Crafting and Leading a Team

Coaches build and lead teams. Balance between guidance and dominion. Individual creativity requires freedom within structure. Slaying dragons (Jabberwocky) isn't all work and no play. 

Help the team tell their story. Give them reasons to engage, to share, to push each other. That creates issues for young players...confidence and maturity to lead without perception of selfishness, arrogance, or intimidation. "Play for the girl next to you."

Stained glass tribute to master Bill Dodds. 

"There is no leader without a team." Leaders derive influence from the team. Reciprocity, liking, and process (trust is gradual) matter. Social proof also impacts acceptance of authenticity and craft. There's an "I know it when I see it" dimension to leaders. 

"Why's not Zed." Reasons accompany actions. "They're not cattle." Basketball demands conditioning. We condition within drills or scrimmaging (usually O-D-O)...offense-defense offense. Edit out drills that accomplish nothing. 

Give and get feedback. Players crave knowing where they stand and why. We're all limited...by size, athleticism, skill, intelligence, game knowledge, emotional vulnerability. Excel because of what you can do rather than fretting about what you can't. 

Fairness isn't always equal. If a player had greater summer participation than all others, she deserves commendation and opportunity. Players have good reasons for availability (family, other activities, other sports, illness, etc.) but praise the praiseworthy. Reward commitment. 

Constantly assess what our team needs. What does our team need NOW? Are we on the same page? Do we need more practice or more rest? Do we need more consistent effort, more skill, better teamwork? 

"Leaders make leaders." Give players chances to lead. Assign brief (two-minute) topics like "how we defend the pick-and-roll," "reading screens," or "free throw rebounding." Have a leader for warmups or drills. Ask players how they think the team can improve. 

"Are you building a program or a statue?" 

Lagniappe: 

Sean McVay's #1 takeaway from his time spent with Brad Stevens:

"We surrender the results of the future to our process."

— Zak Boisvert (@ZakBoisvert) August 12, 2019

Lagniappe 2: how much switching is right for us? Can we communicate well enough? 




Zak Boisvert breaks down one of the GSW switching techniques.