How to Break Down a Game (In Any Sport) in a Practical Way

Games tell stories through characters, complex interplay of people and situations, random bounces, officiating, and outcomes. Why not break them down with three questions? 

Think back to a big game you played in, coached, or watched. 

1) What happened? 

2) What details (shooting percentage, turnovers, rebounds) explained it?

3) How can we prepare and execute better next time?

In Game Changer, Fergus Connolly argues that more efficient breakdown involves:

• Assess the structure (spacing)
• Analyze the ball movement
• Evaluate the player movement
• Study the resulting spacing and timing 

Offenses work to create space and defenses to condense (shrink) it. The sum of numerous possession defines the 'what' happened. 

Structure. Unusual spacing choices can define success.

Ball and player movement. In 1973, without a shot clock or three-point shots, we averaged 65 points a game. Here's an example: 

Resultant spacing and timing. 

Chris Oliver at Basketball Immersion shares how deception with player and ball movement create opportunity.

Last night the Celtics used a predominance of isolation in overtime, yielding poor separation, low shot quality, and defeat. On some plays, the failure to establish a pick-and-roll morphed into isolation. At 6:57 Jayson Tatum gets doubled late in the clock in a bail-out offensive situation. 

Lagniappe: Pete Newell reminded players of the triad of footwork, balance, and maneuvering speed. Sports reward "athletic explosion." Here Coach Tony shares three drills to improve first step quickness. 

Coaching: Balance Structure and Emotion in Practice and Play with Specific Suggestions

In his MasterClass, cellist YoYo Ma discusses the challenge and need to balance structure (technical skills) with emotion (creativity) in playing both historic and contemporary works. 

Have you gone to an event where you buy raffle tickets and distribute them among potential prizes? Do you want a chance at the autographed basketball or the high-tech blender? 

Coaches and players confront the same issues in everyday work. How much time belongs to individual skill, strength and conditioning, team offense and defense, video study, and so on? 

Full on structure (technique) may limit creativity. But with too much priority on creativity, errors bleed into execution. Sometimes we hear the 'good angel' and the 'bad angel'. My high school coach would tell us to keep the lid on the behind-the-back dribbling and passing. But the second assistant would whisper in our ears, "you know you have that in your game." And rarely, the Fancy Dan stuff leaked out from beneath the curtains. 

And within the division of labor, define how much time to devote to teaching new material versus refining or correcting the existing 'knowledge base.' With a new team, I presume that we know nothing. 

It's a daunting task. 

Rank our priorities (e.g. 1 to 5+) and prepare implementation.

1. Individual skill development (50%) "it doesn't matter what we do if we can't do it." 
2. Defeating pressure defense. If we can't handle pressure, we'll struggle. Practice against disadvantage (2-3, 4-5, 5-7) and with constraints (e.g. no dribbling)
3. Half court offense (we cannot win 0-0)...combine with shell principles
4. Pick-and-roll (offense and defense) 
5. Zone offense (a necessity because that's how teams play)
6. Special situations (BOB, SLOB, ATO)

Efficiency suggestions: 

• Set high expectations about tempo
• Get into and out of drills quickly
• Condition within drills (I'm not a track coach) with a ball
• Take free throws during "rest" periods (after high intensity play)
• Shoot, shoot, shoot... every player should be getting many (e.g > 150) shots
• Use as many hoops as possible

Racehorse. Change passers every one minute. Crisp passing. Make layups. 

3 x 3 x 3 full court shooting. Track makes. Passer must call out shooter's name to encourage communication. 

Kentucky layups. Track makes. Speed dribbling. Speed layups. 

Lagniappe (something extra). Transition has variable degrees of structure. 

There's no "only way" to get into your offense...but value may come from a healthy blend of structure and emotion (read what's in front of you). 

Lagniappe 2. Getting your shot off. "Basketball is a game of separation."

New Team of Youth Players, Thoughts on Early Offense, and DHO Drill, Set Plays, and Teaching Points

Taking over a new team is always challenging. Finding ways to score is essential. Part of the issue is transition, especially with the proliferation of zone defenses.  

Excellence in transition creates "numbers" before zone defenses get established. But that won't always happen. With young players, simple is better. 

Spread offense with filled corners opens the middle which creates a variety of opportunities. 

Another option is "pistol" offense, shared by Doug Brotherton on Fast Model Sports. 

