan practically
9) Conant contribution
10) Effective energy
11) Listen loudly
12) Sound and sharp
13) Treat program, players as if it were your own
14) Take responsibility
15) Be accountable
16) Respect yourself and others
17) Project professionalism
18) Focus fundamentally
19) Flexible, fun, family
20) Respond reasonably
21) Meaningful mentor

Roles of an Assistant
1) game prep
2) community
3) recruiting
4) teaching
5) practice
6) scouting
7) compliance
8) loyalty

Most Valuable Asset-Our Players

2011-05-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

One of the most impressive things about this weekend was the fact that 2 assistant coaches from national championship winning Texas A&M were there and eager to learn. Associate Head Coach Kelly Bond was also one of the speakers and she spoke on "Our Most Valuable Asset-Our Players." Sometimes we get so caught up in recruiting, scouting, and all of the other components of our job that we forget about why we have a job-and that is the players. Here are some notes for Coach Bond:

Our most valuable asset above all else is ourselves, If we don't take of our selves we can't take care of anyone else. That includes spiritually, mentally, and physically.
What did you promise players while you were recruiting them?

1.) That you would take care of them
2.) Opportunity
Nothing about playing time or winning games.

The environment of your program can be divided into layers of protection. At the center is the student athlete. She is surrounded by the head coach and assistant coaches. Next layer is the seniors and the captains. Next layer is the TEAM. Next layer is the players' family and the other teammates' families. The next layer is the community and the university.
1 layer could possibly break but not all 6 layers.
At Texas A&M after wins the whole team stays on the court while the families of all of the players come and join them and then everyone goes into the locker room including the families.
They want the community to know Sydney Carter not #4.
They want the community and other people to invest in their people not their players.
Upon arriving in College Station after winning the national championship, the players signed autographs for 5 hours until every single person there had gotten one.
Team played for something more than themselves.
By giving back it takes the focus off of the player and allows them to humbly give back.
Strength coach had bible studies before every game and every single player on the team voluntarily attended.
Sometimes right or wrong people are identified by their presentation and their look. So she and Coach Harris take interest in the players and teach them right way to dress, act, etc. Take them shopping, let them look in your closet, etc.
In recruiting they tell players "No one will care as much as we do."
Bring in people the players can connect with for their next career. TV reporters, doctors, accountants or whatever.
Teach them financial responsibility. How to pay bills, how to balance a check book, how to use the bank.
Their coaches always keep up with deadlines for Pell grants and other things the players need to do to receive the most help. Sometimes players aren't even aware of all of the programs and things they can use.
Be creative with meals and housing to make sure your players are receiving the most help possible.
"The bench is the majority of the team, the bench can't be neglected and expect to be successful."
Their players take pride in the scout team and Coach Bond joked that some of them don't want to switch off of scout team to go to 1st team at practice sometimes.
Bench is really involved in every part of the game and the program.
As assistant coaches we are firefighters and it is a daily job that must be done.
Make sure you know of all of the services available to players such as counseling services and other free resources. Must be willing to reach out and help because all players have baggage.
When coaching kids never make it personal. You may hate the way that someone is playing but you don't hate that kid and you must find a way to get that across to the players.

Assistant Coaches Symposium

2011-05-02T07:36:00.000-05:00

I had the privelage of attending Felicia Hall Allen's Assistant Coaching Symposium for the 2nd year in a row this past weekend. I can not begin to tell you what an incredible experience it was again this weekend. There were so many great speakers who not only gave us all great information but really made themselves available to all of us to ask questions and share knowledge. It was also a great opportunity to meet so many other coaches just like you who are in the same position and do the things you do on a day to day basis. I highly reccomend anyone who has the chance to go to take advantage of that opportunity and go. I will try to post some of the notes and other things that I took away from the weekend in the next coming days. To be surrounded by so many knowledegebale coaches was a really humbling experience. There was such a wide spectrum of coaches in attendance from high school coaches to national championship winning coaches. This is a weekend that I want to be a part of for many years to come. Once I get all of my notes typed up I will be glad to email them to all of you and share. Just send me an email at sguillory1@mcneese.edu if you would be interested in that.

BUILDING TRUST ON YOUR TEAM

2011-04-07T09:23:00.000-05:00

Each day the level of trust on your team is getting better (increasing) or getting worse (decreasing). I don't think there is a better example of trust on a team than what we just saw with the Butler men's basketball team.

What you say, how you say it, what you do, and when you do it are all factors influencing whether or not your teammates and coaches will trust you. Remember, your words and actions impact every practice, team meeting, competition, and social team gathering. Leaders who are not open and honest with their teammates and coaches make it difficult to build a foundation of trust and trust defines all great teams. As a leader, you play a critical role in defining and developing your "team trust". Trust is one of those concepts that all teams want but few know how to achieve. The idea of trust is closely tied to leadership in that leaders constantly find themselves in positions (e.g., conflicts to be resolved, decisions to be made, intensity and effort to be defined) whereby others are looking to them for answers. How much others trust you will determine your effectiveness as a leader who can lead by example, encourage others, and hold teammates accountable (enforce). How much your teammates trust one another will determine how they work together and hold each other accountable. In the end, team trust becomes the foundation by which successful and cohesive teams are built.

Question: How do you develop greater trust with and among your teammates?

The following ways are important for building a foundation of trust within your team:

1. "Say it... mean it... and do it."

Keep your word and be dependable. If you promise something, then keep your promise by doing what you said you would. If it's a phone call or email you promised, follow through. If you said you would stop by and say hello, do so. If you told a coach or a teammate that you would find an answer to a question they had, find the answer and report back to them promptly. When you do not follow through, those around you begin to question (and do so quickly) whether you can be trusted.

2. Speak the truth and nothing but the truth.

The truth always rises to the top. The truth is trustworthy. If you are speaking the truth... you are trustworthy. If you are not speaking the truth, you cannot be trusted. It really is that simple.

You can "fake" the truth for a short time but at some point you will be faced with speaking the truth. You may not be the most liked person when you speak the truth but you will be trusted and respected. Others will always know where you stand and they will learn to count on you for the truth in both good and bad times.

3. Go out of your way to "build up" your teammates.

Find something positive to say about your teammates. Communicate to them what you see them doing well. Build em' up, confirm their strengths, and remind them of their past successes. Show an ongoing interest in their role on the team, acknowledge their efforts, and celebrate improvements with them. When you invest your time, effort, and experiences with your teammates and coaches, they begin to see you as approachable and trustworthy.

4. Know the need and take the lead.

Understand the importance of team trust and go out of your way to develop genuine trusting relationships. Because you are in a primary leadership role on your team, most of your teammates will wait for you to develop and nurture the relationship. You cannot wait for others to approach you since many of your teammates may lack the assertiveness to do so. Most teammates want "solid" and trusting relationships, but they may not be sure what to say, how to act, or when to approach you. Strong relationships are a must. So... How is your "team trust"? You know the need... now take the lead.

"In leadership there are no words more important than trust. In any organization, trust must be developed among every member of the team if success is going to be achieved."

-------Mike Krzyzewski

Characteristics of the Mentally Tough Competitor

2011-04-07T09:14:00.000-05:00

1. Self-motivated
2. Positive, but realistic. Not a complainer, criticizer, or faultfinder.
3. Emotional control. A tough competitor has tamed the trigger of negative emotion such as bad officiating, stupid
mistakes, and obnoxious opponents.
4. Calm Under Fire. Does not avoid pressure, but is challenged by it.
5. Highly energetic and ready for action. Getting pumped to play your best no matter what.
6. Determined. Relentless in pursuit of goals, setbacks are taken in stride while inching further forward.
7. Mentally alert and focused. Capable of long, intensive periods of total concentration.
8. Doggedly self-confident. Not easily intimidated, often because of confidence they become the intimidator.
9. Fully responsible. Accountable for their on strengths, weaknesses, and actions.

THE GREATEST JOY

2011-04-05T10:40:00.000-05:00

Taken from Wooden-A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court

The Greatest Joy

Happiness is in many things. It's in love. It's in sharing. But most of all, it's in being at peace with yourself knowing that you are making the effort, the full effort, to do what is right. True happiness comes from the things that cannot be taken away from you. Making the ful effort to do the right thing can never be taken away from you. I believe the greatest joy one can have is doing something for someone else without any though of getting something in return.

ACCEPTING OUR RESPONSIBILITY

2011-04-05T09:16:00.000-05:00

Taken from Wooden-A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court

Accepting Our Responsibility

There have been many wars fought and millions of lives lost because leaders differed with other leaders in regard to religion or race. You and I mus accept some accountability for future bloodshed if each and every day we don't do something in out own way to alleviate prejudice in ourselves or other.

PRACTICE STRATEGIES TO GET YOUR TEAM TO PLAY HARD

2011-04-05T09:08:00.000-05:00

By Mike McNeill
Coaching Development

A critical aspect of competing is being in the present – not thinking ahead and letting the past go. Coaches must teach, preach, and demand that players focus on the present responsibilities each player has so they will compete better.

The following is a list of strategies that can be used to teach your team to play hard and to compete every possession.

1. The coach is the only one to call fouls. The coach can then set the standard of play. While it is important to teach players to play without fouling it is equally important to teach players to play through fouls, to play physically, and to play aggressively. It is also important players not concern themselves with the officials.

2. There is no out of bounds! If the ball bounces out of the normal boundaries of the court the play is still alive. The players will then hustle after the loose ball to maintain possession. This will keep kids hustling after the ball. There are two arguments I have heard against this concept: 1) kids will get hurt – in 20+ years I have not seen it happen; 2) they will not be aware of where the out of bounds lines are – again, I have not seen this be a factor.

3. Make every scrimmage or drill a competition; all competitions have either a score or a time standard. Examples, you must make so many lay-ups in a 3 player weave in 2 minutes or first team to five baskets. The consequences for losing are severe if the losing team did not compete very hard - set of lines, suicide, 60 seconds. If the losing team did compete hard make it a less severe penalty or no penalty.

4. Play every drill, scrimmage, and breakdown until the defense gets the ball, i.e. if the offense scores and then recovers the ball from the basket they can score again.

5. Use overload situations, 3 vs 4, 4 vs 5, 5 vs 6. This places extra pressure on the out-manned team to concentrate and play harder to compensate for out-numbered situation and it also places pressure on the team with the numerical advantage because the expectation is to win. Give the team with the numerical advantage a slight score disadvantage to start each drill.

6. Use a rebounding bubble. Because no baskets are scored - score with stops, rating of shots and offensive rebounds. This will increase the hustle to secure the ball.

7. Give extra points for offensive rebounds. When you scrimmage or play any drill if a team gets an offensive rebound they get 2 extra points. Offensive rebounding is about desire and hard work – this should be rewarded!

8. Reward the team with extra points whenever there are hustle plays such as diving on the floor or drawing a charge.

9. Have one of your players wear a designated jersey during practice. If this player secures an offensive rebound his team gets bonus points. The defending team must then focus on keeping this player off the boards and the designated player will focus on and feel pressure to get to the boards.

10. Use the “next basket wins” games during practice, even if one team is up by several points, this will bring the competitive nature in your athletes out. The team ahead will know they have been thrown an injustice and will try to show you they are not going to be denied and the team behind will recognize their opportunity for victory and compete hard.

11. Time and score scenarios during practice bring a high level of interest and focus. Here is an example “Blue is up 65-62 with a 1:30 to go and both teams are in bonus. Red ball under the basket.” The players usually will be quite focused to execute properly to win

UTILIZING THE 3 POINT SHOT VS. MAN AND ZONE

2011-03-31T10:10:00.000-05:00

Here are some notes from Billy Donovan speaking at a Nike clinic a few years ago on the 3 point shot.

-We try to gain an advantage at the three point line by creating situations offensively by using it and by taking it away defensively.

↑What is the best way to do this offensively? At my level, get better shooters. At the high school level, get your shooters better.

-A 4 that can shoot it creates so many offensive opportunities for your team (side note: this was a point that was reiterated by 3-4 coaches over the weekend)

-Four ways we try to get open threes:

1. Transition- push hard for early threes.

2. Dribble Penetration- drive and kick opportunities.

3. Post Kickouts- passing out of double-teams followed by ball reversal.

4. Offensive Rebounds- best time for open threes. Bigs feel that they’re entitled to shoot the ball off of an o-board, but this is a great time to find a shooter sprinting to spot up in an open area.

-The more you force the defense to closeout on you, the greater chance you have of getting to the paint. So, your thinking offensively should be “how do I create closeout opportunities?”
-Loves the flat ball screen because defense has to go so deep under them to get through and because if the ball screen is overplayed, it is so easy to switch the angle to catch the defense.
-Wants to keep the ball in the “alley” (middle of the court between the two elbows) because it prevents teams from establishing helpside.

Transition ideas:

-A team changing from offense to defense is one of the most difficult things in basketball. Exploit this!
-On a miss, free-for-all, score as quickly as possible.
-On a make, we want the ball the inbounded as quickly as possible by whichever big is closest to the ball and we want the ball advanced up the floor as quickly as possible as well. In UF’s practices, ball isn’t across half court in 3 seconds it is an automatic turnover.
-No set lanes, he wants his players to play. He asks his wings to run their lanes as wide as possible and sprint up the floor. If the two happen to be on the same side, it’s the 2nd player’s responsibility to call “push” and send the first wing through to the other side.
-Random ball screens: If our first big down the court is behind the ball or not in position to get the ball in the low post in transition, it’s an automatic flat ball screen for strongside wing (trailing big can run in to set a double).

Drills:

-LMU :35 Drill:

Goal is to score 5 layups in 35 seconds. Drill begins with 5 players rotating in a circle. The ball is scored by a coach and the players sprint to transition. Progression: 1. Advance pass to wing 2. Advance pass to opposite wing 3. Over the top pass to big rim running 4. Pass to trailing big followed by a drive/wide pindown by trailing big followed by a seal 5. Ball screen for point guard by trailing big for layup.

KNOW WHAT YOU REALLY WANT IN LIFE

2011-03-31T10:04:00.000-05:00

Taken from Brian Tracy's newsletter

Aristotle said that the ultimate aim or purpose or human life is to achieve your own happiness. You are the very happiest when what you are doing on the outside is congruent with your values on the inside. When you are living in complete alignment with that which you consider to be good, right, and true, you will automatically feel happy and positive about yourself and your world.

Know What You Really Want

Stephen Covey once said, "Be sure that, as you scramble up the ladder of success, it is leaning against the right building." Many people work hard to achieve goals that they think they want only to find, at the end of the day, they get no joy or satisfaction from their accomplishments. They ask, "Is this all there is?" This occurs when the outer accomplishment is not in harmony with your inner values. Don't let this happen to you.

Trust Your Intuition

Self-trust is the foundation of greatness. Self-trust comes from listening to your intuition, to your "still, small voice" within. Men and women begin to become great when they begin to listen to their inner voices and absolutely trust that they are being guided to a higher power each step of the way. Living in alignment with your true values is the royal road to self-confidence, self-respect, and personal pride. In fact, almost every human problem can be resolved by returning to values.
Watch Your Behavior

How can you tell what your values really are? The answer is simple. You always demonstrate your true values in your actions and especially your actions under pressure. Whenever you are forced to choose between one behavior and another you will always act consistent with what is most important and valuable to you at that moment. Values, in fact, are organized in a hierarchy. You have a series of values, some of them very intense and important and some of them weaker and less important. One of the most important exercises you can engage in to determine who you really are and what you really want is to organize your values by priority. Once you are clear about the relative important of your values, you can then organize your outer life so that it is in alignment with them.

Determine Your Hearts Desire

The spiritual teacher Emmet Fox wrote about the importance of discovering your "hearts desire." What is your hearts desire? As a friend of mine asks, "What do you want to be famous for?" What words would you like people to use to describe you when you are not there? What would you like someone to say about you at your funeral? What kind of reputation do you have today? What kind of reputation would you like to have sometime in the future?

Your Past is Not Your Future

Many people had difficult experiences growing up. They fell on hard times and became associated with the wrong people. Some were convicted and sent to prison for crimes. But at a certain point in life, they decided to change. They thought seriously about what kind of person they wanted to be known as, and thought of, in the future. They decided to change their lives by changing the values that they lived by. By making these decisions and sticking to them, they changed their lives. Remember, it doesn't matter where you're coming from; all that really matters is where you're going.

MIKE RICE THOUGHTS ON DEFENSE

2011-03-31T09:59:00.000-05:00

Our 5 Rules Defensively:

1. We dictate to you on defensively. We attack

2. Force ball sideline and baseline: our chin on your top shoulder. We don’t drop our feet to open up. We dictate defensively what you do. EXCEPT on baseline or at the top of the key where you are chest-to-chest (defense there at the top of the key is so important because that’s the penetration that really kills you because it is so tough to help on).

3. Make teams play faster than they want to

4. Switch 1-4: You might call us lazy because we don’t want to fight through picks, but I just don’t think I have tough enough or smart enough kids at my level to get through screens. We switch everything – downscreens, backscreens, ballscreens, dribble hand-offs. You need to be strong and athletic to play this (2 things we emphasize heavily in recruiting). Tough kids are so rare today.

5. Energy + Intensity: We have to have it.

-So important for us (and any defense) is containing dribble penetration because without having to help and rotate, it will be a much better defensive possession.
-We heavily emphasize closeouts (and mirroring the ball) because a. good closeouts prevent the offense from passing and reversing the ball with fluidity and b. if we get one great closeout, BAM, the offense is back to zero and everything they positive they had accomplished prior in that possession is negated because they’re cowering with the ball behind their head
-You have to make things fun for your kids. Make everything a game to keep them interested. Whenever someone takes a charge at RMU all 4 players need to help him
-Don’t deny wings or any perimeter passes, but instead sit in help.
- Because of our switching we love playing teams that get a bulk of their offense from set plays. It just drives them nuts. I don’t want to rely on my kids handling the complexities of dealing with staggers and such so we just switch it.
-Believes it to be truly easier in season to make your team a great defensive team than a great offensive team. Offense is predicated on skill work that’s done in the off-season mostly.

-Incorporates the offensive concepts of their next opponent in that day’s shell drill.

Notes from Bo Ryan

2011-03-30T10:42:00.000-05:00

The following is some notes I have from Bo Ryan speaking at the Adidas coaching clinic in Las Vegas in September.

