Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Basketball: Lessons from "Alone"


Learn from every possible source. The History Channel survival reality show "Alone" shares numerous possibilities. Identify some cross-platform lessons to help us survive as coaches. 

1) Mistakes can take us out. Contestants 'tap out' after "black swan" events like "slip and fall" accidents or self-injury with sharp objects like knives, axes, or arrows. Failure to optimize court conditions (e.g. cleaning the floor) can cost us players, too. 

2) Respect the competition. All the competitors have toughness, strengths, and weaknesses. Presuming that we are somehow inherently superior is both folly and arrogance. Not only that, "Alone" contestants compete first against nature. 

3) Build our skill sets. Contestants are highly skilled. Through time we benefit by learning about skill development, game strategies, physical training and recovery, nutrition, psychology, and more. We can't know everything but we can always improve. 

4) Don't make assumptions. Contestants feel fatigue and presume they're tired from overwork or hunger. Fatigue, not thirst, is the first sign of dehydration. Don't overlook hydration during practice and recovery. 

5) Make good equipment decisions. 100% of winners on "Alone" have brought a ferro (composite) rod for fire starting. What's the basketball equivalent of a ferro rod? It's probably scrimmaging, possibly with advantage/disadvantage. 


6) "Survival mind." What is the most important survival tool? It's our mind. Alone contestants have to solve problems of safety, food acquisition, and storage in man ways. Coaches and teams have to solve in-game problems including self-induced ones. 

7) Stay focused. Find multiple ways to score "points." On "Alone" players forage, hunt (snares, deadfalls, bow and arrow), and fish (lines, set lines, gill nets, fish traps). Individual players need "four ways to score" and teams need to find ways to score at multiple levels and against multiple styles of defense. 

8) "Get past hard." Contestants have to overcome cold, hunger, fear (predators), injuries, loneliness, and more. Basketball has obstacles with strength and conditioning needs, individual and team development needs, sport-specific IQ, and resilience.  

9) Hunter and hunted. What's our mindset? Are we aggressive, confident, and determined or passive and timid? Winning requires both skillset and mindset. 

10) One big difference. The obvious and hidden challenge on "Alone" is isolation. Teams present the major difference - selfishness versus teamwork, dysfunction versus harmony. 

Lagniappe. Think "teach" first. 

Lagniappe 2. With young players, the more actions and passes, the bigger the chance of turnovers.  

Lagniappe 3. Coach Collins's don'ts.  

at