Posts
I follow a really good page on Facebook called Herb on Hoops where a lot of
coaches come together to discuss the strategy, to share ideas, and to discuss
the ‘issues of the day.’
Recently, there was a post regarding AAU basketball,
and as many ‘old school’ coaches do when this topic arises, many complained
that the kids are playing too many games in the summer and not spending enough
time developing their skill.
One coach had some really good thoughts on the
necessity of combining the drills, vision, and development of a skill trainer
while teaching the IQ necessary to have success in this team game. Some of the thoughts outlined in his posts
are:
- Sacrificing
Growth and Development For Wins Now By Focusing On Schemes and Sets Rather Than
Building Skill
- Winning Leads To Validation, Not Necessarily To Player Development or Level Of Coaching
- Players Need the Development Of Training To Become Their Best
- The Best Trainers Help Grow Players Overall Game By Assessing Their Strengths And Weaknesses
- Hard To Find Someone Who Is A Great Coach and A Great Trainer
- Beware To Not Put In So Much Time That It Leads to Burnout
- Every Coach Has to Have The Ability To Develop … Or Recruit
- What Can You Do With 2 Hours a Day/5 Days a Week, For 4 Months? Over 4 Years?
- Sacrifice Wins Early To Develop Skills For The Playoffs
- True Player Development Is Knowing What The Players Are Missing and Building The Pieces
- Great Trainers Don’t Just Drill; They Have A Vision For Their Kids
- Help Make Even Your Lagging Players ‘Serviceable’ By Skill Development With The Basics
- The Developmental Process For Kids
- Winning Leads To Validation, Not Necessarily To Player Development or Level Of Coaching
- Players Need the Development Of Training To Become Their Best
- The Best Trainers Help Grow Players Overall Game By Assessing Their Strengths And Weaknesses
- Hard To Find Someone Who Is A Great Coach and A Great Trainer
- Beware To Not Put In So Much Time That It Leads to Burnout
- Every Coach Has to Have The Ability To Develop … Or Recruit
- What Can You Do With 2 Hours a Day/5 Days a Week, For 4 Months? Over 4 Years?
- Sacrifice Wins Early To Develop Skills For The Playoffs
- True Player Development Is Knowing What The Players Are Missing and Building The Pieces
- Great Trainers Don’t Just Drill; They Have A Vision For Their Kids
- Help Make Even Your Lagging Players ‘Serviceable’ By Skill Development With The Basics
- The Developmental Process For Kids
Skills Are The Divider
Read coach’s Entire Post Below After The Jump Below
Sacrificing Growth and Development For Wins Now By Focusing On
Schemes and Sets Rather Than Building Skill
I think the clubs that only focus on the wins is chasing the all mighty dollar trying to brand themselves but its short sighted.. Its a difficult job trying to both win and develop because developing is for the longer term and winning, its easiest to win by sets or structure to cover up deficiencies and this is especially true if all the emphasis is on defense.. Developing pays off in the longer run but most of the parents are ignorant and look for the win for validations.. I've seen very good coaches not get the players because they don't win and less skilled coaches get better players because other players are attracted to the players on that team.. that might be ok if the players are already very skilled but most players need to develop.. I think given the choice, most players need the skill development first.. only after the skills are acquired, should they look to play competitive games..
Winning Leads To Validation, Not Necessarily To Player Development or Level Of Coaching
Its a catch-22.. Often with the public that don't know basketball, coaches need to win to get recognition as good coaches.. but in order to win, they have to have skilled players.. there's only 2 ways to get skilled players.. either develop them or recruit them.. Most clubs choose to recruit them and use those players to attract more skilled players... However, 99% of the kids need development.. Many parents don't know anything about development so they think a club is winning, the coaching must be good.. that correlation might be legit in college but not always there in HS or below.. its all about who's playing for you.. if you have good players, anyone can win.. that's why Lebron gets the big bucks.. Players need development and in games need to learn good habits and IQ..
Players Need the Development Of Training To Become Their Best
Players need development from a trainer and in games need to learn good habits and IQ.. If a coach is also the developer, its even better because that developer knows the strengths and weaknesses of the kids and knows how to round out his/her game for growth.. some players like to shoot and don't attack.. some attack but don't pass... some do this and some do that... those habits are all part of IQ and development as an overall player..
