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Basketball Coaches Guide to Substitutions

Posted on December 15, 2010 at 7:15 PM

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The art of substitution is a key ingredient in becoming an outstanding basketball coach. Some coaches have a real knack for how and when to substitute, whereas others struggle to make the right decisions.

Correct substitution is never mastered, but if a coach will study when and how to substitute by watching other coaches and getting to know the real strengths and weaknesses of his own team, the coach can become very good at substituting. One basic rule must be used as a guide.

Substitutions should be made to strengthen the team's chances of victory! Whether the substitution is to relieve a tired regular or to withdraw a basketball player who is performing poorly, the replacement should be made with this basic rule in mind.

To correctly substitute, one prerequisite is necessary. A coach must know his basketball players-- their strengths, their weaknesses, and their condition, both physical and mental. If better rebounding is needed, he must know which of his reserves best meet this necessity. If better shooting is needed, he must know which of his reserves is the most dependable basketball shooter. The same is true if a better defender is needed, or more speed, or better ball-handling.

The times and situations where substitution is necessary include:

1. To replace a tired player

2. To replace a player who is playing poorly

3. To replace a player who is in foul trouble

4. To convey information

5. To maintain morale

6. To make a defensive or offensive substitution

7. To set up a press

8. Because of an injury.

9. To maintain discipline.

10. When players mentally are not ready to play.

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Youth Basketball Talent VS. Effort

Posted on November 11, 2010 at 2:38 PM

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Which is better? Having basketball talent or playing basketball with 100% effort? Which will help your youth basketball player succeed and improve the fastest? As a youth basketball coach it is imperative that you establish a coaching philosophy that defines the answer to this question before you ever set foot on the basketball court with your youth basketball players. Consider this:

Focusing on talent can be a trap.

Carol Dweck of Stanford University, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (and a PCA National Advisory Board member) has identified two different mindsets that possess enormous implications for youth basketball players.

The first is the "fixed mindset," in which one sees one's ability in basketball as set. Either you are a talented youth basketball player athletically or you aren't. Either you are smart or you aren't. This mindset is a dead-end because whether you succeed or not is determined by something totally outside your control.

The other is the "growth mindset." You believe in your ability to grow and improve, regardless of where you start. This is a wonderful thought for any young person: "I can get smarter (or better at learning a foreign language or excelling in a sport or...) if I work hard at it." If your teen does something well, either on the playing field or in the classroom, Dweck’s research offers clear guidance on how to respond.

For example, you might say, “Wow, that was a great play. You are really good!” This focus on talent reinforces a fixed mindset and the idea that your son or daughter has little or no control over his development. A tough challenge in the future then becomes even tougher because talented people aren’t supposed to be stumped by a challenge.

On the other hand, you could say, “Wow, that was a great play. You’ve really been working hard, and it’s paying off.” This reinforces a growth mindset that her good play is a result of her effort, which will more likely cause her to try harder in the future when faced with a challenge that stymies her initially.

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9 Youth Basketball Coaching Tips

Posted on November 9, 2010 at 1:08 PM

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* Pressure is only a factor when you are underprepared.

* You're only as good as your best players (best listener, hardest

worker, etc.).

* To reduce turnovers, teach passing skills and make the easy pass.

* Teach players that, if all their teammates are overplayed, PENETRATE,

then someone will be open.

* Entry passes to your offense must receive DAILY work.

* Make every effort to eliminate one-hand passes in your offense.

Players see Jason Kidd do it and they think they can. But they have not

put the hours and hours of preparation that Jason has.

* Teach your players to be aware of "baseline drive dangers."

* You probably know your best shooters, but make sure you know who

your best ball-handlers are also.

* "Offensive free-throw fundamentals are one of the worst taught funda-

mentals in the game. Teach it in practice daily"

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Attitude is Everything in Basketball

Posted on September 27, 2010 at 12:47 PM

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What makes one person a winner and other people losers? How they think! Your self image determines your ability and your success. You will be ready mentally if you are thinking success. For instance:

A WINNER is always ready to tackle something new... a loser is prone to believe it can't be done.

