Warming up - practices and games

Taking time to evaluate your program is essential. The obvious time for most coaches to do so is in the off-season. The spring and summer months are great for attending clinics (such as Can-Am), going to camps (like COBA), as well as for reflection. However, in-season evaluation should be an ongoing process. Ask yourself if you are happy with each and every aspect of your team. What can be improved? It is never too late to mix in some changes.

One example is your team's warm up routine. Are you happy with it? Are they getting ready to perform at their expected level and demonstrating great energy, or are they simply going through their usual routine? Why not freshen it up? When Coach Dave Arseneault of Grinnell College shared with attending coaches at a recent Can-Am coaching clinic, he outlined his warm up expectations. Every practice, his team must impress him with a warm up routine when they sprint in to the gym - it needs to be fresh, loud, creative, and show plenty of energy. If it does not have the right spirit then his team must head back out the door and try again - obviously, they begin every practice awake and ready to get to work.

How about games? Is your team ready to play? Are they properly warmed up and energized? With thanks to Alan Stein of StrongerTeam.com, if you watch the clips that follow, you may see a few moves that you want your team to coordinate into it's warm ups (games and practices). Alan is an excellent teacher, shares willingly, and has posted great clips of both Maryland and Duke warming up for games. Enjoy:

Duke - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOwSUEvm1Bk&feature=related

Maryland -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UosNG9aVMXk&feature=youtu.be&a

Individual work with a coach - why?

So much of a coach's responsibility is team-oriented. However, there is much to be gained (toward team goals) by working individually with players. When coaches work one-on-one with a player, they:

• develop a deeper trust
• strengthen that relationship
• show an interest and make an investment in them (as a person)
• can then push them harder in team practices
• generate goodwill that can (hopefully) be counted upon later in the season
• promote the individual responsibility aspect of improvement
  

Philosophy - tools for a coach

In the ongoing development of their program's philosophy, many coaches are looking for tools that will help them emphasize certain aspects - both during the season as well as in the quieter times. With that in mind, give some thought to:

• in practice, if there are two consecutive turnovers then there should be some sort of consequence for that poor action
• no matter your style of play, and no matter how many players you want to play, the season reaches a point when you must know your top eight players and not be afraid to shorten your bench
• TEAM IS EVERYTHING - anybody that complains about another person behind their back is NOT on board (they are a drain when they need to be a fountain)
• support each other - we ALL need help
• when running scrimmages in practice, remove one ball from the available pile after every turnover - when all of the balls are gone, there should be a consequence
• recognize that not everyone is coached the same way - players need to earn the right to make mistakes (hence, each will play with a shorter or longer leash) - overall, this will help with team success both on and off the court
  

Ideas and expectations for my Assistant Coaches

Philosophy

• get to know the players – coaching is all about relationships
• challenge me and ask questions
• don’t be a locker room lawyer – players complain to me
• nothing is told to you in confidence by a player – player must understand that
• everything WE talk about is in confidence
• absolutely no drinking or partying with the players
• no cell phones at practice, games, meetings, etc.
  

Practices

• breakdown drills – most will be mass taught
• during team drills, take a responsibility – defense, offense, rebound – EVERY MISSED BOX-OUT/T-UP SHOULD BE POINTED OUT
• coach/teach/communicate
  

Games

• check the scorebook
• contact news media with game results
• pick up videotape/statistics on the road and at home
• keep me informed about fouls, shot clock, time and score
• offer suggestions
• coach players when they come off the floor
• MAKE SURE I ACKNOWLEDGE IMPORTANT INFO