Elbow Shooting Drill

This is the week. Finally the Can-Am Coaching clinic is here. Registration is open all week. Hope to see you there.

Here is another play from our library of Can-Am Coaching Clinic footage. University of Florida assistant coach, Larry Shyatt, shows you how to run an elbow shooting drill. Shyatt adds some twists to the traditional drill to make it more competitive and game-like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_H7MPClvw4&feature=related

Playing big in BIG games

Interesting that, beyond all the game planning, matching up, special sets, and other details, games are often decided by a commitment to fundamentals. When coaches talk about players playing big in big games (more importantly playing big LATE in big games), they don't usually use the word 'fundamentals' but they certainly know it is implied.

Take Game 5 of the current NBA Western Conference final - it is a perfect example in many ways. An LA player, instead of doing the fundamentally proper move of using up some shot clock after getting another chance on offense (when up 3), puts up an ill-advised hurried 3 point attempt. Enter the mental side of the game. Need to always be thinking 'time and score' - of which that player was reminded by fans, teammates, and coaches alike. A missed box out allowed Phoenix a 3 point attempt, which they then made. Tie game under 4 seconds to go.

Finally, a sideline inbound that was obviously going to LA's hot shooter. Defensive focus was on that player. Shot goes up, but falls short. Fundamentals now play the role. Instead of finding LA players and making contact with them (hit and sit with a solid box out), the defenders are slow to the ball - focussed only on the ball. As is often the case, the aggressive weakside offensive rebounder (who sees the entire play in front of him, as well as the adjustment of the defense) charges to the ball and beats the defender. No contact was made, offensive rebound, put back off glass, clock expires, game over, two point loss. In just two seconds, a potential series lead turns into a deficit - all because of fundamentals.

End result is that a player (who mentally could have lost focus) erases the recent poor decision play from his mind, plays in the moment, uses proper fundamentals, makes a play, and changes a series. Kobe Bryant said it best. "It comes down to just fundamental things," Bryant said. "They knocked down a 3-pointer because we didn't box out. They wind up losing the game because they didn't box out. It's just the little things like that that are the difference between winning big playoff games and losing them."

Coaches are ready to teach

Final preparations for the Can-Am On-Court Basketball Coaching Clinic have been completed. One week from today, the fun begins - Friday June 4th at 5pm. To say the three clinicians - coaches Dave Odom, Don Casey, Greg Kampe - are ready to go is an understatement. They are pumped, and looking forward to sharing as much as possible.

Imagine how keen Coach Don Casey (Temple of Zones) is right now! He's watching Phoenix cause LA all sorts of difficulty because they are playing great zone D. As Coach Casey said yesterday, "the stars are aligned" perfectly, it's a great time to teach concepts and principles of zone defense. He went on to say that "regardless of the outcome of the series, Phoenix has shown that zone defense should be part of the defensive package for all teams."

Clinic attendance is growing daily. Coaches are signing up with friends and saving money. If you plan to attend, go to the clinic site to see details, and get the form. Given the timing, please just bring your form and payment with you but email cobacamp@hotmail.com so that your name is on the advance list (for prizes, free lunch, etc). Looking forward to seeing you!

Dribble Loop Play

Here is another play from our library of Can-Am Coaching Clinic footage. Head Coach of the University of Toronto, Mike Katz, shows you how to run the dribble loop play. Katz's teams are exceptionally well organized and efficient in their execution of their offensive sets and this play demonstrates many different scoring options.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StoFnAnVTRA

Schedule for coaching clinic

With the Can-Am On-Court Basketball Coaching Clinic (June 4-5) set to begin one week from Friday, the schedule has been confirmed as the following:

Friday evening - Kampe, Casey, Odom
Friday night - coaches' social
Saturday morning - Odom, Casey
Saturday lunch - free, provided on-site
Saturday afternoon - Oliver, Casey

The clinic begins at 5pm on Friday June 4th at the St. Denis Centre on the campus of the University of Windsor. Registration tables will be set up in order to confirm attendance and receive last minute registrations. The coaches' social will likely begin 30 minutes after the final Friday evening session concludes.

