MORE COACHING INFORMATION from LET'S TALK DEFENSE by Herb Brown (McGraw-Hill Publishers).

* Defensive Keys to Victory: (1) Out- your opponents, and limit their second-shot opportunities. BOX OUT! (2) Stop easy transition baskets and maintain defensive balance. (3) Stop fast-break opportunities by rebounding offensively. (4) Pressure the ball to get deflections and cause turnovers. (5) Generate great pressure on the ball when the dribble is used. (6) Take away what your opponents do best and force them to explore other options. (7) Try to eliminate and stop dribble penetration. (8) Contest all shots by keeping a hand up to distract the shooter. (9) Make a quick transition from offense to defense. (10) Keep the ball in front of you at all times. (11) Make the rules work to your team's advantage. (12) Develop trust in your teammates. (13) Extend your defense and try to pressure and deny all entry passes. (14) We want our players to always be level with the ball and not trail the play. (15) Create havoc by moving yor hands and feet to harass and force the opposition to adjust.

* As coaches we need to remember that players do not always learn, assimilate, and retain information in the same manner.....some players learn by watching, some by visualizing, others when you demonstrate, and still others only by actually practicing through constant drills and repetition.

* It's a good idea to be cautious when diagramming plays during time-outs; simply using X's and O's may not be clear enough. You may have to diagram plays using numbers by position or even by using a player's initials to make sure each player understands his assignment.

* wants to empower his assistants, not compartmentalize them. He prefers constant communication to encourage freedom of expression in meetings and on the practice floor.

* Most outstanding coaches value trust and loyalty. They also believe in delegating responsibility. They know it's important for everyone to understand the team's philosophy and the importance of accountability....a head coach's authority is made clearer when his players realize that he values his assistant's input and contributions.

* We spend a great deal of time building our defense. We begin by playing one on one, then two on two, three on three, and four on four on both the half- and full court. At the start we do not permit switching but insist that our players fight through screens by talking and helping one another.

* We make our drills as competitive as possible. Many times we will place a limit on the number of dribbles a player or group may use to advance the ball; at other times we permit the players to freelance and play on their own.

* We try to utilize the shot and game clocks in our drills. This enables our players to practice in a more realistic environment, which helps them become more aware of the time, score, and situation.

* When we trap or double-team the ball the two defenders are called trappers. The next two defensive players nearest the ball act as interceptors...the defender farthest from the ball guards the goal and the weakside backboard. We call him the high or low goaltender.

* In practice, we like to play up and down until one team scores. We start at one basket from either a half-court or out-of-bounds against a full court or half court defense.

* We like to run plays from out of bounds and from different spots on the sideline and baseline.

* We play a two-minute game and simulate end-of-game or end-of-quarter situations with one team ahead or behind in the score, and we stress getting stops by different defensive means.

* Do you want the defend the low post from behind, front, or three-quarter? We think you must be consistent and demand that your players understand that you always want to defend the post based on the position of the ball.

* Drill on how to front the post and how to defend the flash post on ball reversal....post defenders will be more apt to front the post if they know their teammates will pressure the passer and that the weak-side defenders will be watching their backs.

* When teaching post defense it is useful to divide the half-court into quarters. This will enable you to demonstrate to your players how to defend the post by having them understand that the location of the ball and the position of the player on the post dictate whether they should front, three-quarter, or lock in and play one half a man to prevent the spin lob.

* We feel it's important to emphasize to your players that fronting the post requires effort as well as determination.

* If we play behind the post man we want our players to use their legs and the palm of oue hand to try and route the offensive player off the post, as far from the basket as possible. When we do front we want to sit on the offensive player's legs denying him a good comfortable position as well as the ability to jump to receive a lob pass.

* The foundation of great defense is made up of footwork, balance, determination, conditioning, and practice.

* Play all big men on the perimeter as though the dribble was used. (Ed. Note: Few big man drive, but do make mistakes when they are pressured.)