Coach Daniel elaborates with detailed video breakdown. Pistol has a host of possible hard-to-defend options. 

Drill. DHO continuous works on DHO skills. I favor initially running it "skeleton" (no defense) and then adding defense. 

Set Play. DHO base or bring the 5 into a "staggered" pick-and-roll. 

Simple to understand doesn't equate to easy to defend.

Lagniappe (something extra). "It doesn't matter what we run if we can't run it." 

Coach Nick shares tips for executing the DHO and why he likes it so much.  

Lagniappe 2. Make the First Day Experience special. 

"Champions Do Extra"

Read and reread great books, like James Kerr's Legacy, the story behind the New Zealand All-Blacks rugby dynasty. 

Kerr shares powerful lessons including "leave the jersey in a better place" (be responsible to those before you), "sweep the sheds" (humbly care for the locker room), and "Champions Do Extra." 

Sometimes less is more. Usually not...

Who are paradigms of extra and what do they say? 

Kobe Bryant took a thousand shots a day for a hundred days in the summer. In The Mamba Mentality, Kobe Bryant wrote, "A lot of people say they want to be great, but they’re not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve greatness. They have other concerns, whether important or not, and they spread themselves out. That’s totally fine. After all, greatness is not for everybody."

Larry Bird took five hundred free throws before school. But Bird wasn't all about individual scoring. "Passing is more of an art than scoring. My feeling about passing is that it doesn't matter who's doing the scoring as long as it's my team."

Bill Bradley, the banker's son, wasn't the most athletic player, so from age 12 practiced three hours daily weekdays and eight hours on Saturday to build skill. Bradley said, "When you're not practicing, someone somewhere is. And when the two of you meet, assuming roughly equal ability, the other person will win."   

What is your extra? 

• Read another chapter.
• Do five more sprints.
• Watch additional video. 
• Write another paragraph.
• Study a new and an old concept (see below)

Lagniappe. Split the post (multiple options)

Lagniappe 2. 

It's game uplifting, 2 floormates, when Bigs sprint the floor, in Off. transition and follow up a miss shot, w/ a rebound basket. These impactful plays are 1) effort 2) toughness 3) character foundational. Is that you?

— Gordon Chiesa (@gchiesaohmy) October 27, 2021

Years ago, during a ten-year consecutive league championship run, an opposing coach told me, "Melrose teams are hard to beat because you have five girls running hard all the time." 

 

Choreographers and Coaches, Clean Slate to Productive Offense

Like Parris Goebel, coaches are choreographers. Goebel emphasizes three key elements:

• Formations
• Transitions (connecting movements)
• Levels (height)

Coaches do something similar:

• Formations (horns, spread, 4-out 1-in, two guard fronts, etc)
• Transitions (player and ball movement)
• Spacing (screen-based offense has different spacing)

Offenses have choices including running varied actions from the same formations or running similar actions from varied formations. 

Actions like elbow get have multiple options... pick-and-roll, reject the screen into one dribble layup, and ghost screen as five basket cuts. 

Taking over new teams, we introduce our systems. In a developmental system, I favor three offensive elements:

• Individual skill development (separate and finish, "end possessions")
• Hard-to-defend actions (e.g. ball screens, off-ball screens, pass and cut, back cuts, complex screening (screen-the-screener, staggers)
• Defeating pressure defense 

Why these? I see my job as to prepare players for high school basketball. Under ideal conditions, graduates of our program compete for minutes and roles as freshmen. It's a mixed blessing as upperclass players and parents feel the heat. 

Lagniappe (something extra): Do you DHO? 

Lagniappe 2. Why coach? 

Basketball: Lessons of a Lifetime

Being the "same guy" every day, every year is never enough. Hold ourselves to the same standard as we hold players. Constant improvement is the expectation. "The magic is in the work." 

"Every day is player development day." Refine our routine to become a little better every day - reading, studying, exploring, watching video, studying the problems to find solutions. 

Why are we coaching? In his MasterClass, Thomas Keller explains he decided to become a chef when his mentor Roland Henin informed him that 'chefs cook to nurture people." 

Sacrifice is unavoidable. Quality comes at a price. What price are we willing to pay?

Viktor Frankl shared how people could overcome any 'what' when they had enough 'why' in Man's Search for Meaning. 

Balance ambition and humility. Neil DeGrasse Tyson says, "The urge to feel special knows no bounds." Elite performers use elite habits and elite preparation to fuel performance in the moment. "We make our habits and our habits make us." 

