Below is a great SI article that I found on St. Louis' Rick Majerus. Majerus is truly a genius when it comes to coaching basketball, but I almost felt sorry for him (not to mention some of his players) after I read this article. He is so driven and focused on the game that I can't help but wonder if he has missed out on some other important things in life. John Wooden talks a lot about balance in his writing. As a coach, we sometimes forget to keep things in perspective and keep a proper balance between the game and a healthy personal life...
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/the_bonus/01/17/majerus/index.html
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Coach Walberg Receives National Press!
I was really surprised when I found out last month that Coach Walberg had resigned from Pepperdine. It was unexpected because I truly believed that with another great recruiting class signed for next year Pepperdine basketball was set to blow up. Apparently Coach Walberg had a lot trouble getting some of his players and assistant coaches to believe in what he was trying to do from a tactical standpoint. Amazing... It just goes to show that belief and loyalty from those around you are so important when you are coaching.
It will be interesting to see where Coach Walberg ends up. With top teams in the pros (Celtics), college (Memphis), high school (Bob Hurley at St. Anthony's) and AAU (Nike Team Florida) all running his offense, it is obvious that he will be in demand as an assistant coach and may have other head coaching opportunities as well. I hope Walberg gets another good opportunity and that he has the success he deserves. He is a good guy and he has been very open and helpful about sharing his ideas with me and hundreds of other coaches around the country.
Below is a link to an article about the Dribble-Drive Motion in this week's Sports Illustrated. I actually knew a few weeks ago that this article was coming out because the author, Grant Wahl, sent me an email looking for information. Apparently, since I emailed Coach Walberg so often with questions over the past year or so, he gave this writer my email (along with the emails of a lot of other high school and college coaches across the nation with whom he had corresponded.) I exchanged a couple emails with Grant which was pretty neat, and our school, Glenelg Country, is listed in the print addition as a program that runs the offense. Glenelg Country on the map!
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/grant_wahl/02/12/memphis0218/index.html
It will be interesting to see where Coach Walberg ends up. With top teams in the pros (Celtics), college (Memphis), high school (Bob Hurley at St. Anthony's) and AAU (Nike Team Florida) all running his offense, it is obvious that he will be in demand as an assistant coach and may have other head coaching opportunities as well. I hope Walberg gets another good opportunity and that he has the success he deserves. He is a good guy and he has been very open and helpful about sharing his ideas with me and hundreds of other coaches around the country.
Below is a link to an article about the Dribble-Drive Motion in this week's Sports Illustrated. I actually knew a few weeks ago that this article was coming out because the author, Grant Wahl, sent me an email looking for information. Apparently, since I emailed Coach Walberg so often with questions over the past year or so, he gave this writer my email (along with the emails of a lot of other high school and college coaches across the nation with whom he had corresponded.) I exchanged a couple emails with Grant which was pretty neat, and our school, Glenelg Country, is listed in the print addition as a program that runs the offense. Glenelg Country on the map!
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/grant_wahl/02/12/memphis0218/index.html
Monday, February 11, 2008
Parents and Coaches
Let me start off by stating that I am not a parent, and as such perhaps I shouldn't judge. However, I am going to get on my soapbox for a moment here:
It seems like more and more seemingly reasonable, intelligent, well-intentioned adults are becoming overly involved in their children's athletic lives and handicapping them in the process. It is frustrating when I see overzealous parents teaching something that directly contradicts what the player's coach is teaching. Coaches are rarely perfect and will certainly make mistakes, and it is a parent's perogative to not agree with gameplans, strategy, etc -- but when a parent communicates that to the player it undermines the coach's authority and ultimately just hurts their child in the long run. If your son thinks the coach doesn't know what he is doing because that is what you told him, he will become unteachable and uncoachable. Moreover, if a player does not always like his coach or always agree with him, that doesn't mean he cannot learn something from the coach. (Maybe you can learn what not to do in some cases!) Everyone who has played sports has had a coach that maybe we didn't like personally or didn't totally agree with at all times. Conversely, every player (and person in general) needs challenges in order to grow and learn. If a parent constantly protects and makes excuses for his or her child, he or she is not allowing the child to be challenged and is ultimately limiting their potential for growth and improvement. The bottom line is if you don't always agree with your son or daughter's coach, fine. Just don't make the mistake of communicating that attitude to your son or daughter. If you do so, I believe you are only hurting your child in the long run.