It's not too late to register and experience all that Coaches Dave Odom, Don Casey, and Greg Kampe have to offer. Email Coach Oliver at cobacamp@hotmail.com if you're planning to register at the door. For clinic information and a registration form simply go to the cobacamp.com site. See you in 9 days!

Coaching Clinic 10 days away

Registration for the Can-Am On-Court Basketball Coaching Clinic continues to build on a daily basis. The clinic begins at 5pm on Friday June 4th - just 10 days to go! If you're planning to attend, it's best that you bring your registration form and payment to the clinic as opposed to mailing it. However, please email cobacamp@hotmail.com so that the numbers are known for our coaches social plus free lunch on Saturday.

Watch the blog and the Can-Am facebook page for the complete clinic schedule that will be released later this week. Coaches Dave Odom, Don Casey, and Greg Kampe are all keen to share and meet with the attending coaches. Limited Saturday only registrations are available - simply email cobacamp@hotmail.com and advise that you're coming Saturday (and you'll receive a reduced rate). Bring a friend, bring a pen and notebook, and bring an open mind - the learning is going to be incredible!

Ball Tough Drill

Happy to be posting our 100th post for the COBA Coaching Development Blog. Would love to hear any feedback about our posts and any requests for specific info. Please send me any feedback at our Can-Am Coaching Clinic facebook page, my twitter page Chris_Oliver or email us at cobacamp@hotmail.com. We want to help you with your coaching development needs so please don't hesitate to contact us.

In honor of our 100th post here is a video from a past Newmarket Coaching Clinic. The drill is one we use at our COBA camps and individual workouts to develop proper ball toughness, pivoting skills and general toughness/competitiveness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHIhdGqvleE

Playoff strategies - apply them all season

On March 16th, thoughts were provided regarding tournament strategies and how they should really be applied all season. The same can be said of the NBA playoffs. The lessons and messages from the coaches of the four semi-final teams have likely been stressed repeatedly. Even though the playoffs seem to provide the bigger spotlight and microscope, if the concepts below aren't addressed in the regular season then a team will not even make the playoffs. Some recent quotes to ponder:

• "Most disappointing to me was I didn't have our team better ready to play," (Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy)
• "It's my job. I'm the coach of this team. It starts with me and I'm not happy with where we had our team tonight or anything I did." (Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy)
• "He's leading the team. He's playing with great focus. He's giving an amazing effort, never giving up on any possession." (Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers commenting on the play of his point guard, Rajon Rondo)
• "We've found a number of ways to score." (Lakers coach Phil Jackson commenting on his team's unselfishness and every player being involved)
• "Every time we tried to make an adjustment to slow them down.......they go somewhere else" (Suns coach Alvin Gentry regarding the Lakers having many players that attack, the sharing of the ball, and the subsequent difficulty to defend)
• "It was a defensive game, and we like those.......everyone is healthy, everyone's listening, and everyone's buying into our defensive schemes." (Celtics coach Doc Rivers)
• "As a coach you try to look at situations and try to put them in the best positions to see if they can execute and do some things that would help us defensively. Didn’t work, so we’ll try something else." (Suns coach Alvin Gentry on defensive game-planning, using his defenders, trying to exploit a team's weakness)
  

Quotes - leadership

Plenty of discussion usually takes place when somebody says "that player deserves to be the captain of the team, they are a true leader." If you find yourself in one of those discussions, step up and be Socrates - ask the pertinent questions of "what is leadership" and "what makes a good leader?" Some thought-provoking quotes concerning leadership:

• "Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it." (Dwight D. Eisenhower)
• "As a leader, you should always start with where people ARE before you try to take them to where you want them to GO." (Jim Rohn)
• "Leaders make decisions that create the future they desire." (Mike Murdock)
• "The ability to summon positive emotions during periods of intense stress lies at the heart of effective leadership." (Jim Loehr)
• "To be able to lead others, you must be willing to go forward alone." (Harry Truman)
• "The best example of leadership is leadership by example." (Jerry McClain)
• "I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, NOT more followers." (Ralph Nader)
• "No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it." (Andrew Carnegie)
  

Coaching clinic in 15 days

Two weeks tomorrow. That is when three terrific presenters will be sharing their knowledge with attending coaches at the annual Can-Am On-Court Basketball Coaching Clinic. Coaches Dave Odom, Don Casey, and Greg Kampe have announced their respective topics and are keen to get out on the court and work hard for you June 4th and 5th.

