When you introduce passing, which should be during the first month some time because all of your previous practices you have been working on dribbling - okay, that's only SLIGHTLY tongue in cheek - you will probably work on passing the first day. That's fine. I wouldn't, but I get it. Anyway, we're talking about passing, not receiving. Begin with the one handed push pass, first the right for 2 minutes then the left for four minutes. From there, graduate to throwing that pass right off the dribble. I have an easy drill that is hugely effective for this and it will be on my website http://www.makemykidaplayer.com/ soon. The site is in development right now and there you will find tons of stuff to help you.
You know, I get that as your kids move on to other coaches they will probably want them to two hand chest pass. But that's the point of this blog and the website. You are not coaching your kids to support the stupid things other coaches might do, you are coaching your kids to make the best players possible. So that one day, when they are playing at a high level, you will have been a big part of their success because you started them off right.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Two Hand Chest Pass
Let's talk about the two hand chest pass. Now I know most coaches of youth teams think that's where they should start to teach passing. I mean, it's the most basic passing fundamental in the game, right. I disagree. Here's why.
To throw a two hand chest pass, you first have to stop and come to a two foot jumpstop. Let's take both of those and toss them on the ash heap of history. When you jumpstop what happens? Two things, you have allowed your defender to catch up to you and you have allowed the defender of the one getting the pass to catch up to him. You have slowed down the entire play.
Second, the player with the ball becomes weaker. How many times have you seen a youth player come to a jump stop and kill his dribble, only to be swallowed up by his defender. How about every time?
No, to start to teach passing, you must first teach dribbling. From there you teach a one handed pass right off the dribble. More to come on that
To throw a two hand chest pass, you first have to stop and come to a two foot jumpstop. Let's take both of those and toss them on the ash heap of history. When you jumpstop what happens? Two things, you have allowed your defender to catch up to you and you have allowed the defender of the one getting the pass to catch up to him. You have slowed down the entire play.
Second, the player with the ball becomes weaker. How many times have you seen a youth player come to a jump stop and kill his dribble, only to be swallowed up by his defender. How about every time?
No, to start to teach passing, you must first teach dribbling. From there you teach a one handed pass right off the dribble. More to come on that
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The Pattern Offense Giveth and Taketh Away
A few weeks ago I told you about Number 11 and how she should shoulder more responsibility. Because she is that good. Well, I got see her play again a few nights ago and... well... let's just say it didn't go well. So what does that mean to you? Two things.
If you must run a pattern offense - and I strongly - with all of my strength - advise you against that. But if you must run a pattern offense, then pick one that takes advantage of the skills of your best player. Number 11 can consistently get to the rim anytime she wants. But the pattern offense she was forced to run made the paint so congested that while she could get there, she was always going 1 against 2. Or 3. Or 4. She's good, but not that good. See next paragraph.
Second, teach your kids what to do when they get to the rim. Teach them some moves then let them do them. Teach them to dip their shoulder to get by their guy then explode. Teach them to go between the legs, short and quick, and then explode to the other side of the basket.
In short, number 11 got rooked. She should have had an easy 15 but instead she had a hard 12. This is a great example of where your system can hurt your players not help them.
They lost, btw.
If you must run a pattern offense - and I strongly - with all of my strength - advise you against that. But if you must run a pattern offense, then pick one that takes advantage of the skills of your best player. Number 11 can consistently get to the rim anytime she wants. But the pattern offense she was forced to run made the paint so congested that while she could get there, she was always going 1 against 2. Or 3. Or 4. She's good, but not that good. See next paragraph.
Second, teach your kids what to do when they get to the rim. Teach them some moves then let them do them. Teach them to dip their shoulder to get by their guy then explode. Teach them to go between the legs, short and quick, and then explode to the other side of the basket.
In short, number 11 got rooked. She should have had an easy 15 but instead she had a hard 12. This is a great example of where your system can hurt your players not help them.
They lost, btw.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Dribble Drills Again
Anyway, about dribble drills. Really, you could work on dribbling for an entire 2 hour practice. And that would not be a bad thing. Let me put it this way, the younger your team is the more you need to practice dribbling. Junk the offensive sets, scrap the entries, just dribble. Dribble all day if you can.
Dribbling is the first and best skill you can teach your guys. Look at any team playing at a high level and you will find that every guy out there can put it on the floor. It is that critical to your player's success and your team's success.
Now I get that most of you won't use your entire practice and just dribble. But, really, if you want to make your team better faster, you might consider it.
Dribbling is the first and best skill you can teach your guys. Look at any team playing at a high level and you will find that every guy out there can put it on the floor. It is that critical to your player's success and your team's success.
Now I get that most of you won't use your entire practice and just dribble. But, really, if you want to make your team better faster, you might consider it.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Dribble Drills
We were producing our instructional dribble video the other day and I thought it might be a good idea to talk about where dribbling fits in your overall practice schedule.
You will, of course, have a year long practice plan. Now I know I've been harping on you to give up much of your control so that your kids can just go play, so what sense does it make to have a year practice plan? Plenty, see you're not really giving up any control, you're just teaching different things. Skills that will make your athletes better players. We'll get to that more as we go. Back to dribble drills...
Our first video is about ten minutes long. It shows simple, effective dribble drills that you can use during your practice. And what makes this video different, and all of our videos have this, is that this DVD will have specific teaching points that make a particular dribble skills most effective. It's been my experience that most coaches will overlook these key factors in pulling off these dribble moves and that's not good. Remember, your job is to make your players as accomplished as possible. One way to do that is to concentrate on the elements of a move that makes it go.
