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a Steady hand Cultivating a culture of accountability POSTSEASON 2013 | VOL. XXI NO. 3 | $7.00
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Circle No. 100
CONTENTS | BASKETBALL Edition | PostSEASON 2013 | Vol. XXI, No. 3
STEVE PUPPE/KANSAS ATHLETICS
Coaching Management
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25 Strength & Conditioning 25 BUILT TO RISE
Work-Life balance 29 STEPping BACK
When it comes to team discipline, top coaches know that you must create a culture of accountability and approach punishments with an open and thoughtful mind.
The University of Kansas’ basketball training program is developed around ground-based strength and explosive exercises that mimic players’ movements on the court.
When the 24-7 life of a coach becomes too much, there are not a lot of solutions. Unless you can take a step back from it all.
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Q&A 13 Tony CAMPBELL
tyler huey/nisqually valley news
COVER STORY 16 A steady HAND
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POSTSEASON
BULLETIN BOARD
Duke taps into iPad technology … Rivals create sportsmanship initiative … Coaching with Parkinson’s … Rappelling down a high-rise to fight cancer … Researchers examine free throw physics … NFHS rule book goes digital.
On the cover
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 35 COACHING AIDS 37 BASKETBALL FACILITIES 38 TEAM EQUIPMENT
As a player, Tony Campbell had an 11-year NBA career. Now, he’s the Head Boys’ Coach at Bay Ridge Preparatory School in Brooklyn, N.Y., where the emphasis is on participation and developing “thinkers and feelers.”
39 STRENGTH TRAINING & CONDITIONING 40 MORE PRODUCTS 36 ADVERTISER’S DIRECTORY
At the University of Cincinnati, Head Men’s Coach Mick Cronin demands players take responsibility for their actions on and off the court. Cronin and other top coaches share their insights on team discipline in our cover story, beginning on page 16. cover Photo: ap photo/al behrman
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Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter
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Coaching Management PoSTSEASON 2013 1
Circle No. 101
BULLETIN BOARD POSTSEASON 2013
CONTENTS
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3 Duke taps into
iPad technology
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5 Teaming up for sportsmanship
Technology
iPads to the Court In an era when most student-athletes have smartphones glued to their hands and submit academic assignments electronically, the Duke University men’s and women’s teams have embraced current technology by issuing each of their players an iPad. Catering to their athletes’ learning and communication preferences, the 64 GB tablets are used for team and interpersonal communication. They’ve also replaced paper playbooks and scouting DVDs distributed by Blue Devil coaching staffs in the past. “Everything the players do now is digital—they text, tweet, and use Facebook,” says Kevin Cullen, Basketball Director of Information Technology at Duke. “By putting our team information on a digital platform, the coaching staffs can share more information, and the players can learn more efficiently.” “The iPads connect our team in ways the players understand and are quite comfortable using,” says Duke Head Women’s Coach Joanne P. McCallie, adding that she thinks the tablets could impact future Blue Devils as well.
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5 Rappelling to fight cancer
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6 3 Qs on coaching with Parkinson’s
“Recruits want to feel like they’ll be supported, and the iPads are a great tool for demonstrating how much Duke backs its athletes.” As a learning tool, the tablets provide Blue Devil players a streamlined way to prepare for opponents. “Prior to every game, coaches have a half-hour meeting to plan for our upcoming opponent,” says Cullen. “Before, we’d hand out paper scouting reports to our athletes. Now we just send that information directly to the players’ iPads.” Likewise, to study video of opponents in the past, an athlete had to request a DVD in advance or plan to set aside time to watch film in the basketball building. Duke players now have access anywhere at any time. “They can tap into all of our video libraries from home, while traveling, and even in a hotel room before a game,” says Cullen. For McCallie, the iPads have changed the way she scouts her opponents’ game strategies. Before using the tablets, she had DVDs and scouting reports scattered throughout her office. Now, all of that information is organized and at her fingertips. “I have files for every school in the ACC, plus other non-conference schools we face,” she says. “With the touch of a button, I can pull up everything we have on Virginia Tech, including video and statistics from last season.” In addition to helping Duke’s teams prepare for upcoming games, the iPads help each player with individual development. “The athletes are expected to take notes during film sessions,” says Cullen. “If we’re scouting another team and one of their plays doesn’t make sense, a player can make a note and later ask for clarification from a coach. “We also film our practices and include that footage in our video library,” Cullen continues. “If a player is making mistakes on the practice floor and wants to improve, he can watch the video later to find where he went wrong.” The men’s squad is also using an app to promote individual improvement. SportsBoard Basketball Scout allows Duke At Duke University, Chelsea Gray and other members of the men’s and women’s teams were issued iPads to access video footage and communicate with coaches and teammates more easily.
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7 Free throw physics
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10 NFHS rules go digital
managers to gather and evaluate Player Efficiency Ratings (PER) for each athlete during practices and games. The PER is a scoring system that awards points for made shots, assists, rebounds, blocks, steals, and so on. It also subtracts points for missed shots, turnovers, and personal fouls. Before the iPad technology was available, student managers carefully tallied these statistics on paper and transferred them to a spreadsheet—a process that
“I have files for every school in the ACC, plus other non-conference schools we face. With the touch of a button, I can pull up everything we have on Virginia Tech, including video and statistics from last season.” joanne P. mccallie Duke University Head Women’s Coach
could take hours—before distributing the information to players. Now, PER reports are generated during practice or games and sent to each player’s tablet immediately afterward. Athletes can instantaneously review their performance and pinpoint areas to focus on in the future. While some schools have distributed iPads to their athletic teams and placed limits on what they can be used for, Duke has no restrictions. Both coaching staffs felt the players would use the tablets more for basketball if they were able to incorporate their personal technology preferences as well. “If we told our athletes they couldn’t use the tablets for Facebook, Twitter, or iTunes, the chances they’d bring them everywhere would diminish greatly,” says Cullen. “We want the players to use the iPads primarily for basketball. But we also understand that if we took away the things they enjoy, they probably wouldn’t use the tablets at all.” Despite the potential for distractions on the iPads, Cullen says the tablets have increased the players’ engagement with basketball. “They’ve asked for more video footage than ever before,” he says. “I’d
Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013 3
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BULLETIN BOARD say the requests have gone up 10-fold.” McCallie also thinks her team has found a happy medium with the devices. “The players were like kids in a candy store when we first got the iPads,” she says. “Of course, they downloaded plenty of video game apps, but we’re also broadly using the tablets for basketball. I think they give us a wonderful competitive advantage.” Sportsmanship
On The Same Page Student-athletes from opposing high schools frequently view each other as adversaries. So what happens when you bring them together to pen a Sportsmanship Code of Conduct? For the Southwest Washington 1A League (SWW1A), the experiment allowed students to look past their athletic rivalries for a common purpose.