The Swing is “O” in transition

a. If you score a point per possession you will win 90% of your games.
b. You want to get the ball to the best offensive player, get him the ball first.
c. You need to get your guys to firmly believe they need to work.
d. You should practice the skip pass to post entry every day.
e. Doesn’t make v-cuts
f. The five spots on the floor are 2 wings, 1 post, and 2 guard top.
g. Against an overplay have your point dribble entry, and the wing backcuts as the post leaves to open lane up.
h. You can also always downscreen to get into offense.
i. Nice thing about the swing is you can always get a stagger screen.
j. Ways to beat full court pressure: Put big man in the middle and throw over the top.

Things that Coach Ryan feels are important for success

a. Who is the leading scorer? Who cares as long as someone scores or gets fouled.
b. You have to get the ball into the post. You need to run post-passing drills. You need to teach them. Don’t assume they can do it.
c. Don’t yell play “D”. Tell them what to do. It’s called coaching.
d. Chart 3-point shots. Shot 12% better on kickouts. You need post touches.
e. Kids learn to shoot while already facing when they are young. That’s why percentage is better from inside out. The skip pass is the next best way to get a 3-point shot. The ball screen is the lowest % 3-point shot.
f. On transition Defense: Send the 1 and 2 back. If the other players can’t grab the ball with 2 hands then they need to get back.
g. On rebounding: Keep your hands up. The best was Bill Walton.
h. It takes three seconds to secure a rebound after the shot goes

WINNING WITH AN UNDERSIZED TEAM BY BRAD STEVENS

2011-03-30T10:32:00.003-05:00

A few years ago before Brad Stevens was "Brad Stevens," he spoke on a video about winning with an undersized team. I was coaching high school girls at the time and we were definitely undersized so I bought the video and here I will share my notes from that video.

Common Characteristics of Good Teams

1) Best players are totally committed
2) Tough minded guys in key spots
3) Make plays in a lot of spots (4 can put it on the floor)
4) Defensive versatility
5) Turnover margin

Misconceptions

1) We don’t recruit size
2) We don’t utilize the post (a lot of ball screens) (1 person always posting at the rim 1 or 3)
3) Size dominates our league
4) Undersized=Undermanned

Findings

1) Play the best players-regardless of size
2) Players with great size struggle to guard on the floor
3) There aren’t many great back to basket players that stay long in college
4) Certain team will decrease your margin for error

Areas to Address

1) Defensive Rebounding
2) Ability to contest shots—figuring out who you can help off of
3) Foul trouble
4) Ability to finish plays-Guards need to get good at alternative finishes (floater, finish high)

Things in your favor

1) Bring forwards out to guard
2) Increased number of ball handlers
3) Defensive versatility
4) Being disruptive defensively
5) Spreading the floor

OFFENSIVE IDEAS FROM SCOTT ALLEN

2011-03-29T10:30:00.000-05:00

OFFENSIVE IDEAS FROM SCOTT ALLEN

Basketball Development Trainer & Former College Basketball Coach

1. Know your strengths and play to them.
2. Avoid playing to your weaknesses.
3. KISS-keep it simple stupid-teaching.
4. All you need is one good screen to have good motion.
5. Going inside= fouls, points, free throws and offensive rebounding.
6. Space your offense out to stretch the defense.
7. Dribble penetrate to force the defense to help and find the openings.
8. Leave a space and then fill the space, it creates good movement.
9. Make purposeful cuts and ball movement.
10. Learn the game to be able to teach it. Study one solid program inside and out.
11. Patience will get you good shots.
12. If you want a jump shot, throw the ball in the post and pass out to shooters relocating.
13. To get the ball inside, have the post down screen for a teammate who is waiting under the rim. Wait for the screen, set the screen, and post up strong to seal.
14. Catch the ball in the post as close to the rim as you can.
15. Put your best athlete in the middle of the floor against pressure.
16. A 10 second count is better than a quick turnover against full court pressure because eventually you’ll see the gaps.
17. Where does your offense go after a successful break of pressure?
18. Pass the ball up the floor and have players run the floor wide on the wings.
19. Stretch the defense in transition.
20. Have a simple secondary break with no more than one or two simple screens.

END OF A SEASON

2011-03-29T10:03:00.000-05:00

Well I promised you through Twitter that I would start blogging again after our season was finished so here I am. Our season ended last week in the 1st round of the NCAA tournament against a very good and well coached Texas A&M team. Although the ending isn't what we wanted this has been an amazing run and our team should have nothing to hold their heads down about. Our players did whatever was asked of them all year and were willing to sacrifice for their team. They rewrote the record book for McNeese women's basketball program and I am really proud to be their coach. Here is just a quick list of all of their accomplishments:

Most wins in school history (26)
Least losses in school history (7)
Best conference record ever (15-1)
1st time ever Southland Conference regular season Champions
1st time ever Southland Confernece tournament Champions
1st time ever undefeated at home (14-0)
1st NCAA appearnace ever
1st 1st team all conference player since 1995
1st time ever Southland Conference Coach of the Year
1st time in Southland Conference history the same school won men's and women's regular season title
And perhaps the statistic we are most proud of is that we had the #1 defense in the Southland Conference!

This has been a long season and our players are enjoying some much deserved time off right now before we start off season and they finish out this semester. I am going to committ to updating my blog more this offseason and hopefully catching up and learning from some of you. If you have any ideas that you would like to share with me please feel free to email me sguillory1@mcneese.edu

GO COWGIRLS!!!

NOTES FROM TEXAS A&M PRACTICE

2010-10-13T15:52:00.001-05:00

Our entire staff had the privilege of spending a few days in College Station with the Texas A&M coaching staff. We were able to sit in on staff meetings, observe team meetings, and attend practices. It was definitely one of the most valuable learning experiences that I have ever had. Coach Gary Blair was so open and genuine to us and really allowed us into his program to learn, ask questions, and grow. All of his assistants Kelly Bond, Vic Schaefer, and Johnnie Harris were also very helpful to us and answered all of our questions and much more. Here are just a few observations from their practice:

→ They take 2 different 4 minute breaks during practice.
→ All managers always had 2 balls in their hands and a towel around their neck.

→ Players, coaches, and managers would roll the ball across the floor while someone was talking so as to not to make noise.

→ There was always a shooting drill right after a break.

→ There were numerous shooting drills incorporated into practice. Everything was done at game speed and game spots.

→ Managers tell players what color they need to flip to before a drill or scrimmage begins.

→ Managers track all turnovers during practice.

→ The drills always stop when allotted time is up and they move on to the next thing.

→ All defensive drills are done at the end of practice when they are most tired.

→ They find male practice players from the kinesiology department who want to be coaches.

→ Their entire defensive philosophy begins with ball pressure.

→ All punishment running is done during breaks or after practice so they don’t waste practice time on it.

→ Stretching is done on their own before practice so they don’t waste time.

→ Trainers bring water to the players on sideline during breaks so it is not a cluster around the water cooler.

→ There is a different free throw shooting game or drill everyday.

→ When there is an injury the team just picks up and moves to the other end of the court while the trainer takes care of the injury.

COACHING WISDOM

2010-08-30T15:04:00.000-05:00

Rebounding is the epitome of effort areas. The team that fights for position and aggressively pursues the ball off the boards is eventually going to be the team that wins.

Adapt not adopt.

A coach must possess mental toughness. A coach must be ready to practice every day. The players realize when a coach is not prepared. The top coaches at every level are the ones that are mentally prepared every day.

Building character is the real commitment to winning. A coach who doesn’t stand by his convictions is doomed to be a big loser, regardless of his win-loss record.

5 Most Important Factors in Winning

1. Play your tail off. Be tougher physically and mentally than the opponent.
2. You control the tempo of the game
3. Make a thorough game preparation in which you plan to disrupt your opponents offense and exploit their defense.
4. Force turnovers and limit your own.
5. Get rid of the “turds”—never compromise on this.

Ability is what you are capable of doing, motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. – Lou Holtz

It is the loose ends with which men hang themselves.

The major part of my job isn’t to tell the players what to do. The most important thing I do is to create a setting for them to work in. I think that is the key to any coaches job—creating an environment that’s organized, free of distractions, ready.

Of all games, basketball is one in which you can never show weakness. Everyone knows how to spot and exploit them.

A team has to be a melting pot. It’s going to face a lot of different challenges and it has to have a lot of
potential responses. A few sinners mixed in with the saints can create a powerful brew.

Percentages in Coaching

2010-08-30T15:01:00.000-05:00

The notoriety of the coach is dictated by how his team performs while under pressure.

You are a teacher of basketball. The court is an extension of the classroom.

They Learn: The Laws of Learning:

10% when they hear Expanation
20% when they see Demonstration
70% when they do Repetition
25% of your players are excited daily. The other 75%…you have to get them excited.

Defense

Daily

Develops

Defense

• The Mediocre Coach Tells.

• The Good Coaches Explain.

• The Superior Coaches Demonstrate.

• The Great Coaches Inspire

In the end, it is attention to detail that makes all the difference. It's the center fielder's extra two steps to the left, the salesman's memory for names, the lover's phone call, the soldier's clean weapon. It is the thing that separates the winners from the losers, the men from the boys, and very often, the living from the dead. Professional success depends on it, regardless of the field.---David Noonan

NOTES FROM COACH BOB KNIGHT

2010-08-26T09:28:00.000-05:00

TEACHING THE GAME OF BASKETBALL: Know what your team is capable of doing.

OFFENSE-applicable to anything that you do
1.) shoot the ball and score (not synonomous)
2.) handling the ball w/o mistakes
3.) movement w/o the ball
4.) spacing

DEVELOPMENT OF OFFENSIVE PLAYER:
1.) Shooting

never cross the floor and get into free shooting
he shoots in groups of 5 (always track shots)
spot shooting warmups (have a chart)
steps into shot (head in front of body)
shot fake maybe most underused move in basketball

"All kids have limitations. Stay away from what you can't do."-B. Knight

2.) Passing

Don't pass it to the other color. (most important part of passing)
Get your kids to think. Get your kids to see the game.
You can not allow sloppy passing at any point in practice. Bad pass-do it again.
Against zone, can not return ball to the same side w/o dribbling the ball past the midline.

3.) Dribbling

Use the dribble to get the ball to the basket=FTs
The dribble is the best play between fast breadk and set offense.
Use dribble for better passing angle, full court pressure, or to get to the gaps in the zone.
Be quick with the ball. Don't dribble it, pound it.

"Deception-great thing in basketball. Very undertaught." B. Knight

4.) Cutting

Set up the defense and read the cut.
Must always face basket, not screener.

QUOTES ON LEADERSHIP

2010-08-25T08:57:00.000-05:00

“When it comes to leading people, there is no problem that is unique to you.”
You could ask anyone with experience, and you would discover they have had to face the same issues, the same frustrations. So don’t feel sorry for yourself. That’s a waste of valuable time. Just make plans to make things better.

“A real leader spends his time fixing the problem instead of finding who to blame.”
What happens when you place blame is that you focus on the past. When you accept responsibility, you focus on this time forward—on the future. Until you accept total responsibility—no matter what—you won’t be able to put plans in place to accomplish your goals.

“Doing the right thing isn’t easy- in fact sometimes it’s real hard – but just remember that doing the right thing is always right.”

Confucius once said, “To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.” But actually living the ‘do right rule’ is tough because it requires discipline, commitment and courage.

“So much of life is about attitude and how we handle what life throws our way.
Life is good – even when a situation appears to be the worst.”
Stay positive and help make another’s life better!

-- FromWalk the Talk

WHAT YOU SEND YOU GET BACK

2010-08-25T08:46:00.000-05:00

BY ZIG ZIGLER

For years, we've all known that if we smile at people we have a really good chance of getting a smile in return. A pleasant greeting generally brings a pleasant response because it is true that what we send out, we get back. Along these lines, a most interesting experiment was conducted. It wasn't by B. F. Skinner, the Yale University psychologist who made the whole idea of reinforcement famous, but this time the tables were turned and one of his classes decided to experiment on him. The class divided itself roughly in two, and on one side of the class all the students smiled pleasantly while Skinner was talking. The other side was frowning and scowling. Gradually, Skinner started speaking primarily to the smiling side, and by the end of the lecture he was talking only to the part of the class that was smiling back at him. The underlying message here is that all of us need encouragement, and when we get that encouragement from a particular individual, book or company, we are inclined to go back time and time again. We trade in shops and deal with doctors and attorneys whose personnel treat us pleasantly and with efficiency. As you think about this, it really starts with what you send out, doesn't it? So if you make certain you send out the "good stuff," you are far more likely to get a pleasant, favorable response or return from the other individual.

TRUTHS ON TEACHING

2010-08-24T14:01:00.000-05:00

“The greatest teacher makes a few simple points. The powerful teacher leaves one or two fundamental truths. And the memorable makes the point not by telling, but by helping the students discover on their own. Learning takes place through discovery, not when you’re told something, but when you figure it out for yourself. All a really fine teacher does is to make suggestions, point out problems, above all, ask questions, and more questions and more questions…teaching encourages not only discovery, but initiative.”

From: “Lend Me Your Ears”

By: William Safire

ANSON DORRANCE SPEECH TO UNC ATHLETES

2010-08-24T08:40:00.000-05:00

I. There is a guy named Herb Greenberg who started a company called Caliper, through his
company he sells his services to the NHL, NFL, NBA and major league baseball.

A. What he is paid a lot of money to do is to analyze athletic potential and advise different professional teams who to draft.

B. His methodology is to have the athletes he is asked to analyze take a battery of psychological tests to see if the three most critical qualities for athletic success are a part of their make up.

C. If one or more of these qualities is not there he advises his clients not to draft the athletes being considered, not to take the risk.

II. There is nothing horribly profound or surprising about what he is searching for in his tests.

He is looking for the core of athletic character. He is looking for:

One . . . self-discipline
Two . . . competitive fire and
Three . . . self-belief

A. All the talent in the world can be torpedoed by any one or all three of these critical qualities if you are missing them.
B. All of you have choices to make that will sort out how good you are going to be . . . how you chase these three areas will be the final measure in your athletic greatness.

III. I am sure everyone in this room has huge talent. The University of North Carolina does not recruit athletes without it.

A. And some of you are going to make it because you have the self discipline to separate yourself from your peers even though self discipline is an extraordinarily uncomfortable state . . . it is not easy for ordinary people. Most of us are rather ordinary so most of us will not really attain their potential. It is just too hard to invest in being the best. Most of us would rather be comfortable. But please understand being ordinary is not an indictment it is a choice.

“The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat at the point of exhaustion when no one else is watching”.

B. Some of you will make a name for yourself and your university because your competitive fire lights up an arena or a stadium. Do you remember the day or the moment you decided you were always going to do your best?

C. Some of you will make a name for yourself because your self belief will not be shaken, regardless of what happens to you.

Heather O’Reilly – in overtime had a chance to take out Germany the team that beat us in the 2003 World Cup . . . she missed, she hit the post. . .

IV. I am here to tell you, you control all of these qualities. These are not genetic traits you
inherited, these are all decisions you all have made or can make now to make a difference.

V. I learned a wonderful lesson about choice from a math teacher (Dunleavy) I had when I was a sophomore in high school.

A. He said he was going to give us a homework assignment every day. It was going to be worth a percentage of our final grade in the class.

B. He said we could select to do the assignment or not. Then he showed us with percentages (after all this WAS a math class) how little our grade would be affected if we choose not to do it. He also said he would never get upset with us over not choosing to do our homework. Looking back it seems like he was actually “daring” us not to do it.

C. Then he said something wonderfully profound. He said he honestly could care less whether or not we did the homework but he did care about this: if we selected to so something else he wanted us to make sure that what we selected to do was more important to us than lowering our math grade that small percentage.

D. For a while all of us in that class except for the teacher’s pet, of course, periodically did something crazy that we pretended was our “more important” choice, hoping that he would ask us one day what we had selected to do rather than do our homework.

Bragging about our exploits we hoped would take us into boarding school legend but unfortunately for us, he never asked. In fact he never talked about this again. And to our disappointment not turning the homework in did not upset him in the least, just like he had promised.

E. I have never forgotten that extraordinary lesson from that obviously very wise man. He was the first person that treated me completely like an adult. In his very clever way he made me consciously accountable for my choices and never took a self righteous position on any choice I made but taught me in an extraordinarily powerful way that every choice has a consequence and I have lived my life accepting everything that has happened to me because in some way I have chosen it. He was the man that convinced me of this.

VI. So let me ask you, what are all of you going to choose to be? This core of athletic character is not what you have been given, it is what you choose to have.

So will you choose to have:
- self-discipline
- competitive fire and
- self-belief?

And if you don’t choose it, don’t worry, very few people do . . . these kinds of people are exceptionally rare, they are sometimes called champions. “Champion” is another word for individuals willing to do difficult and uncomfortable things on a daily basis that no one else is willing to do.

WHAT IT TAKES TO PLAY

2010-08-23T08:36:00.001-05:00

1. Desire and self discipline to work on your game
2. Cannot be lazy
3. Big heart- willing to fight, scratch, claw, anything to win
4. Mental toughness, begin as good on the road as at home, playing through pain and fatigue.
5. Great competitor, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Never letting your team get upset
6. Great work capacity
7. Being your best against the best under the toughest conditions
8. Physical toughness and great talen
9. Willingness to work on the weak areas of your game
10. Lift weights, get strong, and train properly
11. Start to mature and realize the value of being on time
12. Being A Team Oriented Player

COLIN POWELL'S RULES

2010-08-23T08:33:00.003-05:00

1. It isn’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.

2. Get mad, and then get over it.

3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when you position fails, your ego goes with it.

4. It can be done

5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it

6. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision

7. You can make someone else’s choices. You should not let someone else make yours.

8. Check small things

9. Share credit

10. Remain calm. Be kind

11. Have a vision. Be demanding

12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayer.

13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier

14. Sometimes being responsible means pissing people off.

COACHING WISDOM

2010-08-23T08:30:00.000-05:00

I don't remember exactly where I recieved this from, but it is a great series of coaching wisdom that can help all of us.

Players may not remember what coaches tell them about the technical aspects of basketball. But they will never forget the coach.

- Anonymous

X’s and O’s are the least important thing in basketball. All successful teams do one thing year after year. That one thing is that they start over new again.
- Anonymous

The essence of coaching is the vision you have for your team and how it is communicated.
- Anonymous

Success is a matter of never-ceasing application. You must forever work at it diligently. Otherwise, it takes wings and fly’s away. At no other time can you afford to rest on your laurels-a pause for self admiration-because there are others who have eyes on your coveted place and who would like nothing better than to push you out of it, especially if they observe you have a weak hold on it or doing nothing to strengthen your position.