Btw, our website will be up soon where you can get this video and more as we get them produced. And there are tons of other great coaching tools that you need so stay tuned.
You will, of course, have a year long practice plan. Now I know I've been harping on you to give up much of your control so that your kids can just go play, so what sense does it make to have a year practice plan? Plenty, see you're not really giving up any control, you're just teaching different things. Skills that will make your athletes better players. We'll get to that more as we go. Back to dribble drills...
Our first video is about ten minutes long. It shows simple, effective dribble drills that you can use during your practice. And what makes this video different, and all of our videos have this, is that this DVD will have specific teaching points that make a particular dribble skills most effective. It's been my experience that most coaches will overlook these key factors in pulling off these dribble moves and that's not good. Remember, your job is to make your players as accomplished as possible. One way to do that is to concentrate on the elements of a move that makes it go.
Btw, our website will be up soon where you can get this video and more as we get them produced. And there are tons of other great coaching tools that you need so stay tuned.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Winning Is Everything
I've been the guy accused of having the win at any cost attitude. I get where that comes from. When I have a team, and I will be coaching my own team in the spring - probably two - I demand things from them. Like a great effort, and aggressiveness, and being completely vested in the outcome of the game. But winning the game? Trophies? B.S. like that? Nah, not for me. And it shouldn't be for you.
No, what I'm after is empowering my players. And that comes from failure. Yep, you are empowered when you fail then try again. I was talking with a very dear friend of mine - someone you will get to know as you continue to read - and she has a book coming out about this from a different perspective. More on that as we go. But we were talking about how being empowered means that you have the consciousness to fail and then try, then repeat. Sometimes hundreds of times.
So I push my players to go beyond what they know they can do and try what they think they might be able to do. Then, after hundreds of failures, they succeed that one time. And they run down the floor thinking, "Hey, that was pretty cool. I'm gonna do that again."
I'll give a concrete example from a game last week. I was watching this kid play. He's an exceptional technical player. He knows how to play, but physically he is behind. He's a bit slow, he's smaller than the guys he's playing against, he hasn't gone through that next stage of development. Where the guys he's playing agains have muscles, he has skin. So he found himself under the basket, being checked by some huge monster who has 6 inches and 60 pounds on him. And his coach has continuously demanded that in that situation he shoot it. 1 foot from the goal, it's gotta go up. But what to do? Any other day, he would have tried some weak crap that would have been slapped down on his forehead. So what did he do?
He ball faked, Then ball faked again, and got his goy off ballance. Then he pivoted and used the basket to his advantage and shot an underhand scoop shot on the other side of the goal. Last week, he would have passed it and got yelled at - rightfully so. A year ago, he would have gotten scared and turned it over. But this day? He did something different because that was what was demanded. And he made it.
He ran back thinking, "Hey, that was cool. I'll do that again." That's empowering. That's basketball.
No, what I'm after is empowering my players. And that comes from failure. Yep, you are empowered when you fail then try again. I was talking with a very dear friend of mine - someone you will get to know as you continue to read - and she has a book coming out about this from a different perspective. More on that as we go. But we were talking about how being empowered means that you have the consciousness to fail and then try, then repeat. Sometimes hundreds of times.
So I push my players to go beyond what they know they can do and try what they think they might be able to do. Then, after hundreds of failures, they succeed that one time. And they run down the floor thinking, "Hey, that was pretty cool. I'm gonna do that again."
I'll give a concrete example from a game last week. I was watching this kid play. He's an exceptional technical player. He knows how to play, but physically he is behind. He's a bit slow, he's smaller than the guys he's playing against, he hasn't gone through that next stage of development. Where the guys he's playing agains have muscles, he has skin. So he found himself under the basket, being checked by some huge monster who has 6 inches and 60 pounds on him. And his coach has continuously demanded that in that situation he shoot it. 1 foot from the goal, it's gotta go up. But what to do? Any other day, he would have tried some weak crap that would have been slapped down on his forehead. So what did he do?
He ball faked, Then ball faked again, and got his goy off ballance. Then he pivoted and used the basket to his advantage and shot an underhand scoop shot on the other side of the goal. Last week, he would have passed it and got yelled at - rightfully so. A year ago, he would have gotten scared and turned it over. But this day? He did something different because that was what was demanded. And he made it.
He ran back thinking, "Hey, that was cool. I'll do that again." That's empowering. That's basketball.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Basketball Offenses and Defenses: The Hard Truth
First, have a happy New Year. I'm wishing you a prosperous and blessed 2011 filled with you making good decisions about how you lead your charges.
To that end, we are going to take 2011 and get down to some specifics about what you should be teaching your kids. We will be talking about specific basketball skills, your practice schedules, how to prepare for games, anything and everything that you will need to coach your players the best way possible.
We will begin soon, so stay tuned. And our website will be up soon as well, where you will find even more information to coach your kids. There will be everything coaches need to get it done. It doesn't matter if you are coaching the tiniest youth team to high school programs, you will have access to tons of stuff.
Wishing you decisive dribble moves, aggressive defense, and quick jump shots.
To that end, we are going to take 2011 and get down to some specifics about what you should be teaching your kids. We will be talking about specific basketball skills, your practice schedules, how to prepare for games, anything and everything that you will need to coach your players the best way possible.
We will begin soon, so stay tuned. And our website will be up soon as well, where you will find even more information to coach your kids. There will be everything coaches need to get it done. It doesn't matter if you are coaching the tiniest youth team to high school programs, you will have access to tons of stuff.
Wishing you decisive dribble moves, aggressive defense, and quick jump shots.
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