Attendance is growing every day, mostly by word of mouth - special thanks to all those spreading the news! The coaches' social is set for the Friday night and is all organized. The host hotel has reserved many rooms for visiting coaches but only has a few remaining at the great low clinic rate. Lunch on Saturday has been ordered. The draw prizes (happening all weekend) have been boxed and are ready to be awarded.

A few coaches have indicated that they are only able to attend on Saturday. Not a problem - there's an even lower rate for just one day. Contact Coach Oliver for the rate and he'll make sure you are on the registration list. The learning will be tremendous, and the sharing even greater - don't miss this great opportunity!

Clinic notes - Renato Pasquali part 4

Another entry in the continuing series of notes from a recent clinic featuring Renato Pasquali, hosted by Ontario Basketball, facilitated by Mike MacKay of Canada Basketball. More thoughts from Coach Pasquali:

• "tactical" coaches teach game to game, teach different matchups, apply teaching to a certain player in that game on that day
• "fundamental" coaches teach longterm, teach HOW to play, apply teaching to every situation in every game
• coaches need to ask themselves the question "What kind of coach am I?"
• if your team can effectively defend screen/roll action and defend post then 70% of defensive teaching is done
• in order to know effectiveness of screen/roll defense and defending of post entries, these actions and stats need to be charted (otherwise how do you know) - use your assistants!
• "Two Dribble Rule" - don't allow the ballhandler more than two dribbles, force a pickup with strong defense otherwise shot could open up or ball could drive to the rim
• overall defensive goal should be to have the offense play in areas of discomfort (if they like to enter with a wing pass then deny that wing and force a catch well beyond the 3 point line)
• make the offense work hard, no easy catches, they must have to move in order to catch
  

The Playoffs Boil Down to One Thing: Urgency

Great story about coaching and how, often, it isn't about X's and O's. The Sports Guy argues that Lebron and the Cavs lacked an urgency that is necessary for playoff success. The cool part of the story is how Pat Riley got the 2006 Miami Heat focused on that necessary urgency which I have included below.

From Bill Simmons, ESPN.COM

I once heard a great story about Game 6 of the 2006 Finals, when Miami was trying to clinch the title in Dallas, from someone who has seen the unedited footage of Miami's huddles in the second-half timeouts. Pat Riley basically stopped coaching. Threw out his X's and O's. Quit giving advice. Stopped drawing up plays.

So what did he do? He screamed at his guys like a boxing trainer. You're tougher than them! YOU'RE TOUGHER THAN THEM! Don't let up! They are ready to quit! They are ready to fold! Keep attacking them! Keep getting to the rim! Keep knocking their asses down! No layups! No dunks! Stay together! YOU ARE TOUGHER THAN THEM! YOU ARE TOUGHER THAN THEM! That's what he did for the entire second half. Eventually, his players believed him.

You can find the whole article here about Lebron James and the Cavs playoff exit: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100514&sportCat=nba

Gregg Popovich - emphasis in drills

Coach Popovich pays great attention to detail and places emphasis on doing the right things the right way. If he is listed as a presenter at a clinic, that clinic is definitely worth attending. Who knows, maybe he'll be a headline coach at a Can-Am Basketball clinic (next one is June 4-5) in years to come? On the topic of drills, Coach emphasizes:

• be strong on the fundamentals of the game (footwork, hands, body positioning)
• work on being perfect before fast - do it properly, then be quick enough to be uncomfortable
• drills need to provide enough of a challenge for your team that your leaders will rise up and talk, lead, get others doing properly
• want adversity, want players to have to think and talk
• give a change command to the next group in the drill but only give just enough time that they have to communicate and organize quickly
• transition within a drill or between drills should be done without delay, want chaos
• if a group is playing too slow or not correctly then give a point to the other team and boot the poor performers out of the drill
• look to test mental strength of players, important to know who gives up too early, who battles to the end
  

Alvin Gentry Article

Good article on Phoenix Suns Head Coach Alvin Gentry on the coaching journey and what it takes to be successful (Courtesy BA Turner/LA Times)

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-suns-alvin-gentry-20100515,0,6766355.story

Here are some key ideas from the article:
- "Coaching is all about human relations." How do you manage players? How do you relate to them?
- Gentry's father taught him a way of life he still follows today - "Treat others with respect, son. Work hard, son. Have character, son. Be accountable, son."
- Message to his team 'Do you want to be coached and do you want to be held accountable? If you do, then I'll do that. That's what my job is. But then don't get upset at me if you're not doing what you're supposed to do and I jump you, because I am going to jump you.