meeting came from Rainier principal Bryan Bahr, who orchestrated a similar exercise at a previous job. For Bahr and Rainier Athletic Director John Beckman, who also helped facilitate the process, it was important to have students, not administrators, write the sportsmanship statement. “It means more when it comes from the student-athletes and reflects what they want,” says Beckman. “There’s automatic buy-in from the other members of the student body.” The student-athletes met at Rainier, and the day began with icebreaker activities. “Even though they all come from different schools and backgrounds, it was important for the students to see that they’re very similar, and they’re all going through the same things as teenagers,” says Beckman. “Once we got them to understand that, the students took care of everything else.” Champlin admits the collaboration was strange at first, but the awkward-
dents broke up into smaller groups to discuss what they wanted the SWW1A Sportsmanship Code of Conduct to entail. Each group was given pamphlets with other leagues’ codes to use as a reference. With those examples and their own brainstorming, the groups eventually combined their ideas into the following statement: In order to demonstrate sportsmanship, citizenship, spirit, and pride in our schools, we must show respect and conduct ourselves in an appropriate manner. We shall refrain from profanity, derogatory comments, and other intimidating words or actions directed at officials, participants, spectators, coaches, and advisors. Accept both victory and defeat with pride, integrity, and composure. The statement was adopted in various forms by each school in the league. “Several schools are printing it on the backs of their game programs,” says Beckman. “We periodically have our announcers read it over the PA before a contest begins. At one of our Friday night football games, a cheerleader and her parent, a school board member, read the statement in front of the crowd, and it was really well received.” Champlin believes the added emphasis on sportsmanship has changed the way the home crowd behaves at Rainier basketball games, as well as how she views her opponents. “The crowd isn’t as negative as it used to be,” she says. “We are seeing and hearing more positive cheering. And knowing the players on the other team as a result of working with them at the meeting makes the games more fun. They’re still competitions, but I don’t view my opponents as enemies. I see them as friends.” Community Service
tyler huey/nisqually valley news
Hang Time The need for a statement defining sportsmanship was evident at athletic competitions throughout the league, says Elyssa Champlin, a sophomore who plays basketball and runs cross country at Rainier (Wash.) High School, a member of the SWW1A. “Sometimes crowds would get a little bit too excited, and they would make negative comments towards players and officials,” she says. “We wanted to come up with a sportsmanship statement that could promote positivity—and help show athletes and officials they are doing a great job.” Champlin and seven other students from Rainier joined 30-plus students from five schools in the SWW1A to create the statement. The idea for the league-wide CoachesNetwork.com
Last fall, student-athletes from rival high schools in the Southwest Washington 1A League gathered together to discuss and craft a conference-wide sportsmanship statement.
ness receded quickly. “It was weird in the beginning, but it became easier once we all started talking and got to know each other,” she says. “We set aside our differences to discuss our goals and what we wanted the statement to reflect. I think it’s important to be open to other opinions and to converse and interact with new people.” After getting acquainted, the stu-
Scaling down a skyscraper on a windy morning may not be at the top of most coaches’ to-do lists. But when Rutgers University Head Men’s Coach Mike Rice was invited to rappel down a 50story high-rise in Jersey City, N.J., as part of the American Cancer Society’s “Over the Edge” fundraiser in September, he had no reservations in accepting the offer. “Anthony Marino, who works for the American Cancer Society and coordinates with Coaches vs. Cancer, called my wife and asked if I would be interested,” Rice says. “I love doing adventurous things and knew participating would be a unique opportunity to do something not a lot of people get to do—while also highlighting a good cause.” Thanks to previous rock climbing and rappelling experience he gained during Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013 5
edge, Rice’s nerves caught up with him. “It was absolutely terrifying for about 10 seconds,” he says. “I have no fear of heights, and I enjoy the adrenaline rush, but the sheer terror of going over the building’s edge and leaning into the harness and having to trust it was intense. “You have no control at that point, or at least I didn’t,” Rice continues. “In those first few seconds, my heart was pounding through my chest. After that initial feeling passed, I truly enjoyed the
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outdoor adventure trips he and his wife took years ago, Rice’s preparation was minimal. “We did a dry run down four stories in the center of the building the morning of the event,” he says. “I wanted to get used to the harness and the rappelling device you use to stop and start. I knew I would feel comfortable with everything once we got going due to my past experiences, but without those, I probably would’ve been more hesitant.” When it came time to step over the
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descent. By the time I was three-quarters of the way down, I was just taking in the sights. The location was great—I could see the Hudson River, the New York Harbor, and lower Manhattan— and I realized I was actually higher than the helicopters that commute back and forth over the Hudson.” The highlight of the day, however, was having the chance to promote a cause he feels strongly about. “Doing this was something I’ll never forget,” Rice
Changing Behaviors
When Billy Kennedy took over as Head Men’s Coach at Texas A&M University in May 2011, it was a dream come true for him. However, a few months later, Kennedy was diagnosed with earlyonset Parkinson’s disease, and his dream job became one filled with sleepless nights and deteriorating health. Kennedy was diagnosed in September, although he initially kept the news private and continued to recruit. However, by October, his busy schedule had caught up to him and his body decided it had enough. On Oct. 27, Kennedy publicly revealed his diagnosis and took a leave of absence for a few weeks. Kennedy stepped away from the sidelines, and his doctors ordered him to completely shut down and have no contact with the team. For 18 days, he rested at home while Assistant Coach Glynn Cyprien ran the squad. Although the time away was a challenge, when Kennedy returned to the bench on Nov. 13, he had a new outlook on rest, diet, and life. Here, he shares how he adjusted to the diagnosis and how the team was able to handle the changes.
