Coaching Management 18.3 by Momentummedia

Coaching Management VOL. XVIII NO. 3

BASKETBALL ■

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POSTSEASON

Hosting a Tournament Louisville’s Strong Women

NEXT LEVEL Working with star players

EDITION

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CONTENTS

Coaching Management Basketball Edition Postseason 2010 Vol. XVIII, No. 3

LOCKER ROOM

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Changes in NCAA D-I men’s recruiting rules ... Charter schools causing concerns ... Getting Elena Delle Donne back in the game ... Team finds lessons in fundraising ... Father and son lead Le Moyne College

Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Scott Burger, Head Boys’ Coach at Sabetha (Kan.) High School, discusses his defensive philosophy and the difference between coaching males and females.

COVER STORY

Next Level

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Everyone wants to coach a star. But with talent comes responsibility and the challenge of making sure the team comes first.

Leadership

Tourney Time

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hosting a tournament can garner attention for your program and create great memories. Here’s how to get started.

Strength & Conditioning

Strong Drive

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The University of Louisville women’s team sees its conditioning program as a pyramid. After developing a strong foundation, players keep working until they reach the top.

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ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

COVER PHOTO: OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

On the cover: Ohio State University’s Evan Turner is the latest Buckeye to dominate the Big Ten Conference while setting the tone as a good teammate. Story begins on page 16.

Team Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Basketball FACILITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Strength Training & Cardio . . . . . . . . . . 40 Coaching Aids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Publisher Mark Goldberg Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel Associate Editors Dennis Read, Greg Scholand Assistant Editors R.J. Anderson, Kenny Berkowitz, Abigail Funk, Kyle Garratt, Mike Phelps

Marketing Director Sheryl Shaffer Business Manager Pennie Small Administrative Assistant Sharon Barbell Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter Circulation Director Dave Dubin Circulation Manager John Callaghan

Art Director Pamela Crawford Production Director Maria Bise Production Assistant Natalie Couch Graphic Artist Trish Landsparger Prepress Manager Neal Betts Ad Materials Coordinator Mike Townsend

The Coaching Management Basketball edition is publ ished in August and March by MAG, Inc. and is distributed free to college and high school coaches in the United States and Canada.

Copyright © 2010 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. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Coaching Management, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, N.Y. 14852. Printed in the U.S.A.

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD NCAA Reins in Men’s Recruiting Finding that many of its rules governing recruiting are often open to creative interpretation, NCAA Division I is taking a close look at the subject, both within men’s basketball and in all sports. An early result is a series of rules changes centered mostly on definitions and interpretations of existing rules. Other proposals are working their way through the NCAA legislative process. One immediate change broadens the definition of a recruited student-athlete in men’s basketball to include anyone who has received recruiting materials or had any recruiting contact with a coaching staff member, whether initiated by the athlete or coach. This includes athletes who have been invited to attend a school’s camp or enroll at an institution.

A basketball-specific package also includes changes that prohibit schools from hiring a person associated with a prospect to a non-coaching athletic department position for two years before and two years after the prospect enrolls. This means a school has to choose between hiring the person associated with the recruit or recruiting the player. The new rules bar coaches from making donations to non-profit groups associated with a prospect or contacting recruits through 1-900 numbers, which often carry a premium charge. Although penalties for any violations are determined by the NCAA enforcement staff or Division I Committee on Infractions, the Division I Board of Directors

also recommended that coaches be suspended from both regular season and tournament games for violating these rules, in addition to other traditional penalties. “We’re all trying to figure out what’s best not just for basketball, but for the kids as well,” says Greg Graham, Head Men’s Coach at Boise State University and a member of the Division I Men’s Basketball Issues Committee. “But it’s so complex that we have to constantly change the rules to keep things under control. It’s an ongoing process, and I think it will always be like that, no matter how many rules are passed.” The recruiting reform package contains a set of proposals

that will now enter the NCAA legislative process, which includes opportunities for schools to provide their comments and input. As with earlier changes, these are intent on reducing the influence of third parties looking to profit. However, coaches are concerned about some broader effects that could follow if all the changes are approved. The proposal that has drawn the most attention from coaches requires schools to only hire its own staff members and enrolled student-athletes as camp staff. In addition to the practical concern of finding enough coaches to work their camps, this one hits home for a lot of coaches who worked their way up the career ladder through their

SHari VIALPANDO/AP PHOTO

Another change clarifies that anyone who maintains contact with a recruited player—or the player’s parents, guardians, relatives, or coaches—based on that player’s athletic ability or recruitment is considered an “individual associated with a prospect.” This includes, but is not limited to, handlers, personal trainers, and coaches. These definitions are important since other new rules attempt to rein in payments to people associated with prospective student-athletes. Although NCAA rules prevent coaches from paying people directly for access to potential student-athletes, some have been paid for things like working at summer camps and scouting services. So to maintain a level playing field, the NCAA has specifically banned schools from paying anyone associated with a prospect for: n Working at camps or clinics n Consulting work n Recruiting service subscriptions.

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This winter, NCAA Division I took a hard look at men’s basketball recruiting practices, implementing new legislation and sending out a number of proposals for member comment. Boise State University Head Men’s Coach Greg Graham, a member of the Division I Men’s Basketball Issues Committee, says despite making progress, the process is an ongoing one.

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD involvement with other coaches’ summer camps. “I think the camp rule is an issue for all of us because that’s how coaches get into the business and get to know people,” Graham says. “But I also think there’s support to regulate who works camps, so we’ll all have to figure out how to work through it.” Other less controversial proposals would allow recruiting activities during camps, and bar Division I schools from hosting non-scholastic basketball events in their facilities. The NCAA is also reviewing the men’s basketball recruiting calendar and looking at allowing tryouts beginning in a prospect’s junior year of high school. Several other broader legislative items, covering all sports, are under consideration and were also forwarded for member comment. One would prohibit schools from holding camps more than 100 miles from campus. Another would require scouting services to meet more specific criteria in order to receive subscription payments from NCAA schools. And the use of flashy printed media guides in recruiting could end—one proposal would bar schools from providing them to recruits while another would prohibit printing of the guides altogether.

JESSICA WOOLF/THE TIMES OF NORTHWEST INDIANA

One more proposal, which was defeated, would have eliminated restrictions on the number of phone calls a school can make to a prospective student-athlete during contact periods. Some schools are concerned about the cost and difficulty of tracking phone calls and feel parents and student-athletes can take it upon themselves to tell schools if they’re calling too often. However, in December, the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee said it did not support proposals to

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eliminate limits on phone calls. Committee members felt it would be asking a lot of high school students to tell coaches to stop calling so much. The number of recruiting-related proposals put forth each year has also prompted the Division I Recruiting and Athletics Personnel Issues Cabinet to launch a broad review of recruiting rules. Rather than address issues with piecemeal legislation, the cabinet wants to take a wider look with an eye toward a new approach to governing recruiting. The review will focus on the methods and amount of recruiting communication, athletic and academic evaluations (including camps and clinics), campus visits, and scholarship offers. No legislation is expected to be approved before the 2010-11 school year

Charter Schools Causing Concerns Despite winning the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class A sectional tournament last season, the Thea Bowman Leadership Academy is getting a chilly reception from a lot of coaches, players, and fans. Bowman, one of 10 charter school members of the IHSAA, has been publicly accused of pillaging talented players from Indiana’s other public high schools— which has put the IHSAA in a tough spot. Charter schools can essentially draw students from anywhere in the state. The lack of geographic limits creates an imbalance for sports teams in the eyes of some of the state’s traditional public school coaches, who are held to district boundary lines. “The obvious concern is recruiting,” says Jason Groves, Head Boys’ Coach at Triton High School in Bourbon, Ind., which beat Bowman in last

In Indiana, coaches are concerned about the uneven playing field afforded to charter schools, which aren’t restricted by district enrollment boundaries. Above, Thea Bowman Leadership Academy, a charter school, competes against Triton High School in a 2009 state playoff game. year’s regional championship. “Because a charter school can get students from anywhere, it allows charter school coaches to hit the AAU circuit and search for elite players to come to their school. It’s nearly impossible for the IHSAA to police. How can the IHSAA determine if a transfer is for athletic reasons or if a kid is looking for a better or alternative academic situation?

Other coaches in Indiana share Groves’s concerns, and one has even refused to schedule games against charter schools. “Because of the demise of the inner-city school, we’re seeing [charter schools] pop up all over,” Michigan City (Ind.) High School Head Boys’ Coach John Boyd told the Indianapolis Star in October. “I’ll guarantee this: My teams will never play a charter school.”

“It’s frustrating knowing that I work hard and put in a lot of time to develop the kids in my district from the time they are in kindergarten, but a charter school can just get a talented player from anywhere it wants,” Groves continues.

Marvin Rea, Head Boys’ Coach and Athletic Director at Bowman, however, denies being involved in any illegal recruiting practices. “It’s factual that 100 percent of the kids on our varsity basketball team were here as freshmen,” he told the Indianapolis Star. “It’s factual

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD that 85 percent of them were here as seventh graders … We’re playing by the same rules everybody else is.” Blake Ress, Commissioner of the IHSAA, isn’t concerned about charter school coaches illegally recruiting star athletes as much as he is about the AAU connection some charter school coaches have. Rea, for example, was an AAU coach before being hired at Bowman and several of his former AAU players were on last year’s team. “Very often, the charter schools are hiring AAU coaches,” Ress says. “The problem with that is they bring AAU ideologies to high school sports. Education-based athletics is foreign to AAU coaches—they’re all about winning. That creates potential for unethical things to occur.” Another issue with charter schools’ integration into the IHSAA has to do with enrollment numbers. An upstart charter school can open with only a freshman class, which means the school would automatically be assigned to the IHSAA’s smallest classification. But three years later, having all four grade levels, the school would likely be at least four times larger yet still competing against other smaller schools.

Ress says the IHSAA doesn’t have any concrete plans for legislation that would help ease coaches’ concerns. However, he encourages them to speak

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“It would be nice if everyone could get along, and I know a lot of the coaches don’t want to fight, but we need assistance from our membership to stop illegal practices,” Ress continues. “We don’t have a strong enforcement arm, so we need coaches to step up and report issues. Then we can deal with them.”

coach,” Martin says. “She needed some space, which I gave her. I thought it was morally the right thing to do, regardless of what the fans and the media said.” Martin made sure her players and coaching staff were on the same page. The only time she mentioned Delle Donne’s name to the players was during their first team meeting, when she instructed them not to discuss basketball in any conversations they might have with Delle Donne. She echoed the same sentiment to the coaching staff. In addition, Martin decided that coaches and team members would no longer attend volleyball

games. Martin didn’t cross paths with Delle Donne until December, and even then the two just exchanged quick greetings. “I told the players, if you get to know her, be friends with her because of who she is as a person, not because she’s a great basketball player,” Martin says. “I didn’t want them to recruit her or beg her to play on our team. And I didn’t want Elena to be looking over her shoulder at volleyball games and seeing our coaching staff.” Delle Donne’s season on the volleyball court was a success, as she was named to the

Being Hands-Off Pays Off In August 2008, University of Delaware Head Women’s Coach Tina Martin was vacationing with friends in Italy when she received a 2 a.m. phone call from her athletic director: Elena Delle Donne, the nation’s top-ranked recruit, was enrolling at Delaware, her hometown school—and planning to join the volleyball team. Delle Donne had originally signed on to play basketball at the University of Connecticut, but she abruptly left the school shortly after arriving on campus, reportedly feeling homesick and burned out on basketball. With one of the best players in the country about to arrive at her school, but to play another sport, Martin spent the remaining 48 hours of her vacation wrestling with how to approach the situation once she arrived back on campus. Should she try to recruit Delle Donne to play basketball, or respect her decision and let her be? Martin put herself in Delle Donne’s shoes, and chose the latter. “I had to be a human being, rather than a basketball

University of Delaware redshirt freshman Elena Delle Donne had a tremendous 2009-10 season, leading the team in scoring and rebounding. After signing with the University of Connecticut out of high school in 2008, Delle Donne left school and quit the game before playing at Delaware last season.

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MARK CAMPBELL/HENSHOTS.COM

This is exactly what happened with Bowman. “When the IHSAA reclassified for basketball, Bowman didn’t have four full grades, so they were classified at A—the smallest in Indiana,” Groves says. “This year, they will have almost 500 students, which should put them in 2A, but they will compete in the A tournament for the next two years until the IHSAA realigns—which is every four years for basketball.”

up if they encounter illegal recruiting practices. “Coaches are going to have to take a more aggressive stance,” he says. “When they see illegal practices occurring, they need to step up and give their state association the evidence instead of just sitting back and complaining about it.

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD Colonial Athletic Association All-Rookie team and helped lead Delaware to the NCAA Tournament. As it turned out, she also appreciated Martin’s approach, which paid off in a huge way. In January, Delle Donne’s high school basketball coach contacted Martin and said the player was interested in breaking the ice. So Martin and Delle Donne got together and spent 45 minutes discussing everything except basketball. Over the next five months, the two began talking more and more. Delle Donne attended a few basketball games and occasionally shot baskets in the university gym with her high school coach. During those sessions, Martin kept her distance. “I turned on the lights, said hello, and left,” Martin says. “The next day the coach told me Elena thought it was very cool that I wasn’t trying to hide upstairs and watch her shoot. But I didn’t need to—I had seen her play and I knew she could make jump shots. She needed that time to find a way to have fun with basketball again.”

lineup and watch her go. With the addition, another player would likely lose her starting spot, and multiple players would have their roles altered or diminished. Without proper handling, the situation could have torn the team apart.

fact, by the end, she says she didn’t even care if Delle Donne played basketball at Delaware, as long as she found happiness. Martin believes her approach to the situation can serve as an example for other coaches in similar situations.

“I know jealousies are going to be there, but acceptance comes from the top down,” Martin says. “I had to bring it to the forefront and talk to the team about it right away. Once Elena said she was going to play basketball, I immediately called a team meeting.

“Put your ego and your pride aside and ask yourself, ‘What is the right thing to do?’” she says. “If you can answer that question, you’ll never go wrong. As much as I wanted her to play at Delaware and help my program, I had to think about the emotions this young lady and her family were going through. I had to leave her alone and let her find her own way.”

“We talked about the attention she was going to receive, squashing potential jealousies, and the positives of her being on our team,” she continues. “I described my vision and how this could help our basketball program. That meeting got them all excited about her joining us.” Looking back on her “recruitment” of Delle Donne, Martin says she wouldn’t change the way she handled any of it. In

Finding Lessons in Fundraising An unlikely exhibition loss in an emotional setting gave Ben Snively, Head Boys’ Coach at Ridgedale High School in Morral, Ohio, an opportunity to share an important lesson with his squad. But it had nothing

to do with the usual preseason topics of shot selection or boxing out. The game against Buckeye Central High School of New Washington, Ohio, ended in demoralizing fashion as a Ridgedale player blocked a shot attempt only to see it bounce off the shooter’s head to a teammate who hit the game-winner. Despite the disappointment, Snively’s message afterward was simple: There are bigger things than basketball. “I reminded them, ‘If this is the worst thing that ever happens to you, consider yourselves very lucky,’” he says. “The reality is that it is a game, and you have to feel fortunate that you’re healthy enough to go out and compete.” That message was delivered on an evening when Ridgedale and Buckeye Central played as part of a benefit to raise funds for Ridgedale Athletic Director and Assistant Coach Greg Rossman’s infant son who remained hospitalized for eight months after

Finally, in April, Delle Donne initiated a meeting and informed Martin that she wasn’t yet sure she wanted to play again, but if she did, it would be at Delaware. Not long after that, she decided she was ready to get back on the basketball court. Delle Donne’s decision excited the Newark, Del., community, and the team’s season ticket sales tripled. “So many fans in the area were really eager to see her play again,” Martin says. “When she walked away from basketball, a lot of people were legitimately sad.” While the team was also excited for Delle Donne’s arrival, Martin knew she couldn’t just plug her new superstar into the

Coaching Management

J.R. Weston stands between Nikki and Ben Snively, Head Boys’ Coach at Ridgedale High School in Morral, Ohio, after breaking the school’s career scoring record. Last season, Snively’s team participated in a scrimmage to raise funds for Ridgedale Athletic Director and Assistant Coach Greg Rossman’s infant son, who was born prematurely and required a long hospital stay.

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD being born prematurely with severe medical conditions. The event matched boys’ and girls’ teams from the Mid Ohio Athletic and North Central Conferences in scrimmage games. Proceeds went to the Rossman family, which has incurred medical bills nearing $3 million. Weighing only 1 pound, 8.5 ounces when he was born at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus on April 5, 2009, Lincoln Rossman needed funding in the form of a Medicaid waiver for the cost of home care before he was able to leave the hospital for the first time in midDecember. The games were part of the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Foundation Service Week, during which participating schools choose a local community service project to support. Basketball teams can play one of their five scrimmage games under normal game conditions if they use it to raise funds for and highlight their chosen community service project. A pair of Rossman’s friends who work at neighboring schools thought of the idea of turning the scrimmages into a benefit, and Greg Rossman made an appearance at each of the games to thank the schools and the teams.

coach and another volunteer helped fill in. Spring sport coaches scheduled officials for their own games last season and several members of the athletic department helped out when needed. “I don’t know how Coach Rossman and his wife are doing it,” Snively says. “They traveled at least an hour every day to Columbus. He has been nothing but positive the whole time. I don’t know that anyone could have done it the way he has.” Rossman’s handling of the situation is not lost on any of the Ridgedale players or coaches. “You hear all the time that this is what athletics are all about,” Snively says. “They teach you about life, and that’s exactly what we’re going through. Coach Rossman has been an inspiration. He’s taught us that when things happen in your life that you don’t foresee, you remain positive and do the best you can to get through the situation. And he knows he has

good support from his friends, fans, and the community.”

A Family Affair at Le Moyne College When Le Moyne College Head Men’s Coach Steve Evans wants advice on his team or coaching, he looks to his father. Fortunately for Evans, locating his dad doesn’t take much work— especially during games and practices. Three seasons ago, Evans hired his father, Stan “Buddy” Evans, to be a part-time assistant coach. Rich in wisdom and experience, Buddy signed on with his son after 22 years as a head coach at Rome (N. Y.) Free Academy, 11 years as an assistant at Hamilton College, and two years as an assistant at the State University of New York Institute of Technology. A fixture at Le Moyne practices since he left SUNY IT in 2006, Buddy had spent a lot of time studying

the team and handing out advice before officially joining the staff. “Having my dad as an assistant coach has been great for our team,” says Steve, who’s been the Head Coach at Le Moyne since 2000. “At 71, he’s more than three times as old as our players, but he’s still coming to practice every day with a passion for the game. They see that and really respond to him.” “I love to be around the game, and this was an opportunity for me to continue coaching,” says Buddy. “I don’t want to spend my retirement staying at home or sitting around a coffee shop. I want to be active.” Buddy is responsible for teaching the centers and forwards, which entails a lot of hands-on coaching during practices. He goes on scouting trips with his son, and on the bench, he keeps statistics, counsels players, and makes

“I think it hit our kids pretty hard when Coach Rossman came to speak at the game,” Snively says. “Kids think they’re invincible and that nothing can happen to them. But any day of the week the games you play and the life you live can be taken away from you.” In addition to working with the varsity players and handling his administrative duties, Rossman coaches the j.v. team and is a teacher at Ridgedale. Everyone chipped in to help cover his duties at school when Lincoln was born.

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GREG WALL

When Rossman couldn’t make a practice, the freshman team

Le Moyne College Head Men’s Coach Steve Evans (center) and his father, Stan “Buddy” Evans (behind), who is a Dolphins Assistant Coach, look downcourt together. A longtime high school and college coach, Buddy Evans joined his son’s staff three years ago.

suggestions to Steve about plays, matchups, and game strategy. For both father and son, the arrangement has required some adjustments. “The hardest part is that my dad and I are very much alike, and we both like to be in control,” says Steve. “We probably agree on 95 percent of the things we do. If you saw us arguing about the other five percent, you’d think we never got along, but that’s just how passionate we are. The bottom line is that whether or not my dad agrees with my decision, he knows he needs to fall in line.” “I’ve learned that even though I’m his father, during practices and games, he’s the boss,” says Buddy. “When he makes decisions I don’t agree with, I don’t question him in front of

the players or coaches. Maybe down the road, when we’re alone, I’ll say something about it. But during a game, my job is to make suggestions and his is to make decisions.” Off the court, Buddy and Steve try not to spend too much of their family time discussing the team, but basketball is in their blood, and there’s little chance they can avoid talking about the sport for long. Buddy, also the son of a coach, held a double practice session on the day Steve was born in 1970. Buddy had just begun his career at Rome Free Academy, which included coaching his son for three years in basketball and two years in baseball. As a coaching tandem, father and son have turned their chemistry into success. In 2007-08, their first year

together, the Dolphins finished 15-14, snapping a string of three straight losing seasons. The team improved dramatically in 2008-09, when it posted a 20-11 record and reached the Northeast-10 Conference championship game for the first time in 11 years. Then, in an exhibition game before the start of the 200910 season, the Division II Dolphins posted the biggest upset in team history. With eight seconds on the clock, Le Moyne sank a three-pointer to topple cross-town Division I powerhouse Syracuse University, 82-79. “I was so happy for my son, because he’s worked awfully hard to reach this point,” says Buddy. “I was very impressed by him, not because he’s my son, but because of the way

he carried himself, giving credit to the school and the players. It was a night when everything went our team’s way, and our players will remember it for the rest of their lives.” “We weren’t supposed to win that game in a million years,” says Steve. “We didn’t even talk about winning—we just talked about keeping Syracuse to 35 points in each half, which we almost did.” At halftime, with Le Moyne trailing by just five points, Buddy shared some advice with his son. “He said, ‘maybe coaching is overrated today. These kids are doing everything we’re asking them to do, so let’s just let them play,’” Steve recalls. “That’s some of the wisdom that comes from giving so much of his life to the game.”

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Q&A

Scott Burger

Sabetha (Kan.) High School

In 11 years of coaching girls’ basketball at Sabetha (Kan.) High School, Scott Burger had reached the top of the mountain. He led teams to second place state finishes in 1991 and 1996 before capturing a 4A title in 1997. But in 2002 he wanted a new challenge, and he took over as Head Boys’ Coach at the school. His success continued, and last year, his team finished as runner-up in the 3A division. Burger also teaches business at Sabetha, and is in his first year as the school’s Athletic Director. In 1997, he

CM: What’s the biggest difference between coaching girls and boys? Burger: When you instruct girls on how to do something, they really listen to you, but you spend more time and energy dealing with the team’s emotional state. Our girls’ team chemistry and unity was usually a lot better than with our boys’ teams. If you get a girls team to buy in and get along, they can really click. Boys, on the other hand, have to believe in you and what you’re teaching more than the girls before buying in. Also, team unity isn’t always as important to male players, and some boys seem to want to take over a game by themselves.

was named the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association 4A Coach of the Year and received the Don Jones Memorial Coaches Courage Award, as he coached the girls’ team to the state crown while his son battled leukemia. When not coaching, teaching, or overseeing the athletic department, Burger runs a local biddy ball program that his high school players coach at. In this interview, Burger speaks about the differences in coaching boys and girls, getting players to accept roles, and dealing with finishing second.

What is the key to getting individuals to buy into a team philosophy? Each player must accept his or her role. We give players about a month in practice to show the coaches what they think they do best. After that month, I tell them, ‘You can’t shoot a three. However, you’re great from 10 to 15 feet, so that’s your shooting range.’ Or I may sell a kid on the fact that he’s our best rebounder, defender, or passer. If you can get them to buy into being good at something and then reinforce that over

and over in practice, they take pride in that. The team unity evolves from there. The best compliment we got was when several coaches told us they were so impressed with our team because they could easily identify each kid’s role. From scouting us, they could tell that each player did certain things very well and didn’t try to do something they weren’t good at. That was a testament to our kids being very unselfish about accepting their roles. For example, that year I had a kid who was

How have you changed your coaching style since taking over the boys’ team? Because of boys’ quickness, we don’t take as many chances on defense so we don’t give up easy points. We want our opponent to work on offense and take difficult shots. With girls, sometimes you can gamble on defense and get away with mistakes because your opponents aren’t as likely to convert if that gamble fails. How are the games different? A boys’ game is more likely to turn on a dime. When we were up by 15 or 20 in a girls’ game, you could usually turn the lights out. Some strategies better serve the girls’ game. For example, on defense we push our opponents hard to their non-dominant hand. In a girls’ game it works really well. In a guys’ game it still works, but it’s not always as effective because a lot of guys can go right or left equally well.

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Sabetha (Kan.) High School Head Boys’ Coach Scott Burger (top left) and his 2008-09 team finished second in the Kansas 3A State Championship Tournament. In 1997, while coaching the school’s girls’ team, Sabetha won the 4A State Championship after runnerup finishes in 1991 and 1996.

Coaching Management

great at everything else, but he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t shoot, so I instructed him to only take layups. He bought into it and was one of our best players because of that. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to accept in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s society because everyone sees the glamorous side. He recognized that his defense and passing made the difference for our team.

stand you only want whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best for the team. You also have to prove to them that the role you want them to fill is vital for team unity.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;You also have to prove to them that the role you want them to fill is vital for team unity.â&#x20AC;? How did you convince him to eliminate that part of the game? I showed him our teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shot charts from different games, and said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re shooting 20 percent from the field and three of our other guys are shooting 50 percent. If we want to succeed, who do you think should shoot the most shots?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

What was it like to win the girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; state title after finishing as runner-up twice before? We started all sophomores in 1995 and finished third in the state. In 1996, we had all those starters back and made it to the state championship game. During that game, we were not the team we were all year and we got beat. But in some ways it was a blessing because the next season those girls really wanted to prove themselves. The closest anyone came to beating us that year was in the championship game, which was against the team that defeated us in the championship game the year before.

What did you learn from coming in second, and what did you teach your team about those experiences? When you get down to the final eight teams, anyone can win. You have to let your kids know that when you get in a situation like that, a lot of times it comes When you do that, hopefully they under

down to the bounce of the ball. We lost in overtime in my first championship game after the other team hit a shot at the buzzer to send it in to overtime. Last year, we had three shots in the last ten seconds to win the game and missed all three. We put ourselves in the position we wanted to, but we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make the shot, and sometimes in sports it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work out the way you want it to. Just be thankful you were blessed to get there and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dwell on losing. How did you get involved in coaching? I wanted to coach since I was a kid. I was a decent athlete, but not good enough to play in college. I enjoyed sports and school, so teaching was an obvious career choice. When I went to college I stayed involved in sports, and when I got my first teaching job, I told my administration I wanted to coach. I was blessed to get coaching jobs right away in track and freshman boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; basketball. I coached the freshmen for six years and then I was given the opportunity to coach the varsity girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; team. Do you always run the same system or do you tailor it to your playersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; talents?

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Q&A Defensively, we stay pretty consistent. Offensively, we make more adjustments based on our personnel. Up until last season, I had a really good four-year starter at point guard and kids who could shoot outside. So, we had to change our offense to emphasize more cuts and getting the ball down low. What is the key to developing a successful biddy ball program? We ask our high school players to coach and officiate the games and we make sure they buy into it. Almost all our high school kids work the biddy ball practices and I provide examples of drills and show them how to coach. The little kids idolize the high school players and look forward to coming to the practices. I had a freshman player ask me on the first day of varsity practice if he could coach the biddy ball kids. That shows they remember it from when they were younger. What advice do you give high school players about coaching the younger kids? Be positive, have fun, and show them how to do everything fundamentally. If

they don’t have fun, they’re not going to want to come back. The kids might not be really talented, but we want to make sure they have a great time and have the opportunity to get good if they love it. What has it been like to take over as athletic director in this economy? We’ve made a lot of cuts this year. For example, every year we take our wrestling and basketball teams to a big midseason tournament and we’ve always stayed in hotels because it’s two hours away. We had to cut the lodging this year and drove back and forth after every game. If you have the late game on Friday, drive home and get back at 12:30, and then turn around and leave early the next morning, it can be taxing. What is the most memorable moment of your career? Without a doubt, winning the state championship in 1997. My son was diagnosed with leukemia in 1994, and it re-occurred during the 1997 season, so I was not at school and did not coach a single practice during the last month before the state tournament. I came back just for games. It was a very emotional time.

How did your team react to that situation? They were a senior group and handled it very well. We live in a small community, so of course they knew my family really well. I’m sure it was emotional and probably motivated them. They were not only doing it for themselves, but for their coach and their coach’s son. What are your career goals? I have the ideal position right now because I still enjoy coaching and teaching—and I love the athletic director job. I’m sure there will be a day when I won’t have that passion to coach and I will know to get out. But right now I still look forward to going to practice every day. It helps that I have a son currently playing and another son coming through our system. Every coach wants to coach their kids, so that’s another thing that motivates me. What have you learned from raising and coaching your kids? I have four children who all have different strengths, and I’ve had to learn that they may not all love sports like I do. That’s been good for me. I’ve learned to appreciate kids being good at other things.

Circle No. 109 CoachesNetwork.com

Coaching Management

COVER STORY

LEVEL nEXT Everyone wants to coach a star. But with talent comes responsibility and the challenge of making sure the team comes first. BY MIKE PHELPS

In six years as Head Men’s Coach at Ohio State University, Thad Matta

has seen his share of star players pass through the program. Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Daequan Cook, B.J. Mullens, and Kosta Koufos were each picked in the first round of the NBA draft under Matta’s watch, and current star Evan Turner will likely travel a similar path. Matta’s teams have been equally successful over the same stretch, with two Big Ten regular season titles and a national championship game appearance in 2007. Matta knows that coaching a high-profile player at the college or high school level has clear benefits, but it also can present significant challenges. For example, how do you help the star cope with attention from the media, college recruiters, and pro scouts without becoming distracted? How do you keep the focus on the team rather than the individual? And how do you prevent jealousies and perceived favoritism from poisoning your team chemistry? Properly answering those

questions can be the difference between raising a championship banner and looking back with regret on a season of missed opportunities. Lead the Way The key for the Buckeyes has been developing blue collar stars. “If your best player is also one of the best people, you’re going to have a heck of a basketball team,” Matta says. “If he’s the hardest worker, you can always say the reason he’s getting 20 points a game is because he spends the most time in the gym.” To have selfless stars, you need to build great personal relationships. A poor relationship can lead to a selfish star who is more concerned with his statistics than the team’s win-loss record. “He has to know you have his best interests in mind—and that you will help him become the Mike Phelps is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Manage ment. He can be reached at: mp@MomentumMedia.com.

Ohio State Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Evan Turner is the latest Buckeye to dominate the Big Ten Conference while exhibiting the attributes of a good teammate.

COVER STORY

best player he can possibly be,” Matta says. “Be up front and forthright, and if you have a great player, let him know he’s great. Tell him playing team ball is the way he’s going to help this program win games, and the more the team wins, the more everybody shines individually.” “Integrating a star into the team framework is one of the more difficult things coaches face,” says Bosko Djurickovic, Head Men’s Coach at Carthage College, who is confronting an additional challenge this year as his top player is his son, Steve. “Coaches have to be harder on their stars than on the others in order to set the tone. Often, there is a perception that a star can do whatever he pleases and shoot whenever he wants because the team needs him. It doesn’t work that way. In fact, it has to be the opposite.” To make sure his message is crystal clear, Djurickovic has one-on-one conversations with his stars. “I’ll let them know I’m expecting a lot from them,” he says. “They need to know I’m holding them to a different level of accountability.” That accountability includes taking a leadership role. “That’s part of being the star,” Djurickovic says. “Because of the uniqueness of basketball, one player makes the biggest difference, but the other four people need to be involved. The star needs to integrate his teammates and make them better.” Most coaches agree the best strategy

starts with not playing favorites with your stars and giving each athlete their fair share of attention, even if others won’t. At Kinston (N.C.) High School, Head Boys’ Coach Wells Gulledge’s team features a future University of North Carolina Tar Heel in Reggie Bullock, who committed to Head Coach Roy Williams’s team as a sophomore. “During this whole process, I’ve tried to not make any of our other kids feel less important,” Gulledge says. “One guy is getting most of the outside attention, but the other 14 or 15 players are just as important to our success. I make sure to spend time with everyone on and off the court and show interest in their future as well. “The team takes on the makeup of the coaching staff,” he continues. “So if I show each and every kid the same amount of respect, the players will follow suit.” Despite making sure players are treated equally, Gulledge recognizes that more talented players sometimes need a bigger push. “Our expectation is that Reggie is an Atlantic Coast Conference caliber

During his ballyhooed freshman season at

Ohio State University in 2006, Greg Oden—the eventual No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft and the Buckeyes’ leading scorer—missed seven games with a wrist injury. In 2008, guard David Lighty was expected to be a major contributor, until a broken bone in his foot ended his season after just seven games. And this year, Ohio State’s top scorer Evan Turner sat down for an extended period of time with an injured back. When your best players are injured, having previously placed an emphasis on team play can be extremely beneficial—and, conversely, relying too

Coaching Management

player, so his play, even now, has to be ACC level,” Gulledge says. “Whether it’s pickup, practice, or anything else he does,

“Tell each player what you think his role is and what you expect from him ... Not everybody gets to shoot the ball, and not every player plays 30 minutes, but everyone can contribute in their own way.” he has to maintain that level. We expect and demand him to be the best player on the floor.” It’s possible, though, that a star won’t be willing to accept additional leadership roles and will try to fill his or her stat sheet without worrying about teammates. In these situations, Gulledge recommends turning to the tape. “If you have a player taking 40 shots a game and your locker room is unhappy or you’re losing, the biggest thing is to sit that player down and make them a

much on your star can come back to haunt you. During each situation, Ohio State Head Men’s Coach Thad Matta viewed it as an opportunity for other players to make a name for themselves, rather than toss away the season. “The one thing we talked about each time is that we’ve got to move forward,” Matta says. “We have to continue to play. Each remaining player has to pull his own weight and maybe a little bit more. With Evan, our guys anxiously awaited his return, but at the same time, they knew they needed to keep the season rolling.”

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Supporting Roles When one player is averaging 25 points per game, is constantly featured in the media, and has his or her photograph plastered all over the school’s Web site, it can be easy for teammates to become jealous. Those jealousies can pull a team apart and turn a promising season into one filled with stress. That’s why it’s important to eliminate any potential ill will from the get-go. At Carthage, Djurickovic attacks any perceptions of unfairness by establishing clearly defined roles for each player, and also working hard to identify team goals and emphasize team concepts. “Tell each player what you think his role is and what you expect from him,” Djurickovic says. “Then integrate him into the team setting by using his talents in the best way possible. “At this level, everyone comes in with a preconceived notion that they’re a really good player because they had success in high school and they think it’s going to be the same in college—and that’s not always true,” he continues. “Only the best middle school players become good high school players, and only the best high school players become really good college players. Coaches at every level need to define roles right from the start. Not everybody gets to shoot the ball, and not every player plays 30 minutes, but everyone can contribute in their own way.” While individual accomplishments are important, the ultimate goal is to win championships. If coaches can keep the focus on winning, then players shouldn’t be jealous of a star player commanding a majority of the attention. Bill Mitaritonna, Head Boys’ Coach at Half Hollow Hills High School West in Dix Hills, N.Y., coached Tobias Harris, rated fifth in the Class of 2010 by Rivals.

com. Harris was so highly regarded that his decision to attend the University of Tennessee was broadcast to a national audience on ESPNU. Mitaritonna, who has coached Hills West for 10 years, says he was fortunate that despite the attention, Harris remains as grounded as he was when he arrived on the varsity team. However, despite Harris’s immense talent and ability to make the team better, Mitaritonna believes there was some jealousy from older teammates during Harris’s freshman year, when he was averaging 25 points per game and taking shots away from veteran players. “Some of the older kids had been here for three years doing all the hard work, then Tobias came in and instantly became the star,” Mitaritonna says. “I had to speak with some of the guys and explain to them that this was the way it was going to be, and they needed to buy into it because Tobias was a special player who was going to help us win. By the time he was a sophomore, his teammates saw the light and rallied around him.” Mitaritonna had his athletic director speak with the team to confirm that message. The athletic director also spoke about the increased media and recruiting attention that surrounded the team and how the extra coverage could benefit everybody. “He told them that if a Division I coach sees you playing, and you’re hustling, he might make a phone call to a friend at a Division III school who would love to have you,” Mitaritonna says. “It’s a win-win situation for everybody. The guys on our team know that Tobias brings attention, college coaches, and media to the games.” At Ohio State, Matta is constantly reminding his players that team goals take precedence over individual accolades. The perfect example of team play presiding over individualism lies in his squad’s appearance in the 2007 championship game against the University of Florida. “Between the two teams in that game, there were nine players who would eventually get drafted into the NBA—including eight from the 2007 class alone,” he says. “Both teams had a lot of high-profile players, but they were true teams with really good players choosing team priorities over stats. Nobody on the floor averaged more than Oden’s 15.7 points

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better student of the game,” he says. “For example, show the player instances where their teammates were open on the wing. Show them where they went wrong in their decision making, and if they’re not adhering to what you want, switch the script and put them in their teammates’ shoes. Ask, ‘Would you be happy in that situation?’ “That will solve a lot of problems,” Gulledge continues. “Nobody wants to play with someone who’s only in it for themselves.”

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per game—the results of their sacrifices speak for themselves.” Big Fish Few college players have received more attention in the past five years than Stephen Curry. The fact that Curry attended Davidson College, with an enrollment under 2,000, made his national stardom even more remarkable—and even more resounding on the Davidson campus. During the 2008-09 season, the Wildcats were frequently featured on national television, played many high-profile games, and almost always competed in front of a full house. The attention was something the players were unaccustomed to, and it eventually began to wear on Head Coach Bob McKillop’s squad. “Every game—home and away—was a sell out, and every arena featured lines of fans waiting for autographs,” McKillop says. “It elevated expectations, and even though there was a lot of enjoyment with it early on, it eventually took a toll on our team. If you go through that experience on a yearly basis, you know how to handle it. But this was our first time in the limelight, and as a team, we had to learn how

to deal with it.” McKillop’s approach was to discuss the situation and explain the positives. “You can’t ignore it, hope it goes away, or soft sell it,” he says. “I made sure they understood the precise situation they were in and realized this was a very special time in their lives. They needed to enjoy the ride, rather than let the stresses of the situation take control.” Head Coach Vance Downs’s boys’ team at Ames (Iowa) High School went through a similar situation, albeit on a smaller scale. Last season, the team was led by Harrison Barnes, a University of North Carolina signee who was the second-ranked player in the Class of 2010 by Rivals.com. Early in Barnes’s recruitment, the onslaught of recruiting and media inquiries was so great that it began to take away from the head coach’s time on the court with his team. “That’s when I learned my first lesson

Managing star-level attention also means managing social networking.

University of Tennessee recruit Tobias Harris was a frequent presence on the micro-blogging site Twitter.com throughout his recruitment, tweeting about the schools he visited and exchanging messages with current players on the team—all of which were visible to anyone who wanted to read them. While Bill Mitaritonna, Head Boys’ Coach at Half Hollow Hills High School West in Dix Hills, N.Y., didn’t specifically advise Harris on what to write, he did warn him of potential pitfalls. “Random people constantly tried to talk to Tobias on Facebook and give him advice,” Mitaritonna says. “I’ve tried to develop a relationship that makes Tobias feel comfortable talking to me about things like that so he doesn’t have to turn to people on the Internet for advice.”

Coaching Management

in handling a star,” Downs says. “I had to be careful not to let my teaching responsibilities get overtaken by the recruiting and media demands. I just took a deep breath, started making to-do lists, and did the best I could with the time I had.”

“Anyone can draw up X’s and O’s. Anyone can develop a game plan. But coaching young men to become model citizens on and off the court is the most extraordinary challenge a coach has.” To manage the situation, Downs and his athletic director instituted a policy that limited the number of times media members could visit practice and talk to players. “That way we could at least limit the distractions and protect the best interests of Harrison and the other

Furthermore, Mitaritonna advises all his players to limit their involvement with Internet chatter. “There are enough people out there who live on the computer and want to give their two cents,” he says. “I could imagine a situation where a player says something to someone through e-mail, someone else sees it, and suddenly the player has their foot in their mouth.” Wells Gulledge, Head Boys’ Coach at Kinston (N.C.) High School, advises athletes to think carefully about the possible ramifications that come with each keystroke. “With technology today, the general public can have access to a lot of kids’ personal thoughts,” he says. “I tell my players to make sure everything they display to the public is cleaned up and ready to take to church.”

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COVER STORY

players,” Downs says. “The vast majority of media people handled it well because it was put in place early in the season and was accepted as the standard operating procedure. Our kids responded well because it became a routine, and they knew what to expect day in and day out.” Downs also had a plan for deflecting some of the attention to other players on his team. Rather than always letting Barnes play the role of team spokesman, Downs often put other players in that position, which was beneficial to keeping the focus on the program, rather than its star. “For example, the past few years we’ve played in the Wells Fargo tournament, and they have a press conference where they invite representatives from the teams to speak,” Downs says. “When we went last year, we sent another player on the team’s behalf, and he did a great job. It was certainly a situation where Harrison could have taken the lead—and some of the media expected him to be there—but I wanted his teammate to carry the torch.”

Djurickovic has similar policies at Carthage, frequently placing photos of different players on the team’s media guide or the athletic department’s Web site, and appointing other players to leadership roles. And as he found, it helps when your star player does his part to further the cause. “Steve is so low key and easy to get along with that it’s very easy for him to keep moving forward with all the publicity he gets,” Djurickovic says. “He’s very close to his teammates, he’s very unselfish, and he’s more than willing to deflect some of the attention.” Once In A Lifetime A common theme among coaches of high-profile players is that they wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. That’s an important factor for any coach who may just be beginning this process to remember—the workload might be greater, but so is the payoff. “I’d love to have a player like Harrison every year, believe me,” Downs says. “I don’t look at it as a hardship,

but as a growth opportunity. You have to learn to manage your time. You get up a little earlier, go to bed a little later, and prioritize your tasks.” For a high school coach, it can also be an opportunity to learn from the best. “Speak to college coaches like they’re just another coach, another person,” Mitaritonna says. “Pick their brains. “Most coaches love to talk about defense and how to run drills,” he adds. “John Calipari sat down with me and ran through some of the drills he uses. Bruce Pearl sat down to talk with me. Paul Hewitt went through some coaching philosophy with me. Enjoy it, because these guys are just like you. They’re there to help.” McKillop, meanwhile, believes working with stars can be one of the most rewarding experiences in the profession. “Anyone can draw up X’s and O’s,” he says. “Anyone can develop a game plan. But coaching young men to become model citizens on and off the court is the most extraordinary challenge a coach has.” n

Circle No. 111 CoachesNetwork.com

Coaching Management

LEADERSHIP

High school players compete at the Spalding HoopHall Classic, held at Blake Arena on the campus of Springfield College.

tourney time Bill SHaron/spartan sportshots

By Dr. David Hoch

Hosting a tournament can garner attention for your program and create great memories. Here’s how to get started.

ave you ever thought about hosting a tournament, but weren’t sure if it was a good idea? As a former coach and current athletic director, I am always looking to make the student-athlete experience the best it can be, and I’ve found that there are many positives to this endeavor. The biggest benefit is that it can become a very special part of the season for a team. When team members,

coaches, and parents work hard to pull off a special event, the camaraderie and good feelings are long-lasting. I see a lot of pride in everyone’s faces at the end of a successful tournament. Another positive is that a tournament provides good public relations for the school, the team, and individual athletes. It’s a chance to showcase your school’s facilities, hospitality, and organization. It also helps get you and your athletes in the local newspaper. Some teams even turn the event into

David Hoch, EdD, is the Athletic Director at Loch Raven High School in Baltimore County, Md., and a past President of the Maryland State Athletic Directors’ Association. He can be reached at: dhoch@bcps.org.

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Coaching Management

LEADERSHIP

a fundraiser. Through entry fees, concession sales, and advertising sponsors, many schools make significant money from hosting a big event. Over the years, we’ve hosted a number of tournaments at Loch Raven High School. At our most recent basketball tournament, one coach said as he was leaving, “We really enjoy coming here. We are treated so well, and it’s a great event.” And his team had lost earlier that evening. Without a doubt, planning a tournament takes some work, but it can be extremely rewarding. Planning Ahead No matter what ideas you have for a tournament, your first step is to talk with your athletic director. There are a ton of logistics to think about, and you need his or her support before making a single move. In most cases, your athletic director will be happy to provide advice, but he or she will need to know you are

Invitations: Deciding whom to invite should be based on the goal of the event. If fundraising is key, you’ll want to invite schools with large fan bases. If providing great competition is the goal, your guest list may need to change every year. In some cases, the event can serve as a way for local teams in different size classifications to play each other. Staffing: Along with typical contest personnel and custodians, you will need additional help, usually from volunteers, to host a quality tournament. The exact needs will vary depending on the size of the event and number of days it will run. Analyze your needs and plan ahead, remembering to include ticket sellers, concession workers, and scorekeepers. You will probably need to create shifts for both game personnel and volunteers. A written schedule is an absolute necessity so everyone knows when they are due to begin working. It would also be wise to have a substitute system organized in case someone is ill or simply forgets to show up for a shift. If you don’t normally have a PA announcer at your games, you will at least want one for the conclusion of the tournament. This person is vital because you should recognize all-tournament selections and award the championship trophy to the winning team with some fanfare. You may also need to graciously thank any sponsors for making the tournament possible. All of this can be done with the help of a good PA announcer. Who should you ask to help with all these jobs? Your booster club or parents of student-athletes, as well as student-athletes themselves, should form the bulk of your volunteer corp. But also consider asking coaches from other sports and faculty members. You might want to try a reciprocal arrangement with coaches who host their own tournaments. Rules & Regulations: Find out if you need to secure sanctioning from your state athletic association for the event. In Maryland, for example, this is required and an absolute necessity in order to host a tournament. You also want to make sure that you’ve fol-

With your costs known, think about your sources of revenue. Gate receipts and profits from concessions are the major ones. You may also find it necessary to bring in money from entry fees. willing to organize and oversee the event with a minimal amount of supervision. To start, the two of you should talk about planning the tournament and who can be enlisted to help. Here are some areas to consider: The Date: Setting a date is not as easy as it may seem. First, think about what point in the season is best for a tournament. Next, research any potential conflicts with other events. Are school facilities already booked? Is there another big tournament in the area that attracts the best teams? Are the PSATs scheduled for that weekend? Is there a big community event going on? Is it a bad weekend to ask parents or faculty members to help? 24

Coaching Management

lowed any applicable state procedures in order to avoid problems or embarrassing situations. This may mean limitations on the cost of tickets or types of awards that can be given to the participating athletes. Publicity: Provide local newspapers with the dates, times, and pairings well beforehand. Even if they don’t normally publicize your events, they can be coaxed to do so for a tournament. Sell the fact that you have a lot of teams from outside the area or that it’s one of the few times this many local teams will be together. Another hint: be sure to offer media members a coupon for free food at the concession stand. Budget: You can’t count on making money, or even breaking even, without a realistic budget. To start, determine the fixed cost of officials, custodians, security, and trophies. Also consider any other expenses which may be unique to your setting. With your costs known, think about your sources of revenue. Gate receipts and profits from concessions are the major ones. You may also find it necessary to bring in money from entry fees. Do some research to find out the going rate for entry fees at other tournaments in your area. Before you take another step, make sure the money balances. If you’re looking to make a profit, find a way to increase revenues or decrease costs. After you’ve decided the who’s, where’s, when’s, and how’s, you can start a to-do list. It is vital to set up a written time line for all the details to be completed. For each new task, simply establish a completion date and determine who will accomplish it. Making It Special Covering all the basics will ensure a well-organized event, but for it to stand out, consider some personal touches. This doesn’t always mean spending money, but rather adding nuances that define your event. One idea is offering a hospitality room for officials, coaches, and media. This feature can be relatively simple. Take a classroom and turn it into a private room, with some sandwiches and bottles of water and soda. Offer a few computers with Internet access for the coaches, officials, and media members to use during their breaks. CoachesNetwork.com

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LEADERSHIP

At our two-day wrestling tournament, we put a lot of effort into our hospitality room, which is overseen by the athletes’ parents and the family of our head coach. They prepare an Italian buffet (homemade dishes of lasagna, baked ziti, eggplant Parmesan, meatball sandwiches, tossed salad, and more) and secure donations of drinks and supplies. During the tournament, at least one volunteer is always in the room to serve meals whenever an official or coach has

Fortunately, we have a parent who does an outstanding job and is able to insert digital photos, cut and paste rosters, add articles, and even place ads into the final copy. She makes it look professional and we can either photocopy it at school or have it printed professionally. If you decide to use an outside printing company, know that there are professional outfits who will even secure the advertising as part of their service—but you’ll want to see what they charge first. Another way to make a tournament special is to make it unique. For example, consider pitting teams from different leagues against each other: “Who’s Best: East or West?” Or invite schools with very different populations than your own to create a crosscultural awareness event.

Even if you don’t normally have concessions for regular season games, it is needed for a tournament ... The right type of food and drink will not only provide a service, but can usually turn a profit. a break. There is no doubt that teams return every year for this reason alone and referees actually contact the assigner of officials months ahead to ask to work our tournament. It is just as important to provide refreshments to spectators, although you’ll want to charge them for their food. Even if you don’t normally have concessions for regular season games, it is needed for a tournament setting where people may spend a full day on campus. The right type of food and drink will not only provide a service, but can usually turn a profit. We extend our hospitality theme by communicating regularly with our guests. We share our sportsmanship expectations, ticket prices, and all other pertinent information with the other teams who will participate in our tournament well in advance. I feel it’s important that our guests are not surprised by any of our procedures. Providing a tournament program for the fans, athletes, and coaches is usually an appreciated amenity and adds a nice touch. This can be accomplished by using a commercial printer or even by someone in-house, such as an assistant coach, art teacher, student, or parent. 26

Coaching Management

Turning A Profit While we don’t charge a large entry fee or aim to make a huge profit with our events, tournaments can be a good fundraiser if that’s your goal. Beyond entry fees and ticket sales, here are some ideas on making money: Find A Sponsor: This is probably the single most important consideration. If the sponsor pays for the officials, custodial coverage, and awards, this means the gate and refreshment stand revenue can be counted as pure profit. Clearly establish what the sponsor gets in return for its investment. It would be reasonable that they should be able to display signage for their company. Naturally, the name of the company could be incorporated into the name of the tournament and prominently displayed in the program. But these issues cannot be assumed. They have to be discussed and clearly stated, preferably in writing, to avoid any misunderstanding. Consider having the sponsor provide T-shirts for the participants. Whether the sponsor’s name is placed on one of the sleeves or on the back of the shirt, these keepsakes become “walking advertisements” for years to come. Add Advertising: Securing advertising in your tournament program will increase your profits significantly, and many companies are happy to be involved. We charge $125 for a full-page ad, $75 for a

half, $50 for a quarter-page, and $25 for business card-size ads. But prices can vary greatly depending on your community and the size of the tournament. Even though you might make a few additional bucks by selling the programs at your tournament, we’ve found that offering them for free to the teams and fans is a better option. You’ve already made your money with the advertising and you want as many fans, athletes, and coaches to see the ads as possible. Sell Mementos: Student-athletes love to have a commemorative item from a tournament they participated in, and T-shirts fit the bill perfectly. Parents buy them, too. You do want to be careful how many you order, particularly if the date of the event is displayed on them, because this would restrict selling the leftovers the following year. The Right Concessions: Offering items your clientele prefers is the key to success. If you expect the athletes to be your main purchasers, sell bottled water, sports drinks, oranges, bananas, bagels, and healthy sandwiches instead of the typical snack foods. With a little extra work, you can even provide foods not normally found at a school sporting event and make a larger profit. With a group of ambitious parents, you might be able to have a chicken barbecue or sell homemade apple pies during a fall tournament. You can even consider partnering with a food vendor and splitting the profits. Better Every Year As with most projects, you will want to make notes at the conclusion of the tournament of any improvements or changes for next year. You may find you had too much down time between contests, not enough volunteers for a certain task, or overestimated the amount of food needed for the concession stand. Write all those thoughts down before you forget them. With a great organizational system in place and some special touches that make it unique, your tournament can gain a following fairly quickly. With a budget that turns a profit, you also have a fundraising source that can help your program grow. n A version of this article has appeared in other sport-specific editions of Coaching Management.

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Strength & conditioning

Strong drive The University of Louisville women’s basketball team sees its conditioning program as a pyramid. After developing a strong foundation, players keep working until they reach the top.

SHELLEY FELLER/LOUISVILLE ATHLETICS

hen do great seasons begin? For the University of Louisville women’s basketball team, the memorable 2008-09 season, which culminated in an NCAA Division I national championship game appearance, started with a devastating loss a year earlier. Within hours of falling to the University of North Carolina in the

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BY TEENA MURRAY Sweet Sixteen of the 2008 tournament, the players began asking about workout times for the following week. The loss was on a Saturday afternoon, and by Tuesday, our team was back in the weightroom, ready to begin preparing. As a strength and conditioning coach, you always want your athletes to finish the season strong. Doing so creates an opportunity for quantum leaps in athletic development during off-season

training. Despite a disappointing end to the 2007-08 season, our returning players were healthy and strong—and more importantly, committed to making great gains during the off-season. Their determination was palpable. The challenge Teena Murray is Director of Olympic Sports Performance at the University of Louisville. She can be reached at: teena.murray@ louisville.edu.

Coaching Management

Strength & conditioning

for me was creating a program that harnessed their motivation and capitalized on their physical readiness. Know Thy Athlete At Louisville, the construction process begins with a detailed blueprint for

sive impact stress associated with the sport, and the vast physical differences between players. Screening. Our basketball screening protocol is administered four times a year, usually in April, June, August, and December. It includes a functional movement screen (FMS), a single-leg force absorption assessment using a vertical hop-and-stop test on a mat, and gait analysis performed by the team’s athletic trainer. The screening also extends to a detailed assessment of diet and lifestyle factors using a health checklist and personal interviews. The checklist asks about everything from the timing, quantity, and quality of meals to sleep habits and alcohol use (see “Twenty Questions” page 34 for the complete list of questions). The screening results shape our team and individual performance nutrition

Based on what each athlete tells us about their personal diet and habits, we provide them with tailored eating plans, grocery lists, and recipes. the year based on screening and testing data. This is especially important for our women’s basketball program due to the length of the season, the exten-

education, which is managed by the sports performance staff. Based on what each athlete tells us about their personal diet and habits, we provide them with tailored eating plans, grocery lists, and recipes. We’ll even take the players on grocery store trips and teach them how to read labels and prepare simple, healthy dishes. Performance testing. When we perform the screening, we also assess each athlete in several key performance factors. This gives us a sense for what the team’s greatest strengths and weaknesses are during the off-season, preseason, regular season, and postseason. For this evaluation, we use a combination of several tests that target specific attributes: n Power: vertical jump, standing long jump, four-jump test n Strength: front squat, bench press, pull-ups n Speed: 10- and 20-yard sprints, pro agility test with flying start n Conditioning: 10x150-yard shuttle runs, two half-mile runs separated by three minutes of rest.

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Strength & conditioning

Several times a year, we evaluate players’ off-court nutrition and lifestyle habits to help

us determine whether they are setting themselves up to optimize performance. Part of that evaluation involves asking each individual these 20 questions. Each “yes” earns the athlete one point—16-20 points is optimal, 11-15 is fair but needs improvement, and 10 or fewer requires a major overhaul.

1. Do you eat breakfast seven days a week?

2. Do you eat foods from three different food groups at breakfast (e.g. fruit, whole grain, and protein)?

3. Do you eat two to three balanced meals at approximately the same time each day?

4. Do you eat a nutritious midmorning and mid-afternoon snack that includes at least one serving of protein?

5. Do you eat at least two pieces of fresh fruit each day?

6. Do you eat at least three servings of fresh vegetables each day?

7. Do you choose only high-fiber breads and cereals?

8. Do you eat lean or low-fat protein sources at each meal?

9. Do you limit your intake of saturated fat from meats, cheeses, dairy products, butter, and egg yolks?

10. Do you eat at least two servings of “good fat” each day, such as nuts, seeds, extra-virgin olive oil, olives, avocados, and fish?

11. Do you limit your intake of processed and refined foods,

foods made from white flour, foods high in sugar and sodium, and packaged foods?

12. Do you eat and drink adequately to maintain your body weight? (This should be your goal unless you are on a fat loss or weight gain program.)

13. Do you eat a post-workout/ post-practice snack within 15 minutes of activity?

14. Do you eat a post-workout/ post-practice meal within 2 hours?

15. Do you drink half your body weight (in pounds) in fluid ounces of water each day (not including fluid intake during exercise)?

16. Do you sleep at least seven to eight hours per night?

17. Do you go to bed at approximately the same time each night and get up at approximately the same time each morning (within 30 minutes)?

18. Do you take a multivitamin rich in antioxidants each day?

19. Do you take 1,000 milligrams of fish oil (omega 3 fatty acids) each day?

20. Do you limit or avoid alcohol consumption?

TWENTY QUESTIONS CoachesNetwork.com

After each testing period, we calculate a performance score for each player using our Women’s Basketball Performance Index. This 10-point index lets us compare athleticism in each tested area across the entire team and serves as a great motivational tool—the two athletes with the highest total scores during the preseason receive the highly coveted distinction of Iron Cardinal. It also helps us track short- and long-term progress in each player within a year and throughout her college career. Closing the Gap Once data on the entire team is collected and analyzed, my first priority in program design is what I call closing the gap. Compared to most female athletes arriving at Louisville, our basketball players typically show up with greater performance skills like strength, speed, and lower-body power, but they often lack fundamental movement skills like body awareness, coordination, mobility, and stability. Our FMS testing in recent years has revealed two common areas of deficiency and asymmetry—ankle mobility and core stability—and our vertical hopand-stop test often shows deficiencies in force absorption and landing mechanics. The limited ankle mobility is not surprising, since most of our players arrive having lived in taped or braced ankles. And core strength deficiencies are generally the result of never having learned to activate the core stabilizers prior to initiating movement. Addressing these deficiencies through corrective exercise and closing the gap between basic movement and advanced performance skills is essential for creating a foundation on which to build great basketball players. Our corrective exercise system progresses from active isolated stretching and soft tissue mobilization using foam rollers, lacrosse balls, and power plates (which provide vibration) to isolated single-joint movements and muscle education, and finally to integrated multi-plane movements based on individual needs. Another way to help close the gap is through what we call base training. This concept centers around a pyramid that we’ve created to illustrate athlete development, with mobility, stability, and work capacity as the foundation, strength and

Coaching Management

Strength & conditioning

speed in the middle, and power at the top. We believe starting at the foundation—the base of the pyramid—is the best way to develop the type of athleticism that will elevate performance and reduce injury risk.

courses, conditioning scavenger hunts, modified triathlons, adventure races in nearby parks, and Cardinal Challenges that test a combination of athleticism, tactical skill, and toughness—with the winning team exempt from bear crawls in our sandpit. By taking our players out of their comfort zone mentally and physically during these base training workouts, we develop the physical attributes we want while also teaching work ethic, leadership, unity, and toughness. These are intangible qualities that are not innate in many athletes, but can make a huge difference in the locker room and on the court.

Navigating the delicate balance between fitness and fatigue is one of our main challenges. We want to overload each player enough to induce a positive training effect while managing total training volume to avoid overstress. Our base training phase is a cornerstone of our off-season conditioning program, and it typically lasts four to 12 weeks depending on team and individual needs. To simultaneously develop the three base factors of mobility, stability, and work capacity, all the workouts at this time consist of high volumes of complex multi-joint, multi-plane, totalbody movements using body weight and light loads, with minimal rest between sets and exercises. Movement and plyometric work concentrates on landing and deceleration mechanics, along with isometric loading in various sport-specific positions. Base training allows lifting and movement techniques to be refined in an unloaded state, setting the stage for the strength and speed building (the middle layer of the pyramid) that will follow. It also prepares connective tissue for heavier loads, and helps the athletes increase their muscle endurance and aerobic capacity. In addition, these workouts provide a way for us to incorporate creativity, variety, and competition into the activities. For example, last year we conducted a “strongwoman” competition that included tire flips, keg throws, and tug-of-wars. We’ve also used obstacle 32

Coaching Management

In-Season Training Once the season begins, sustaining performance comes down to effective planning, daily communication, and consistent tracking. Navigating the delicate balance between fitness and fatigue is one of our main challenges. We want to overload each player enough to induce a positive training effect while managing total training volume to avoid overstress. With the high demands of the practice and competition schedule, doing this successfully requires a team approach with the athletic trainers and sport coaches. I’m fortunate to work with an exceptional group, led by Head Coach Jeff Walz and a talented team of health and wellness professionals, all committed to the same vision of keeping our athletes at the top of their game. It’s practically impossible to know exactly how each player’s body is responding, adapting, and recovering to training and competition. So to minimize injury risk and keep performance on track, we pay close attention to a few priority areas throughout the season. First, every player weighs in before practice and weighs out after practice each day, which allows us to monitor hydration status and short-term changes in body mass. In addition, body composition is measured using a seven-site skinfold test every four to six weeks.

Since we place a major emphasis on adding lean mass during the off-season and maintaining it in-season, we take any negative changes in this area very seriously. When necessary, we’ll make immediate adjustments to training, supplementation, and diet. Usually, an athlete needs only a minor tweak—for instance, if someone is having trouble maintaining her weight, two to three cups of trail mix a day can become her best friend. Second, every week we conduct lowerbody power testing after the players’ day off. For simplicity and efficiency, we use a vertical jump test on a mat and compare the findings with baseline scores collected in the preseason. When power output drops below 90 percent of the athlete’s baseline, we’ll talk to her and take a closer look at all relevant factors—body mass, rating of perceived exertion, sleep habits, diet, and on-court performance— to determine what’s wrong. If fatigue appears to be the issue, we’ll reduce that athlete’s practice time and prescribe extra regeneration work. Non-impact conditioning in the pool or on a bike may be substituted for more strenuous work, and extra rest is encouraged. Finally, we use FMS testing to track changes in movement quality at the midpoint of the season. This helps ensure that the first half of the season has not created any new mobility or stability deficiencies or asymmetries. If it has, we’ll work with players on an individual basis to correct them. From a training standpoint, we continue to push physical development on and off the court during the first half of the season. We lift three to four times a week, with the schedule varying to accommodate games, and we incorporate corrective and prehab work into pre-practice warmups. In addition, we manage each player’s list of individual priorities based on body composition, minutes played, FMS results, and special conditioning and strength needs. During final exams and the holidays in December we have limited games, no classes, and an opportunity for performance testing and concentrated loading. We use this three-week period to intensify work in the weightroom and re-establish or enhance strength, power, and conditioning levels for the second half of the season.

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Strength & conditioning

When Big East competition begins in early January, travel intensifies and game frequency increases. The top priority becomes maintaining lower-body power and lean mass while minimizing impact stress. We shorten lifting sessions to 15 to 25 minutes and reduce the frequency to twice per week, typically two days before each game. Exercises are also modified to limit eccentric loading—we’ll do quarter and half squats rather than full squats, pulls but no catches on Olympic lifts, and minimal plyometrics. We use more unilateral lower-body exercises for strength development. While speed-strength lifts predominate during preseason and early inseason phases, max strength workouts become the priority during the late in-season phase. The game of basketball itself provides players with adequate high-velocity stress from repeated jumping and sprinting during practices and games. Thus, we focus on maintaining power output through loading at 80 to 90 percent of personal max during strength-based weightroom work.

Another priority during in-season work is recovery and regeneration. We teach a five-step regeneration protocol to all of our athletes, and implement it immediately after workouts, practices, and games. It consists of: n Active isolated stretching n Self-massage, augmented with vibration when possible n Recovery nutrition (post-exercise recovery shakes) n Cold water immersion n Nutrient timing (post-exercise meal) Our nutrition plan also includes consuming cherry juice before practices and games. This antioxidant-rich “precovery” tool helps minimize exercise stress and inflammation and accelerate recovery between sessions. During and after workouts and games, we also use a variety of supplements to sustain energy levels and boost recovery, and post-workout meals are carefully planned to provide the right mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fat within the post-activity window when refueling is most critical.

Mission Accomplished In the end, the success of any team depends on execution. The players’ ability to follow a game plan on the court at critical moments depends in part on how well they’ve followed our game plan off the court throughout the entire training year. From the conditioning plan to the corrective exercise plan to the eating and regeneration plans, each athlete’s consistency and level of commitment either positions her to succeed or keeps her from reaching her highest potential. For the 2008-09 Cardinals, commitment to the long list of game plans paid big dividends. Our team made it to the national championship game, and though we came up short of a title, the players soared to impressive heights and earned much respect. n A version of this article appeared in our sister publication, Training & Conditioning. To read more articles about strength training and injury prevention, visit: www.Training-Conditioning.com.

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Better Shooting will build a player’s entire shot, from footwork to the finishing stroke. JJ Redick and Coach Rick Torbett teach shooting techniques in this 3 hour and 36 minute DVD suitable for both kids and high level players & coaches. Included is a training regimen and chart, geared to take the guesswork out of shot development, and an entire section is dedicated to women, including an interview with WNBA star Shay Doron. 3 hrs. & 36 mins.

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Fax this order to 607-257-7328 or Mail this order to MAG, Inc., 31 Dutch Mill Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850

subtotal $ + shipping $ NY residents add sales tax $ Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. = TOTAL $

8.00 9.00 $ 10.00 $ 12.00 $ $

PRICE

TEAM EQUIPMENT

Everything You Need

Simple Stability

The Active Ankle Power Lacer is designed for the athlete who desires added support in a lace-up style ankle brace. It features distinctive Y-shaped vertical stabilization straps for control of the forefoot and heel, dual spring stays for ankle support, and a neoprene nylon shell for comfort. The unique “pull and play” design allows for easy use by athletes. Active Ankle Systems, Inc. • 800-800-2896 www.activeankle.com Circle No. 500

Essentials On Hand

With a heavy-duty PVC tarpaulin shell, the Cramer Sideline Emergency Kit is designed to bring together all the necessary emergency management tools into one easily identifiable and easy-to-organize wheeled bag. The four interior bags can be labeled for a variety of specific needs, and they’re color-coded for fast visual recognition in an emergency. Cramer Products, Inc. • 800-345-2231 www.cramersportsmed.com Circle No. 503

The One You Need

Designed to be an extremely light and low-profile ankle brace, The One by Mueller is comfortable to wear in shoes or cleats during competition. Offering all the traditional benefits of taping but with all the adjustable flexibility of a soft-strap brace, The One protects against inversion and eversion ankle sprains. Anti-slip criss-crossing side straps can be adjusted while the shoe is on the foot at any time to help prevent slippage and ensure a tight, comfortable fit. Side-pulling stirrup straps imitate the effects of taping, while a cushioned, breathable tongue keeps the brace comfortable. Mueller Sports Medicine • 608-643-8530 www.muellersportsmed.com Circle No. 502

Best of Both Worlds

For athletes who prefer the comfort and mobility of a lace-up brace but want the added support and security of a traditional tape job, the Excel ankle brace from Cramer features a unique circumferential lacing system that tightens all the way around the brace for a better-conforming and more comfortable fit. The brace also incorporates non-stretch vertical nylon straps that imitate the effects of the heel lock technique used in taping the ankle. Cramer Products, Inc. • 800-345-2231 www.cramersportsmed.com Circle No. 501

Feel the Wave

Designed to help increase the natural 36

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blood flow around muscles, Mueller Kinesiology Tape features a revolutionary wave-pattern adhesive that moves with the skin and muscles to reduce muscle pain, increase mobility, and enhance recovery. Designed to aid in the treatment of ligament injuries, muscle conditioning, fascia repositioning, and even carpal tunnel syndrome, it is applied to the skin in patterns to mimic muscles. The 100-percent cotton tape is latex-free and available in four colors and with an eye-catching retail-ready display. Mueller Sports Medicine • 608-643-8530 www.muellersportsmed.com Circle No. 504

Radical Thinking

Pro Look is continually driven to invent the most functional and innovative uniforms available, and is proud to have changed the industry as a result. Starting in 2010, the company is looking to change the uniform industry again by introducing the first four-year uniform warranty. In an industry where most companies cringe at offering a oneyear warranty, Pro Look is putting its warranty where its mouth is. Pro Look makes a uniform that is built to last. Pro Look Sports • 800-776-5665 www.prolooksports.com Circle No. 541

Advanced Fabric

Cho-Pat’s Calf Compression Sleeve combines warmth, compression, and reinforcement to help reduce pain and discomfort and enhance recovery and healing. The four-way stretch knit material contours anatomically for maximum fit, comfort, and effectiveness. The material is also breathable and facilitates the movement of moisture away from the skin. Finally, this American-made sleeve does not contain neoprene or latex and is available in three sizes to provide more specific and effectual results. It’s available in white and black. Cho-Pat • 800-221-1601 www.cho-pat.com Circle No. 506

State of the Art

The Wilson NCAA Game Ball sets the standard for performance and innovation on the court. Patented features include the only moisture-absorbing cover on the market, laid in channels, creating a 100-percent composite basketball and a cushion core carcass. The result is the ultimate game basketball, which the NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments rely on to deliver championship performance. Wilson Sporting Goods • 800-245-5454 www.wilson.com/basketball Circle No. 540

Everything You Need Insure Your Success

TEAM EQUIPMENT

Think Pink

Protect your organization with K&K’s insurance programs for sports camps, clinics, teams, leagues, associations, instructors, and events. Coverages include general liability including participant legal liability, participant accident medical, equipment and contents coverage, and more. Sign up with the leader in sports, leisure, and entertainment insurance today—online quoting and immediate purchase is easy through the company’s new Web site. K&K Insurance • 800-426-2889 www.sportsinsurance-kk.com Circle No. 508

Wilson is proud to be the official basketball of the WBCA Pink Zone. This initiative is a unified global effort for the WBCA nation of coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, on campus, in communities, and beyond. In support of this great cause, Wilson will donate $15 to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund for every Pink Zone Game Ball that is sold. Wilson Sporting Goods • 800-245-5454 www.wilson.com/basketball Circle No. 542

Soft and Strong

The Volt ankle brace is engineered to include the latest carbon-fiber technology. The polypropylene shell is reinforced with carbon fiber—the same high-performance material used in racing cars and bicycles. It also features a molded bearing-design performance hinge for smoother range of motion, strengthening ribs for a thinner profile, and fabric-backed EVA foam pads for durability and comfort. Active Ankle Systems, Inc. • 800-800-2896 www.activeankle.com Circle No. 505

Since 1996, Pro Look has developed award-winning uniforms for title-chasing athletes. The company is proud of its innovation and attention to detail. Its garments work with athletes when they need it most. Pro Look fabrics and construction methods stand up to abuse, season after season. The patented “Soft” tackle twill technology creates a uniform that is soft to the touch but maintains traditional tackle twill strength and longevity. Pro Look Sports • 800-776-5665 www.prolooksports.com Circle No. 507

Smooth Moves

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basketball facilities Built to Last

NEW

section

Budget $avers Stretch your purchasing dollars with timely money-saving offers from leading manufacturers and suppliers. Look for frequently updated

Budget $avers

featured on MomentumMedia’s Athletic Management website.

Spalding manufactures quality-driven basketball products for competitive, recreational, and physical education use, including goals, backboards, and accessories. The Replica Pro Ball Rack is constructed of durable chrome steel tubing with a non-topple base and swivel casters. The rack is designed with angled rails for easy ball removal and holds up to 15 basketballs. This unit has a sturdy yet stylish design and is built to last. Spalding • 800-435-3865 www.spaldingequipment.com Circle No. 511

Tough Name, Tough Game

Bison’s T-Rex 96 portable goal unit incorporates low maintenance, extension-spring technology for fast and easy one-person setup, and seven- to 10-foot height adjustment. Locking front stabilizers provide maximum stability, and there are 96 inches of safe play area at the 10-foot goal height. The T-Rex 96 has a 180-degree breakaway goal, an unbreakable glass backboard with a lifetime warranty, and DuraSkin backboard padding. All the padding is available in 16 colors, and lettering and graphics are optional. Bison • 800-247-7668 www.bisoninc.com Circle No. 512

A Smart Upgrade Package

Replace old backboards and rims with a regulation 42” x 72 “x 1/2” tempered glass backboard with bolt-on padding and a competition breakaway rim from Institutional Basketball. Pre-installed mounting brackets in the board easily affix to your existing fan-shaped or rectangular backboard mounting points. All stress from the rim is absorbed by the mounting bracket, and that allows for a lifetime warranty on the backboard. Consider adding the industry’s only height adjuster with a 10-year warranty to allow stable rim height adjustment from eight to 10 feet. Institutional Basketball Systems 877-272-5430 www.institutionalbasketballsystems.com Circle No. 513

Are You Covered?

M.A.S.A. carries a large selection of gym floor covers to meet any budget, offering protection during indoor baseball/ softball practices, dances, graduations, and special events. Chairs, street shoes, and equipment can ruin your floor. One of the best investments you can make for your gymnasium is a quality cover. It will pay for itself by extending the time between floor refinishing. Check out M.A.S.A. online for industry-leading prices and selection. M.A.S.A. • 800-264-4519 www.masa.com www.sportsadvantage.com Circle No. 514

Used by Everyone

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Spalding basketball products are trusted at every level, from the NBA to backyard pick-up games. The SuperGlass Collegiate Backboard package consists of a 72” x 42” regulation backboard, a flex goal, and E-Z Bolt padding. This package is recommended for collegiate and high school competition. Spalding is the official backstop of the NBA, basketball equipment supplier to the NFHS, and backstop and backboard supplier to the NCAA Final Four. Spalding • 800-435-3865 www.spaldingequipment.com Circle No. 515

company Q& a

Leading the Way in Innovative Facility Equipment With Wayne VanBenschoten

What is your company’s philosophy in developing new products for the athletic marketplace? Jaypro has been around since 1953, and innovation is an important part of our Wayne heritage. A long time ago, we created the VanBenschoten is first chain-link basketball net for outV.P. Engineer at door use in urban areas, and we also had Jaypro Sports. the first outdoor recreational basketball unit on rollers for easier transport. More recently, we’ve come up with a patented volleyball net that’s very easy to attach and remove— you just clip it on and tighten it up. Those are just a few examples. Whenever we create a new product, we focus on four key areas: safety, ease of use, features, and aesthetics. Each of those is important for different reasons.

Could you give some examples of how Jaypro products meet all four of those goals? Safety has to be a top priority, and it’s a hallmark of every product Jaypro offers. For instance, we were instrumental in developing safety standards for soccer goals, and that’s one area where we’ve introduced significant innovations. We have a patent for a counterweight that goes on the back of a goal so it’s less apt to tip over if a child is hanging on the front of it, which has been the cause of some serious injuries. We also have a patented full-size goal that folds down, aided by a spring-assist mechanism, so when it’s not in use, it can be safely folded and stored out of harm’s way. Ease of use means different things for different products. Sometimes it means convenient portability. Sometimes it means a unit that’s easy to set up. There are many ways we make our products easy to use, such as incorporating engineered materials that can reduce weight without sacrificing strength or function.

