Coaching Management 12.3

Coaching Management VOL. XII, NO. 3

BASKETBALL ■ ■

POSTSEASON

EDITION

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$5.00

2004

Training for Game Speed Risk Management Rules

Looking for the Assist New ideas in hiring assistant coaches

When athletes are dehydrated, they lack the ability to perform and may lose focus. So all the laps, suicide drills and hours of watching film become as useful as a deflated b-ball. Gatorade is formulated with sodium, potassium and carbs to replenish athletes and rehydrate them in a way water can’t.

Risk dehydration and you might as well let athletes coach themselves!

is it in you?®

©2003 S-VC, Inc.

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Coaching Management Basketball Edition Postseason 2004

CONTENTS

Vol. XII, No. 3

p. 5

p. 29

LOCKER ROOM

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . 5 NCAA discusses banning preseason exhibition games … Akron-area coaches take St. Vincent-St. Mary off their schedule … How to get CSTV inside your gymnasium …

Metro State survives a shut-down scare … Teaching parents the realities of college scholarships.

Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 At Trinity College, Pat Cunningham has led his Division III team to a 7628 record, two SCAC titles, and two NCAA tournament appearances.

p. 38

Cover Story

Looking for the Assist

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When it comes to hiring assistant coaches, the best candidates are sometimes those off your radar screen. In this article, head coaches talk about hiring assistants with untraditional backgrounds—and the rewards they’ve reaped.

Sport Safety

Safe Landings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Diving out of bounds is just one of the risk areas to be aware of in the game of basketball. But you can make your program and your players safer by following this risk management plan.

Optimum Performance

On the Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Today’s players need to be both quick and fast, to have “game speed.” Here’s how to combine speed and agility training into one comprehensive program.

Catalog Showcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Web News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Advertising Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Cover photo: Getty Images/Elsa

Basketball Goals. . . .

Uniforms & Apparel .

Team Equipment . . .

Coaching Aids . . . . .

Publisher Mark Goldberg

Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel

Production Manager Kristin Ayers

Prepress Manager Adam Berenstain

Circulation Director Mark Shea

Associate Editors Guillermo Metz Dennis Read

Asst. Production Manager Kristi Kempf

Ad Materials Coordinator Mike Townsend

Production Assistants Jonni Campbell Hildi Gerhart

Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter

Art Director Pamela Crawford Assistant Editors R.J. Anderson Art Assistant Kenny Berkowitz Dina Stander David Hill Laura Smith Business Manager Pennie Small

IT Manager Mark Nye

Administrative Assistants Sharon Barbell Daniela Reis Amy Walton

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Guide to Video Editing. . . . . . . . . .

Strength Training & Cardiovascular.

Fundraising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

More Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Advertising Sales Associates Diedra Harkenrider, (607) 257-6970, ext. 24 Sheryl Shaffer, (607) 257-6970, ext. 21 Business and Editorial Offices 2488 N. Triphammer Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 257-6970, Fax (607) 257-7328 info@MomentumMedia.com Mailing lists for Coaching Management Basketball are provided by the Clell Wade Coaches Directory.

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50 51 54 56

The Coaching Management basketball edition is published in March and July by MAG, Inc. and is distributed free to college and high school coaches in the United States and Canada. Copyright © 2004 by MAG, Inc. All rights reserved. Text may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Coaching Management is printed by Banta Publications Group, Kansas City, MO. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Coaching Management, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, N.Y. 14852.

Printed in the U.S.A.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

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bulletin board Exhibition Games Come Under Scrutiny On April 1, members of the NCAA Board of Directors will decide whether Division I men’s basketball teams may continue to include non-collegiate opponents on their preseason schedules. Rule No. 03-92, which is sponsored by the Big Ten, would prohibit institutions from playing exhibition contests against highprofile barnstorming teams like EA Sports, Athletes In Action, and the Harlem Globetrotters, as well as regional semipro teams and select international teams.

The proposal was given initial approval by the Division I Management Council and Board of Directors during the NCAA convention in January.

It is now in the 60-day comment period, which ends March 11.

GETTY IMAGES/ANDY LYONS

The move is an attempt to limit potential conflicts of interest that may arise from a program having a financial relationship with traveling semi-pro teams, some of which also sponsor club teams made up of high school players. “There was some thought that some schools were almost being forced to play certain clubs that sponsor AAU teams,” says Northwestern University Head Men’s Coach Bill Carmody. “Maybe those schools were afraid that, if they didn’t play a certain [exhibition] team, they wouldn’t have access to that program’s younger players.”

If the legislation passes, Division I teams would likely schedule exhibition games against teams from Divisions II and III, or possibly play closed scrimmages against other Division I squads. The NCAA currently allows Division I schools

Pending a vote by the NCAA Board of Directors, Division I teams may no longer play non-collegiate foes as part of their preseason exhibition schedules. This past November, Kentucky suited up against EA Sports, above. to scrimmage one another in the preseason provided that score is not kept and the event is closed to the public.

Division I teams. These contests represent gross earnings of roughly $1 million.

College teams pay non-collegiate teams as much as $15,000 per preseason contest, and Big Ten coaches say it would cost significantly less to scrimmage Division II or III teams. They also like the idea that such money would be helping their neighboring smaller schools. However, other coaches fear that ticket sales may be compromised by playing weaker competition.

Another group likely to take a hit are the men who make up these teams. For some players, barnstorming teams provide an opportunity to showcase their skills, remain visible, and catch on with a European club looking to fill out its roster. Though the pay and on-the-road accommodations are notoriously minimal, these players gain experience and are afforded one more chance to pursue their dream of playing professionally.

One group that would be hurt by the legislation is the barnstorming teams. For example, Double Pump Basketball, which organizes the teams sponsored by EA Sports—and also sponsors successful AAU programs in Alabama and southern California— puts together five exhibition teams that play over 70 games against men’s

One factor to be discussed during the comment period is whether or not to impose the same limitations on women’s Division I teams, which may be dealing with similar circumstances. Also to be discussed is whether two is the appropriate number of preseason games for a Division I team to play. Other issues to be addressed are the potential

implications that could arise from limiting an institution’s gate proceeds by banning such contests, as well as possible legal challenges from the organizers of the traveling teams. If passed, the legislation will go into effect Aug. 1.

Coaches Take St. V’s Off Their Schedules When coaches disagree with their peers at other schools on the basic principles of how to run a program, the options for expressing that disagreement may be limited. If it involves suspicion of actual violations, the matter can be taken to a league or state association for investigation.

But what if it’s a matter of philosophy and approach?

One avenue taken by some basketball coaches in Akron, Ohio, is to shun the team they believe is doing things the wrong way.

Continued on page 8

COACHING MANAGEMENT

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bulletin board Despite historical rivalries, some Akron-area high schools have declined to schedule regular-season games with St. Vincent-St. Mary, the parochial school where straight-to-the-NBA phenom LeBron James rose to prominence. The circumstances vary—one public school power had a dispute with St. Vincent-St. Mary over last year’s ticket revenue—but the main reason appears to be disapproval of the Fighting Irish’s approach to high school basketball, including its national schedule.

One of the Catholic schools not scheduling St. VincentSt. Mary is long-time rival Archbishop Hoban. “We just feel that philosophically we have a different approach to running a high school,” T.K. Griffith, Head Boys’ Basketball Coach at Archbishop Hoban, says of coaches who aren’t scheduling St. Vincent-St. Mary. “I think it’s those schools’ perceptions that maybe some bridges were burned over the course of the LeBron James era. When they went to the national schedule, I think they offended a lot of local people here.”

While James was at St. V’s (as the school is known locally) the team often traveled far out of the area and out of state, playing games at college arenas, and having some of its contests televised on cable in northeastern Ohio and even nationally on ESPN2. Its roster included several players from outside the Akron area, and its head coach, Dru Joyce, headed a local AAU all-star team on which James played.

control that part of it, wish everybody else the best of luck, and try to continue to have a fine program here.”

rules. Some schools say it’s wrong, and they’re jealous of it. But they’ve never been in the same position.”

For his part, St. Vincent-St. Mary Athletic Director Grant Innocenzi defends the way he runs his basketball program.

“We certainly want to be competitive in every sport. But we’re never going to be a win-at-allcosts school.

We’re a Catholic school. Ninetynine percent of our kids go to college, and that’s our main goal, a well-rounded education,” he says.

Innocenzi notes that the 2003-04 schedule includes no out-of-state games, although St. V’s played several schools from elsewhere in Ohio, including some ranked near the top of the USA Today national high school rankings.

Its farthest scheduled trip was to Columbus, for a game in Ohio State University’s arena.

Innocenzi says the school’s approach benefited the players by giving them a broader opportunity. “We all knew that LeBron was going to get the chance to visit every major city by the time he’s finished in the NBA,” Innocenzi says. “But the rest In a 2002 district semifinal, St. Vincentof our kids won’t St. Mary’s LeBron James shoots over Archbe doing that. bishop Hoban’s June Wilder. This year, Some of them are Hoban chose to eliminate St. V’s from its not going to be regular-season schedule due to philosophigood enough to cal differences between the schools. play college basketball—and ly it’s to teach life lessons, to they’re not going to get to develop life-long relationships Pauley Pavilion, they’re not with these kids, and to develgoing to get to go to the op sound people who are Greensboro Coliseum, they’re going to make a difference in not going to get to go to the their community. If I do that, Palestra. So we were happy I’m happy. we could give our kids the opportunity to do that.

“You can only police yourself,” he continues, “and that’s “And they didn’t miss any what we’re trying to do. We days of school,” Innocenzi have some flexibility and can continues. “We made sure of control our schedule. We can that. We went right by the

To read a previously published article about handling high-profile high school athletes, go to www.athleticsearch.com and type “headliners” in the search window.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

Innocenzi says the shunning doesn’t take into account what high school sports should be about—studentathletes. They’re missing out on some traditional local rivalries, he says. With no attendance zones for the diocese’s three high schools, students may choose which to attend, and rivalries are described as long and intense, especially between the older schools, St. Vincent-St. Mary and Archbishop Hoban.

“As an example, Hoban at this point chooses not to play us,” Innocenzi says. “Our kids would love to play them, and I’m pretty sure if you asked their kids, not their administrators, they’d love to play us, too. I think sometimes adults get in the way and make decisions that do not take into account what the kids want, when actually that’s one of the most important things, considering we’re in a high school environment.”

But for other coaches, says Griffith, the scheduling decision is a way to keep sports in perspective. “The high school is a learning institution and the main goal should be to develop people, to help them grow, educationally, spiritually, and personally, and the last would be athletically,” Griffith says. “We can only set an example as to how we want things—basically to lead by example.”

AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS

Griffith says St. Vincent-St. Mary’s aspirations seem different from those of his and other basketball

programs, and that scheduling is a way to express their differences with colleagues at other schools. “At Hoban my goals aren’t to win a national championship,” he says. “My goal is just to have a competitive high school basketball program. But most important-

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bulletin board CSTV Expands Basketball Coverage Approaching its first anniversary of going on the air, College Sports Television has become a major player in collegiate athletics. It is also bringing more college basketball to the airwaves.

Available in more than 15 million homes, CSTV has produced over 1,500 hours of original programming, including live coverage of men’s and women’s basketball games in all three NCAA divisions. “Our mission is to create the definitive home base for college sports,” says Chris Bevilacqua, Executive Vice President. “The landscape of college sports is chock-full of great stories, and we want to tell them.”

At Cornell University, Head Men’s Coach Steve Donahue thought he had one of those stories, and telephoned CSTV to let them know. Since taking over a losing program in 2000, he had expanded the Big Red’s schedule to include games against top 20 programs. To start his fourth season, Donahue scheduled a home opener against Georgia Tech, the first ACC opponent to visit Newman Arena in more than 10 years.

“I called up CSTV and said, ‘We’ve got a great opening game, and I’d love for you to take a look at it,’” says Donahue. “They asked whether the game would be sold out, how good our team would be, and what kind of environment we were expecting. I presented it as a unique situation where an Ivy League school

was going to host an ACC school, and they were very interested.”

Having your college team play on national television got a bit easier this season with the arrival of CSTV. Cornell University’s home opener against Georgia Tech, shown above, was aired live on the cable network on Nov. 23.

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Within a week, CSTV agreed, and Donahue was ready to begin promoting the matchup. Advertising at Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, Donahue hired a marketing team of business students to handle the campaign, which included basketball-themed desserts in the campus dining halls, ticket giveaways in the university libraries and student unions, free T-shirts to fans sitting in the arena’s Red Zone, regional radio advertising, and a special pull-out supplement in the student newspaper.

For a team that hasn’t been an Ivy League contender for more than 15 years, the promotions paid off with a rare

capacity crowd of 4,762 fans, most of them students, and a great experience for the Big Red. “For our student-athletes to play Georgia Tech was tremendous,” says Donahue.

“But for us to play them on national television, and to have our parents, alumni, and friends watching made the game even more exciting. It’s been a huge benefit for us in recruiting and bringing this program to a new level.”

After leading for most of the first half, Cornell lost momentum in the second, finishing with a respectable 90-69 loss.

“We played tremendous basketball for 30 minutes, and then we ran out of gas,” says Donahue. “Of course, we were disappointed to lose.

But for our student-athletes, playing an ACC team on national television was a dream come true, and years from now, they’ll look back on this proudly.

“CSTV is a first-class operation,” continues Donahue.

“They had four cameras, and the announcers did a great job. They really did their homework, talking to the coaches and players on both staffs, and really getting a feel for the game. They captured the Cornell experience and the bigleague basketball atmosphere at the same time. I really enjoyed having them here, and I hope we can do it again.”

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS

“We know that there’s a significant demand out there for this type of programming,” says Bevilacqua, who urges fans and coaches to petition their local cable operators to add the network to their offerings.

Along with plans to reach an additional 10 million homes by the end of the year, CSTV has gained a powerful new For more information on CSTV, log onto www.cstv.com.

position on the Web, acquiring the Official College Sports Network (OCSN), which operates sites for close to 150 college athletic departments and attracts 7.5 million users in a typical month.