Systems don’t win, execution of systems wins

To coach someone to be the best is a much higher an honor than being the best
- Coach Dan Gable, University of Iowa Wrestling

Some Thoughts from Jim Rohn, Speaker and Philosopher

Part of success is preparation on purpose.
Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day, while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. It is the accumulative weight of our disciplines and our judgments that leads us to either fortune or failure.
Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenges, wish for more wisdom.
Don’t join an easy crowd. You won’t grow. Go where the expectations and the demands to perform are high.

You must constant ask yourself these questions:

1. Who am I around?
2. What are they doing to me?
3. What have they got me reading?
4. What have they got me saying?
5. Where do they have me going?
6. What do they have me thinking?
7. What do they have me becoming?

After you answer those questions, then ask yourself this question: Is that OK?

You get whatever you expect to get. The only question is “What do you want?”

Your belief determines you actions and your actions determines your results, but first you have to believe.

Life is an inside-out game. The trust is that all our situations and circumstances have their beginnings in our minds. Our idea of who we are creates who we become-the great news is you can change your self-impressions and change your life.

WELCOME BACK BLOG

2010-08-23T08:24:00.000-05:00

I guess I should start with a welcome back! I havn't written on the blog this summer, but now I am starting back into my routine and I will hopefully be able to continue this process. When I first decided to start this blog Coach Bob Starkey from LSU told me that I would learn more by doing this than anyone else will learn from reading it. At the time I don't think I really understood what he meant. But after writing for a few months last Spring I totally understand it now. So as I am helping to prepare our team for this upcoming season I hope to write more and learn more. By researching things to write about it and getting feedback from others I am able to gain so much knowledge on such a wide variety of topics. I look forward to hearing from all of you and using you as a resource to improve daily. Good luck to all of the coaches as we beign the 2010-11 journey. I encourage you this year to remember that we are all in this together and for the same purpose of helping young people. So many times we get caught up in looking over our shoulder and worried people are tyring to hurt us and instead we should be doing as God calls us to do in loving one another and helping one another. Again good luck to everyone and let's have a great year!

CHEMISTRY 101

2010-05-24T17:48:00.001-05:00

All great teams have wonderful team chemistry. A great team has a “perfect” blend or mixture of all the roles involved with a team.

“The Difference” Probably the most physically gifted athlete. The team feels confident that this player will come through with his athletic skills for the team.

“The Winner” This player believes that his team can win no matter what the score is or what has just happened. This type player is invaluable to a successful team.

“The Stabilizer” This player is not the superstar or maybe not the main motivating factor of the team, but this player is a highly effective, low error player. He gets the job done quickly, correctly, and efficiently. A successful team has many stabilizers on its team. This is a very important player, yet he may be left out of the spotlight sometimes.

“The Giver” This player makes everyone else play well. They find a way to encourage a teammate who has made a mistake or “pump up” the team when their spirits are low. This player is very emotionally aware of each player on the team.

“The Taker” This type of player sulks, pouts, and gives up when an error is made. This type player is cancerous to a team and is not an ingredient of a successful team.

Great teams always have a nucleus among the starters who are competitive.

You have to enjoy and thrive on competition or confrontation. You have to feel comfortable with competition.

Winning teams are populated by people who are players.

They are motivated by the desire to go have fun playing the game. Motivation is the key factor. A player is an athlete who enjoys the game, but at the same time gives 100% on each play.

WHAT TYPE PLAYER ARE YOU?

COACHING PREREQUISITES

2010-05-24T15:12:00.000-05:00

Coaching Prerequisites

"Player performance is directly related to the coach's knowledge and teaching ability."
Coaching involves three elements: the coach (instructor), the players (learner), and the program objectives.

Athlete's performance is directly related to coach's ability to teach.
"Amateurs teach amateurs to be amateurs."
Being organized requires careful planning.
Identify what the players are to know, how well they need to know them, and under what conditions they are to do them.
Must teach and adhere to program's guidelines.

Coaches must not only have to know what they are doing, but must also have an enthusiasm and enjoyment for doing it.
Coach must impart his energy to team.
The four "E's" of basketball coaching are ENERGY, EMOTION, ENTHUSIASM, and ENJOYMENT.
Maintain a positive attitude and help players to succeed.
Coach must be patient and determined.

It's not enough to know your subject, you must also be aware of your player audience.

Coach must be good at explaining things.
Communicate by keeping it simple. Talk to players' level.
Tell them what you are going to teach them, teach them, and tell them what you taught them.
Clarify rather than confuse.

Three basic keys to successful coaching.

Teach players to LISTEN.
Teach players to SEE things rather than just looking at them.
Teach players to COMMUNICATE. Verbally & with body language (eyes).

Motor learning requires active learning on the part of the players.

Learning must be performed at game speed.
Proper execution is important. Recognize mistakes and correct immediately.
Repetition is a must for motor learning.
Motor learning also requires mental practice.

BOB HUGGINS DEFENSIVE PHILOSOPHY

2010-05-24T15:05:00.000-05:00

These notes were passed on to me from Taylor Harris, assistant basketball coach at Metro State College. They are taken from teh 2010 Nike clinic in Las Vegas. Thanks Coach Harris!

How do you get your players to play so hard?

Run – in practice
Sit – in games
In practice, players would run 22’s but wouldn’t touch all the lines
Set up a treadmill set at 17mph
Make a kid run on the treadmill for 44 sec
He can’t cheat the treadmill, and if he doesn’t run fast, he’ll fly off
Tape a “help” line on the court every day
From rim to rim, middle of the court
Guys need to straddle the help line
If they’re not at the help line, they go to treadmill

DRILL

2v2 Sprint to Help Drill
-Coach up top
-Player at each wing (offense & defense)
-Pass to one wing, other wing must sprint to help line
-We do this every day during practice
-If they don’t sprint and straddle the help line, they go to treadmill

On defense, we want guys to be closer to the ball than their man is
To get through the screen, throw your arm out and hit the screener
Go back and look at game film regarding opponents passes
Passes that hurt you are direct passes
Not lobs or bounce passes
Direct passes set up easy shots
Philosophy: “You can through it over, under, or around us, but you can’t throw it through us”
Closeouts – We work on closeouts more than anyone in the country
Closeout to outside, high shoulder
Prevent middle penetration

As coaches, do you do things in practice not knowing why you do it?
Think about those drills that you do “just because”
Do you have time for all those drills?
Everyone speaks of spacing – what is it?
15-17 feet
Close enough so you can make a direct pass
Far enough where 1 guy can’t guard 2

You don’t get beat off of 1st shots – you get beat by 2nd and 3rd shots
Shoulders point to where the ball is going to be thrown – not the eyes
Teach players to read shoulders, not eyes
Key to rebounding: Staying lower than your opponent

BEAR BRYANT STORY

2010-05-20T15:40:00.000-05:00

I know many of you have heard this story before, but I just wanted to share again. Everytime I meet someone new, I always think of this story. YOU NEVER KNOW!

Story told by Paul Bear Bryant at a touchdown club meeting…

I had just been named the new head coach at Alabama and was off in my old car down in South Alabama recruiting a prospect who was supposed to have been a pretty good player and I was havin’ trouble finding the place. Getting hungry I spied an old cinder block building with a small sign out front that simply said, “Restaurant.” I pull up, go in and every head in the place turns to stare at me. Seems I’m the only white ‘fella’ in the place. But the food smelled good so I skip a table and go up to a cement bar and sit. A big ole man in a t-shirt and cap comes over and says, “What do you need?” I told him I needed lunch and what did they have today? He says, “You probably won’t like it here, today we’re having chitlins, collared greens and black eyed peas with cornbread. I’ll bet you don’t even know what chitlins are, do you?” I looked him square in the eye and said, “I’m from Arkansas, I’ve probably eaten a mile of them. Sounds like I’m in the right place.” They all smiled as he left to serve me up a big plate. When he comes back he says, “You ain’t from around here then?” And I explain that I’m the new football coach in Tuscaloosa at the University and I’m here to find whatever the boy’s name was and he gives me directions to the school so I can meet him and his coach. As I’m paying up to leave, I remember my manners and leave a tip, not too big to be flashy, but a good one and he told me lunch was on him, but I told him for a lunch that good, I felt I should pay.

The big man asked me if I had a photograph or something he could hang up to show that I’d been there. I was so new that I didn’t have any yet. It really wasn’t that big of a thing back then to be asked for, but I took a napkin and wrote his name and address on it and told him I’d get him one.

I met the kid I was lookin’ for later that afternoon and I don’t remember his name, but do remember I didn’t think much of him when I met him. I had wasted a day, or so I thought.

When I got back to Tuscaloosa late that night, I took that napkin from my shirt pocket and put it under my keys so I wouldn’t forget it. Heck, back then I was excited that anybody would want a picture of me. And the next day we found a picture and I wrote on it, “Thanks for the best lunch I’ve ever had, Paul Bear Bryant.”

Now let’s go a whole ‘buncha’ years down the road. Now we have black players at Alabama and I’m back down in that part of the country scouting an offensive lineman we sure needed. He’s got two friends going to Auburn and he tells me he’s got his heart set on Auburn too, so I leave empty handed and go on to see some others while I’m down there. Two days later, I’m in my office in Tuscaloosa and the phone rings and it’s this kid who just turned me down, and he says, “Coach, do you still want me at Alabama?” And I said, “Yes I sure do.” And he says o.k. He’ll come. So I say, “Well son, what changed your mind?” And he said, “When my Grandpa found out that I had a chance to play for you and said no, he pitched a fit and told me I wasn’t going nowhere but Alabama, and wasn’t playing for nobody but you. He thinks a lot of you and has ever since ya’ll met.” Well, I didn’t know his granddad from Adam’s housecat so I asked him who his granddaddy was and he said, “You probably don’t remember him, but you ate in his restaurant your first year at Alabama and you sent him a picture that he’s had hung in that place ever since. That picture’s his pride and joy and he still tells everybody about the day that Bear Bryant came in and had chitlins with him. My grandpa said that when you left there, he never expected you to send that picture to him, but you kept your word, and to Grandpa, that’s everything. He said you could teach me more than football and I had to play for a man like you, so I guess I’m going to.”

I was floored. But I learned that the lessons my mamma taught me were always right. It don’t cost nuthin’ to be nice. It don’t cost nuthin’ to do the right thing most of the time and it costs a lot to lose your good name by breakin’ your word to someone. When I went back to sign that boy, I looked up his Grandpa and he’s still running that place, but it looks a lot better now; and he didn’t have chitlins that day, but he had some ribs that would’ made Dreamland proud and I made sure I posed for a lot of pictures; and don’t think I didn’t leave some new ones for him too, along with a signed football. I made it clear to all my assistants to keep this story and these lessons in mind when they’re out on the road. And if you remember anything else from me, remember this – it really doesn’t cost anything to be nice, and the rewards can be unimaginable.

TIPS FROM COACH K

2010-05-20T15:28:00.002-05:00

These are taken form Coach K's book Leading With the Heart

If your culture is properly developed, then in the heat of competition, when you have to slam home a message, an individual or the team will respond as well.

• If you’re always striving for success that is defined by someone else, you’ll always be frustrated. Define your own success.

• Whatever a leader does now sets up what he does later. And there’s always later.

• Every long-term strategy must be adjustable, and people on the team must be prepared accordingly. Teach them to adjust.

• Success is a matter of preparing to win.

• Goals should be realistic, attainable, and shared among all members of the team.

• Never set a goal that involves number of wins- never. Set goals that revolve around playing together as a team. Doing so will put you in a position to win every game.

• Progress has to monitored on a regular basis, and good work has to be rewarded and encouraged.

• Every goal has to be worthy of the team’s commitment.

• If you’re not fully committed to a course of action that allows use of your team’s full commitment, then change your course of action.

• Every season is a journey. Live it with exuberance and excitement. Live it right.

EVAN LONGORIA ON LEADERSHIP

2010-05-20T15:24:00.000-05:00

This article was passed on to me by leadership expert Jeff Janssen. You can visit his website at http://www.teamcaptainsnetwork.com/

Tampa Bay Rays 3rd baseman Evan Longoria is obviously respected within his team. Here are a few quotes from his teammates and coaches.

"Evan resonates leadership qualities," said teammate Gabe Kapler. "It isn't just that he has them, because a lot of guys have them. But when those qualities seep out of your pores and everyone can feel it, that's when it sets guys apart."

"To me, leadership is giving of yourself," Maddon said. "Too many times, players get greedy and think it's only about them to the point they have nothing else to give to anyone else. I think a real leader always has something left over for someone else."

"It's important to me to have my teammates respect me," Longoria said. "It's not about what you say. It's about what you do. Whether I'm struggling or not, whether things are going well or not, I have to take things in perspective and do all the things I would want to see a teammate do. Run balls out hard. Make good turns. Carry myself on the field."

"He exemplifies what a professional is, what we all aspire to be," Kapler said. "He cares about this team. He cares about being a great player. He cares about winning. He brings an energy. He wants to be on the field for every inning of every game. He always wants to be in the lineup, To me, leadership is about walking the walk. It has nothing to do with what you say. There are plenty of people with something to say, but you have to be able to do what you're talking about consistently. We follow those who take actions. Any motivational speaker could stand up in front of the clubhouse, but that doesn't make him the leader of a clubhouse. The Rays could hire a motivational speaker to fire you up, and you'd be fired up, but it wouldn't last long."

You can read the entire article hereEvan Longoria article.

2010-05-17T10:04:00.000-05:00

From Don Yaeger's newsletter on Greatness

16 Consistent Characteristics of Greatness

HOW THEY THINK

1. It's Personal - They hate to lose more than they love to win.
2. Rubbing Elbows - They understand the value of association.
3. Believe - They have faith in a higher power.
4. Contagious Enthusiasm - They are positive thinkers... They are enthusiastic... and that enthusiasm rubs off.

HOW THEY PREPARE

5. Hope For the Best, But... - They prepare for all possibilities before they step on the field.
6. What Off-Season? - They are always working towards the next game... The goal is what's ahead, and there's always something ahead.
7. Visualize Victory - They see victory before the game begins
8. Inner Fire - They use adversity as fuel.

HOW THEY WORK

9. Ice In Their Veins - They are risk-takers and don't fear making a mistake.
10. When All Else Fails - They know how - and when - to adjust their game plan.
11. Ultimate Teammate - They will assume whatever role is necessary for the team to win.
12. Not Just About the Benjamins - They don't play just for the money.

HOW THEY LIVE

13. Do Unto Others - They know character is defined by how they treat those who cannot help them.
14. When No One is Watching - They are comfortable in the mirror... they live their life with integrity.
15. When Everyone Is Watching - They embrace the idea of being a role model.
16. Records Are Made to Be Broken - They know their legacy isn't what they did on the field. They are well-rounded.

2010-05-17T09:54:00.000-05:00

Here are a few things that were passed along to me from my friend Coach Ari Fisher. Coach Fisher is a two time state championship coach at his alma mater University High in Baton Rouge, LA where he coached some future NBA players including Boston Celtic, Glen "Big Baby" Davis. His 2004 team finished ranked #17 in the country. He is currently a professor at LSU.

"A loser becomes bitter when he is behind and careless when he is ahead; a winner keeps his equilibrium no matter which position he happens to find himself in."

"A winner is not nearly as afraid of losing, as a loser is secretly afraid of winning."

"We think when someone dear to us dies or we lose a game, or an election of some sort, or lose true love, or suffer any personal defeat- that all is ended, that the light above us turns dark forever. This simply is false. Hardship is always a true beginning. Everyone must know this; hardship sustains us and keeps us humble; and greatness comes when you are really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes- because only if you have been in the deepest valley will you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain."

"Always give your best; never get discouraged; never be petty. Always remember, others might hate you, but those who hate you can’t win unless you hate them back, and then you end up destroying yourself from bitterness and hatred."

DON MEYER CLINIC NOTES

2010-05-13T21:04:00.005-05:00

Thanks to Creighton Burns for sending over these notes from Don Meyer's recent clinic talk in Lansing, MI Creighton is a great resource for young coaches like me who are learning and he sends out a great newsletter with motivational info, set plays, clinic notes, quotes, and tons of other awesome things! You can email him at hoosierceb1@yahoo.com to ask to be added to his newsletter group.

THOUGHTS:
All Great Empires Are Destroyed From Within
We are always SELLING (the window to our school, the team, the players, our philosophy, etc.)

Player Plug Ins:
Players take notes (write things down / they will not remember VERBAL)
Please & thank you / be courteous, it pays (Bear Bryant story)
Everyone picks up trash
On a GREAT team, EVERYONE does the “dirty work!”

Keeping a coaching EDGE:
If we have to try hard to “try hard,” we are already beaten
Clean the “hog house” every day when coaching
Use a “soft reign” every day
(a coach needs a 3rd place to go / a place where the job & family can’t touch you)

Humility comes before honor!

Leadership starts at the top:
Lead vs. criticize
Real leaders won’t “take revenge” (paybacks) / it’s not on their agenda
Leaders (Wooden): for the “player-leaders” to do……………….

Be our hardest workers
Take care of STUFF “off the floor”
Leave everything else to the coaches
You can tell a lot about somebody by the way they treat people that can’t do anything for them or to them.”

The ‘F’ Words:

Faith, Family, Friends, Forgiveness, Fitness, Finances, Figure It Out (come up with an answer – you know better than anyone else!)

Comfort zones are often WELL BELOW ones potential

DON YAEGER AND CAL RIPKEN

2010-05-13T20:16:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Coach Bob Starkey for steering me to Don Yaeger's website. He is a master of success and has written some great books and articles. You can sign up for his free newsletter on his website at http://www.donyaeger.com/

One of the articles that I enjoyed the most was on Cal Ripken Jr. and it is titled, "Showing Up to Work" He says, "If Albert Einstein was right, Cal Ripken should have been a CEO or politician rather than a shortstop, because Ripken led by example over and over… and over again." The article goes on to describe Ripken's unbelievable work ethic and dedication to his craft. “I think the numbers will back me up,” Ripken says. “I worked at my game, worked on my weaknesses. I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t just on the field, but that I was a contributor every time I was out there.”

“I think it’s important, especially in this economy, to see that you can’t stay around if you’re not getting better,” Ripken says. “No business or baseball team is going to keep people just because they show up. You have to constantly be looking for ways to get better, looking for ways to improve your value to the organization. You have to develop strong fundamentals—no matter what you do—and you have to make yourself indispensable. That requires you to constantly be evaluating what you’re doing and what needs to be done.”