A WINNER isn't afraid of competition... losers excuses themselves with the idea that the competition can beat them.

A WINNER makes a mistake and says, "I was wrong"... a loser makes a mistake and says, "It wasn't my fault," and blames someone else.

A WINNER is challenged by a problem and goes through it.. a loser does not want to face it, tries to go around it, but never gets by it.

A WINNER realizes there is no time like the present to get a job done... a loser is prone to procrastinate with the hope that things will get better tomorrow.

A WINNER thinks positively, acts positively, and lives positively... a loser usually has a negative attitude and a negative approach to everything.

A WINNER says "Let's find out..." a loser says, "Nobody knows."

A WINNER makes commitments... a loser makes empty promises.

A WINNER says, "I'm good, but not as good as I should be..."· a loser says, "I'm not as bad as a lot of other people."

A WINNER learns from those who are superior... a loser tries to tear down those who are superior.

A WINNER credits his "good luck" for winning-even though It isn't good luck; a loser blames

"bad luck" for losing-even though it isn't bad luck.

A WINNER knows how and when to say "Yes" and "No"; a loser says, "Yes, but' and "Perhaps

not" at the wrong times, for the wrong reasons.

A WINNER Isn't nearly as afraid of losing as a loser is secretly afraid of winning.

A WINNER works harder than a loser, and has more time; a loser Is always "Too busy" to do what is necessary.

A WINNER shows he's sorry by making up for it, a loser says, "I'm sorry," but does the some thing the next time.

A WINNER knows what to fight for, and what to compromise on; a loser compromises on what he shouldn't and fights for what isn't worthwhile fighting about.

A WINNER listens a loser just waits until it's his turn to talk.

A WINNER, would rather be admired then liked, although he would prefer both; a loser would

rather be liked than admired, and Is even willing to pay the price of mild comtompt for It.

A WINNER feels strong enough to be gentle; a loser Is never gentle-he Is either weak or petty tyrannous by turns.

A WINNER feels responsible for more than his Job: a loser says, "I only work here."

A WINNER says, "There ought to be a better way to do It," a loser says, "That's the way It's always been done here."

A WINNER paces himself; a loser has only two speeds: hysterical & lethargic.

A WINNER works hard to achieve his goals, a loser just gets by.

SO IF YOU, WANT TO BE A WINNER, THINK LIKE A WINNER... ACT LIKE A WINNER... AND SOONER THAN YOU THINK, YOU'LL BE A WINNER TOO!

Basketball Coaching Adjustments

Posted on September 27, 2010 at 12:44 PM

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Even under stressful and threatening conditions, the coach must

remain poised at all times. This means to keep a calm, confident

look on your face, a neutral pitch in your voice, and uprightness

in your posture. Body language is a very important indicator of

confidence.

At the same time, over-confidence can kill your team, leading to a

lack of aggressiveness and initiative. By highlighting the other

team's strengths, and by giving the opposition their due credit,

you will remind your players that the competition is not going to

be easy. Basically, you want to arouse a fear of defeat and then

immediately provide the solution for winning.

If your team is the under-dog, its time to inspire them with

stories and profound language. You can even lookup some famous

quotes and say them out loud to inspire your players. Words of

encouragement and strength are needed in this situation, and let

your players know that the outcome of the game is in their hands,

not in the opposition's hand.

>> At Half-Time

Okay, so the game is underway and its half-time. Its time to make

some adjustments, but more importantly, its a time of relaxation...

Take 5-7 minutes for complete relaxation, without a word, without

any emotion. Let your players relax and cleanse their minds. Have

someone provide towels and water immediately, and set the

environment for relaxation.

Then, once every player looks to be settled in, start off by

encouraging them and pointing out the good things, and then go into

the negatives. At this point, explain the strategy of the second

half but only choose 2 key points and drive them home. Keep it

simple. Drill a couple of concepts in your player's minds and let

them focus on that. You may have 20 things in your mind, but your

players cannot handle that much information. Pick 2

things...Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize!