“Our goal has never been to be a niche network,” says Bevilacqua. “Our goal has been to become the premier college sports company, and from my perspective, I think we’re doing fabulously.”

Metro State Program Avoids Elimination With two NCAA Division II titles in six years as Head Men’s Coach at Metropolitan State College of Denver, Mike Dunlap was feeling pretty good about his job. Until he opened a local newspaper one day this past October.

There, he saw headlines that said the Metro State Board of Trustees was discussing eliminating the school’s entire athletic program.

Dunlap was not the only one caught off guard. It turned out that his athletic director, Joan McDermott, was also unaware of the discussions.

Despite two recent national championships in men’s basketball, Metro State athletics was faced with the possibility of elimination this fall. Above, players celebrate their 2002 NCAA Division II title. it upon himself to be involved as well by gathering facts, speaking at trustee meetings, and asking his network of contacts for help. From the experience, he says he learned the importance of being prepared for inevitable fiscal challenges.

The plan worked. By the time Dunlap’s team played its first conference game of the season, the trustees had scrapped the elimination idea. But it was an intense six weeks for a coach who was supposed to be concentrating on preseason practices.

“I realized that in order to be at any place long-term, you’d better understand the politics of higher education,” Dunlap says. “It’s going to come to every coach, and you’d better have a network of people that you can access quickly. If you just work at recruiting and coaching, you’ve got your head buried in the sand. We were prepared. We have lots of friends in this community because we spend time outside of our own buildings quite a bit. And they came out of the woodwork to take on the people who were making a decision based on limited information.”

Dunlap credits McDermott with leading the department’s fight back, but, as the 20,000student commuter school’s highest profile coach, he took

The first order of business was to correct some misunderstandings. Trustees who had discussed eliminating athletics saw a budget of

Their response? To fight back, with researched facts and determination—and by presenting all the positives they had accomplished.

about $2.5 million and 150 student-athletes, when in reality only about $523,000 would be available for institutional use if athletics were cut, and 254 students participated in 2002-03. The athletic department compiled a fact sheet that pointed out the true level of institutional support for athletics and illustrated that state support for Metro State was similar to that at other Colorado public colleges and universities.

McDermott also had coaches list the community contacts they’d made in the past year through camps, tournaments, clinics, speaking engagements, and community-service events.

The department-wide total came to about 20,000, with half from men’s basketball.

Dunlap also cited the national publicity on CBS during the Division II championships. All were raised as examples of how the athletic department positively represents the school.

Additional help came from faculty, who generally

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opposed elimination, seeing it as pitting department against department and gutting a successful part of the school.

And a Web-site survey conducted by the Student Government Association showed overwhelming student support for continuing the $23.50-per-semester activities fee for athletics each student is required to pay.

Dunlap felt the trustees were seeing an inaccurate picture of Metro State athletics, and he didn’t hesitate to correct them. In response to the trustees’ contention that low turnout at basketball games showed low interest on campus, “I explained to the board of trustees that how many people come to our games is a bad measurement of interest level,” he says. “They were

looking through a very narrow set of eyes. This is not a traditional campus, and it does not operate in a traditional way.”

McDermott made the same point, saying that students value athletics even if they don’t turn out at games.

“Because we are a commuter campus, we don’t get a lot of students at our games,” she says. “But I have had a lot of students tell me, ‘You know what? I have a full-time job away from here and I’m always running. I don’t have time to get to a game. But that doesn’t mean I don’t deserve to have an athletic program at my college.’ Our students take a lot of pride in the athletic program.”

Dunlap also talked to the trustees about the depart-

ment’s off-court and off-field successes, its role in Metro State’s increase in applications for admission, and how it’s helped the school improve its image in greater Denver. “We have a diverse team. Eighteen of my 22 players have graduated in the last six years, and all of the coaches here have an 80 percent or higher graduation rate,” he says.

“My final comment to them,” Dunlap continues, “was, ‘You should thank your good fortune that you’re not on the board of trustees at Baylor, and that you’re a trustee at Metro State. We are the good guys, and we do it right. Whether it’s with the

COACHING MANAGEMENT

Talk of elimination came as Dunlap’s team was at the height of preseason preparation, but he tried to shield his players from the added stress. “We just told them not to overreact—that this wasn’t going to happen the way it was written up in the papers, that there were a lot of steps to go through,” Dunlap says.

In early December, Metro State’s board of trustees backed away from the elimi-

To read a Q&A with Mike Dunlap from our 2003 postseason issue, go to www.athleticsearch.com and enter “Dunlap” in the search window.

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faculty, the students, or the media, you look like the bully, and you’ve been bullying the wrong person, and it’s come back to beat you on top of the head.’”

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nation idea, opting instead for a program of reduced institutional support and a directive to reduce the number of outof-state student-athletes receiving athletic financial aid in favor of more Colorado residents, who pay lower in-state tuition. The athletic department will also need to raise more of its own money to help make up for the decrease in institutional support.

In retrospect, Dunlap says he is glad he kept a positive attitude and did not take the process personally. “It’s important to realize that this is not good versus evil or anything like that,” he says. “It’s education. We were dealing with ignorance, and we needed to tackle it head-on with this strategy and not point our finger at any one individual. It

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can come to your doorstep at any time and you’ve got to be ready to take a stand for what you believe in.”

A New Way To Reach Parents Of the one million boys and girls who play high school basketball every year, just under 10,000—one percent— go on to play at the NCAA Division I level. That statistic may not be a surprise to most coaches, but it’s an eye-opener for many parents, which is why the Michigan High School Athletic Association launched a program called “High School Sports: It’s About Team” for the 2003-04 school year.

The objective of the program is to educate parents, fans,

and others about the true value of high school sports. It defines them as “educational support programs which help develop tomorrow’s community leaders—not the starting lineups for tomorrow’s collegiate or professional teams.”

“We started seeing more and more cases where the highly publicized success of a handful of elite athletes was being touted as the defining moment of high school sports,” says John Johnson, MHSAA Communications Director. “We created this program to combat that message.

“High school is the highest level of play most basketball players will ever see,” he continues. “The emphasis cannot be placed on the one percent who play after high school—it

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has to be on the experiences and values all players can take away from their high school team.

The program also hopes to downplay the college scholarship goal. “Parents are increasingly likely to view playing in college or earning a college scholarship as a right,” says Johnson. “So they place all the emphasis on getting their child seen by college scouts, rather than on functioning as part of a high school team. Educating parents about the actual odds that their child will earn an athletic scholarship to a Division I university can help them gain some perspective and change their attitudes.”

A key component of the “It’s About Team” project is a

GETTY IMAGES/DOUG PENSINGER

video that was sent to Michigan high schools for use during the 2003-04 season. Sam Ellis, Athletic Director at Highland Park High School, says he’s urging his coaches to show the video at preseason meetings, so both athletes and parents can view it. “The values expressed on the video are exactly what our athletes and parents need to hear, and the presentation is great,” he says. “It’s also concise, and that’s important. Otherwise, you start to lose people.”

The MHSAA encourages coaches to show it at school board meetings as well, so that upper-level administrators can support the theme, and to community groups

outside the school, to get fans on board. “We want this message to not just be preached to the choir—our school people—but to the public as well,” explains MHSAA Executive Director Jack Roberts.

In addition to the video, the MHSAA has produced six one-minute public service announcements. Coaches were also given full-color brochures outlining the educational values of high school sports for distribution to athletes and parents. Schools can also take advantage of readyto-print articles offered by the association by including them in monthly school newsletters or game programs.

Three-Point Line Stays Put Players like Gonzaga’s Kyle Bankhead will continue to launch from 19 feet, 9 inches to score three points, thanks to a ruling by the NCAA Executive Committee. A recommendation from the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Rules Committee to extend the three point line for the 2004-05 season was defeated this January.

For more information on the “It’s About Team” program, visit www.mhsaa.com/aboutteam/index.html.

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Pat Cunningham Trinity University

Coaching in the NCAA Division III ranks is very different from coaching at any other level. It takes certain skills, and Pat Cunningham has mastered them. First at the University of Chicago and, for the past five years, at Trinity College, Cunningham has led his teams to some impressive records.

As Head Men’s Coach at the University of Chicago from 1991 to 1999, he was named University Athletic Association Coach of the Year three of his last four years, racking up an 82-23 record. Under his leadership, the Maroons made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Division III Championships twice in a three-year period and took home two UAA championships, along with two runner-up finishes.

When Trinity called, Cunningham moved his family south and compiled an .889 winning percentage in conference games his first year—the best in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference history—while leading the Tigers to the conference title. That earned him SCAC Coach of the Year honors. He started the 2003-04 season with a 76-28 record, two SCAC titles, and two NCAA tournament appearances.

At Trinity, you have a lot of top-level, highly competitive teams—men’s soccer won the Division III title this year and women’s tennis won the title last year. Does that create a competitive atmosphere among different sports, or is it more one of camaraderie?

It’s more camaraderie. I’ve always said, at every place I’ve been, that it’s great to have other good sports there. That excitement carries through to all the athletes.

It’s not about people trying to outdo each other. It simply creates good competition, making everybody try to be as good as they can be.

As coaches of different sports, do you learn from each other?

No question. For instance, Paul McGinlay, our men’s soccer coach, is very, very good at motivation. I’ve learned a number of things from him. Becky Geyer, our women’s basketball coach, you can’t get any more organized than her. All of our

Cunningham spoke with us about his decision to leave Chicago, his coaching philosophy, and how he constantly refines his program.

Why did you make the move from Chicago to Trinity?

Quite honestly, it was a lifestyle and family decision more than a basketball decision. Probably the biggest thing was the winters in Chicago. The winter is our busy time and the climate in Chicago is not real conducive to getting out to practices and games and that sort of thing.

And, during our busy time, I don’t get to see a lot of my family. At the time, my kids were six years old. In Chicago, it was sometimes hard for them to come see me, but the Trinity location was and is great for them. For them to be able to come on campus and do stuff like have breakfast with us is great. San Antonio is a beautiful city. The weather is great.

And, of course, from a basketball standpoint, Trinity has a very good athletic program.

Both the University of Chicago and Trinity are known for having excellent academics and athletics. What has it been like working in that kind of environment?

The quality of the individuals makes it a real pleasure to come to work each day.

Both institutions attract outstanding professors and coaches, so the people I work with on a day-to-day basis are great people. And, at least as important, the

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quality of kids we’re able to recruit is very high. They’re very bright kids.

We don’t attract athletes who are thinking about going into professional sports. We attract athletes who are thinking about joining the business world or going into medicine or what have you. And because of that, teaching basketball on a day-to-day basis is a lot of fun. They’re very serious about playing basketball, but they have other things in their lives, too.

Is it a challenge to keep them focused on basketball?

No, not at all. For every one of our players, at this point in their life, their number one priority is their coursework. But in terms of interest level, basketball is like number one and a half.

They spend a lot more time and effort on their coursework, as they should.

But when they’re here, for those two hours each day, they’re here.

We have a five-day practice week, and we probably have three or four kids who miss parts of one of those practices because of academic conflicts. That’s just a reality at institutions like Chicago or Trinity. And, quite honestly, the damage of missing part of a day of practice every now and then is minimal.

Junior Jason Morris helped Trinity win the inaugural SCAC tournament last year and earn a 13th place ranking in this year’s NCAA Division III preseason poll.

Circle No. 12

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coaches are different and it’s great learning from each other.

How and when do you interact with each other?

I’ll try to watch their practices and games. I’ll stop by their offices and talk about coaching styles and tips they may have. For example, I’ll sit down with Paul and talk about some of the things he does to motivate his players. That sort of thing happens on a regular basis.

What are some of the newer ideas you’ve implemented to motivate players?

I’ve learned to use competitive drills, where we keep score and there’s a price for winning or losing. The other thing I’m using is videos or tapes of some motivational speakers—they talk about work ethic and being in it for the long haul.

Occasionally, we’ll take 10 or 15 minutes at the beginning or end of practice and show one of those.

How do you help freshmen transition to the college game?

Two things. One, I have a good team, with experienced players, and they really help the younger kids adjust. Every preseason we talk to the upperclassmen about helping the younger players get used to life on campus. We’ve been very fortunate to have great senior leadership and very caring, empathetic people on our team.

I think the biggest thing is adjusting to college life, period. It’s such a big change. That first semester for freshmen is always the toughest, in terms of adjusting to the academics and social life and all the other things.

There are some rule changes being talked about, including moving the three-point line and increasing the size and shape of the lane. What do you think about them?

How about this: we changed our floor last May, while the basketball rules committee was still talking about the proposals, in anticipation that they were going to pass. We were stripping the old finish off and we had to make a decision as to whether to redraw the lines. I was confident enough the rules were going to pass that we redrew both the lane shape and the three-point line. Now, we’re playing this season with tape down for the proper lines.

I’m all in favor of the new rules, and I still think they’re going to pass when the rules committee revisits them. I think these changes would help alleviate some of the rough play that’s evolved in the men’s game and allow for more finesse and skill. Part of me feels it’s unfortunate that we have to take these measures. But part of it is simply because of the size of the athletes, how big and strong they are now. We haven’t changed the game, but the players have changed.

The SCAC started a postseason tournament last year. Why did they make that change, and do you think it’s an improvement?

The biggest reason was for the players.

Traditionally, the way things have gone, by the end of January there will be two or three teams who have no chance to win our league in the regular season.

The week after that, there might be two more who have very little chance. So one half of the season, five teams have nothing to compete for. But last year, with the addition of the tournament, down to our last weekend, every team

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had a chance to get into the conference tournament.

The downside is the pay. I don’t think we’re as rewarded as well as we could be.

I think the fairest way of winning the conference is playing a double round robin, 18-game schedule. But even having said that, I’m in favor of the tournament. I think the longer you can keep kids in the game with some kind of meaningful goals, the better. It keeps people involved and the players love it.

You’ve described several ways of how you do things as a coach. Do you have an overall philosophy for becoming a successful coach?

I don’t know that I have one anymore! I think the biggest things are to work hard at it, to enjoy it, and to make it as enjoyable as possible for those around you.