You can read the entire article at http://www.donyaeger.com/uploads/success/Lessons%20From%20Sports_APR.pdf

EVERYONE COMMUNICATES, FEW CONNECT

2010-05-13T13:47:00.001-05:00

Last night while browsing through Books a Million I came across John Maxwell's new book called Everyone Communicates, Few Connect. I just read a little part of it but it looks great, and I will add it to my must read list for the summer. Here are a few excerpts from teh book:

Many people have an easy time knowing when the connection is good on the phone, but they have no idea if they're connecting with others in everyday situations. How do I tell? How do I know if I've connected with others? I look for the signs. When I interact wiht people, wheather one on one, wiht a group, or with an audience I know I've connected when:

Extra Effort- people go the extra mile
Unsolicited Appreciation- they say positive things
Unguarded Openness- they demonstrate trust
Increased Communication- they express themselves more readliy
Enjoyable Experiences- they feel good about what they're doing
Emotional Bondeness- they display a connection on an emotional level
Positive Energy- their emotional "batteries" are charged by being together
Growing Synergy- their effectiveness is greater than the sum of their contributions
Unconditional Love- they are accepting without reservations

Here are a few quotes taken from the book:

"It's not enough just to work hard. It's not enough to do a great job. To be successful, you really need to learn how to communicate with others."

"Connecting is the ability to communicate with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them."

"The number one critereia for advancement and promotion for professionals is an ability to communicate effectively." Harvard Business Review

"If I went back to college again, I'd concentrate on two area: learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively."
- Gerald Ford

"When you connect with others, you position yourself to make the most of your skills and talents."

"No matter what your goals are, connecting can help you."

"The ability to connect with others begins with understanding the value of people."

HOW DO YOU TACKLE YOUR WORK?

2010-05-11T13:25:00.000-05:00

How do you tackle your work each day?

Are you scared of the job you find?

Do you grapple the task that comes your way

With a confident, easy mind?

Do you stand right up to the work ahead

Or fearfully pause to view it?

Do you start to toil with a sense of dread

Or feel that you're going to do it?

You can do as much as you think you can,

But you'll never accomplish more;

If you're afraid of yourself, young man,

There's little for you in store.

For failure comes from the inside first,

It's there if we only knew it,

And you can win, though you face the worst,

If you feel that you're going to do it.

Success! It's found in the soul of you,

And not in the realm of luck!

The world will furnish the work to do,

But you must provide the pluck.

You can do whatever you think you can,

It's all in the way you view it.

It's all in the start that you make, young man:

You must feel that you're going to do it.

How do you tackle your work each day?

With confidence clear, or dread?

What to yourself do you stop and say

When a new task lies ahead?

What is the thought that is in your mind?

Is fear ever running through it?

If so, just tackle the next you find

By thinking you're going to do

-EDGAR A. GUEST

QUOTES

2010-05-11T13:20:00.000-05:00

Here are a few quotes sent to me in Creighton Burns newsletter.

You can have anything you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want.
Zig Ziglar

Habits are first cobwebs, then cables.
Spanish Proverb

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.
John Wooden

Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.
Theodore Isaac Rubin

To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.
Robert Louis Stevenson

I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took an excuse.
Florence Nightingale

Progress always involves risks. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.
Frederick B. Wilcox

When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that last blow that did it, but all that had gone before.
-Jacob A. Riis

Success and failure. We think of them as opposites, but they're really not. They're companions - the hero and the sidekick.
Laurence Shames

Chance favors those in motion.
James H. Austin

Sometimes the best helping hand you can get is a good, firm push.
Joann Thomas

When we have done our best, we should wait the result in peace.
J. Lubbock

The strongest warriors are these two...time and patience.
Leo Tolstoy

Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become.
Jim Rohn

Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.
Unknown

LEADERSHIP

2010-05-11T13:17:00.000-05:00

“When it comes to leading people, there is no problem that is unique to you.” You could ask anyone with experience, and you would discover they have had to face the same issues, the same frustrations. So don’t feel sorry for yourself. That’s a waste of valuable time. Just make plans to make things better.

“A real leader spends his time fixing the problem instead of finding who to

blame.” What happens when you place blame is that you focus on the past. When you accept responsibility, you focus on this time forward—on thE future. Until you accept total responsibility—no matter what—you won’t be able to put plans in place to accomplish your goals.

“Doing the right thing isn’t easy- in fact sometimes it’s real hard – but just remember that doing the right thing is always right.” Confucius once said, “To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.” But actually living the ‘do right rule’ is tough because it requires discipline, commitment and courage.

“So much of life is about attitude and how we handle what life throws our way. Life is good – even when a situation appears to be the worst.” Stay positive and help make another’s life better!

-- FromWalk the Talk

17 INDISPUTABLE LAWS OF TEAMWORK

2010-05-10T11:37:00.000-05:00

Last night I started reading John Maxwell's book, "The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork." It is an incredible book and a must read for coaches. I will post some info from the book periodically.

THE MYTH OF THE LONE RANGER

As much as we admire solo achievement, teh truth is that no lone individual has done anything of value. The belief that on person can do something great is a mtyh. There are no real Rambos who can take on a hostile army by themselves. Even the Lone Ranger wasn't really a loner. Everywhere he went he rode with Tonto!

Nothing of significance was ever achieved by an individual acting alone. Look below the surface and you will find that all seemingly solo acts are really team efforts. Frontiersman Daniel Boone had companions from Transylvania Company as he blazed the Wilderness Road. Even Albert Einstein, the scientist who revolutionized the world with his theory of relativitydidn't work in a vacuum. of the debt he owed to others for his work, Einstein once remarked, "Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order ot give in returnas much as I have recieved." It's true that the history of our country is marked by accomplishments of many strong leaders and innovative individuals who took considerable risks. But those people always were part of teams."

"The belif that one person can do something great is a myth."

"There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves." Lyndon Johnson

HOW CHARACTER SUSTAINS LEADERS

2010-05-06T07:56:00.002-05:00

By Dr. John C. Maxwell

A critical mistake that I made as a young leader was that I used to think that charisma was the most important aspect of leadership. In the beginning, I focused on charisma because I know that leadership attracts, and leadership influences people. Therefore I thought, "Well, if I'm going to influence people I've got to develop charisma in my life."I've been around enough boring leaders to say that is a desire that most of us should have! What I learned is that character is the most important aspect of leadership, notcharisma. Charisma attracts, but character sustains. In fact, I think charisma, in the area of leadership, is overrated.
Character embodies who you really are. It's the inner fiber of your being. It is your inner self in action. It reveals what you are truly made of, it's your substance. Character is, as D. L. Moody said, "What you are in the dark." If you have charisma without character, it's only a matter of time before people find you out. Without character you cannot sustain meaningful relationships, and without relationships your ability to lead and influence others is anemic. So what is it about character that really makes a difference?
1. Character sets you apart.
There was a time when people who lacked integrity stood out from the crowd. Now the opposite is true--charisma can make people stand out for a moment, but character can set them apart for a lifetime.
2. Character creates trust.
Leadership functions only on the basis of trust. If you pull out trust, then you will lose your leadership foundation.
3. Character promotes excellence.
If you lead people, good character sets a standard for everyone who is following you. People will eventually become like their leader. If leaders compromise on their standards, cheat the company, or take shortcuts, so will their followers.
4. Character gives staying power.
During the tough times that all leaders face, character has the ability to carry you through, which is something that charisma can never do. When you are weary and inclined to quit, the self-discipline of character keeps you going.
5. Character extends influence.
Charisma, by its nature, doesn't last long or extend very far. It's like a flash of gunpowder. It produces a quick, blinding light, but then it's gone. The only thing left is smoke. Character, on the other hand, is more like a bonfire. Its effects are long-lasting. It produces warmth and light, and as it continues to burn it gets hotter, giving fuel that burns brighter. If you're currently leading people, you probably have some measure of both charisma and character. The question is which one are you relying on to lead? The answer can be found in your response to this great question, "As time goes by, does it get easier or harder to lead?" Without character, leadership becomes harder to sustain. You constantly have to perform to get people to notice you; but with character, as time goes by, leadership strengthens, builds, and continues to attract the people. And best of all, the ones who do come to enjoy your fire stay with you a lot longer than the ones who only want to see a show.

IN HONOR OF MOTHER'S DAY

2010-05-06T07:48:00.000-05:00

Don’t Miss the Chance

They said I was lucky my mom lived near,

But she was pretty old and it wasn’t so clear.

Sure, I was grateful for all she did for me,

But I was so very busy, I had no time free.

I had my job, my kids, my own life to live.

There really was nothing left for me to give.

I couldn’t visit often, but I did help out.

I gave money, did chores, and ran her about.

But truth be told, I didn’t like it that much.

The conversation was dull and she was frail to touch.

She complained a lot, and I just felt worse.

I didn’t have time to be handyman or nurse.

I could have done more, of course I could,

But she loved me and she understood.

I know she did because she told me so.

She wanted me to be happy, and I pretended not to know

That she was lonely, uncomfortable, and scared of dying.

I closed my eyes to how hard she was trying

To be brave, independent, and not needy at all.

She assured me she’d be fine even after her fall.

But now she’s gone, and I miss her so.

And I’m so sorry I pretended not to know

How much a call, a card, or a hug brightened her day

Or how easy it was to chase her blues away.

I’m ashamed I felt burdened, pressured, and put out.

She deserved more than I gave her, without a doubt.

So if your mom or dad is still with you,

Don’t lose the chance; do all you can do.

Make time, not excuses. Go the extra mile.

Because your chance to do so lasts only a while.

-- Michael Josephson

2010-05-06T07:46:00.000-05:00

"Popularity is the easiest thing in the world to gain and it is the

hardest thing to hold."

-Will Rogers

LEADERSHIP IDEAS FROM COACH SILVER

2010-05-05T13:00:00.000-05:00

These leadership ideas come from Coach Duane Silver's newsletter. To recieve his monthly newsletter you can email him at duane@coachsilver.com

1. Most coaches (most people) are not leaders. You see a leader about as often as you see and eagle. (Leaders can be made, but the great ones are born leaders.)
2. Your voice has to have POWER in it to show the kids you mean business.
3. “You can’t be a nice guy and do this job.” (Joe Paterno)
4. Great leaders really care about their players, but they do not tell them that they do. The players just know they love them.
5. You have to lead like a “MEAN MOMMA”.... Tell them the truth, like your Mom did you. Clean up your room, don’t go out with her, get home early tonight. (Etc)
6. You can’t trust many people. Be careful what you say.
7. Go to the Admin. and ask them what they want from your program. Attitude on the floor, shirt tails pulled out coming off of the floor. Tell them to be honest with you.
8. Check to see if you kids come from a one parent home. Boys that live with just a mom a not used to man pushing them hard.
9. Kids hurt for five years or more after a divorce as much as they did when their parents went though it.
10. Great coaches are very “DEMANDING” in practice. Most coaches do not push their players hard enough.
11. You will talk to the parents abut anything about their son or daughter except “PLAYING TIME”. Don’t even let them bring it up.
12. You don’t have to win every game. Sometimes you have to take two steps back before you can take one step forward.
13. Are you willing to lose a game to make a point? (John Chaney)
14. Organize everything: Seating chart for the bus, what you do on time outs, etc.
15. The Head Coach can never have a BAD PRACTICE.
16. Coaching is as much about being Negative as being Positive. The car battery principle. John Wooden was negative to positive almost 50 percent of the time in practice.
17. You need to read the Toughness article by Jay Bilas that was on ESPN. I have it if you would like to see it.
18. Loyalty from Assistant Coaches. They are either from you against you. They should only stand up on the bench during the game if you really trust them.
19. You must be a “SELF STARTER”.
20. “Do you see the BIG PICTURE? This is more than a game. Basketball is to help players all their lives not just win games. (Sometimes you Add by Subtraction.)
21. The players are going to talk about you for either being too hard on them or too soft on them, so you might as well go ahead and be too HARD!
22. Your first year will set the tone on how the players/parents will perceive you for the future. Every day your first year is huge!
23. 10% of the players and parents are not going like you no matter what you do, so don’t worry about it.
24. “Do what you do” Don’t change offenses and defenses every week.
25. Run your “System” Running your system is the key to having a program.
26. Dealing with mistakes on the floor. Don’t take a player out on his first turnover. Give him a chance to redeem himself.
27. If a player cusses you out he is through. No second chances!
28. Be a great Listener! People migrate toward great listeners.
29. Most coaches are not as good as they think they are at coaching. The great coaches are always learning.
30. Pray for Wisdom: James 1:5...It takes lots of wisdom to coach today athletes.
31. Preparation, Preparation, Preparation....Johnnie Cochran's three rules for success in his law practice.
32. Dealing with Narcissism is not easy. Some people do not ever see anyone’s point of view, but their own.
33. Don’t worry about players playing more than one sport.
34. You can't play around with players very much. You are better off to be serious most of the time. You can never relax because if you do they will do something stupid.
35. Have all the players lay down on the floor on their stomach and look up at you when you make announcements about future events or what we are doing wrong as a team. This way they have to look up to you and it intimidates them.
36. If you are really hard on your two best players you won’t have many problems. (Kim Mulkey...Baylor University)
37. “All men love Discipline”...They may not act like it, but they do. (Vince Lombardi...Green Bay Packers)
38. “Remember you can’t run off a good player by being too hard on him.” (Bear Bryant) *The players that really love the game will not quit.
39. Question: Which motivates you more, a Positive word or a Negative word? (Example: You are over rated as a coach, or You are one great coach?) Which will make you try harder?
40. “Less is More in Coaching”...Meaning you don’t have to do a ton of this to be successful. Just play man to man defense and one zone...Don’t play six different zones.
41. “Don’t be afraid of the kids.” (Lots of parents today are afraid of their own children. This started in the 1960's.)
42. Young people need structure and they love it. They like to see everything organized.
43. You can never let up on your discipline.
44. You get a different team every Tuesday and Friday night. If players girl friend breaks up with him he won’t play well.
45. Always shake hands with the opposing coach after the game.
46. Set a goal of not getting a technical foul this season.
47. Make Lists of things you need to do. Great coaches make lists.
48. You must learn how to coach kids with learning disabilities. ADHD, Talk to Special Ed teachers to get advice.
49. It is okay to get fired if you are standing up for what you really believe in. (There are lots of coaching jobs if you lose this one)
50. Date your wife or husband during the season. (Basketball coaches have a high divorce rate)

NOTES ON SCOUTING FROM CARLENE MITCHELL

2010-05-04T18:06:00.000-05:00

Here are a few notes from Rutgers assistant coach, Carlene Mitchell, on scouting.

Watch film and ask questions to the players to gauge how much they know.
If you are playing a team that runs their offense based on reads, then just cover the basic defensive concepts rather than each read.
Keep your gameday routine constant and don't vary.
Watch 3-5 films of each opponent.
Make sure to watch their 2 most recent games.
Compare your game against them last year to refresh your memory if there was anything they did that you strugged with.
SHe only distributes player personnel to the players. (not concepts and other things)
Make sure to cover priority patterns and quick hitters in gameday shoot around.
Meet with the head coach right before the game to go over any last minute reminders or adjustments.

NOTES ON SCOUTING FROM COACH STARKEY

2010-05-04T17:54:00.002-05:00

Here are a few of my notes from Coach Bob Starkey's lecture on scouting from the Assistant Coaches Symposium this past weekend in Atlanta.

Loves to play great scouting teams early in the season because it allows you to find the weaknesses in your team because you know the other team will expose them.
Scouting can make a difference in the game from it being a 5-6 point game and a 15-16 point game. The more you can be ahead the more you can rest and save players for later in the season.
When looking for games to watch of the opposing teams, try and find teams that play a smiliar stlye and have similar personell as you do.
Try and find the offensive and defensive personality of the team. He used the quote "To kill a snake, cut it off at the head."
Try and find out why, how, and when teams are going to run certain plays. Ex. Do they run something particular at a certain time in the game or when a certain lineup is in the game. Make them buy into scouting and gameplans. He gave their team tshirts that read: "When was the last time they ran their offense?"
Try and find exactly where their defense is weak.
Know how to defend their special situations. Who is involved and when do they run them?
He gives his players a 6 page scouting report.
Make sure scouting report is same size and length no matter who the opponent it.
During road trips give tests on the scouting report to make sure the players are reading it and you are holding them accountable.
On gameday there is a routine for the walk through.

You can read Coach Starkey's blog at HOOPTHOUGHTS.BLOGSPOT.COM

ASSISTANT COACHES SYMPOSIUM

2010-05-03T16:20:00.000-05:00

Wow I don't even know where to start! This past weekend was incredible at the Assistant Coaches Symposium in Atlanta. I don't know if I have had a more valuable weekend in my career in terms of gaining knowledge and really talking and listening to other coaches to get better. Felicia Hall did an amazing job of bringing speakers that had a clear message for us and really were tuned into the development of assistant coaches. I will be posting various notes from this weekend as the week goes along, but I just wanted to spend today recapping what we actually did at the symposium. If you were not able to attend don't miss it next year! Feel free to email or call me and I will be glad to send over the notes and any materials I have that may help you. sguillory1@mcneese.edu or 337-475-5477

Coach Mincy (one of our asst. coaches here at McNeese and former Ole Miss great) left late Thursday afternoon for the drive to Atlanta. We stopped in Mobile and spent the night then got up early on Friday to complete the 10 hour drive to Atlanta. We drove straight into the Atlanta Dream practice. Coach Mincy surprised her old college coach Carol Ross at practice. We watched them practice and then got to watch then scrimmage at the end. Coach Ross also spoke to the crowd for a little while after the practice. I have had the opportunity to spend some time with her before and she is truly the most inspiring coach I have ever known. That night we got to enjoy dinner at Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro with two Dream players Armintie Price and Shalee Lehning. Coach Mincy played at Ole Miss with Armintie. Both players are also assistant coaches at Ole Miss and Kansas State, respectively. They were both awesome! True competitors, hard workers and are both obvioulsy great coaches as well.

Saturday and Sunday were filled with great speakers and great conversation. We also got to enjoy some very good restaurants in downtown Atlanta. Most of the sessions had 1 or 2 coaches sitting in the front and each taking turns discussing and giving their thoughts and ideas on the current topic. Then we had a chance to ask any questions that we wanted. Some of the coaches in the crowd also shared some ideas which was nice. On Saturday night there was a social in the courtyard where we had an opportunity to talk to toehr coaches and learn even more. On Sunday morning there was a great FCA service out on by Charlotte Smith, assitant coach at University of North Carolina and Courtney Locke, assistant coach at University of Central Florida. The symposium ended Sunday around noon and we hopped in the car and drove straight back to Lake Charles arriving around 11 pm last night. Long drive, but it was so worth it! I will post some of my notes from the clinic during the week.