Summary: 

• The magic is in the work.
• Every day is player development day. 
• Chefs cook to nurture people. 
• Be prepared to pay the price - sacrifice. 
• We make our habits and our habits make us. 

Lagniappe (something extra). Lessons from UCONN practice. 

• Culture
• Talent 
• Accountability 

"Every minute of every day they can't be anything less than great." 

Basketball: Pronouns in Practical Usage

Pronouns don't have to be complicated or controversial. They are integral in developing TEAM. Some ideas are adapted from Fergus Connolly in Game Changer. 

Emphasis on "I"

• I explain what to do. Lead by instruction. I say and you do.
• I show you what to do. Lead by example. Model excellence. 
• Problems depend on authentic skill and experience as well as possible pushback/resentment.  

Emphasis on "YOU"

• (You) do your job. The Belichick-Saban approach...
• (You) figure it out. Many coaches take this approach. I associate it with Gregg Popovich. 
• The problem with these depends on the skill and will of the players and their previous coaching. Young players usually don't know 'enough'

Emphasis on "WE" 

• We are stronger together. 
• "We can go faster alone but farther together." 
• Are WE committed to each other? Are we building a program or a statue?

Coaches work with different heritages to foster culture. In Legacy, James Kerr examines the Maori culture and its impact on the New Zealand All-Blacks. The 2008 Celtics used Ubuntu as a rallying theme. 

But other teams like the Yankees "Bronx Zoo" won with what seemed to be a dysfunctional group. 

Coaches work with people of different ages and backgrounds. Young players (e.g. early teens) trend toward "egocentric" behavior, their primary concern on themselves over team. They lack the maturity and experience to collaborate or the knowledge to 'do your job'. 

So what cards can WE play?  

• Demonstrate caring through communication and follow-through to earn "buy-in" 
• Add value through player development, team development, and game education (even during tryouts teach - attack to the front foot, show the 'negative step' and attacking off the jab)
• Feedback (give and get) 

With a new group, always be detailed:

• Individual defense starting with stance, positioning and ball containment
• Shell drill with variations to counter "five out" offense (this is what we do and this is how to counter it)
• Core offensive skills (with strong emphasis on shooting off the catch, finishing, and free throws) 
• Box drills and wing attack
• Pick-and-roll offense/defense 
• Press breaking (via 5 on 7 disadvantage training) 

Warm up efficiently and effectively with Jay Wright's "Get 50" 

Lagniappe. Be detailed to separate yourself. 

Never neglect small details, even 2 the point of being a pest. Moments of stress, confusion & fatigue are exactly when mistakes happen. When everyone else’s mind is dulled/distracted, leaders must be doubly vigilant. Always check ‘small things.'
-Colin Powell, via @TheDaily_Coach

— PickandPop (@PickAndPopNet) October 21, 2021

Basketball: Playing for Doris, Becoming Your Best

Soft skills matter...like commitment, connection, discipline. When Hans Zimmer composes, he keeps a mental image of Doris. Doris is a fictional character, an unmarried mother of two in Bamford, England. On her day off, she chooses to go to cinema, plunking down her hard-earned money. Zimmer feels obligated to perform his best work for Doris. Who's our muse? 

As an assistant working with Coach Ralph Labella, I heard him say many times, "Entertain me. Entertain your family. Entertain the fans." 

DJ Armin van Buuren looks into the crowd, the first and the last row, seeking connection. 

Cultivate connection. 

• Create a great first impression with full engagement. 
• Eye contact matters. 
• Have a firm handshake. 
• Maintain good posture. 
• Be positive and share empathy. 

Bring it. Daughter Paula said to go out on the floor head up, chest out, as though you believe you're the best player on the floor. Keep that attitude. 

Extend the analogy when running stadiums, lifting weights, working on your game, studying film. Do your best because you're preparing to entertain your Doris. 

The same applies when you're in class, at home, at practice. It's the fourth agreement from Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements. 

Coaches say it differently. Gregg Popovich says, "pound the rock." Urban Meyer said, "when you cross the red line (around the field) you are committed." In Legacy, James Kerr noted that the All-Blacks commit to "leave the jersey in a better place." 

Be positive. 

How do we grow unwavering focus, relentless attention? Be specific. 