The Best Trainers Help Grow Players Overall Game By Assessing Their Strengths And Weaknesses
Also a developer knows how to push the skill limits of a player in games.. passing skills is also part of skills.. its not just all isolation moves.. some players are great iso players but can't pass or have no vision.. others have great vision but needs to reign in the other direction to go for theirs more.. Different players will have different needs to grow and become better... a trainer will look at the game through those lenses..
Hard To Find Someone Who Is A Great Coach and A Great Trainer
HOWEVER, most of the time, you're better off hiring a trainer and then find a good coach to teach IQ.. to find one that can do both is very rare.
Beware To Not Put In So Much Time That It Leads to Burnout
but then you also have the time issue.. if you hire a trainer twice/week and then he plays AAU that practice twice/week and games on weekends, their time is all monopolized by basketball.. ideally though rare is a coach that teaches skills in practices and IQ in games and its all covered in 2-3 practices a week.. also they don't need tons of games.. 3-4 tournaments or 10 games each AAU season is plenty... give them some down time for other activities too.. I have girls and always mindful of potential burn out trying to push them..
I think the clubs that only focus on the wins is chasing the all mighty dollar trying to brand themselves but its short sighted.. Its a difficult job trying to both win and develop because developing is for the longer term and winning, its easiest to win by sets or structure to cover up deficiencies and this is especially true if all the emphasis is on defense.. Developing pays off in the longer run but most of the parents are ignorant and look for the win for validations.. I've seen very good coaches not get the players because they don't win and less skilled coaches get better players because other players are attracted to the players on that team.. that might be ok if the players are already very skilled but most players need to develop.. I think given the choice, most players need the skill development first.. only after the skills are acquired, should they look to play competitive games..
Winning Leads To Validation, Not Necessarily To Player Development or Level Of Coaching
Its a catch-22.. Often with the public that don't know basketball, coaches need to win to get recognition as good coaches.. but in order to win, they have to have skilled players.. there's only 2 ways to get skilled players.. either develop them or recruit them.. Most clubs choose to recruit them and use those players to attract more skilled players... However, 99% of the kids need development.. Many parents don't know anything about development so they think a club is winning, the coaching must be good.. that correlation might be legit in college but not always there in HS or below.. its all about who's playing for you.. if you have good players, anyone can win.. that's why Lebron gets the big bucks.. Players need development and in games need to learn good habits and IQ..
Players Need the Development Of Training To Become Their Best
Players need development from a trainer and in games need to learn good habits and IQ.. If a coach is also the developer, its even better because that developer knows the strengths and weaknesses of the kids and knows how to round out his/her game for growth.. some players like to shoot and don't attack.. some attack but don't pass... some do this and some do that... those habits are all part of IQ and development as an overall player..
The Best Trainers Help Grow Players Overall Game By Assessing Their Strengths And Weaknesses
Also a developer knows how to push the skill limits of a player in games.. passing skills is also part of skills.. its not just all isolation moves.. some players are great iso players but can't pass or have no vision.. others have great vision but needs to reign in the other direction to go for theirs more.. Different players will have different needs to grow and become better... a trainer will look at the game through those lenses..
Hard To Find Someone Who Is A Great Coach and A Great Trainer
HOWEVER, most of the time, you're better off hiring a trainer and then find a good coach to teach IQ.. to find one that can do both is very rare.
Beware To Not Put In So Much Time That It Leads to Burnout
but then you also have the time issue.. if you hire a trainer twice/week and then he plays AAU that practice twice/week and games on weekends, their time is all monopolized by basketball.. ideally though rare is a coach that teaches skills in practices and IQ in games and its all covered in 2-3 practices a week.. also they don't need tons of games.. 3-4 tournaments or 10 games each AAU season is plenty... give them some down time for other activities too.. I have girls and always mindful of potential burn out trying to push them..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Every Coach Has to Have The Ability To Develop … Or Recruit
HS coaches are often under even greater pressure to win and they're the ones that runs the most sets.. probably on average the players have to memorize 8-9 sets.. yet, they have the most practice time of any teams.. 2 hour practices 5days/week for months.. A lot can be accomplished if the practice curriculum is well thought out.. On average, both HS and AAU coaches are under pressure to win games.. the biggest part of the win is the skill level of the players.. a coach either has to recruit or develop.. Every coach has to have the ability to develop.. that's where the win comes from.. if they can't develop, they better be able to recruit for themselves but that's not going to do your kids any good if they can't develop..