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POINT GUARD SKILLS The following skills summarize those skills needed to play the guard position successfully. These are a lot to learn but they give a guide to both the player and coach on what skills will be needed for the position. It can be made into a checklist with a 1-5 rating of each skill that a coach can use in teaching the position skills and communication with his/her point guards. OFFENSE:

Good Court vision Smart Decision Making Entry passing ability Good Penetration Ability Strong Leadership Voice

SHOOTING:

Lay-up in traffic Medium Range Jump Shooting (Catch-shoot and off dribble) (Ability to pull up off hard penetration for quick jumper) 3 Point shooting

PASSING:

Perimeter passing Feeding the Post Passing after penetration Passing on Fast Break

DRIBBLING:

Various dribble moves (right and left hand, types, technique) Ability to play fast but not be in a hurry

SCREENING: (ability to set and receive screens, downscreen, rear screen, or flare screen)

FAST BREAK:

Footwork for Receiving outlet pass Downcourt speed with the ball Dribble penetration Downcourt vision/recognition Dribble penetration ability Ability to use the long rebound Handling Traps Knowing when to rebound offensively Time and Score Recognition Tempo dictation DEFENSE:

Downcourt and midcourt defensive ability Lateral foot speed Stop ball penetration Ability to defend screens Defensive closeout ability 2 on 1 and 3 on 2 defensive knowledge/ability Ability to Draw the charge Post double team technique/ability Defensive rebounding ability

Source: Glenn Wilkes, Point Guard Skills

STRATEGY & COACHING TIPS:

* "It's not what you tell your players that counts. It's what they hear."--

* "The thing that Dana (Altman of Creighton) is tremendous at is identifying areas where kids are talented, where they can be successful and then finding a way to use them…Most coaches get obsessed where kids come up short. You spend so much time trying to take care of their deficiencies that you lose sight of your players' talents"….Bruce Rasmussen AD, Creighton)

* "It's easy to find great players. What's hard is getting people to play as a team.".. ..

* "There's far more over-coaching than under-coaching."…. (Ask yourself, are you guilty of over- coaching?)

* " Telling a guy that he stinks doesn't make him a better player if you don't tell him why he stinks and what he needs to do to become a better player."...Lenny Wilkins

* "It's hard to be in today's pressure-filled world of sports and trust one another. It's easier to blame. It's easier to give excuses. But the truth is, the game is better when you trust one another. When you lose, you lose together, and when you win, you celebrate together....George Karl

* ALWAYS BLOCK OUT? NO. The majority of players will do a better job rebounding when they use blockout techniques. However, many of the quicker and better jumpers will not rebound as well when they concentrate on blocking out. They tend to fail to jump for the ball. For these select players, it is better to move in front of their offensive opponent, then "go get the ball." This was John Wooden's philosophy on his way to 10 NCAA championships.

*My way of trying to motivate my players is to tell them how good they can be; to build them up, instead of tearing them down."...

* MAKE YOUR PRACTICES COMPETITIVE: Evaluate your practice plans and determine how you can make most of your drill work competitive. Players have a tendency to work harder and to enjoy practice more when they are competing. As often as possible, make practices competitive. Games are played to be won and lost, so the more competition you can have in practice, the more used to competition your players will be.

* CORRECTING A PLAYER: How do you criticize a player who hustles to get a ball going out of bounds and loses it--when it would have been your ball had he left it alone. You could shout at him, "Bill, it would have been our ball!" OR you could say, "Way to hustle, Bill. It would have been our ball, but don't worry about it, keep up the hustle!"

* "A team's defense is the foremost part of its overall game plan. Defense, in a word, is dominant."....Jack Ramsey

* "There are four Ps of college coaching: program, philosophy, personnel, and patterns."....

GREAT QUOTES:

* Perhaps once in a hundred years a person may be ruined by excessive praise, but surely once every minute someone dies inside for lack of it"....unknown

* "There are people with a lot more talent than I have who have been weeded out of the league because they couldn't put their egos aside to fill a role."....Kurt Rambis

* "Sometimes a player's greatest challenge is coming to grips with his role on the team." ....Scottie Pippin

* " Nothing will work unless you do"....John Wooden

* "There's far more over-coaching than under-coaching."….John Wooden (Ask yourself, are you guilty of over- coaching?)

" Telling a guy that he stinks doesn't make him a better player if you don't tell him why he stinks and what he needs to do to become a better player."...Lenny Wilkins

* "The best way to get credit is to try to give it away."....unknown

* "One thing I don't believe in: excuses."....

