Xavier Newsletter #66 (PDF)

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NEWSLETTER #66 - 2008-09 REAL COMPETITORS http://www.cybersportsusa.com/hooptactics/hooptactics.asp Ernie Woods, HoopTactics.com

Real competitors are those players that come to play every time they step on the court. They are a team’s hardest workers - constantly improving. They are not the type of player that screams at teammates or officials or kick trash cans after the game. They are the type that is determined and just plain enjoys playing. Competitors are those players that players love to play with - not against, spectators love to watch, and coaches love to coach.

Real competitors are hard to find. Legendary Coach John Wooden once said that “If you have one competitor on your squad you will be successful. If you have two you will be competing for the conference title and with three a national title.” He had no idea what four or five competitors on a single team would be like since he had never witnessed it.

Real competitors view adversity as a challenge not as a detriment. In trying situations, they compete and work hard to over come it rather than get frustrated or angry. Michael Jordan is a classic example of a real competitor. He competed every night despite the fact that he was facing the opponent’s best defenders, double teams and even triple teams. Despite constantly being held and grabbed, pushed and shoved, he rarely ever complained to the officials or lost control of his actions. Instead he accepted the challenge and was more motivated to succeed. When Michael Jordan stepped on the court he was bound and determined to be successful no matter what the opponents threw at him.

Real competitors make their teammates better. They are not successful at the expense of their teammates. They do not gripe or complain about their teammates’ lack of skills and abilities. They are helpful not only in improving their teammates skills but more importantly their confidence. Did you know while playing for the Chicago Bulls, in order to make his teammates better, Michael Jordan scrimmaged with the second string during practices?

Competitors are “Erasers.” After bad calls or turnovers, rather than griping or complaining, they hustle back on defense to make a defense stop. They are fully aware of the fact that the only turnovers that hurt a team are the ones upon which the opponent score. If/when the opponent does not score after a turnover then, no matter how bad, that turnover is erased! Xavier University - Men's Basketball - 3800 Victory Parkway - Cintas Center - Cincinnati, OH 45207 - (513) 745-3417 - (887) WE ARE XU REAL COMPETITORS Competitors don’t have to look at the score board to know the score. Winning is certainly important, but how it is achieved is more important. To them the most satisfaction and pleasure comes in playing the game, not with the final game score. They know that when they are passing, shooting, rebounding and playing solid defense, the scoreboard will take care of itself. They play every play in a game as if it was the last play of the game. After the game, regardless of the score, they are satisfied because they gave their absolute best effort.

How do you identify competitors? A simple test for competitiveness is to place a player with the worst players and have them play against the best players. In this situation, do they accept the challenge and give it their best in rallying their lesser skilled teammates into competing against the stronger team? Or, do they complain, sulk and give a less than their best effort because they are over matched and not playing with the stronger group?

JOHN MAXWELL - TALENT IS NEVER ENOUGH John Maxwell’s, Talent is Never Enough has been making its way around the basketball offices over the past month. A rcent release in a series of over a dozen books on leadership and organization, this book is very easily adaptable to the coaching profession.

From BarnesandNoble.com: Talent is "often overrated and frequently misunderstood," observes leadership expert Maxwell (The 360 Degree Leader), who advises readers on building their strengths to become a "Talent-plus person." In the first chapter, he examines how "belief lifts your talent," whether it's belief in your potential, yourself and your mission that empowers and encourages you. He then introduces a dozen other factors that can be combined with talent to achieve your goals: passion, initiative, focus, preparation, practice, perseverance, courage, teachability, character, relation- ships, responsibility and teamwork. Synthesizing the work of business gurus like Marcus Bucking- ham and Peter Drucker with inspiring anecdotes from the lives of famous athletes and coaches, Christian leaders, writers and artists, Maxwell engages the reader with his enthusiasm for his subject matter and clear insights. Well organized and focused, the book conveys how talent can be enhanced through historical and contemporary examples of "Talent-Plus" people in action- from Charles Dickens to Vince Lombardi and Tom Hanks.

Xavier University - Men's Basketball - 3800 Victory Parkway - Cintas Center - Cincinnati, OH 45207 - (513) 745-3417 - (887) WE ARE XU

PLAY OF THE WEEK - UOB OFFENSE FLARE vs ZONE - WASHINGTON ST. 1 1

5 5 3 3 4

2 2 4

A B

The initial alignment is irrelevant. The best 3, 5, 2, 4, form passing outlets in shooter should fill the ballside wing area. The four different ball side areas for 1. second best shooter should fill the ball side elbow area. 1 passes to 2 above. 1

5 5 3 3 1

2 2

4 4

C D

2 passes to 4. 4 dribbles across the 3 fills in as 4 vacates with the dribble. 4 floor looking at 1. 1 sprints to the passes back to 3. As 3 catches the ball, 5 screens in for 2. 3 passes to 2 or 5 slipping. opposite wing. PLAY OF THE WEEK - UOB OFFENSE 1-4 vs ZONE - DETROIT 1 2 4 5 3

1-4 along the baseline alignment. 4, 5 seek the open area of the zone, or attempt to seal a nearby defender. 1 always sees 2 in the opposite corner. 3 eventually releases to become the safety man. FROM: www.coach-jackson.com TWO GUARD FAST BREAK

TWO-GUARD FAST BREAK

by Larry Dean Jackson