Switching screens on defense is a crucial tactic in high school basketball that can make a big difference in the outcome of games. It involves players seamlessly exchanging defensive assignments to disrupt the opposing team’s offensive flow and reduce the chances of giving up easy points.
In this blog post, we’ll dive into the world of switching on defense, exploring the benefits of this strategy, key principles to keep in mind, and tips for executing switches effectively. Whether you’re a player or a coach, this guide will help you master the art of switching on defense and take your team’s performance to the next level.
Switching Screens on Defense
The topic for this blog comes from a question asked by fellow coach in Idaho. Last week JT contacted us regarding switching screens in his man-to-man defense. Although the answer seems simple, the underlying message is one that I think every coach could benefit from.
JT’s question: “What is the real point of switching screens in a typical man-to-man defense?”
Now like many of you when I first read this question I started to immediately think of reasons why a coach might call a “switch everything” defense.
Switching screens allows your players to stay in the passing lanes and gives them a better chance to get a steal.
Switching puts your players in a better position to take a charge.
Switching screens might surprise the ball handler forcing him or her to pick up their dribble.
Switching screens gives the offense a different look and challenge that could easily disrupt their offensive momentum and flow.
Switching neutralizes those offenses that rely solely on screens to start their offense or to free up their shooters for open shots.
The real answer to JT’s questions is that you switch screen in hopes of taking something away from your opponent. You are adjusting your defense in hopes of causing panic and frenzy for the offense that will in return result in more possessions for your team.
Pros and Cons for Switching Screens
Switching on defense can be a powerful strategy in high school basketball, but it also has some potential downsides. Here are some pros and cons to consider:
Pros:
Versatility: A switching defense can be effective against a wide range of offensive schemes, as it allows defenders to quickly adapt to different players and situations.
Communication: Switching requires players to communicate effectively and work together as a team, which can improve overall cohesion and trust on the court.
Disruptive: A well-executed switch can throw off an opponent’s rhythm and force them into taking difficult shots or committing turnovers.
Cons:
Mismatches: Switching can sometimes lead to unfavorable matchups, with smaller or weaker defenders matched up against larger or stronger opponents.
Fatigue: Constant switching requires a lot of movement and can be physically demanding. This could potentially lead to fatigue and reduced effectiveness over time.
Overall, the decision to use a switching defense should depend on various factors. Among those: the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, the team’s personnel and abilities, and the coach’s philosophy and preferences.
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Basketball is a sport that requires both offensive and defensive skills. And while flashy scoring gets much of the attention, a solid defense is equally important to winning games. In basketball, one of the key aspects of defense is on-ball defense, which involves guarding the player with the ball and preventing them from scoring or passing effectively.
In this blog post, we’ll explore 10 fundamentals of on-ball defense according to coach Ernie Woods, including techniques, strategies, and tips for becoming a more effective defender on the court.
10 Points for On-Ball Defense
Ernie Woods has have long been recognized as having one of the best defensive minds in the game of basketball. The following 10 points come from the chapter entitled “On Ball Defense” from his book Advanced Basketball Defense.
Ball pressure is the single most important element of team defense.
To be successful, players must possess a working knowledge of the basic defensive concepts and fundamentals.
“On Ball” defensive fundamentals are comprised of three basic components: Pressuring and attacking the player with the ball, containing a dribbler and attacking the picked up dribble.
Pressuring the ball handler makes dribbling and passing more difficult, and increases the chances of an offensive mistake.
When guarding a player with the ball, the defender should attack and take away the “Triple Threat” options by forcing the opponent into dribbling.
The defenders should influence ball handlers to the closest sideline or baseline push point. In keeping the ball out of the middle of the court (“Red Zone”), it not only reduces the offensive operating area, but it also creates help side defense.
On dribble penetration, it is important that the defender protect the “Elbows” and “Blocks”. Do not allow the dribbler penetration into the three second area.
Defenders should constantly anticipate and immediately attack any player that picks up their dribble.
Defenders must have a hand up and contest every shot. Since shooters know where the ball is going as soon as it leaves their hand, they must be boxed out.
Taking a charge is a really big play in basketball. However, in taking a charge, players need to be taught to absorb contact by tucking their chin in and executing a shoulder roll.
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Regardless of the age or gender of your athletes, or the amount of coaching experience you possess it is probably safe to assume that you have established some sort of offensive philosophy. While every coach is surely unique, all offensive philosophies can be boiled down to two distinct types; motion offense or the use of quick hitters.
There are many coaches who insist on arguing that one type is certainly better than the other, but the fact of the matter is that there are multiple ways to be successful. Instead of blindly following the crowd, my advice is to simply implement what you are most comfortable teaching!
Utilizing a motion type of offense offers several advantages.
All five players will be involved in the offense
There are equal scoring opportunities for all players
Teams who are not as quite athletic but more disciplined than their opponents can thrive in this system
However, a quick hitting offense also has its advantages:
Quicker scoring opportunities often results in more scoring opportunities
Your best players get the most shots
Favors an up tempo style of play
If you are a coach who has already established a quick hitting offensive philosophy or are looking into changing to this style of play, here are 6 tips for improving your quick hitters.
Tip 1: Check the Speedometer
Remember a quick hitter is intended to be carried out quickly! One of the biggest flaws that many coaches fail to notice/correct is the speed at which the play is being executed! Running the set in a speedy fashion does a couple different things;
Puts the defense in a situation where each player has to react quickly
If even one defender fails to react quickly or correctly your offense will surely be left with a wide open shot attempt
Tip 2: Know the Scoring Options
One of the biggest advantages of running a quick hitter is that you can dictate and control the scoring opportunities! You can easily place your top three scorers in positions where in a matter of seconds one or all of them will receive multiple looks at the basket. First of all, make sure the plays you select compliment the strengths of your top players.
Secondly, make sure your every player knows and understands the sequence of available scoring options. It’s extremely frustrating and usually counterproductive when a role player takes the first shot opportunity instead of waiting for the play to develop.
Tip 3: Maintain Great Spacing
A common objective in many quick hitters is to develop mismatches and then exploit them. However if your team does not maintain great spacing throughout the set it will make it much easier for the defense to prevent any mismatches. Great spacing also allows for other scoring opportunities outside your “big three.”
With so much focus placed on your primary scorers, the defense often will not be able to properly guard all five offensive players. With proper spacing your role players will usually find themselves in many more scoring situations than if everything is bunched up.
Tip 4: Set Good Screens
No matter which type of offense you run, whether it is motion or quick hitters, you will need to establish good screening actions. By setting good screens you can free up shooters for open shots, make it easier to reverse the ball, put defensive players in situations where they have to make instant decisions, and create mismatches for your best scorers.
Although some coaches may think of the ability to set good screens as a minor issue, I promise you it makes the world of difference when done properly and consistently.
Tip 5: Stress Execution
When utilizing a quick hitting system it can occasionally be very easy for players to get caught up in playing and completely abandon the play. While this may be acceptable in certain situations, it may be very detrimental in others.
Hold your players accountable and stress perfect execution. The players must have trust in you as their coach and allow the play to unfold before improvising or going to “Plan B.”.
Tip 6: Quick Hitter into Motion
This tip is a little more advanced than the others but can pay huge dividends! As mentioned before, many quick hitters are designed to establish mismatches and then to exploit them. If you can coach your team to transition your quick hitters smoothly into a motion type offense, the defense will have no time to adjust between the two different philosophies in order to counteract the mismatch.
Using this strategy forces opponents to not only defend the initial quick hitter but also the disciplined movement of your motion. For younger teams this is nearly impossible!
Bonus Tip: If you are coaching older players, try running a motion type offense that leads into a quick hitter. If you play with a shot clock, run motion for 1-20 seconds. Then get right into a predetermined quick hitter. (If you don’t play with a shot clock try using a set number of passes as a guideline.) This strategy will give you the best of both offensive worlds. It will keep the defense constantly off balance, and is extremely difficult to scout.
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In basketball, a motion offense is a style of play that involves constant movement and cutting to create scoring opportunities. While it can be highly effective, it also has its drawbacks. In this blog post, we’ll explore the advantages and disadvantages of using a motion offense and how it can impact your team’s performance on the court.
Advantages of the Motion Offense
As a basketball coach, I have found that utilizing a motion offense can be incredibly effective for our team. This is a style of play where players constantly move and cut to create open shots and scoring opportunities. It requires players to be quick on their feet, good at reading the defense, and able to make quick decisions.
One of the biggest advantages of using a motion offense is that it can be difficult for the defense to predict and defend against. With players constantly moving and cutting, it can be challenging for the defense to maintain their position and stay in front of their man. This can lead to open shots and scoring opportunities for our team.
Another benefit of this offense is that it encourages teamwork and unselfish play. With players constantly moving and cutting, it requires them to be aware of their teammates’ positions and make quick passes to create scoring opportunities. This can lead to a more cohesive team and a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
Overall, I have found that a motion offense can be an effective and exciting style of play for our team. It requires hard work and dedication from our players, but the results are well worth it.
Disadvantages of the Motion Offense
As a high school basketball coach, I have seen that while a motion offense can be effective, it also has some disadvantages that should be considered. One of the main challenges with a motion offense is that it requires a lot of skill and coordination from the players. Players need to be quick, agile, and able to read the defense to effectively execute a motion offense. If the players are not skilled enough, it can result in turnovers and missed opportunities.
Another disadvantage of a motion offense is that it can be difficult to teach and learn. It requires a lot of practice and repetition for the players to master the various cuts and movements involved. This can be a challenge, especially for younger or less experienced players.
Additionally, this offense can be vulnerable to aggressive defenses. Teams that play a lot of pressure defense or have strong defenders can disrupt the flow of the offense and limit scoring opportunities.
Overall, while a motion offense can be an effective style of play, it is important to consider the skill level and experience of the players before implementing it. It also requires a lot of practice and preparation to execute effectively.
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Like many of you, March Madness is one of my most favorite times of the year. Conference tournaments, selection shows, the men’s NCAA Tournament, the women’s NCAA Tournament, and the NIT all provide enough coverage to keep even the most dedicated basketball junkie in hoops heaven. But with all of those squads in the mix, it can be hard to tell the difference between them. Thing is, there really are only four types of basketball teams.
One of the things that I enjoy most is the opportunity to learn more about the inner workings of some of the most successful programs in the country. After all, every team practices, every player lift weights, and every coach prepares as thoroughly as possible.
Does this mean that talent is the only thing that separates one team from the next and the ultimate champion from the team on the bubble? Fortunately, all of the media outlets produce enough interviews, “all access” segments, and human interest stories that we fell like we are literally behind the scenes. The extensive media coverage often gives us an insider’s glimpse as to what exactly separates the good from the great.
If you watch closely you will notice that generally speaking the majority of teams fall into one of four general categories:
Basketball Teams: Type 1 – Team in Name Only
These basketball teams are not really teams at all but instead are a group of individuals all wearing similar uniforms. The coach may have a plan but the players don’t buy in and often end up forming their own sub groups (cliques). While each of the groups is usually friendly with the other groups they never actually get on the same page either on or off the court.
Teams like this will never rise above their own individual talents. They can usually beat the really “bad” teams but struggle against teams with an equal or greater amount of individual talent. A team that lacks individual superstars but plays well together can beat teams like this.
Basketball Teams: Type 2 – The “Good”
Good basketball teams have a small core (2-3 players) of players that have bought in to the coach’s vision and are able to have at least some positive influence on their teammates. These players usually set a good example both in word and action but the team’s success often lies in their ability to motivate their teammates. Often a couple other teammates will temporarily buy in but will eventually return to their old ways, unable to sustain the mental and physical effort necessary to be championship level players.
Teams like this will usually beat the bad teams and will occasionally get a victory now and then over another good team depending on how many other players have joined the core group at that particular time. Of course, they often lose to other good teams too.
Basketball Teams: Type 3 – The “Great”
This is where it really gets fun for coaches and players alike. Everybody, from the best player all the way down to the least skilled player, is on the same page in terms of work ethic, commitment, and attitude. Everybody accepts and fulfills their roles to the very best of their ability. And is genuinely happy when a teammate plays well. No one really cares who gets the credit as long as the team is successful.
Great teams like this will often beat opponents with superior talent. Their focus, trust, and teamwork will make up for any deficiencies in talent. As a result their win-loss record is always outstanding because they win several games a year that could easily go either way. The 2012 University of Louisville men’s team is a recent example of a great team. They didn’t have one single player make first, second, or third team all-conference. Yet, they won the Big East Tournament and made it all the way to the Final Four.
Basketball Teams: Type 4 – The “Legacy”
What the difference between a great team and a legacy team? Sometimes it’s talent. When vastly superior talent is combined with the commitment, focus, and work ethic found in great teams then the opportunity exists to be involved in something very special.
But more often than not, legacy teams are created and developed off the court. Teams like this believe in their established core values and culture so much that it becomes an integral part of their individual and collective personalities. Team members look after each other off the court. They look for ways to help each other off the court. They refuse to do anything off the court that might hurt the team on the court. Legacy teams are more like families than basketball teams!
Legacy teams don’t come along often enough. Mostly because of all the different personalities, backgrounds and agendas of team members. If you are lucky enough to be involved with such a team, whether you are a player or a coach or a fan, take advantage of it and enjoy every second.
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When most of us think of coaching basketball and other types of coaches, we tend to look at the entire scope of the profession. However, in reality there are actually five distinct phases. There are no definite timelines for each of these phases and their natural progression depends on each individual coach.
Beginning Phase of Coaching Basketball
As with most professions, people get into coaching for several different reasons. Some are ultra competitive and want the adrenaline rush that comes with being in the arena. Some are attempting to relive or regain their youth. A few “stumble” into a coaching position when they are approached and offered a job based solely on their previous playing experience. Many are former players who may have dome much more analyzing on the bench than actual playing on the floor. This means they are convinced they can do the job. Others saw one of their own coaches having so much fun that it looked like the perfect way to spend their time.
Of course, there are those who watch famous coaches on TV and want the same notoriety, money, and lifestyle. (I almost hate to admit it but I was looking for a job where I could wear shorts and t-shirts to work every day!) This phase is fun and exciting and challenging all wrapped together!
Meaning Phase
It usually doesn’t take long for people to realize that coaching is the greatest job in the world! They can be around the game they love, compete, and most importantly, can have a positive, long lasting impact on the lives of young athletes. These new coaches come to understand just how many life lessons can be taught and learned through the medium of basketball. The original reasons for getting into coaching is still in the back of their minds but now these rookie coaches attach a much greater significance to the work they are doing. In fact, those initial reasons, whatever they may have been, now just became extra perks as they take a back seat to influencing others.
Extreme Competition Phase
The third phase of coaching is one of extreme competition. In this phase coaches want to prove to themselves and to others that they can actually coach successfully and win some games. Coaches in this phase of their career are unusually motivated, dedicated, and focused, and are often perceived as being workaholics. Their win-loss record means everything to them as it becomes a visible reminder of the success and/or failure that has taken place.
There is often a great deal of stress in this phase! At the highest levels of competition much of the stress comes from the “win or else” stipulation that seems to accompany most high end coaching contracts. However, even at lower levels the natural competitive nature of most coaches is going to produce some stress, even if most of it is self imposed.
Coasting Phase
During the next phase of a coaching career, coaches find themselves content with “coasting.” By this time they’ve either proved to themselves that they can coach successfully or they’ve come to grips with the fact that they can’t. Either way they are content with their career and are now just happy with maintaining the status quo. They may not really want to quit coaching but yet they may not know what else to do with their time and energy. Depending on their individual situation there may be some financial ramifications if they no longer coach, so many coaches in this phase just hang on season after season.
Burn Out Phase of Coaching Basketball
The fifth and final phase of coaching basketball, and really any sport, is burn out. Sometimes coaches “retire” temporarily until they get the competitive spark back. Others can postpone this phase by making conscious decisions near the ‘end” of the extreme competition phase. Instead of settling in to a coasting frame of mind it’s possible to take on (or even invent) new challenges to keep the job fresh and exciting. This often involves taking over struggling programs where the challenges are high but the external expectations are fairly low. Many times a coach will come in, take the program from awful to respectable and then move on to the next awful program.
Of course there are some causes of burn out that can’t always be avoided or ignored. Recruiting, travel, parents, fund raising, generation gap, etc. are all aspects of the job that are nearly impossible to ignore depending on which level you are coaching.
So there are the five levels of coaching. Hopefully knowing and understanding them will help you prepare for and manage the rest of your coaching career.
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This much we know is certain: winning teams have common characteristics that separate them from losing teams. It’s no secret. As a matter of fact, I would say they are not just characteristics; they are actually high character-driven traits. Perhaps among the most important of these winning basketball traits is attitude.
Basketball Attitude
There is just not enough practice time in a given season at any level for skill development. A player truly grows through being what I call a gym rat. A gym rat is someone who lives in the gym or on the courts working on their game.
Gym Rats are continuing to decrease every year in my opinion. I feel that players have come accustomed to coaches organizing their skill time opportunities for them. As if coaches don’t set times and opportunities for players then the growth often doesn’t happen. We have now become a generation of convenience and having things done for us. I am sure if players could just purchase an App to get better they would.
At the college level, we recruit kids with high character and value hard work. Our job is often easier then coaches who coach high school or younger when it comes to skill development. For example, there were times this past summer the doors closed at midnight in our gym. I am telling you this not to brag, but to provide the results of the hard work that happened. We won our first state title in school history with having 4 all-conference players this past season.
Building Basketball Attitude in the Summer
Summer development benefits the whole team. You cannot simply win with one or two players that put up a lot points. For example, when I coached HS I had player scored 530 points in his senior season. We completed the season with only 5 wins. Why? Not enough scoring from others and easy to defend of our tactics.
Take a look at the winning teams in the last few years: Villanova, Golden State, North Carolina, Gonzaga, and even our team this season. If you view these team’s statistics, you would notice a trend of 4 to 5 players scoring in double figures every game. I believe role players still exist in some capacity and often are glue kids for a team, but coaching basketball is easy when you have multiple players that can score. It’s hard to defend and scout. Also, I think as a coach you can keep your offensive system very simple with many players that can score. You allow them to create and score on reads and reaction. We were able to complex our defense this season, which made it very difficult for other teams to compete with us.
The more commitment you get from players in the summer, especially dedication in skill development that team becomes harder to defend. Better players and deeper bench equals better practices as well. Practices become more competitive with players challenging each other for minutes. Summer development for all equals better results during season play.
Reward Team Attitude and Effort
In his book Extreme Dreams Depend on Teams, Pat Williams says the following about rewarding your basketball team’s attitude and effort:
The natural tendency of leaders and coaches is to reward individual achievements. The problem is that when teams succeed, it is so often the result of selflessness and sacrifice on the part of people who truly “think team” and never get the glory. So the job of the leader or coach is to dig a little deeper, look beyond the flashy accomplishments of the stars on the team, and finds ways to acknowledge and reward the hod carriers and role-players. Yes, we should acknowledge individual achievement – but we should also recognize the team as a whole – and especially those self-effacing, self-sacrificing team players who make their contribution without making headlines
Hand painted jersey portraits make a great gift for Senior Night or Banquets. They have worked hard and pushed themselves to the limit physically and emotionally. Give them a gift that will be cherished long after they graduate.
Let’s say at this stage in your career your skills are at point A and your goal is to get those same skills to point B. What is the quickest way to get your basketball skill set there? There is really only one answer and it is daily, repetitious, and purposeful practice!
Purposeful means that you are following a proven and workable plan. Repetitious means you are practicing the desired skill over and over and over again. Those two are the easy parts of the formula. It’s the daily requirement that’s the stumbling block!
The 10 Million Dollar Basketball Skill Set
At first thought it seems like shooting 2100 jump shots on a Saturday would be the same as shooting 300 shots a day for 7 straight days but it’s not. It’s the daily consistency that is going to strengthen your muscle memory and ultimately improve that skill. The same is true with passing, ball handling, post moves, defensive techniques, etc.
Think about this for a second:
If you take a penny and double it every day for 31 days, you’ll soon have more than 10 million dollars. However, if you only double it every other day for 31 days, you’ll wind up with $163.00. And if you choose to only add seven cents every Saturday instead of worrying about it every day you will finish the month with 29 cents. Ten million dollars versus $163.00 versus 29 cents.
Pete Maravich, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durrant, and Chris Paul are just a few of the many professional basketball players whose daily work ethics are legendary. Sometimes we see players like these and think to ourselves, “Well, if I made tons of money to play in the NBA, I’d work out hard every day too!” They don’t work out every day because they’re successful. . . .they’re successful because they work out every day!
Daily Work Takes Sacrifice
It’s not easy working on your game every day. On some days you’re going to be more tired than usual and on other days your friends are going to insist that you hang out with them instead of spending time in the gym. You have to have an extraordinary amount of self discipline to ignore all of the distractions that constantly tempt you from doing what’s important. (It might help you memorize the quote, “The things that matter the most should never be at the mercy of things that matter the least.”)
What is easy is telling yourself that missing a day every now and then is okay and that you’ll make it up some other time. The first time you miss you feel a little guilty about it, but you soon get over it. Then before you know it you’re missing more and more days without even thinking twice about it. Soon you decide just to do all your extra skill work just on Saturdays and you know what that gets you.
So I guess the question you have to ask yourself is, “Do I want a $10 million skill set or a 29 cent skill set?
Only you can answer that question and only you can do something about it!
Hand painted jersey portraits make a great gift for Senior Night or Banquets. They have worked hard and pushed themselves to the limit physically and emotionally. Give them a gift that will be cherished long after they graduate.
No matter the level, every basketball coach is always searching for ways to improve their team. Finding the right ways to motivate your team might be one of the most difficult tasks facing any coach. Old methods might not reach the players of today in the same way. So it’s on coaches to find new and innovative tactics to deploy. That brings us to the University of Central Florida Women’s Basketball Team and their use of the 10/50 Rule.
The 10/50 Rule for Improvement
UCF’s 10/50 Rule aims inspire players to improve their lives both on and off the court. This rule states that you should always play to your strengths yet continue to work on your weaknesses.
To implement the 10/50 Rule you should do two things:
strive to improve those things that you already do well by 10 percent
decrease your weaknesses by 50 percent
The players are taught that the first thing they must do is to make an honest evaluation of all their strengths and weaknesses. Then they are left with the following thoughts and ideas:
There are certain things within their control and they must control the controllables.
No one has to do anything incredible
Everyone knows what they can get better at, and what they need to do less of or eliminate altogether.
Do what we are asked to do 10% better.
Don’t let the things that keep you from doing what you need to do occupy your mind.
Make it happen before it happens.
It takes work, not luck.
As you start to think about organizing your spring and individual workouts consider using the 10/50 Rule to get a huge advantage over your competition.
Hand painted jersey portraits make a great gift for Senior Night or Banquets. They have worked hard and pushed themselves to the limit physically and emotionally. Give them a gift that will be cherished long after they graduate.
Building the best basketball team possible remains the goal of any coach at any level of the game. It goes beyond selecting the starting five, or even defining specific bench roles. Sometimes, it’s the intangible qualities that separate the good teams from the great one. This particular blog post by Coach Bob Starkey examines the idea of building around a team’s strongest link, instead of dwelling on the cliched coaching axiom: You’re only as strong as your weakest link. Here’s what Coach Starkey had to say.
The Strongest Link
I have thought often over the course of the past two years about this particular blog post. Rarely do you want to tackle one of those life-long coaching axioms. But that’s what I’m going to do.
“You’re only as strong as your weakest link.”
Now don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying that your team wouldn’t be better if your weakest player had a great attitude and was a hard worker. But I am saying this:
“You’re only as strong as your strongest link.”
I base my premise on years of coaching. I have been fortunate to have coached some special teams. During my tenure on the college level I have been to six Final Fours — special teams indeed.
Some of those teams had a player or two that didn’t work as hard as they could have or didn’t have the best of attitudes. In fact, with a team, it is almost a safe bet that you will have one or two.
But the one thing those Final Four teams had was a player or players that were incredibly committed to having a great team. They were leaders in their actions and in their words. The best players on those teams were the hardest workers. The best players on those teams were the unselfish.
Coach Don Meyer said at the very first clinic I ever heard him speak nearly 20 years ago that “if your best player is your hardest worker than you have a chance to be good…but if he’s not, you could be in for a long season.”
The Strongest Link Can Hold the Chain Together
The strongest link is the most important because it is the link that holds the chain together. The stronger that link, the more links it can “carry” and “lift.” If you have a team that is top heavy with strong links than you are about to have a great season.
I believe a good coach can minimize the effects of a player with a bad attitude or poor work ethic if they are at the bottom of the chain…but if that weak link is at the top it’s going to break at some point and you will be scrambling to hold it together.
As a coach, I think it is important to recognize that and make sure that you put the necessary energy into communicating and motivating your strongest link. Too often we get caught as coaches spending 80 percent of our time on the bottom 20 percent of our team.
Developing the Bonds
Work hard to find and develop strong links. Talk to them about how important they are to the success of the team. Let them know that it is up to them to be the hardest workers when the coaches aren’t around. They need to be the most enthusiastic whenever everyone else is flat. Yes, they need to get on their teammates when necessary to hold them accountable but they most also know when and how to lift them when need be.
Make the time to meet periodically with your “strongest link” to coach him or her up. Give them the attention they need and make sure the team knows that you have his or her back. Coach your strongest link on what you need from him or her in all areas of the game — including on the floor, in the weight room and in the locker room.
I have also coached teams that had good talent but did not have a strong link at the top and those teams ALWAYS felt short of their potential.
I would add “the strongest link carries the chain.” How strong is your strongest link(s) and what are you doing to make them stronger?
Hand painted jersey portraits make a great gift for Senior Night or Banquets. They have worked hard and pushed themselves to the limit physically and emotionally. Give them a gift that will be cherished long after they graduate.
Basketball bench roles might not be the most glamorous, but having the right players in those spots often makes the difference between winning and losing. Fans often assume that coaches spend the majority of their time working with the starters. A team’s first five on the floor normally represent the five top players on the squad. These players usually lead the team in minutes played and produce the most. But what happens when one (or more) of these players find himself in foul trouble or suffers an injury? At that point, the coach needs to turn to the reserves for a boost.
The best basketball teams enter their season with defined bench roles for subs to play. These players might not be among the starting five, but knowing exactly what they’ll need to do when called upon helps them focus and prepare. This is an unspoken but integral element of teamwork and team building. Having the right makeup and mix of subs on a bench will elevate any team’s ceiling.
Here’s a look at four key bench roles for any successful basketball team to have.
Basketball Bench Roles
No matter how good a starting five might be, no team is complete without a deep and reliable bench. Subs can often change the trajectory and feel of a game. And when these bench players check into the basketball game with defined roles, they can excel.
The Defensive Stopper
While some squads slot their defensive stopper with the starters, having a lockdown defender among your reserves can completely throw off an opposing team’s best scoring option. Ideally, this player is someone who can stop dribble penetration, keeps a dominant post player from scoring, or denies the hot shooter touches.
If you can get some steals and generate some turnovers even better. The more of these you can do, the sooner you’ll get off the bench and the more you’ll play. Of course, if you can’t do any of these things without fouling too much you’ll be right back on the bench.
The Rebounder
Teams need offensive rebounds to gain extra possessions, get put backs, and draw fouls. A well-timed offensive board might lead to an open three or dispirit a taxed defense. On the other end, defensive rebounds end your opponent’s offensive possession and might just start a fast break break. Either way, rebounds impact the game immediately.
Building your bench with a top-flight rebounder will change the course of a quarter, if not an entire game. On my team, the leading rebounder off the bench gets to decide where we eat after the game.
The Energy Boost
Sometimes, the starters just come out flat. This may happen at the tip, or perhaps after a halftime lull. Regardless of when it happens, coaches value a sub who provides the energy boost the team needs. The stats might not appear in the box score, but everyone can see the importance of players filling basketball bench roles like this.
Taking charges, diving on loose balls, chasing down long rebounds, talking of defense, high-fiving teammates are all ways that subs can change the momentum of the game once they are on the floor. High energy is contagious and your attitude and hustle may get everyone else playing with greater intensity. Who knows how long you’ll be in the game so go full blast and leave it all on the floor.
The Microwave (Instant Offense)
The NBA’s Detroit Pistons sported a key player on their two championship teams in the late ’80s who provided an offensive spark off the bench. Vinnie Johnson earned his nickname, the Microwave, thanks to his ability to heat up quickly and score points when subbed in. Having a reliable scoring threat fill one of these pivotal basketball bench roles often leads to consistent winning.
It’s important that these players find the flow of the game quickly, instead of recklessly flinging shots while cold. But after a few trips up and down the floor, this player should look to hit that open three, or grab good position down low to a quick layup. In the open court, this player attacks with control and pressures the defense.
Hand painted jersey portraits make a great gift for Senior Night or Banquets. They have worked hard and pushed themselves to the limit physically and emotionally. Give them a gift that will be cherished long after they graduate.
I meet and learn from champions every day. Not just in locker rooms but in classrooms, hospitals, homeless shelters, homes and office buildings. I’ve learned that to be a champion you must Think Like a Champion.
Champions think differently than everyone else. They approach their life and work with a different mindset and belief system that separates them from the pack. Here’s a look at five ways to think like one.
1. Champions Expect to Win
When they walk on the court, on the field, into a meeting or in a classroom they expect to win. In fact they are surprised when they don’t win. They expect success and their positive beliefs often lead to positive actions and outcomes.
Champions win in their mind first and then they win in the hearts and minds of their customers, students or fans.
2. Champions Celebrate the Small Wins
By celebrating the small wins, champions gain the confidence to go after the big wins. Big wins and big success happen through the accumulation of many small victories. Developing teamwork certainly makes this easier.
This doesn’t mean champions become complacent. Rather, with the right kind of celebration and reinforcement, champions work harder, practice more and believe they can do greater things.
3. Champions Don’t Make Excuses When They Don’t Win
Champions don’t focus on the faults of others. They focus on what they can do better. They see their mistakes and defeats as opportunities for growth.
As a result they become stronger, wiser and better.
4. Champions Focus on What They Get To Do, Not What They Have To Do
Champions see their life and work as a gift not an obligation. They know that if they want to achieve a certain outcome, they must commit to and appreciate the process.
They may not love every minute of their journey. However, a champion’s attitude and will helps them develop their skill.
5. Champions Believe They Will Experience More Wins in the Future
Faith is greater than their fear. Positive energy is greater than the chorus of negativity. Certainty is greater than all the doubt. Passion and purpose are greater than their challenges. In spite of their situation, champions believe their best days are ahead of them, not behind them.
If you don’t think you have what it takes to be a champion, think again. Champions aren’t born. They are shaped and molded. And as iron sharpens iron, you can develop your mindset and the mindset of your team with the right thinking, beliefs and expectations that lead to powerful actions.
As coaches, we are accustomed to doing a lot of talking. Pre-season, in-season, and basketball postseason meetings remain a regular platform. We are accustomed to talking during practice, accustomed to talking in the locker room. Heck, some of us probably even talk basketball in our sleep. What can get lost in all this talking is the art of listening.
Our players have a ton to say and it is important that we take the time to open up our ears and listen to what we have to say. With most of our seasons either winding down or being over at this point in the year, there is no better time to start that process of listening than in your basketball postseason meetings.
Postseason Meetings: Basketball Players React and Reflect
These basketball postseason meetings are some of my favorite times of the year with my players. Thinking about and reflecting on my previous meetings, I really felt like I dominated the conversation as the coach.
After talking with my staff after this season, I wanted to shift the focus to the player and just listen. I provided the questions I would ask the players before their arrival to give them a chance to think about how they will want to respond. The questions that I asked are below:
What are your thoughts on the season for you?
What are your thoughts on the season for the team?
What is your goal/a role you want to have for next season?
What are you going to do to accomplish that goal?
The Process
When each player would come in, I would just go through each question and type what they would have to say. I felt like the first two questions are good reflection points on this past season while the last two questions are good things to think about this off-season and going into next season.
I would often provide some of my thoughts after question two on their season and inject some things for them to consider while preparing for their off-season work after question four.
The main thing I focused on this year was just listening and trying to get my players to open up their thoughts. I really enjoyed just listening and typing their answers down.
Wrap-Up
What I learned by turning the focus of the meeting onto them is it really forced them to think about the season and their performance. I immediately noticed that teenagers are not always the most comfortable talking about themselves, especially in terms of positive things. I really pushed them to think about parts of the season they felt like were successful for them.
So much of our society is wrapped up in the negative side of things that the things they did really well oftentimes get overlooked. I wanted to celebrate the success each of them had while also providing some coaching tips for them to consider as they prepare to enter the offseason.
I really enjoyed taking the time to really focus on my listening skills. This allows the players to take ownership of their season and what they want to accomplish this offseason. With them stating their desired goals and roles, I am hoping it will inspire and motivate them this offseason to work towards their goals and accomplish them. If our players do accomplish the goals they set out in our postseason meetings, then we have a great chance for huge success next season.
Kyle Brasher | Gibson Southern High School
Lady Titans Basketball Coach
Ask just about any basketball coach what their key to success is, and in almost every scenario, you’ll hear some version of the same answer: Teamwork. Basketball requires players to have the right attitude, work together, and sacrifice for success on the court. Individually, skills are only effective if the team can effectively collaborate, taking advantage of each other’s strengths and creating opportunities.
Communication is Key to Basketball Teamwork
Effective communication is crucial for teamwork in basketball. Calling out screens, setting picks, or discussing plays, players must communicate to ensure everyone is working towards the same goal.
Build Trust within the Team Dynamic
Trust among players is important for smooth teamwork. Trusting each other’s skills, tendencies, and abilities leads to better results and a stronger team dynamic.
Sacrifice for the Team
In basketball, players must be willing to sacrifice personal interests for the good of the team. This could mean taking a less prominent role, passing up a shot, or making a defensive play that doesn’t result in personal recognition. When players make sacrifices, they put the needs of the group first, leading to greater success.
In conclusion, teamwork is essential in basketball. Communication, trust, and sacrifice are key factors in achieving success as a team. Focus on these elements and you’ll be on your way to reaching your goals.
Coaches always need to consider data when evaluating their team’s latest performance. That data often instructs what the focus might be for the next practice. But any given basketball game provides hundreds of potential data points. These contests also vary wildly given external and uncontrollable factors. So here’s a look at 10 Stats to Evaluate a Basketball Game.
10 Stats to Evaluate a Basketball Game
Turnover Margin
Rebounding Margin
Field Goal Attempts
Shooting Percentage
Free Throw Attempts
Defensive Effectiveness
3-Point Game
Floor Game
Assist Margin
Scoring Runs
The Breakdown
These 10 stats to evaluate a basketball game may seem arbitrary but they each focus on specific production.
Turnover margin and rebounding margin both indicate how well your team is controlling the basketball. Naturally, your team wants to limit turnovers on offense and leverage turnovers on defense. The same is true with rebounding. If your team is securing more missed shots, then your team has more opportunities to score.
Tracking those scoring opportunities are important as well. Considering no team will ever make every single shot it takes, having more total shots shifts the odds in your team’s favor. However, not all shot attempts are created equal. Your team should focus on quality shots.
Offense
Having quality shot attempts will improve your team’s field goal percentage. This efficiency stat stands as a key market for in-game success. Furthermore, your team should be look to leverage your best shooter while minimizing the weakest ones.
Free Throw Attempts stand among the highest percentage shots available, so piling up those tries are key. But it’s not enough to get the attempts, great teams make their free throws at a high clip.
Defense
For defensive effectiveness, your team should look to limit the opponent’s scoring opportunities. What’s more, your defense should make it a goal to limit opposing players to no more than 10-15 points.
The three-point game stands as an opportunity to leverage effective offensive play. Look to get your best distance shooters open shots while preventing the opposing team from similar opportunities. Your defense should force opposing shooters into creating their own offense rather than standing still and hoisting from deep.
Your team’s floor game consists of getting loose balls, 50-50 balls, taking charges, saving the ball, etc. These moments can be hidden on a traditional stat sheet, but they create additional opportunities for the team.
The team should always look to help each other and create offensive opportunities for teammates. Creating those opportunities stresses opposing defenses. Likewise, keeping the opposing team from creating a similar offensive flow hurts their rhythm on that end as well.
And each of these builds to swinging the game’s momentum in your favor.
Getting the right rhythm and flow to practice remains one of the most challenging aspects for most basketball coaches. It’s important to change up your approach from time to time to prevent players from getting board or simply going through the motions. Adding pace-changing basketball practice activities can inject new life into each session and set players up for success.
Basketball Practice Activities: Opposites
Opposites is a 10-minute scrimmage where every player can only use their opposite hand to dribble, pass, and shoot. Their strong hand can only be used to catch passes, and as a guide for shooting and dribbling transfers. Coaches ref the scrimmage to make sure everybody’s sticking to the rules. Every player on the winning team gets 1 point for “The Practice Breakers Board.”
This activity is hilariously fun, but also strongly encourages each player to work intensely on developing their opposite hand. It gets them in the habit of forcing the issue, and experiencing the intial ups and downs along with the rest of the team. “Opposites” is a tremendous team confidence builder, and is truely a blast. Have fun!
Basketball Practice Activities: Half-Court Heroes
For “Half-court Heroes,” 3 players spread across the half-court stripe. They will all back up several feet, and with a running start at the coach’s whistle, will each take a halfcourt shot at the same time. The challenge is for them to choose the proper height, distance, and speed that will allow their shot to arrive at a different time than their two teammates. Thus giving their shot a better opportunity to go in.
The only true rule is that all three players must shoot at the same time. Coaches ref this activity as well, and often join in with the team, which makes it even more fun. The player with the most makes at the end of 10 minutes, gets a point on “The Practice Breakers Board.” Your team will love it!
Basketball Practice Activities: Stick and Pick
“Stick and Pick” is one of the most engaging basketball practice activities. The coaches select a specific shot for every player to shoot. Whoever makes(sticks) it first, gets to pick the next shot for everybody to take until the next make, which can be any shot they want, regardless of the difficulty. The more difficult each shot becomes, the safer it becomes for the current leader to protect their point for “The Practice Breakers Board”.
There are only 2 simple rules. First, the shot must be attempted from no more than a few feet beyond the 3 point line, and must be shot from in bounds. Second, the line must rotate in order every practice, so each player gets the chance to be the first shooter. It’s very similar to “H.O.R.S.E.”, but is so much more challenging and engaging.
The last player to make a shot at the end of 10 minutes, will of course, get a point on “The Practice Breakers Board”. This is also another great opportunity for coaches to participate whenever they see fit. Enjoy!
Continuing the series of quotes for coaches, it’s time to look at the themes of practice and preparation. These two themes remain integral for the success of any basketball program. Finding the right words to inspire your team can be one of the most difficult tasks for any basketball coach. But sometimes, those words of wisdom might very well be the difference between an engaged and ready squad, and one that falls flat. Here’s a look at another set of great quotes for basketball coaches.
Quotes for Coaches: Practice
When I played with Michael Jordan on the Olympic team, there was a huge gap between his ability and the ability of the other great players on that team. But what impressed me was that he was always the first one on the floor and the last one to leave. – Steve Alford
But it’s the wrestler who can put the fatigue out of his mind and break through the “wall,” like a marathon runner after 18 or 20 miles, who will survive. The key to that survival is in hard workouts that develop mental confidence to the point where you won’t submit to fatigue and pain descending upon you. – Lou Banach
If I had stood at the free-throw line and thought about 10 million people watching me on the other side of the camera lens, I couldn’t have made anything. So, I mentally tried to put myself in a familiar place. I thought about all those times I shot free throws in practice and went through the same motion, the same technique that I had used thousands of times. You forget about the outcome. You know you are doing the right things. So, you relax and perform. – Michael Jordan
Practice without improvement is meaningless. – Chuck Knox
There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and guts between dreams and success. – Paul “Bear” Bryant
It takes less time to do something right the first time, than it does to explain why you did it wrong. – Unknown
It isn’t the hours you put in, but what you put in the hours. – Unknown
Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. – Vincent Van Gogh
The wise does at once what the fool does at last. – Gracian Balthasar
Quotes for Coaches: Preparation
I’ve found that when you go the extra mile, it’s never crowded. – Unknown
Most battles are won before they are fought. – Sun Tzu
Spectacular achievements come from unspectacular preparation. – Roger Staubach
Before I’d get in the ring, I’d have already won or lost it on the road. The real part is won or lost somewhere far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights. – Muhammad All
The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war. – Chinese proverb
Winning is the science of being totally prepared. – George Allen
There will come a time when winter will ask what you were doing all summer – Henry Clay
The secret of our success is found in our daily agenda. – John C. Maxwell
Yelling doesn’t win ball games. It doesn’t put any points on the scoreboard. And I don’t think words win ball games all the time. Players do. Preparation does. – Jerry Tarkanian
Spectacular achievement is always preceded by spectacular preparation. – Robert Schuller
The only preparation for tomorrow is the right use of today. – Unknown
Confidence comes from being prepared. – John Wooden
If you plan to go the distance, you have to do the roadwork. – Chuck Parker
If you fail to plan, plan to fail. – Unknown
Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action. – Napoleon Hill
Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. – Unknown
Chance favors those who are prepared. – Louis Pasteur
Finding the right words to inspire your team can be one of the most difficult tasks for any basketball coach. But sometimes, those words of wisdom might very well be the difference between an engaged and ready squad, and one that falls flat. Here’s a look at another set of great quotes for basketball coaches. These quotes for coaches deal with themes like hard work and opportunity.
Quotes for Coaches: Hard Work
Most men stop when they begin to tire. Good men go until they think they are going to collapse. But the very best know the mind tires before the body, and push themselves further and further, beyond all limits. Only when their limits are shattered can the attainable be reached. – Mark Mysnyk
I don’t choose to be a common man. I want to be better tomorrow than today. And through a commitment to work and discipline, but mostly hard work. I’ll be a little more content, and a little different from the average guy. – J. Robinson
Vision without action is a daydream; action without vision is a nightmare. – Japanese proverb
If you don’t invest much of yourself, then defeat doesn’t hurt very much and winning isn’t very exciting. – Dick Vermeil
Hard work is the best remedy for all of life’s trials. – Unknown
The harder you work, the harder it is to lose. – Unknown
The time will come when winter will ask what you were doing all summer. – Henry Clay, American Statesman
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. – Henri Louis Bergson
Before I’d get in the ring, I’d have already won or lost it on the road. The real part is won or lost somewhere far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights. – Muhammad Ali
It’s not the will to win that matters – everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters. – Paul “Bear” Bryant
I am a great believer in luck, The harder I work, the more of it I seem to have. – Coleman Cox
What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus. – Alexander Graham Bell
There is no great achievement that is not the result of patient working and waiting. – J. G. Holland
Your life will be no better than the plans you make and the action you take. You are the architect and builder of your own life, fortune, and destiny. – Alfred A. Montapert
I think there is something, more important than believing: Action! The world is full of dreamers, there aren’t enough who will move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to actualize their vision. – W. Clement Stone
Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. – Goethe
Ideas without action are worthless. – Harvey Mackay
Quotes for Coaches: Opportunity
Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them. – Ann Landers
Luck sometimes visits a fool, but it never sits down with him. – German Proverb
We all face a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. – Unknown
Opportunity may knock, but you must open the door. – Unknown
All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get. – Morarji Desai
Desire is the key that opens the door when opportunity knocks. – Unknown
The individual who knows the score about life sees difficulties as opportunities. – Norman Vincent Peale
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. – Theodore Roosevelt
Great opportunities come to those who make the most of small ones. – Unknown
If not us, who? If not now, when? – John F. Kennedy
Challenges should not be seen as obstacles but rather as opportunities for acquiring new experiences in life. – Unknown
Destiny is no matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved. – William Jennings Bryan
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. – Albert Einstein
Never miss a good chance to shut up. – Will Rogers
There are costs and risks to a program of action, but they are far less than the long- range risks and costs of comfortable inaction. – John F. Kennedy
When developing any youth basketball shooting drill, a good coach must consider what types of shots they want to focus on. Drills should reinforce the skills that will help the players perform within the context of a game. So shooting drills should be designed around shots that would normally result from a team’s offensive actions. The best basketball shooting drills are representative of a team’s base offense.
Youth Basketball Shooting Drill: 3-2-1 Shooting
This drill involves at least two players and is a high-volume, high-repetition practice. Over the course of one or two minutes, non-stop, a single shooter progresses through a series of jump shots. The other player rebounds and feeds the shooter from near the hoop.
The shooter begins behind the three-point line for their first shot. From there, the shooter moves into the midrange for their second shot. The last shot in the sequence is a layup (which is worth one point). The rebounder keeps track of the shooter’s score as their teammate progresses through the drill. After the time is up, the players switch roles.
This shooting drill provides valuable practice for any shooter, regardless of talent-level. The shooter must move, set their feet and find a repeatable release. Even the other player gets reps at securing rebounds and making solid passes.
This drill can incorporate internal competition as well. The two partnered players can compete with one another, or with another pair at another hoop.
Developing the right brand of leadership can be difficult for any basketball coach. Here’s a look at 50 Basketball Leadership Thoughts from legendary high school basketball coach Duane Silver.
50 Thoughts on Basketball Leadership from Coach Duane Silver
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’s athletes.
31. Preparation, Preparation, Preparation….Johnnie Cochran’s three rules for success in his law practice. This is true in basketball too!
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. High school is NOT the time to specialize in one sport
34. You don’t need a rules sheet to give out to the parents. Here is the only rule you need. “We have only one rule here: Don’t do anything that’s detrimental to yourself, because if it’s detrimental to you, it’ll be detrimental to our program.” (Coach K)
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. They will have assigned spots to lie down at, this is a great way to take roll. By making the players look up at you while lying on the floor will make you look powerful in their eyes.
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 things 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.”
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 a players girl friend breaks up with him he won’t play well. Be ready for this to happen to you.
45. Always shake hands with the opposing coach after the game. (Win or Lose)
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. Like kids with ADHD, these players want to learn the game, but yelling at them does not work. You must coach them slowly and they need lots of walk throughs to understand the plays.
49. It is okay to get fired if you are standing up for what you really believe in. (There are lots of coaching jobs out there today if you lose this one)
50. Date your wife or husband during the season. They are more important than any of your players.
Developing the right brand of leadership can be difficult for any basketball coach. Here’s a look at 50 Basketball Leadership Thoughts from legendary high school basketball coach Duane Silver. (For Part 2 click here.)
50 Thoughts on Basketball Leadership from Coach Duane Silver
1. Most coaches (most people) are not leaders. You see a leader about as often as you see and eagle. You need to read books on leadership to get better at it. There are born leaders and made leaders, you will need to figure out which one you are.
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 she is not good for you, get home early tonight. (Etc)
6. You can’t trust many people. Be careful what you say.
7. Go to the Administration 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 through it. If you are coaching kids from divorce be patient!!!
10. Great coaches are very “DEMANDING” in practice. Most high school coaches do not push their players hard enough.
11. You will talk to the parents tell them you will talk to them about anything about their son or daughter except “PLAYING TIME”. Don’t even let them bring it up. Have a parents meeting and tell them about your thoughts on playing time. (If they bring it up the meeting is OVER!)
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? (Most high school coaches are not willing to sit down a star player and lose a game to make a point.)
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. You have to be up for every practice and end practice on a good note.
16. Coaching is as much about being Negative as being Positive. The car battery principle…A car battery will not work unless it has positive and negative charges in it. John Wooden was negative to positive almost 50 percent of the time.
17. You need to read the Toughness article by Jay Bilas that was on ESPN. I have it.
18. Loyalty from Assistant Coaches. They are either for you or against you. Keep your eye on them.
19. You must be a “SELF STARTER” everyday to get things done.
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.
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! (Remember this!)
23. 10% of the players and parents are not going to 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.
One of the most important elements to designing a valuable practice plan is deciding what core basketball elements you’ll concentrate on. So when deciding between basketball practice warm up drills, it’s important for a coach to know where the focus will be. Many practices begin with traditional layup lines, jump shots, and passing drills. But how often are the players simply going through the motions of those drills? Installing the right warm up drills will vastly improve the efficiency of your practice.
Getting your players warmed up and ready to compete needs to happen at the start of every practice. So why not use that segment to instill core elements to your offense and defense?
Warm-Up Passing Drills: Pivot Pass
One of the better warm up passing drills incorporates pivot passing. While this passing drill remains a staple at the youth level, there are practical elements here that can be incorporated into the practice plan of more advanced teams.
This drill stresses the specific development basic footwork. Players pair off and stand in four lines. If the players start on the baseline, they explode out with an attack dribble to the free throw line extended area. From there, the players jump stop, reverse pivot then pass to their partner at the baseline. The partner receives the pass an immediately explodes into the dribble.
The reverse pivot helps practice creating space, a necessary skill for any level of player. Coaches can layer shot fakes, step throughs, rips, etc. Change the specific pivot foot for the players and force them to adjust. Even the most athletic players may struggle with this seemingly basic drill because it layers specific movements and does so quickly.
Warm Up Passing Drills: Argentina Passing
Coaches always love drills that do double duty. When a drill that incorporates multiple basketball elements can be used, it helps maximize the value of that practice segment. Drills that develop specific skills and other elements like conditioning and/or communication are inherently more valuable than single-focus drills.
Argentina Passing sports that layered value because players progressing through the drill develop their passing skills, as well as hand-eye coordination, communication and conditioning. Passing drills in general get players mentally focused, and this one gets them moving as well.
Eight players start on the court for this basketball practice warm up drill. Each player stands partnered with the teammate directly across or diagonally across from them in the half court. The two balls start with the center players and those players pass to their right. Immediately after a player passes, they cut across the court and exchange places with their partner.
This drill rises above a normal passing drill because the players are sprinting through once they’ve made their pass. Players must concentrate on the catch, using a reverse pivot to open their hips on the catch.
Passes exclusively run to one side, meaning the players are always either passing to the right or the left. Coaches can focus on specific pass types. Coaches can also reverse the drill after a set amount of time.
Players work on passing, foot work, communication and conditioning through the drill.
Warm Up Passing Drills: Star Passing
Star Passing is common one in many gyms, but this version of the drill incorporates the necessary element of finishing with a made basket. This doubles well not only as a basketball practice warm up drill, but also as a game warm up.
The drill begins with players arrayed in a star across the half court. The ball starts with the line under the basket. There are lines in the corners, as well as on the wings.
The first pass goes from under the basket to the left wing. The passer follows their pass and joins the end of that line. From there, the left wing passes to the right corner and follows. Right corner makes a baseline pass to the left corner and follows.
The final move in this initial turn through the drill involves the left corner feeding the player that cuts from the right wing. That player receives the pass and finishes the turn with a layup.
Variations of the drill can incorporate a number of additional basketball elements. Coaches can require that the ball never hits the floor. They can reverse the flow of the drill to work on left-hand layups. Coaches can have a defender waiting at the rim to challenge the finisher. The list goes on an on.
Basketball coaches everywhere are constantly searching for new Competitive Practice Games. Keeping young players engaged throughout a practice period often means mixing up physical warm-ups and stretching, technical drills and competitive contests. Coaches need to layer the information and embed key skills before introducing and installing specific sets.
4-on-4 Cut Throat is a high-energy, high-movement drill. Coaches divide their teams into sets of four, with two groups on the floor at all times. Through each progression, players navigate the possession, looking to score or get a stop. As each possession ends, the successful team (the one that scored or made the stop) stays on the floor, while the losing group comes off. The waiting team comes on and fills the vacancy.
Coaches can allow the players to free play, or can install specific needs in a possession. The free-flowing nature of the drill allows players to learn on the fly. Whatever a coach decides to emphasize in the drill often translates directly to the game.
Emphasis: Build solid offensive and defensive habits. The hidden value remains the opportunity for coaches to provide direct instruction to the teams that lose a possession. As the losing team comes off the floor, a coach can immediately pull them aside and talk through what went wrong while the other two teams progress through the drill.
Competitive Games in Basketball Practice: One-Way Basket
This is a full-court competitive game that allows coaches to install a specific play or set, while also practice key defensive principles. In the half court, the offense runs their first action against a full compliment of defenders. If this action results in a basket, then the offense and defense switch. But if the defense gets a stop, then it’s a full court game.
The defensive stop flows into transition offense as that squad seeks to score. Only points scored off of defensive stops count in this competitive practice game. This game should flow back and forth for several minutes before coaches change anything.
Emphasis: Defense. Basketball coaches that incorporate this competitive practice game look to establish the mindset that the team needs to focus on getting defensive stops before getting to the offensive end of the floor.
It’s important for coaches to allow their players to play through their mistakes and learn as these competitive practice games to unfold. These controlled situations and scrimmages also provide plenty of information for coaching staffs to digest. They’re learning the strengths and weaknesses of their teams.
Finding the right words to inspire your team can be one of the most difficult tasks for any basketball coach. But sometimes, those words of wisdom might very well be the difference between an engaged and ready squad, and one that falls flat. Here’s a look at another set of great quotes for basketball coaches. These deal with themes like commitment, discipline, and team goals.
Commitment – Great Quotes for Basketball Coaches
The difference between where you are and where you want to be is your commitment to getting there. – Michael Clapier
Nobody who ever gave their best effort regretted it. – George Halas
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat. – Theodore Roosevelt
It’s not important whom you wrestle; your biggest opponent wears your uniform. You must overcome your own short comings. – Mitch Clark
Anybody can win the matches you can dominate, but it’s the tough matches that are going to make the difference. -Jim Zalesky
Discipline – Great Quotes for Basketball Coaches
Concentrate on each task, whether trivial or crucial, as if it’s the only thing that matters. – Mark H. McCormack
Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things and I’ll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things. – Lawrence D. Bell
Nothing is more harmful to the service than the neglect of discipline; for discipline, more than numbers, gives one army superiority over another. – George Washington
Bad habits are like a good bed, easy to get into but difficult to get out of. – Unknown
If you doubt you can accomplish something, then you can’t accomplish it. You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through. – Rosalyn Carter
Without self-discipline, success is impossible, period. – Lou Holtz
Repeated actions are stored as habits. If the repeated actions aren’t fundamentally sound, then what comes out in a game can’t be sound. What comes out will be bad habits. – Chuck Knox
If you haven’t got the time to do it right, when will you have the time to do it over? – Jeffrey J. Mayer
Thoughts, positive or negative, grow stronger when fertilized with constant repetition. – Unknown
You can drill and waste your time or you can drill and get better. Either way we will drill! – Unknown
It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen. – Claude M. Bristol
Education – Great Quotes for Basketball Coaches
The biggest thing that I felt basketball could do for me was help me get a good education. – Julius Erving
If I went back to college again, I’d concentrate on learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing is more important than the ability to communicate effectively. – Gerald R. Ford
Even in the dictionary, academics come before athletics. – William A. Welker
I will study and prepare myself . . . and someday my chance will come. – Abraham Lincoln
Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then, by God, do something. Don’t just stand there, make something happen. – Lee Iacocca
Generally speaking, you aren’t learning much when your lips are moving. – Unknown
Goals – Great Quotes for Basketball Coaches
If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else. – David Campbell
More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent. – Billy Sunday
Set goals – high goals for you and your organization. When your organization has a goal to shoot for, you create teamwork, people working for a common good. – Paul “Bear” Bryant
The poorest man is not without a cent, but without a dream. – Unknown
Remember a goal isn’t a goal until it is in writing, until then it’s a dream and everyone has dreams. – Unknown
Setting goals for your game is an art. The trick is in setting them at the right level neither too low nor too high. – Greg Norman
The achievement of your goal is assured the moment you commit yourself to it. – Mack R. Douglas
All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them. – Walt Disney
You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the other shore. – Unknown
The secret of unleashing your true power is setting goals that are exciting enough to inspire your creativity and ignite your passion. – Anthony Robbins
High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation. – Jack Kinder
An obstacle is what you see when you take your eyes off the goal. – Unknown
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The drill begins with players arrayed in a star across the half court. The ball starts with the line under the basket. There are lines in the corners, as well as on the wings.