It seems like more and more seemingly reasonable, intelligent, well-intentioned adults are becoming overly involved in their children's athletic lives and handicapping them in the process. It is frustrating when I see overzealous parents teaching something that directly contradicts what the player's coach is teaching. Coaches are rarely perfect and will certainly make mistakes, and it is a parent's perogative to not agree with gameplans, strategy, etc -- but when a parent communicates that to the player it undermines the coach's authority and ultimately just hurts their child in the long run. If your son thinks the coach doesn't know what he is doing because that is what you told him, he will become unteachable and uncoachable. Moreover, if a player does not always like his coach or always agree with him, that doesn't mean he cannot learn something from the coach. (Maybe you can learn what not to do in some cases!) Everyone who has played sports has had a coach that maybe we didn't like personally or didn't totally agree with at all times. Conversely, every player (and person in general) needs challenges in order to grow and learn. If a parent constantly protects and makes excuses for his or her child, he or she is not allowing the child to be challenged and is ultimately limiting their potential for growth and improvement. The bottom line is if you don't always agree with your son or daughter's coach, fine. Just don't make the mistake of communicating that attitude to your son or daughter. If you do so, I believe you are only hurting your child in the long run.
A Nation of Wimps?
I found the following on Brian McCormick's blog http://www.thecrossovermovement.com/. I highly recommend his blog. It is a site that I read frequently:
Sefu Bernard’s blog alerted me to the Nation of Wimps. As the author writes:
Armed with hyperconcern and microscrutiny, parents are going to ludicrous lengths to take the lumps and bumps out of life for their children today. However well-intentioned, their efforts have the net effect of making kids more fragile. That may be why the young are breaking down in record numbers or staying stuck in endless adolescence.
I see this every day and hear about it even more from my sister who teaches at a school where nothing is ever allowed to go wrong and no child is ever responsible for his or her own actions. How can a child really learn when a parent is right behind the child making excuses for every error rather than helping the child learn from his or her mistake?
What’s more, parents are seeking status and meaning in the achievements of their children. The trouble with turning tots into trophies is that the developmental needs of the young are sacrificed to the psychological needs of adults.
Sefu Bernard’s blog alerted me to the Nation of Wimps. As the author writes:
Armed with hyperconcern and microscrutiny, parents are going to ludicrous lengths to take the lumps and bumps out of life for their children today. However well-intentioned, their efforts have the net effect of making kids more fragile. That may be why the young are breaking down in record numbers or staying stuck in endless adolescence.
I see this every day and hear about it even more from my sister who teaches at a school where nothing is ever allowed to go wrong and no child is ever responsible for his or her own actions. How can a child really learn when a parent is right behind the child making excuses for every error rather than helping the child learn from his or her mistake?
What’s more, parents are seeking status and meaning in the achievements of their children. The trouble with turning tots into trophies is that the developmental needs of the young are sacrificed to the psychological needs of adults.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Competitive Spirit
"Why are some players seemingly content with getting beat while others take it as a personal insult? Why do some players do nothing in between games to prevent embarrassment while others work their tails off to try to fix whatever it was that caused the opponent to score so easily? Why do some have such a cavalier disposition when an opponent makes a score while others appear to burn with a competitive spirit that confidently dares the opponent to come back and try again? Perhaps the answer lies so deep within human nature or is so buried in heredity that we will never know."
- Pete Newell
In our program, the most important characteristic that we look for when evaluating players is competitiveness and a willingness to play hard. It seems to me that playing hard is the most important skill there is, and I just wish I was a better coach so that I could find a way to instill a more competitive spirit in all our players...
The Great Competitor
Beyond the winning and the goal,
Beyond the glory and the fame,
He feels the flame within his soul,
Born of the spirit of the game.
And where the barriers may wait,
Built by the opposing gods,
He finds a thrill in bucking fate
And riding down the endless odds.
Where others whither in the fire,
Or fall below some raw mishap,
Where others lag behind and tire,
Or break beneath the handicap,
He finds a new and deeper thrill
To take him on the uphill spin,
Because the test is greater still
And something he can revel in.
- Grantland Rice
- Pete Newell
In our program, the most important characteristic that we look for when evaluating players is competitiveness and a willingness to play hard. It seems to me that playing hard is the most important skill there is, and I just wish I was a better coach so that I could find a way to instill a more competitive spirit in all our players...
The Great Competitor
Beyond the winning and the goal,
Beyond the glory and the fame,
He feels the flame within his soul,
Born of the spirit of the game.