* "A person with 100 percent ability and 50 percent commitment can throw a wrench into the whole system through inattention, inconsistency, and laziness"....Vince Lombardi

* "Just because you earn a decent wage, don't look down on those who don't. To put things in perspective, consider what would happen to the public good if you didn't do your job for 30 days. Then, consider the consequences if sanitation workers didn't do their jobs for 30 days. Now, whose job is more important."....unknown

COACHING INFORMATIONfrom LET'S TALK DEFENSE by Herb Brown (McGraw-Hill Publishers).

* You must begin to teach and preach defense from the first moment you meet with your team...Defense is not simply a last resort to get you back in the game; it is the solid foundation of a winning program.

* Defense requires discipline; if a coach is firm initially, he will set the tone early and never have to emphasize the importance of defense later on in the season.

* The aim of every great defensive team is to take something away from their opponents. Our goals are always to limit the opposition to one bad or ill-advised shot and no offensive rebounds.

* The more frequently the players are reminded of the importance of defense and the more they preactice and work at it, the more quickly they will understand how necessary it is to the team's overall success.

* We think you should always emphasize putting pressure on the ball and having your hands up and active to contest all shots and passes.

* The primary goals of our defense are to always extend and pressure up the court to force the dribbler to turn and change direction, to body up and guard all cutters whether they be straight basket or weak-side cuts, to body up and go over weak-side flares, and to pressure the ball to prevent the skip passes, which help our opponents post the ball when we are fronting the post.

* Demands of our Defensive Philosophy: 1. Play 94 feet of defense after all made shots. 2. Emphasize playing great transition defense after all misses, steals, defensive rebounds and turnovers. 3. In defensive transition we continually emphasize the need to protect the goal, quickly change ends, locate and stop the ball, and get all defenders level with the ball. 4. Exert maximum ball pressure and make all passers drivers if the dribble has not been used. 5. Our players are taught to get their bodies up and into the passing lanes. We also make it a point to front or three-quarter all post players depending on the position of the ball and where the player is posting up on the court. 6. Challenge and contest all shots. 7. We always emphasize blocking out. 8. Establish and execute great help and support defense. 9. Develop weak-side rotation and help schemes and constantly emphasize the importance of not permitting our help to get beat. 10. Limit ball reversal and channel/influence the direction of the ball. 11. Develop half- and full-court zone and combination, man-to-man, match-up, or hybrid defenses. * During shooting practices, develop and utilize drills that encourage your players to follow up every miss and successfully complete each shot or possession.

* When correcting players or evaluating performance do so in a positive and constructive manner. (Ed. Note: It is amazing how many coaches do so in a negative manner.)

* When making corrections it is a good idea to say one or two positive things to the players before you make your correction.

* You want your players to be confident; therefore you must always exude confidence.

* We think it is a good idea to have our big men, wings, and point guards meet in separate groups before each game for two or three minutes to discuss what they want to accomplish that night. (Ed. Note: This is the first time I have heard this idea, but I feel it has great merit!)

* I have always found it a good idea to meet with the point guards and the team captains on a regular basis throughout the season.

* Always emphasize conditioning. Your goal should be to have your team in better physical shape than your opponents.

* Conclude practice with running and conditioning drills that have a purpose and are not construed as punishment.

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STRATEGY & COACHING TIPS:

* "The most important quality I look for in a player is accountability. You’ve got to be accountable for who you are. It’s too easy to blame things on someone else."...Lenny Wilkins

* "Most coaches over substitute. If a starter is in physical condition he should seldom come out of the game."...Ed Murphy

* It is as big a mistake to turn down a good shot as it is to take a bad one.

* If you use words to call your offensive plays, use numbers to call your defenses.

* "Coach each boy as if he was your own son,"...Eddie Robinson

* "Deny all elbow passes. Too many bad things can happen when the opponent gets the ball on the elbow. Do not allow them to enter it there easily from the top or from the wing on the swing."...

* "On offense, we are going to spread you out so we can beat you off the dribble."... Ed Murphy

* "Your first foul should sting the opponent. Establish your toughness and physicality early in the game. The worst first foul is a reaching or hand-check or other "touch foul". Take the first one hard to prevent a screen, a layup, a good cut, an easy post-up or a rebound. Get respect early and keep it all game, all season....Del Harris

TAKING THE BALL OUT OF BOUNDS: 1. One of your best passers (if not the best) should take the ball out of bounds! (Ed. Note: It is interesting to see how many coaches let their big player take the ball out even though that player may be a bad passer). 2. The inbounder should call any play BEFORE stepping out of bounds, then not step out of bounds until his teammates are in position. 3. When leading late in the game, the ball should be inbounded to a good handler and free throw shooter. 4. Pass to the open man, don't wait for something "better." 5. Inbounder enters the court away from the receiver to prevent double-teams. 6. Number one priority: Getting the ball inbounds safely and maintain defensive balance.