That’s the creed I try to live by. As I tell

people, part of the enjoyment you get out of doing something is to be successful at it, and to be successful, you have to work hard.

But, especially for us, it’s just a game. In the overall scheme of things, it’s important, but it’s not that important. We work hard at it, but we also create some enjoyment out of the whole experience.

If you can do that, I think you’re successful.

How do you evaluate yourself at the end of each year?

I don’t do a huge amount at the end of the year. I do it as the year goes along, evaluating the different things we’re doing. However, I do conduct an evaluation with our players at the end of the year. First, I have an in-person meeting with them. With the seniors, the important question I ask them is, “What could

I think the fairest way of winning the conference is playing a double round robin, 18-game schedule. But even having said that, I’m in favor of the tournament. I think the longer you can keep kids in the game with some kind of meaningful goals, the better.

we or I have done better?” When they’re graduating, they have a chance to be pretty honest, so that’s a good time to get their feedback. They also fill out an end-of-season evaluation form that allows them to make anonymous comments.

What do you like most and least about coaching?

The best thing is the involvement and the interaction with the young athletes and the other people I get a chance to work with. I’m very fortunate in that I come to work every day and I enjoy it.

There’s not a day that I don’t want to come to work. I also enjoy that I have some flexibility with my time. During the season, the hours are long and we put a lot of time and effort into it. But there are other times of the year when I have a lot of flexibility.

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A

fter losing young, talented assistant after young, talented assistant to larger, higher-paying programs, Pete Strickland, Head Men’s Coach at Coastal Carolina University, was looking for someone who could provide his program a little stability and a lot of experience.

Strickland turned to then58-year-old John Kefalas, a former restauranteur who had retired to South Carolina and was running a condominium cleaning service.

Despite spending 20-plus years running successful restaurants in the Washington D.C. area, Kefalas is no neophyte on the basketball scene. As a D.C.-based scout and recruiter for the University of South Carolina from 1973-80, Kefalas worked under Hall of Fame coach Frank McGuire. During this time Kefalas developed a reputation for finding talent, earning him a spot in McGuire’s esteemed coaching family.

Kefalas’s diverse background has served the Coastal Carolina program well, as he is leaned upon to perform a variety of duties—from building relationships with the local business community to improving the team dynamics of Chanticleer basketball.

“John has really helped us in terms of organizing everything from pregame meals to fund-raising, and I feel very comfortable turning a lot of duties over to him,” says Strickland, who notes that through Kefalas’s connections, all of the team’s pregame meals are provided for free by area restaurants.

“These are details I wouldn’t have time to address or tasks I probably

wouldn’t be able to do because I don’t know how to go about doing them,” Strickland continues. “Any time I can turn stuff like that over to my assistants, it allows me to concentrate on coaching and teaching our players, and that allows me to do a better job.”

Like Strickland, more coaches are looking at assistant coaching candidates who don’t fit the traditional mold, who aren’t the up-and-coming twenty-something with great basketball sense and a desire to work harder than hard. These head coaches like such prospects, but they also seek candidates with less typical skill sets. Whether it’s administrative duties like balancing the books and scheduling, or community and media relations, there are plenty of duties that might be better suited for somebody outside the coaching community.

“It is my sense that you really only need two people to help teach the basketball side,” says Strickland. “The rest of the coaches help you in other areas.”

With Age Comes Wisdom Kefalas began coaching in the D.C. area after graduating from American University. He worked at St. John’s College High School and Gonzaga High School, assisting with their varsity teams and leading their j.v. squads. But Kefalas became increasingly involved with the restaurants that his family owned in the area, and was eventually persuaded to quit coaching and focus on running the family business.

He kept a hand in basketball, however. While coaching in the high school ranks he became friends with Donnie Walsh, who later became an assistant at South Carolina (and president of the

NBA’s Indiana Pacers). Walsh introduced Kefalas to McGuire, which led to Kefalas honing his talent-assessment skills in the D.C. area on behalf of the Gamecock program.

In 1993, after 24 years, Kefalas retired from D.C. restauranting and moved to Myrtle Beach, but his old basketball connections remained. He’d played at DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md., and during a 2002 conversation with his old coach, the legendary Morgan Wooten, he learned that a fellow DeMatha alumnus—Strickland—was up for the Coastal Carolina job. Kefalas called Strickland after he was hired and the two got together for the first of what would be many lunches.

“He used to come to every game and we would talk afterward. His counsel was always very much appreciated during our early stages even though he wasn’t on staff,” says Strickland. “He became a trusted voice for me, and over time I thought to myself, ‘If I ever get the chance, I’m going to hire him.’”

In 2002 Strickland got that chance.

Two years later, he still has Kefalas and all of his experience sitting next to him on the Coastal Carolina bench—a place where Strickland finds his assistant’s voice to be especially insightful. “His sense of the pace of a game is very valuable to me,” says Strickland. “He’s got my ear and I’ve got his.” Having both played under Wooten, the two coaches see the game similarly and are on the same page strategically.

Strickland also values the sense of continuity that Kefalas brings to the program for both coaches and players.

Spectacled and a little gray around the temples, Kefalas is an inviting figure

GETTY IMAGES/ELSA

BY R.J. ANDERSON

When it comes to hiring assistant coaches, the best candidates are sometimes those off your radar screen. In this article, head coaches talk about hiring assistants with untraditional backgrounds—and the rewards they’ve reaped.

Looking for 22

COACHING MANAGEMENT

COVER STORY

the Assist

Siena College Head Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Coach Rob Lanier (right) watches game action with Assistant Coach Steve Seymour.

COACHIING MANAGEMENT

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COVER STORY

inside and outside the Chanticleer locker room. “He provides a sage-like presence,” says Strickland. “The kids readily seek him out for counsel, and he really enjoys interacting with them.”

And for good reason. Not only does Kefalas help the players develop their skills on the basketball court and tutor them on how to conduct themselves off of it, but he also works with local businesses to secure jobs for those spending their summer in Myrtle Beach playing basketball and working out at Coastal Carolina’s facilities.

“He has tremendous connections,” says Strickland. “With our summer job program as strong as it is, we have a def-

inite advantage in using it as a recruiting tool.”

Balancing Talents When Kim Mulkey-Robertson took over the reins of the Baylor University women’s team in 2000, she knew she was ready to be a head coach. She had been an assistant and associate head coach at Louisiana Tech for 15 years and had spent pretty much her entire life involved in the game. So, when she began to think about assistant coaches, she thought about what she needed to complement her talents.

“I think it’s all about finding someone to do what you don’t want to do,”

DOUBLE COACHING

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oaching a men’s college basketball team is hard.

So, for that matter, is coaching a women’s team. But what about coaching a men’s team and a women’s team at the same time? That’s what Therman Bronaugh has been doing for the last four years as the Head Coach of both the men’s and women’s teams at NAIA Division II Webber International University.

CM: How did you become head coach of both teams?

Therman Bronaugh: I was coaching the women’s team when the president of the university, who also happens to be my former coach, came to me and said, “I want you to move over and coach the men’s team.” I said I couldn’t do that, because these women would kill me if I left the team. It would be one thing if I left for a different school, but moving offices on the same campus? That wasn’t going to work.

Webber’s Therman Bronaugh (far right) poses with four of his assistant coaches (from left to right): Levon Darthard, John Shoffner, Mary Pinkowski, and Delton Hayes.

to ineligibility. The women’s team never had a problem with that. After I took over the men’s program, the team GPA went from a 2.2 to a 2.8 or 2.9. I brought in a different quality of kid, and that’s what our president was really looking for.

CM: How do you schedule for two teams?

Then he said, “What if I give you these assistant coaches, and make it as easy for you as I possibly can?” So I agreed to do it.

I became the Director of Basketball Operations for the university. At first I thought it was crazy, then I went for the idea more and more because I could control two budgets and my own gym time.

Bronaugh: For the most part, we schedule doubleheaders, but sometimes we have the guys playing on one night, and the women on the next. I usually give the kids the day off after a game.

CM: Why did they ask you?

Bronaugh: First of all, I’ve got great assistant coaches. They are multi-talented, driven, and very committed to our programs. Second, I’m a firm believer in giving a lot of time off. I think it keeps us all hungry and fresh.

Bronaugh: Prior to this situation we had a very, very low graduation rate for our men’s basketball program, and we lost a lot of kids

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CM: What’s the secret to running two programs?

says Mulkey-Robertson. “As a coach all I want to do is coach and that’s all I really have time for. So I wanted to hire an assistant who is very good at administrative things, like scheduling and doing the budget.”

Mulkey-Robertson filled that niche by reaching into the business community to hire Johnny Derrick. Derrick came to Baylor after spending 24 years in the insurance field, his final stint managing the direct billing operations of CGU Insurance. During that period, Derrick was in tune with women’s basketball, however, working closely with booster clubs and communicating with coaching staffs across the country.

In addition to helping the team’s post players improve on individual skills, Derrick’s responsibilities include budgeting, scheduling, and travel arrangements. He also coordinates recruits’ on-site visits. “His business background is invaluable to women’s basketball at Baylor,” says Mulkey-Robertson.

At Webber International University, Therman Bronaugh is in the unusual position of being Head Coach for both the men’s and women’s teams. Working at an NAIA Division II school, he has a budget that allows only for part-time assistant coaches. Like Mulkey-Robertson and Strickland, he looks for individuals who can cover his weaknesses.

Men’s Assistant Coach Levon Darthard is a full-time sales representative for Coca-Cola, but is able to set his schedule so that the men’s basketball team is a priority in his life. His background has helped make him a great recruiter for Webber. “He really knows how to close,” says Bronaugh. “That definitely comes from his sales experience.”

Another of Bronaugh’s men’s assistants, John Shoffner, is a high school Exceptional Student Education (E.S.E.) English teacher. From 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., Shoffner is responsible for teaching some of Florida’s more behaviorally challenged students. “He is my disciplinarian,” says Bronaugh. “When he comes to our practices he handles a lot of the training and conditioning.”

Women’s team assistant Mary Pinkowski is a former journalism major and current MBA student at Webber International. She handles media relations R.J. Anderson is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management.

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Circle No. 15

COVER STORY

and writes articles for the teams’ Web sites. Another member of the women’s staff, Larry Kier, handles a great number of the administrative duties for both teams, such as scheduling and travel arrangements. Delton Hayes, an assistant with the men’s team, is a former psychology major who works with the team on being mentally prepared for games and practices.

At Coastal Carolina, hiring a former restauranteur is only one of Strickland’s

out-of-the box hires. Another of his former assistants, Mark Kost, previously worked for an Internet design firm in South Bend, Ind., that implemented an Internet recruiting program for the University of Notre Dame football and men’s basketball teams. Kost’s background with Internet design was put to great use as he helped fine-tune the basketball program’s Web site. “Mark got more experience with the basketball side of things, and we learned better

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Lanier, who is the youngest member of the Siena coaching staff, hired 52-year-old Rob Jackson and 44-year-old Steve Seymour to be his full-time assistants. Both Jackson and Seymour are seasoned assistant coaches and have both been head coaches at the collegiate level.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

LISTENING TO HISTORY

“I was looking for guys with experience when I first took the job,” says Lanier.

“Particularly when you are young and trying to employ your own ideas, you want to make sure you’ve got guys you’re not going to have to fight with to get them on the same page.”

NEW!

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computer usage,” says Strickland. “It was like having an onsite I.T.S. guy.”

Strickland says he has no hang-ups about hiring candidates with little or no coaching experience. “Sometimes I’ll hire guys who are coming off of a playing career, and have never coached before,” he says. “They bring enthusiasm, freshness, and a tremendous knowledge of what it’s like to be a player, which helps keep us in tune as a staff.”

Four years ago Strickland reached across the Atlantic Ocean to hire Enda

“I wanted two guys who weren’t going to be competing against one another or me for that matter. I didn’t want any competitiveness within the staff about who recruited whom, and whose guys are getting the playing,” says Lanier. “A lot of times there are things going on behind a head coach’s back that he’s not aware of that can be detrimental to the program. When you have experienced professionals, you alleviate these potential problems.

“As a young coach, if you have the chance to hire somebody who has been a head coach, you should definitely take their experience into consideration,” continues Lanier. “It was what I was looking for when I was building my staff. I knew these guys could complement me because of their extensive coaching experience.”

COVER STORY

Byrt, the head coach of the Irish national team and a school principal, as an assistant coach. “Administratively he was very savvy and he also helped open up the European market for us,” says Strickland, noting that Byrt was directly instrumental in recruiting and signing two foreign players during his short stay at Coastal Carolina, including current Chanticleer center Matthijs Reinders.

“He was a relationship starter—the contacts he allowed me to establish will sustain us through time,” says Strickland.

“Now he’s back over there and calls me when he spots talent, allowing me to start the recruiting process.”

Assessing Candidates Going outside traditional sources for assistant coaches often creates anxiety because a head coach is less likely to know their references first-hand. To counter that, coaches suggest employing different types of tactics to get to know the candidate.

“Along with looking at who you currently have on your staff and addressing what the holes are,” says Strickland, “you need to think about team chemistry.”

After a thorough background check, Strickland invites prospective coaches to visit his campus for a 24- or 48-hour stay, during which time he makes a judgement based on his interaction with the candidate.

“You watch everything,” says Strickland, “even something as simple as how they deal with a waitress. You watch to see if they are a know-it-all, or if they are somebody who listens well.”

Bronaugh has a more scientific approach when he narrows down his list of candidates: He gives them a psychological evaluation. The Burkeman Test, which is commonly administered by insurance companies to prospective agents, gives Bronaugh insight into a candidate’s psyche. “The test tells you a lot about a person,” says Bronaugh. “It identifies whether they are self-motivated, if they are lazy, and what kind of confidence they have.”

As a coach of two teams, Bronaugh’s time is stretched pretty thin, so he especially demands coaches who are selfstarters. “Even though we are a small NAIA school, I have turned people down because their profile indicated they were not a motivator,” he says.

Along with completing the personality profile, Bronaugh tests a candidate’s basketball knowledge by having them break down game film. “I give them a 10-minute piece of tape and ask them questions, some as simple as, ‘What are they running?’”

