Thursday, March 19, 2020

Basketball: Taking Over a New Team?

Leaders unite people. In Leadership in Turbulent Times, Doris Kearns Goodwin outlined how Lyndon Johnson assumed leadership after President Kennedy's assassination. 

Make a dramatic startDefine your vision. Here a plan, objectives, and aspirations to prepare the girls to compete well in high school basketball. 



Nothing replaces skill. Effort alone doesn't dominate. Choose core competencies.
- Ball handling - hesitation, crossovers, combinations (excel at what you do a lot)
- Shooting in pressured situations (track percent, versus time, and combinations)
- One-on-one, two-on-two, three-on-three. Learn to play part-whole. 

Lead with your strengths. Emphasize a holistic approach based on individual excellence within a team framework. The UNC Soccer motto, Excellence is our only agenda is the lede. Prioritize teaching fundamental skills and teamwork. Do well what we do a lot, actions hard to defend. Find players willing to sacrifice.

Simplify your agenda. Teach basketball symmetry. 



Be competent and confident while remaining humble. Unless it's necessary, don't "blame your predecessor" or "clean house" to install allies and friends at once. Take advantage of the talents and resources of the existing team. 

It's not supposed to be easy. "Are we going to give in and give up, or get up and get in?"

Lagniappe: via @PickandPopNet and @ZakBoisvert
In his Basketball Immersion podcast, Kevin Eastman reminded listeners that good offense creates great opportunities on the weak side. 

Lagniappe 2: The Primacy of Teamwork 




Lagniappe 3: Want high expectations. 



Lagniappe 4a: Compete. People throw around the word "great" like they do nickels. This is what greatness looks like. 




Lagniappe 4b: Get quicker. Hat tip: Reggie Bibb.



Summary:

- Make a dramatic start.
- Lead with your best stuff. 
- Simplify. 
- Don't fear expectations. 
- Compete.