• Recommit to a standard of excellence daily.
• Build winning habits (e.g. our morning routine)
• Read 
• Study great leaders 
• Find mentors willing to share honest feedback
• Practice mindfulness

Who is our Doris? 

Lagniappe. Analyze your form. What's your footwork, sync, and release? 

Running middle school tryouts today, first time on the court in awhile. "We'll see how it goes." 

Becoming More Efficient as a Player

Every action or inaction impacts the game. I've shared a "Ratings Performance System" that allocates positive and negative value to actions. 

Excerpts: 

+3/-3 points (drawing a charge, committing a charge)
+3/-3 making or missing a three point shot

+2 (offense) two point goal, assist, screen leading to a basket, offensive rebound
-2 (offense) two point miss, turnover, missed free throw
+2 (defense) steal, forced turnover, blocked shot
-2 (defense) lost assignment, bad foul leading to free throws

+1 made free throw, defensive rebound, forced held ball
-1 allowed held ball, common foul

But how does a player become more efficient? It sums the components of vision, decisions, and execution. 

Vision: Aside from playing, players can improve their vision using software like Intelligym. The old "Asteroids" video game is the poor man's version. 

Decisions: Video helps reinforce positive and negative decisions. Positive decisions impact spacing, passing, shot selection, as well as defensive positioning, help, rotation, and recovery. Decisions affect everything. 

Execution: The former two unleash skill. Skill training must translate to game actions. Defense, pressure, and fatigue degrade execution. A player who designs his skill training has to take those factors into consideration. For example, shooting fifty consecutive free throws is not as good as shooting 3-5 and running a sprint or sideline to sideline in between. 

Returning to 'ratings performance' we find the low hanging fruit includes:

• better shot selection
• fewer turnovers 
• reducing "bad fouls" (fouling bad shots, bad shooters, frustration fouls)

Tracking and recognizing "hustle stats" also rewards positive performance not available in conventional box scores. 

When I tracked field goal percentage, turnovers, and hustle plays as an assistant and reported them to the team, we saw relative improvements of 20-30% (not absolute improvement). Players became more accountable to doing the right things.

Lagniappe. A separating move and good observations about film. 

Lagniappe 2. 

Gregg Popovich - age

Geno Auriemma - age

John Calipari - age 

Mike Krzyzewski - age 

Basketball: "Who Died and Made You King?" Talking with Other Coaches

"Reason not the need." We need more than the barest necessities of life for happiness. 

"Who died and made you king?" I don't tell other coaches how to play, whom to play, or any panaceas for bad basketball, bad teammates, or stale basketball. God knows none of our teams have been anywhere close to perfect on their best day. 

When another coach asks for observations or suggestions, that's different than providing unsolicited advice. I'm not at your practice, don't know your philosophy, or personnel. I presume that most coaches have reasons why we do what we do. 

In his book, Why the Best Are the Best, Kevin Eastman shared that in an NBA Finals game against the Lakers the Celtics allowed thirty-two points on defensive mistakes. Even at the highest levels of basketball, teams make mistakes of commission and omission. Championship teams make errors during championship play. Why wouldn't ours? 

But that doesn't invalidate observations. During the recent NBA double-overtime Celtics and Knicks opener, some players looked understandably 'gassed.' Jump shots fell short and open dunks got missed. The Knicks put in a fresh D Rose which seemed like a good move. Do you stick with your "best guys" or sub in some fresh legs? Tough choice, which is why coaches get paid handsomely and fired periodically.

The Celtics took 57 threes and only 23 (17-23) free throws in their 138-134 loss. The inefficiency at the line was costly. 

Drill. Free throw shooting. 

• In high school, we took four sets of ten each practice with a partner. The winner (generally 38 or higher) played the coach for the chance to avoid team sprints. Efficient free throw shooting helped us win a top division sectional championship. 
• Legendary Coach Ed Beattie led Winnacunett to seven New Hampshire championships. His team finished practice with each player required to sequentially make 2 consecutive (22 to 24 consecutive as a team). Demanding high standards sets high expectations. 
• Steph Curry finishes free throw practice with five consecutive swishes. I call that "swish or miss" tracking. 

Set Play. "Barcelona" (Horns)

With mobile bigs or maybe a "small ball" lineup, a big and big high ball screen can prove difficult to defend. 

Lagniappe (something extra). Our youth teams sometimes struggle to run simple pick-and-roll actions. High level basketball often involves complex screening (e.g. screen-the-screener) or ultra complex screen-the-roller (Spain pick-and-roll). Basketball Immersion shares. 

