Friday, January 19, 2024

Basketball: Recognizing Value


All programs are not created equal. Effective programs find sustainable competitive advantages. Where? 

People. Communities become 'known' for having an elite team. For example, Watertown, MA has won the state field hockey championship for three consecutive seasons. They went into the match seeking a 75th consecutive win and riding a 41 game shutout streak. Aside from field hockey, Watertown may be known best for the capture of the surviving Boston Marathon bomber, now a resident in a Colorado Supermax. 

Communities like ours struggle to develop vertically integrated programs because top players find their way to Private and Prep programs. For example, local basketball star Holden Symonds transferred after a year to Governor's Academy and the 6' 8" 254 pound forward subsequently earned a scholarship to Boston College...to play football. Samantha Dewey played two years at Melrose then reclassified to play three seasons at Brooks and now is a sophomore hooper at Illinois. Cecilia Kay, Boston Herald Dream Teamer is a senior at Bishop Fenwick, the fourth ranked team in Mass. 

Coaching. Boston's resident curmudgeon sports writer Dan Shaughnessy profiled Watertown and Coach Eileen Donahue. in November. He called Donahue "the Bill Belichick of Massachusetts field hockey." In reality, Belichick is the Eileen Donahue of the NFL. Donahue's clubs have won 21 State Titles, and generally lead 7-0 at halftime. After that, she doesn't permit her players to shoot, just work on ball control. 

Reality shows that Prep and Private schools recognize local talent to offer programs or competition that local communities cannot. 

Collaboration. Humans thrived through collaboration, with division of labor allowing more productivity. Some communities have major input from varsity coaches with organization, teaching, and 'recruiting' within the community. Get the best athletes into your program and coach them up, you have a better chance at success. Recruiting, developing, and retaining those players separates winners. 

It also occurs within teams in the form of mentoring. Upperclassmen mentor underclassmen. Recent graduates mentor upperclassmen. Less experienced coaches can benefit from mentoring from seasoned coaches. 

Communication. Communication is part of branding. Repeating Spanx CEO Sara Blakely's mantra:
  • Make it. 
  • Sell it. 
  • Build brand awareness. 
Established programs with recognizable brands are easier to sell than startups. Without a well-defined brand, generating enthusiasm is harder. You can sell the culture, the experience, the value added by a coach but at the outset, it may resemble turning an ocean liner around. 

There's also social proof. When people hear about a book, movie, or restaurant, it attracts business. Building an online campaign won't lift a sinking ship but it may help a developing program. 

Your program's website might attract eyeballs and fans which over the long haul help create momentum. 

Technology. "Technology" sounds complex, but it needn't be. Possible components include: 
  • Game video. Doc Rivers recommends showing no more than 13 clips because players lose focus. 
  • Positive video. UNC Soccer Coach Anson Dorrance believes in showing positive plays to reinforce player confidence. 
  • Analytics. Statistics are the many measurables in the game. Analytics 'drill down' on what separates success and failure. Studying raw data helps and examining other factors such as causes of turnovers, consecutive stops, points off turnovers, points in transition, and other data shed light on solutions. 
  • Teaching video is widely available on the Internet. The best players and coaches study the game. 
Lagniappe. Study technique - what worked and what didn't. 
Lagniappe 2. Are there times you remember losing control of emotions as a player or coach? Mindfulness can help. 


 

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