Every Coach Has to Have The Ability To Develop … Or Recruit
HS coaches are often under even greater pressure to win and they're the ones that runs the most sets.. probably on average the players have to memorize 8-9 sets.. yet, they have the most practice time of any teams.. 2 hour practices 5days/week for months.. A lot can be accomplished if the practice curriculum is well thought out.. On average, both HS and AAU coaches are under pressure to win games.. the biggest part of the win is the skill level of the players.. a coach either has to recruit or develop.. Every coach has to have the ability to develop.. that's where the win comes from.. if they can't develop, they better be able to recruit for themselves but that's not going to do your kids any good if they can't develop..
What Can You Do With 2 Hours a Day/5 Days a Week, For 4
Months? Over 4 Years?
If you're practicing 5 days/week 2 hours/day for months like HS and the players are not much better from beginning to end of season, then something is wrong with the practice activities.. YET, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS IN MOST HS TEAMS.. How does that happen? The answer is - all the time is spent running sets..
If you're practicing 5 days/week 2 hours/day for months like HS and the players are not much better from beginning to end of season, then something is wrong with the practice activities.. YET, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS IN MOST HS TEAMS.. How does that happen? The answer is - all the time is spent running sets..
Emphasizing Improving Skills and Executing Simple Actions Every
Day
If I was running a HS team, I would run it the same way as if I was running a 4'th grade girls team.. I'd spend 75 minutes putting the players through skill stations specific to their needs day after day.. How can they not improve after a few months of that 75 min/day 5 days/week after months? If your players are getting more skilled, wouldn't that help you with the best chances in the playoffs? Would that help you more of becoming a master of 8-9 different sets that they will never fully master.. its simply too many.. what they all need to master is execution of simple stuff that they use in each game..
If I was running a HS team, I would run it the same way as if I was running a 4'th grade girls team.. I'd spend 75 minutes putting the players through skill stations specific to their needs day after day.. How can they not improve after a few months of that 75 min/day 5 days/week after months? If your players are getting more skilled, wouldn't that help you with the best chances in the playoffs? Would that help you more of becoming a master of 8-9 different sets that they will never fully master.. its simply too many.. what they all need to master is execution of simple stuff that they use in each game..
However, if the influence is put back on the HS
coaches, the player will likely train during off season and aim to perform
during the HS season..
What Can You Do With 2 Hours a Day/5 Days a Week, For 4
Months? Over 4 Years?
Just imagine you get a group of kids that has your undivided basketball attention 5 days/week, 2 hours/day for months.. Its not far fetched that you can take a group of kids that has never played any basketball and turn them into college prospects in 4 years given they want to improve and have some athleticism.. yet, I've seen many HS kids that never improve much.. The starters should really be improving.. They're getting double time both skill development in practices and IQ and habit grooming in games.. yet, that's not always what happens though.. That's what I'm talking about... most of the coaches don't have the right practice activities because WAY too much time is spent rehearsing sets or even scrimmaging as odd as that sounds.. the big dividends are paid from skill development.. some say you won't get it in time but I disagree.. 2 hours/day5 days/week for months is a long time and I've seen players transform in those periods of time with training..
Just imagine you get a group of kids that has your undivided basketball attention 5 days/week, 2 hours/day for months.. Its not far fetched that you can take a group of kids that has never played any basketball and turn them into college prospects in 4 years given they want to improve and have some athleticism.. yet, I've seen many HS kids that never improve much.. The starters should really be improving.. They're getting double time both skill development in practices and IQ and habit grooming in games.. yet, that's not always what happens though.. That's what I'm talking about... most of the coaches don't have the right practice activities because WAY too much time is spent rehearsing sets or even scrimmaging as odd as that sounds.. the big dividends are paid from skill development.. some say you won't get it in time but I disagree.. 2 hours/day5 days/week for months is a long time and I've seen players transform in those periods of time with training..