Gold Standards for Team USA Basketball

TEAM USA – GOLD STANDARDS
(Developed by the players)
1. No Excuses
a. We have what it takes to win
2. Great Defense
a. This is the key to winning the gold
b. We do the dirty work
3. Communication
a. We look each other in the eye
b. We tell each other the truth
4. Trust
a. We believe in each other
5. Collective Responsibility
a. We are committed to each other
b. We win together
6. Care
a. We have each other’s backs
b. We give aid to a teammate
7. Respect
a. We respect each other and our opponents
b. We’re always on time
c. We’re always prepared
8. Intelligence
a. We take good shots
b. We’re aware of team fouls
c. We know the scouting report
9. Poise
a. We show no weaknesses
10. Flexibility
a. We can handle any situation
b. We don’t complain
11. Unselfishness
a. We’re connected
b. We make the extra pass
c. Our value is not measured in playing time
12. Aggressiveness
a. We play hard every possession
13. Enthusiasm
a. This is fun
14. Performance
a. We’re hungry
b. We have no bad practices
15. Pride
a. We are the best team in the world and we represent the best country

Clinic topics confirmed - Coach Odom

Coach Dave Odom, joining with coaches Don Casey and Greg Kampe, has confirmed his topics for the upcoming Can-Am On-Court Basketball Coaching Clinic. The clinic begins three weeks from today and runs over two days - June 4th and 5th. For info, go to the clinic link at cobacamp.com.

Coach Odom will begin his three sessions by devoting two of them to the defensive side of the ball with a focus on setting your defense inside of 3. His third teaching component will focus on the offensive end of the court with an emphasis on BLOB, SLOB, late shot clock, late game clock, quick hitters, etc.

Make plans to join all three excellent presenters in Windsor in early June. For the clinic brochure or further details on the weekend, go to cobacamp.com. There are reduced rates for bringing friends, and they'll thank you for taking them to the coaches social on Friday evening!

Clinic notes - Renato Pasquali part 3

Some more concepts from a recent Renato Pasquali clinic hosted by Ontario Basketball, facilitated with the help of Mike MacKay from Canada Basketball. if you're looking for an upcoming clinic, the Can-Am is only three weeks away - runs June 4th-5th, features Dave Odom, Don Casey, and Greg Kampe.

• when learning, players understand 80% what they SEE, 20% what they HEAR
• coaches must incorporate different ways of learning into their teaching
• more than ever, need to get the attention of today's player, there are many distractions and players are learning in small sound bites due to shorter attention spans (adapt!)
• whole/part/whole - teach players in 5 on 5 setting to show (especially young players) how the game should look, then develop individual skills, then put back together 5 on 5
• do not coach in negatives (i.e. "don't shoot that way"), use positives with constructive feedback (i.e. "that shot had good arc but try holding the ball the way a waiter holds a tray of food")
• always strive for greater offensive effectiveness, fewer turnovers (better passing decisions), and higher FG and 3 point percentages (better shot selection)
• at all levels, coaches need to plan in a way that makes their players want to come to the gym (players need to be self-motivated but coaches can help that concept)
  

Quotes

Many successful coaches use quotes to emphasize a point, inspire, motivate, focus, or pick up their teams. Some coaches post a daily quote on their board or practice plan. If using a quote, coaches need to ensure they pay proper respect to it's author. Some popular quotes are:

• "Choose to be a fountain, not a drain. A fountain is a giver, a drain is the opposite" (Mike Trapasso, University of Hawaii)
• "The greatest difficulty with the world is not it's ability to produce but rather the unwillingness to share - promote sharing" (unknown)
• "You may forget how you behaved when the going got tough, but others won't forget" (Mark Burnett)
• "Only those who can see the invisible can do the impossible" (Frank Gaines)
• "A life is not important except for the impact it has on other lives" (Jackie Robinson)
• "It's surprising how much you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit" (Abraham Lincoln)
• "If you want to go fast then go alone. If you want to go far then go with others" (Dale Brown)
• "Don't settle for style. Succeed in substance" (Wynton Marsalis)
  

