Pete Carril wrote a terrific book, "The Smart Take from the The Strong" and coached Princeton to over 500 wins. He is the only coach to have ever achieved that without having athletic scholarships. Carril knew that he wouldn't have the type of athletes that could dominate physically. So he developed an offensive style requiring discipline and timing that relied on back door cuts and perimeter shooting.
John Wilson reviews his book here.
Here are some memorable Carril quotes:
- I can check the level of your honesty and commitment by the quality of your effort on the court. You cannot separate sports from your life, no matter how hard you try. Your personality shows up on the court: greed, indifference, whatever, it all shows up. You cannot hide it.
- There is a difference between teaching and coaching. When you are instructing your team about the actual game, you are teaching them, transmitting knowledge and information to them.
- When closely guarded, do not go toward the ball. Go back-door. (remember, movement to the ball sets up the back cut away from the ball)
- The quality of work habits can overcome anything: praise, criticism, good or bad coaching.
- Bad shooters are always open.
- The basics remain the key to success on every level of the game, and you can teach them.
- Defensive pressure on the ball makes it harder for the team to run an offense and gives your team a better chance to defend.
- You want to be good at those things that happen a lot.
- Defense involves three things: courage, energy, intelligence.
- In trying to learn to do a specific thing, the specific thing is what you must practice.
- Whatever you are doing is the most important thing that you’re doing while you are doing it.