FCA AMAZING RACE

2010-04-27T11:43:00.004-05:00

I posted this on our blog for our McNeese women's basktball team earlier today so I figured I would post it on here as well.....

Last night the McNeese FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) put on something called the Amazing Race. It was really amazing. Lol There were about 150 student athletes and 15 coaches participating and everyone met at the football field and we were all divided up into teams of 10. There were 7-8 events and each team would have 10 minutes to complete the event and then we would rotate to the next event. Scores were kept and the winning teams were announced at the end. The competitions were crazy and fun. There was a golfing one where we hit whiffle balls, a flip an oreo into your mouth competition (which Coach Mincy dominated), a throwing washers game, a dunking booth (strength coach, Coach Hawkins got wet a few times!), an obstacle course relay race, and a few others. Everybody's favorite (NOT!!!) was probably the food station. There were 10 different disgusting food items that each team had to eat and each item was worth a certain amount of points. Obviously, the higher the points the grosser the food! A few crowd favorties were old stale goat cheese (which Coach Mincy dominated again-she's quite the athlete if you havn't figured that out yet), cow tounge, baby food, raw egg yolk, fried chicken foot, and raw fish soup. Somehow I got really really lucky and only had to eat black licorice which wasn't too bad! But we all survived and only 2 people from our team threw up Haha Our team led by former Cowgirl basketball player Kayla Armstrong finished in 3rd place which we were excited about it until we realized that the team of coaches finished 1st! Coach Mincy and I had graciously volunteered to move from the coaches team when they asked for 2 volunteers to even out the teams. Last time I ever volunteer to help out! (just kidding..maybe) After the race we listened to an awesome speaker who talked about making a decision right now to "cut off the chickens in our life so we can soar like an eagle." (because chickens don't fly right?) It was an awesome speech that really motivated everybody who heard it to keep standing strong and doing the things that they know are right and making the choices they know are right in their life. Then everyone ate pizza and went home!

Thanks to all of the volunteers and leaders at FCA who made last night possible and all of the awesome things they do for all of the student athletes at McNeese! We are so blessed to have hard working Jesus loving adults to be there for our players and help to guide and shape them in their lives! Until next time.........

GO COWGIRLS!!!!!!!

VANCE WALBERG

2010-04-27T10:05:00.002-05:00

Notes taken from Vance Walberg Midsouth Clinic in 2007:

1. Spent 24 years as a high school coach. Last year’s record was 300 and 30. Four years in JC, record was 133-11.
2. Watched the football team at his high school. As soon as the play was over, players sprinted to the line, sprinted to the huddle. Tried to wear people down physically and mentally. Wanted to do the same with basketball.
3. Doesn’t let teams run any of their plays.
4. Blitz. Makes opponents prepare for you.
5. On offense, must have an attack mentality. Biggest key is shoot 3’s or get in the paint.
6. Develops the mentality of getting an extra point on every shot, whether it be an “and one” or a three.
7. The mid range jump shot is for wusses. Get to the rim.
8. Points Per Possession (PPP). Should be between 1 and 1.2. Percentage wise, the best shot for PPP is the free throw.
9. The goal is to shoot 35% from the three point line. That is 1.05 per possession.
10. 60% around the hoop is 1.2 per possession.
11. Free throws at 70% is 1.4 per possession.
12. Memphis charted all their midrange jumpers in the 2004-2005 season. Shot 28%. That is less than 0.6 per possession. Therefore, shoot the three, or get in the key!
13. Little things matter. Two times lost a high school state championship game due to the lack of a free throw screen out.
14. “Red Dog” end of game call that means press, if they get over ½ court, foul.
15. If your team gives up a rebound off a free throw? Run a double liner (suicide) the next day in practice.
16. Validate everything in practice by making a free throw (teaches kids how to respond positively to pressure.)
17. Open gym, plays to eight by twos and threes. Teaches guys to value each possession. Player who makes the winning basket must make a foulshot to validate the win.
18. Everything he does in practice is competitive. Keeps track of wins for each team. Uses foul section on the scoreboard.
19. At the end of practice, if the losing team loses by one, run a 10 (up and back in 10 seconds.) If the teams loses by 3, run a 10, and 20, then a 30.
20. If the losing team has a good practice, shoot a 1 and 1 to get out of running.

WHAT YOU SEND OUT YOU GET BACK

2010-04-23T05:44:00.002-05:00

By Zig Ziglar

For years, we've all known that if we smile at people we have a really good chance of
getting a smile in return. A pleasant greeting generally brings a pleasant response
because it is true that what we send out, we get back. Along these lines, a most interesting experiment was conducted. It wasn't by B. F. Skinner, the Yale University psychologist who made the whole idea of reinforcement famous, but this time the tables were turned and one of his classes decided to experiment on him. The class divided itself roughly in two, and on one side of the class all the students smiled pleasantly while Skinner was talking. The other side was frowning and scowling. Gradually, Skinner started speaking primarily to the smiling side, and by the end of the lecture he was talking only to the part of the class that was smiling back at him. The underlying message here is that all of us need encouragement, and when we get that encouragement from a particular individual, book or company, we are inclined to go back time and time again. We trade in shops and deal with doctors and attorneys whose personnel treat us pleasantly and with efficiency. As you think about this, it really starts with what you send out, doesn't it? So if you make certain you send out the "good stuff," you are far more likely to get a pleasant, favorable response or return from the other individual. See you at the
top!

DAVE ODOM

2010-04-23T05:41:00.002-05:00

These notes are from Dave Odom when he was coaching at the University of South Carolina from the Double Pump clinic in Universal City, CA

- Championships are won in the last 5-7 minutes of the game.
- Must be able to play vs. set defenses in closing minutes vs. 1-3-1, 1-2-2
- Must have set plays vs. zones
- Talk about zone principles, not zone offense patterns

Zone Offensive Principles
1. Even-Odd Principle- attack with opposite # of men as top man of zone

2. Outside Inside Outside Principle
- go out when defense comes in, make defense like an accordion
- make defense spread out as far as possible, and then pass inside.

3. Does zone hang out/relax or does it attack?
- Is it aggressive with ball pressure or do they just cover their zone.
A hang out zone is not chasing you, must move it with dribble, not pass
Vs. an attack zone, must move it with pass- quicker, covers more ground.

Dribble Freeze vs. 1-3-1 zone- dribble at man’s chest and make a play.

Dribble Throwback- Dribble influence defense out of position until they stop. Use dribble to your advantage.

High Low passing- No bounce passes from low to high, air passes only to posts diving down the middle of the lane.

- Likes 4 guys who can pass and shoot on the perimeter vs. zone.

- Screen vs. zones, just like vs. man to man

4. Inside X Principle
- Man at high post, 4/5 interchange block to block, shooters in corners. 4/5 must get inside position, if defense goes over the top, screen down for shooters.

GEORGE KARL

2010-04-23T05:37:00.002-05:00

These notes are taken from George Karl at the Double Clinic in Universal City, CA

- Pick n rolls are over 50% of NBA basketball.
- Phoenix Suns gave him a lot of trouble. Drove him crazy so he has adapted to their style and added it to his team.
- Too much dribbling in the American game.
- In practice, he has a 3 second rule- They must catch, shoot, pass, or attack in 3 seconds or it is a turnover. Forces guys to make quick decisions, catch in ready position.
- Play Hard, Play Smart, Play Together- Carolina Way
- Read- Carolina Way by Dean Smith for Leadership
- Build a team culture that you are better when you walk out than when you walked into the gym.
- Good shooters prepare feet before they catch.
- Play 1 on 1, 2 on 2, 3 on 3, to start practice.
- More guards than bigs are posting up in the NBA. Not many true low post threats in the NBA. Bigs aren’t good passers in the post so double them.
- Phoenix was always in control of the Nuggets and this was very frustrating. They were bad defensively though.
- Most intimidating part of basketball- when you can’t score on an opponent!

- New style of play: Every possession has an aggressive approach.
- ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK
- Open the middle of the floor up to create penetration opportunities.
- Must have a good shooting 4 man.
- Do not clutter middle of the floor.

- Always tried to switch men on Steve Nash. Keep him to the sideline, away from his left hand.
- Switch pick n roll defense every week.
- Best players must be your best practice players.
- Leadership is not talked about, it’s about actions.
- Loves to front the post, it frustrates post players.

- When teams double Carmelo, forces him to move early in offense.
- Melo is great at early post ups.

- Not a lot of coaches believe that guards like Nash will shoot the 3 ball off of a screen and roll, so they will play soft & under.
- Stunt Rotations, in NBA, corner 3 ball is hit 41% of time, top of key 36%.
- Touch every player everyday- in stretching, meetings, etc.

2010-04-21T10:51:00.001-05:00

"The ability to summon positive emotions during periods of intense stress lies at the heart of effective leadership."
-- Jim Loehr

WOODEN ON FAILURES AND MISTAKES

2010-04-21T10:22:00.003-05:00

Taken from Coach Wooden's book Wooden- A Lifetime of Thoughts & Observations

I had mistakes, plenty, but I had no failures. We may not have won a championship every year. We may have lost games. But we had no failures. You never fail if you know in your heart that you did the best of which you are capable. I did my best. That is all I could do.

Are you going to make mistakes? Of course. But it is not failure if you make the full effort.

I told my players many times, "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." If you prepare properly you may be outscored but you will never lose. I wanted our players to believe that to their very souls becasue I know it is the truth. You always win when you make the full effort to do the best of which you're capable.

I also know that only one person on earth knows if you made your best effort; not your coach, not your employer, not your husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend, brother or sister. The only person who knows is you. You can fool everyone else.

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM MOM

2010-04-20T13:17:00.001-05:00

These leadership lessons are taken from Jeff Jansens leadership newsletter:

8 LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM MOM
1. Leadership demands action.

Growing up, a phrase I heard often from my mom was, "When good does nothing, evil triumphs."

Leadership demands action. Leaders have an obligation and duty to step up and stand for something. Yes, it's much easier to complain, whine, and pout about the state of affairs... But what really does it accomplish?

Through my mom's example of getting involved in a variety of community organizations, I learned that leaders are compelled to get involved and active. They get in the trenches to understand the challenges so that they can be a part of the solutions to overcome them.

They become a force for good - rather than a "feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making them happy," in the words of George Bernard Shaw.

Leaders do something, and in so doing, combat the forces of entropy and evil that can so quickly and easily take over like weeds overcoming an untended garden. Leaders can't sit idly by and do nothing.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

And Seth Godin, author of a great book called Tribes, says, "Leadership is a choice. It is the choice to not do nothing."

What demands your action this week?

2. Leaders pour their hearts and souls into their people and their purpose.

Leaders are all about their people and their purpose. They invest themselves fully into their people and purpose - knowing that in the long run, all the time and energy will be worth it.

Leaders willingly subvert their own ego for their cause. They understand that their success is not measured in how well they do - but ultimately in how well their people do.

My mom feels to this day that her most important job is to be a mother. She carries on that responsibility in our family and her community. She extends it into the community by mentoring at-risk children. She lets it guide the decisions she makes as a school board president - always keeping in mind what is best for the children.

How are you pouring yourself into your people and purpose?

3. Leaders plant seeds of success.

Leaders invest the time to plant seeds of success in their followers. They create a positive vision of what people can become and continually encourage and nudge them along that path.

I was told often by my mom, "You are a child of destiny. You are destined for great things." She provided me with very fertile soil to explore my interests, try new things, and find my passion and purpose in life.

What seeds of success are you planting in those you are leading?

4. Leaders hold people to a higher standard.

While great parents, coaches, and leaders are very caring, they also know that a big part of their responsibility is to hold people accountable. They are willing to take the tough, yet often unpopular stances for the good of their people.

What tough but unpopular stances did your parents take during your childhood?

Growing up in a community where alcohol was prevalent and often abused, one of my mom's unmistakable standards was that I could not drink in high school. She made it very clear that if I chose to drink, I would not be able to do what I loved - which was play basketball. While most of my classmates spent the weekends going to parties and getting drunk, I stayed home. Yes it was tough at the time to not be a part of the popular peer group, but ultimately I now understand it was for my long-term benefit. I learned that respect is much more important than popularity in the long run.

As a leader, what unpopular but important standards are you willing to hold yourself and your people to for their long-term greater good?

5. Leaders value honesty and accountability.

Honesty and accountability are the hallmarks of great families, sports teams, businesses, and organizations. Without honesty and accountability, trust can never occur. And without trust, you cannot sustain long-term success.

It took me a couple of tries to learn the value of this lesson. In junior high I lied to my parents about attending my guitar lessons when I actually went to the football field instead. And I forged my mom's signature when I didn't complete an assignment she had been warning me about for weeks. In both instances of course, I got caught. I learned the hard way to be honest and accountable for my actions.

Are you willing to hold your people accountable for their actions?

6. Leaders provide strength and hope during the depths of despair.

Sports and life are filled with adversity. How did your parents handle the inevitable adversities that came their way?

My mom has faced tragedy often throughout her life. She lost her mother when she was only 18, and as the oldest daughter with 11 brothers and sisters, became the de facto mom of the family. She survived two bouts with cancer. She overcame two miscarriages. She survived the passing of her husband and my father at the young age of 57.

Despite these tragedies, she reminds us that the human spirit can survive anything. When trivial troubles are getting any of us down, she reminds us that we have survived much worse.

How do you provide strength and hope to your team, family, or school when adversity hits?

7. Leaders remember and appreciate the little things.

Leaders are tuned into the little things that make a BIG difference. They realize that it's the little kindnesses you do on a regular basis that forge the strongest ties.

My mom demonstrates this in the cards she sends for virtually every occasion. She painstakingly picks out the most appropriate card and always has it arrive in a timely fashion. She not only does this for our immediate family but her extended family and friends as well. Birthdays, anniversaries, St. Patrick's Day, you name it, my mom will send the absolute best card to celebrate you and the occasion.

This seemingly simple act of kindness is one that is greatly appreciated by those who receive them. We know that she cares about us because of the time she takes to select the card and send it to us on time. It's these seemingly little acts of kindness that say so much.

What little things are you doing as a leader for your team, family, organization?

8. Leaders keep it all in perspective.

Finally, leaders are able to keep everything in perspective. They invest themselves fully but also are able to keep their priorities in order. As author Stephen Covey suggests, they spend their time on the important, not the urgent.

In one of the many aforementioned cards she sent my mom wrote the words, "Family grows more and more important as I age a little bit." It served as a reminder to me how precious a family can be - and was especially poignant having lost my dad.

Successful captains, coaches, parents, and leaders keep it all in perspective because they are able to separate the important from the urgent, and devote their time accordingly.

How can you invest more of your time on the important rather than the urgent this week?

2010-04-20T13:10:00.002-05:00

"Discipline is the differnence between goals and accomplishments."

THE GOLD STANDARD

2010-04-20T13:05:00.001-05:00

BY MIKE KRZYZEWSKI (COACHING THE OLYMPIC TEAM)
COACHING INFORMATION from THE GOLD STANDARD by MIKE KRZYZEWSKI (Sent via Coach Duane Silver)

* In developing teams, I don't believe in rules. I believe in standards. Rules don't promote teamwork, standards do....A team needs to work together to develop its particular set of standards. This process itself promotes teamwork.

* A major part of becoming a team, then, is the establishment and collective acceptance of your standards, based on your team's makeup and centered on your unique goal.

* Leaders should remember that not all the good ideas have to come from the top, and they should be secure enough to change plans based on the input of the team.

* You share a lot when you are on a team, but the primary thing that you share is your common goal.

* I started by presenting two standards that are vital to the formation of relationships, two concepts that are fundamental to a team dynamic: communication and trust. I said to my guys, "When we talk to each other, we look each other in the eye, we tell each other the truth, and we treat each other like men."

* "Being on time is a sign of respect for your teammates and coaches and for your task."...Jason Kidd.

* "No matter where you play if you can shut somebody down and rebound the basketball, you're going to win no matter who you're playing against."...Kobe Bryant

* The ability to be flexible also needed to manifest itself in the way we related to officials. I asked our team to be strong, to show no weakness, and to never complain about a call. Unselfishness and flexibility became our standards as well.

* I think one of the primary mistakes that leaders make in teambuilding is in believing that they have to be the sole provider of leadership. Great teams have multiple leaders, multiple voices. A major part of building a team is discovering who those voices will be and cultivating them, making sure that their leadership is established within your group. In order to do this, the team leader must first make certain that he or she has a solid relationship with those leaders.

* Attention spans seem to grow shorter and shorter with each generation. It has become increasingly true that no matter who you are...there is only a finite period of time during which you can speak and expect a group to listen.

* You may feel your team has a fifteen minute attention-span window. You can personally talk to that team for 15 good minutes. But when you have established several different voices on your team, you can open that window a little more by utilizing those voices.

* A leader doesn't have an exclusive contract on getting a point across. You have to have enough confidence in your leadership to share it. And really, this will make your team respect you more because they will be able to perceive your level of security. If you can make clear that it doesn't always have to be yours, you can more deeply ingrain the understanding that it is ours.

* You must make the members of your team realize that by being a part of a group, they can become better individually.

* A leader has to realize that he is not always the best, most talented, or smartest one in the room. But that leader must also realize that he or she darn well better have a great relationship with whoever that person is if the team is to be successful--a relationship without jealousy, built on trust and communication, and where you know that you can count on one another.

* From the start, we had a mantra for our team of "No pacing. Play every play."

* At our first meeting in the summer of 2006, Jerry Colangelo told our team, "Check your egos at the door." Jerry was referring to a crucial concept of team building: the sacrifice of the individual ego and the establishment of a stronger, joint ego.

* You cannot simply ask your team to just adapt to you. As a leader, it is part of your responsibility to adapt as well....a leader needs to be a part of a mutual adaptation that forms a combination of the best of everyone.

* A basketball team should check their egos at the door but should also pick them back up on their way onto the court. What I mean is, there is a delicate balance when it comes to asking people to adapt. You never want an individual to be so deferential to the team concept that they lose the part of their individual ego that makes them great.

NUTRITION TIPS FOR ATHLETES

2010-04-15T12:05:00.003-05:00

We all know that nutrition is huge for our athletes. A lot of times they don't really understand what or how they should be eating. I put together this handout to give to our team with just some tips and ideas they can use. I am also realistic in understanding that they are eating in the cafeteria and in their dorm rooms and have a limited budget elsewhere so I know they can't eat exactly right every day. But hopefully this can guide them some and help them make better choices.