Since he is so dependent on his assistants, Bronaugh screens applicants to test their prowess at nearly every coaching skill, including recruiting. One way he tests that skill is by having the candi-

date write a mock letter to a potential recruit. “I’ll say, ‘We’re locked in a battle with two other top teams in our conference to recruit a player. Write a letter telling me what you would say to that recruit,’” says Bronaugh.

Great assistant coaches are like rebounding and defense. They don’t get the glory, but they are the foundation of a successful team. And sometimes, their basketball background is their least important asset. ■

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COACHIING MANAGEMENT

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The

eBounder

Circle No. 18

SPORT SAFETY

Safe Landings Diving out of bounds is just one of the risk areas to be aware of in the game of basketball. But you can make your program and your players safer by following this risk management plan.

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his article is about the most boring subject there is in sports: safety. It’s boring, that is, until an athlete suffers a serious injury.

Coaches must know and appreciate their risk management duties. The implementation of solid safety rules will not guarantee your athletes freedom from injury, but it will lower the chances of both common and serious catastrophic injuries. Lowering the chance of injury lowers the chance of expensive, time-consuming, programshattering lawsuits.

The following are your legal responsibilities as a coach. My suggestions are based on a consensus of opinions by people in athletics, an ongoing review of court cases, and my years of experience as an athletic risk manager.

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BY DR. RICHARD P. BORKOWSKI

The Right Attitude The speed, skill, and size of today’s players have changed basketball into a faster and more physical game than was intended when developed by Dr. Naismith over 100 years ago. This has certainly made the game more exciting, but has also made players more prone to injury.

A 2003 Canadian study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that the most common mechanism of injury is contact with another player, especially in the key. It was also found that injuries occur 3.7 times more often in games than during practice. The lack

of protective equipment, small court space, and the closeness of the crowd, as well as the actions of the coach, all play a critical role in basketball risk management.

The very first step in lowering risks is to make the issue of safety important by constantly making it a priority. Correct safety problems immediately. Say, “No, we won’t play,” if a situation is hazardous.

Sell athletic safety to your studentathletes in both your actions and your speech. Ask your athletes to help you clear away hazardous objects, such as metal chairs next to the practice court.

Explain to your athletes the danger of

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practicing dunks on a side backboard that can’t hold their weight. Remind your athletes of their responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others on the court.

Also consider your own actions come game time. Coaches who teach unsportsmanlike techniques to get an edge turn basketball into an inappropriate activity. On the flip side, if you take a player out of the game for committing a rough foul, you are making a huge statement about the importance of safety in your program.

When athletes hear you preach safety, they will be less apt to attempt risky behavior. When parents see you take safety seriously, they will trust you and your judgement, even after an injury happens. When you put a priority on safety in your own planning, you will be able to spot hazards more easily.

Warn of Risks Some coaches feel that if you inform student-athletes of potential injuries, they will stop participating. This has proven to be untrue. In fact, warning and obtaining an informed-consent form from players and parents is an established duty, and informing people about the potential risks of participating in any activity actually reduces injuries.

It may seem obvious that an athlete can get hurt in basketball, but informedconsent forms help spell out just what the potential risks are. The form should include pertinent words in large print, such as “Warning,” “Attention,” and “Please Read.” The heading on the form should also be in large print. The form should cover all phases, sites, and time frames. Your legal counsel should review the informed-consent form.

After it has been signed, give a copy to each student-athlete’s parents, and keep the original.

It is important that the recipient understands the seriousness of the consent form. Have a parent-information meeting to discuss the risks and benefits of participation. Ask parents and players if they have any questions and if they understand what they are signing. They should know that signing the form is

voluntary, and that by doing so, they are agreeing to accept the risks that come with participation.

Even after the form has been signed, warnings and reminders should be regularly issued within the context of normal instruction.

Super Supervision Lack of supervision is the most-cited complaint against coaches in wrongful injury lawsuits. The coaches’ presence

The lack of space in older gyms can make safety difficult, so you need to be vigilant. I recommend that any walls within six feet of the playing area be padded. The distance needed behind the backboard is sometimes more. during an activity is the first line of defense against potential problems.

Permitting players to remain on the court for extra work without supervision is no longer an option.

Being there, however, is only the first step. Supervision means controlling the situation through your knowledge and planning. First, you must be completely familiar with the activity you are supervising. You must plan appropriate activities for the group you are working with, taking the time to foresee potential problems.

Second, you should be scanning the activity from the best vantage point, which is usually with your “back to the wall.” Avoid distractions. While you’re supervising a drill is not the time to talk with others.

Appropriate Equipment The days of giving old, poorly-fitting equipment to the freshman team are over. Equipment lasts for only a certain length of time. Replace it before it is no longer functional and it becomes dangerous.

Appropriate footwear is key for basketball players, thus the sneakers they wear should only be worn on the court.

Mouthguards are also a good idea. Any training devices should be proven safe before they are used.

Richard P. Borkowski, EdD, CMAA, is a sport safety consultant based in Narberth, Pa. The former Director of Physical Education and Athletics at the Episcopal Academy in Merion, Pa., his most recent book is titled Coaching for Safety, A Risk Management Handbook for High School Coaches, published by ESD112.

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In addition, buy only from established and reputable companies. Avoid purchasing new “state of the art” equipment until it becomes “established” equipment.

Avoid modifying equipment or using it for any activity other than what it was intended for. Years ago I purchased a dozen sets of glasses that prevented players from looking down at the ball while dribbling. They also prevented players from seeing other players on the

court. The collisions did not result in lawsuits, but they did cause a few minor and unnecessary injuries.

Check Facilities Basketball facilities can often be filled with hazards. We’ve all seen a player run into something while trying to chase down an errant pass. The goal is to avoid or soften such collisions.

First, be sure you have appropriate “buffer zones.” The 1998 National High School Federation Basketball Rules Book suggests a minimum of three feet, and preferably 10 feet, of open space around the court.

The lack of space in older gyms can make safety difficult, so you need to be vigilant. I recommend that any walls within six feet of the playing area be padded. The distance needed behind the backboard is sometimes more—if your players might reach the wall during play, pad it. Do not place the scorer’s table close to the sideline unless it has padding. Look at windows and lighting fixtures to see if they need padding.

In addition, do not place two courts too close together. The minimum is six feet between courts, but athletes racing for a ball can easily move 12 feet. I recommend 24 feet between adjacent courts.

Other problem areas include: failing to check backboard cables, playing with rims that don’t break on impact, and not padding side court backboards. If

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you are using bleachers, thoroughly inspect them. Put up guardrails, and work with administrators to make sure you have enough security at games and have ensured yourself against overcrowded bleachers. Remember that sportsmanlike conduct on the part of players and coaches helps remind spectators to follow suit.

It is the coach’s duty to inspect the site he or she is going to use on a daily basis. Check for debris, dirt, wet spots on floors, and missing or raised floor plates. If there is a problem, correct it.

If it cannot be corrected immediately, adjust the activity and report the problem. Stay current with facility recommendations made by local, state, and national governing bodies, and stay in communication with your school’s maintenance department.

Know The Rules You are required to know the rules of your sport and fulfill the requirements of the national and state associations.

Read the rulebook every season. Attend state and local meetings. Never ignore any regulation that pertains to safety.

There is no excuse for not staying current with all rules and regulations.

Follow your athletic department rules and regulations. Consider talking with your athletic director at least once a year about safety issues. If you have questions, seek outside opinions.

Know the basic rules of health safety.

You are not expected to know all that an athletic trainer knows, but it’s important for you to stay current on the major guidelines. For example, it would be considered a breach of your duty as a coach if you prevented your players from taking water breaks during practice or failed to have a first aid kit on the bench. If you recommend any type of nutritional supplements to your players, be sure there are absolutely no risks to taking them. Know about proper warmup and cooldown.

Progressive Planning A key part of risk management is the coach’s role in instructing his or her athletes in a safe manner. You have a responsibility to develop a sequence of progressive practice sessions and offer game preparation and strategies that result in worthwhile and safe experiences for your student-athletes.

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This begins with your strength and conditioning program. Progression is the key to proper conditioning, and rest is a key component. Trying to do too much too soon is a bad mistake coaches sometimes make. There is extensive information available concerning proper physical conditioning. It also tells us what exercises are inappropriate. Have an out-of-season conditioning program, establish training rules and policies, and put your plans and rules in writing.

Always check with your team physician and athletic trainer before implementing a new idea.

A SHORT LIST Every basketball coach needs to: • Recognize that risks exist.

• Identify those risks.

• Evaluate the risks.

• Have a plan to reduce the risks.

• Closely supervise the program.

• Remind participants of their role in controlling risks.

• Always remain vigilant. Risk management is a continual process.

• Review and revise the program when necessary.

• Ask for assistance from supervisors.

• Care about the welfare of all athletes.

Progression is just as important in teaching skills. For example, don’t ask your players to take a charge if you haven’t taught them—and had them practice—how to reasonably protect themselves when doing this.

Another part of proper progression is to keep competitions as equal as possible. Skill, experience, maturity, height, weight, age, sex, mental state, and the activity itself, all play a part in avoiding competitive mismatching. For example, the coach of a girls’ high school team may think it’s a great idea to follow what some elite collegiate women’s teams do and invite an all-male team to scrimmage the girls to “toughen them up.”

But if a player from that all-male team is bigger, stronger, and quicker than any competition the girls have ever seen, the situation is not safe.

Good Instruction Along with giving proper progression, you must provide appropriate instruction. You not only have a duty to instruct your athletes to play well, but you must teach the proper techniques to lower their chances of injury.

The repetition of fundamental skills is one of the major, and often neglected, techniques used to lower risk. Have the skill demonstrated and let the players practice it in various ways before using it in a game. Teach before you test. Never, ever place an athlete into a situation he or she is not prepared for.

Ask yourself if you are running an activity in an acceptable manner. Is the way you run your standard fast break drill the best and safest way to do it?

In addition, coach only that which you really know. Continue to improve your knowledge by attending workshops.

After the Injury Regardless of the excellence of a risk management program, injuries will still occur. Coaches are expected to have a basic knowledge of what should and should not be done when a player is injured.

Most importantly, you must know how to implement your emergency plan. Do you know what to do at an away game when there is a serious injury? Whom do you call? Do you have a cell phone? Where is the nearest exit?

Practice your emergency game plan before an emergency happens.

Coaches should have training in basic first aid and CPR. Obtain an AED and make sure someone present knows how to use it. Maintain a first aid kit that includes individual emergency medical forms. Obtain a higher level of medical care as quickly as possible after an injury.

Protect your players from further harm. Comfort your athletes. Do not offer medical assistance beyond your ability. Remember the golden rule of injury assessment and first aid care: Always assume and treat for the worst possible injury.

Report and document all incidents as soon as possible. Accident reports should be factual and to the point. Do not editorialize. Avoid offering information to those in the area except to your supervisors or medical personnel.

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An athlete should not return to play after an injury or illness without a completed “return-to-play” form. According to the AJSM study, the relative risk of reinjury was significantly increased by previous injuries.

Along with being knowledgeable in first aid care, the single most important thing you can do when your athletes are

The records you keep on file must reflect what you actually did in a situation. If your written rules state athletes cannot practice without passing a physical and then you permit a student to play who hasn’t, you may be found negligent.

permit a student to play who hasn’t, you may be found negligent.

On A Daily Basis Whether you’re going to a practice, strength workout, or game, as you walk into every situation, ask yourself, have I done all that is reasonable to lower the chance of injury to my athletes? Have I checked for hazards? Have I reviewed the safety of the drills? Have I taught my athletes how to be safe?

The best defense against injuries and possible lawsuits is to understand, appreciate, and meet your legal duties as a coach. You may have noticed that they are the same as the basic responsibilities of a good coach.

It’s a matter of staying vigilant and caring about those who play for you.

Let’s keep risk management boring. ■ A version of this article has appeared in previous editions of Coaching Management.

injured is to show them and their parents that you care. Although it sounds simple, parents are less apt to take a coach to court if he or she seems to have been genuinely concerned about the welfare of their child.

Maintain Records As often as possible, put things in writing and keep records. This includes checklists, practice plans, training plans, medical examination forms, athletic handbooks, informed-consent forms, and return-to-play agreements. Following a written plan lowers the chance of forgetting an issue and demonstrates your professionalism. It will save you a great deal of time in the future.

Check with your athletic administrator about the length of time you should retain all these records. My sources suggest four to seven years.

One more note here: The records you keep on file must reflect what you actually did in a situation. If your written rules state athletes cannot practice without passing a physical and then you For more articles on risk management

by Dr. Borkowski, including one on buffer zones, please visit our Web site at www.AthleticSearch.com and type “Borkowski” into the search window.

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ON THE GO

Today’s players need to be both quick and fast, to have “game speed.” Here’s how to combine speed and agility training into one comprehensive program.

T

BY VERN GAMBETTA

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side of actual sport-skills practices. The argument here is that practicing the movements outside the sport is contrived and entails only non-specific work that will not transfer to the game. The same naysayers also believe that it is impossible for a training session to duplicate the intensity of an actual practice or game.

I do not share that viewpoint. I believe that if you carefully design agility drills, you will progress the athlete more efficiently, and with less chance of injury, than you will by working on agility only in practices. If you tap into the exact repertoire of coordinative abilities that make up the movement components of the specific sport, make the overload progressive, follow sound motor learning principles, and adapt drills to each individual athlete, you are doing much more for the athlete than he or she experiences when practicing game-like situa-

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Vern Gambetta, MA, is the President of Gambetta Sports Training Systems in Sarasota, Fla., and the former Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox. He is a frequent contributor to Coaching Management and can be reached at www.gambetta.com.

hroughout my career I have had a fascination with speed and agility. As a young athlete, it was painfully obvious to me that the best players were not the ones who won wind sprints during practice, but those who were fastest during the game. Yet my coaches were training us for straight-ahead speed.

In the 30 years since, we’ve come a long way in training for game speed.

We’ve learned that agility and quickness are usually more important than straight-ahead speed, and that the mechanics of straight-ahead speed differ from those used for game speed.