Remind your players at this point that no matter what happens, you

will judge whether they won or lost by their effort. If they play

hard and give it everything they've got, you should judge that as a

victory. Tell them to focus on the process, not on the outcome.

"Just Play" is the motto you need to drill in their heads at

half-time.

>> After the Game

Once again, right after a game, let your players relax for 5-10

minutes and clear their minds. You can only deliver the proper

message if they have come down from their emotional high. Once

they've relaxed, tell them honestly how they performed. If they

played well and lost, let them know that you will get the win next

time. If they played bad and won, tell them they got lucky and

there's a lot of things that need to be worked on.

Don't get into much detail right after the game, wait until the

following day or practice.

Now, as the coach, you should take notes right after the game and

write down everything you noticed about your team, strengths and

weaknesses...

Choosing A Basketball Defensive Strategy

Posted on August 5, 2010 at 11:27 AM

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Okay, before choosing a specific defensive formation, you have to

keep these 4 points in mind:

1) Make sure the offensive team never advances without strong

defensive pressure.

2) Never limit yourself to one single defensive strategy...be more

diverse.

3) Choose whatever defensive style works against the opponent's

offensive style.

4) Fully understand the defensive formation you choose and make

sure that you can clearly teach it to your players.

And, the defense you choose should be:

- Fundamental, at an individual and team level

- Flexible enough to counter many offensive styles

- Simple for your players to learn

- Complicated for the opponent to figure out

One of the advantages of having multiple defenses is that gives

your opponent's difficulty in scouting your team. Good coaches know

the competiton...they scout them...they watch them. If you have

different defensive styles in the course of a game, the opposing

coach will have to prepare for your many styles in their own

practice, and they won't have a clear strategy against you.

All teams should be able to press, especially at the end of

quarters and in the late stages of the game. Pressure and

aggressiveness forces the other team to make mistakes, and it takes

them out of their comfort zone.

War is deception, and a competitive basketball game is very similar

to a war. You want to trick the opposing coach, surprise them and

confuse them. By switching to defensive variations in the second

half that weren't used in the 1st half, you'll throw off the

opposing team.

Being able to move quickly from offense to defense is a quality

trait of all winning teams. The game of basketball is played at a

rapid pace. A simple rebound and outlet can start a quick

fast-break, and your players need to be very alert and responsive.

When on offense, your team should have the following roles:

- 3 offensive rebounders to crash the boards and create 2nd shot opportunities

- 1 "mid-fielder" who decides to either rebound or step-back for defense

- 1 defensive safety who never crashes for offensive rebounds

The "mid-fielder" and the defensive safety are ready to quickly

move from offense to defense, and stop the opponent's from scoring

easy baskets. The other players should also be prepared to move

from offense to defense at a rather quick pace.

------ Preparing for Defense ------

When you start preparing your team for defense, its important to

stress the fundamentals and develop general guidelines that all

defenses should follow, which are:

- Practice double-teaming opponents, from both man-to-man, zone, &

press formations

- Teach proper off-the-ball defense, mainly preventing backdoor

plays and cuts

- Teach your players not to allow easy passing. Stay in the passing

lanes, keep hands out, try to intercept passes.

- Emphasive attention to detail from each and every player.

- Correct mistakes immediately, and insist on perfect execution.

- Spread defensive drills out throughout the practice and maintain

variety

- Reward good defensive play

----- Choosing the Right Defensive Formation -----

In general, your team will fall into one of the following groups,

and the best type of defense to choose is as follows:

1) Five Taller than Average Players - For a man-to-man defense, it

should be generally loose, defending the basket and the paint and

not pressuring too much. For a zone, it should be passive as well.

If you need to pressure, a half-court press will work better than a

full-court press. You want your opponent to take more outside shots

while shutting down their interior opportunities.

2) Four Taller Players & One Small, Quick Player - Similar to the

above lineup, this group should focus more on a loose and passive

man-to-man and zone defense. A 1-2-2 zone can work well, in which

the smaller player is given freedom to move freely, apply pressure,

and intercept passes. The main goal with this lineup is to protect

the paint. In a press situation, stick with a half-court press.