NUTRITION TIPS FOR MCNEESE COWGIRLS BASKETBALL

1.) You should eat a small snack (ex. fruit, granola bar,etc.) and drink water 30 minutes before your workout.
2.) You should eat within 1 hour after your workout. You need carbs and protein, but carbs is the most important thing to replenish you. Chocolate milk is a good post workout drink.
(ex. protein shake, grilled chicken breast, baked potato, cereal, bread, hamburger, pasta, rice, pizza etc.)
3.) You need to be drinking water all day. Buy a water jug and keep filling it up all day. (100 oz. day minimum)
4.) Most of you need to be eating 2500-3000 calories a day. (We will figure this out for each of you.)
5.)You need to eat every 3 hours. Eat your 3 main meals in the cafeteria and then 2-3 snacks between meals.
6.) You can have 1 freebie a day . A freebie is anything bad. (ex. ice cream, pizza, etc.) Try to stay away from fried foods though because they are hard to digest and will make you feel tired.
7.) About 50% of your calories in a day should come from carbohydrates like whole grain breads, cereals, pastas, fruits and vegetables. Carbohydrates, our body’s main form of energy is stored as glycogen in our muscles (and liver). A diet deficient in carbohydrates and calories, can increase the risk of fatigue, injuries and a drastic decrease in performance.
8.) Getting enough protein is also important for rebuilding and repair of our body's tissue. Because you are continuously tearing down muscle tissue through regular workouts, you should consume adequate amounts of meat, beans, fish, poultry, nuts, peanut butter, eggs and dairy products.
9.) Breakfast and your meal after you workout is the most important meals of the day.
10.) Do not drink soft drinks at all! Drink water, tea, sports drinks, lemonade.

Examples of cheap & easy snacks and meals:
→ Baked potato- you can buy the kind you cook in microwave for less than $1
→ Yogurt- $0.50 a cup
→ Rice- You can buy cup or bag that you heat up in microwave for $1
→ Fruit- you can buy 4-5 bananas for $1, you can buy 3-4 apples or oranges for $2
→ Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches- jar of P.B. & jelly will last 1 month and cost about $2, bread is about $2
→ Granola bar- pack of 10 for $2
→ Cereal- buy the big bags for $3-4 and they will last 2 months, milk is $3 for carton and will last a couple of weeks, keep plastic bowls in your room
→ Buy chocolate milk mix and mix it with the milk for a good post workout snack.
→ Buy the packs of pasta that you can heat in microwave- $2/pack
→ Buy peanuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds to snack on instead of candy and chips
→ Buy fig newtons, graham crackers, and animal crackers instead of cookies and cakes.

Fast Food Tips
→ Try and order things grilled when possible. Just ask a lot of times they can accommodate you. Don’t get mayo or cheese or bacon on your meals. You can save 200-300 calories per meal.
→ Wendys chili and baked potato are $1 each and are filling and not that bad for you.
→ If you order a hamburger its not that bad, just don’t eat the fries. If theres no other sides available get 2 burgers instead of eating fries.
→ Buy footlong from Subway for $5 and eat 1 half for lunch and 1 for dinner.
→ KFC has grilled chicken now and tons of healthy sides. (green beans, mashed potato, corn)
→ Don’t supersize meal. If you have to eat bad order the kids meal.
→ Watch the salad dressings. Try and get light or fat free is possible.
→ Go to different restaurants website and look at the calories it will open your eyes!!! And help you choose better foods.

***You can eat your 3 main meals in the cafeteria and then eat 2-3 healthy snacks throughout the day. Make good decisions in the cafeteria by asking for sauces and dressings on the side because they are normally very fatty. Limit fats like cheese, mayo, and bacon. Avoid fried foods. Ask for special things and they will normally take care of you. If you eat throughout the day you wont get as hungry so you will make better choices.

Coach K on the Core of Character

2010-04-14T13:03:00.003-05:00

True bravery in leadership revolves around the degree to which a person maintains the courage of his convictions.

When you stand strong in those vacillating wids for the first time, it's easier to have courage again and again.

People must have confidence in themselves before they can realize their full potentional.

Put yourself in a situation where you can learn something new.

Never forget a defeat. Defeat can be the key to victory.

When you stop growing, you start to decay.

When people achieve soemthing that they've really worked hard for it, it makes them feel great, superb, wonderful.

The only way you lose is if you don't try your best.

Integrity is nothing more than doing the right thing no matter who's watching you.

Make the truth the basis of all you do.

2010-04-13T12:59:00.001-05:00

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength."
----Arnold Schwarzenegger

BECOMING A BETTER COACH

2010-04-13T12:53:00.002-05:00

I'm not to sure where I found this, but it has some good info.

"COACHING IS inspired teaching" is an expression that has been near and dear to my heart throughout my days in this profession. As coaches we are teachers. Our players are our students, the gym is our classroom.

Here are a dozen ideas that serve as valuable reminders as I strive to improve myself in this most essential area of coaching.

1.IF IT ISN'T BROKE, FIX IT ANYWAY.
Always look for better ways to do things. Make your good teaching methods even better. The best teachers are generally the best students and never stop learning. The best teachers are "experts" in their subject area. When we cease to improve, we're dead.

2. PLAN YOUR WORK, WORK YOUR PLAN.
Organization is at the heart of good teaching. Know what you are going to teach, how you are going to teach it, when you'll teach it, to whom you are teaching it and why youe are teaching it.

3.THE K.I.S.S. FORMULA.
It's time tested and still rings true today: "Keep It Simple, Stupid!" Our jobs as teachers is to "trim as much fat" as possible off what we teach. Be specific in terms of teaching only things players will do in the game. Ask yourself: Is what I'm teaching necessary for success? Simplicity leads to quality.

4. BUILD ON ROCK, NOT ON SAND.
Teach the basic skills first and build progressively to those that are more difficult and challenging. As in building a house, it's the foundation that allows it to withstand the storms that come along.

5. HAVE A VISION FOR YOUR STUDENTS.
What do you see for your players individually and your team collectively? Paint a picture of what they can become. Don't underestimate the value of salesmanship in effective teaching.

6. ATTITUDES AND TECHNIQUES.
Along with teaching the techniques, teach the intangibles that make those teachniques successful under the most trying circumstances. It's the intangible qualities that lead to the highest level of execution

7. WE REMEMBER BEST WHAT WE SEE.
Students are better visual learners than auditory learners. Demonstrate the correct technique while explaining it.

8. GET TO THE POINT.
Keep your explanations and demonstrations concise. Be specific. What's the attention span of your students? Don't overwhelm players with too much information.

9. SAY IT ONCE, DO IT TEN TIMES.
Students learn best by doing. Repetition, then, is the mother of learning.

10. DON'T JUST DO IT, DO IT RIGHT.
Demand quality execution from your players. Repetition alone is not enough, it's quality repetitions that count. Doing things right requires discipline and mental toughness on the part of both the players and the coach. Coaches must recognize excellence in the performance of our players. Habits, good or bad, are hard to break.

11. TEACH ON THE RUN.
Once the techniques have been explained and demonstrated, correct and instruct yuour players as they are doing it. Avoid stopping the group to instruct one player unless it's something everyone can benefit from.

If things aren't successful, evaluate. How can you do a better job with your players? Ask another coach to evaluate you practices or games and be open to criticism. Listen to your players, especially your graduating seniors, as it's amazing what you can learn.

SOLVING PROBLEMS EFFECTIVELY

2010-04-09T09:12:00.002-05:00

Solving Problems Effectively
By: Brian Tracy

Your ability to communicate is the most important skill you can develop to get on to the fast track in your career. Perhaps the most important thing you do in business is to solve problems and make decisions, both by yourself and with other people.

Use A Systematic Process
A major type of communication in the business organization is meetings for problem solving and decision making. The key to effective problem solving and decision making discussions, is for you to all go through the process systematically.

Define the Problem Clearly
Right at the beginning, you ask the question, "What exactly is the problem?" Clarity of definition will resolve 50% of the issues before they go any further.

Focus on the Future
When discussing a problem, be sure to focus on the future over the past. Ask the question, "Where do we go from here?" "What do we do from here?" "What are our options for the future?" Too many problem-solving discussions end up focusing all of the attention of all the people present on what happened in the past and who is to blame. The effective executive uses this type of communication to focus on where the company and the individuals are going, and what can happen in the future - the only part of the equation over which anyone has any control.
Talk About the Solutions
A second element in effective problem solving communications, is for you to talk about the solutions instead of talking about the problems. It is for you to keep the attention of the individuals in the meeting focused on the possible solutions and what can be done rather than what has already happened.

Release Creativity
The discussion of solutions is inherently positive, uplifting and has a tendency to release creativity amongst the group. A discussion of problems is inherently negative, demotivating and tends to inhibit creativity.

The Key to Positive Thinking
You can become a positive thinker simply by becoming a solution-oriented person rather than a problem-oriented person. If you get everyone in your organization thinking and talking in terms of solutions, you will be astonished at the quality and quantity of ideas that will emerge.

Action Exercises
Now, here are two things you can immediately to become a better problem solver and decision maker.

First, take some time to be absolutely clear about the problem that is under discussion. Give some thought to what an ideal decision or solution would accomplish. Instead of focusing on the situation as it is, talk about the situation as you would like it to be.

Second, keep the conversation focused on solutions, on what can be done in the future. The more you think and talk about solutions, the more positive and creative everyone will be and the better ideas you will come up with.

2010-04-09T09:08:00.001-05:00

"Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open."
-- Alexander Graham Bell, inventor

FUNDAMENTAL WAYS TO BEAT A ZONE

2010-04-09T09:06:00.001-05:00

1. Push the ball up the court as quickly as you can and still control the action. If the offense beats the defense down the floor, the zone will not have time to set up and open shots may present themselves with nothing more than fundamental two man plays.

2. Place players in open areas. If the defense has two guards on top, counter with three. For example, the defense shows a 2-3 zone, you counter with a classic 1-2-2 with a point guard, two wings and two posts. If the defense has three people out front, like in a 3-2, counter with 2-1-2 where you have a post man on the free throw line.

3. Overload the zone. Just because the defensive players are guarding areas doesn't mean the offensive players must play in certain areas. Put four players on one side of the floor. The zone will not have adequate coverage on that strong side.

4. If the zone is set up, make the defense MOVE. There are two basic ways to do this. One, attempt to drive between two defensive players. They will be forced to close the gap. For a moment you will have two defenders on the ball. Someone nearby will be open. Two, use short, quick passes. The defense will not be able to keep up as the ball moves from side to side. If you have an overload situation, someone will soon be open for a shot.

COACHING DEVELOPMENT

2010-04-08T14:47:00.003-05:00

These notes are taken from Jim Burson – Former Head Coach Muskingham College

-Use your strengths to get better as a coach
-What can do you between now and the time your season starts to better prepare your team for the season?
-Are you willing to ask for help when you need it?
Coach Burson asked for help many times during his 42 year coaching career.
-“Wind of the world blows toward good.”
Those who work and do things the right way are rewarded for their efforts in one way or another.
RE: Tom Watson @ British Open

Forming a Philosophy
-Meet with your team
-Meet with player’s parents
-Meet with your administration
-Tell them what your program will stand for and defend your position!
-Be tough on players and demand toughness from them
-Get your players to work on their game for THEM! Motivated players are so much more easier to work with

When teaching:
1) Tell them
2) Show Them
3) Have them tell you
4) Have them show you

General Concepts for Offense

All players need to be able to dribble, pass, and shoot on the move and UNDER PRESSURE!
Quality Passes lead to quality shots
Have plenty of counters in your sets – find ways to get different looks out of your sets
Hit cutters with a one-handed bounce pass off the dribble – one of the more underrated plays in the game

CUT CREDIBLY- cut hard and with a purpose, always finish a cut with a sprint to create space
STAND JUDICIOUSLY – Hands up, Butt down in Stance

Fundamentals for Any Half Court Offense
Cutting
Screening
Passing
Dribbling
Shooting
Spacing
Rebounding “o”
Rebounding “d”

BOOK LIST FOR LEADERS

2010-04-08T14:38:00.004-05:00

I'm sure most of you are like me and love to catch up on your reading during the off season. It is a proven fact that people who read are smarter and more intelligent than those that don't. Obviously it helps us become better coaches, leaders, teachers, moms, dads, husbands, wives, etc. I recieved a book list for leaders from Coach Don Meyer a few years ago. I have listed some of those books as well as a few other that I have enjoyed. Feel free to send me the names of any of your favorite books. I am always looking! sguillory1@mcneese.edu

Playing for Coach Meyer by Steve Smiley

Leading With The Heart by Coach K

Wooden, a Lifetime of Observations On and Off the Court by John Wooden
Coach Wooden 1 on 1 by John Wooden and Jay Carty
Wooden of Leadership by John Wooden
The Essential Wooden by John Wooden
You Havn't Taught Until They Have Learned…John Wooden’s Teaching Principles & Practices by Swen Nater & Ronald Gallimore*****
Inch & Miles by Coach Wooden for young children…..Pyramid of Success

Training Soccer Champions by Anson Dorrance
The Man Watching by Tim Crothers (Four years with Anson Dorrance)
Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy
The Art of War by Sun Tzu……Edited by Samuel Griffith (Bob Knight Favorite)
Execution by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan
The Leadership Secrets of Billy Grahmby Myra and Shelley
The 5 Temptations of a CEO by Patrick Lencioni
The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
The 4 Obsessions of an Extraordinary Leader by Patrick Lencioni
The 3 Signs of a Miserable Job by Patrick Lencioni
Getting Things Done by David Allan

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
The 5 People You meet in Heaven by Nicholas Sparks
Knight My Story by Bobby Knight
The Men of March by Brian Curtis
The Last Season by Phil Jackson

ASSISTANT COACHES SYMPOSIUM

2010-04-07T12:29:00.005-05:00

I'm really excited about the Assistant Coaches symposium in Atlanta next month. It's going ot be a great experience I think and I can't wait. This is taken from Greg Brown, assistant coach at University of Central Florida's blog. The website for his blog, which is awesome by the way, is http://ucfwbbthoughts.blogspot.com/

"Only Just A Minute"

I met Felicia Hall Allen when she came to work with our program here at UCF in our first season here 3 years ago. We had 10 freshmen and we were a new staff. Our players who are now rising seniors still talk about that first meeting and the influence she had on them. Of course they enjoy bringing up the "follow the leader dance exercise" that she leads each session.
But I didn't realize the impression she had made until one of our players before a game this season (2009-10) recited the following poem that Felicia had used when she spoke to our team during the (2008-09 season). We were emphasizing one possession at a time and playing in the present. Then she stepped up and quoted the anonymous poem, "Only Just A Minute"

I have only just a minute,
Only sixty seconds in it.
Forced upon me, can't refuse it.
Didn't seek it, didn't choose it.
But it's up to me to use it.
I must suffer if I lose it.
Give account if I abuse it.
Just a tiny little minute,
But eternity is in it.

That's when I knew she had impacted our team. I am looking forward to the conference for the opportunity take advantage of the "minute" that we will have at the symposium.
Felicia has organized the Assistant Coaches Professional Development Symposium.

Speakers include Al Brown (Duke), Bob Starkey (LSU), Stephanie Glance (Tennessee), Tim Eatman (Arkansas), Kelly Bond (Texas A&M), Carlene Mitchell (Rutgers), Lisa Cermignano (Illinois), Jackie Smith Carson (James Madison), Bobby Kelsey (Stanford), Karen Aston (Charlotte), Coquese Washington (Penn State).

Symposium Topics Include:
Position Yourself as a Valuable Part of the Program
Think Like a Head Coach
Recruiting..Find the Right Fit
The Art of a Good Practice Coach
Presenting a Scouting Report
Be an Effective Bench Coach

Get more details at:
http://www.feliciahallallen.com/symposium.htm

2010-04-07T10:48:00.005-05:00

MOTION PRINCIPLES

2010-04-06T13:09:00.004-05:00

Over the next couple of days I will be posting some notes from some of the clinics I attended while at the Final Four. If you are interested you can go to the WBCA website and there is a section where you can actually download and print most of the handouts from the clinics. There are some very good things on there. Let me know if you have trouble downloading it and I can send you some things.

Here are a few things from Matt Bollant the head coach at the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay. He spoke on the 4 out 1 in motion offense.

Benefits of running the motion offense:

1) Get to higher level than sets

2) Makes you better defensively

3) Only as good as you pass and catch

To run the motion you need to recruit unselfish players and demand that they remain unselfish.

Here are some motion concepts he spoke on:

1) Not always running to the ball

2) Ball moves to action, not action to the ball

3) Slow to dribble-miss opportunities if you dribble-pass makes defense make quicker mental transitions

4) Willing to screen-emphasize it and praise it

5) Willing to cut hard for teammates-reward them if they are open

6) Slow to move to ball-better to not over move

*Do passing drills everyday

*Be tough with the ball- be specific-own your space

1) Play form triple threat-wrist locked and cocked

2) Catch the ball with your feet in the air

3) Pass wiht feet on the floor

4) Fake a pass to make a pass-even against a man defense

5) Make easy pass-start of the year this is a great point of emphasis

6) See the weakside

Concepts of passing-most under taught fundamental

1) triple threat

2) fake a pass to make a pass-show passing lanes

3) work one side of your bofy-vertical fakes and not 45 of them

4) step when you pass

Concepts of Recieving

1) catch with feet in the air

2) early hand targets-show where you want the ball

3) ball in the air-feet in the air

4) run through leather

5) block and tuck on catch

I'M BACK!!!!!!!

2010-04-06T12:47:00.001-05:00

I'm back! It's been a busy last couple of weeks. I was out of town for a few days spending some time back at home with my family, and then we went to San Antonio, TX for the Final Four. But, I'm back now and promise to do a better job updating the blog regularly. The Final Four was an awesome experience! I had been to the Final Four games before when it was held in New Orleans, but this was my first time going to the WBCA convention and attending the clinics and meetings and things like that. It was really neat to listen to some of the best coaches in the country. It was also a great experience to meet some of the coaches from around the country who I've watched on television, read their books, and always looked up to. I'm back in Lake Charles now working on offseason workouts and other things, but I'm looking forward to watching the championship game on TV tonight. It would be great if it could be as intense and entertaining as the men's game from last night! How great was Butler's run? It was awesome to show the world that the little guy who works hard and does all the right things can make it to!

FOCUS ON THINGS YOU CAN CONTROL

2010-03-26T07:48:00.004-05:00

Here are the rest of the notes from the sports psychology workshop for our athletes given by head girls' golf coach Mike Flutie.

Focus on Controllables:

-Concentrating on uncontrollables leads to anxiety, lack of focus on relevant things, and prevents athletic success.

