I recently read how former Duke player and current LA Clipper, Austin Rivers, said he has no relationship with his father outside of basketball. Doc Rivers, though an extremely successful and respected coach, is only known by his own son in the context of the...
The NCAA basketball tournament is a great time to communicate with your team. The season is over for most school coaches, but staying in touch and communicating with your players is still important. They need your continued guidance!...
For many middle school and recreation teams, the season is coming to an end. As a coach and developer of young people, it is the optimal time to reinforce all the lessons you have instilled this season....
Several weeks ago, Mark Jackson – who formerly played and coached in the NBA and is now a TV analyst – said that Stephen Curry was “hurting” the game of basketball. He is worried that young players have started to focus only on shooting three...
Yesterday, for the second time this season, a head coach for our opposing team was ejected from the game. 12u basketball!! What are these guys trying to teach? I have been involved in competitive basketball for over 45 years....
Importance of the pre-game warm-up The team warm-up is crucial to setting the right tone before a game. Over the years, I have watched players during their warm-up time and have found that they rarely prepare themselves for the game. Left to their own direction, the...
A couple of weeks ago, I had a brief exchange with one of the great former North Carolina high school basketball coaches, Mac Morris. Coach Morris won three state championships at Page High School in Greensboro during his long career. I had the pleasure of...
Last night was the first practice of the season for my sixth grade team. It’s a great bunch of kids who were focused and engaged from the outset. I threw a lot at them in the hour we had together. Being in the gym and...
Tryouts are here. In the next few days or weeks, coaches will begin the journey to build and develop a new team. I emphasize “new” because every year is different. Even teams with a lot of returning players are "new" teams – each player has...
Building trust within a team is a key component to success. Trust is earned, not given. The path to trust between players and coaches begins immediately. Without trust you cannot be an effective leader or coach. Here are some ideas on how to earn the...