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Monday, June 29, 2020

Basketball - Coaching Notes: Mano Watsa, What Great Coaches Don't Do

"Elementary, my dear Watsa?" You know the drill. Notes to help us honor the process from Mano Watsa's presentation, sponsored by Basketball Immersion in the Cross Canada Coaches Clinic. 
FIVE THINGS GREAT COACHES DON'T DO IN PRACTICES

MISS OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE
HINDER THE LEARNING PROCESS
GO FROM DRILL TO DRILL
DON'T MAJOR IN THE MINORS
NEGLECT THE CULTURE
Compete with consequences (consequences are not punishment...use a ball.)

 Starts with six groups of two where the first group with two swishes wins. 
They have one minute shooting competitions, with the first group to win three the winner. 

 They stagger competitions so that the fastest players can't always win. Might start slower players at the three-point line in a double up-and-back sprint. Might start faster players in the pushup position while also at a distance disadvantage. (This also adds value to winning.)

 "Competing is a taking a small step to gain an advantage." - Mike McKay 

 "Competing > Hard work"

 Get players more reps. (Brian McCormick's no lines, no lectures, no laps)
- Fewer lines. 
- Limit talking.
- Don't routinely stop drills for individual criticism (unless everyone making the error) 
- Must be "game like." Dribbing and ballhandling are not identical. 
- "Never let the defender stay in your space...create space or blow by." 

 Drills are not the same as challenged play (e.g. layups). After learning technique, finishing involves fakes or powering up (defender varies technique). They may add constraints like catch and shoot or drive and finish (no pullups). 

 "Make practices your playground..." mistakes help you grow (if you don't repeat them)

 "Teaching scrimmages versus competing scrimmages." Players appreciate the difference. 

 "Don't major in the minors."  Do well what you do a lot. "Spend time on the things that happen most in the game." Players get better faster...

 "Foster and demand energy rich practices." Great coaches fight for their culture. 
FIVE THINGS GREAT COACHES DON'T DO IN PRACTICES

MISS OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE
HINDER THE LEARNING PROCESS
GO FROM DRILL TO DRILL
DON'T MAJOR IN THE MINORS
NEGLECT THE CULTURE

If you look at business, music, or other master teachers, you don't hear bosses yelling and cursing at employees. 

 Lagniappe: Take a few minutes to redesign and refine some of our practice activities. For example, I stopped running a highly competitive layup drill because I feared player injury. 

The offensive player has a half-step advantage (defender with two feet outside the arc). Offensive player snatches the ball and attacks. I still think that the most competitive players are too "at risk." 

Lagniappe 2: Great stuff from @GentsCoachD













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