Basketball: "I know, I know." Coaches Don't Want to Hear It

Separate know that and know how. Experience transforms know that into know how. 

Coaches transform theory into practice by specifics. Be specific, be specific, be specific. Telling players to "take better shots" isn't specific. Highlight percentages, shot charts, and video (do you think this is a good shot for you?). Excellent teams don't win by making bad shots. 

How often has a player said, "Coach, I know, I know" when they traveled, threw a pass to the other team, or took a "shot turnover?" Knowledge isn't execution. 

"I know plays" equate to opponent scores or missed chances. 

• Failed transition defense. "I know I'm supposed to get back." 
• Bad fouls. Fouling bad shots and late shot clock forces lead to easy chances (free throws) 
• Pick-and-roll defense mistakes... (DME - defensive mistakes and errors) not on the same page, didn't communicate, lack of help 
• Not seeing the ball (leading to open cutters)
• Poor blocking out leads to put backs (easy shots)
• Not looking ahead for open teammates (missed opportunity)
• Not finishing cuts (leading to bad passes)
• #1 Bad shots - not in range, not open, not in balance, not situationally appropriate

Take a few minutes to ask players to share their understanding of #BadPlays 

Say it and say it again. Ask each to write down three examples of bad plays and share them with teammates. Show them video clips of #IKnowPlays. 

Superior teams don't give away games. 

Lagniappe. "Shot selection is the biggest killer of offense...I would let you shoot it but your teammates don't think you should."

Lagniappe 2. Finding certain type of video is hard. 

• Guys standing around. 
• Not finishing cuts
• Not passing to open players 

Lagniappe 3. Webber discusses shot selection. 

Lagniappe 4. "You gotta play well even when you don't shoot well." - JVG

Basketball: "Water the Flowers"

Do we practice what we preach? Soft skills matter. 

Dad used to say, "you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." Praise the praiseworthy. When execution suffers despite high effort, then praise effort while working on execution. 

In The Legacy Builder, Rod Olson calls it Speaking Greatness. Coach John Wooden used the "sandwich technique" by inserting correction in between praise. In Up The Organization, Robert Townsend reminds executives, "Thanks is the cheapest form of compensation." 

Successful relationships require a high positive to negative ratio. There is a magic ratio. 

"Successful intimate relationships have a balance between positive and negative feelings and actions between partners. According to relationship researcher John Gottman, the magic ratio is 5 to 1. What does this mean? This means that for every one negative feeling or interaction between partners, there must be five positive feelings or interactions. Stable and happy couples share more positive feelings and actions than negative ones."

I call it "watering the flowers." The inverse means that failing to water them causes them to wither and die. 

Communication happens in subtle ways on the court. The player rolling her eyes at the official or throwing her hands up after a call or non-call isn't doing herself or her team any favors. When you ignore an open teammate, fail to call out screens, or don't rotate to stop penetration when ball containment is lost, you say the game is AAU (all about you)." 

Bigs stop running when they sprint down court and don't get fed. 

Point to your teammate when they make a great play. Thank the passer for the assist. Be the first to get to your teammate when they take a charge or get knocked down. 

Water the flowers. 

Lagniappe (something extra). "Box Top Fake" extracted from SLOBs that Work from Basketball Immersion

Lagniappe 2. "Every day is player development day." Copy, imitate, and perfect separating moves. 

Who were they learning from?

The true master of this thing. The one who perfected every spot on the floor through reps. The details and angles. Every hooper was locked in when Kobe was teaching em, because they saw basketball perfection in him.

🎥 @alexbazzell, thebookofkobe pic.twitter.com/PYgH6a5OGc

— Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) October 18, 2021

Changing Minds: How Do Our Players See the Game?

"Know your strengths." - Serena Williams

Pete Newell said that a coach's responsibility is to teach players to "see the game." Most young players just go out there. Without experience, they lack a "game plan" for individual and team success. 

What's your success plan? As a team what's our pace and space strategy? As an individual, explain your 4 ways to score. Ask players to write them down. Be specific.

What's your edge? How will you wear down your cover? Physiologically, everyone can't have imposing athleticism and size. And neither guarantee skill, knowledge, and resilience. 

“The person who makes opponents make mistakes is going to be more profitable in the end.” - Phil Ivey, WSOP champion 

Develop skill. Have specific plans (examples).