However, there are still many misconceptions about the most effective ways to train for speed and agility—misconceptions that keep many athletes from reaching their full potential.

The most harmful misconception is that agility training is not necessary out-

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tions. During a typical sport practice, drills do not allow for learning a progression of movement skills. Nor do they allow for the kind of biomechanical analysis that can be made during a strength and conditioning session.

Other misconceptions center on the components of agility, proper progressions, and how and when to train agility. I will go into detail on these areas in the following sections.

Coordination & Strength While page after page has been published about speed training, motor learning, strength, and agility, very little has been written about how to integrate them. The principles of speed development are well known, but have not been systematically applied with the improvement of agility in mind. The principles of motor learning have been clearly defined, but they have not been joined with speed training. The principles of leg strength are clear, but it is not clear how to harness that strength for agility.

Without a lot of guidance on this topic, many coaches train agility in isolation. However, in my experience, this is not effective. Perhaps we put the cart before the horse by training agility in isolation. Instead, we need to train two areas

before adding in more sophisticated agility drills: coordination and strength.

Fully developed coordinative abilities provide a repertoire of motor skills that can be adapted to deal with the demands of sport-specific movements.

What are those coordinative abilities?

According to Joâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;zef Drabik, PhD, author of Children & Sport Training, they are: Balance: maintenance of the center of gravity over the base of support, which is both a static and a dynamic quality.

Kinesthetic differentiation: ability to feel tension in movement to achieve the desired movement.

Spatial orientation: control of the body in space.

Reaction to signals: ability to respond quickly to auditory, visual, and kinesthetic cues.

Sense of rhythm: ability to match movement to time.

Synchronization of movements: unrelated limb movements done in a synchronized manner.

Movement adequacy: ability to choose movements appropriate to the task.

Strength is the partner of coordination in building agility. Here is a look at the different types of strength needed: Basic strength is needed for balance, body control, and awareness. It is also a

AREAS OF AGILITY

T

here are five main areas of agility training to keep in mind when developing a program:

Body Control & Awareness: This is the ability to control the body and its parts while maintaining a high level of awareness of those parts in relation to the goal of the movement. A simple drill would be to have athletes scramble from a prone position to an athletic position.

Starting: The ability to overcome inertia is the definition of starting. In multi-direction sports, starts can be stationary or moving, or even a combination of both depending on the sport. Try using the wheel drill: The athlete rehearses first-step mechanics in eight different directions (like the spokes of a wagon wheel).

Footwork: Conceptually, agility is built from the ground up, therefore footwork is the unifying thread in all agility work. The foot-to-hip relationship is key. Using ABC ladders develops footwork well.

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Change of Direction: This component involves stopping, and often restarting, regardless of the position of the body. It is initiated when the center of gravity is outside the base of support and the athlete must regain control and move in the intended direction. Here, I use the star drill: The athlete runs back and forth between one cone set up in the center of a circle and eight other cones that are three meters from the center. The athlete must plant and touch at each cone.

Another good drill is a slalom run in which the athlete runs through a series of flags and cones.

Recognition & Reaction: Recognition is the domain of actual sport skills.

Recognition of patterns and cues keys reaction. Reaction is the ability to respond quickly to the stimulus. A good drill here is the ball drop, where the coach drops a ball and the athlete has to get to the ball and catch it before its second bounce.

prerequisite for developing concentric and eccentric strength.

Starting effectively from a standing position demands a high level of concentric strength to overcome inertia. It is the extension of ankle/knee/hip pushing against the ground that propels the body in the intended direction.

Reducing force, which is needed to change direction, demands a high level of eccentric strength and requires tremendous joint stability and control.

In both eccentric and concentric strength, force must be produced and reduced in extremely short time frames, often 10ths of a second. Therefore the premium is on the rate of force development. But load cannot be forgotten, since in an eccentric mode athletes must have the ability to handle forces up to 12 times their body weight to efficiently overcome those forces and change direction.

Basic strength can be assisted through speed strength and plyometric work.

This aids in starting, acceleration, and overcoming difficult angles and vectors.

It has the added benefits of teaching the athlete how to better use the ground as an acceleration tool and to be explosive.

Power endurance helps the athlete with complex footwork. It also helps the athlete prepare for the fatigue that results from repeated explosive movements.

Training should entail 10 to 20 reps.

An athlete can create more force and speed in stopping and changing direction through maximum strength work.

This work should be done at maximum weights with just one or two reps. It is also the last step in the progression of strength training. It should not be introduced until the athlete has developed basic strength and become proficient at plyometrics and power endurance.

Within all the different types of strength work, developing leg strength is important. Without adequate leg strength there is a limit to the quality of the movement. The forces involved in multiple plane movements also demand that we take a less traditional approach to the development of leg strength that will transfer to the movement skills. This means sequencing the weight training properly and emphasizing eccentric work. It also requires working on unilateral and reciprocal leg strength.

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In all areas of training for agility, the unifying component is footwork. The idea is to build strength from the ground up. Strength from the feet translates into body control, acceleration, complex footwork, and explosive changes of direction—all of which lead to great agility.

Proper Progression Although I’ve defined coordination skills and strength skills separately, they

must be developed in a parallel manner. There is great overlap and interdependency between basic coordinative abilities and body strength, which never work in isolation. As coordination is gained, more strength work can be done. As more strength is gained, coordination drills can get more complex.

The traditional approach has been to develop strength through repetition of movement. Theoretically, as the athlete drills with more and more repetitions,

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he or she gets stronger and movements get better. But, in reality, this does not happen. If strength is not sufficient, poor movement mechanics develop.

Faulty movement patterns then impede the formation of correct skills. So even though the athlete does the drills, the transfer is negative.

A more effective approach demands mastery of prerequisite fundamental movement skills that are within the strength capabilities of the athlete. As the athlete’s strength increases through a systematic strength development program, the complexity of movements can increase. Given the large window of adaptation open to developing athletes, this can occur quite rapidly.

Once athletes have mastered this initial developmental phase, the training can include reaction and game-situation drills. These teach the athlete to respond quickly to stimuli in the game.

However, reaction elements should not be added until the athlete has developed sufficient basic strength and built it progressively into sport skills.

Reaction is the response to a stimulus and initiates movement—a conscious act that can be improved through training. It should not be confused with reflex, which occurs at the sub-cortical level and cannot be trained.

Perhaps the biggest shortcoming in most agility work is the lack of a reaction component. Research out of Australia has shown significantly different patterns of activation on simple cutting drills when done with reaction compared to the same tasks done without reaction.

Reaction should be practiced to the dominant cue demanded by the game.

Consider using the following stimuli: Visual: tracking ability, narrow versus wide focus, peripheral vision.

Auditory: different cadences and tones.

Kinesthetic: pressure, pushes, bumps, and surfaces.

The final progression is incorporating fatigue. Agility in game situations takes place in a time span of two to five seconds. This is high neural demand work that must be consistently reproduced in a climate of fatigue. However, we do not start agility training in a climate of fatigue, we work up to it.

Agility work is not conditioning, it is speed development work. There is no

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question that athletes must be able to do the plants, cuts, starts, and stops in a fatigued state. But that is not where you start. Movements must be mastered before any element of fatigue is brought into the picture. Otherwise, incorrect movement patterns are learned and grooved. Add reaction, add game situations, and then add fatigue when the movements are mastered.

Developing Your Program Following the above progression will ensure that your athletes learn agility in the most efficient way. The next step in developing your program is making it specific to your team’s needs. At the lower levels of play, focusing on basic cuts and defensive stances may be your goal. At more advanced levels, agility drills can include faster and more complicated body movements. See “Areas of Agility” on page 40.

Keep in mind that drills should not be an end in themselves, they should be a means to an end. Agility drills with a million cones and sticks look good, but

they often do not transfer to the playing court. The athlete may get proficient at the drill, but their game performance stays the same. The goal should be efficient, effortless, flowing movement that transfers directly to the court.

The best approach for improving agility is to design a hierarchy of exercises that lead seamlessly into the sport skill. Start with basic movements—coordination drills. Next, take the movements you want to train, break them into their component parts, and train those components. Finally, do the actual movements at game speed. Test the athlete to determine when and how quickly to advance.

One last note on developing your program involves the proper sequencing of drills. Do not mass the agility drills together. Massed practice has proven to be ineffective for optimal learning.

Instead, conduct a distributed practice

where a skill is practiced and recovery is allowed. Then another skill is practiced at another point in the workout.

Finally, remember to provide feedback to the athletes. In the early stages, demonstrate correct movements, correct poor movements, and praise proper movements. In more advanced stages, time drills when possible. Listen to your athletes’ questions, watch their movements carefully, and examine how their progress correlates to their performance on the court or field.

Agility is the key to game speed. It not only has a performance enhancement component, but it can make a huge contribution to injury prevention. An athlete who is more agile will be able to safely get into and out of positions that would otherwise be problematic. This can only be developed through a systematic approach that has a foundation in sound motor learning principles. ■

A version of this article previously appeared in our sister publication, Training & Conditioning, which can be accessed through www.athleticsearch.com/about.html.

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Installation is simple with no modification to the existing goal structure necessary. Includes new, fullsized (35” x 48”) graphite backboards with aluminum backframes and official size 5/8’ goals with nylon nets.

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PORTER ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT COMPANY 800-947-6783 WWW.PORTER-ATH.COM Porter offers the Torq-Flex® Adjustable Goal. This state-of-the-art goal flexes around a 180-degree arc at the front of the rim, at the sides and anywhere in-between. The

accuracy and simplicity of this adjustable goal make it superior in design and performance for the highest levels of both NCAA and FIBA competition requirements by providing proper elasticity and ball rebound characteristics and increased player safety. Goal is maintenance-free and will provide years of slam-dunks.

Circle No. 50 on Reader Inquiry Card

SCHELDE SPORTS 888-SCHELDE (724-3533) WWW.SCHELDESPORTS.COM Probably the world’s most popular competition unit, the Schelde SAM™ 8 Portable Basketball Goal is widely used in professional, collegiate, high school, club, and international competition.

SAM 8 features a spring-loaded, counterbalanced operating system that allows the unit to be set up in less than five seconds by one person, while simultaneously leveling the unit and positioning the rim at the correct playing height. Units also include Schelde’s patented “Dunk Proof” backboard and glass-free rim attachment system. Meets or exceeds all specifications of the NBA and NCAA. Padding available in a wide range of colors with team logos or artwork.

Circle No. 51 on Reader Inquiry Card The perfect portable for recreational competition or as a side court unit for high competition gyms, Schelde Little SAM™ is uniquely designed for camps, clinics, church leagues and practice sessions. Strong enough for spirited competition, including a reasonable amount of dunking, Little SAM provides the look and quality of a full-court system and is easy to store. Adjustable rim heights allow for teaching and play situations over a wide range of abilities.

Includes Schelde’s spring-loaded, counterbalanced operating system for easy set up and storage by one person and full-size “Dunk Proof” glass backboard.

Circle No. 52 on Reader Inquiry Card

New Hi-Tech DLP Technlogy Has Arrived Super Big Screen Team Viewing System “DLP” BIG SCREEN PROJECTOR • • • • •

fer f O nt ro I l a i c Spe $ ste m

5 7 28 ys let e S p C om

New DLP picture technology - replacing “LCD” Ultra bright - 1500 high contrast ratio Digital Zoom - 5X to 9X HDTV compatible Only 4 lbs. - 100,000 hour picture panel

THE “COWBOY REMOTE” • • • •

Part of NFL history, the “original” Instant reply game action Auto reverse and slow motion Frame-by-frame and many coaching features • Famous “Cowboy” remote technology

PRO-CUSTOM ANALYZER/VCR • • • • •

Exclusively customized for sports View S-VHS and VHS tapes Certified for “Cowboy Remote” Highest quality projected image Custom edit features

HI-PERFORMANCE SOUND SYSTEM

S BONU

FOR CALL PRICING L IA SPEC

• Connect to any VCR/Projector for full room sound system • 30-watt output amplifier • Wireless mike - 8 channels for remote on-field or clinic use • Up to 300-foot transmission range • Rechargeable battery operation

THE FIRST NAME FOR THE BEST IN SPORTS VIDEO

DIGITAL EDIT SYSTEMS “DIGITAL TOWER”

END ZONE CAMERA SYSTEMS “SKYHAWK”

DIGITAL CAMERA SYSTEMS “MARK 8”

916 Columbia Dr., Amherst, OH 44001-1164 • 440-984-2345 • 800-556-8778 E-mail: ussports@en.com www.ussportsvideo.com Circle No. 29

Uniforms & Apparel BASSCO SPORTING GOODS 800-250-4923 WWW.BASSCO.COM Bassco Sporting Goods offers a basketball spirit pack delivered in 14 working days. The pack includes a heavyweight 100-percent cotton t-shirt, reversible micromesh jersey, big and baggy micromesh shorts, and a pair of socks.

All garments include your choice of custom screen printing with no set-up charges. There are three jersey styles offered: men’s reversible tank top (shown), men’s reversible cap sleeve style, or women’s cut pattern.

Circle No. 53 on Reader Inquiry Card Bassco Sporting Goods has created this unique custom design game uniform in both men’s and women’s patterns.

Offered in 10 home and 10 away color combinations this dazzle cloth game uniform can be custom lettered in 14 working days.

Complement this uniform with their shooting shirt and dazzle cloth tear-away pants in seven matching colors.

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DYNAMIC TEAM SPORTS 800-437-6223 WWW.DYNAMICTEAMSPORTS.COM Dynamic Team Sports has introduced its Elite line of custom uniforms for basketball. The Elite Series offers an unlimited number of color combinations from which to choose. Team names, logos and numbers are dyed directly into the fabric.

This eliminates the weight of embroidery and won’t fade, peel or crack the way sticky silkscreens can.

Dynamic guarantees to never discontinue your uniform so fill-ins are always available. For more information, contact your team uniform supplier.