Clinic announcement - Casey topics

Another exciting day as the momentum builds towards this year's Can-Am On-Court Basketball Coaching Clinic! Coach Don Casey has confirmed his clinic topics for the June 4th-5th weekend in Windsor. Over his three sessions, Coach Casey will progressively build the foundation for his Temple of Zones.

Not only does Coach Casey have tremendous knowledge of his topic for the upcoming Can-Am clinic, he has an overwhelming passion for sharing that knowledge. All coaches in attendance will benefit greatly - make sure you are there to hear it all. Coach Casey joins Dave Odom and Greg Kampe at the Can-Am clinic in just over three weeks. Registration is growing daily and space is still available. Go to www.cobacamp.com/coaches clinic.php for details.

Greg Kampe: Oakland University Topics Announced

Clinician Greg Kampe, Head Coach Oakland University Men's Basketball
Topics Announced for 2010 Can-Am Coaching Clinic - Two topics on half-court offense
1. Incorporating Concepts from Dribble Drive Offense
2. Set Plays

Article on Greg Kampe and his success and love for coaching at Oakland - Oakland basketball coach Greg Kampe finds dream job, Detroit News
http://detnews.com/article/20100318/SPORTS0203/3180347/Oakland-basketball-coach-Greg-Kampe-finds-dream-job#ixzz0nX1AZ2zK

Geno Auriemma notes on defense

Coach Auriemma has enjoyed success at the Division I level of NCAA women's basketball. While his teams have certainly been able to score the ball, defense has been a cornerstone of UConn basketball. Some thoughts on defense from Coach Auriemma:

• you can tell a lot about players by letting them play one-on-one in a drill
• a tough defender is never afraid to put their opponent on the floor (from aggressive D)
  
• defending 1-on-1, you will be shown how much emphasis a defender places on stopping people
• offensively 1-on-1, you will see how important it is for any player to get to the rim
• great defenders take personal pride in stopping scorers and attackers
• championship calibre teams take tremendous pride in playing great overall team D
• defensive competitiveness has to be drilled and grown each day in practice
• one of coach's toughest decisions is how team defends a screen and roll
• if defense works hard to get the ball to one side of the floor then they need to work even harder to keep it there and NOT ALLOW REVERSAL (the key to their supportive weakside help D)
  

Coach Kampe coming to Can-Am

Coach Greg Kampe of Oakland University is the most recent addition to the roster of Can-Am On-Court Basketball Coaching Clinic presenters. The clinic is just over four weeks away (June 4th-5th), with the first speaker set to grab the microphone at 5pm on the Friday night.

This spring, as the team prepared for yet another trip to the NCAA tourney, an informative article regarding Coach Kampe and the Oakland program was written by Tom Markowski of The Detroit News. In it, Tom outlines the vision and dedication of Coach Kampe, as well as a funny story about Oakland's first trip to the NCAA's in 2005. Sign up for the clinic and see Coach Kampe work his craft in person.

Coming soon - coaches clinic

In just less than five weeks, the Can-Am On-Court Coaching Clinic will be hosting three tremendous guest speakers - Dave Odom, Don Casey, and Greg Kampe. The three presenters will be covering basketball from many different perspectives, on both sides of the ball, providing terrific insight on a wide range of topics. This clinic is a "must see" especially when you consider the content, the depth of presenter experience, the interactive format, plus the coaches' networking social on the first evening.

Coach Don Casey writes a blog and it is worth bookmarking and reading with regularity. He tries to post something weekly, the material is always well-written and full of valuable insight into the game - both at home and internationally. To read Coach Casey's Temple of Zones blog, go to http://templeofzones.blogspot.com/. To see Coach Casey in action at the upcoming (June 4-5) Can-Am Clinic, go to http://www.cobacamp.com/coaches%20clinic.php and register by downloading the form. Bring plenty of paper - you'll need it for all of your notes!