How have you worked with your assistants to manage the changes? The biggest thing I’ve done is delegate more responsibility to them on the practice floor. They had to run practices in my absence, so I thought it would make sense for them to continue after I returned. I still plan the sessions, but they’re doing more directing out on the floor. Has your outlook transformed since your diagnosis? Yes it has. I’ve realized that I can’t look too far ahead in life, and that I can only control what happens today, not tomorrow. Initially, that was tough for me to grasp, but I was faced with a difficult reality, and it’s something I have to deal with every day. It’s not fun going through a difficult time and learning the things you need to change, but I truly believe that this experience will make me a stronger person and a better coach.
What alterations have you made to your routine since the diagnosis? The biggest one is that I’ve become much more conscious about the need to take care of my body. When the doctor gave me the order to shut it down, I realized pretty quickly that I wasn’t going to be able to do the things I had been doing. I needed to make sure I got six to eight hours of sleep at night and to make exercise a bigger priority in my life. It’s a challenge, and I don’t always meet my health goals, but I’ve become better disciplined at ending my day earlier in the evening than I used to.
6 Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013
aggie athletics
Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2011, Texas A&M Head Men’s Coach Billy Kennedy has worked hard to improve his exercise, dietary, and sleeping habits.
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BULLETIN BOARD says. “But it was really all about raising resources and awareness to battle cancer. Ultimately, that won the day. “I think it’s good to have balance in your life, and not be wrapped up in your own little world 24-7,” he continues. “This showed people that Rutgers University, its athletic department, and the men’s basketball program are all willing to help outside causes and foster that balance.” Rice also believes the feat served as a teaching point for his team. “I always talk to my players about getting outside of their comfort zones to help other people,” he says. “The team watched a video of me rappelling and said, ‘You really are out of your mind, coach,’ so it was a light moment, but a useful one. When my players are asked to read at a school, help in soup kitchens, visit hospitals, or do some
other kind of community service, it’s going to seem simple compared to scaling down a high-rise.” While he enjoyed the experience, Rice said if offered the opportunity again, he would probably step aside and let another coach have a chance to participate. “Hopefully there are a couple others who will have the courage to do ‘Over the Edge,’” he says. “It definitely raises awareness for the American Cancer Society and your program. “It’s something you don’t see every day, so it is publicized and catches people’s attention,” Rice continues. “But they should know I went back to work that afternoon, and everything was still the same. You climb down a building and then get back to work—that’s what you do in college coaching.” Player Development
In September, Rutgers University Head Men’s Coach Mike Rice rappelled down a 50-story skyscraper in Jersey City, N.J., to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Rice says stepping outside of his comfort zone provided a great lesson for his players.
Science of Shooting For years, teaching players to be better free throw shooters was more art than science. But research from North Carolina State University has
• Revolutionary technology allows coaches
to use an iPad/iPhone to recruit (college), run tryouts (high school/club). • Capture video evals at camps, do player evals, tag video, and generate efficiency ratings. • Eliminates data entry and saves time on administrative work so coaches can focus more time on winning. • Record video, take text notes and rate players using sport-specific metrics. • Tally stats and generate Player Efficiency Ratings reports minutes after a practice or game. • Feed stats to video analysis systems for “auto-tagging.” • Capture video evals with voiced-over critiques. “SportsBoard has been a nice addition to our program. Distributing PER reports to each player’s iPad at the end of practice provides immediate feedback, allowing them to identify their strengths and weaknesses from that practice and cumulatively for the season. The timeliness and efficiency of this feedback will be an excellent tool to help our guys grow and develop.” –Duke assistant head coach Steve Wojciechowski
530-323-0202
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Circle No. 104 Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013 7
BULLETIN BOARD likely to go in the basket if three things occur: It has a trajectory of 52 degrees, rotates three times in the second or so it takes to get to the basket, and is aimed three inches beyond the center of the hoop while aligned equally between the two sides of the rim. Armed with this information and a few specific teaching cues, Silverberg says coaches can help players become better free throw shooters.
introduced quantifiable data into the shooting equation that may help coaches take a more tactical approach to teaching shooting. Larry Silverberg, a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at North Carolina State, and his fellow researchers simulated hundreds of thousands of free throws and determined that a free throw attempt is most
Training backboard Clear plexiglass backboard 12.86 in
Aim point where the “V” and pole intersect
19.25 in 36 in “Magical V” 1.925 in
Pole attached 3.327 in behind backboard
6 in
“If you look at players who shoot 90 percent from the line, you’ll see that their shots meet all these conditions,” he says. “On the other hand, if you took a 70-percent free-throw shooter who has a flat shot and got them to use the optimum trajectory it could turn them into a 90percent free-throw shooter.” Since no one walks to the foul line with a protractor in hand, rather than instructing players to aim using a 52degree trajectory, it’s easier to tell them that an ideal shot peaks at the top of the backboard before coming back down toward the rim. And, while the more spin on the shot the better, three revolutions per second is about the most a player can generate without turning a foul shot into a trick shot. To get players to aim the recommended three inches beyond the center of the hoop, Silverberg sug-
36 in Aim line
To instruct players on the ideal aiming angles for bank shots, researchers recommend following the diagram at left for constructing the magical V, which helps illustrate optimal target points.
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Management POSTSEASON 2013 10 Coaching Management
shots,” Silverberg says. “So we studied them and discovered that the bank shot has some cool geometric properties, and that there was a way to train players for it. I instinctively learned the same ideas as the magic V when I was playing, but I never really thought about it.” Silverberg says the research being conducted by his group can give coaches another teaching tool as they work with their players. “We’re not discovering anything new, but we are confirming what the good practices are and hopefully elevating the understanding of coaches,” he says. “Coaches have always drawn from
personal experiences, and now we’re beginning to see some other resources become available for them to use.” Coaching Tools
Rule Book To Go The difference between committing a blocking foul and taking a charge is so nuanced, it can be a difficult thing for coaches to describe to their players or even understand themselves. For help, they might turn to the NFHS rules book for assistance. But where should they look? Under “Rule 4:
ap photo/brad kemp
gests simply telling them to shoot “a little deeper” than the center of the hoop. These figures were based on an average-sized player who has a release point that’s about seven feet above the floor. Shorter players who release the ball from a lower height will need to shoot with a slightly higher trajectory, while taller players can have a slightly lower shot. But tall or short, the aiming point and amount of spin remain the same. “While our study focused on the launch trajectory, other studies have shown the key is for the ball to enter the basket at a 45-degree angle,” Silverberg explains. “To get that end result, you usually need to start by launching it at 52 degrees.” Another variable that affects free throw shooting is the speed of the ball as it flies toward the rim. Silverberg says there is no magic rate of speed the ball should travel at. Instead, players should try to find a shooting rhythm that allows them to consistently launch the ball with the same amount of force every time while obtaining the proper spin and trajectory. This is where the traditional practices of keeping the elbow under the hand, and so on, come into play. “To consistently release the ball at the same speed, the player should involve their entire body to create a nice, smooth motion that runs all the way through their torso, arms, and fingers before the release,” Silverberg says. “Muscle memory works better when you use your entire body than if it’s just a flick of the wrist.” Silverberg’s group has also looked at the science of the bank shot and discovered an easy way to determine where to aim on the backboard for any angled shot. Through computer simulation, they discovered a magical “V” that extends from a foot above the rim towards the top of the backboard. Coaches can create the V by placing tape on a transparent backboard. The V starts with a 1.925 inch line located 12.86 inches above the rim that is centered on the backboard. The taped V extends to each side at an angle to points located 19.25 inches from the center of the backboard. Then a rod is hung 3.3 inches behind the backboard at the center line of the board. (See diagram on page 8.) When viewed from the court, the taped line will intersect the pole. This intersection point is the perfect aiming spot for a bank shot. This is true regardless of the distance from the basket or the height of the shooter. Once learned, these aiming points can then be used on a backboard without the markings. “Larry Hunter, a former North Carolina State assistant who is now the Head Coach at Western Carolina University, told me that some coaches really didn’t know what to tell players about aiming on bank
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BULLETIN BOARD Definitions” or “Rule 10: Fouls and Penalties?” What section and article? Instead of spending time flipping through pages in the printed book, coaches can now find the answer quickly with their tablets and smartphones, thanks to the recently released 2012-13 NFHS Basketball Mobile Rules App. The app is a combination of the NFHS rules book and case book. “The rules book contains all the playing rules for high school basketball, and the case book explains the application of each rule for a given situation,” says Mike Meenan, Director of Information Technologies at the NFHS. “In the app, the two books are cross-linked. So if a coach is looking at a particular rule, and there’s a case related to that rule, a link is provided to show the relevant information.”
Teaching high school players the difference between a block and a charge is now easier thanks to the NFHS’s Basketball Mobile Rules App, which is available for Apple and Android devices.
In addition to providing the full rules and case books, the app also has a search feature. For example, to look up the difference between committing a blocking foul and taking a charge, a coach can enter the term “block” or “charge” into the search window. The app will produce a listing of every mention of the term in both books. A bookmark feature allows coaches to tag a frequented rule or case as a “favorite.” For instance, a coach might bookmark the “Uniforms” section in “Rule 3: Players, Substitutes, and Equipment” to make sure his or her team is dressed appropriately for each game. Designed to be user-friendly for even the most technologically-challenged coaches, many may find the app more helpful to them than the traditional printed rules book. “It’s very simple to use and coaches can have it with them at all times,” says Meenan. “It allows them to find a rule without having to search through numerous pages. Plus, sometimes the rules can be difficult to understand, so the case information is helpful because it provides examples of when a rule is applied during a game situation.” In step with the digital habits of today’s teenagers, the app is also an effec-
tive teaching tool for coaches who want their players to be better students of the game. “Not a lot of players are going to take the time to read the entire rule book,” says Meenan. “However, the accessibility of the app makes it an ideal study guide if they have just a few moments and want to review a rule they don’t understand.” Available on ON THE WEB Google Play, To purchase and download Android, the 2012-13 NFHS Basket and Apple ball Mobile Rules App, visit: products www.nfhs.org/apps. (both iPhones and iPads), the app costs $5.99. And just as new editions are released every year in printed form, updated versions of the rules app will be made available annually as they occur. Overall, the response to the rules app has been positive. “People enjoy using the searchable interface,” says Meenan. “It helps them find the information they’re looking for much quicker. Some people were not even aware that the case plays existed as companions to the rule, so that’s prompted some positive feedback.”
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2013 NCAA Women’s Final Four Logo
2013 NCAA Men’s Final Four Logo ®
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Usage Guide
Primary Mark
Usage Guide • The full color logo is the preferred version and should be used as frequently as possible.
SPALDING IS THE OFFICIAL EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER TO:
Full Color
Please note that the outer gray stroke is part of the logo and should be sized proportionally when the logo is resized, and not deleted or separated from the logo.
PMS 300
C50 M0 Y100 K0
C0 M5 Y65 K0
C0 M5 Y65 K0
C0 M0 Y0 K0
C0 M16 Y100 K0
C0 M35.5 Y82 K0
C87 M0 Y100 K38
C0 M0 Y0 K0
C0 M100 Y100 K0
C44 M85 Y81 K70
PMS 144
Gradient - 0/16/100/0 - 0/90/86/0
Flat/Embroidery Art C44 M85 Y81 K70
C0 M70 Y100 K0 C0 M100 Y100 K0
100% K PMS 116 PMS Cool Gray 9
PMS Warm Red C3.5 M92 Y100 K0.5
C3.5 M92 Y100 K0.5
C0 M0 Y0 K15
Primary Mark on a dark background
PMS 7502
• The full color logo is the preferred version and should be used as frequently as possible. • Embroidery applications PMS Warm Red
Logo Color Breakdown
PMS 300
PMS 7502
• For applications C30Embroidery M30 C30 M30
C59 M55 Y70 K48
Y30 K100
100% K
Y30 K100
Primary Mark on a dark background
PMS Warm Red Screen Print Application
Primary Mark
Embroidery Application
PMS 300 100%
• Logos provided for both screen printing and embroidery applications.
PMS Cool Gray 9
PMS 300
PMS BLACK 10%
PMS WARM GRAY 2
PMS BLACK 40%
PMS WARM GRAY 5
PMS BLACK 100%
PMS 144
100% K
PMS 363
PMS 363
Line Art
PMS 130
WHITE
PMS 144
100% K
166 • Items printing in black & PMS white 0% K • Projects with limited budgets
PMS 144 75% PMS 144
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Q&A
Change of Pace
In 1988, Tony Campbell won an NBA championship as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Now the Head Boys’ Coach at Bay Ridge Prep, Campbell uses the game to develop “independent minds.”
Q&A with Tony Campbell | Bay Ridge Preparatory High school, Brooklyn, N.Y.
One of the biggest challenges for any head coach is adapting to the culture at a new school. That challenge can be even more difficult when the culture flies in the face of nearly everything the coach has experienced up to that point. Few understand the situation better than Tony Campbell. Since 2007, Campbell has been the Head Boys’ Coach and Athletic Director at Bay Ridge Preparatory High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. A private school with an excellent academic reputation that only recently introduced athletics, Bay Ridge has an enrollment just shy of 400 students in grades K-12, many of whom are learning-disabled. Promoting a unique philosophy that emphasizes sportsmanship more CoachesNetwork.com
than winning, the school’s stated goal is to develop “thinkers and feelers.” A school like Bay Ridge is the last place you’d expect to find someone with Campbell’s pedigree. A three-year starter at Ohio State University, Campbell spent 11 years playing in the NBA, winning a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1988. During his career, he played for coaching greats Chuck Daly and Pat Riley. After hanging up his sneakers following the 1994-95 season, Campbell spent a number of years coaching summer league teams for the New Jersey Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves. Campbell then spent five years as Head Boys’ Coach and Athletic Director at Paramus (N.J.)
Catholic High School. During his time there, he coached in a competitive environment where wins and losses were weighed heavily and helped several of his athletes move on to play at the college level. Bay Ridge offers a much different coaching environment than Paramus. Though participation trumps winning championships, Campbell has managed to find the best of both worlds. In addition to developing student-athletes off the court, he’s helped grow the program’s competitive stature, winning more than 40 games over the last three seasons. Here, Campbell discusses the most rewarding part of coaching at Bay Ridge. He also Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013 13
shares why he doesn’t cut players and how he’s embraced the school’s unique philosophy. CM: What led you to Bay Ridge?
Campbell: In 2007, I spent a lot of time driving my daughters, who are aspiring dancers, back and forth between New Jersey and New York City. It was challenging, so I started looking at schools in Brooklyn where I might find a job as an administrator. In December of that year, my brother mentioned that Bay Ridge was looking for an athletic director. So I applied for the position, and one of the first things the headmaster said during my initial interview was, “I don’t like basketball.” It was my earliest clue that this was a very progressive school that did things differently. Was that difficult to hear?
Not really. At that point, I was over a decade removed from the NBA, and my mindset had changed from the “winning is critical” one instilled in me as a player. I’ve always been interested in education— I’m currently finishing a master’s degree in
educational management and leadership— and I’d begun to look at things more like an educator would, trying to also develop the minds of players instead of just their basketball skills. I really emphasized that philosophy during the interview process. I actually had seven interviews before I was hired, and the more I spoke with the headmaster about both the athletic director and basketball coach positions, the more we realized our philosophies both focused on using sports to develop independent minds. What advice would you give to other coaches facing a series of interviews during a hiring process?
It’s important for coaches to get as comfortable as possible at expressing their philosophy prior to an interview. You have to remember that both you and the interviewer are dealing with an unknown, and you’re each trying to decide if you’re a good fit for the position. You’ve altered your coaching style quite a bit since leaving Paramus Catholic for Bay Ridge. What’s been the most
rewarding part of that change?
Realizing that there’s another way to coach and educate players. At every stop of my career, winning was a top priority. But now I see basketball as a way to teach kids about life. It’s not about yelling at them for making a mistake. Some people may argue that we’re encouraging complacency, but I disagree. We’re teaching players that even if they’re not supremely talented, they can still learn from the game. For example, we have a lot of learning disabled students here at Bay Ridge, and a few of them are on the team. They don’t always understand a play as it’s drawn up. That would frustrate a lot of coaches, because they don’t have the patience to work with those kids. But one of the things I’ve come to understand is that a lesson should be repeated until it’s learned, so that’s what I do. I may need to talk the players through it slowly, or go over the play several times before they understand it. But when I do that and I see the light go on when they get it, I know I’ve done my job as an educator. One of the school’s tenets is developing
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Q&A “divergent thinkers and feelers.” As a coach, how do you contribute to that?
It’s all about how you present information to players. If we need to score or get a stop at the end of a game, I’ll ask the players, “How do we accomplish what we need to accomplish?” I don’t want to be the kind of coach where the kids feel like they have to do things my way just because I’m in charge. We come up with a plan together and then execute it. By doing it this way, the players learn leadership skills, strategy, and teamwork. How did you go about starting the school’s basketball program when you arrived at Bay Ridge?
It was difficult. While there was a belief that adding sports might help enrollment, culturally, Bay Ridge wasn’t quite ready for the actual implementation of an athletics program. I needed to really work at getting the kids to buy into sports. To start the basketball team, I just tried to create awareness by posting flyers, making announcements during school, and approaching kids in the hallways to talk to them about what the team was going to be like. I emphasized that if they enjoyed the game and were passionate about it, they would enjoy participating. By presenting things that way, I was able to get some kids in the gym. Once that happened, I started talking about my background and how I was going to try to match our team priorities to the school’s philosophy. Was it challenging building a program that way?
It was. When I came here, I had to wipe my slate clean and reevaluate how I did things. Instead of trying to build a powerhouse, my goal is to create a culture where kids feel very comfortable coming to me— one where I can develop and teach them. A big component of that is not cutting any players who try out. If you come out, I’ll find a spot for you and help you develop. Why is it important for everybody to get a chance to participate?
In high school sports, we need to approach kids differently. Think about a player who loves the game, who could tell you anything about its history and recall any statistic. If he tries out and is told he’s not good enough to play, that will probably break his heart. That kid might not be good now, but if someone takes the time to teach him, he could improve. I think we have a responsibility to that player. If someone has a passion for the sport, I don’t think they should be excluded from the experience. CM CoachesNetwork.com
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Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013 15
At the University of Cincinnati, Head Men’s Coach Mick Cronin works diligently to help his players make smart choices on and off the court.
COVER STORY
A steady
Hand To instill discipline, top coaches know that you must create a culture of accountability and approach punishments with an open and thoughtful mind. | By Mary Kate Murphy
When University of Cincinnati Head Men’s Coach Mick Cronin walked off the floor following the now infamous Dec. 10, 2011 brawl between the Bearcats and cross-town rival Xavier University, to say he was frustrated with his players’ behavior would be an Ohio-sized understatement. Cronin already knew he had to act swiftly and strongly to discipline the players involved. But having spent the past eight years as an NCAA Division I head coach, he also knew it was important that he thoroughly think through the situation, weigh his options, and follow a process of accountability—an integral part of his coaching philosophy.
ap photo/al behrman
While reviewing the tape of the fight, Cronin broke down each player’s actions and reactions, scanning the footage for positive and negative choices. Based on the totality of their behavior, he suspended four players for a number of games but decided not to kick anybody off the team. Given the severity of the fight, and known as a coach committed to discipline, Cronin could have dismissed every player involved in the melee and drawn wide-spread applause from many fans and media members. Instead, he chose to be firm, while providing offending players an opportunity to redeem themselves. CoachesNetwork.com
“We teach our student-athletes to be accountable for their actions,” Cronin says. “There will always be rules and discipline, and if you don’t handle yourself in the right way, there are going to be consequences. After all, that’s probably the biggest responsibility we have in dealing with young people—making sure we’re preparing them to be upstanding and accountable so they can be productive adults.” Disciplining players can be the toughest part of a head coach’s job. Valid or not, there is a perception among many coaches that the influence and culture of the AAU game has made both high school and college playCoaching Management POSTSEASON 2013 17
COVER STORY
ers more unruly than ever. “There is a serious lack of discipline in the AAU setting, because not all of those coaches are focused on teaching accountability,” says Kevin Boley, Head Boys’ Coach at Legend High School in Parker, Colo. “Some are only there to win games and get their kids noticed, not to develop them as players and people.” But being extra tough on players isn’t always the best solution either. Coaches garner negative attention when players or parents are upset about punishments. Now AM 1 pg Ad:Layout 1
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more than ever, coaches must walk a fine line to keep their players in check. In this article, we talked to a number of top coaches about how they hold their players accountable on and off the court. They shared their approaches to being firm yet fair and highlight what it takes to run a clean, successful program while teaching life lessons. Philosophical foundation
Traditionally, coaches have disciplined players based on instinct and gut. If they see
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a player doing something they feel is wrong, they issue a reprimand or punishment. Coach knows best, and no one questions his or her intentions. However, today’s coaches are increasingly required to defend these types of decisions. Everyone from upper-level administrators to parents have an opinion on how a disciplinary process should be carried out. Though one can rarely avoid second-guessing from critics, the best coaches respond to sticky situations with well-thought-out ideas that they carefully relay to their players. Cronin believes all his players want and need discipline, although none will ever admit to it. He thinks at this point in their lives, they may view a punishment as an inconvenience, but he knows they’ll appreciate it later. “I approach discipline by trying to teach my players how to make the right decisions and help them understand the effects of the choices they make,” he says. “I don’t want my guys to do the right thing solely because they’re afraid of getting in trouble with me or the university. I want them to get to the point where they’re making smart choices based on knowing what’s best for their lives. “This is often the last stop for these young men before they’re on their own as adults,” Cronin continues. “That’s why it’s important for me as a coach to instill in them some reality, because when they are done here, there’s probably not going to be anybody else in their lives working to keep them in line. In the real world, they will have to discipline themselves.” Boley had to get to know his players quickly when Legend High School first opened its doors in 2008. To cement his beliefs, he issued his players a handbook outlining the program’s core values of commitment, unselfishness, and sacrifice. He’s spent every day since then instilling Titan Culture and trying to live up to Doc Rivers’s words: “You have to fight for your culture every day, and you have to fight for what you believe in every single day.” Boley has shaped his coaching philosophy around the idea that all the discipline in the world won’t mean anything to his players unless they feel like he cares about them as people. “Before coaches can start disciplining kids, they need to understand all the things that are going on in their lives today, including athletic, academic, and home-life struggles,” he says. “Our players’ lives have changed dramatically over the past 10 years. MARY KATE MURPHY is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management. She can be reached at: mkmurphy@MomentumMedia.com.
Circle No. 112 18 Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013
CoachesNetwork.com
germninja W
QUELL THE GERMS
ith the recent prevalence of illnesses like the H1N1 flu and whooping cough, athletic teams have gone to great lengths to quell the spread of germs. Many programs disinfect their playing surfaces, benches, and locker rooms. Some have even banned the pre-game and post-game handshake. Yet it seems they have been forgetting to sanitize a very important piece of equipment: the sports ball.
Any round ball that is five to 10 inches in diameter will fit in the germninja, including volleyballs, basketballs, playground balls that are used at elementary schools. With the footprint of a bulk ball cart, the germninja can sanitize up to one ball every 15 seconds. Each one is placed on a chute that leads it down into the machine. Then, the ball is placed on an auger, which rotates it and carries it past four banks of ultra-violet light.
Jaypro Sports has filled this void by creating the world’s first sports ball sanitizer, the germninja. This patented, cutting-edge machine uses ultra-violet light to kill bacteria on the ball without damaging its surface or leaving a residue.
In only five minutes, over 20 sports balls can be sanitized. They come out of the machine germ-free, at room temperature, and ready for play. “Over the course of a volleyball match, teams typically use three different volleyballs,” says Dr. Kreitenberg. “Between points, the balls can be sterilized. Additionally, although many basketball coaches like to use the same ball the entire game, timeouts, breaks between quarters, and halftime can be utilized to sanitize the ball.”
Inventor Arthur Kreitenberg, (pictured to the right) MD, FACS, a clinical professor and orthopedic surgeon, uses ultra-violet light to sanitize his surgical equipment and saw a way to transfer its use to the athletic arena. “Ultra-violet light is perfect for sterilizing liquids, air, and surfaces, such as a sports ball,” he says. “By utilizing this technology, the germninja delivers 34 times the dosage needed to kill 99.9 percent of germs.” In addition to the H1N1 flu virus and the bacteria that can lead to whooping cough, the germninja is lethal to staph (including the specific bacteria that causes MRSA), strep, E. coli, salmonella, and the measles virus. It also kills microorganisms and fungi like mold. The idea for the germninja came to Dr. Kreitenberg after watching his daughter play high school volleyball and basketball. “The players would lick their hands, wipe the bottom of their shoes, and then serve, hit, or spike the ball,” he says. “The ball is a perfect fomite—a contaminated object with germ-spreading potential. And what do coaches do with them after a practice or game? They put the balls in a sack and throw the bag in a cool, damp place where germs can grow, such as a car trunk or storage room.” The germninja aims to prevent this incubation from occurring. “The whole idea is to get ahead of the problem,” says Rick DeMatto, Executive Director of Sales and Marketing for Jaypro Sports. “If teams would sanitize their sports balls once or twice a day, the germs would never have the opportunity to culture. This machine will decrease the chance that bacteria will manifest into something that could make people sick.”
A lot of products claim to sanitize surfaces with the same effectiveness of the germninja. So why is the germninja better than the rest? “For one thing, it doesn’t leave a sticky residue like some sprays and wipes,” says DeMatto. “Because the germninja only uses ultra-violet light, it also doesn’t leave any chemicals behind. Unlike some sprays, there is no chance of getting chemicals on a player’s hands or face.” The germninja will be beneficial to all athletic facilities—from high school gyms to college arenas, YMCAs to day care centers. Even elite teams are interested in the germninja. In fact, the USA Women’s volleyball team took a germninja with them all the way to London for the Olympic Games. “I went to the USA Volleyball training center in southern California to tell them about the germninja and the coach said, ‘We want it. We want it now,’” says Dr. Kreitenberg. “They got one for their facility in Anaheim, and we also shipped one to London. The best part, besides their silver medal, was that the team stayed healthy through the entire competition.”
To find more information about this product, including pricing and availability, visit Jaypro Sports at jaypro.com or go to the germninja’s Web site at http://germninja.com.
COVER STORY
There are more single-parent families and economic issues. Drug and alcohol problems are more prevalent, and as coaches, we might not necessarily know what’s going on in a kid’s life once they leave our gym. “First and foremost, your players need to know that you care about them,” Boley continues. “Only then will they be willing to accept discipline. We always tell our guys,
of discipline. After 20 years, he has become used to the variety of answers he receives. “If there are 30 people in the class, I’ll get 25 different versions,” he says. “I think discipline is something that coaches stress all the time but rarely define specifically. I make a point of clearly defining discipline for my team: Do what you’re supposed to do, when you’re supposed to do it, and do it every time.”
“Sometimes coaches can be a little reactive,” he continues. “They tend to address issues after there’s been an incident instead of preventing the problem in the first place. Our goal is to have established principles that guide our players from the start and outline how violations will be dealt with.” Mandy King was named Head Women’s Coach at Kean University after the squad
“I think discipline is something that coaches stress all the time but rarely define specifically. I make a point of clearly defining discipline for my team: Do what you’re supposed to do, when you’re supposed to do it, and do it every time.” pat miller, University of wisconsin-whitewater ‘We’re going to love you hard, and we’re going to coach you hard.’ When you love your players—and they know it—you can be harder on them.” For some coaches, discipline isn’t just about coming down on players. It’s about promoting behavior that eliminates the need for punishment. When not coaching the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s team—the 2012 NCAA Division III National Champions—Pat Miller teaches coaching classes at the school. Every semester, Miller has his students write a definition
Miller also spells out his expectations in a team handbook titled: 5 Pillars of the Program. The pillars of collective responsibility, work ethic, communication, toughness, and discipline are the founding principles of his team. “These five pillars allow us to address any situation that could arise, from academic issues to social issues to performance issues,” says Miller. “The pillars are in place to help our players understand the whys behind our disciplinary policies and help guide us as coaches through the enforcement process efficiently should something go awry.
endured a chaotic 2011-12 season that included an NCAA investigation and program sanctions for the activities of the former coach. In looking to make a fresh start, King and her staff took steps to make the program’s new standards clear to incoming freshmen. “I think transitioning to college is difficult for kids after they have spent so much time dealing with the demands of their AAU and high school squads, which are often very different from what we have at Kean,” she says. “We educate our players on what our culture is all about as soon as they step on
in writing Taylor Nerland, Head Boys’ Basketball Coach at South Anchorage (Alaska) High School, has his players, their parents, and his coaches sign disciplinary contracts prior to each basketball season. Below is his section regarding proper behavior during a game. DURING THE GAME:
1. Never complain about officiating, and never show disrespect to another school.
2. Never yell at teammates. 3. Focus on the floor or bench, not what’s going on in the stands.
4. Never get a technical foul (100 laps before next game or you don’t play).
5. No finger pointing, trash talking, gestures to the fans, etc. will be tolerated.
20 Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013
6. Bench conduct—full attention is on the game, not in the stands.
7. Make eye contact with the person who is speaking to you.
8. Form a huddle during timeouts,
everybody will be quiet with eyes on the coach, and after the coach is finished giving his instructions, if you want to add something, ask the coach then.
9. Stand for teammates—when
somebody comes out of the game everybody on the bench will stand, applaud, and encourage the player coming off the floor,
regardless of how long they were in the game. This is not optional.
10. Do not notify a coach that you are ready to play (exception: injury). It is understood that everyone wants in the game. Playing time is earned, not expected.
Statement: I will always play hard
and compete with the best of my ability, but I will remember that it is a game that I am playing and will always show good sportsmanship toward members of the opposing team.
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campus, because if you start disciplining them before they know your program’s expectations, they’re going to be afraid to make a mistake for the next four years.” To make his expectations easy to interpret, Taylor Nerland, Head Boys’ Coach at South Anchorage (Alaska) High School, uses a contract that highlights the program’s behavioral expectations. He appreciates the clarity it brings to disciplinary issues. “All my players sign a contract, all their parents sign it, and my coaches sign it,” he says. “They are very thorough and leave little to question. If a player breaks a rule, he is held accountable for the discipline that comes with that violation.” (To view a portion of Nerland’s contract regarding on-court behavior, see “In Writing” on page 20.) Dawn Staley, Head Women’s Coach at the University of South Carolina, defines discipline in terms that are very easy for her athletes to decipher. “I tell my players this: ‘Think of your behavior as a bank account,’” she says. “‘When you do something positive, you make a deposit into your bank account.