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Dynamic Team Sports offers a revolutionary line of custom uniforms called the Elite Series. The Elite Series has one very unique feature; all the artwork, logos, and numbers are sublimated into the garment’s lightweight and breathable fabric. This eliminates the heavy, sticky silk-screens that will peel, crack and fade. With an endless array of color combinations, Elite uniforms are personalized for your team. This means a world of possibilities for teams with unusual color combinations.

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MOYER SPORTS 800-255-5299, EXT. 3 WWW.MOYERSPORTS.COM Moyer Sports Corner, in Ellicott City, Md., offers a complete line of shooting shirts and tear-away pants with custom styling.

Call Moyer Sports for more information or to place an order.

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Moyer Sports offers a full line of stock and custom team apparel, uniforms, warm ups, travel suits, jackets, jerseys, and bags. Top names such as adidas, Dynamic Team Sports, and Moyer’s Custom Line are among the many brands available. The company’s in-house lettering facility enables Moyer to offer quicker service than the competition. A free color catalog is available.

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PROBALL USA 800-401-9708 WWW.PROBALLUSA.COM Proball USA provides a truly customized basketball uniform made of the finest fabrics, while providing superior customer service and delivery times. We have a very extensive range of fabrics and colors, and utilize "tackle twill" stitching on all numerals and letters. Our uniforms are truly customized; the coach can specify the exact

look and color. These uniforms are designed to meet the coach's specifications. Proball USA offers friendly customer service throughout the ordering process. A sales representative will assist you in the designing of your uniform and making sure you receive your uniforms in 4 to 6 weeks. Design a truly customized uniform at one set price.

Proball also offers warm-ups and shooter's shirts, along with baseball and softball jerseys. If you have any questions or comments, please email info@proballusa.com.

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PRO LOOK SPORTS 800-776-5665 WWW.PROLOOKSPORTS.COM One Price Promise: You get custom design, embroidery, tackle-twill letters & numbers, larger sizes and more for one price.

You won’t be charged more for any upgrades.

You don’t have to worry about what your end cost will be. You know what it will be from the start. Pro Look Sports’ One Price Promise frees you to design the perfect basketball uniform for your team. Go Pro. Circle No. 60 on Reader Inquiry Card Pro Look Sports’ reputation is built on custom team sportswear. You choose your materials & style; you apply team logos where you want them; you choose the style of the lettering and numbering. No other team sportswear manufacturer offers this kind of freedom. You get all of this for one simple price; there are no upcharges for number of embroideries or tackletwill applications. Go Pro. Circle No. 61 on Reader Inquiry Card

RUSSELL ATHLETIC WWW.RUSSELLATHLETIC.COM This authentic Russell Athletic men’s basketball uniform is the same uniform worn

Uniforms & Apparel by some of the best Division I basketball programs in the country.

With a traditional design and narrow shoulder straps, this uniform allows for a greater ease of movement, so players can drain the jump shot when the game’s on the line.

Represent your team by customizing the shorts’ side paneling and the jersey’s v-neck insert.

Circle No. 62 on Reader Inquiry Card This authentic Russell Athletic uniform was designed to the specifications of some of the premiere women’s college basketball teams in the country. Tested on the courts at the NCAA Tournament, this uniform is made with Russell Athletic’s Dri-Power™ Stretch fabrication that wicks moisture away from

the skin, giving players more freedom to drive the lane. Featuring a feminine neckline and a narrow shoulder cut, this uniform maintains its shape all game long.

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SPORTWISE, LLC 866-584-0995 WWW.ERREAUNIFORMS.COM SPORTWISE, LLC is the distributor of Erreà products in the U.S. Since 1988, Erreà Sport has been producing innovative, high quality, Italian Technical Sportswear for soccer, volleyball, and basketball. Now, for the first time, the entire Erreà product line is available in the United States.

From amateurs to professional athletes, Erreà is passionate about its commitment to quality, innovative designs, and customer service.

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UNILETE BY JONATHAN OE 714-841-9630 WWW.UNILETE.COM Unilete (Universal Athlete) by Jonathan Oe is a Los Angeles-based Custom Team Athletic Apparel Company whose basketball clients include the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Sparks, UTEP Miners, Columbia University, California State University Los Angeles, and many more top level collegiate and prep school programs throughout the Nation.

Jonathan’s clients also include some of the NBA’s top stars. "We are true athletic tailors who take great pride in our quality and service as we seek the cutting edge in both style and technique," said Oe. Learn more about Unilete at its Web site, or contact them to create a direct customized team apparel program.

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JV PRO Scoring Tables

Patent Pending

Slippery gym floors a problem?

NEW! LED Possession Arrows & Bonus Lights Brighter, Bigger, Safer

Athletic Directors, Coaches and Facilities Directors, do you spend countless hours cleaning and mopping your own gym floor. Now in less than 5 minutes, with the courtclean System, you can damp mop your entire floor and start play immediately! For example, the courtclean can easily be used at halftime of basketball games. Thousands of Universities, Colleges, High Schools and other facilities are currently using and enjoying the courtclean in their gyms. courtclean is easy to use. Simply dampen and attach the supplied one piece cleaning towel to the courtclean and you are ready to go. When done, simply launder the towel for it’s next use. courtclean works great on wrestling mats, synthetic floors and all large hard floor surfaces.

To order, or for your local dealer,please call (800) 900-2481 or visit our web site at www.courtclean.com

• Two styles to choose from, Free-Standing or Bleacher.

• Heavy duty padding in your choice of school colors.

• High quality laminated table top with safe, rounded corners.

• Bleacher will also convert to Free-Standing style in seconds without tools.

• Folds to 16 inches for storage, extends only 14 inches on to the court.

• All models include locking casters for easy placement.

• Enclosed UL light fixtures.

Heavy duty chairs in your school colors with logo or mascot are available to match your scoring table.

2600 Harrison Ave. • Rockford IL 61108 Phone: 815-229-1600 • 800-962-2440 • Fax: 815-229-3308 Webpage: @http://www.jvpro.com E-mail: info@jvpro.com

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Team Equipment ROLBAK 877-765-2257 WWW.ROLBAK.COM Rolbak® The Original Basketball Protection Net provides safer play andproperty protection, is an excellent free throw training aid, and returns the ball back to the shooter.

The Rolbak Net is a universal fit to all basketball apparatus.

SGMA - Voted Top 5 Sports Product of the Year. It is available for $47.95$99.95.

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NEW BALANCE ATHLETIC SHOES 800-253-7463 WWW.NEWBALANCE.COM New Balance will continue to emphasize team basketball in Fall 2004 with the introduction of two new shoes. The BB901 utilizes top-of-the-line technologies including Nergy cushioning in the heel, a Stability Web®, memory foam around the ankle, welded chrome details, increased rubber forefoot sidewalls, and a cat tongue directional lining on the heel. The 901 will be available in nine colors, up to size 20. As with all New Balance in-line styles, the 886 will be available in multiple widths and sizes.

Circle No. 68 on Reader Inquiry Card The BB/WB886, also new from New Balance, is a mid-cut basketball shoe built for maximum durability and performance.

Abzorb® cushioning

48

COACHING MANAGEMENT

in the heel/forefoot, full grain leather in the vamp and collar, a non-marking traditional herringbone tread sole pattern, Breeze Mesh, and perforated foam on the tongue, all create a complete technical package. The 886 is available in nine colors for men and women. As with all New Balance in-line styles, the 886 will be available in multiple widths and sizes.

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STROMGREN SUPPORTS, INC. 800-527-1988 WWW.STROMGREN.COM Stromgren Power Shorts provide athletes more energy. Stromgren Supports, Inc. offers the #1590 Power Short which meets DuPont standards for Lycra Power certification. The Hydro flex-treated shorts wick away perspiration to keep athletes cooler, drier, and more comfortable. The Weft-Loc insertion is made of 35-percent Lycra and 65-percent nylon to provide maximum compression.

Circle No. 70 on Reader Inquiry Card The Z175 Ankle System, from Stromgren Supports, Inc. features patented double-layer breathable knit elastic for maximum compression and conformity. Its ventilated design minimizes perspiration buildup. The Z175 also features webbing control strips, a hinged foam tongue with four metal stays, two side panel stays, and 16 closely spaced eyelets for localized support. It has a low profile, fits inside any shoe, and is lightweight and ambidextrous.

Circle No. 71 on Reader Inquiry Card

WILSON SPORTING GOODS 800-245-5454 WWW.WILSONSPORTS.COM The Wilson NCAA Game Ball met rave reviews from the teams that participated in the 2003 NCAA Men’s and Women’s

Tournament. The Wilson NCAA Game Ball is the only moisture absorbing composite leather basketball on the market. The Wilson NCAA Game Ball actually absorbs moisture and grows tackier under game conditions.

Gripability is further improved with Aqua-Grip laid in channels.

Made of pebbled composite leather, the new channels are 50 percent deeper than conventional channels. Together, cover and channels make this game ball three times more palmable when wet than traditional leather basketballs. The Wilson NCAA Game Ball is available at select sporting goods dealers nationwide.

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Catalog Showcase POWER SYSTEMS, INC. 800-321-6975 WWW.POWER-SYSTEMS.COM Since 1986 Power Systems has been a leading supplier of sport training, health and fitness products. The company prides itself in being the one resource for all of your training needs. Its new 2004 catalog has a new look with better graphics and photos.

Included areas are core strength, medicine balls, speed, plyometrics, agility, strength equipment, strength accessories and flooring.

You will find the catalog full of hundreds of new products and dozens of products available exclusively from Power Systems. The company has also lowered some prices to enable the customer to get premium products at great prices. Go online or call Power Systems to request a free 2004 catalog today.

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Coaching Aids AIRBORNE ATHLETICS, INC. 888-887-7453 WWW.DRDISHBASKETBALL.COM Dr. Dish™, from Airborne Athletics, Inc. is more than an under-the basket ball return machine— it’s an on the court drill machine, too! Like traditional basketball machines, Dr. Dish can pass around the perimeter to outside shooter. Unlike traditional machines, Dr. Dish can “dish” bounce passes, lob passes, cross-court passes and alleyoops from anywhere on the court. Plus it can simulate missed shots for rebounding and tipping drills. Dr. Dish will make all your players better.

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SHOOT-A-WAY 800-294-4654 WWW.SHOOTAWAY.COM Shoot-A-Way, Inc.has introduced the newest member of its basketball return family. It’s called The Gun and it has people excited about shooting again. The Gun zips out passes from 15 to 35 feet. Multiple settings allow it to throw to the same spot or to throw as it rotates to the next spot around the perimeter. The fast-paced workout forces players to shoot and move, catch quickly, and get the shot up. Call Shoot-A-Way for more information and a free demo video.

Circle No. 76 on Reader Inquiry Card Shoot-A-Way, Inc. has also introduced its new rebounding machine. This machine will help teach players to rebound with power and control by pulling the

ball down through arms of resistance.

Adjustable ball height of seven to eleven feet, makes this rebounder versatile enough for many different needs. The optional blockout pads allow a player to blockout into spring loaded pads, then rebound with authority.

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piece, a dry-erase marker with eraser and carrying tube for easy roll-up and storage. This innovative new product provides an instant teaching station that takes communication between coaches and players to an unprecedented level.

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VERSA-COURT 888-258-5168 WWW.VERSACOURT.COM IN THE AUGUST 2004 ISSUE: VERSA-COURT is a patented 24" by 40" coaching aid made of flexible magnetic material that easily attaches to a variety of metallic surfaces (blackboards, white boards, lockers, bleachers, doors, vehicles, etc.).

The complete system includes the VERSA-COURT, offensive and defensive magnetic playing figures, a magnetic ball

BASKETBALL COURT EQUIPMENT TRAINING & CONDITIONING AIDS STRENGTH TRAINING INJURY PREVENTION PRACTICE AIDS TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS APPAREL

FIRESCOUT DIGITAL VIDEO EDITING AND SCOUTING

of s d e r d un !

Save heach seasonSPORTS! hours Available for ALL • Reports, stats, and video clips in seconds • An effective and affordable alternative • to traditional tape-to-tape scouting • Easy plug-and-play setup

1-800-530-2355 WWW.QUIKSCOUT.COM Circle No. 32 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Guide to Video Editing

LRSSports www.LRSSports.com 888-577-0001 See ad on Inside Back Cover NABC: Booths 726 & 827 WBCA: Booths 301 & 400

Primary Advantages: The Gamer™ system from LRSSports is the versatile, affordable, easy-touse digital video editing and game analysis system for basketball teams at every level.

Suitable for stand-alone use on PC workstations or laptops, Gamer is also an effective network solution.

Gamer captures video easily from digital or analog cameras and video decks and offers versatile and powerful data analysis capabilities.

Search, sort, and filter clips of events and possessions. Create presentations with video, video frames and drawings using Gamer’s integration with Microsoft® PowerPoint®.

Gamer’s unique versatility allows LRSSports to meet the needs of programs large and small, from Division I to high school. We can tailor a Gamer system that fits within most budgets.

Support Services: We offer the option of 24/7 or business day toll-free telephone technical support, along with installation and on-site training. We provide getting started guides, user manuals, and online help with each product.

Upgrades Available: Upgrades of all LRSSports® products are available. The next release of Gamer for basketball will be version 8.0, due later this year.

Customer Quote: "If you want to enhance your team’s ability to improve through post-game and practice edits, prepare for opponents, and use a teaching tool for your team, then you need to look into the LRS® product. The ease of use and time saving elements in editing alone are worth the money. When you add the versatility, comprehensive training program, and the tremendous customer service element, I know you will not find a higher quality, more useful product."—Larry Davis, Head Basketball Coach, Furman University

Quik Scout Technologies LLC www.quikscout.com 800-530-2355 See ad on page 49

Primary Advantages: Our products are affordable and there are many purchasing options available for the programs. They are easy to use—the plug and play set-up of these programs makes them easy to install and use in your environment. We also have a history—Quik Scout has responded to the needs of coaches by developing products that have helped teams win more games and improve performance for over 20 years.

Support Services: Free technical support is available by calling 800-530-2355. You may also send an e-mail to techsupport@quikscout.com.