And where the barriers may wait,
Built by the opposing gods,
He finds a thrill in bucking fate
And riding down the endless odds.
Where others whither in the fire,
Or fall below some raw mishap,
Where others lag behind and tire,
Or break beneath the handicap,
He finds a new and deeper thrill
To take him on the uphill spin,
Because the test is greater still
And something he can revel in.
- Grantland Rice
Friday, December 28, 2007
Guerrilla Basketball
Lest I be misunderstood, let me begin this post by stating that basketball is just a game, and should not really be compared in any serious manner to warfare. That said, please humor me as I explain my (very limited!) understanding of 18th century battle tactics, and attempt to extend that understanding as a half-serious metaphor for our style of play this season:
European warfare during the time of the American Revolution was very structured and organized. Soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder in formation lines, faced other soldiers across the field lining up in exactly the same manner, and attempted to blow each other's heads off.This style of battle was effective as long as the enemy adopted the same unspoken customs and rules. However, when the Massachusetts Minutemen refused to line up in a field and instead employed guerrilla tactics of fast moving, smaller scale attacks against the orthodox British lines marching back to Boston, the playing field was evened and the British Redcoats took heavy losses.
Recently, conventional high school basketball has reminded me a bit of orthodox, 18th century European warfare. One team walks the ball up the court, implicitly gives the other team time to set their defense, and then proceeds to attack in a predictable fashion. Both teams play by the traditional rules and customs of what is considered proper play, and inevitably, the team with the greater talent or size (the Redcoats) wins the game.
Our style (based on Coach Walberg's ideas) by comparison, is designed to force teams out of their conventional basketball comfort zones, create confusion and uncertainty, and as a result, be "Minutemen" who defeat teams that we would not beat if we were to play conventionally...
European warfare during the time of the American Revolution was very structured and organized. Soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder in formation lines, faced other soldiers across the field lining up in exactly the same manner, and attempted to blow each other's heads off.This style of battle was effective as long as the enemy adopted the same unspoken customs and rules. However, when the Massachusetts Minutemen refused to line up in a field and instead employed guerrilla tactics of fast moving, smaller scale attacks against the orthodox British lines marching back to Boston, the playing field was evened and the British Redcoats took heavy losses.
Recently, conventional high school basketball has reminded me a bit of orthodox, 18th century European warfare. One team walks the ball up the court, implicitly gives the other team time to set their defense, and then proceeds to attack in a predictable fashion. Both teams play by the traditional rules and customs of what is considered proper play, and inevitably, the team with the greater talent or size (the Redcoats) wins the game.
Our style (based on Coach Walberg's ideas) by comparison, is designed to force teams out of their conventional basketball comfort zones, create confusion and uncertainty, and as a result, be "Minutemen" who defeat teams that we would not beat if we were to play conventionally...
Coaching Effort
For our style (or really any style of play) to be effective against good teams, we have to play very hard. We want to make fatigue a factor through constant substitution and by speeding up the tempo and putting great pressure on the ball. To be successful, our hard needs to be harder than the opposition, and it's certainly not easy for our players to play with that kind of intensity for 32 minutes.
I've heard coaches in every sport say that "you shouldn't have to coach effort" in your players. Maybe in a perfect world (or in the pros) that is true. But I feel that "coaching effort" is perhaps my most important job as a high school coach.
Coaching effort begins by eliminating excuses from your players and that is best accomplished in practice. As Coach Walberg says, you want your players to have a "no excuses" mentality where they are mentally tough enough to not be effected by the referees, the crowd, a missed shot, etc. During our practices we are always striving to create the attacking mindset and tempo that we wish to see from our players on the court. This is done by creating habits through our drills and repetition. I believe strongly that playing hard is a habit, and all behaviors and playing habits (whether good or bad) should be built through repetition in practice.
I've heard coaches in every sport say that "you shouldn't have to coach effort" in your players. Maybe in a perfect world (or in the pros) that is true. But I feel that "coaching effort" is perhaps my most important job as a high school coach.
Coaching effort begins by eliminating excuses from your players and that is best accomplished in practice. As Coach Walberg says, you want your players to have a "no excuses" mentality where they are mentally tough enough to not be effected by the referees, the crowd, a missed shot, etc. During our practices we are always striving to create the attacking mindset and tempo that we wish to see from our players on the court. This is done by creating habits through our drills and repetition. I believe strongly that playing hard is a habit, and all behaviors and playing habits (whether good or bad) should be built through repetition in practice.
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