• Finishing skills with a variety of layups (either hand, either foot or both, from either side of the basket)
• Basket attack off the catch
• Free throws (practice fatigued, work to finish with five consecutive swishes)
• One v one 
• Three-pointers off the catch, off the side dribble, off the cut

Exploit defensive mistakes.

• Transition (numbers)
• Urgent cutting 
• Screens and back cuts against overplay
• Opportunistic cutting (e.g. versus head turners)
• Scores off turnovers

When about a third of games are decided by two or fewer possessions, teach players the value of small edges. 

Lagniappe. "Every day is player development day." Create edges. 

Basketball: Fast Five, From Daly to Daily, Getting Trust, A Return on Investment

"I'm a salesman." - Chuck Daly (two-time NBA champion coach)

Chuck Daly recap from Naismith Memoral Basketball Hall of Fame Page

As a player, turn Daly's observation around, "You are a salesman." You sell yourself as you seek minutes, role, and recognition. Those elements build trust. 

Maybe you're hesitant. Astronaut Chris Hadfield says, "the best antidote for fear is competence."

What's your plan for competence to earn the coach's trust to earn minutes in crunch time? Coaches want players who play smart, decisively, and take care of the ball. Players don't always know our expectations. 

Develop the qualities of productive players.

1. Physical preparation. 

• Athletic training
• Proper Nutrition
• Adequate Rest (Lebron James gets up to 12 hours/day)

2. Skill 

• Make plays (offensive possession enders - scoring, assists, rebounding, screen to scoring)
• Make players around you better
• Be capable of defending individually and within team concept

Example: the player knows strengths and weaknesses, understands how to reinforce or mitigate them, and works to do so. 

3. Mental

• Game understanding (requires some film study, "The Truth Machine")
• System understanding (what is the coaching staff's plan?)
• Decision-making (the right play at the right time)

Example: the team leads by eight with a minute left and the ball sideline out of bounds with a full shot clock (30 seconds). The ball is passed in an a player misses a 22 footer five seconds later. That's unacceptable. 

4. Character

• "Character is job one." - Etorre Messina
• Academics. "There is no ability without eligibility." 
• The player represents the organization honorably. 

"The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior."

5. Intangibles

• Commitment to improvement (team and individual)
• Unselfishness (decisions made in the interest of the team)
• Good teammate (at worst, no distraction)

From the first moment we meet someone, we form impressions. It cuts both ways as players judge us. 

Successful programs have an ethos, a standard for "this is who we are" and "this is how we roll" here. Individual agendas can never transcend what is good for the team. That made military life 'easy' as decisions always weighed upon what was good for the organization. Naval Military Personnel Command (NMPC) carried the nickname "No More Personal Care."

"Coach didn't give me a chance." You earn opportunity with punctuality, preparedness, enthusiasm, engagement, communication, and performance. Bill Parcells said, "coaches are the most selfish people. We want people on the field who make us look good." 

Lagniappe. Ball movement distorts the zone. 

Lagniappe 2. "Great offense is multiple actions." 

18.8 secs on the clock
70-70
And Tenerife wins it🔥🔥🔥
There is no game like basketball pic.twitter.com/laesdz0WPJ

— MaxFrontini (@MaxFrontini) October 15, 2021

Space the floor. High ball screen. Drive, back cut, pass, pass again, and score. 

Journaling: Open Up to the World, Take It In, Write It Down

The world speaks to us if we're open. Journaling translates senses into sense. When we see something and it impacts us in the moment, write it down. 

Don Meyer kept three journals - basketball, general information, and an appreciation journal he gave to his wife each year. Absorb five ideas daily and our horizons expand like the universe. 

I know multiple Infectious Diseases specialists who kept "mini-journals" on every consultation performed. 

It's our journal. Song lyrics, a basketball tip or play, or poems change us. 

11 seconds from Bon Jovi...

"To see a world in a grain of sand,

Or a heav'n in a wild flower.

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, 

Or eternity in an hour." - William Blake

That stanza was on a birthday card on my 13th birthday. And it stuck.  

Rip middle. Give and go against the press. 

When we address our teams, we enjoy a platform to change lives. "I'm pleased but I'm not satisfied" carries a different vibe than, "we won but we only played sixteen minutes in a thirty-two minute game. 