Customer Quotes: “Fire Scout has been great for breaking ourselves down in the off-season, It shows us with the touch of the keyboard what our biggest tendencies are. It’s a big reason why we’ve made four consecutive NCAA playoffs!”—Jason Mangone, Coach, SUNY Brockport, NY "The Quik Scout software is an incredible timesaver. We use it for our opponents cut-ups. These are tapes we use to show the players the opponents' favorite plays.

This allows our players to get a very clear picture of what we need to stop. Also, we use the software to self-scout ourselves to do our best to anticipate what our opponents will do to stop our offense.

The Quik Scout software has enabled us to use our time more effectively and efficiently!"—Mark Nolan, Coach, Gilbert High School, AZ

LRSSports is a registered trademark and Gamer is a trademark of Levi, Ray & Shoup, Inc. Background: LRSSports Software provides innovative, high quality digital video editing and scouting solutions developed by the LRSSports team of creative software engineers based on suggestions and comments we’ve received from coaches and video coordinators since we offered our first digital video editing system in 1996. More than 300 sports teams, from Division I through high school, depend on LRSSports products.

LRSSports Circle No. 103 on Reader Inquiry Card

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

Date Founded: 1983 Background: Quik Scout LLC provides powerful and dependable state-of-theart sports software including digital video editing, scouting, statistical software, and systems designed to save coaches time and give teams a competitive advantage.

Quik Scout Technologies, LLC Circle No. 104 on Reader Inquiry Card

U.S. Sports Video www.USSportsVideo.com 800-556-8778 See ad on page 34

Primary Advantages: Sports video is our only business. We developed the MARK camera, a portable recording system so coaches start with the best quality game tape. The Video EDIT TOWER is second to none. The integrated editing system is quick and easy to learn. Our exclusive remote control video recording systems, SKYHAWK and FALCON, are the best endzone and wall-mounted units, respectively, on the market. The FALCON operates from anywhere within the gym complex. This wall-mount system is great to record action on the floor from an elevated view.

Optional decorative “basketball” cover is available.

Support Services: We offer 24/7 support.

Upgrades Available: Upgrading is the name of the game as technology changes. We work with coaches to provide the best system to fit their needs and budget.

Customer Quote: “We have used U.S. Sports Video systems since my last few years at Kent State, where we won three championships and played in three postseasons. I believe that the addition of the tower, and its capabilities, helped our program take another step forward. Since having the U.S. Sports Video system, the Kent State program has won four NCAA tournament games in the past two years. When hired at Rutgers, the first call I placed was to U.S. Sports Video, and we now have a state-of-the-art video package, with linear and digital components, at our disposal. I highly recommend U.S. Sports Video!

“At Rutgers, we use all U.S. Sports Video equipment, from the camera for practice and game action, to the four portable laptops, the six-deck tower, and editing desktop computer. It has been the most useful and practical application for teaching the game of basketball to our players that I have ever used. Without U.S. Sports Video, we would be light years behind.”—Larry DeSimpelare, Assistant Basketball Coach, Rutgers University Background: Inventor, developer and manufacturer of custom-built sports video systems. Sports video is 100 percent of our business since 1988.

U.S. Sports Video Circle No. 105 on Reader Inquiry Card

Strength Training & Cardiovascular OPTP 800-367-7393 WWW.OPTP.COM

inner and outer thighs, back, sides, chest and arms.

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POWER SYSTEMS, INC. 800-321-6975 WWW.POWER-SYSTEMS.COM

OPTP is now the exclusive distributor of the Stretch Out™ Strap. The patented Stretch Out Strap delivers the benefits of PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretching without a partner. This type of stretching combines isotonic, isometric and prolonged stretch. Alternating a stretch with a “relax phase” while using the Stretch Out Strap allows for maximum flexibility and decreases risk of injury. The Stretch Out Strap has a double stitched series of loops for hands and feet that allow users to work progressively into a stretch. Each Stretch Out Strap comes with a newly updated stretching guide with over 28 illustrations for the hamstrings, quads,

OPTP is proud to be the exclusive distributor of the new Mobil-izer™ Roll. This roll is similar to conventional foam rollers, but it contains a hard inner core for added durability.

The Mobil-izer Roll is 29 inches long with a 4” diameter. It is an optimal size for mobilizing the thoracic spine.

The Mobil-izer Roll may also be used for stretching, massage, and strengthening and will allow you to incorporate an exercise band without compromising the shape of the roll. An insert that demonstrates exercises is included.

Circle No. 80 on Reader Inquiry Card

The Lateral Stepper, available from Power Systems is an important agility training device for basketball. This device improves speed, quickness and balance by providing resistance for lateral, forward and backward movements.

We have two resistance levels to choose from to help strengthen the inner and outer thigh, as well as the hip flexors. Lateral Stepper has padded Velcro straps with 10 inch latex tube. Power Systems offers a complete line of Agility Training equipment. Contact Power Systems for more information on this and all of its products and programs.

Circle No. 81 on Reader Inquiry Card

Show Your Colors!

Best sideline chair made.

Guaranteed.

FREE Chair Caddy when you buy 36 chairs (FREIGHT NOT INCLUDED)

Visit us at www.stadiumchairdealer.com to see our complete line of products.

Also great for fundraisers!

800-242-7757 • stadiumchairdealer.com Circle No. 33

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American Athletic (AAI) . . . . . . . . . 21 Bassco Sporting Goods . . . . . . . . 2-3 Better Basketball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Courtclean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Dr. Dish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC Dynamic Team Sports . . . . . . . . . . 39 eFundraising.com (World’s Finest Chocolate)52 Firescout (Quik Scout Technologies) . . . 49 Gatorade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC Hoop Champs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 HoopMaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Hydra-Rib. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Jaypro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 JV Pro, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 LRSSports Software . . . . . . . . . . . IBC Moyer Sports U.S.A. . . . . . . . . . . . 31 New Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 OPTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Porter (Fair-Court) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Porter (Torq-Flex Goal) . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Power Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Pro Look Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Pro Look Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Proball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Rolbak. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Russell Athletic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Schelde North America . . . . . . . . . 35 Shoot-A-Way (Rebounder). . . . . . . . . 28 Shoot-A-Way (The Gun) . . . . . . . . . . 15 Specialized Seating . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Springco Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Stadium Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Stromgren Supports . . . . . . . . . . . 14 U.S. Sports Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Unilete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Versa-Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 VertiMax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Wilson Sporting Goods . . . . . . . . . 19

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Airborne Athletics (Dr. Dish) . . . . . . . 49 American Athletic, Inc. . . . . . . . . . 44 Bassco (custom game uniform) . . . . . . . 46 Bassco (spirit pack) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Bison (gym upgrade packages) . . . . . . . 56 Bison (T-Rex) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Courtclean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Dynamic Team Sports . . . . . . . . . . 46 Dynamic Team Sports (Elite Series) . . 46 eFundraising.com (chocolate sports discs) . 54 eFundraising.com (World’s Finest Chocolate)54 errea (SportWise) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Hoop Champs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Hydra-Rib (HR1000 backstop) . . . . . . . 44 Hydra-Rib (HR1175 hydraulic system) . . 44 Jaypro (Deluxe Basketball Carriers) . . . . 56 Jaypro (Little Champ Backboard Adapter) 44 Joe Corbi’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 JV Pro, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 LRSSports Software . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Moyer Sports (shirts/pants) . . . . . . . . 46 Moyer Sports (team apparel) . . . . . . . 46 New Balance (BB/WB886) . . . . . . . . . 48 New Balance (BB901) . . . . . . . . . . . 48 OPTP (Mobil-izer Roll) . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 OPTP (Stretch Out Strap) . . . . . . . . . . 51 Porter (Fair-Court rim-testing device) . . . 56 Porter (Torq-Flex Goal) . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Power Systems (catalog) . . . . . . . . . 48 Power Systems (Lateral Stepper) . . . . 51

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Power Systems (Plyo Jumper) . . . . . .

Pro Look Sports (sportswear) . . . . . .

Pro Look Sports (uniforms) . . . . . . . .

Proball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Quik Scout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Racine Danish Kringles . . . . . . . . .

Rolbak. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Russell Athletic (Dri-Power uniform) . .

Russell Athletic (men’s uniform) . . . . .

Schelde (Little SAM) . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Schelde (SAM 8 Portable Goal) . . . . . .

Shoot-A-Way (rebounding machine) . . .

Shoot-A-Way (The Gun) . . . . . . . . . .

Specialized Seating (contoured seat) .

Specialized Seating (locker room seating) .

Springco (OPTUM SPS) . . . . . . . . . . .

Springco (Winged Water Walker) . . . . .

Stadium Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Stromgren Supports (Power Shorts) . .

Stromgren (Z175 Ankle System) . . . . . .

U.S. Sports Video . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Unilete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Versa-Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

VertiMax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

VertiMax (V6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wilson Sporting Goods . . . . . . . . .

MomentumMedia.com

PROPERTY PROTECTION: Save your plants, vehicles, windows, garage doors, neighbor’s yards.

ROLBAK - ROLL BACK ACTION: Keeps the basketball in play thus encouraging more playing time. Rolbak net can be moved forward for FREE THROW shots or against the pole for play under the hoop.

Excellent ball return action.

Bronze model - $47.95 Silver Model - $74.55 Gold Model - $99.95

For more information call toll free at 1-877-765-2257 www.rolbak.com rolbak@rolbak.com Circle No. 35

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53 46 46 46 50 54 48 47 46 44 44 49 49 56 56 53 53 56 48 48 50 47 49 53 53 48

For Quicker Response, Request Information From Advertisers On-Line at

The Original Basketball Protection Net System “Basketball for All” Youngsters, Teens, & Adults

COACHING MANAGEMENT

PAGE NO.

Circle No. 36

Strength Training & Cardiovascular The Plyo Jumper from Power Systems is great for basketball jump training with resistance to improve vertical jump. The Plyo Jumper has resistance that is adjustable from 40, 80 or 120 pounds in seconds.

Incorporate with other plyometric training such as cone hops and dot drills. The unit is portable and easy to use, making it ideal for training on the court before, during or after practice. Power Systems offers a complete line of plyometric training equipment.

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SPRINGCO ATHLETICS 800-383-0305 WWW.SPRINGCOATHLETICS.COM The OPTUM SPS is an innovative product that emphasizes smooth, constant resistance to provide for even acceleration in training. The optional rotational

belt aids the athlete in developing quickness in lateral movements essential in all elite athletics. The compact, light design enables the OPTUM SPS to be conveniently attached to a fixed object and can be used to develop both quick, explosive bursts of speed as well as long, sustained sprints.

Circle No. 83 on Reader Inquiry Card The Winged Water Walker, offered exclusively by Springco Athletics, is a necessary component of any serious training program. It benefits all types of athletes.

Coaches from across the country have begun using this device with great success. Once you try a pair, you will realize how much time you have been “wasting” in the pool training without the Winged Water Walker. You will also realize that you can do many of the same drills and exercises you normally perform on the court, but with greater range of motion and loading if desired.

Circle No. 84 on Reader Inquiry Card

VERTIMAX 800-699-5867 WWW.VERTIMAX.COM No matter what kind of lower body strength and speed training you are doing, it will fall into one of three categories: (1)

Heavy Resistance, (2) Plyometrics, or (3) Low-Load Velocity-Specific training (the VertiMax). If Heavy Resistance were 10 on a scale of 1 thru 10, and if plyometrics were 1, VertiMax would be a 5. It's plyo with overload—the best of both worlds. Maximum transfer to the sports-field.

Circle No. 85 on Reader Inquiry Card “Only the VertiMax V6 incorporates upper body loading into an already highly effective explosion training device. Training the upper body to improve the lift aspect of vertical jump is a giant breakthrough. You can use it for arm action in the running phase, jam techniques, or combine all resistance bands for run into jump maneuvers. I can say without hesitation, this device is of great importance in any training program.”Garrett Giemont, Professional Football 2002 S&C Coach of the Year.

Circle No. 86 on Reader Inquiry Card

Web News PLAY BALL! TECHNICAL DATA AVAILABLE ON WEB SITE EaglePichers, manufacturers of Play Ball! Infield conditioners for baseball and softball fields, features technical data on its Web site. The site includes a technical data sheet for the product, showing its chemical and physical properties and chemical analysis. Visitors to the site can find information on how Play Ball! absorbs up to 130% of its weight in water and will reduce compaction on a baseball or softball infield. www.eaglepicher.com INTEGRATION OF VIDEO DISPLAY/SCORING SYSTEMS SHOWN The Daktronics Web site has a re-organization of the video products that makes it easier for usage by current and potential customers. The display integration page shows customers how video displays can integrate with other displays and scoring systems for a fully-integrated sports facility.

“Fly-throughs” give customers the opportunity to see display integration in an actual facility and demonstrate what a system may look like. The video control systems page demonstrates how Daktronics video and scoring control equipment integrates with other companies’ front-end equipment to produce a total show for the customer. www.daktronics.com

UNIFORM COMPANY OFFERS SPECIAL WEB TOOLS FOR COACHES Pro Look Sports has added a wonderful resource to its Web site just for coaches. It’s called the Coaches Area, and it provides Pro Look coaches with a myriad of tools—from referral bonuses to order tracking. The Coaches Area also contains the company's Reference Area, a library of uniform design tools to enhance and simplify the uniform design and ordering process. Think of the Coaches Area as a backstage pass to Pro Look Sports. It’s simple to use. Just head to Pro Look's Web site and click on "Sign Up." Your login information will be sent to the email address you supply. www.prolooksports.com DESIGN CUSTOMIZED SEATS FOR YOUR ATHLETIC FACILITY Specialized Seating has recently revamped its Web site, making it easier than ever to learn about the best seats in the business. Sit123.com now offers a hi-speed broadband site with more graphics, photos and Flash features to display the company’s wide selection of quality products.