Things You Can Control:

-Preparation
-Practice
-Lifestyle Choices
-Attitude
-Diet
-Rest and sleeping habits
-Dedication to physical conditioning
-Honest self-evaluation of your performance

Things You Can't Control

-Coaches decisions
-Playing Time
-Teammates
-Opponents
-What others say and do

Make Yourself Indispensable

-Be so prepared and good that your coach cannot ever see dispensing of you.
-Your presence makes an enourmous impact and the team is less without you.
-Work so hard on your performance that the coaches have no other option but to make you a key part of the team.
-Don't fear seeking out feedback.

Replace Negative Self-Talk

-Top athletes talk themselves into incredible performance.
-Thoughts prompt EMOTIONS that have bodily or physiological consequences.
-Self-talk is that little voice in your head.
-Self-talk often comes from out past: parents, siblins, coaches, teachers, etc.
-Coaches and parents say, "Change your negative attitude!"
-But how? To what? How can I be positive when I just messed up?

Step 1-State the negative talk as a feeling..."I feel like my shooting sucks."
Step 2-Enlist the power of a "big but."..."But I'm....."
Step 3-End with an "I'm the kind of person who" statement.
EX: "Ifeel like my shooting sucks. But I'm the kind of person who is going to work on it and get better!"

Some Advice:
-You can only fail with your own consent.
-Reject belief in fate that falls upon you based upon your actions.
-Embrace a belief in fate that falls upon you unless you act.
-Belief leads to motivation.
-Motivation leads to action.
-Action leads to result.

"You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day."
-Marian Wright Edelman, American Civil Rights Activist

"The greatest discovery of our generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering thier attitude of mind. As you think, so shall you be."
-William James, Nineteenth-Century American Philosopher

RENTING VS OWNING YOUR PERFORMANCE

2010-03-23T09:43:00.004-05:00

Last night our women's golf coach here at McNeese, Coach Mike Flutie, gave a great talk to all of the student-athletes about some issues in sports psychology. Coach Flutie used to teach a sports psychology class at his last university and has tons of good information to share. I'm going to post some notes from the lecture over the next couple of days.

Leadership--> The process of influencing team members to work hard towards, and be committed to, team goals.

2 Types of Leaders

1.) Task-Oriented Leader- concerned with training, instructing behavior and performance, and winning.

2.) Person-Oriented Leader- concerned with interpersonal relationships on the team

Great Leaders

-Are both task and people-oriented but lean more towards being task-oriented.

-Are often scholars in their field and are intelligent.

-Make decisions based on facts and apply common sense/simplicity to complex issues.

-Highly driven and intrinsically motivated.

-Are willing to take calculated risk.

-Master in the art of communication.

Renting vs. Owning

-Renters are not invested

-Renters are not interested in improvement

-Renters will even consciously destroy

-Owners are invested

-Owners nurture and improve

Athletes Who Rent Performance

-Put in a minimum amount of time.

-Act as part of the team rather than a contributor.

-Are just present for the scholarship.

-Not vested in self or team.

Example: You feel anger over a clash with a teammate or coach....so you do the minimum.

-By doing this you give up ownership of your performance and hand it over to the coach.

-You see the situation in a negative way and choose not to give all of your mind/body.

-This is a very tough place for an athlete to be.

Athletes Who Own Performance

-Invested in self, team, and success in general.

-Take ownership and responsibility even in challenging circumstances.

-You may be required to take ownership within boundaries of the team/coach.

Ownership is Always a Choices

-Ownership creates greater rewards.

-The decision to own is always the right one.

-Ownership always leads to success!

YOU CAN'T RAISE EAGLES ON FEATHER BEDS

2010-03-22T09:08:00.002-05:00

This was sent over to me by Coach Duane Silver. If you would like to recieve his weekly newsleter you can email him at duane@coachsilver.com

By Zig Ziglar
It has often been said that you don't develop leaders or champions on feather beds. The "eagle approach" works best. Eagles build their nests high on mountains, exposed to the first rain, the first snow, the strongest winds. When the mother eagle builds the huge nest, she starts with limbs and rough pieces of bark. Inside of that, she puts glass, stones, branches, etc. Next she picks up leaves, cloth and similar objects. Finally, she puts feathers - some from her own body - on top, and it is in this nest that she lays the eggs. When the little eaglets make their appearance, the eagle parents nurture their babies with food they have eaten and regurgitated. As the eaglets grow, the mother eagle removes the soft down from the nest, reducing the comfort level of the eaglets. Still later she removes the leaves, soft branches and cloth, further discomforting the eaglets. By now the young birds are beginning to climb up the sides of the huge nest; their comfort level is minimal. Finally, the mother eagle removes the smaller sticks and everything else so the eaglets are exposed to the glass, cans, rocks and other uncomfortable bedding. Now the eaglets are staying on the sides of the nest. And here is where tough love really begins to show. Once the eaglets reach the top of the nest, the mother eagle nudges them over the side and they go hurtling to apparently certain death on the rocks below. At what appears to be the last instant, Mother Eagle swoops underneath and catches the eaglet on her own back. The process is repeated until the eaglets are flying on their own. Mother Eagle's job has been done - she has worked herself out of a job. That's what parenting is about - working yourself out of a job, and, in the process, developing our leaders for the future. Think about it, give your kids a chance to soar like the eagles by not making their lives too comfortable and I'll SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

4 RULES OF TIME

2010-03-22T09:04:00.002-05:00

4 RULES OF TIME BY BRIAN TRACY

There are four rules of time. The first is that time is perishable. This means that it cannot be saved. In fact, time can only be spent. Because time is perishable, the only thing you can do with it is to spend it differently, to reallocate your time away from activities of low value and toward activities of higher value. But once it is gone, it is gone forever.

Time Is Indispensable
The second rule of time is that time is indispensable. All work requires time. No matter what it is you want to do in life, even looking out a window or sleeping in for a few extra minutes, it requires a certain amount of time. And according to the 10/90 Rule, the 10% of time that you take to plan your activities carefully in advance will save you 90% of the effort involved in achieving your goals later. The very act of thinking through and planning your work in advance will dramatically reduce the amount of time that it takes you to do the actual job.

The Currency of the Future
The third rule of time is that time is irreplaceable. Nothing else will do, especially in relationships. Time is the only currency that means anything in your relationships with the members of your family, your friends, colleagues, customers and coworkers. Truly effective people give a lot of thought to creating blocks of time that they can then spend, without interruption, with the important people in their lives.

Spell the Word Correctly
There is a question: "How do children spell the word 'Love?'" And the answer is "T-I-M-E." It is the same with your spouse, as well. The important people in your life equate the amount of time that you spend with them, face to face, head to head, knee to knee, with the amount that you actually love them.

Grow Your Relationships
The more time that you spend with another person, especially a member of your family, the deeper grows your understanding and affection for that person. If you get too busy to spend time with your children, you eventually lose contact with them and they go off into their own personal world of school, peers and other activities.

The Key to Goal-Achievement
The fourth rule is that time is essential for accomplishment. Every goal you want to achieve, everything you want to accomplish, requires time. In fact, one of the smartest things you ever do, when you set a goal, is to sit down and allocate the exact amount of time that you are going to have to invest to achieve that goal. The failure to do this almost always leaves the goal unaccomplished.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action:

First, decide today to redirect and reallocate your time away from low-value tasks and toward high-value activities.

Second, make a plan to spend more time face-to-face with the most important people in your life. The more you think about the use of your time, the better you will become.

A TEAM OF GEESE

2010-03-19T11:16:00.003-05:00

When geese fly in formation, they travel about 70 percent faster than when they fly alone. Geese share leadership. When the lead goose tires, he or she rotates back into the "V" and another goose flies forward to become the leader. Geese keep company with the fallen. When a sick or weak goose drops out of the flight formation, at least one other goose will leave the formation to help protect the weaker goose. By being part of a team, we, too, can accomplish much more, much faster. Words of encouragement and support (honking from behind) inspire and energize those on the front lines and help them to keep pace in spite of day-to-day pressures and fatigue. Finally, show compassion and active caring for your fellow man--a member of the untimate team: humankind! The next time you see a formation of geese, remember that it is a reward, a challenge, and a privelage to be a contributing member of a team.

Taken from Jim Tressel's THE WINNER'S MANUEL

HONOR

2010-03-19T11:14:00.001-05:00

"Honor is better than honors."

- Abraham Lincoln

GANDHI'S 7 DEADLY SINS

2010-03-19T11:09:00.002-05:00

Toward the end of Mohandas Gandhi's extraordinary life, he listed the seven deadly sins he had encountered along the way:

1.) Wealth without work

2.) Pleasure without conscience

3.) Knowledge without character

4.) Business without morality

5.) Science without humanity

6.) Worship without sacrifice

7.) Politics without principles

Taken from Jim Tressel's THE WINNER'S MANUEL

NICK SABAN ON LEADERSHIP

2010-03-18T10:46:00.004-05:00

Great leaders stand up when adversity arises.
Great leaders allow the team to take ownership of the rules.
Great leaders embrace future leaders.
Great leaders lead the orchestra but let them play.
Great leaders pick their battles.
Great leaders do not rush to make changes because of failure.
Great leaders hire good people.
Great leaders make tough decision.
Great leaders accept responsibility.
Great leaders show compassion for those around them.
Great leaders never force leadership.
Great leaders must insist on excellence.
Great leaders are not always popular.
Great leaders don’t have all the answers, but they find them.

QUOTES FROM NICK SABAN

2010-03-18T10:38:00.001-05:00

“Don’t look at the scoreboard. Dominate your opponent for 60 minutes.”

“We are responsible for what we create, not the other team.”

“Rededicate yourself to the little things after a loss.”

“Never again would we be outworked any day of the year.”

“Renewed optimism-Clear sense of commitment-No let up!”

“It’s about being relentless is the pursuit of your goals, and resilient in the face of bad luck and adversity.”

“The focus on the process of being champions never wavered.”

“The opponent should never determine your level of competitive spirit.”

“We simply focused on the process of being champions.”

“Champions take an attitude of dominance everywhere they go.”

“Eliminate the clutter.”

“Our commitment, conviction, attitude allowed us to do what we needed to do as a team to achieve at the highest level.”

LEADERSHIP

2010-03-17T08:53:00.000-05:00

"The history of the world is full of men who rose to leadership by sheer force of self-confidence, bravery, and tenacity."
-- Mahatma Gandhi, Statesman

Notes from Brad Greenburg-Radford University

2010-03-17T08:46:00.003-05:00

Got my first head coaching job @ 53
All you young guys trying to advance – remember that!
Quote from Clapton’s Guitar by Allen St. John
“You start out with a pile of good wood. Some nice Brazilian wood and you begin to cut away at anything that does not look like a guitar.”
Point: INVEST IN PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
Fundamentals are the most important elements in basketball
Radford Offense
2008-2009 Season 46.1% From the Field (1st in the Big South, 60th in the Country)
In Big South Games, Shot 47.7% from the Field
Possessions – 2, 319 Total Possessions in ’08-‘09
1,131 Were Successful (Scored, Got to the FT Line)
49% were successful
Of the 2,319 possessions, 1,172 of there were “basketball plays” (1 v 1 moves, broken plays)
Of the 1,172 “Basketball Plays” 597 were successful (51%)
Of the 2,319 possessions, 358 were in a “numbers” situation (TO led to fast break or steal)
197 were successful (55%)
1500 of 2300 plays did not involve any coaching – guys making plays
RADFORD DEFENSE
Not a defensive coach by nature, more concerned with the ball and its movement
Hired defensive guys on his staff to help that
Weren’t going to be a good defensive team if they did not change from Year 1 to Year 2
’07-’08 Gave up 79.3 ppg / Teams shot 44% against them
’08-’09 Gave up 71.9 ppg/ Teams shot 39.9% against them
Three main types of “d” Radford plays:
• Man to Man
• 1-3-1 Extended Half Court Zone
• 2-3 Tandem
Object of any defense should be to make shooters drivers and drivers shooters
Greenberg’s philosophy on defense from Jim Lyman and brother Seth (Va. Tech)
Stay between your man and the basket
Involves his assistants on defense especially in practice (3-4 sets of eyes better than 1)
STANCE
Heel to toe
Feet balanced, back straight, butt down
Do Drills that re-enforce this position
Ball Stays OUT OF MIDDLE
Ball is “squared” at the wing / Defender’s top foot is outside the offensive player’s top foot
“Check Points”
Sideline & Baseline
Defender is to beat offensive player to the sideline and baseline while influencing the dribble that way
Red Holtzman (Longtime NY Knick Coach)
BE ACTIVE
BE ALERT
SEE BALL + MAN
MOVE WITH THE FLIGHT OF THE BALL

RADFORD BASKETBALL – BUILDING PROGRAM IDENTITY
Looking back, wished he would have hammered home identity in his first season
“You who are on the road, must have a code, that you can live by” – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Code:
- What is important to you?
- Players MUST KNOW what is important to you

Praise Good Effort
Criticize what needs improvement
Balance between confidence and perspective

Personnel
Making the proper selections
Re: the people you will work with everyday
These people will in large part influence either your success or lack of success
Consistency
“There are the where you become what you become. There are the streets where the story’s told, the truth unfolds.” Ronnie Robertson “Shine Your Light”
“All I want for tomorrow is to get it better than today. Step by Step, one by one.” – Bruce Hornsby
Resilience & Toughness “Doggeddness”
“Not as glamorous as ambition or talent or intellect or charm. But still the one thing that we got we through the days and nights” – Frank McCourt Teacher Man
Strategy
“Aspirations aren’t Strategy” – Robert Blackwell
Real Leadership Provides the Strategy and then gets the team to execute!
DON’T ASSUME – What happens when you assume? Make an ASS out of U and Me!

RADFORD BASKETBALL
1. PLAY HARD
Like every possession will decide every game
Like every possession is serious business
2. Defensive Principles
Stance, No Middle, Talk, See the Ball, Help, Gaps, Rotate, Play it Out
3. Take Care of the Ball
Pass & Catch with Two Hands
4. Get the Ball Inside
See, Pivot, Improve the Angle, Execute, Offensive Balance
5. Team
Hit the open man, make the extra pass, communicate, body language, appreciation of the concept of team

Don’t Complain
Don’t Explain
No Excuses…NONE

Embrace the Coaching
We will work with you + get you ready to play

THOUGHTS FROM BILLY GILLESPIE

2010-03-17T08:20:00.003-05:00

These notes on high school coaching are taken from a clinic in 2009 in North Carolina where Billy Gillespie spoke.

"THOUGHTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL"
BY BILLY GILLISPIE"

1. Don't worry about winning, worry about doing the right thing. (This is how to be respected as a coach.)
2. Coach "Togetherness and Toughness"
3. In a two hour practice have four quarters:
1st quarter= 30 min
2nd quarter=30 min
3rd quarter= 30 min
4th quarter= 30 min
4. Have a "Player of the Week" Jersey...You may want the to be "The Defensive Player of the Week".
5. Run Situations everyday in practice. (Late Game)
6. Force the players to make 80's in the classroom instead of 70's this way they will always be eligible to play.
7. Have Honorary Coaches for each home game. (Teachers, Administrators, or Supporters from the community) *Introduce them before the game. Talk to the PA announcer and give him some specific about them.
8. Learn to Improve while you are Winning. (Most teams don't improve while they are winning.)
9. Develop a Family within your program.
10. Try not to be NEGATIVE for one year.
11. Send personal notes to your players home in the fall, spring and summer.
12. Have the players write a one page essay on what the team would be like if everyone on the team had your attitude and work ethic.
13. In the TEAM picture each year ALWAYS have your AD or Principal in the picture. (You will need to tell them a day in advance that you need them for the picture) *They love it! After you get the picture back go to Wal-Mart and buy a $3.00 frame and you need to put the picture in it and then go give it to the AD or Principal and I'll bet you they put it up on their office wall. (This is GREAT POLITICS!)

TEAM MOTIVATION

2010-03-15T14:27:00.004-05:00

Here is a good article on team motivation written by Peter Grazier:

Motivation. We hear the term often. Generally we associate the word with human behavior, meaning, a state of mind that moves us to action. And even though few of us have had formal training in it, it’s one of those characteristics of life that seems to fit the old adage, “I know it when I see it.”

What are the ingredients or characteristics of teams that seem to sustain high levels of motivation?

I posed this question to a group of people recently and found that it tapped into some deeply held beliefs about what makes us do what we do. So for those of you working with teams, here are some thoughts that might help:

What Makes Us Do Anything?
Probably the first question to be answered in a discussion of motivation is “What makes us do anything?” Why am I writing this article? Why are you reading it? Why did you get out of bed today and go to work? Why did you join that volunteer organization last month? Why did you drop out of the other one?

Each day brings with it an endless list of decisions to be made. The process of making those decisions is driven, in large part, by the hope of a benefit or the fear of a consequence.

For example, I truly enjoy coffee and donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts. I pay them money for the benefit of enjoying the taste and filling a void in my stomach. However, I limit my intake of these donuts for fear of the consequences of too much sugar and fat in my diet.

Literally, every decision we make is filtered through this process. The industrial psychologists have taken this further by defining these consequences as needs. Our needs for sustenance, safety, security, belonging, recognition, and a sense of growth and achievement become strong drivers (motivators) of behavior.

The subject of motivation is, at once, simple and complex. Simple, in that it explains much of what we see happening in human behavior, yet complex when it poses contradictions.

For example, the need to nourish ourselves is strong, and hunger will drive us to extreme actions, particularly in the case of extreme hunger. However, how does one explain a hunger strike? How can you explain the actions of someone who has died because they chose not to eat? The psychologists will say that a higher level need took over....perhaps the need to make a point about an issue that, to the person, was larger than life itself.

So as we attempt to understand motivation, we need to appreciate the subtleties that exist in human behavior, and focus our attention on general principles of motivation that have wider application. At least if we can understand some of these principles, we might be better prepared to lead or facilitate a long-term, highly motivating team experience.

Why Be Part Of A Team?
You’ve been asked to participate on a team to accomplish some task. Immediately your decision-making process begins.

What is the purpose of the team?
Is it a topic that interests me?
Who will be on the team with me?
What kind of authority will we have?
Is it important to management?
What is the reward for participating?
What is the risk (perceived as punishment) for not participating?
How long will it run?
Will I be better off as a result of my participation?
These are some of the questions we ask ourselves when faced with an invitation to participate in some kind of team. Are they typical questions?...of course. Do they relate to our motivation to participate?... certainly.

Sometimes, however, we are not given the opportunity to refuse participation on a team: for example, a work group or an organization that has restructured itself into self-directed work teams. In these cases, by default, we are part of the group or team.

