As a basketball coach and a teacher, I endeavour to focus on the big picture. Did the team win? Did individual players improve? Did students achieve the overall expectations for the course? When all is said and done, did we meet our mastery and performance oriented goals? Throughout our studies, we create theories to make things easier. Why continually reinvent the wheel when there is a perfectly good drill to develop the skills required or a practical classroom routine to facilitate student learning? But we should be mindful not to become dogmatic. Suboptimal scenarios include Master Practice Plans which eliminate …
The Dangers of Coaching, Part I: Teaching a Motion Offence
Introducing a motion offence provides many benefits to a basketball team. Offensive efficiency relies primarily on precise execution of individual skills and team systems and it is easier to master a small number of concepts than a wide array of plays. Instead of memorizing a pattern for every possible defence, players apply the same principles and take advantage of opportunities as they arise. Individual abilities are free to shine and the entire exercise will improve performance under pressure. However, coaches must be mindful of a number of issues while instructing such an organic system. Above all, it requires the support …
What is Defensse?
Defense is possessions. Every possession is a battle and good defenders win every possible battle. Contesting a shot, tipping a pass, stripping a ballhandler, bumping a cutter, hitting the floor, and boxing out comprise the countless battles which occur during a game in order to secure possession of the ball. Good defense equates to fewer possessions for the opponents and less points on the scoreboard. If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to fight for the ball every play like it’s the last one of the game, you can become a good defender. Defense is pressure. Great …
Cito Gaston
Cito Gaston managed his last home game as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday, a 8-4 victory over the New York Yankees. Praised and criticized throughout his tenure, Gaston remained true to his low-key nature and flourished. Over the years, basketball coaches have become much more active, no longer sitting on the bench but walking the sideline and calling plays. Much like this action is often confused with effectiveness, Gaston’s laid-back attitude was frequently mistaken for a combination of meekness and ignorance. The calm persona was paired with exceptional discretion, making him an excellent manager for all sorts of …
Star Trek Leadership, Part II: The Wisdom of Captain Picard
College coaches may send envelopes full of money via Emery Worldwide, professional coaches may be found guilty of sexual harassment forcing their organization to pay $11.5 million in damages, and international coaches may enter a non-disabled team in the Special Olympics but one person can always be relied upon for his leadership is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S. Enterprise. During a recently rerun episode of The Next Generation, Chief Engineer La Forge and Commander Riker submitted and unsatisfactory performance review for Lieutenant Barclay to Picard. The captain ordered the pair to reconsider their evaluation of the socially awkward lieutenant. It was …
Blame the Coach
Blame the coach. If it’s not directly the coach’s fault, they likely could have prevented it by exercising more team control. In the short-term, it may be the responsibility of individual players but in the long-term, the burden falls out the coach’s shoulders. Whether it is minor issue like high school players who come late to class after practice or serious case such as professional teams that blow 3-0 series leads, the root cause is usually something that the coach could have resolved. Likewise, give the coaches credit when credit is due. José Mourinho proved to be an expert coach …
Communication between Athletes and Coaches
Players are people. People should think because intelligent thinking optimizes performances. Therefore, players should think. Young players are new to the game. They encounter multiple situations for the first time with which they must learn to cope. They must process what is happening is on the court, place it into context, and select a course of action. For inexperienced players, coaches are the primary source of cues on how to interpret information and make a good decision. Sport is a vehicle to teach life skills, including how to make decisions under pressure. Basketball is inherently stressful – physical and mental …
Coaching the Players on the Team
ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentaries have been very intriguing. Some of have covered famous events, others have brought intriguing issues to light. Directed by Billy Corben, The U covers the rise and fall of the Miami Hurricanes football program in the 1980s. To me, the Miami Hurricanes program is interesting because of how a small academic school in Coral Gables won four national titles during a span of twelve years. The University of Miami had flirted with the idea of becoming “The Harvard of the South” but decided to place greater emphasis on football as the 1970s came to a close. …
