"This is a really fun sandbox to play in." - The Duffer Brothers, writers and directors of Stranger Things
You've got it (your job). What next? As coaches, our job is to advance the story. Attention to detail defines us in the search for getting the most skill, athleticism, and resilience from our teams. Here are a few suggestions:
Philosophy. Have a written core philosophy with clear values and expectations. "This is what we do and how we do it here." Make it understood that every decision is for the good of the program.
Basketball Core. What's our offensive, defensive, and conversion approach? At a minimum excel at defensive transition, handling pressure, defending the pick-and-roll, and half-court offense and defense. Players do not have the luxury of playing 'tilted', playing only one end of the court.
Winning. What are you willing to do, sacrifice, and celebrate? Share vision, share sacrifice, share results.
Assistants. "Look for the helpers." Find assistants who understand the role of being the assistant they would want if THEY were the head coach.
Off-season program. What is permissible in your area? Some states (like Massachusetts) limit off-season coaching. "Every day is player development day." Inform players of their strengths to consolidate and their need areas to improve.
Booster club. We've witnessed boosters who were phenomenal in support and others where ego led to dysfunction. Fortunate are they who have parents who can put the well-being of the team at least equal to that of their children.
Characters. The narrative has a diverse cast with varying needs and desires. Bills' coach Sean McDermott expressed it well, "That's what it gets back to in terms of earning the right to win. How we meet, how we talk, how we workout, how we practice when we do practice, how we play - that's the standard we're trying to get to every day."
Respect. Here's an excerpt from an overheard conversation from Anson Dorrance. He tells a story about a conversation he overheard between a player and her parent about playing time. The parent implied, "Anson doesn't like you." The player, getting frustrated finally said, "Don't you understand, Mom? Kristine is just better than I am." Players know when they are treated fairly and respected.
What if? It's great to brainstorm about possibilities. "What if we run 'delay game' from XYZ?" That's an idea for a future post or a future offense.
Lagniappe. Here's a table from Jon Gordon's The Hard Hat:
The ability to get 2 feet in the paint is important
— Anthony Pugh (@Anthony_Pugh2) August 28, 2022
The ability to be patient and score in the paint is even more important
The step through is one for the best and most effective footwork in basketball pic.twitter.com/o0trw9zn0i
