Is It Me Or Is It Them

A good friend of mine, when pointing out the obvious, would always say “is it me or is it them”. In that light of pointing out the obvious it’s very amusing. I think I will borrow that phrase for my sign off.
Thanks Mike
Is it me or is it them
Coach Paul

Being Out Coached

One of the toughest issues to deal with when you are a coach is being out-coached. Having had a very successful coaching career over the past 5 years, I know that most of the losses my team had were a result of me not preparing them for their competition. Not giving them the tools to get the job done. Not making adjustments quick enough on the floor. With each one of those losses, I went back to the drawing board and worked harder to make my teams more mentally tough. I worked harder to bring my players better skills and better fitness. Worked harder to recognize situations and patterns and adjust to those.
You have to keep your ego, in check, so that you can recognise your role in each win and loss. You have to be willing to admit it and fix it. When you loose a game, you should not be just disappointed in the loss, but that you responsible for the disappointment your team is feeling.
Work harder each day at becoming a better coach. You wouldn’t expect less of your players.

Talent is Overrated

In books like Geoff Colvin’s Talent is Overrated and Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers we learn that deliberate practice of habits will lead to success. Check out this video. It represents countless hours of practicing the following steps. Each step is a note, and when strung together makes for a great song.

1) Cuts to the ball in working in straight lines with hands ready
2) Right side of the court, moving away from the basket, left foot set as pivot foot ready for a sweep and go, or rubber band
3) Hard to see (number 25 steps in the line of the camera angle) but if you frame by frame it, defender's hands are down, put the defenders nose in his ear, by sweeping ball across his face to create some space.
4)Athletic stance dribbling the ball on outside of knee, below knee with chicken wing out
5)Cross-over below the knee, with chicken wing out.
6)Enters the paint through the elbow.
7)Offers 33 his left arm for contact, leaving his shooting arm fee from the contact.
8)The focus to finish in traffic.
9)The vertical equals 2 years of strength training, plyo and core to achieve a 40 inch vertical.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlzsy5a-kIY





Coach Paul

Teach How

When coaching you have a responsibility to teach how. Put finer points on what ever you are teaching. Too often we say "don't do it that way”, or we use terms that the players may not understand conceptually, OR we say “they were just told how to do it, and yet they are still not doing it” I have even heard coaches say, I’ve been running this drill for 4 years, and they still don’t get it. Remember, when you point a finger, 3 point back at you. Maybe we need to rethink what and how we are teaching. Remember like parenting, being a coach the balance of the relationship is unequal. You should encourage communication, but you can’t expect that the players will always ask questions. You need to be able to demonstrate what you are teaching, even if it is at a much slower speed. Show players, what you want, associate a term for what you are teaching. That way you can give an auditory cue when you are trying to emphasize the skill or habit you are trying to make second nature.
Coach Paul

Euro Legend Jasmin Repesa

Attended a great clinic at Ryerson Friday night. The guest was Euro Legend Jasmin
and focused on individual athlete development with an emphasis on balance in basketball.

What I took away was the concept of not over extending in help, but being on blance so that your recovery is more effiecient.

Push Me

well sometimes push me means exactly that. I'm doing a clinic in Toronto, and I have the boys doing some 4 ball, ballhandling drills in pairs. Enphasis on atheltic stance. I'm knocking them about a bit to check their balance, and just because it raises the intensity, and competitive nature of the boys. I'm being me.. whoopin and hollarin, getting the atmosphere high energy, when one of the boys shouts out to me "coach push me, push me". I go over to him, and say "oh yes I WILL push you, and challenge you, but at some point you need to find it within yourself to push yourself. You need to be self motivated. You need to find it in here (tapping on his sternum) to take you outside your comfort zone"... pounding those balls he never missed a beat.. but said "no coach, I mean push me like you pushed that other kid. Check my balance" LOL..

one more clinic

One clinic left. I'm looking forward to a good workout with the boys. It's been a great group to coach. Respectful and hard working. What more could you ask for.
Last night we were fortunate to have Adam Jespersen workout with us. Adam talked to the boys about next steps, playing at the next level. He gave the boys some excellent information and lots to think about.
Thanks Adam
Coach Paul