3) Three Tall Players & 2 Small Players - A fairly balanced lineup,

in which a typical man-to-man defense works best. For a zone, the

2-3 will work very well, and for pressing, a 2-2-1 full court press

is suitable.

4) Two Tall Players & 3 Smaller Players - You can use a variety of

man-to-man defenses, infact, a man-to-man defense is best with this

lineup. A 3-2 zone can be employed or a 1-2-2 zone. For pressure,

this team can use full, half, or a 3/4 press. Very versatile lineup.

5) One Tall Player & 4 Smaller Players - Leave the tall player near

the basket at all times, while the 4 small players play a switching

man-to-man defense, in which the players switch off screens, and

they switch on any lateral movements of the offensive player from

one side of the court to the other.

6) Five Smaller Players - Pressure, press, pressure! Playing loose

is not an option. A tight man-to-man half court defense works best.

For zones, the only real options are a zone press and a match-up

zone. All 5 players must crash the defensive boards hard. For

pressing, an aggressive full-court press should be utilized with

active hands.

>> Now, the only thing left for you to do is pick 2 or 3 specific

defensive formations based on the strengths and weaknesses of your

team...and then choose a nice set of plays and drills to run in

practice...

Great Basketball Teams Focus on 6 Key Areas

Posted on June 10, 2010 at 10:29 PM

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1. Get back on defense. (There is a reason that is No. 1)

2. Play half-court defense. Protect the basket.

3. Rebounding the defensive board. Eliminate 2nd & 3rd shots.

4. Utilize the fast break. Make an effective transition from defense

to offense.

5. Play half court offense. Know your limitations. Do the things you

are capable of doing.

6. Rebound the offensive boards. Designated rebounders must go

to the boards EVERY TIME.

If you do these things well:

3 areas -- 50% winners

4 areas -- 60-70% winners

5 areas -- Great Team

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The Grinnell Basketball Offensive System

Posted on May 28, 2010 at 4:43 PM

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The Grinnell basketball system is named after Grinnell College in Iowa. Coach Dave Arsenault developed the system to help the team get a winning season for the first time in over two decades. Coach the Grinnell system by emphasizing speed and shooting.

Step 1

Forget traditional basketball. Coach the Grinnell system by choosing players who are very fast, have a decent shot and think quickly to make the best of transitions.

Step 2

Coach two or three press combinations for defense. One of the key components of the Grinnell system is to force turnovers of the basketball (aim for 32 turnovers per game). Players should transition to the press quickly and play it as tightly as possible.

Step 3

Coach shooting from all angles and all spots on the floor. The object of the Grinnell system is to take at least 100 shots per game, with over half of these being three-pointers.

Step 4

Run and rotate players on quick shifts. The success of Grinnell basketball depends on speed of the kind that wears out and dazzles the opponent. Rotate five fresh players every one-and-a-half to two minutes.

Step 5

Work on offensive rebounds. Because the system emphasizes so much shooting, players need to follow their shots and others on the team need to re-bound.

Step 6

De-emphasize traditional defense. This means the other team scores a lot, but your team scores more. You want enough players out of the key, even on defense, to be in place for the long shot when your team gets the ball.

See the Grinnell basketball system in action with this short video...

Have you heard of Coach Dave Arsenault and the

Grinnell college pioneers?

You might have seen him featured in Sports Illustrated,

or ESPN The Magazine... or on ABC Sports?

Over the past 17 years, they've won 13 NCAA scoring

titles and 4 MWC conference championships.

What's their secret?

A zany, frenetic style of play known simply as

"The System."

How does it work?

=> For starters, you try to get up 100 shots per game...

with at least HALF of those as three-pointers.

If you're open... jack it up... ideally within the first

12 seconds of the shot clock.

=> You also train your kids to crash the boards like a

pack of crazed bloodhounds.

And, on defense, run an intense full-court trapping

press from tip-off to buzzer.

