Good teams have systems to create advantage to get Newell’s “more and better shots than opponents.”
Adopt a systematic approach to analyze and diagnose the current state of your team.
What are your players' strengths and weaknesses? Extend the Dr. Fergus Connolly model from "Game Changer."
- Skill
- Strategy (basketball IQ)
- Physicality
- Psychology (resilience)
Where is your offensive advantage?
- Spacing
- Player and ball movement
- Creating the scoring moment (open/quality shots)
Where is your defensive advantage (or limitation)?
- Shrinking space
- Denying penetration (pass or dribble)
- Contesting shots without fouling
- Defensive rebounding
What are your preferred systems?
- Half-court defense
- Pressure defense
- Zone defense
- Multiple defenses
What can you teach?
Each coach has teaching strengths and all players don't have the same basketball aptitude.
How much time do you want to invest in teaching systems versus player development that could translate to any offense?
Miscellaneous
- Distribution of points (e.g. threes, sets, fast break)
- Distribution of shots (embracing plan and roles)
- Role of assistants (e.g. player development, overseeing small-sided games (e.g. 3-on-3 both ends)
- Conditioning within drills
- "Via negativa" - revise drill book, playbook, tactics as improvement occurs
When training young players, spend less time obsessing over skill development and more time building habits.
— Steve Dagostino (@DagsBasketball) June 9, 2026
Skills matter.
But discipline, effort, focus, accountability, resilience, and consistency are what allow those skills to develop over time.
The best youth coaches… pic.twitter.com/gdQFASMLHP
