Saturday, March 20, 2021

Basketball: Respect, Earned by Attitude, Behavior, Choices, and Knowledge (Plus a Drill and Set Play)

Respect the game. Respect coaches, teammates, and opponents. Respect the officials. 

Coaches talk about "playing the right way" to the point that PTRW is an acronym. When coaches inquire about a player, they're asking about character, work ethic, academics, attention to detail, and teamwork. They've done their homework about skill. Can they work with this player to make them and their team better? Colleges don't pay babysitters. College coaches don't need another headache if you're a head case. 

Years ago when we had Samantha Dewey, a future D1 player, her teammates voted her "Best Teammate" in our "Teammate Award." Last season as a reclassified sophomore, Dewey led Brooks to a State Championship as Tournament MVP. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. That doesn't mean people can't turn their lives around. But scholarships are precious and coaches want talent and safer bets. 

Let the officials officiate. Raise your hand if you get called for a foul. Hand them the ball. "Dogging" the official won't get you the next call. 


In a recent NHL game, Bruins rookie Trent Frederic antagonized legend Alex Ovechkin. The announcer commented, "I would fight you if I knew who you were." No respect. To get respect, give respect

Treat your teammates and managers well. How you treat them says nothing about them and everything about you. A culture of inclusiveness improves the experience for everyone. 

Drill. Sherri Coale is hanging the whistle up. "Little bitty things count." Feeding the post matters, even if it's just for inside-outside actions. 

Set Play. SLOB Bucks Corner 3 (BC3) from Adam Spinella's Daily ATO.


Lagniappe. Coach Chris Oliver shares quick hitters against 2-3 zones. 


Pick out a few you like.