=> You'll need to keep your players' legs fresh. So

you can use "hockey-style" 5-man line substitutions.

Sounds strange, I know... but it works like crazy!

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Basketball Defense; Individual Effort

Posted on May 28, 2010 at 3:59 PM

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It all starts with the individual. The 1st step is to teach each

player these defensive values:

1) Desire & Pride: Skills and fundamentals don't mean anything

unless the player has a lot of desire to shut down the offensive

player, and a lot of pride in being able get stops. A good

defensive players works extra hard, hustles, and makes it a

personal goal to stop his man...even when tired. Tell your players

that there is no greater satisfaction than tiring, frustrating, and

shutting down a talented offensive player.

2) Alertness & Agressiveness: Remaining sharp is the key to

defense. You have to aware of every little thing so you can react

quickly. Moreover, a player has to be able to react immediately

from offense to defense so they can eliminate easy scoring

opportunities. May players think that defense is passive, but this

is not true. The more active & aggressive a player is, the better

defense will be played. Aggressiveness forces the offense to become

passive.

3) Anticipation & Adaptability: Anticipating an offensive play or

an offensive move is very valuable. It allows the defender to

adjust beforehand, which causes nightmares for the offense...passes

can be intercepted, double-teams can be made quicker, easy scoring

opportunities can be prevented. Adaptability is the ability to

change. If the offensive player adjusts his/her game, the defender

should adjust as well. Be ready to change as its demanded.

4) Speed & Quickness: Speed allows a defender to get from one side

of the court to the other side faster than the offense, and it

enables a player to get into proper defensive positioning quicker.

Speed & quickness also allows a player to recover quickly from

mistakes, and prevent fast-break baskets. Hand quickness is equally

important, as it allows for deflections, steals, and blocks. Since

the majority of defense is played within 18 feet of the basket,

foot quickness is probably more important than breakaway speed.

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Top 3 Offensive Mistakes in Basketball

Posted on May 11, 2010 at 5:21 PM

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====================================================

MISTAKE #1: FEEDING THE POST FROM THE TOP OF THE KEY

====================================================

When entering the ball to one of your big players down

low it's absolutely essential to get a proper passing angle.

Train your kids to use the dribble to pick one side of the

court, then move to an area below the free throw line

extended.

This forces the post defender to either front the post,

or play directly behind him. He's unable to cheat by

covering the passing angle and defending the basket at

the same time.

The passer should use an up-fake to get the defender's

hands in the air, then step into the pass with his pivot

foot.

The post player should get low, maintain his position,

using his backside, and provide a target for the passer.

=================================

MISTAKE #2: POOR BALANCE ON SHOTS

=================================

Many young players make the mistake of fading away or

drifting on their jump shot.

This is usually a result of poor balance.

Make sure your players learn to square up, collect themselves

and set their feet before attempting a shot.

Reinforce this in all your shooting drills.

They should jump straight up and land on the same spot

on the floor where they took off from.

Avoid leaning toward or away from the basket.

An easy mantra to remember is "no balance, no shot"

=================================

MISTAKE #3: CUTTING AT HALF SPEED

=================================

A lot of times, the biggest factor that separates poor

from excellent offensive teams is their movement without

the ball.

Whenever you run your offense in practice, encourage

your kids to cut at FULL EFFORT.

That means setting solid screens, cutting at full speed

to get open, posting up hard, etc.

Do it in practice consistently and it will translate

over to your games much more easily.

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How to Control Basketball Game Tempo

Posted on May 11, 2010 at 4:41 PM

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To control the tempo of a basketball game you must first understand what kills momentum and what creates momentum. Below is a list of each . Knowing how to create momentum in basketball or deflate your oppents momentum is huge in trying to control the overall tempo of a basketball game!

