Next steps

First of all, Happy New Year to all of you that read this ongoing blog, attend COBA camps, make an annual trip to the Can-Am coaches clinic, as well as support our team.

At an average of one blog entry every two days, this has certainly been an active year of sharing and growth. As coaches do with their teams, we are focussed on the journey of this blog, not just making it a destination. With that in mind, we welcome your feedback. If you have enjoyed it, let us know (cobacamp@hotmail.com). If you have questions, thoughts, or suggestions then please do share a quick email.

As we look ahead to 2011, this blog will continue to evolve. COBA player development camps will grow to meet new challenges and demands (look for updates very soon). The Can-Am On-Court Basketball Coaching Clinic (June 3-4) will once again provide coaches and players with superior value - announcements confirming speakers will be forthcoming. True learning develops through teaching.

Stats to support coaches

Enter any gym and watch a practice. You will see and hear points of coaching emphasis. That emphasis often relates to defending, rebounding, protecting the ball, etc. - all are stats that are then measured within games. That said, a quick look at some stats (thanks to Minnesota Duluth Newsletter) from the 2010 NCAA basketball tourney proves the points that many coaches make to their players. The 64 games (that took place this past tournament) provided the following results:

• 52 winners had higher FG percentages
• 42 winners had more rebounds
• 44 winners committed fewer fouls
• 45 winners attempted more free throws
• 42 winners shot a better free throw percentage
• 40 winners had higher 3 point shooting percentage
• 33 winners had fewer turnovers (given there were 7 ties, stat is 33 of 57)
  

A different type of adversity

Coaches and teams have to deal with many types of adversity. Previously, we have discussed such topics as travel and weather delays, changes in schedule, strange gyms, etc. The following clip illustrates a type of adversity that some coaches and teams may have never faced. Watch, as an annual tradition called "Silent Night" plays out at Taylor University. As coaches, our responsibility is to make sure that we would have our teams prepared for such an event so as to minimize its impact. Thanks to Taylor Athletics for their clip and story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csjydRx750k&feature=player_embedded

Video Breakdown

Happy Holidays everyone. As always, we try to only share the relevant and interesting, so here is an in-depth article on how the University of Vermont men's basketball coaching staff breaks down video and uses it for specific opponent game preparation. Most university programs do this in a similar way.

Some of the key thoughts:
- Digestible individualized instructions for each player and the team is the goal
- Even with technology it takes considerable time to prepare a scout
- Most programs outside of D1 and some top level D2/D3/NAIA don't have the resources to have 3-4 assistants and video coordinators to help with the process so it all falls on the 1 or 2 full-time coaches
- “You have to walk that line with how much information you give them, how much they’ll digest,” Becker said. “You don’t want them over-thinking.”
- No matter how much time we put in as coaches, the key is to get your players to buy in to its value

Check out the whole article here UVM basketball coaches break down preparation process

Teaching by asking questions

One of the greatest aspects of coaching is discovering the unselfishness of other coaches. So many are willing to share, and that is a powerful dynamic. This morning, Coach Greg Brown (Assoc. HC, Univ. of Central Florida Women's BBall) shared a passage from William Safire's Lend Me Your Ears (available on Amazon.com) and it bears repeating in this blog. In previous posts, we have highlighted Socratic teaching methods, asking questions to facilitate learning. William Safire's paragraph is a perfect illustration.

"The greatest teacher makes a few simple points. The powerful teacher leaves one or two fundamental truths. And the memorable makes the point not by telling, but by helping the students discover on their own. Learning takes place through discovery, not when you are told something, but when you figure it out for yourself. All a really fine teacher does is to make suggestions, point out problems, above all, ask questions, and more questions and more questions......teaching encourages not only discovery but initiative."