What is the Art of Coaching? "It depends."
"The closest thing to a 1 shortcut in coaching is having the right mentors."
"The longer we ran (Princeton offense), we had problems a times (in our league)...it is an extremely 2 hard game when you can't score."
"Mentor is someone who has your best interests at heart."
"You can do anything you want; you can't do everything you want."
"Feel best teacher (of basketball) was Don Meyer."
Taking a job - "Everything in life is fit."
"No better way to learn than being a head coach."
"It doesn't matter where you coach, it matters why you coach."
Job suitability:
- First, can you survive (on the money) with your family?
- Can you live there?
- Can we have enough success to advance? "Winning is hard."
"Coach from the community to the floor..." - build your support from the community to survive...if community support is good, you have a better shelf life.
"Underpromise and overdeliver...slow to speak, quick to listen." 3 (Needs assessment when taking a job)
"Whom do you have to beat...then you have to put a plan in place."
"We tried to stay (consistent) positive."
"Coach next year's team this year." (There's going to be a next year...can't ignore development...long-term vision with short-term goals)
"That's us; that's not us." (Coach Don Meyer)
"Leave the locker room better...respect..."
Coaching against coach Meyer, they could play harder longer than we could (culture)...
About Coach Beilein (time with him) - clear concept of identity
- Humility
- Love of the game "I cannot wait to get to practice..."
- Value of language (knowledge within your organization)
"We are trying to get to the next concept." (Allows better-defined teaching)
"Helps us see through the fog"...(one word can represent a concept/playing commitment or correction)
"The ball talks." I want ball movement...(the game is different when the ball moves)
"Not yet...you're not a guy that's going to get the most shots (yet)."
Role players - "Can you affect the game without scoring and make the game easier for our best players?" Ergo, "Can you make an open shot and can you cut?"
Make practice fun. 4 "You're not coaching basketball, you're coaching kids." Like it...love it...live it. There's an argument for playing more five-on-five. Wants players to play more pickup..."you have to be able to take drill work into live play."
E.g. if you're more of a shooter than a driver (north-south), your pickup play, then you need to devote more time to that skill set. If you need more quickness, play against quicker guys.
"Validate scrimmage wins with a free throw...will win or lose a game on a free throw blockout."
"Do I want to coach him (recruiting)?"
Coach Carril talked about "lightbulbs" and Acuff discusses dimmers.
"Do I want to coach him (recruiting)?"
Coach Carril talked about "lightbulbs" and Acuff discusses dimmers.
"Bet on character; bet on production...certain guys get it done."
5 "Guys with high basketball IQ win for you."
When players are young they can be hard to watch. Demand cutting and pace..."our pace has to be better than the defense's ability to keep up."
"Only the fools think that is in the strategy."
Meyer, "At the end of the day, you can't out-coach people." (You are not going to turn a team without talent into a championship team.)
"It's all about the buy-in, relationships, and your players."
"Play with emotion without being emotional."
6 "These are the things that we have to do to win the game."
"Don't be afraid to do something different." Don't be ruled by ego.
Three most dangerous words for any coach, "I got this."
"I have more questions about the game now than I ever had."
CO: "If it were all science, we would all have the answer."
"This is a tough profession; we need good people who love the game...and the kids."
"Coaches need to be able to take care of each other." (Mutual support)
Lagniappe: "Football" (after a made basket). Other teams have used Acuff's innovation.
Lagniappe 2: NBA stars go "ball watching" and play bad defense.
"Only the fools think that is in the strategy."
Meyer, "At the end of the day, you can't out-coach people." (You are not going to turn a team without talent into a championship team.)
"It's all about the buy-in, relationships, and your players."
"Play with emotion without being emotional."
6 "These are the things that we have to do to win the game."
"Don't be afraid to do something different." Don't be ruled by ego.
Three most dangerous words for any coach, "I got this."
"I have more questions about the game now than I ever had."
CO: "If it were all science, we would all have the answer."
"This is a tough profession; we need good people who love the game...and the kids."
"Coaches need to be able to take care of each other." (Mutual support)
Lagniappe: "Football" (after a made basket). Other teams have used Acuff's innovation.
Lagniappe 2: NBA stars go "ball watching" and play bad defense.