You want to be a better (fill in the blank). Where do you start?
Chris Ballard interviewed Steve Kerr and shared wisdom from Jeff Van Gundy, "Van Gundy told Kerr what he tells all aspiring coaches: Write down everything. Everything you've learned, everything you want to do. Everything you'd change. It'll organize your thoughts. Develop your philosophy."
None of us can be Gregg Popovich, Pete Carril, Geno Auriemma, or Dean Smith. But we can borrow from their shared experiences and apply elements to become better versions of ourselves.
Each radiated clarity about how they want to play and how they live. Popovich's system emphasizes penetration and ball movement and personal growth off the court. Carril's mantra was "the smart take from the strong" with his back cut and three-ball Princeton offense. Auriemma prioritizes unpredictability and knowing how to play. "We're hard to scout because we don't know what we're going to do." And last season Auriemma's team lead NCAA tournament qualifiers in academic standing. Smith's "Passing Game" was about getting the best quality shots that would usually lead Carolina to have the highest shooting percentage in the ACC. Smith also had the personal trust to champion integration and advise his ultimate star (Michael Jordan) to leave early for the NBA.
We have our first practice tonight. Among the classic military strategies available (infantry, cavalry, artillery), our size dictates a commitment to cavalry (speed). Recommitting to pressure and transition while expanding our perimeter (shooting) and zone offense will go only so far without 'rebounding by committee'. We need to refine our process to align practice with game intent.
Each of us has to fight for our culture, sell our philosophy (get the buy-in), and develop team identity. Although practice starts tonight, the work is always ongoing. There is not so much hay in the barn.