Momentum Killers:

Bad shot selection
Missed free throws
Giving up second shot baskets
Allowing opponent to score the last basket of a quarter. Tip (If you hold the ball for the last shot as the clock is running down, your opponent is less likely to get the last shot.)
Giving up three point baskets in the fourth quarter
Turnovers that lead to scores
Unnecessary fouls. Playing hard and with discipline on defense is crucial!
Loss of poise

Momentum Getters:

Scoring to end a quarter
Negating a basket by taking a charge. Coaches tip (Emphasize how to and when to take charges in basketball practice and reward and praise it when it happens in practice or in a game.)
Making a shot to take the lead in the 4th quarter. The right player shooting with great shooting technique, great shot selection, and repetitive pressurized success in basketball practice increase your odds dramatically.
Scoring against a press. This kills the defense and can change your opponents game strategy.
Diving on a loose ball to gain/save a possession

If you can isolate and reduce the momentum killers while taking advantage of the momentum getters, you will control the tempo of the basketball game!

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Setting Your Basketball Game Day Line Up

Posted on April 20, 2010 at 12:08 AM

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One of the qualities of a winning coach is their ability to select

and evaluate players, assign the correct roles, and choose the

stars for each position...

This is one of the best-kept secrets of winning basketball. Even a

less talented team, when arranged in the right way, can produce win

after win.

The 1st step is to evaluate each player on your team. Identify

their strengths and weaknesses and rate them in each key area.

But, it can be difficult to evaluate every player on the team,

especially if you don't know what to look for ... don't worry we'll give you check lists of exactly what to look for and exactly how to rate your players. This will help you assign

the perfect role to each player in which they can play their best.

Have paper and pencil ready, and have each player choose the best &

worst in these areas (the player cannot include himself on the list):

- 3 players who take good shots:

- 3 players who take bad shots:

- 3 best shooters:

- 3 worst shooters:

- 3 best rebounders:

- 3 worst rebounders:

- 3 best passers:

- 3 worst passers:

- 3 best defenders:

- 3 worst defenders:

- 3 best offensive team players:

- 3 worst offensive team players:

- 3 best defensive team players:

- 3 worst defensive team players:

- 3 players who hustle the most:

- 3 players who hustle the least:

- 3 quickest players:

- 3 least quick players:

- 3 fastest players:

- 3 slowest players:

- 4 players you love to play with:

- 4 players you hate to play with:

Remember, each player on the team fills out the above survey, and

they cannot include their own self on the list. Assure each player

that these lists will be kept entirely secret.

Make a master sheet with the information you collect, listing the

players who got the "most votes" in each area, both positive and

negative. Keep in mind that personality clashes, conflicts, and

rivalries can skew the results. Sometimes, there might be a player

that everyone is jealous of, and they might rank him/her

negatively...

Either way, the information you get should be a great help as long

as you apply common sense. You can compare your own evaluation with

the players evaluation to find shortcomings in your thinking.

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Best Offense for Youth Basketball

Posted on April 12, 2010 at 1:15 PM

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I am coaching a youth basketball team of 10/11 year olds and am having a tough time getting them to run any type of offense. What would be the best type of youth basketball offense to run and how do i get these kids to pay attention long enough to teach it? As it stands they play basketball in a big mass on the court and they have no spacing. Please help!!

COACHES RESPONSE:

Running an effective youth basketball offense can be dificult at this age. You have to keep your plays simple and if you are having trouble keeping their attention then I would suggest that your plays are too complex for them at this time. Take a look at this page below for an easy youth basketball motion offense that you can run and there also several suggestions for practice drills that will help you implement the offense on game day.

Great question and happy to hear how much you care about teaching these young players the right way to play the game.
Obviously fundamentals are key towards the individual players development, proper technique etc..But you are not alone when it comes to trying to implement a set offense for 11 year olds as a team.
A very simple motion offense we give coaches like you advice on is fairly easy to run and teach. So the 5 players start out in their 5 spots (top key, Right and Left Wing and Right and Left corners) - the point guard passes to either wing and cuts towards the hoop - the player from the opposite wing replaces the passer and the movement occurs like that.
You can run simple - ball screens and down screens out of there and its a lot of back door cuts and movement (which kids like to do) - simple things for them to remember and run.

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What Does Basketball and Soccer Have in Common?