MORGAN WOOTTEN'S "SIX AND IN" REBOUNDING DRILL: Player throws the ball off the backboard with two hands, then jumps and rebounds the ball with two hands. He should concentrate on keeping the ball high so that the defense can't dig at it. The player repeats this six times and then scores a basket. He can do six on the right side, then six on the left (or more).

* Do you have a "hurry-up" offense that is designed to get you quality shots by your best shooters in less time? Do you save your timeouts or do you use them early to keep your kids in the game? Do you have last second plays for each time and score? Do you work on special situations every day?

NINE MAJOR SKILLS FOR THE POST POSITION:

* Good Hands (Ed. Note: With work, this can be developed if a player lacks the skill). * Ability to Run the Floor. * Back to the Basket Moves * Post Defense (Out to 17 feet) * Offensive and Defensive Rebounding * Face-up Shooting * Shot Blocking * Good post footwork including lateral foot speed * Ball Handling skills

LARRY SHYATT'S OFFENSIVE HABITS TO BE WORKED ON DAILY:

* Ball Handling * Pivoting * Passing, faking, receiving * Shooting * V-Cuts and threatening cuts to the basket * Using and setting screens * Offensive rebounding

* When you are down by three in the last 10 seconds and your player gets an offensive rebound, he MUST have been trained to kick the ball out to a 3 point shooter. We see this happen a number of times in the many games we see over a season, and when the offensive player makes the mistake and puts the rebound back in for a two, it is usually the coach's fault for not teaching him properly.

* On your zone offense, your players must KNOW WHO your shooters are? Have you told them?

GREAT QUOTES:

* "The most important measure of how good a game I played was how much better I'd made my teammates play."...

* "Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it."...George Halas

* "Leadership must be demonstrated, not announced."...Fran Tarkenton

* "The winning never feels as good as the losing feels bad."...

* "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."...Confucius

* "The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving."...unknown

* "Failure will never overtake us if our desire to succeed is strong enough."...unknown

* "Fall seven times, stand up eight."...Japanese Proverb

* "If you hate your job, don't worry. You won't have it very long."...George Allen

* "If it is to be it is up to me."... (Famous speech made to basketball camps)

* "Nothing lowers the level of conversation more than raising the voice."...Stanley Horowitz (Ed. Note: Coaches may well think on this as they raise their voices to criticize)

* "How do you go from being anonymous to being known for what you do? Most important thing you can do: BUILD and PROTECT your REPUTATION. Don't let competition bring out the worst in you and never sacrifice ethics to get ahead."….Dave Leitao

1. 12 Commandments of Practice Planning By Shane Dreiling, TeamArete Founder and Head Boy's Coach, Word of Life School

1. Communication is key · Echo calls - Players call out names of teammates and names of drills. · Head Coach uses each player's name within first 15 minutes. · Listen to Practice - You find out a lot about your team by closing your eyes and listening.

2. Practices should be organized · Plan practices in advance and stick to what you write down. · Drills should have simple progression - 1/0, 2/0, 1/1, 2/2, 3/0, 3/3. · Special situation practices regularly.

3. Practice should be competitive. · Make up games within the drill. · Players do not stop until the whistle blows. · Change practice partners regularly in drills to continually challenge players.

4. Drills should be intense and quick. · Keep focused. Players are to think outcomes - process - learn - intensity. · You are not teaching drills, you are teaching the game of basketball. Keep things simple. · If you talk one minute, you went 30 seconds too long. · Keep stats on drills - gives players something to shoot for. · 1-minute drills keep teaching points intense.

5. Alternate hard and easy · Hard parts of practice shouldn't last more than 5 minutes. · Alternate hard and easy parts of practice. · Do all conditioning with a ball - adds a skill component to conditioning.

6. Practice the way you play · Practice full court if you are a fast break team, etc. · Half court drills turn to full court to practice defensive transition.

7. Starting spots are earned in practice · No such thing as a game player (come to practice and work). Reward the traits you want to see. · Each day the 2nd unit fight to earn the starting spots and the starters fight to keep them.

