Pitfalls of Picking Players and a Truth Tweetstorm

You're the new coach, charged to explain your process. What's the worst thing that can happen? You're done before you're even started. 

We can't do blind auditions. Abbie Conant auditioned blindly as a trombonist for the Munich Philharmonic. She literally blew people away, but the judges were horrified when it was revealed she was a woman. The orchestra literally spent a decade trying to undo their choice. It wasn't about ability, only gender. 

How do we proceed? 

• Established players have an edge.
• Seniority system...older players get first consideration. 
• Meritocracy. Every job is open. 

Parents of established or older players prefer systems favoring their children. It's not about fairness but DNA. 

When you don't, "you'd be killing yourself." 

Why presume that older  players have paid their dues? Young players sometimes bring more size, athleticism, and skill. 

The Girls' 2-20 growth chart explains why young players can be ready early, because most achieve their height by age 14-15. 

Coach Brian Williams explains, "this is not a union job based on seniority."

Coach Carl Pierson in The Politics of Coaching, conducts tryouts including measures of speed, strength, and jumping ability. "Why didn't my daughter make the team?" Pierson can respond, she finished in the bottom five percent of all measured standards. 

The AD warned the coach that he should conduct more days of tryouts. Why? Because the son of a School Committee member would be trying out. The politics of parenting led to a kangaroo court which the coach survived. 

Parents sometimes exclude younger players from summer programs, trying to avoid both development and exposure. 

"Life finds a way." You can bet Jurassic Park on that. 

Lagniappe. Tweet storm... 

Athlete Advice Pt. 5

1) If you are struggling in a class, GET HELP. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and get a tutor

2) Like it or not you are a leader on campus and in the community, behave accordingly.

3) When trying to improve your game, focus on mastering the FUNDAMENTALS

— Khalil Shakir 🏀 (@CoachKhalilS) August 25, 2022

The perception of how players score versus how players actually score is crazy at times..

What players think
•ISO, ISO, ISO

What actually happens
•Catch and shoot
•Shot fake drives
•Rip drives
•DHOs/PnR
•Lifts/Drifts
•Craftiness at the rim
•Off ball screens

— Anthony Pugh (@Anthony_Pugh2) August 25, 2022

Pass fakes are one of the most underutilized “skills”

Pass fakes shift defenders

•Pass fake to score
•Pass fake to open up another passing angle/lane - especially on post entry passes pic.twitter.com/D3R7zmHUNf

— Anthony Pugh (@Anthony_Pugh2) August 25, 2022

3: cont’d “A player has to be selfish in the pursuit of the development of his skills, but he cannot be selfish when it comes time to blend them in with what's good for his team.”

🔹 Be selfish in the OFF-SEASON, but UNSELFISH during the IN-SEASON.

— Greg Berge (@gb1121) August 25, 2022