Nevertheless, in either case, motivation can rise or fall depending on a myriad of factors. Let’s look at some of them.

Factors That Influence Team Motivation

I. Purpose
I have asked people for years to describe the characteristics of their most successful and rewarding team experiences. At the top of almost everyone’s list is a clear purpose, focus, or mission. But further, for long-term motivation, it must be a purpose or mission that they find aligns with their personal wants and needs.

One can be asked to participate on a temporary task force. If the mission is clear, he might be able to sustain motivation for the duration if he feels it is important. However, if it is a topic that is not in line with his wants and needs, his motivation to continue may diminish.

Many years ago on a construction project, I had assembled a group of electricians to streamline the process of making cable terminations. Since they were all electricians, I thought there would be great interest in working on a process that was frustrating people the way it was designed.

About a month into the group’s work, they were having great difficulty maintaining momentum and focus. When I asked them why, they said that some of the electricians were conduit specialists and some were cable tray specialists, and that those not working directly with the cable terminations simply couldn’t get interested in the subject. What a lesson for me! Motivation in this case was lacking because the team’s purpose was not in line with some of the members’ wants and needs.

So one strategy with a lethargic team might be to stop the process, re-visit the team’s purpose or mission, and see if there’s alignment on it. Even with a team that seems well-motivated, it still is a good strategy to recheck once in a while.

II. Challenge
Another term that I hear frequently when I ask about team motivation is challenge. The human species, as with most animals, has been given a survival mechanism called fight or flight syndrome. When presented with a challenge, our defenses are alerted to move us to action....to run away from danger or address it directly.

Many people will say that their most rewarding team experiences resulted from some sort of challenge. I’ve heard the stories often of mediocre groups that responded to a challenge with heroic success. The challenge itself was the motivator.

In the workplace, these challenges occur infrequently. Teams are not presented with stimulating challenges every day. So the question becomes how to provide challenges to the team at more frequent intervals.

An additional criteria for a challenge is the level of difficulty. If a challenge is too difficult, perhaps perceived as impossible, then team members may give up before they start. However, the same result may occur if the members perceive the challenge as too easy. Little energy is required to accomplish something so easily obtained.

So for ongoing teams, periodic stimulation in the form of a worthy challenge is another method of maintaining motivation.

In 1983, I was managing a work group for a large construction organization. It was a long-term project (10 years), and senior management had discussed conducting an open house for the workforce. Management, however, had always nixed the idea--fearing the difficulty of coordinating an event that would encompass seven thousand workers and their families.

My work group heard about the idea, however, and asked to take on this assignment. There was enormous interest in conducting this event within the workforce, so with much support, my group planned and successfully coordinated an open house that ultimately attracted over 10,000 people.

The challenge for my group was enormous....but achievable. The challenge created high levels of motivation while planning the event; and the sense of accomplishment after the event sustained motivation even longer.

I don’t suggest by this example, that every work group take on such a formidable task, but simply think about the implications of taking on a new challenge periodically.

III. Camaraderie
Seldom, if ever, in our MBA programs (which purport to be leadership development programs) have we seen courses of study in team development and motivation. That is changing now and will continue to change in the future.

If one studies highly effective groups, one finds that the most successful groups over the long haul tend to address both the technical needs and human needs. These groups are at the same time competent in the work they perform and highly functional in their interpersonal relationships. The group is well balanced in both technical and human skills.

Another factor that emerges from my queries about successful teams is camaraderie, meaning comradeship, fellowship, and loyalty. The people on these teams genuinely like each other and work hard to develop and maintain their relationships.

Although they are probably not aware that research supports this behavior, they just seem to understand that it’s a lot easier to support your team member when you have a good relationship. The fallout from this kind of relationship building is open and direct communication, frequent praising of each others’ contributions, and mutual support.

So, you will say, that is all well and good for teams whose members like each other, but what if they don’t like each other?

Much of the time we like or dislike someone, it relates more to how well we understand them. And since our formal training has not addressed this, most of us enter adulthood ill-equipped to deal with the myriad of personalities, temperaments, cultures, values, beliefs, ideologies, religions, and idiosyncratic behaviors of those we meet.

One way to break down these barriers is to expand one’s understanding of his own species. Training is available to address most of the topics above, and exercises can be beneficial if they move us to another level of understanding.

But don’t overlook the simple solutions. Designing an off-site activity for the team, sometimes just to play together, is a powerful way of building camaraderie. For more thoughts on this, see our article "Celebrations and Events to Build the Team".

IV. Responsibility
In general, people and teams are stimulated by being given responsibility. Having ownership of an identifiable block of work is a long-held tenet of motivation in groups.

Responsibility can be tricky, however. Implied in this concept is the understanding that the responsibility comes along with authority to make the necessary changes. Teams that have both the responsibility and authority tend to maintain motivation over longer periods of time.

Responsibility can be demotivating if the consequences of error or failure are too great. If the organization, for example, has a history of punishing mistakes, then the giving of responsibility is viewed more as a negative. The short-term performance may be good (remember fear is a motivator), but long-term motivation will suffer. It is difficult to sustain high performance when energy is being sapped by fear.

V. Growth
Finally, personal and team growth can provide another basis for sustained motivation. When people feel they are moving forward, learning new concepts, adding to their skill base, and stretching their minds, motivation tends to remain high. Personal growth adds value to the individual, enhancing self-esteem and self-worth.

Accordingly, team members and team leaders should look for opportunities that help add knowledge and skills. A good technique is to simply ask members what they would like to get from their association with the team, then listen for areas of possible growth.

VI. Leadership
A good leader can be a catalyst for motivation in the short term, but the best leaders create the conditions for the team to motivate itself.

We have all seen examples of how leaders inspired teams to accomplish some phenomenal task. History books and Hollywood are full of these stories, and we come to honor these leaders.

But the charismatic leader that can be so effective in the short term, cannot necessarily sustain motivation indefinitely. Motivation is inherently intrinsic, residing within oneself. Therefore, if one depends continually on another for their source of motivation, eventually it ends.

Great leaders have a knack for helping others see the best in themselves, providing the stimulus for self-actualizing behaviors.

But great leaders also understand the importance of team purpose, challenge, camaraderie, responsibility, and growth, and focus much of their time on creating the conditions for these to exist.

Great leaders understand that their team members have needs, and that for motivation to grow and continue, the activities of the team must help in some way to meet these needs.

Summary
A team whose members are aligned with its purpose, feel a challenge in their task, have a strong sense of camaraderie, feel responsibility for the outcome, and experience growth as a team and in their personal lives, will tend to sustain motivation over the long haul.

This is not to say that they will not have difficulties at times, or that members’ wants and needs won’t change over time. In these cases, sometimes changes will have to be made. A member who no longer feels the team is meeting his or her needs may have to leave the team to continue on their own path.

But, in as much as it is possible to sustain motivation indefinitely, the factors above will tend to create the best possible environment for it.

TO FORCE THE BALL MIDDLE OR BASELINE?

2010-03-12T08:24:00.003-06:00

This is a great debate among a lot of coaches. Do we force the ball to the middle or to the baseline? I find that most mens coaches want to force it to the middle, while most womens coaches choose to force it to the baseline. I was always taught to force the ball to the baseline becasue that is where all of your help is. Of course everyone has their own philosophy and what works best for them. We could debate the two forever. Here is a comparison of the two:

To Force Middle or to Force Baseline that is the Question...on defense a coach
must choose between "fanning" the ball to the outside or "funneling" the ball to the middle of the floor.

Why would a coach want to force the basketball baseline?

• To take advantage of superior speed and athleticism against 60% of your opponents and 80% of your league/district opponents
• To take advantage of your superior bench and force them to play more players
• To take them out of running their set plays and make them make plays instead
• To force an up tempo game
• To force turnovers for easy points
• To keep the ball on one side of floor so that you know where your help is coming from
• To keep the ball out of the most difficult place to defend (Middle; where is your help?)
• To keep your players aggressive and with an attack mentality
• Less reliance on learning how to defend all the various screening/cutting situations because you are not letting them reverse the ball and run sets
• Your kids only have to learn one rotation on the baseline

Why would a coach want to keep the ball off the baseline?

• To keep your players out of foul trouble
• To limit the play of your bench
• To prevent dribble penetration of a more athletic/talented team
• To prevent easy post entry to the post from the wing
• To force the opponent to run plays and out execute your defense
• To stop easy scoring opportunities because of poor rotation
• To limit offensive rebounds because of rotations on defense to stop the drive
• To contain the basketball and make players shoot contested jump shots
• No longer have to teach deny-help-recovery and instead teach recovery because the defender always starts in help (not denying passes)

NOTES FROM BRUCE WILSON

2010-03-12T08:16:00.004-06:00

Bruce Wilson is in his 25th season as the heda coach at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa

Footwork, passing and receiving the ball are the three biggest areas of fundamental development. Running through the basketball when receiving is a big skill for players to gain. His teams are good at back cutting from the wing.

Back Cut Technique--Two steps out, a cross step and one more step showing the open hand, then plant the foot, swing the hand through, and back cut. Catch and jump stop with “toes to the baseline.” Ball is protected with left side of the body, leading with the left elbow. Finish with a bank shot. In their Kansas secondary break, they want to finish with a bank shot on the back cut. Offensive rebounders KNOW where to go to rebound the misses.

He coached John Stockton for 4 years at Gonzaga, and made the comment that he was very fast with the ball from end to end.

Limited staff at practice. Most of the time it is he and assistant Tyler Erwin. He used to doing all of the coaching.

KEY--These drills are for maximum production from limited staff, like most high school coaches face. High school coaches must maximize the time they have and need to design drills with that in mind.

He is very high on the high school coaching in the state of Oregon as he recruited at Gonzaga. He feels the Iowa HS coaches do an excellent job.

FIRST Drill
Father Judge Drill—
Bruce saw Larry Brown demonstrate it in 1986.

1. Rebound and Outlet Station
Receive outlet pass using left foot pivot. 1 outlets to 2……….has three options,
1. Drop step
2. Go move
3. Crossover step

2 passes to middle of the floor to 3, 3 bounce passes to 4 who cuts back door to catch and shoot bank shot.

2. Red Man Defensive Drill – good for building defensive fundamentals.

This drill is based on keeping the ball out of the middle of the floor and pushing it baseline.
Player 1 passes to offensive player who is outside 3 point line. Close out keys are to sprint, foot fire, with inside foot up in a low stance. Ball up, defender shows hands up. Ball low, retreat step vs. drive. Next, defender slides to the wing. Ball called “dead.”
Second step, ball goes to post, defender closes down on the post, open to the baseline.

3. 3 on 3 Cross court defense-
Good for their pressing system because it makes the call out “ball”. The closest guy to the ball calls and takes ball. First pass is to the wing as all 3 defenders adjust. Skip pass next, players adjust. Skip back to the right wing, then it’s LIVE.
Cut Through—a competitive game and a drill in one.

Excellent teaching drill with carry over to games. When he calls Cut Throat, the players know it is a competitive game. This transfers over to the game. When he calls out Cut Throat in the game, it means they must get a STOP!

4. His favorite drill is the Gladiator, a toughness drill.
Can use towels to avoid the use of reaching with hands.
Set up like the flex with 4 players in a box, at elbows and blocks. Very competitive drill.
Down screen on one side with a post step in.
Offense—No dribble allowed. They can score only from left elbow.
Defense gets out when they get a steal, rebound, or deflection.
Offense stays on the floor is they score.

Rule for defending down screens.
Inside the lane, chase the cutter.
Outside the lane, slip through behind the screener, shoot the gap.

UCONN WINNING STREAK

2010-03-09T08:20:00.003-06:00

http://http//www.usatoday.com/sports/college/womensbasketball/bigeast/2010-03-08-uconn-notre-dame-record_N.htm

"I can't think anything is more important than winning and playing in the Big East championship for these kids," Auriemma said.

"After the season, the last game we play we can look back and see what we've done," said Kalana Greene, who scored 15 points. "You don't want to celebrate about wins. We don't plan on our season being over any time soon."

THOUGHTS FROM TUBBY SMITH

2010-03-09T08:17:00.002-06:00

1. Wherever the ball is, be on the ball.
2. Contest every shot.
3. Apply Constant Pressure.
4. Quickly retreat to the ball line.
5. Overplay/Deny penetrating passes.
6. Allow non-penetration passes.
7. Always see ball and man.
8. Play up the court as close to the ball as possible.
9. Attempt to intercept all lobs and bounce passes. Go for a steal with hand closest to the defender.
10. Say Ball and always pressure the ball. Pressuring the ball means to be one arms length away. Communicate with the correct terminology.
11. Drives must always be stopped
12. Defending the ball off a pass: when in the passing lane go for a steal with hand closest to the receiver—it leads to less grabbing. Passes away are defended with one foot in the paint, sprint to the ball, sprint to the help. On pass from top—wing, get butt to baseline.

THOUGHTS FROM JERRY COLANGELO

2010-03-09T08:13:00.002-06:00

During the 2004 Olympics I had the pleasure to meet with Olympic coaches and players—to see the individuals representing our country—our way of life, our rights. It was interesting to discuss the development of their players. Our kids are playing games all summer whereas their kids are learning fundamentals of the game for 6-8 hours a day. After winning it all I think we can say with great certainty that it’s the relationships that matter, character wins, fundamentals have their place but playing as a team surpasses all. Experiencing this with Coach K was particularly memorable because of his passion for the game of basketball. There were moments of complete fulfillment during the Olympics: Singing the National Anthem in Beijing being the most fulfilling. It was a moment where one could see the journey, see the achievement of the dream, soak in the accomplishment in the moment.

ADVICE TO YOUNG COACHES

2010-03-08T17:06:00.003-06:00

The following is taken from an interview with Seth Davis and Bill Russell:

Your first loyalty is to your players and because of that your top priority needs to be in earning their trust in you. Keep in mind that they are away from home—you are a primary source of support now and for this reason I always say: never give a scholarship to a kid that you won’t have over for dinner or to stay overnight because this team you’re creating is a new family for them. If your players don’t buy into you if they do not trust you—they can’t buy into the system, and when your players don’t buy into a system, the system doesn’t work. Evaluate your system and the way you teach for each team. Each team is different and it should force you to change how you coach. Red would always say “he’ll win with what he had” his focus was
always on his team—he never wanted a player from another team. On that same note you can’t change your players—you can’t make an unorthodox player an orthodox player. You must teach for that player and consider that constantly. Greg Anthony spoke of winning: You don’t win with the five best players—you win with the five players who play together best. Teaching needs to be done at a player and a team level. Focus on their improvement; when you’re dedicated to teaching in a positive fashion the team will benefit. Remember that passing and rebounding are “learned skills” and they are the most important piece of any offense. Rebounding is all about Footwork and Footwork is 95% Horizontal and 5% Vertical.

1. Love the game: Watch it, learn it and love it. Don’t think you know it all.
2. Know your team: When making adjustments, make adjustments your team can make. Know your strengths and limitations so you can set your team up for success.
3.Make rules reasonable: Your authority is established through proof not command. I’ve always said: the best use of power is not having to use it. If you make a rule make sure the punishment is clear: Red would fine a player $10 for being late to practice. Yelling is not a punishment, it takes a rules offense to a personal and negative level that hurts the whole team.
4. Loyalty is paramount: “I only ever played for the Celtics and I never would play for another team—they were loyal to me, and I was loyal to them”
5. Negotiation is key: Everything between a player and a coach is a negotiation. When you want a player to do something you want—you have to give them what they want. Negotiating so everyone wins is the goal.
6. Craftsmanship: Know what you need to do to get this done.
7. Winning: When I do my job and you do your job—we all win.
8. Own your decisions: When you make a mistake, when you fail to lead by example, when you do something wrong: own your decision. Accept personal responsibility, apologize and move forward. Be a model of positive decision making and turning a negative decision into a positive.

DON SHULA ON ADVERSITY

2010-03-01T17:57:00.002-06:00

There should only be one voice, too many people begin to speak when the boat begins to rock. Athletes should always listen to the captain, instead of looking for the nearest life preserver, wanting to jump-ship when things don’t go their way. They should keep on working hard, stay the course, buy into the team concept, act like a human being outside of their sport, honor commitments, take care of the little things and most of all, respect authority. As the captain, stick to your plan, and never waver. The waters get rocky, the waves are high, but as a coach you must always keep two hands on the wheel and navigate the boat. You have to be committed enough to your philosophy to stick it out. The worst thing you can do is go against what you believe in. Everything in life can’t always be flowery. You have to be strong enough to take the attacks, to roll with the punches. Facing adversity and overcoming it is part of being a champion. Build your boat, and don’t let it get destroyed by the sharks. Get on the boat with good people. Load the boat up with people who possess enthusiasm and work ethic! Set your standards high. Throw the dead weight overboard. Look to save the ones who row the hardest. Plug up the holes. Make No Excuses, Just point out opportunities. Is your team all in the same boat?

BOOST YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

2010-03-01T16:49:00.002-06:00

BY BRIAN TRACY

Push to the Top
All successful people are very productive. They work longer hours and they work better hours. They get a lot more done than the average person. They get paid more and promoted faster. They are highly respected and esteemed by everyone around them. They become leaders and role models. Inevitably, they rise to the top of their fields and to the top of their income ranges, and so can you.

Everything is Learnable
Every single one of these tested and proven strategies for managing your time and doubling your productivity is learnable through practice and repetition. Each of these methods will eventually become a habit of both thinking and working.

The Payoff is Remarkable
When you begin applying these techniques to your work and to your life, your self-esteem, self-confidence, self-respect and sense of personal pride will go up immediately. The pay off for you will be tremendous, for the rest of your life.

Make A Decision!
Every positive change in your life begins with a clear, unequivocal decision that you are going to either do something or stop doing something. Significant change starts when you decide to either get in or get out, either fish or cut bait.

The Vital Quality of Success
Decisiveness is one of the most important qualities of successful and happy men and women, and decisiveness is developed through practice and repetition, over and over again until it becomes as natural to you as breathing in and breathing out.

Why People Are Poor
The sad fact is that people are poor because they have not yet decided to be rich. People are overweight and unfit because they have not yet decided to be thin and fit. People are inefficient time wasters because they haven't yet decided to be highly productive in everything they do.

Become An Expert
Decide today that you are going to become an expert in time management and personal productivity, no matter how long it takes or how much you invest in it. Resolve today that you are going to practice these principles, over and over again until they become second nature.

Action Exercises
Here are two steps you can take immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, hold your own feet to the fire. Resolve to start earlier, work harder and stay later. Don't let yourself off the hook.

Second, become an expert in time management. Learn and practice time management techniques every day until they become habits.