8. Practice to improve team 1st · Treat every game the same (Kids notice when something is different). · Focus on your opponent 2nd.

9. Do breakdown and station work daily. · Have 1 coach with big men, 1 with guards. · Work on individual skills to improve the overall team. 2/3 individual, 1/3 team. · Do not get hung up on drill technique. Correct quickly and keep moving.

10. Practice shooting daily · Everything else you practice is worthless if you can't take advantage of opportunities. · 20 minutes a day.

11. Shorten practices as season goes on but keep intensity up! · Shortening practices rests players and helps boost morale.

12. Start and end each day with meeting · Starts positive - Players and coaches responsible for getting things going! · Ends positive (reminders for what's coming up and tomorrow's focus). · Reward practice players for effort.

2. Coaching Advice from BasketballSense.com Dribblers should keep their hands below the waist and shooters should keep their hands above the waist.

Oklahoma coach likes the fact that his 1-4 offensive alignment does not require big scorers on the block. He also likes that the basket is not guarded in this alignment.

Arkansas coach teaches that when attacking a zone, all screeners should post up after setting a screen.

Jerry Wainwright will use six offensive players when working on a half-court trap. Seven players against a three-quarters court trap. Eight players against a full-court trap.

St. Louis coach teaches his guards in transition defense to slow the ball and push it wide.

Iowa State coach breaks his defense down into three parts: (1) Stop the transition, (2) Take away the designed offense, and (3) Limit opponent to just one shot.

William Fleming High School coach Burrall Paye believes that a low post player must learn to pivot and use both feet with his offensive moves. Using the same foot with each pivot and move gives the defender an advantage.

Clemson coach feels that a key to running successful traps is teaching the habit of sprinting out of traps when they are not successful.

No foot fakes when you shot fake.

When on the free-throw lane, teach your players to step into their opponent and not into the lane (unless their opponent moves there).

To beat a double-team, bring three players into prime receiving position, six to ten feet from the ball, spread out. With two men on the ball, the defense cannot bring three men up to guard all three receivers, or they will be leaving a player wide open under the basket. - Dick DeVenzio

"Play against the game, not your opponent." Bud Wilkerson

Teach your guards how to defend the post. Teach your post players how to defend the perimeter.

Stress to your team to extend the outlet pass as far as the defense will allow.

The easiest way to begin an offensive set is with the dribble entry.

Indiana assistant coach Norm Ellenberger teaches his offense that when confronted with a switching defense, you should always cut low off the screen.

Teach your players to have their palms perpendicular to the floor when preparing to rebound.

The most important pass in a fast break is the initial outlet pass.

Teach players to put the ball on the floor where they are headed, not where they are.

In a zone offense, you get the opportunity to decide who to dribble penetrate against.

Norm Ellenberger teaches in his zone offense to occupy a spot for no longer than two counts and then move. Cut and read.

Teach high hands and low knees on defense.

Teach your players to put a forearm on their man's chest, then box out.

Do not let your team focus on how good their opponent is. Get them to focus on how good you can be.

Take away what a team does best.

Dave Odom teaches his defenders to bump below cutters and force them high.

If you do not pay attention to the details of the game, you can believe your players never will.

"The first thing you have to teach your players is a work ethic." - Rick Barnes

Army coach Dino Gaudio believes there is nothing more important in a motion offense than spacing.

Drexel coach Bill Herrion teaches his defenders to turn the ball as many times as possible in the backcourt. Once the ball crosses the half-court line, he wants the ball pushed to the weak hand.

John Calipari teaches his players to jab with their strong foot. Cuts down on turnovers.

If the short corner is defended when running your zone offense, look into the middle.

Bill Herrion subscribes to the philosophy that you do a drill right -- even if it takes twenty-five minutes.

Do not allow your man to go where he wants to go uninterrupted.

Ball fake no higher than your forehead.

Teach your ballhandlers to change speeds with the ball.

Many coaches have a predetermined defense after a made free-throw and another defense after a missed free-throw.

Ideally, you want to be turning the corner on your second dribble when running a pick-and-roll.

One of the biggest errors in coaching is allowing poor execution of what you stress.