Sacrifice Wins Early To Develop Skills For The Playoffs
The solution and formula is simple.. Give up the wins in the beginning of the season to get the wins at the end of the season.. you just need to win enough to make the playoffs.. that's it.. . Then prepare your players to put their best foot forward during the playoffs.. that means a very aggressive and tight defense that comes from a press mentality all season and lots and lots of skill work and shooting form exercises.. Shooting is one of the fastest areas to improve.. Most youths don't need to work on shooting much until 7'th/8'th grade.. They need to work on everything else though especially ball handling and attack foot works.. In HS, they should work on everything but especially shooting.. you can develop a shooter in 1 season by focusing on shooting form.. lots and lots of repetition.. then maintaining shooting form on the move.. lots and lots of it..
The solution and formula is simple.. Give up the wins in the beginning of the season to get the wins at the end of the season.. you just need to win enough to make the playoffs.. that's it.. . Then prepare your players to put their best foot forward during the playoffs.. that means a very aggressive and tight defense that comes from a press mentality all season and lots and lots of skill work and shooting form exercises.. Shooting is one of the fastest areas to improve.. Most youths don't need to work on shooting much until 7'th/8'th grade.. They need to work on everything else though especially ball handling and attack foot works.. In HS, they should work on everything but especially shooting.. you can develop a shooter in 1 season by focusing on shooting form.. lots and lots of repetition.. then maintaining shooting form on the move.. lots and lots of it..
True Player Development Is Knowing What The Players Are Missing
and Building The Pieces
Player development is not learning every move there is to learn.. but rather knowing what the players are missing to take them to the next level and building the pieces.. A tall player might just need a better shot.. A short quick player might need some specific moves that are complimentary to his/her style of play.. Much of it is having a good eye in recognizing what the players need to become an impact player and help them build that aspect of their game.. Some players might just need a better left.. some more vision.. some more aggressive off the attack.. some more finesse in their game and some too much finesse and etc.. each player has specific missing elements in their game and a good developer has an eye for this and aims to help that player build those missing elements.. skill stations with emphasis is a great way to do this.. all the exercises are not top secret.. the trainer mostly needs to have an eye... that's a big part of it..
Player development is not learning every move there is to learn.. but rather knowing what the players are missing to take them to the next level and building the pieces.. A tall player might just need a better shot.. A short quick player might need some specific moves that are complimentary to his/her style of play.. Much of it is having a good eye in recognizing what the players need to become an impact player and help them build that aspect of their game.. Some players might just need a better left.. some more vision.. some more aggressive off the attack.. some more finesse in their game and some too much finesse and etc.. each player has specific missing elements in their game and a good developer has an eye for this and aims to help that player build those missing elements.. skill stations with emphasis is a great way to do this.. all the exercises are not top secret.. the trainer mostly needs to have an eye... that's a big part of it..
Great Trainers Don’t Just Drill; They Have A Vision For Their
Kids
A good trainer doesn't just throw out all kinds of misc exercises.. They see the player and have a vision of what that player can become and then build on it.. each trainer also brings in their own vision of an ideal player.. however, each player will have specific styles of play.. A tall slower player might need to rely more on their shooting.. a short quick player on ball handling and etc.. a finesse player might naturally be a better shooter from their soft touch.. They might want to master their shooting and quick release skills first before they focus on power moves.. A super aggressive player might want to focus on lots of power move and attack moves first before they work on shooting and etc.. each player is different.. the goal is to get them to perform as soon as possible while working to build all the pieces eventually..
A good trainer doesn't just throw out all kinds of misc exercises.. They see the player and have a vision of what that player can become and then build on it.. each trainer also brings in their own vision of an ideal player.. however, each player will have specific styles of play.. A tall slower player might need to rely more on their shooting.. a short quick player on ball handling and etc.. a finesse player might naturally be a better shooter from their soft touch.. They might want to master their shooting and quick release skills first before they focus on power moves.. A super aggressive player might want to focus on lots of power move and attack moves first before they work on shooting and etc.. each player is different.. the goal is to get them to perform as soon as possible while working to build all the pieces eventually..
