Program Foundations - Don Meyer

Anytime that Coach Don Meyer speaks at a clinic, he leaves quite an impression. That can certainly be said of his visit to the Can-Am On-Court Basketball Coaching Clinic two summers ago. Coach Meyer, beyond many pearls of basketball wisdom, laid out some of the foundation upon which he has built his basketball team programs over the years.

• everybody takes notes (players are expected to have their notebooks with them at all times)
• everybody is polite (not just around the gym, but in every situation)
• everybody picks up trash (a very humbling gesture, applies to wherever the players are)
• TEAMS - Tough, Effort, Attitude, Motives, Serve others
• players need to have an "other" focus - make other people important, find out what matters to them (that leads to personal growth)
• when passing a water fountain, players must take a drink (proper hydration is so important)
• use the Socratic method with players - ask them questions, encourage thinking, engage their brains (don't simply provide easy route of giving answers)
• play, coach, or officiate - players need to choose one, can't do two or three