Posted on April 9, 2010 at 7:03 PM

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There are several tips for creating a killer basketball defensive strategy using soccer defensive principals. If you think about it Soccer and Basketball have a lot in common.

The formation of soccer players on the soccer field can be useful in assigning defensive positions on the basketball court.

The roll of a goalie in soccer is to protect the goal at all cost, like wise in order to be succesfull defensivly you have to protect the basket. Consider the following:

Defensive and offensive systems and styles must be complimentary. Defense begins with offensive shot selection and taking care of the basketball.

Two of the toughest things to guard are bad shots that no one is ready to defend, or turnovers that lead to fast break opportunities with numbers advantages to the offense.

The following is one system that can be used to organize, teach, and evaluate a system and then every defensive possession.

The halfback is the player who retreats to the top of the key in the offensive rebounding positions when the ball is shot and the fullback is the player who retreats to the jump circle when the ball is shot.

For each possession Halfback slows the ball in conversion, fullback becomes goalie all others--sprint inside our defensive three point arc, communicate, and match up.

Establish and maintain gappers, goalie, and post.

Pressure the ball with no penetration, no fouling.

Keep the ball out of the paint and post. If there is penetration---we trap the ball with the goal of having it passed out to the perimeter. We sprint out of our traps!

Contest every shot.

Dive on every loose ball or block out on missed shots, pursue the ball and chin the rebound.

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Choosing The Right Basketball Drills For Practice

Posted on April 9, 2010 at 6:46 PM

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Today, we want to share the secret to good performance in a ball

game.

This secret can help your players develop skills,

conditioning, and confidence.

The secret is effective drilling, or choosing the right set of

basketball drills to run in practice...

The importance of carefully selected, organized, and well-executed

drills cannot be emphasized enough.

All drills should compliment your offensive & defensive formations, while stressing

fundamentals, improving conditioning, challenging your players, and

keeping them motivated.

The purpose of drills is to stimulate game conditions as much as

possible and improving individual as well as team skills.

A coach has to decide what drills to use and how long to spend on them.

They should be simple and competitive, while covering as many

techniques as possible.

Its good to be selective, so you're not using too many, or too complicated, drills.

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How to Design a Defensive Game Plan?

Posted on April 9, 2010 at 6:36 PM

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These are some questions that you can use to develop a defensive system and to tweak the system so that it fits your personnel.

Philosophy:

What are the strengths of our players and how can we best utilize those strengths while hiding their weaknesses?
What is the optimal number of possessions per game for this group?
Can we defend for that number of possessions at that pace?
How is our ability compared to the best teams in our region of the state tournament?
What is our depth like?
How does our depth affect our style and pace of play?
What will our substitution pattern be?

Conversion Defense:

How many players are we going to send to the offensive glass?
Do we need to add any rules that will improve our conversion?
Do we like the drills we have to teach conversion defense?

Man Defense:

What hurt us most last year defensively?
How do we defend dribble penetration better?
What screening actions created problems for us?
Where do we want to pick up the dribbler?
How do we want to defend the post?
How do we want to defend ball screens?
Zone Defense How much zone do we want to play?
Would it help us to have an even front and odd front zone so we can attack them both offensively during practice?
Do we want to be able to trap out of our zone defenses?
How do we best teach rebounding out of our zone?

1/2 Court Trap:

How much do we want to play it?
How big are our trappers?
How do we want to rotate out of the trap?
Do we want to stay in the trap or go "one and done"?
When do we want to look to play it - dead balls, FT's, end of half... Do we have a better trapping line-up than others?

Presses:

How much do we want to use the press?
When do we want to press?
How aggressive do we want to be with our press?
Do we have a better pressing line-up than others?
Who are our best trappers?
Do we deny the point guard back once they pass out of the trap?

Inbound Defense:

Do we want to play strictly man?
Do we want to trap the inbound pass?
How do we want our inbound defender to play UOOB and SOOB?
Special Situations Who would be our best denial defender?
Does any team on our schedule potentially warrant a special defensive tactic?