Don’t Break Clipboards
Try not to smash clipboards on your knee (or the floor) while coaching. It is dangerous: Clipboards can shatter and cut somebody. It would be unfortunate to cut a player (literally) with a jagged edge. If you slash bespoke slacks, you need to order a new suit, irrespective of the condition of the jacket. It displays emotion: Firstly, treat the underlying emotion, then the technical problem. I have smashed a clipboard and it badly disturbed players. Rather than “firing the team up”, it increased their anxiety and decreased execution down the stretch. Players may be nervous about the outcome of …
Star Trek Leadership, Part I: Humans and Klingons
When Commander Riker volunteered to serve aboard the Klingon vessel “Pagh”, he encountered several challenges as he adapted to the new environment. Star Trek frequently used a utopian vision of the future to show how humans can better interact the episode “A Matter of Honor” is no exception. As a participant in the Officer Exchange Program, William Riker enters a new culture and must judge when he must adapt and when he must stand for his convictions, as a Benzite named Mendon does likewise as the Enterprise’s science officer. At first, he displays a tough exterior to his new shipmates …
1993 Is a Long Time Ago
The Toronto Blue Jays organization is certainly a wicked problem to which there is no clear solution. The problem has many symptoms: inconsistent performance, poor performance under pressure, and high rates of injury. Rumours suggest that some workout habits that leave a lot to be desired. On-field results appear to have impacted the balance sheet and the team suffers from low attendance and a budget where revenues hardly approach expenses. This all stemmed of a leadership failure, endemic throughout the entire chain of command. Perhaps the best case scenario for the team was a .500 season, but the Blue Jays …
What I Learned this Summer, Part II
This was probably the area where it is most difficult to evaluate my progress. Largely because I have not had any specific feedback from students about my lesson plans. I enrolled in a OISE/UT Additional Qualifications course and was able to communicate and exchange ideas with a plethora of business teachers facing similar concerns. Consequently, I have a much better idea of what I teach, why I teach, who I teach, and how I should teach. Even if I forget the entire Business Studies component of this course, I will remember to ask myself those questions. Throughout the course, we …
Another Way to Die
A door left open: Bo Schembechler said “prepare, prepare, prepare.” John Wooden said that “failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” You can’t get upset on the court or in life when you are let down by something you should have foreseen and prepared for. A woman walking by: In every life, short-term pleasure can’t overcome long-term pain. Treat the source, not the symptoms. Correct the player’s attitude so that they buy-in and become willing to correct their technique. A man on your side: Another inch of your life sacrificed for your brother. If it impedes productivity, deal with it …
Relationships and Individuals
Coaching is often described as relationship building, bridging people together. When two random squads play the team with superior talent, the players most physically and mentally ready to play, will win. Sometimes, the talent comes pre-packaged, hence the importance of recruiting and motivation in short-term scenarios. When a coach possesses the luxury of time, what attributes become necessary? Does relationship-building remain paramount? When is it necessary to know the game and develop talent? Where do high standards fit in? A sophisticated project requires a sophisticated approach. The Canadian National Soccer Team faces turmoil because certain key players were dismissed for …
Coach People, Not Players
Joe Gibbs retired for a second time Tuesday, six weeks after an ignorant timeout decision costing a November game in Buffalo brought critics out of the woodwork only to be silenced by Washington’s determined four-game winning streak to make the playoffs. Gibbs will be remembered for controlling the line of scrimmage with brutal line play, amassing yards and points with innovative offensive sets, and making the most of each player’s talents. The most recent stint with the Redskins proved that Gibbs could connect with a new generation of players, despite conventional wisdom purporting that such team building was irrelevant in …
K.I.S.S.
Basketball is often overanalyzed, needlessly complicated searching for an elixir of life that will transform hardwood into championships. A slew of factors affect performance and their identification is paramount. Changing tactics hastily, without justification, courts disaster. The play might flounder – despite its suitability for that particular moment – because players are not executing correctly. Use timeouts to seek room for improvement before obfuscating the issue with new sets. Don’t jump to conclusions and adopt a zone merely to feel better about doing something. Ensure the shift is required because there is no worse sensation than losing due to gratuitous …