If you are unsure about what to emphasize to your team, emphasize the fundamentals

. Coaches Hiring Coaches By Shane Dreiling, TeamArete Founder and Head Boy's Coach, Word of Life School

It seems that more and more, coaches that I speak with are having problems with the coaches on their staff or their general support staff. With complaints ranging from a lack of experience to a lack of support for the vision and direction of the program, coaches are facing a difficult challenge in getting "their people" all on the same page.

While most coaches would agree, oftentimes the problem lies with the head coach, especially with those who have control over who their assistants are and the support staff that they interact with daily. Many coaches spend too much time studying their X's and O's and recruiting lists and not enough time with their staff.

Below, I've come up with some strategies that I believe can help any coach who is struggling with getting everyone on the same page.

A. Hire staff that thinks outside the box. a. Find coaches who are better than you in key areas. Let them use their strengths to benefit your whole program. b. Make sure your people realize how THEY can help your program. Don't be afraid to give direction, but let them share in choosing that direction. c. Integrity and common values should always be on the list of priorities of any hire. Don't be so enamored with the resume or interview that you fail to see the character of those you look to hire.

B. Host daily meetings. a. Daily meetings give a staff a chance to unify their thoughts and get on the same page. b. Use meetings to go over what is working and what isn't working, whether it is practice or some other daily function. c. Meetings can be a valuable way to consistently evaluate the needs of the program. What can you do today to make tomorrow more effective? d. Finally, meetings can serve as a way to plan the future. What fundraising events can be utilized to raise needed money for the program?

C. Be the first to serve. a. Put your staff in a position to succeed. Don't ask them to do something that they aren't ready for, or that their skills dictate they cannot do. b. Let your staff know they have value, that their specific skills are vital to the success of your overall program. Little things make the difference here! c. Help each member of your staff take the next step. Be careful not to push too hard, but help insure that their skills are being advanced daily. d. Don't hesitate to brag on a job well done!

D. Seek opinions. a. Give each member of your staff a feeling of ownership…allow them the opportunity to give their opinion on key decisions, especially before you make the decision. b. Look for advice for others outside the program or profession. Sometimes a fresh outlook makes all the difference. c. Put the ego aside. Remember that you don't have all the answers.

E. Don't surround yourself with clones. a. Allow yourself the opportunity to share in your staff member's unique gifts… that should always be in the process of being developed if they have a sense of ownership in your program. b. Look to bring in coaches who strengths are your weaknesses. Not only does this complete the sense of the "whole" package every staff needs, it gives every staff member the opportunity to add to their basic skill set. c. Again, put the ego aside. By not hesitating to look to others, you don't show weakness, you demonstrate strength.

2. Building Your Profile: Notes taken by Coach Czes during Dave Leitao Clinic at the 2007 NABC Convention Courtesy of Jamie Angeli, Scoutinghoops.com

Advice from John Thompson as a young coach at the Final Four in 1985: Come to these conventions, clinics, etc. to get better. Too many young coaches come to drink, stay out late and sleep in as long as they can. They are missing a great opportunity to become a better coach.

A. Building Your Profile How do you go from being anonymous to being known for what you do? Most important thing you can do: BUILD and PROTECT your REPUTATION. Don't let competition bring out the worst in you and never sacrifice ethics to get ahead.

B. Be VISIBLE and TIRELESS On your free days - go to other coaches' practices or other teams' games. Look for events you can attend to meet and talk with other coaches. This shows your work ethic and desire to learn the game. Keep track of important people you need or want to know or learn from. Ask yourself how you can best get to know them. Strive to be the first one into the office and the last one out of the office. Be productive while you are there, don't just stay in the office spinning your wheels to try and look good.

C. Leave No Stone Unturned Have a thirst for knowledge and look for opportunities to learn about the game. Also, when working on scouting a team, don't just spit out the obvious. Look for EVERYTHING that could help your team gain an advantage over an opponent (even if it doesn't get used, you should make the information available to your head coach and team)

D. Be Organized Set aside time during your "downtime" to get things organized, planned and caught up. (i.e. 3 hours sometime during your week dedicated to this only.)

Never say, "I'm going to work." This is not a job. As soon as you start feeling like it is, go get a real job that pays more money.

