Where can we find consensus? Great basketball minds differ on tactics. Remember Rick Carlisle asking how many teams play Triangle Offense today?
In Think Again, Adam Grant says that we often fall into three categories - preachers, prosecutors, and politicians.
Preachers seek disciples. Google "Princeton Offense" and almost 4.5 million hits appear. Psst. Wanna get some diagrams of the chin or low series cheap?
Prosecutors vilify opposing people and ideas. "How long have you been beating your team, Coach?" Criticizing others may make us look worse not better. Most of us have been on both sides.
Politicians want adherents for the purpose of maintaining or growing power.
Potential problems arise. Don't spend more time on ideology than on improvement. Seek consensus.
1. Cultivate relationships. Humans became the dominant species not because of our physical attributes - speed, strength, sharp claws or thick skin. We differentiated ourselves through mental capacity and collaboration. Positivity, listening, praise, and the ability to communicate without judging help define extraordinary coaches.
2. Focus on fundamentals. Teach the value of spacing, incorporate player and ball movement, and obsess the product - finishing skills at all levels - inside, midrange, and perimeter - and develop free throw shooting. Set parameters for good defense and accept only your standard of performance.
3. Model sportsmanship. The tongue is a small muscle capable of inflicting irreparable harm. Be humble in victory and gracious in defeat. If others use our behaviors as examples of poor sportsmanship, we're doing it wrong.
4. We cannot make everyone happy. There's an old story about who was the greatest teacher of all-time. "Jesus Christ." Well, even the greatest teacher ever had a team member who sold him out. People respect leaders who acknowledge mistakes more than those who proclaim infallibility.
5. Change is inevitable. Coach Wooden said, "No progress occurs without change, but not all change is progress." The game evolves and "the gold standard" evolves. Court dimensions (the lane widened), shot clocks, three-point shooting, and rules change. When I played there was no shot clock, no three-point line, short shorts, jump balls on held balls, and no dunking (didn't impact me!). Now when we see tights and earrings pre-game, we know it's a boy's game.
Drill: Develop offensive concepts with small-sided games with constraints (e.g. size of court available.
Set play. Multiple cuts and screens.
Summary:
- Cultivate relationships.
- Focus on fundamentals.
- Model sportsmanship.
- We cannot make everyone happy.
- Change is inevitable.
Lagniappe. We were fortunate to watch quality high school basketball locally during the 23-1 2006 season. This link shows clips from the season. Sheylani Peddy (#11) became A10 MVP and played for a WNBA champion. Many of the players showed athletic explosion and excelled at finishing.
Lagniappe 2. 22 second opening possession clip of Franklin (white), the top girls team in Massachusetts on a 38 game winning streak. They have size, athleticism, and skill. Note the ball and player movement, paint touches and ball reversal.
I only expect one absolute from my teams. Never quit.