Another product for which we’re emphasizing ease of use—and something we’re very excited about—is our new gym control system. All the equipment in a gym, from the basketball support structure to the divider curtains and ceiling-suspended batting cages, can be controlled using a microprocessor-based system operated with a touch screen. This is far superior to the standard technology, which relies on key switches. The system offers complete control of everything in the gym, and it can be pre-set with various configurations for gym class, sport practice, game nights, and more, so everything moves into place at the touch of a button. We’re getting a lot of positive feedback on that system from architects and users. Features are important, because feature-rich products enhance the user’s experience and expand their capabilities. We meet with coaches from youth sports to the collegiate level for input on what they’d like to see in a product, and then we make it happen. Aesthetics is the other important area. Historically, a lot of products in the athletic marketplace have had a very clunky, industrial appearance. We use state-of-the-art 3D modeling software to come up with better designs that can really enhance a facility. Whether it’s creating smaller-profile height adjusters for basketball backstops to reduce obstruction for fans, or powder-coating the basketball structure and players benches in custom school colors, we always strive to create products that look as great as they perform.

Jaypro Sports, LLC 976 Hartford Turnpike • Waterford, CT 06385-4002 800-243-0533 • Fax: (800) 988-3363 www.jaypro.com

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STRENGTH TR A INING & CARDIO A Shoulder’s Best Friend

The Shoulder Rotator, available from Powernetics, develops powerful strength in the shoulders, arms, and forearms for throwing, shooting, spiking, and more. The motion of the Shoulder Rotator is also great for rehabilitating shoulders to rebuild strength and flexibility. Powernetics • 800-829-2928 www.powernetics.com Circle No. 520

Nature’s Protein Drink

Research suggests that low-fat chocolate milk, with its unique mix of nutrients, is a naturally nutrient-rich protein drink that can help you refuel and rehydrate within the critical twohour recovery window after exercise. Drinking low-fat chocolate milk after exercise not only provides the carbohydrates and protein to refuel and repair muscles, it also helps replenish fluids and electrolytes like calcium, magnesium, and potassium that are lost in sweat. Visit www.milkdelivers. org to find out more about the science behind nature’s protein drink. Milk Processor Education Program info@milkdelivers.org Circle No. 521

Power, Not Powder

The new Sanctband from OPTP is a very low-powder, reduced-protein latex resistive exercise band. It’s one of the most comfortable resistance training and rehabilitation bands you can find. The Sanctband is specially treated to remove most of the proteins found in latex, and it’s washed to remove the excess powder that’s found on most bands. Call OPTP for a catalog or visit the company’s web site for more information. OPTP • 800-367-7393 www.optp.com Circle No. 522

Resistance = Excellence

Professional sports teams and international Olympians train and condition with TurfCordz to increase speed, endurance, and flexibility through explosive start drills, footwork exercises, and simulated play action. Developed by NZ Mfg., a leader in resistance training and physical rehabilitation products, TurfCordz provide maximum function and comfort while withstanding the rigorous demands of team, clinic, and personal use. NZ Mfg. also engineers StrechCordz and MediCordz resistance products. NZ Mfg., LLC • 800-886-6621 www.nzmfg.com Circle No. 523 40

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Building Better Athletes A Step Up

The Adjustable Power-Plyo Box from Power Systems comes in two sizes and provides the same function as a traditional plyo box. The smaller box adjusts from 18 to 30 inches, and the larger box adjusts from 30 to 42 inches. This box will allow your athletes to develop power and strength with the ability for progression in one location. It features steel construction with 1/4inch plywood and a non-slip surface. The unit is black and gray in color. Power Systems, Inc • 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com Circle No. 524

Get Better, Faster

The Muscle Bar combines weights and resistance tubing to safely overload the muscles as it shortens and lengthens, giving better results in less time. It can easily be adjusted to fit all levels of exercisers by changing the resistance and bar weight. Call OPTP or go online to learn more about the Muscle Bar and other strength and conditioning products, and to request your free catalog. OPTP • 800-367-7393 www.optp.com Circle No. 525

Develop Explosive Power

Improve jump height and reaction time for better overall performance with the Pro Power Jumper from Power Systems. Train with maximal jumps for power, or repeated jumps for reaction time and endurance. The large 30” x 50” non-slip jumping platform is counterweighted on each end with a 45-pound weight plate. It comes with your choice of all necessary harnesses and resistance tubes. This unit features solid steel construction for durability and longevity. Power Systems, Inc. • 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com Circle No. 526

Reduce Groin Injuries

The High Stepper from Powernetics develops explosive power in the hip flexors and legs in a running motion, substantially increasing athletes’ speed, quickness, and durability. Coaches notice fewer groin injuries with their athletes after training on the High Stepper. It can improve 40-yard dash times, decrease groin injuries, and train the legs to explode higher and more powerfully. Powernetics • 800-829-2928 www.powernetics.com Circle No. 527

Helping You Succeed All the Essentials

Better Basketball’s Eight Player Development Videos cover the primary skills: shooting, passing, post play, defense, ball handling, one-on-one offense, free throws, and scoring without the ball. There are bonus sections with NBA stars like Jason Kidd, Chauncey Billups, and Mike Bibby. These videos are packed with clearly explained fundamentals for young players and advanced techniques for high-level players and coaches, not only explaining the “how” behind a technique, but the “why” as well. Better Basketball, Inc. • 800-BETTER-B www.betterbasketball.com

It Hits the Spot

Spot-to-spot programming, successful repetition, and easy setup combine with consistency and dependability to produce the all-new 8000 Series Gun by Shoot-A-Way. Shooting workouts can now be controlled anywhere in the gym by remote, and coaches have the ability to specify shooting location and number of shots per spot. The “challenge” mode requires players to make shots before moving, and player accountability is enhanced with the optional ticket printer. Shoot-A-Way • 800-294-4654 www.shootaway.com Circle No. 530

A Smarter Way to Learn

Wiffletree World, based in Arlington, Texas, is a software solutions company focused on providing affordable, applicable, and usable software products that assist both coaches and players with the tools that will help them reach their full potential. Wiffletree has developed and sells a number of products for basketball: Video Hoops and Video Hoops Lt for video editing, LiftThis for strength training, and Combo for player performance reporting. Wiffletree World, LLC • 817-460-3530 www.wiffletree.com Circle No. 531

Ramp Up Your Practices

Simplicity and dependability best describe the 6000 Series Gun by ShootA-Way. It zips out passes from 15 to 35 feet and will throw to one spot or rotate to different spots around the perimeter. The optional computerized scoreboard displays “makes,” total shots, and shooting percentage. The fast-paced workout forces players to use a proper arc while shooting game shots at game spots at game speed. This product is protected by a five-year warranty. Shoot-A-Way • 800-294-4654 www.shootaway.com Circle No. 532

COACHING A IDS

All Types of Training

M.A.S.A. wants to help make your basketball practices more productive, so the company offers a variety of effective training aids. Among them are rebounders designed to help athletes improve balance, timing, and coordination under the rim, and the Three Point Shooter Ring, which reduces the size of a standard rim to help players improve their shooting accuracy. Several models of tossbacks are also available, so your athletes can work on their ball handling, passing, and rebounding skills. M.A.S.A. • 800-264-4519 www.masa.com www.sportsadvantage.com Circle No.533

Do What You Do, Faster

Schedule Star’s tool for high school sports is used by athletic directors across the country. It saves time, manages info in one place, and communicates with other schools, parents, and the media. Take advantage of a free trial by going online today. You can use www. HighSchoolSports.net tools to manage schedules, scores, stats, and much more. Click on “Coaches” to get started. Schedule Star • 800-258-8550 www.schedulestar.com Circle No. 534

One Offense, Multiple Personalities

The Read & React Offense from BetterBasketball is not like traditional offenses. It does not demand specific types of players, a certain tempo, or even a set formation. Flow seamlessly from 5-OUT to 4-OUT to 3-OUT. Attack man-to-man defenses as well as zones. Push the pace, shoot the three, or pound the post. Every coach has a different style. Each year the team’s strengths change. Read & React will adjust to your personality. Better Basketball, Inc. • 800-BETTER-B www.betterbasketball.com

A Timing Teacher

The QB-Tee helps players stay focused and provides motivation and feedback. It also helps improve timing and skills. The coach can focus on the player and not the stopwatch. The player can perform more reps with greater intensity. Athletes can work on objective goals on their own. The player removes the ball from the cradle, triggering the timing mechanism. If the buzzer sounds before the ball is released, the play is dead. The timer can be programmed to tenths of seconds. The QB-Tee is made of helmet-grade plastic. QB-Tee • 330-750-0086 www.qb-tee.com Circle No. 538 CoachingManagementOnline.com

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Active Ankle (Power Lacer). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Active Ankle (Volt ankle brace) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Bison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Cho-Pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Cramer (Excel ankle brace). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Cramer (Sideline Emergency Kit). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Institutional Basketball Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 K&K Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 M.A.S.A. (floor covers). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 M.A.S.A. (Three Point Shooter Ring). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 MilkPEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Mueller (Kinesiology Tape). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Mueller (The One). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 OPTP (Muscle Bar). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 OPTP (Sanctband). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Power Systems (Adjustable Power-Plyo Box). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Power Systems (Pro Power Jumper). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Powernetics (High Stepper). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Powernetics (Shoulder Rotator). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Pro Look Sports (Soft tackle twill). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Pro Look Sports (warranty). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 QB-Tee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Schedule Star. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Shoot-A-Way (6000 Series Gun) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Shoot-A-Way (8000 Series Gun) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Spalding (Replica Pro Ball Rack). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Spalding (SuperGlass Backboard). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 TurfCordz/NZ Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Wiffletree World. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Wilson (NCAA Game Ball). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Wilson (Pink Zone Game Ball). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Products Directory

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National Federation of State High School Associations

NFHS Coach Certification www.nfhslearn.com NFHS Certification Program Designed to deliver the highest-quality professional development online at an affordable cost, this certification will: • Help coaches minimize the inherent risks faced by participating students • Improve the sport experience of participating students • Recognize coaches nationally • Develop a sense of personal and professional accomplishment • Enable coaches to increase liability insurance coverage through membership in the NFHS Coaches Association Level 1 – Accredited Interscholastic Coach

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� The coach must complete the following courses: �

NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching

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Take Part. Get Set For Life.™ Circle No. 126

film session X X

See more... Learn more… In Coaches Network’s film session

Coaches Network introduces its newest feature: the film session.. Here you can view coaching videos designed to help you learn more about coaching from other coaches. But film session is more than just a list of videos for you to sit and watch. You can also comment on the videos, interact with other coaches, and upload your own videos.

Check out a series of videos from Shayne Wyandt, Head Boys’ Coach at Farmington (Minn.) High School. These videos explain some of the drills that make up the base of his program’s instructional activity.

University of North Carolina Head Men’s Coach Roy Williams offers a special look inside the Tar Heels’ defensive schemes and philosophies.

In another video, University of the Pacific Men’s Coach Bob Thompson offers tips on helping players improve their bank shots.

To access film session today, go to CoachesNetwork.com.

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Circle No. 125