When I started coaching I was all about the X’s and the O’s. Strategies. Offenses (the Wheel, the Flex, the Stack, UCLA High Post, Power, the Princeton).
I studied them all.
Defenses (various zones, presses, pack line man to man, pressure man, force baseline man, force middle, match-ups, combos, etc). Ran most of them at one time or another with varying amounts of success.
What I learned about X’s & O’s is the following:
- It doesn’t matter what the coach knows if he/she can’t teach it to the players. The players have to be aware of the time & score, opportunities and situations that will arise during the season.
- Basketball is overcoached but undertaught. It doesn’t matter how great your offense is if the kids can’t throw and catch the ball, find the open man and hit open shots. Spend time on the fundamentals every day.
- Offense takes more time to learn than defense. Defense wins games and rebounding wins titles, but it takes timing and skill to run a good offense. (It takes heart and toughness to play D & rebound).
- The Boy Scouts had it right with their motto: be prepared. It’s no fun trying to draw up a press breaker to run against a half court trap in a one minute time out (after you forget to cover it at practice. Ever). Have a pre-season master checklist to be sure you have all the bases covered.
- Basketball is not a chess match between the coaches. Announcers act like Coach K and Rick Pitino are playing each other. In a chess match each side has the same number of weapons (8 pawns, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, etc). A good coach knows his players’ strengths and limitations. You mask your weaknesses and maximize your strengths. You play the hand you are dealt.
My advice to younger coaches would be:
- Attend clinics.
- Watch as many games as you can.
- Get a mentor to help you stay sharp.
- Have your mentor scout your team to analyze strengths, weaknesses and tendencies.
- Don’t ignore the X’s & O’s.
Good strategy can win you 2 or 3 games a season.
Stay tuned for my next blog.
It’s about developing a winning culture.
Peter Duicker, renouned business guru, says
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
A winning culture can help you win titles, not just a few games.
-Coach T
Share your comments for all us coaches.
Leave a Reply