Check out all the angles with the Seat Viewer, which gives you 360˚ image rotation while you read the specs for each model. Another new feature, “Design Your Chair,” lets you upload graphics and create your own seats. Or, just sit back and Specialized Seating will design everything for you, using your own images and specifications. www.specializedseating.com COACHING MANAGEMENT

53

Fundraising JOE CORBI’S 888-526-7247 WWW.JOECORBI.COM Joe Corbi’s offers the leading pizza kit and cookie dough fundraising program in the United States. Joe Corbi’s programs are extremely profitable for sports teams—earn up to $7.00 per pizza kit sold, and up to $6.38 per tub of cookie dough sold. There are no hidden fees, such as delivery or case break charges. A company representative will send the Fundraising Start-Up Kit with everything you need, and establish your sale/delivery dates. Product will arrive at the date and time you request. It’s that easy—from start to finish all it takes is three-four weeks.

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eFundraising.com 866-224-8452 WWW.EFUNDRAISING.COM Try World’s Finest Chocolate $2 Straight Packs for your next fundraising campaign!

Your supporters will love the creamy taste of these huge candy bars, and with up to 50% profit, your group will love the huge profits!

Choose from Milk Chocolate with Almond Bars, W.F. Crisp Bars, Continental Almonds, or Fund Raisin’s! Less work, more profits: who could ask for more?

Circle No. 88 on Reader Inquiry Card Raise up to 50% profit with delicious chocolate sports discs from eFundraising.com.

Everyone loves the rich, creamy taste of these candy discs. Your team will love the huge profits!

Personalize the label by sending us your team's logo with your order and we'll customize the discs for you!

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

HOOP CHAMPS 888-WIN-HOOPS WWW.HOOPCHAMPS.COM/VFUND. The fund-raiser from Hoop Champs, “Where Games Are Won…And Lives Can Be Saved,” is a win-win opportunity for basketball teams at any level of play. Raise money for your own program and the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

The proceeds from this shoot-a-thon, in which players get pledges per foul shot, are split 67 percent for your team and 33 percent to The V Foundation—created in memory of Jim Valvano. Teams have doubled their funds raised by this program because of the cancer research incentive. Coaches, for enrolling, will receive a free 12-chapter, 154-page playbook, one of the best basketball offerings available. Players will also qualify for apparel incentives as well.

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RACINE DANISH KRINGLES 800-432-6474 WWW.KRINGLE.COM Danish Kringles, from Racine Danish Kringles, are the secret ingredient for a successful fundraiser. The Kringle is a unique and tasty alternative to traditional fundraising fare, as it’s a special treat that people can’t purchase regularly. Racine Danish Kringles will make the fundraising process easy for you. They provide free sales support materials, inside tips on selling the Kringles, and friendly, expert assistance from the moment you call right through delivery of your order—baked fresh and delicious from our bakery. Made from an authentic recipe for Danish dough, Racine Kringle boasts only the finest ingredients.

With a program this sweet, the hardest part of your fundraiser may be resisting the Racine Danish Kringles yourself!

Circle No. 91 on Reader Inquiry Card

Celebrating a golden anniversary For 50 years now, sports organizations from across the globe have turned to one company for championship-caliber athletic equipment: American Athletic, Incorporated (AAI). Headquartered in Jefferson, Iowa, AAI has been manufacturing world-class sports equipment since 1954.

In 1961, AAI grew to include gymnastics apparatus and protective mats. AAI was the official equipment supplier to the 1996 and 1984 Olympic Games and official supplier and partner to USA Gymnastics, International Gymnastics Federation, and NCAA National Championships. AAI protective padding can be found in gymnasiums, arenas, and outdoor stadiums throughout the sporting world.

During the 1980s, American Athletic grew its volleyball line to a championship level. AAI is the official supplier to USA Volleyball. AAI’s volleyball systems are now used extensively for major national and international events, from high school to college.

AAI expanded to the basketball market in 1996 when it acquired Basketball Products International, or BPI. AAI’s portable backstops are used at some of the nation’s top basketball programs, from high schools to the pros. Twelve NBA teams, including the Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks and the 2003 World Champion San Antonio Spurs, as well as perennial NCAA powers such as Indiana, UCLA, Kentucky and Kansas, select AAI for their equipment needs. AAI also sells ceiling suspended backstops, rims, backboards, and accessories.

Even with its rich history of firsts and first places, AAI continues to pursue perfection in quality and customer service—so that amateur and professional athletes worldwide can pursue perfection on the playing field.

American Athletic, Inc. 200 American Ave., Jefferson, IA 50129 800-247-3978 WWW.AMERICANATHLETIC.COM

Stay active with Dual Action Knee Strap

Uniforms that deliver pro-level performance

“Just thought I would drop you a note.

Several years ago I had knee replacement surgery as a result of too many hours on the tennis courts. As a part-time tennis teaching professional, the pain has been almost overwhelming even after the surgery. I bought one of your Dual Action braces a few months ago as I have tried every brace on the market and I can’t tell you what it has done for my comfort as well as my game. I am back playing competitively and can chase down balls with confidence and no pain. This is the greatest thing since graphite tennis rackets. Just ordered another one! Thanks.”

M. John Velier, Las Vegas, NV

“When we decided we needed new team uniforms, we were approached by a number of companies promising top quality, performance, and style. After carefully considering our options, we made what we feel is an excellent choice in Pro Look Sports.

“I have osteoarthritis which is now affecting mobility in my knees. The Cho-Pat Dual Action strap has provided great support and relief of pain when walking and running. It is a great product, far superior to anything I have tried before.”

Dennis Kenney “Several months ago, I purchased a pair of your dual action knee straps. I’m happy to report that they are the finest of several different kinds of straps; they offer just the kind of support I need. I’ll be looking forward to using them for hiking in the Canadian Rockies in a few weeks.”

“We are the defending CBA Champions and want our players to not only look the best on the floor, but to be wearing a product that will respond to the rigors of professional basketball. We found the product with Pro Look Sports. Our team consists of players who have played in the NBA, CBA, and with high level overseas and collegiate teams, so they have been exposed to many different uniforms throughout their respective careers.

“To a man, our players have expressed how much they like wearing the Pro Look uniform. They have an excellent feel and provide the players with plenty of freedom throughout the game. The people at Pro Look have been wonderful to work with.”

Casey Owens, Assistant Coach Dakota Wizards

Arthur Jensen, New Wilmington, PA

Cho-Pat, Inc. P.O. Box 293, Hainesport, NJ 08036 800-221-1601 E-mail: sales@cho-pat.com

Pro Look Sports 37 E. Center St., Ste. 304, Provo, UT 84606 800-PRO-LOOK E-mail: nikki@prolooksports.com

WWW.CHO-PAT.COM

WWW.PROLOOKSPORTS.COM

A history of innovations in apparel

At Russell Athletic, we continually listen to the needs of athletes and respond accordingly by creating innovative uniforms and training gear to enhance their performance. For decades Russell Athletic has developed industry-leading technologies and cutting-edge products like the Tear-Away jersey, the StretchMesh™ uniform (worn by Washington State in the 2002 Rose Bowl), and Sweatless Sweats™, the first moisture management sweatshirt that keeps athletes dry, light, and comfortable during workouts.

Innovations like these were born on the fields of play and have been tested at the highest levels of competition.

Generations of athletes have trusted the performance of Russell Athletic products, including 9 of the last 12 World Series champions (including last year’s champion, the Florida Marlins), 34 college football National Championship teams, and 25 Heisman Trophy winners. We’re proud that America’s top teams, including 15 MLB® clubs, all Little League World Series teams, and over 200 Division I college teams, wear Russell Athletic.

No matter the level of play or budget constraints, as the #1 supplier of high school uniforms, we are confident Russell Athletic can offer high quality and innovative uniforms and practice gear to meet the needs of your team. I personally wish you and your team the best of luck this season, and thank you for your continued support of our products.

Matthew Mirchin President, Russell Athletic

WWW.RUSSELLATHLETIC.COM COACHING MANAGEMENT

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More Products AIRBORNE ATHLETICS, INC. 888-887-7453 WWW.DRDISHBASKETBALL.COM

JAYPRO 800-243-0533 WWW.JAYPRO.COM

SPECIALIZED SEATING 877-SEATING WWW.SPECIALIZEDSEATING.COM

The Dr. Dish™ Ball Cart is more than a storage cart. Its unique design keeps basketballs conveniently located at hip level for fast, easy access which is especially important when running fast-paced drills. Coaches can now watch a player's technique rather than searching for a ball. The Dr. Dish ball cart can also collect balls when used with the Dr. Dish basketball training machine and BallBoy net collection system. Holds 18 balls.

Circle No. 93 on Reader Inquiry Card

Jaypro’s new Deluxe Basketball Carriers are the most durable in the industry and backed by a lifetime warranty. The innovative easy-access design has two sizes.

One holds up to 12 basketballs, the other holds up to 18 basketballs. The carriers have welded 1” O.D. steel frames and 1” O.D. steel crossbars. For portability, it has four heavy-duty swivel casters. It comes with a tough powder coated finish that can be customized in five different colors.

Circle No. 96 on Reader Inquiry Card

Sit back and relax with the seating professionals. Specialized Seating (SPEC SEATS) has introduced the new Contoured Team Seat DS100X. Available in all school colors and trimmed out the way you want. Keep it simple and traditional or design it with the same style and flair as some of today’s team uniforms. For the best in spectator seating, add the uplift seat option and maximize seating capacity. Separate armrests are available which instantly convert these chairs to armchairs. Plus, order a Sideline Package of team chairs and a scorer’s table and get your time-out stools free. Call Specialized Seating to design your own custom sideline package and sit with the pros.

Circle No. 99 on Reader Inquiry Card

BISON RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS 800-247-7668 WWW.BISONINC.COM Bison has combined Official NF backboards, competition goals and backboard padding into easy-to-order and money saving gym upgrade packages that guarantee product compatibility plus outfit your gym with the Official Products of the National High School Federation. Six packages to choose from with 42” short backboards or 48” tall boards, standard mount or fan conversion mount in premium or standard grades to fit your existing wall or ceiling mount structure regardless of manufacturer. All hardware necessary for installation is included.

Circle No. 94 on Reader Inquiry Card

COURTCLEAN 800-900-2481 WWW.COURTCLEAN.COM Are slippery gym floors and wrestling mats a problem? Courtclean is the answer. It’s fast, easy, safe, and affordable. With the Courtclean system, one person can easily damp mop your floors or disinfect your mats in less than five minutes. And play can start immediately.

100 percent satisfaction guaranteed.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

JV PRO, INC. 800-962-2440 WWW.JVPRO.COM JV Pro, Inc. offers custom made freestanding and convertible bleacher mount scoring tables. Standard options include an LED possession arrow with bonus indicators, illuminated shatterproof lexan panels, heavy duty soft rubber casters for easy movement. They fold down to 16 inches for easy storage. JV Pro offers heavy duty courtside chairs with your logo/mascot in school colors to complement your scoring table. They offer the perfect image for your sports program.

Circle No. 97 on Reader Inquiry Card

Sit back and relax with the seating professionals. Specialized Seating (SPEC SEATS) offers the widest variety in locker room seating. Shown here is the heavyweight solid oak stool at the University of Alabama football locker Room. We also have upholstered metal stools, folding stools and bench pads. All are available in school colors and can be imprinted with your school logo. In addition we offer a variety of chairs as well. Heavy-duty padded folding chairs and directors’ chairs are a great choice as well.

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PORTER ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT COMPANY 800-947-6783 WWW.PORTER-ATH.COM

THE STADIUM CHAIR CO. 800-242-7757 WWW.STADIUMCHAIR.COM

New NCAA Division I Ruling! To improve the integrity and fairness of the game of basketball, beginning with the 2004/2005 season, rim testing will be mandatory for all Division I Competition Courts and Tournaments. The FairCourt® rim-testing device by Porter Athletic Equipment Company was designed to measure the rebound performance of the basketball rim and entire support system. Contact Porter for more information about the Fair-Court® rim-testing device.

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The SidelineChair, from The Stadium Chair Co., is the best seat on the market in its price range, with the durability and quality you’d expect from higher-priced products. It features 2” or 3” pads covered with quality vinyl that provides two large imprint areas. The extra-sturdy, powdercoated frames come with dual reinforced steel support bars on the back legs, and carry a five-year limited warranty.

Circle No. 101 on Reader Inquiry Card

LRSSports can give you the competitive edge.

We offer portable digital video editing solutions, network solutions and stand-alone workstations all fully customized to the needs of your program.

In addition, LRSSports also offers on-site training and toll-free technical support.

1-888-LRS-0001 • www.LRSSports.com CHANGING THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THE GAME.™ Circle No. 37

What every coach is looking for...

per Now siuet qu

“It’s as effective outside as it is underneath” • Delivers thousands of precise reps per hour for more efficient practice • Consistent Air TechnologyTM (uses air for consistent ball delivery with no ball wear) • Adjustable rotation range – you set degree of rotation (or turn it off) • Battery operated (comes with built-in charger; no electrical cords on court) • Wireless remote control or timer operation • End toss mode – for enhanced drill capabilities • Adjustable ball speed • Adjustable trajectory • Safe and easy to use • On wheels for easy transport • Includes BallBoyTM Collection Net – sets up fast; on wheels • Dr.DishTM and Ball BoyTM are independent, yet work together; funnels balls to Dr.DishTM or ball cart

Dr. Dish is more than an under-the-basket ball return machine

It’s an on-the-court “drill” machine, too!

Most recent customers: Minnesota Timberwolves University of Southern California University of Wisconsin University of Iowa University of Minnesota

ster a f % 0 5 ation rot d! spee Patented

Dr.Dish does more!

Basketball training machines are not new.

But basketball training machines that train all your players from both underneath and outside?

That’s new! And that’s Dr.Dish! Like traditional machines, Dr.Dish can pass around the perimeter to outside shooters. Unlike traditional machines, Dr.Dish rapidly “dishes” bounce passes, lob passes, cross court passes and ally-oops from anywhere on the court. Plus, it can simulate missed shots for rebounding and tipping drills. Dr.Dish will make all your players better!

For your FREE Dr.Dish video, call toll-free 1-888-887-7453

"I've used other training machines...

Dr. Dish is the best!"

Airborne Athletics, Inc., 116 West Main Street, Belle Plaine, MN 56011 www.drdishbasketball.com Circle No. 38

Flip Saunders, Head Coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves