tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53398773950072168832024-02-29T21:39:33.891-08:00Coach Paul Basketball<a href="http://www3.sympatico.ca/paul.patrick/">http://www3.sympatico.ca/paul.patrick/
</a>Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-31826679276849870312012-01-28T14:03:00.001-08:002012-01-28T14:03:55.342-08:00No Time For SkillsThe complaint I hear most often from coaches is that I would love to work on skills but I don’t have time. They offer a host of reasons; short season, need to get in my offensive sets in, need to establish my defensive philosophies, I need to get in my slobs and blobs in, it would be nice to teach kids how to play, but there is just not time.<br /><br />I guess I would have to ask, what is your objective? <br />Consider this, less than 6% of high school players will play college basketball, and less than 2% of college basketball players will turn pro.<br />As a coach you probably will not turn out that many players going to the next level. I’ve been fortunate to be able to get some there. Some of them were a surprise, some I felt were more than capable but were over looked, and some did not last once they got there.<br /><br />It has to be about more than teaching some X’s and O’s. Getting players to do the dance of what you have decided is this years flavour of offense and defense. There is always time to teach skills. <br /><br />Take these suggestions into consideration.<br /><br />Transition Versus Half Court Offense<br />Although true you must be able to execute in the half court during tight games, if you fold a piece of paper down the middle and do a lumber jack tally on each side, one for scores in transition and broken plays, and the other side points scored in the half court offense, you might be surprised that the majority of points will be in the transition and broken plays section. Teaching your players to run lanes wide, approach the rim at a 45 degree angle above the block, run and catch, give targets, communicate, run and pass and finishing at the rim are all teachable skills. You can incorporate these into your drills. Design your drills to be jam packed with skills and habits you want your team to have. <br /><br />Warm Up Pre-practice<br />This is an excellent time to bring your teams core temperature up by using skills. Teach footwork drills. If they ain’t sweatin, they ain’t workin hard enough. Try getting players to work in pairs, and have them go through a series of skills that you want to emphasise. If you need help or would like some specific instructions, don’t hesitate to contact me.<br /><br />SLOBS And BLOBS<br />You probably like most of us accumulated a stack of Slobs and Blobs over the years. They probably all look very different from your offense continuity or sets. If you want to save time, use your offense and break it down into chunks that can be used as a Slob or Blob. This will trim down on the amount of time you need to teach, this part of the game. Let’s face it, when it’s time to teach Slobs and Blobs the energy level of the practice drops. It’s difficult to keep the verve of the practice going during this section. You can make it more competitive by timing them, as long as they are executing it correctly and they make the time, they have no consequences. <br /><br />Push Pull Rotations<br />It’s far more effective if you players understand how to rotate to a new position depending on the ball movement. If there is penetration, which way should you players move in a push pull theory of basketball? When you teach sets, make sure you modify them so players are not standing around, but fill in new spots so there is always the following passes available; a baseline drift, and 90 degree pass, a 45 degree pass, and a player filling in from behind.<br /><br />Designer Drills<br />Any drill can be good, if you are teaching skills. Those skills can be specific to what you are trying to achieve in your offense or defense. If you screen in a certain area of the floor, then design a drill that teaches how to get over a screen, how to burry your defender in a screen, how to pick and roll, how to pick and pop, how to make the read on the defender, so your players know how to reject a screen, shoot over a screen, bounce off a screen, turn a corner on a screen, how to attack outside shoulders and split a screen, and how to keep your head up during all of this so you can read the floor.<br /><br />Help Your Players Become Better Athletes<br /><br />If for no other reason, make your players better athletes because the tangible improvement players can see will make them more confident. A better athlete will be a better player. If you increase your quickness you will be a better player. If you increase your strength you will be a better player. If you increase your vertical you will be a better player. If you develop healthy habits of exercise and eating right, these are skills you can take forward in your lives, when you are not longer playing the game you love.<br /><br />If I can help you with any of these suggestions, do not hesitate to contact me.Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-8187651506251823722012-01-28T12:10:00.000-08:002012-01-29T05:00:28.860-08:00Do You Like CoachingYes I know you like wearing the shirt. You like being called coach. You like the respect and revere that comes with the position. You like the company and community. Maybe you even like the TV appearance. Maybe you like the lime light. But do you really like coaching?<br />I observe coaches in a state of agitation. I see them angry most of the time. They are upset at practice. They are upset during games. They use foul language, and I know society has become loose with language just as it has with appearance, and behaviour, but that doesn’t mean you have to conform to that standard. <br />Where does this behaviour from coaches stem from? Is it the pressure to succeed? Is the pressure to keep your job? Is it a reflection, of the measure of your character? Do you have what Ernest Hemingway called "grace under pressure”. Or is it simply you feel inadequate in what you are doing. Did you spend the time to prepare your team? Are you passing the buck and blaming your team for the loss? Wait, it is a team right? You are part of it correct? Then isn’t the blame shared?<br />From personal experience I can say, that all but two losses I felt I had either not prepared my team, or made a decision during the game that might have produced a different outcome. Two of the best games I coached and prepared my teams for resulted in losses. But I could not have been more proud of the team, and my efforts in those games. They gave it their all, and so did I and my assistants. It stung, but it didn’t last long. It wasn’t our day. <br /><br />For me coaching is teaching. Teaching is one of the most honourable professions, if your heart is in it. If you are willing to make a difference, and let the difference be your reward. If your heart isn’t in it, and you are agitated, and angry most of the time, then get out. You need to find something else to do with your time. Think of the effects you have on those players, and the role you are setting for your assistants. You can’t deny the effect you will have on both groups. I see out of control head coaches’ behaviour trickling down to their assistants. Nice legacy.<br /><br />Stop looking for perfection! Look for improvements. Look for learning. <strong>Take the time to enjoy what you are doing.</strong> In the end it's about forming relationships.<br /><br />Try focusing on some of these things.<br /><br />1.<strong>Improve Your Players Skills</strong> <br />A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals. <br />Larry Bird<br /><br />2.<strong>Coaches Should Motivate Players</strong><br />You only ever grow as a human being if you're outside your comfort zone.<br />Percy Cerutty<br /><br />3.<strong>Coaches Should Be Tough But Fair</strong><br />Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not.<br />Oscar Wilde<br /><br />4.<strong>Coaches Should Make It A Team Effort</strong><br />Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” <br />Henry Ford<br /><br />5.<strong>Coaches Should Not Be Demeaning</strong><br />By lifting the weakest, poorest among us, we lift the rest of us as well.<br />Bill Clinton<br /><br />6.<strong>Coaches Should Give It Their All</strong><br />The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.<br />Albert Einstein <br /><br />7.<strong>The Sport Should Be Fun, Not Funny, But Fun</strong><br />When the going gets tough, the tough do what they do, while the wise find the game in it.<br />Unknown<em></em>Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-6908762570858259032011-12-24T04:19:00.000-08:002011-12-24T04:20:46.487-08:00Talking On DefenseTalking on defense might be the second most important or effective skill you can use to become a better defensive team. Nothing replaces strong defensive fundamentals, but talk can help your team in at least two ways;<br /><br />1) Communication between your players will let your players know what is going on behind them, and how they should play their man. If the defender on the ball hears his teammate talking to the ball “I have help at baseline” he knows he can play his man a little closer and force in that direction.<br /><br />2) There is an intimidation factor that stunts some teams. If a player with the ball hears a help defender talking to the ball “I have help at the elbow”, then they might be less likely to attack the elbow, knowing it’s covered.<br /><br />However I question the way we teach talk on defense. A lot of noise coming from 5 players to my thinking is not useful. It’s just noise. It’s the difference between hearing and listening. <br /><br />If the ball defender is screaming “ball ball ball”, can they really listen to their teammates instructions?<br /><br />Also can they really be effective in covering their man if they are so focused on yelling “ball ball ball”?<br /><br />If the ball defender is yelling “ball ball ball” and 3 or 4 other teammates are yelling “deny deny deny”, where is the useful information for the ball defender. Do you really think the ball defender can hear and distinguish all the different players yelling “deny” and even if they could, would it be useful information? Would they know where each of their teammates are when they are yelling deny, and would they be able to process that information quickly. Compare that, to these instructions;<br /><br />Elbow help Sean<br />Baseline help Eric<br />Open post Colin<br /><br /> <br />Some will argue that yelling “ball ball ball” will have a negative effect on the player with the ball. I’d like to suggest that, it is really not the case, check your game tape. If it does have an effect, then my guess is your playing against younger teams, and I’ve even seen referees ask teams to refrain from that behaviour, because at a certain age they find it doesn’t fit with fair play rules.<br /><br />Some will say, yelling “ball ball ball” triggers or initiates the rest of our defenders to play in a certain style or position. I would suggest, that of all your players, playing up on the ball with pressure is the one thing, that we all want as coaches. It’s really a given or a standard, so calling “ball” is more chatter than useful information. The rest of your team are behind the ball. They can see the ball and their man, it’s really the players behind the ball that should inform the ball defender how to play, and let him/her know, that they have support. <br /><br />I think the key to developing your defensive language is to get rid of useless chatter, and replace it with information packed key words or phrases. John Wooden would run drills in this fashion and I have tried to adopt this behaviour when running drills. Teach the principles you want to be emphasized in your drill, then when the drill is running, you simply call out words that reflect those principles, when they are not being done; “catch two hands”, “run lanes wide” etc. This same principle can be applied to developing a defensive language.<br /><br />I would suggest the first thing you need to do is develop a defensive language for your team. Short quick phrases or words or sound packets that are rich with information. The language of course should be built to reflect your defensive principles. Whatever you want to do with your defense, then come up with short phrases or words that communicate these principles.<br /><br />Getting players to communicate! If you have coached youth boys, then you know this is always a struggle. How do I get them to do talk? I searched long and hard for an answer to this puzzle. I went around from sport to sport, team to team looking for players that were good at this skill and asked them how they developed their ability to communicate effectively. Usually what I found out was that player was a coach’s son or daughter, or they were a natural team leader and the concept came easily to them. So I decided to do what I did for any other skill. I scored it and had consequences for not doing it. For e.g. if you are in a shell drill, score defensive talk, as well as rebounds, or paint touches. Apply a consequence for not doing it. Just like in lay-up drills if a player misses, I have them automatically go to a safe place to do 10 push-ups before they get back in the drill. There is motivation to get back in the drill because we are also scoring team makes. Apply the same technique to a missed defensive instruction. I think you’ll find it works.Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-81353910381027355622011-09-19T10:01:00.000-07:002011-09-19T10:29:12.375-07:00Are You Getting In The Mental Weight Room - If Buddha Was A Baller Part IIBuddha said “What we think, we become”. Self-talk is the the way our mind does business. This self-talk can be created by you or by others on a daily basis. So why wouldn’t you want to control this process to your benefit?<br />The latest studies show that the average person has between 2500 and 3500 thoughts per day, each of which is 12 to 14 seconds long. Top athletes have only 1500 thoughts per day. The reason top athletes have fewer thoughts is related to their ability to be more controlled and focused with their thoughts.<br />These same studies reveal that the average person spends 90% of their thinking on yesterday or tomorrow, where athletes hone their focus on being in the moment.<br /><br />Learn to script your internal dialogue, but using affirmations. It is important that the affirmations ring true to you. <br />You can use different methods, or combinations of methods to help influence your consciousness. You could:<br />1. write your affirmations in a journal<br />2. you can recite the affirmations to yourself either aloud or in your mind<br />3. you can tape the affirmations and listen to them<br />4. write the affirmations on cards and place them where you will read them daily<br /><br />To make the affirmations even more effective, you should couple the affirmations with mental visualization using as many of the five senses that are appropriate. To really cement the affirmations you should couple the affirmation with emotional feelings. Using both senses and emotional connection can really put you in the moment. If the moment happens to be trying to achieve being in the zone, then you stand a better chance of getting there by combining these methods.<br /><br />You should create your own affirmations. They should be suitable for your personality and sport, but here are some examples to get you started.<br />1. I am on top of my game.<br />2. The more I practice the better I get.<br />3. I am improving every day.<br />4. I learn from mistakes.<br />5. I stay calm.<br />6. I play from a state of focus.<br />7. I learn from watching other players.<br />8. I feel confident during my game.Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-48870710810674149922011-09-04T16:47:00.001-07:002011-09-19T10:05:31.240-07:00Are You Getting In The Mental Weight Room - Part IThere is an increasing focus on sports psychology as we look for any edge to become more competitive, more focused, more confident. It is unclear how much of our minds we use, but we do know there are untapped resources. Stories of chips being inserted in to quadriplegics’ brains so they can navigate computers, and stories of the Backster Effect, where a persons emotional state can have an effect on their own cells even after they are removed from their bodies are just a couple of examples.<br />There is no doubt that emotions and mental strength can separate the good from the great. In the next few blogs, I will explore some of theories / methods that you can use to help you achieve a mental edge when competing. <br />Just as there are numerous overlapping training principles when building your body;<br />1. Individual differences<br />2. Overcompensation<br />3. Overload<br />4. Specific adaptations to imposed demands<br />5. Use/Disuse<br />6. Specificity<br />7. General adaptation syndrome<br />there are equally as many principles to consider when refining your mental edge<br /><br />1. Drive Theory<br />2. Inverted U Hypothesis<br />3. Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning<br />4. Multidimensional anxiety theory<br />5. Catastrophe Model<br />6. Reversal Theory<br />7. Anxiety direction and intensity<br /><br />The scope of the following Mental Weight Room Blogs will not go into too much detail of the above principles, but rather try to give some practical approaches to increasing your mental edge.<br /><br />I think the most important principles to keep in mind are the Individual Differences Principal and Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning. Both of these principals take into account that we all have different genetic blueprints, and therefore we will have different response and adaptations to both exercise and levels of anxiety and arousal. The sports we play or even the position we play may also play a role. <br /><br />Look for the next Mental Weight Room Blog: <a href="http://paul-patrick.blogspot.com/2011/09/are-you-getting-in-mental-weight-room_19.html">If Buddha Was A Baller</a> (What we think, we become)Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-34050097255644937522011-08-27T05:59:00.000-07:002011-08-27T06:16:06.301-07:00How To Get RecruitedIf you are not a blue chip athlete being targeted to play at the next level, you have your work cut out for you to get recruited.
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<br />You should spend considerable time self evaluating at which next level you can play. It will also be useful to get the opinion(s) of coaches. As part of your development you should always be evaluating your strengths and weakness, so that you can hone your strengths eliminate your weakness. That way you will be bringing something new to the game each season.
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<br />Once you have completed your self evaluation, use the following steps as a guideline for getting to the next level.
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<br />1. <strong>Research and focus on schools where you would like to play</strong>
<br />Search the web, news articles, facebook, twitter and any source you can find to learn more about the school. This will help you decide if you want to play for this team, and will also help you demonstrate that you've "done your homework" when you get around to interviewing. This is also another good time to talk to anyone you know that might play or have played for the school and coach.
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<br />2. <strong>Research the Roster and research the Coach</strong>
<br />Make sure the team encompasses a position you can play and contribute to. If you are a PG and the team is already heavy with PG’s and they are freshmen and sophomores, your chances have just gone down. Most D1 schools have the luxury of recruiting to a style of play. As players exit, they bring in players that can fill those spots. Determine if the style of play and the style of the coach is compatible with your personality and style
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<br />3. <strong>Create a resume</strong>
<br />Your resume should include a history of your highlights and accomplishments related to both your academics and your game. There are plenty of free resources for writing a resume.
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<br />4. <strong>Create a cover letter</strong>
<br />A cover letter is a letter of introduction. Your cover letter should be designed specifically for each school and or coach. There are plenty of free resources for writing a resume.
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<br />5. <strong>Game Tape</strong>
<br />Have at least one DVD available to send to prospective coaches. That DVD could be a compilation of good quarters, but should not be a highlight reel. Coaches want to see you perform in a game situation.
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<br />6. <strong>Knock on Doors</strong>
<br />If coaches are not coming to you, you must go convince them that you have flown under the radar and have something to offer to their program.
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<br />Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-40854088524619925022011-08-06T13:42:00.000-07:002011-08-06T13:43:02.564-07:0052 Weeks A YearIf you are serious about becoming a better basketball player you need to have a year-round training program. That program should include strength and conditioning training, skill development team structured practices, and a rest and recovery phase. These phases are usually defined as;<br />Off-season<br />Pre-season<br />In-season<br />Post-season<br />Each season can be further broken down into cycles. <br />The true challenge in Canada, is defining when these seasons are. High school ball runs into provincial club ball. Club ball runs into AAU ball, and if you are involved in the Provincial or National programs, these will collide with the above seasons too. The truth of the matter is you have to make choices, about what your goals are and how you can reach those. You can’t do everything at once and hope to gain strength, better your skills, while playing games for all of those teams. One way to make sense of it is to work backwards with this problem. Ask yourself, where you want to play in your post high school career. What level do you want to play at? What venue, will the coaches of where I want to eventually play, see me? If they can’t see me, they won’t know about me, I’ll fly under the radar and miss my opportunity. <br /><strong>Off-Season</strong>During the Off-season, approximately 21 weeks, players should concentrate on building up their body. It should include strength and conditioning program that will not only focus on brining a stronger body to the next season, but also help prevent and protect the body from injuries. The off-season should include speed, quickness, agility drills, and sport specific exercises and movements that help make you quicker on the court. It goes without saying that a proper stretching program should also be part of all phases.<br /><strong>Pre-season</strong>During the Pre-season, approximately 8 weeks, players should concentrate on honing their skills. Strength training focus should change to more sports specific, injury prevention type of resistant training. Conditioning should become more sports specific. Conditioning can all be done with a ball in your hands. Working on skills and conditioning at the same time.<br /><strong>In-season</strong>During the In-season, approximately 19 weeks, players should continue to work on their bodies. Amount of weight, reps and frequency will change to accommodate playing games and team practices. It’s important that an appropriate program is adhered to. If you stop with strength training you will end up being your weakest during play-offs when you want to be strong. Rest and recover play an important role.<br /><strong>Post-season</strong>During the Post-season, approximately 4 weeks, players should take the time to have both a physical and mental break. Your body and mind will need time to recover. At the end of this phase, you can begin to train slowly gearing up for the next Off-season.<br /><br />If you would like more detail about each of these seasons, please contact me.Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-46068632216816624162011-08-02T13:55:00.000-07:002011-08-02T14:04:08.390-07:00Predicting The FutureThe best predictor of future behavior is past behavior<br />Author Unknown<br /><br />The Best Way to Predict the Future is to Create it <br />Author Alan Kay<br /><br />Unfortunately for most people they can be best categorized using the first quote. They do not use a critical eye to evaluate their strengths and weakness, and move towards having a specific plan to improve both. Players are made in the off-season; teams are made in the in-season. What are you doing to add to your game? These players are destined to bring to the table the same old game they had the previous season. Guess what, it’s so easy to scout a player like that. It’s easy to take their game away.<br /><br />The good news for you is you can be that second type of player. You can devise a <a href="http://www3.sympatico.ca/paul.patrick/wt33.htm">plan</a> to create your future, while others are bound to repeat the past. You can work on becoming a <a href="http://paul-patrick.blogspot.com/2010/05/complete-scorer.html">complete scorer</a> , enhance your basketball I.Q., hone your handles, refine your shot, improve your <a href="http://paul-patrick.blogspot.com/2010/08/footwork-makes-you-smarter.html">footwork</a>, and enhance your court vision.<br /><br />But start today! No one is moving the finishing line for you.<br /><br />If I can help you reach your goals, let me know<br />Coach PaulCoach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-88282222784435520552011-06-09T11:15:00.001-07:002011-06-09T18:48:21.558-07:00The Geometry Of CoachingIf you are a coach, issues will be unavoidable. You will have to deal with parents, administration, and politics. When you are faced with these issues try to remember that both coaches and those who bring their issue see the team as a triangle. The difference in the orientation of that triangle is what causes the conflict. For argument’s sake lets say the person with the issue is a parent. They will see the triangle upright with the apex of that triangle representing their child and what, they see as the best interest for their child. A coach looks at the team as an inverted triangle putting the needs and best interest of the team first.<br />It’s easy to get caught up in all the ancillary things that are required from a coach. You can’t go wrong if you put the needs of the team first. It’s one of life’s lessons to learn that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KZ8cyurimUO1wDFo63CoAg9Wf8oTm2qQOxByNE-QdZQm8gHVVun20s9fdHlZx4_NGJ78k3gT9M02Aa2TYDIbkGFGhOvJE-GAUbQGMxDP4bONDgnHULIS5GlYrrfp7ouymXov0qEQbz8/s1600/Geo.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616401449582106274" style="WIDTH: 204px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 117px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KZ8cyurimUO1wDFo63CoAg9Wf8oTm2qQOxByNE-QdZQm8gHVVun20s9fdHlZx4_NGJ78k3gT9M02Aa2TYDIbkGFGhOvJE-GAUbQGMxDP4bONDgnHULIS5GlYrrfp7ouymXov0qEQbz8/s200/Geo.bmp" border="0" /></a>Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-50727248805088613242011-06-06T15:19:00.000-07:002011-06-06T15:26:10.950-07:00Belly-FireHow often do we look outside ourselves to find inspiration? It’s pandemic to look to someone else for motivation. Where is the fire in your belly? Where is the intestinal fortitude to work through obstacles? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s a weakness to ask for help, and maybe the term self-made-man or self-made-women is a bit of a misnomer. No one achieves without some help, but in the micro-wave style of society of wanting instant success, it seems rare for someone to sit down without distraction, determine what they want, set their sites on the goal and map out how to get there. Have we all forgotten that working towards a goal is the success?<br />Coach PaulCoach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-4247611444096651002011-02-26T19:06:00.000-08:002011-02-26T19:09:14.112-08:00Watch Game Footage Of Sean PatrickWatch Games and Highlights of senior player <a href="http://faithpatrick.com/seanpatrick/">Sean Patrick</a>Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-37565606472217485022011-02-19T10:24:00.000-08:002011-02-19T10:27:16.800-08:00All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-upNo doubt that sports provides and emotionally charged atmosphere. Have camera operators become that skilled and crafty they can determine when someone is about to drop the F bomb, or have we become so loose with language that where ever the camera is pointed, we see it. Coaches you can’t expect your players not to conduct themselves in this manner if you don’t follow the same.Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-84413561544960057742011-02-15T06:25:00.000-08:002011-03-14T17:05:59.001-07:00Freedom To FailFamous football coach Vince Lombardi once said, "If you can accept losing, you can’t win." <br />This quote must have applied to never giving up in a game. I don’t think the philosophy applies to teaching the game. It is important when coaching and teaching your players that they have your acceptance to make mistakes. They must embrace the freedom to fail, but fail moving forward. They must recognize their mistakes, and treat them with the correct perspective. There are important lessons with failures. Can you learn from them, but more importantly how do you deal with them?<br /><br />If your players have a fear of failure, it can lead to creative paralysis and inhibited growth. Players need to understand the odds are small that they will perfect a skill absolutely right the first time. Only through persistence and adjustment and the correct attitude can they hope to use the skill in a game.<br /><br />They need to look at failures as part of the process of learning. It should be thought of as feedback. They don’t need to feel bad and loose focus. I’ve seen players put so much pressure on themselves, that any small mistake, they become frustrated, angry and demeaned the mistake. Their state of mind should be one of being motivated and empowered to learn. They should be looking for a more flexible behavior that allows them to adjust to make a correction and keep the frame of mind that will allow them success on future attempts.<br /><br />Remember the very best 3 point shooters fail 60% of the time. Do you think they are focused on the misses or the makes?Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-21773348311804450662011-02-06T03:42:00.000-08:002011-02-06T03:57:01.606-08:00Kicking and ScreamingCoaches who constantly scream do so because they believe it helps make the message clear and will motivate players to improve. They believe it will make their players better. Coaches need to yell simply to be heard over the noises in a gym especially when the crowd can be the sixth man. Under pressure some players loose their focus. Instructions stated firmly in a time out, or while they are on the floor can help them focus on that task, and reduce their pressure.<br /><br />It’s the content that matters most not the volume. There is a huge difference between calling out an instruction and yelling out insults, or negative comments to players. There is no excuse for berating players and not treating them with dignity. There are always other options.<br /><br />It is easy to be fooled by the short-term benefits of yelling and screaming at players. But there is a law of diminishing effects with yelling, or berating. The yelling must increase, the insults/threats must become more outrageous and the language must become harsher over time to have the same effect. Ask yourself is this the way you want to conduct yourself? <br /><br />Don’t tell me you haven’t seen players start to tune this type of coaching out. It has less and less meaning, because, you become a cartoon. I’ll go one further you become a buffoon. Players want to have respect for the position of coach, but become disenchanted with that type of demeaning approach even when it’s not directed at them.<br /><br />Have you so poorly prepared your teams that you need to draw that type of attention back to you? Do you think your antics of loosening your tie; running up and down the floor, yelling at your bench has anything whatsoever to do with basketball or coaching? Did you not prepare your team for the game?<br /><br />Think hard about how you want to present information. Don’t leave your feet versus Keep your feet. Do you think the player really doesn’t know he made a mistake when he left his feet? You can reinforce this behaviour with positive messaging and working on it in practice. Coaches find another way! <br /><br />This weekend I have watched some pretty appalling behaviour from coaches.Conversely, I also witnessed some outstanding coaching and behaviour. Thanks to both groups for teaching me a lesson. Thanks for confirming what I want to continue to strive towards, and what I want to distance myself from.<br /><br /><strong><em>"The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges.”</em></strong>- <strong>Martin Luther King Jr</strong>Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-88208411008158544752011-01-30T09:13:00.000-08:002011-01-30T09:18:19.747-08:00Strength Training For BasketballI am asked often by players and coaches, if players should be working out with weights during the season. The quick answer is yes. Probably no other sport has the physique of the player changed more drastically in the past 20 years than basketball. I rarely ever get asked if basketball players should lift weights but more when and how. It was once believed that basketball players, boxers etc. should not lift weights. The thinking was it will make them slow, and bulky. Basketball players need to follow a basketball-specific strength training program that will improve their game. You do not want to loose the gains you made in the off-season. If you do not do in-season work, with a grueling season of games and practices you could be your weakest during paly-offs, when you need to be strong.<br />Player's should have goals in mind when when working out. The sure way to get no where is to not have a plan.<br /><br />The reasons for strength training for basketball include improving your game by<br />1.Help ward off injuries<br />2.Increasing explosive power<br />3.Improve agility<br />4.Improve speed<br />5.Improve quickness<br />6.Improve your vertical jump<br />7.Mental toughness. Players that are stronger are more likely to play stronger. <br /><br />Over the course of a year, strength training for basketball should follow several distinct phases. Each of these phases or periods has a specific objective and helps build the foundation for the next phase of training.<br /><br />Periodized programs provide a progressive buildup to peak fitness and performance. Programs are often broken into 3 periods, but each of these can be broken into smaller periods or cycles.<br /><br /><strong>1.Pre-Season</strong><br />During this phase players will focus on building up after the off season. They will first concentrate on strength and hypertrophy. Players will work on power, moving a load at high velocity. <br /><br /><strong>2.In-Season</strong><br /><br />During this phase players should be concerned with the maintenance of Strength and Power gained in the Pre-Season. This can be achieved by alternating phases of strength and power training. Appropriate recovery should be build into the phase to assist with recovery. Players need to be fully functional for competition. <br /><br /><br /><strong>3.Off-Season</strong><br /><br />It’s time to relax for several weeks. This is important time to refuel physically and emotionally. Stay fit by having light workouts or cross train. <br /><br />For more specific details, don't hesitate to contact me.<br />Coach Paul<br /><br />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." -- Muhammed AliCoach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-53807740090994032392011-01-21T16:29:00.000-08:002011-01-21T16:33:15.390-08:00Measure Your Success By Your EffortYou can <em>not</em> always win the game. I’ve had the pleasure of coaching a team that went 34 and 0. But our successes were <em>not</em> always measured by the W. There are two things you can bring to the game, without the help of a coach. One is conditioning and the other is effort or heart.<br /> <br />When you try your best you test yourself. When you try your best sometimes great things happen, sometimes mediocre things happen, and sometimes you don’t even come close to the desired outcome. <br /><br />But your effort is something you can give of yourself. It is something you can control. If you give maximum effort, you will learn something about yourself, your teammates, and your team. You will have already won, because you can look at your effort as your success. <br /><br />Check point. Did I give it my all? If so, then that is all I can ask of myself. <br /><br />Ask an older person.. woulda, coulda, shoulda.. few things worse then regret.<br /><br />Coach PaulCoach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-78089224551838657832011-01-21T16:10:00.000-08:002011-01-21T16:12:30.615-08:00Negative Steps & 3D SpaceThere is no denying that some of the best athletes in the game of basketball are in North America. I think you could also say that the better skilled athletes in terms of footwork are coming out of Europe. I heard Jasmin Repesa, says at a clinic “basketball is first step”. <br /><br />I see such a poor understanding of footwork and creating three 3D space in the NCAA. Many players can not pivot off of either foot in any situation. Heck some coaches still talk about dominant pivot foot. I see countless negative steps. Imagine how fast these players would be if they did not take a negative step before moving forward. Taking a negative step (step back before moving forward) is not only inefficient but it makes the defender’s job easy. Firstly, the defender has more time to react, and secondly it’s an easy read. As a defender I know what way you are going to go, if I see you negative step. I know what direction you will be pushing off toward.<br /><br />You must let your feet get you to a spot where your hands can take a shot. You must not only be able to create space on the floor, but also be able to understand the space you’ll need in the cylinder of air that surrounds you. That is your 3D space. <br /><br />With all the athleticism in the NCAA, there is a real, push on attacking the rim. Attacking the rim if fine, but watch and see how many shots go unfinished because of a lack of composure. That lack of composure is a direct result of not know how to create 3 dimensional space, lack of being ambidextrous, and what I like to call a lack of ambipedtrous.<br /><br />It makes you wonder where we will be, when Europe starts producing better athletes, that are also skilled. <br /><br />If there is anything I can help you with don’t hesitate to contact me<br />Coach PaulCoach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-23243099333232314552010-12-30T14:37:00.000-08:002010-12-30T17:05:28.764-08:00Teach Your Players How To FoulCoaches do you not spend time teaching your players how to foul in end-of-game situations, when you’re hoping to get an extra possession? Of course you do. You tell your players that they must be making an effort at reaching for the ball. You probably also tell your players that there are situations where you must not let someone score. Foul the player without letting them release the ball. I’m sure most of you teach your players how to do this, in a safe manner. <br /><br />Is this some type of secret society that we have failed to let referees in on? I see flagrant foul after flagrant foul at the end of games, and they go unpunished. Listen, a push to the back is never warranted. It’s unsportsman-like like, it’s cowardly, and it’s flagrant. Come on referees make the right call!Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-89852548272450128532010-12-28T05:47:00.001-08:002011-01-14T03:15:00.703-08:00Getting on the floor – toughness factorOften coaches coach the way they were coached. They stick to ideas that they learned not thinking the game may have changed since they were playing. It’s important that you look at situations with fresh eyes. How many coaches still run passing drills where partners facing each other are sliding and chest passing to their partner from one end of the court to the other end? When does this happen in the fast pace style of today’s game? The drill is just not relevant. Just like the importance of re-examining your drills to see if they are relevant it’s important to adjust your philosophies to match the rules of the game today.<br /><br />We all know that possession is more important than position, but how does this affect your philosophy when it comes to alternation of the possession arrow. Does it make sense to have your players diving all over the floor in harms way just to give the ball up to the other team, because a jump ball was called? Are you as a coach aware of the possession arrow in loose ball situations? Should you be? Piling up on the floor is one of those situations that Referees choose to let any kind of contact go. You see players diving on each other, and the only time the Refs call a foul is when they are becoming untangled and out of frustration one of the players gives the other a shove. Referees are very willing to call ticky-tack calls...and coaches you know what I mean, but diving on a player during a loose ball…. Acceptable? It’s the same as a good strong screen when a player is unaware and gets clocked. No foul? Was there not a major collision? <br /><br />Absolutely you should teach your players how to get on the floor safely in order to grab a loose ball. You should teach it, and then incorporate this into some of your drills. If you are not teaching these techniques, consider yourself negligent. <br /><br />If two players are fighting for a loose ball and a jump-ball is called and it is determined by the alternating possession arrow, do you truly think the player that didn’t gain that possession now feels inferior? Do you think the arrow determined which player is tougher, and now the looser of the alternating arrow game will unravel? I think not.<br /><br />Have you considered adjusting what your players do depending on the possession arrow? Would you consider having your player straddle the player in a crouched position and just like in a dead ball situation the rest of your players are in full denial trying to get a 5 second call or a travel as the player on the floor struggles to give the ball up?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Miscellaneous things you should teach your players<br />1. How to get on the floor safely<br />2. How to take a charge <br />3. How and when to save a ball going out of bounds.<br />4. How and when it’s good to foul<br /><br />For more detail on items 1 through 4 feel free to contact me.<br /><br />Coach Paul paul.patrick@sympatico.caCoach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-49305581856952846322010-12-19T07:28:00.000-08:002010-12-19T07:34:51.053-08:00Bad Shooting Drills – Jerry West was a great shooter despite this drillThe object of teaching shooting mechanics is to create good, repeatable mechanics. See the <a href="http://paul-patrick.blogspot.com/2010/07/there-is-reason-there-is-nail-at-ft.html">4 part Blog There Is a Reason There Is a Nail At The FT Line</a> . Some coaches go to all sorts of trouble to try to eliminate pressure of not making shots, by taking away the rim. They want to work on mechanics away from the rim, so there is not the disappointment of having correct mechanics and the ball not dropping through the rim. It’s a coach’s job to let players understand that the ball does not always fall through the rim. Sports are an exercise in failure and how you deal with that failure. If you miss 60% of the time from the three-land, you are considered an excellent 3 point shooter. It’s a coach’s job to help players deal mentally with the failures. It’s also a coach’s job to help the player understand that they will eventually be more successful when using proper shooting mechanics. It will take less work to maintain a “good” shooting mechanics then a “bad” shooting mechanics. I read that Kevin Garnet puts up 1500 shots a day. I admire that work ethic to get better, but wouldn’t he do better to stop catapulting his shot and do fewer repetitions to maintain that. Guess what; there is probably no better feedback then the ball dropping through the rim. It’s a coach’s job to teach players proper shooting mechanics at a range where they can be successful. See Good Shooting Drills below.<br /><br /><strong>Bad Shooting Drills</strong><br /><br />1.<strong>Jerry West Drill</strong><br />I’m not sure if this drill was really in the staple of Jerry West’s shooting drills, but he is usually accredited for it. If it was, Jerry was a great shooter despite the drill. The drill has players lying on their back shooting the ball into the air and then catching it. The object is to make sure the wrist and finger mechanics are correct on both hands. This drill is bound to give you poor mechanics with your arms. It’s well known that if you want the ball to fly high, your elbow should be above your eye. This drill promotes having your elbow well below your eye. We do not need another drill that is going to promote youth players chucking up threes before they have the strength and mechanics to do so.<br /><br />2.<strong>Shooting at lines</strong><br />Players line up so their shooting elbow will be over a line on the floor. They release the ball on their shot and see how straight their shot is by determining if it landed on the line on the floor. This one is plagued with issues for me. Kids will look at the flight of the ball, or stare at the line on the floor. Unless they are working with a partner how can they check out their shooting mechanics? Do you want them to look to see if the ball hits the line, and then look back at their hands to make a correction? Come on this is nuts. Don’t you want your players to train their eyes on the rim, and make their corrections there? It’s hard enough trying to get players include looking at the rim for their shot fakes or getting early eye contact with the rim. I don’t want a drill that is contrary to those habits.<br /><br />3.<strong>Shooting at edge of backboard</strong><br />Player stands facing the side of the backboard and works on shooting the ball and hitting the side of the backboard. I guess this so suppose to parallel the old golf analogy of the golfer asking his caddie where he should aim. When the caddie tells him aim towards the woods, the golfer replies which tree. Here is my issue with this drill. There is a perfectly good thing to shoot at on the front of the backboard, it’s called a rim. If you want a small target to shoot at then use the eye at the back of the rim that holds the net in place. It doesn’t mater which angle you are facing the rim, you will always find a front of the rim and a back of the rim, and at the back of the rim you will find an eye. Aiming at a spot on the side of the backboard, will not allow a player to hold their finish and look at their arms and hands and determine if they need to correct something. They will be too busy retrieving the ball off a weird bounce. This drill is limited to two players at a backboard. <br />4.<strong>Shooting at Walls</strong><br />Shooting at walls, picking a brick out and seeing if you can hit that is not unlike shooting at the side of a backboard. Although you will probably have far more wall real-estate then the sides of backboards, it too means the player must catch the ball and take their hands and arms away from checking their mechanics. Yes you could let the ball hit the floor and catch it on the bounce while checking your mechanics, but it also has another flaw. Players will be aiming their shot directly at a brick. Maybe that’s why they call flat shots bricks. You are promoting shooting directly at the rim. Unless you are telling your players that you are shooting the ball in an arc so that it comes down and kisses off the intended brick, why wouldn’t you just use the rim.<br /><br /><em>If you want to use the wall, use if for passing overloads drills. It’s a great way to get repetitions for passing in. You can have players try to hit a brick or spot on the wall while using all different types of passes. You can have them use 2 or 3 balls while firing the balls off the wall trying to hit a certain spot. You can have them use 2 basketballs and a tennis ball or any computation of that. You can combine the passing with dribbling, or creating space to make the pass. You can number spots on the wall and have the player hit those numbers as you shout out the numbers. You can have the player face the wall and you can their partner standing behind them bouncing the ball off the wall as a reaction drill to have them jump to the ball to catch it in their core. Walls can be very useful in practice, but in my opinion not great for shooting drills. For more information on these passing drills email me</em><br /><br /><br /><strong>Good Shooting drills</strong><br /><br />1.<strong>Zero Points</strong><br />This is an excellent way to start your practices. Include this as part of your pre-practice if you can. Players face the basket from at least 5 different spots and need to make 5 – 10 shots from each spot. The 5 spots should include:<br />a.Directly in front of the rim (1 spot)<br />b.45 degree angles (2 spots one on either side of rim)<br />c.baseline (2 spots one on either side of rim)<br /><br />Players are working from a distance away from the basket where they do not need to include their lower body in their shot. They are working on their upper body shot mechanics. Have your players hold their finish on each shot, so that they can check them out to see of they are correct. I like to have my players make 70 shots. 10 in from each of the 5 spots, and the bonus 20 shots are banks from 45 degree angle. When working on the banks, I like them to get a real feel for the glass by working the shots in from different heights on the glass.<br /><br />As with all shooting drills where your players are working in close like a Mikan drill you need to challenge them so they will not just move through the motions of doing the drill. Keep them focused by making sure they are always holding their shot mechanics and checking them ( hold your finish till it goes in or hits the rim) and by challenging them to make the shots clean (rimless, nothing but net).<br /><br />Not only will this drill help your players warm up their shot properly, work on their shot mechanics, but I think you will find as I do, your player’s confidence goes up with their shooting. They get to the point that if they miss a shot, it’s odd. They can get 50 – 70 shots in, in a very short period of time without missing.<br /><br />If you don’t have a pre-practice, start making up tasks for your players. Players left on their own will come into the gym, start talking and chatting with no focus and start chucking up shots from between half court and the three point line, or dunking before warmed up. If you have access to the gym before practice actually begins they can include Zero Points in what they need to get done. If you don’t have accesses to the gym have them do some of the pre-practice drills in the hallway. This is a little off topic, but include, all aspects of the game, passing, dribbling, shooting, rebounding. For more information see up-coming blog in pre-practice routines.<br /><br />2.<strong>Shooting to the top of your partner's head</strong> <br />If you are still looking for a shooting drill that helps with mechanics but takes away the rim, I think this one has some true benefits. Players stand facing their partner approximately 15 feet away from each other. They have one ball between them. Player 1 shoots the ball to player 2, and holds their mechanics so that after the catch by player 2, they can help correct anything in their partner’s shot. Have your players aim for the top of the head of their partner, but in a way that the ball is going up in an arc and dropping down on their partner’s head. This at least gives the idea or concept at shooting the ball at a target but not directly at a target like the side of a backboard or a brick on a wall. You can vary this drill by having your players jump 50%, 50%, 75% or 100% while shooting the ball and observing the effects on the flight of the ball. Make sure it’s the catcher that is watching the flight of the ball and not the shooter. You can also have the shooter close their eyes, so that they can visualize, or get into the kinetics of the shot. You can also have them mimic bad habits, like bringing the ball back too far to the crown of your head, or elbow out and they can compare the two feelings an the effect on the flight of the ball.Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-52817634749106335322010-12-08T16:54:00.000-08:002010-12-10T15:13:25.250-08:00There Are Few Assurances In Life - Part 2Coming home from a tournament, my wife, my son and two of my son’s teammates, we found ourselves in one of those situations where there are no assurances. Snowy conditions and travelling at a conservative speed, an oncoming car came into our lane. In an effort to avoid the collisions, we ended up hitting the soft shoulder. The wheel buried into the gravel and we started to spin and flip down into a ditch. My son was asleep at the time when it all began and didn’t even hear me should hang on. He awoke as we were sliding down into the ditch. When we came to a standstill our vehicle was on the passenger’s side. The boys managed to open the door on the back driver’s side and get out. I kicked out the windshield and my wife called 911. My door wouldn’t open, but I got the window open. My wife then climbed out, over me. I unbelted my seatbelt and followed the escape path out my window. The Police, rescue workers, fire department, CAA all at the scene in a timely manner. <br />We were lucky. My son took the worst of the punishment, his back and neck are bothering him, but he is used to dealing with adversity. I’ll add safety to the list of things that have no assurances.Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-35681813911792273282010-12-03T08:24:00.001-08:002010-12-03T08:44:04.084-08:00There Are Few Assurances In LifeThere are few assurances in life. Your job, your relationships, your health; those things will be challenged. You may not succeed at all of them, but there is no excuse for not trying your best at making them work. There is no excuse for quitting. There is no excuse for not measuring your success by your effort.<br />Basketball is no different. Your effort is the only thing you can truly control. As in life, your very best effort might bring you great results, it may bring you mediocre results and it may bring you poor results. But if you work hard and are learning from the experience you are successful. Never disrespect the game, your team or yourself by leaving it to chance. <br /><br /><em>One’s real life is often the life that one does not lead</em><br /><strong>Oscar Wilde</strong><br /><br /><em>I would much rather have regrets about not doing what people said, than regretting not doing what my heart led me to and wondering what life had been like if I’d just been myself</em><br /><strong>Brittany Renee</strong>Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-24963930673250939382010-11-29T18:11:00.000-08:002010-11-29T18:14:48.318-08:00Chris Bosh we want to chillI have to tell you I’m enjoying watching the Heat loose, and enjoying watching the Celtics win. LBJ’s commercials make him look like a fool. If he thinks he is doing damage control, from his Decision, then maybe he should stick to selling shiny shoes or maybe he should just disappear. You want to see some good juxtaposition, watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyuiF8WNQSs">the version</a> with Jordan’s voice dubbed over Lebron’s antics. Or Bosh with his statement “we just want to chill” <br /><br />How is this for a work ethic? Ray Allen said, “In every practice and in every game, I am auditioning for my spot on the team”. “I am given the opportunity to earn my spot and prove I can help my team win games”.<br /><br />The constant talk about the Heat just needing to get our team chemistry going. Are you kidding me? These are professional players, they can’t figure it out. It’s called sacrifice, and perhaps that’s the problem. When Kobe was on the Olympic team he said “coach l want to be the best defender”. This is a man who can clearly score the ball. He was willing to make a different contribution to the team to help the team be successful.<br /><br />People give me Ray-Ray, give me The Truth, give me K.G., give Rondo, and give me Big Baby. You can have your King because I love the Working Man.Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-19454008041110898132010-11-17T17:46:00.000-08:002010-11-17T17:47:05.090-08:00Coach Independent ThinkersOne of the primary goals of coaching should be to help develop the desire for players to think on their own.<br /><br />As the coach you should have final say, but always encourage players to contribute their ideas. How can that be wrong? You are trying to encourage communication right? This is a form of communication. In a time out, I have to speak first. All systems have a hierarchy. I called the time out so I must have a reason. I need say what I need to communicate to the team, and then I encourage the players to contribute. Quick sound bites, you don’t have much time to do so. Sometimes your players will come up with a good idea that stands on it’s own. Kevin Eastman once said to me “you never know where your next good idea is going to come from”. Something someone says might spark a great idea for you. Sometimes they might have an idea that, you can build on, and sometimes it might not be a good idea in your mind, but you have final say.<br /><br />Independent thinkers strengthen a team because they understand that different perspectives bring different ideas and solutions. Willingness to share ideas and perspectives makes for more robust solution solving and a true team approach. Independent thinkers must be selective. It is not productive to impede progress with the process of questioning everything, but they must have the confidence to voice their opinion. <br /><br /><br />Fostering independent thinking is the first step to creating critical thinkers. Once a player is a critical thinking they can access the situation to come up with logical conclusions. Encourage your players to contribute. After all it’s a team sport, and all should be contributing.<br /><br />Dependent thinkers accept whatever they are taught and rarely question information or ask themselves if the information really make sense. Is this the type of player you want?Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5339877395007216883.post-43181940614985555072010-11-11T11:13:00.000-08:002010-11-11T11:14:16.124-08:00Practice does not make perfect.Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect. <br />Vince Lombardi <br /><br />It’s true what Vince Lombardi said about practice. You need to learn form, and then steadily increase the intensity so that you are always out of your comfort zone to become better. It’s the same overload principal that body builders use to make muscles bigger. The catch is to make sure you are not creating bad habits, by logging hours doing the wrong thing. That is bad practice no matter how hard you are working at it. Not everything will be perfect in a drill. Maybe the pass isn’t quite perfect, maybe you bobble the dribble on your approach, maybe your footwork was not quite right and you should strive to get it right each time, but if it does break down, don’t go to the end of the line or the start of the line and start over again. Use that bobbled dribble, that imperfection in that repetition to simulate what happens in a game. It is the same as a broken play in a game. Finish that broken play. How many times to quick thinking players make something good happen out of a broken play? It happens a lot. The same holds true for a missed shots in a drill. Always finish, but finish game like. Fight for your rebound, and create a habit. Maybe the habit is to chin it, with a fake, and then put it up high to get the defender in the air and get it over the shot blocker. Whatever that habit is practice is game like and game speed. When you make a mistake just remember when life hands you some lemons, make lemonade with them.Coach Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11800842072571369412noreply@blogger.com0