Relationships are CRITICAL

They open doors you would never imagine them opening (Leitao knew the Virginia AD for 15 years and the University President for 20 years before getting the Virginia job.) Don't take your family for granted. These are the most important relationships you have

E. Your Staff My best friends. I spend more time with them than I do my family in most cases.

F. Your Players My players are "My Guys". I love them, I know them, and consider them close friends.

G. Your Players' Families They are investing in you and trusting their son with you. Cultivate these relationships.

H. Administrators and other Coaches at your school Decision makers - help them learn what you are about.

I. Other coaches at your school - Share ideas and resources Assistant AD - Usually has a good feel for the big picture and understands how and when to take things to your AD

J. Other Basketball Coaches Create relationships with other coaches. Pick up the phone and extend yourself to them. Offer to share ideas and information or to help them if they ever need it. Don't bad mouth colleagues. It comes back full circle.

Try to think a position ahead (talk, dress, act, etc.) Observe the actions, etc. of someone in a position you desire. Study how they do what they do.

Volunteer your time to help others (Pay It Forward) Speak to groups whenever you have a chance. This helps you become more well spoken and confident. Lets people get to know what you are about.

Understand that there is much more to coaching than putting a whistle around your neck and telling someone where to go on a screen.

Make your Boss look good. Your goal as an assistant should be to make your head coach look good. This is how you will be evaluated until you ARE the head coach.

1. Morgan Wooten Favorite Coaching Concepts Taken From: Beyond the X's and O's; Lessons from the Legends by and Ralph Pim

- Never lose sight of the impact you are having on young people's lives. - Teach your players the importance of proper priorities that allow for maximum personal, academic, and athletic development. - Evaluate wins and losses objectively, focusing more on effort and execution than on the outcome of the game. - Instruct, don't dictate. - Never humiliate. - Communicate your approach in a style that is comfortable to you and fits your personality and philosophy. - Learn to anticipate problems. - Never announce penalty for rule violations in advance. - Enthusiasm creates heroism. - If you make a mistake and fall down, you must get back up. - Always have a "Thought for the Day." - You are constantly being judged on what you are doing and not what you have done. - Be yourself. - Be eager to learn. - Don't play players only because they have potential if they do not hustle, work hard, and listen. - Never discipline to punish, discipline to teach. - We are what we continually do. - Do to your opponent what you do not like done to you. - Play defense with your feet, eyes, and heart. - If you want the attention of your players, use compliments. - I believe that repetition of fundamentals at any level will make your players winners. - Play hard, play smart, play together, and have fun. - You must have total control of your program. - I never curse my players, and they will never curse me. - I will never embarrass my players, and they will never embarrass me. - Do not assume anything. - Listen and learn from your players. - Excellence becomes a habit. - Don't ever tell your players to win. - Never write a plan for practice that takes longer than two hours. - Make your players sprint over to you to begin practice on a hustling, enthusiastic note. - Inch by inch, life's a cinch. Yard by yard, it's really hard. - Take time to talk individually with the players you are cutting. - Have your players write down their academic and athletic goals at the start of every year. - Building team chemistry is the most important thing you can do as a coach.

2. 6 Ways To Win the Game By Shane Dreiling, Founder/Director TeamArete, Head Boy's Basketball Coach, Word of Life School

- NO TRANSITION LAY-UPS The first player back on defense must get under the rim and either draw a charging foul or force a 10 foot jump shot. If they try to stop the ball at the free throw line, the offense will get a lay-up.

- 40 OR MORE DEFLECTIONS Deflections are a reflection of defensive intensity. Whenever we deflect the ball, there is a chance we are going to force a turnover. Deflections create easy scoring opportunities and give the defense a decided edge mentally.

- FORCE 20 OR MORE TURNOVERS Turnovers lead to fast break points and a frustrated offensive team. By playing smart defense, taking pride in "Guarding Our Yard" and being alert, we will become the type of defensive team that no one wants to play.

- SHOOT MORE FREE THROWS THAN OUR OPPONENTS Shooting free throws allows us to rest offensively while getting our opponents into foul trouble. We never want to allow our opponents to shoot more than 15 free throws in any game…that indicates poor defensive execution.

- ATTACK THE PAINT On offense we want the ball to get to the lane area, either by the pass or by driving the basketball there. On defense, we MUST keep the ball out of this area by good defense and selective trapping. Good things happen to teams that consistently get the ball into the paint area.

- HAVE MORE OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS We have to create easy scoring opportunities for ourselves. Three ways to do this are with free throws, fast break points and offensive rebounds. Assume all shots are misses, attack the glass and immediately look to score off of the rebound.