Creativity in the off-season

To achieve different or better results, the same actions can't be taken. We've all heard the famous quote about insanity. All too often, coaches don't take advantage of their off-season in order to be creative with new approaches in the next season. To challenge yourself and change the way you see things, consider trying the following:

• read a different style of book (i.e. not just bball drills, but an adventure mystery when you would normally read a biography)
• try puzzles - word search, crossword, sudoku, brain teasers
• go to a practice or game and close your eyes for a short while and just listen to the game - what do you hear?
• watch a practice or game with the sound off - what do you focus on? how does the experience help you view the game differently?
• as a coach you are supposed to be a model and example - ask if that is how you lead and actually live when it comes to health, nutrition, exercise - what do people see?
• watch another sport (i.e. recently soccer on the world stage or football), pay attention to what works in that sport that will help your team (emphasis on footwork, spacing, fakes, etc) - reinforce/apply the lessons to bball