What basketball ideas stand for controversy today? How many three point shots belong at lower levels (including high school) where the talent is uneven? That's part of a broader conversation about what concepts from high level basketball should migrate to mainstream thought. 

In this week's Slappin' Glass podcast, Bayern Munich coach Andrea Trinchieri reminds us, "I don't like general stuff. We have to have a winning mentality ...basketball is a very situational game."  "When you have competitiveness (in practice), you have less control." 

Society interacts with us, regardless of our desires. Independent film director Mira Nair reminds us that to be successful, "you need the skin of an elephant and the soul of a poet." 

We can share our journal or keep it private. Some thoughts should remain private. 

Lagniappe (something extra). Gary Washburn shares the Kyrie conundrum, thoughts on Ime Udoka, and WNBA expansion in today's Boston Globe Sunday Basketball Notes. 

Lagniappe 2. Coach Hanlen shares that shooters need a myriad of footwork solutions depending on the defense. 

Running Tryouts - Thoughts, Observations, and Ideas ("Who Died and Made You King?"

I've been asked to run tryouts for the winter travel (middle school) basketball program. I haven't decided but it raises the question of what belongs. There are usually two one-hour sessions. Usually we have two full courts to use. Every time we step on the court, it's a chance to teach life lessons.

It's just my approach. I get it. Mom used to say, "who died and made you king?" Steal what works for you. 

Here's a link to notes from Samuel L. Jackson's MasterClass on auditioning, because we're auditioning...and three highlights. 

"Go in there to present your best self to those people."

"Make them want to leave that room with you." (Hire you.)

"...make a lasting impression." (Initial impressions have staying power.)

I usually start by sitting the 20-25 girls on the baseline and say, "I need a volunteer." Girls raise their hands. I say, "that's not enough. When you hear VOL, jump up like you were shot out of a cannon. LEAVE AN IMPRESSION of attention and enthusiasm."

Even in a tryout, we share life hacks. When the UCONN women run a pair of laps before practice, NOBODY CUTS CORNERS. "Champions don't skip steps." Coach Popovich says, "pound the rock" because if it takes 100 hits to break it, you have to keep pounding. 

Remind players that if they feel sick or can't continue to let the coaches know and step out from a drill. Evaluators aren't there to fail athletes, but to allow them to show execution and potential. 

1. Two laps around the gym to loosen up, it's not a race. 

2. "Speed layups" look at general coordination and layups. The ball shouldn't hit the floor. It won't be pretty at first. 

Speed layups for warm-up via the Lithuania team at the #JonesCup. I like it because most of warm-up IMO is about getting shots as we shoot more than we get layups in games...the other part is a short burst of energy & enthusiasm so this would take care of that. pic.twitter.com/UQXy7w1Ozg

— Chris Oliver (@BBallImmersion) July 29, 2018

3. Racehorse. "Get used to being comfortable with discomfort." Assess passing, running, and athleticism. Switch passers every minute. Emphasize hustle and crisp passing. 

4. "Multipurpose drill." 

5. 3 on 3 transition chase.

6. Bulk shooting. Give everyone a lot of shots (4 baskets, one evaluator at each basket)

7. Small sided games (first iteration)

8. 3 on 3 inside the split. More touches, more individual defense assessed. 

9. 3 x 3 x 3 shooting assesses shooting on the move, running, and passing. Emphasize good passing. Adjust shooting distance to age. 

10. "One more" (Pass, follow, and shoot)

11. 4 on 4 half court no dribble scrimmage. Assesses passing, cutting, spacing, and catching. 

12. Quarterback layups (disallow contact during tryout)

13. 3 on 3 from the top (reset each possession). Assesses competition, movement, creativity. 

14. Arc 1 v 1

Defense is within one step of ball handler. Take turns and add constraint of 2 or 3 dribbles depending on age. 

15. Ultimate. There are two end zones. Each team must advance the ball (no dribbling, may bounce pass) to a 'catch' in the end zone. Simulates cutting and passing against the press. If a pass is intercepted, action goes the other way. If a pass is dropped it goes the other way. If the ball goes out of bounds, it goes the other way. 

Final thoughts -

• Generally the top players separate themselves. 
• Smaller groups with multiple evaluators gives everyone more touches and more eyeballs.
• Each of us decides current performance versus potential 
• More advanced drills test players physically and mentally
• Separating the top 6 "earlier" allows more attention to the mid- and lower-level players. 

Lagniappe. "Every day is player development day."