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Monday, June 10, 2024
Basketball: Broken Clocks and Ten Lessons from Old Coaches (Save and Print)
A broken clock has advantages over old coaches. It's sure to be right twice a day.
Increase our chances by studying great (not always famous) coaches who share valuable ideas.
Here are ten (give or take):
1. Pat Summitt:
Her version of "Four Corners" was putting a trash barrel at each corner for punitive running after learning about players partying. The barrels were to catch vomiting. The "Definite Dozen" are better including, "Put the team first."
2. Geno Auriemma
Coach Auriemma's charges took two laps before practice at Gampel Pavilion. There were no shortcuts as no player 'violated the lines'. "Winners don't cut corners."
3. Pat Riley
Riley experienced success as a player, coach, and GM. Riley discussed the "Disease of ME."
He also has a saying, "Catch people in the act of doing something right." That's great advice in the spirit of Jon Gordon's The Positive Dog.
4. Phil Jackson
Jackson, a practitioner of Zen Philosophy, informs many great quotes.
“The most we can hope for is to create the best possible conditions for success, then let go of the outcome. The ride is a lot more fun that way.” ― Phil Jackson, Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success
He shares a legendary quote, "Basketball is sharing." That's a tough concept for some players to embrace.
Jayson Tatum on what it means to be on a winning team
"Everybody has to sacrifice to be on a great team... No individual stat or accolade can measure up to being on a winning team that's having fun"
Newell's elite teaching benefited us all, from his books such as Basketball Methods and tapes like Big Man Moves. His Cal teams also bested John Wooden's UCLA Bruins eight consecutive times at one point.
These words stand out, "footwork, balance, maneuvering speed."
6. Dean Smith
Coach Smith shared that he never felt that he was a loser, even before his Tarheels won a pair of NCAA Championships. He was known for the original Four Corners, his Passing Game offense, and for integrating the ACC with the help of Charlie Scott.
He believe that UNC was always near the top of ACC shooting percentage by emphasis on shot quality, even using shot quality scoring during some scrimmages (e.g. a layup counted more than a contested perimeter shot).
7. John Wooden
Wooden's ten championships and homespun wisdom left indelible marks on the sport. Everyone knows his Pyramid of Success which plays across domains.
Remember also self-management. "Make every day your masterpiece."
8. Pete Carril.
Carril did more with less at Princeton. He called some players "lightbulbs" because they lit up the court.
Carril understood creating edges. "The quality of the pass relates to the quality of the shot." Don't pass to ankles.
9. Porter Moser
Not as well known as some, Moser understood the value of not fouling as Loyola committed the fewest fouls per game. Kevin Sivils said it another way, "foul for profit."
10. Sonny Lane
My high school coach Ellis "Sonny" Lane transformed a perennial losing team into sectional champions and later a state champion. He couldn't recruit and didn't have any advantages in a hockey town. He preached "the ball is gold", "sacrifice" and "quality shots." He is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame with a coaching record of 276-111, including his first two seasons at 11-29. His protege Mark Plansky was on Rollie Massimino's Villanova club that beat Georgetown in the NCAA title team.
Learn every day from everywhere and everyone.
Lagniappe. Reads for rollers from Billy Donovan.
🏀 Bulls head coach Billy Donovan shares several pro concepts he would use at any level including this breakdown of how they teach rollers to make reads after receiving a pocket pass.