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Basketball Practice and Preperation Tips

Posted on April 2, 2010 at 6:26 PM

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If you're ready to dominate the hardwood in winning style, then

never forget the age-old rule: Practice Makes Perfect!

As long as your team is practicing right, practicing enough, and

making measurable progress, then the formula for winning has been

unlocked...

But, there is a BIG problem with practice...

You see, all practices are not created equal. A coach can be

spending 3 to 4 hours with his team, day in and day out, spinning

on all cylinders without moving forward.

Another coach might have

no clue on how to setup a practice...yet another coach may not be

very organized. Whatever the reason, the truth is that most coaches

do NOT know how to setup a highly effective practice.

Setting up a basketball practice is an art and a science. After

all, coaches know that talent doesn't win games...preparation does.

The way a coach prepares his/her team in practice is what develops

unbreakable team chemistry.

So, how do you setup a practice plan that gets winning results?

The 1st step in setting up a winning practice plan is to choose the

perfect length of time. Generally, coaches tend to pratice too

long. There's only so much that your players can handle physically

and mentally in one given practice.

A well-focused 1 to 1.5 hour practice session is all you need. This

way, your players can stay fresh mentally and physically. Common

divisions of practice planning are as follows:

1) Pre-season Practice: The time you have in practices before your

first scheduled game.

2) Mid-season Practice: The period after your first game and

mid-way through the season.

3) Post-season Practice: The period after the mid-point of the

season and the championship game (thats right, plan for the

championship game!)

Once you make the above divisions, the next step is to identify

your objectives and goals. These can be as follows:

- Select players that will make the team

- Select the starting lineup, active bench, and reserves.

- Develop a methodology for teaching skills.

- Identify strenths and weaknesses of each player, and then

determine overall team strengths and weaknesses.

- Choose an offensive system based on your team's strengths and

weaknesses.

- Choose a defensive system based on your team's strengths and

weaknesses.

- Select drills that help your players improve and promote your

offensive and defensive systems.

- Design plays and hold controlled scrimmages. Once the players

area capable, let them run free scrimmages.

The above list is the minimum role of a good basketball coach. Its

always advisable to have an assistant coach that can help you with

all the above responsibilities.

Once you have chosen your offensive and defensive systems, teach

your tactics with these steps:

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Top 19 Must Have Virtues for Basketball Coaches

Posted on April 2, 2010 at 6:22 PM

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Attentiveness to Detail You must prepare to win in order to be a winner. Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.
Impartiality This is a must, but you must remember that you must not treat everyone alike as they are all different. Give each one the treatment earned and deserved.
Teaching Skill It isn’t enough that you know the game, you must be able to teach it. Follow the laws of learning.
Discipline Most essential for proper concentration and group organization.
Affability The coach must be of an affable disposition because of the various groups with who he must associate.
Forcefulness You must be firm without being bullheaded.
Alertness Constant observation of all going on around and about are necessary for improved learning and decision making.
Optimism The pessimist isn’t likely to produce a confident team that will play near to their full capability.
Desire to Improve Lack of ambition will result in complacency and laziness.
Vision A Picture of the possible must be shown to your players to provide a goal for them.
Consideration For Others You must be truly considerate of others if you expect them to be considerate of you. You must listen to them if you want them to listen to you.
Resourcefulness You must be ever ready to make necessary adjustments according to the situation and the personnel that you have available.
Cooperativeness An essential for all who work with others and are dependent on others in various ways.
Leadership Trust be commanded, not demanded. Others are working with you, not for you. Be interested in finding the best way rather than having your own way.
Industriousness There is no substitute for work. Worthwhile things should never be easy to attain.
Enthusiasm If you are to stimulate others, your heart must be in your work. Enthusiasm brushes off upon those with whom you come in contact.
Sympathy You must be truly interested in those under your supervision and be sympathetic with their problems.
Self-control Good judgment must be exercised in your decisions and they must be made through reason not emotion.
Sincerity Insincerity can be spotted very quickly and cause loss of respect.