Eric Greitens, in Resilience
What is your purpose? What drives you? What makes you get up in the morning? What questions linger as you go to sleep?
Have you consciously assembled a portfolio of beliefs, ideas, and value into your basketball (and life) philosophy?
Most young players have a LIMITED idea of what you are trying to accomplish. I heard a story about a young coach who was asked by a parent about their philosophy. The coach answered, "I don't have one." Not surprisingly, uncertainty wrought lack of production. But that doesn't guarantee that the most specific philosophy and encyclopedic coaching knowledge piles up wins. Connection and communication links intent and character into a process and results with a sustainable competitive advantage.
Purpose must transform into process via study, preparation, player and team development. Transparency and feedback matter.
Ideally, we document (write) and distribute our expectations and the specifics of our offensive, defensive, and special situations to patients. We can distribute this as a handout or online as a "living document" using tools like Google drive.
Coach Giesbrecht has a great 'share' including portions of his program. Depending on the experience of your group, you define the extent of your syllabus. It is more important to do fewer items well (mature simplicity) than a myriad with mediocrity (sophisticated complexity) or worse.
When I can, I assist on another team with an older group. That helps inform me as to what developmental met and unmet needs exist. For example, in addition to better shooting (who doesn't need that?), we need better early offense, court vision, and offensive concept development (both individual and small-side play).
Realistically, this helps me to mentor my team. For example, I see players use single moves off the dribble when combinations (e.g. hesitation/crossover or crossover into hesitation) would get more separation. Spacing needs and lack of ball reversal cost points. Better defensive communication is a must.
Clarity and growth are the purposes. We await the judgment of time.
