Regular readers know the power and value of analogies, which capitalize on a broad knowledge base. "Cognitive scientists have confirmed that it's easier to learn new things when you already have an extensive base of knowledge."
Apply rope analogies to basketball.
1. Be like rope - flexible and stronger with individual strands blending together.
2. Teams in a tug-of-war lose when one or more members "Let go of the rope." Remind teammates of the critical commitment to the team and individual teammates.
3. Be versatile like rope. Rope forms bridges, ladders, cargo nets, exercise equipment, barriers.
4. Rope isn't just for safety. Aside from the obvious (hanging, keelhauling, "drawn and quartered"), ropes are implicated in climbing accidents. Climbers connected by rope get pulled to their demise when one falls inciting a cascade of falls (source: Deep Survival). Less obvious, I went eight-for-nine in a high school game where the lone miss hit a climbing rope hanging from the ceiling.
5. Coaches often "give players some rope" (leeway) in performance, hoping that they don't end up hanging themselves with mistakes.
6. Stay connected. Benjamin Franklin during the Revolutionary War said, "We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly, we shall all hang separately."
7. Training organization (skill, strategy, physicality, psychology) heavy ropes have strength and conditioning value. Battle ropes are just one more workout choice.
Lagniappe. A coach shares his observation and solutions for player struggles during AAU play.
Lagniappe 2. Coach Lynch suggests DDM starts.I’ve coached 80 AAU games (15-17U) this spring. Here are 4 main observations + solutions ⬇️
— Justin Lovvorn (@justinlovvorn) May 18, 2024
1) Transition Turnovers
Most players struggle to make the right read or simply get the ball on time, on target to a teammate ahead of them in transition.
2) Poor Decision Making in…
Core Four DDM Starts
— Michael Lynch (@CoachLynch_21) May 18, 2024
The "Core Four" are the four ways I train our players to start any given possession.
The player with the ball essentially has the option to do one of the following:
- Slot Drive
- Blur Screen
- Wave
- Slot to Wing DHO pic.twitter.com/Xc12ZbFc9q