Help Make Even Your Lagging Players ‘Serviceable’ By Skill Development
With The Basics
Then you get some players that are just way behind.. they are what I call practice players because they're not going to get much game time.. but they're working towards it in the practices in the skill stations.. What most HS coaches do is ignore them.. all they do is scrimmage run through sets and never improve their skills.. If you want to win, you have to advance/refine the skill level of your players as much as possible.. If you're a player and trying to play college, the same formula applies.. you have to get your skills as advanced as possible and it doesn't matter how many points you scored in HS.. what matters is what you can demonstrate with your skills from the recruiters and college coaches..
Then you get some players that are just way behind.. they are what I call practice players because they're not going to get much game time.. but they're working towards it in the practices in the skill stations.. What most HS coaches do is ignore them.. all they do is scrimmage run through sets and never improve their skills.. If you want to win, you have to advance/refine the skill level of your players as much as possible.. If you're a player and trying to play college, the same formula applies.. you have to get your skills as advanced as possible and it doesn't matter how many points you scored in HS.. what matters is what you can demonstrate with your skills from the recruiters and college coaches..
The Developmental Process For Kids
Prior to HS, every player needs to develop every skill.. from guard skills to post work to shooting form because nobody knows what position they will eventually play and how they will develop physically.. Once in HS, there will be more visibility if a player should work more on guard skills or post skills but ideally every player should develop all the skills.. However, if you have a tall player that;s already a sophomore or junior in HS and has not developed ball handling, as a HS coach, I probably wouldn't try to develop that now unless you have lots of extra time but rather, develop them in their active role, which is probably going to be post... if a player don't have size or ball handling skills, then maybe they can learn to be a set shooter.. otherwise, they might never leave the bench.. in the games.. so ideally all the skills have to be developed prior to HS varsity and then refined in varsity practices.. HOWEVER, both JV and varsity coaches often just practice setts and scrimmage setts 90% of their practice.. The JV coaches just prepare the players with the varsity coach's sets.. so its a bad cycle of no skill development... There are only a few HS coaches that do it differently and they're typically known as the best coaches in the area and by that time, they no longer need to develop because all the players are flocking to them so they get developed players but they typically recognize the value of skill work in their practices..
Prior to HS, every player needs to develop every skill.. from guard skills to post work to shooting form because nobody knows what position they will eventually play and how they will develop physically.. Once in HS, there will be more visibility if a player should work more on guard skills or post skills but ideally every player should develop all the skills.. However, if you have a tall player that;s already a sophomore or junior in HS and has not developed ball handling, as a HS coach, I probably wouldn't try to develop that now unless you have lots of extra time but rather, develop them in their active role, which is probably going to be post... if a player don't have size or ball handling skills, then maybe they can learn to be a set shooter.. otherwise, they might never leave the bench.. in the games.. so ideally all the skills have to be developed prior to HS varsity and then refined in varsity practices.. HOWEVER, both JV and varsity coaches often just practice setts and scrimmage setts 90% of their practice.. The JV coaches just prepare the players with the varsity coach's sets.. so its a bad cycle of no skill development... There are only a few HS coaches that do it differently and they're typically known as the best coaches in the area and by that time, they no longer need to develop because all the players are flocking to them so they get developed players but they typically recognize the value of skill work in their practices..
How He Uses His Timeouts
I recall I was coaching a team and my assistant was an older guy who coached HS varsity for 15 years and he saw my approach as being novice because I didn't run any sets and just did skill work all season.. he had a superior attitude and loved to use the time outs to draw something up on the board.. He thinks the time outs are gold.. I typically call the time outs to either give my main players some rest or to point out some glaring issues or the other team is having momentum and I want to break it up.. to me, all the tactical stuff is minutia.. the high impact items is how the practice time was used during the season.. and I consider all games outside of playoffs to be just another practice in game format.. just practicing game IQ, and reinforcing desired habits, that's all..
I recall I was coaching a team and my assistant was an older guy who coached HS varsity for 15 years and he saw my approach as being novice because I didn't run any sets and just did skill work all season.. he had a superior attitude and loved to use the time outs to draw something up on the board.. He thinks the time outs are gold.. I typically call the time outs to either give my main players some rest or to point out some glaring issues or the other team is having momentum and I want to break it up.. to me, all the tactical stuff is minutia.. the high impact items is how the practice time was used during the season.. and I consider all games outside of playoffs to be just another practice in game format.. just practicing game IQ, and reinforcing desired habits, that's all..
Sets Help You Hide Deficiencies And Have Success In the
Short-Term
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