When you do something that isn’t so positive, you withdraw from it. If you keep withdrawing from it, you’re going to run out of funds, so to speak.’ When that happens, we as coaches need to take action.” At Temple University, Head Men’s Coach Fran Dunphy pushes his players to look to the future to help them refrain from doing anything in the present that might compromise success later in life. “Before each season begins, I have the players write a paper on where they see themselves when they’re 40,” he says. “What will they have accomplished and what will they have left to do? What kind of family man will they be? A good husband, a good father, a good man in the community? I want them thinking about their futures beyond basketball because I think it helps them make better choices in the present.” RULES AND REGULATIONS
Along with devising and communicating a philosophy of accountability, coaches need to think about specific punishments they’ll use when violations occur. For many, the
second chances In four seasons as the Head Men’s Coach at the University of Memphis, Josh Pastner has developed a reputation as someone
who will give players a second chance, provided they show they’ve learned and are willing to improve their behavior. For example, Pastner brought a player onto his 2012-13 team with a history of troubles off the court—he was arrested twice in high school and kicked out of two junior colleges. He is the only player on the Memphis team with a curfew and the only Tiger who receives a nightly phone call from Pastner. His days are tightly packed with classes, study halls, and basketball practices to ensure he only has time for positive things. Why open your arms to a player with a spotty past? “I welcome giving guys second or third chances,” Pastner says. “If you’re giving a player a second or third opportunity, it might be because he’s hit rock bottom and is ready to change. The hardest thing for a human being to do is change, and sometimes you have to reach your lowest point before you can do that. With the structure and discipline we provide at Memphis, I think we can help players better themselves.” Pat Miller, Head Men’s Coach at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, also recently took a chance on a troubled athlete. “We had the NCAA Division III National Player of the Year on our team last year,” he says. “He’s a kid who dropped out of high school during his sophomore year. He was kicked off his junior college team after a fight with a teammate. A lot of people vouched for him, and when I met with him, I sincerely believed he wanted a degree. “He wasn’t one of those kids who just wanted to play basketball,” Miller continues. “He just needed someone to look after him. He’s turned into a remarkable student-athlete, and he’s going to graduate.”
22 Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013
bench is the most effective tool of enforcement. “I don’t curse, and I’m not a yeller or a screamer,” says Josh Pastner, Head Men’s Coach at the University of Memphis. “I’m a big believer in using the bench. The young men I’m dealing with all want to play every minute of every game, but if they’re not living up to our team’s behavioral expectations on or off the court, they won’t play.” Nerland has instituted a similar policy when it comes to player conduct on the floor. If a South Anchorage player receives a technical foul, his evening is over. “I’ve had a few athletes over the years who came to us with a habit of disrespecting officials, which does not fly with me,” he says. “For example, one of my best players got a technical in the first half of a game a few years ago, so I sat him. During halftime, I asked the official what my player did to merit the technical and his response was, ‘His tone of voice was bad.’ “Even though I did not agree with the referee’s decision to issue a technical, I accepted it,” Nerland continues. “That player sat the rest of the game and ran 100 laps before he was allowed to play again.” Cronin extends his accountability plan to include academic missteps. “If a player is late for class, it’s treated as though he missed that class, and my student-athletes run when they miss a class,” he says. “We have hard and fast rules for tardiness and attendance. Everyone who is late for class or misses a class runs at 6 a.m.” At South Carolina, Staley makes sure rules are followed with help from her juniors and seniors. “Our leaders know what we expect,” she says. “We have a buddy system where each upperclassman takes an underclassman under their wing and makes sure they get where they need to be—practice, classes, and everything else. Each veteran player stays in constant communication with a younger athlete to make sure they stay on track.” For Boley, scheduling daily off-court time with his players allows him to keep tabs on how they’re doing. “They’re required to take the weight training class I teach partly because it’s a component of our strength and conditioning program,” he says. “But also because it lets me talk to them every day, even when we’re out of season.” TOUGH DECISIONS
What happens when players break the rules in a severe fashion and their actions potentially warrant a suspension or dismissal from the team? Those are decisions coaches have to consider carefully, as one suspension or dismissal could stick with a player for the rest of his or her life. For CroCoachesNetwork.com
COVER STORY
nin, a suspension occurs only when all other options have been exhausted. “When you suspend a player in college basketball, a red flag goes up immediately,” he says. “The player gets labeled as a bad kid, even though that may not be the case, and it could have a lasting effect on his career. So we try to find ways to help them grow and make better decisions without doing something that’s going to follow them the rest of their lives.” As the leader of the program and an important figure in his players’ lives, Dunphy knows it’s his job to suspend a player when the occasion calls for it. “I wish we were all perfect, but obviously, we’re not,” he says. “I liken the coach-player relationship to marriage. When you sign that contract, it’s ‘for better or for worse.’ So I have to live with both.” The theme of team as family is something Dunphy takes very seriously. “In the four or five years I have these guys in my program, they are my sons,” he says. “I treat them as such—I love them, but I also have to kick them in the butt every once in a while.” At Cincinnati, if an athlete wants to return following a suspension, they need to prove they’ve learned from their error. “If a
guy gets suspended, he isn’t going to play again until he apologizes to the team,” says Cronin. “He has to prove he understands the impact of his suspension and how his actions affect everybody around him. It is about more than him losing playing time. It makes the program look bad and hurts the team when someone gets in trouble.” Even harder than suspending a player is knowing when it’s time to dismiss an athlete from your program. “You never want to have to make that call, but sometimes it’s unavoidable,” says Cronin. “I’ve had to do it, and it’s the worst thing about coaching. People will commend you for it. They’ll say you held up the integrity of the program, and they’ll pat you on the back. But it’s a brutal thing to do. Usually, the dismissed player needs your program, and you know it. And you worry about what’s going to happen to him without your team’s structure in his life.” A dismissed player is still one of Dunphy’s ‘sons’ even if he is no longer part of the team. “I still want what’s best for any player I dismiss,” he says. “He didn’t work out in my program, but he might be successful in someone else’s. So I’ve called
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other coaches and said, ‘This kid needs a chance. He didn’t work out here, but if you give him an opportunity, I think he could be a good fit for your program.’” From running extra laps to sitting on the bench to team dismissal, having consequences for negative behavior is important. But Pastner makes sure there is plenty of praise when his athletes display integrity. “I take great pride in getting letters from the community saying our young men act properly and do things the right way,” he says. “I always make sure I read those notes to the team. They need to understand that when they do the right thing, they make a positive difference in people’s lives.” King’s squad has taken the same message to heart, and they’re using this season to put the program’s previous transgressions in the rearview mirror. “My players come to me when they make a mistake,” she says. “They’re apologetic but they already know what’s coming and are willing to face the consequences. At this point, they don’t want to let each other or our staff down—they’re on a mission to show people the kind of young women they are.” CM
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Circle No. 115 Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013 23
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STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
A comprehensive and functional strength-training program has helped University of Kansas redshirt freshman Ben McLemore become one of the most explosive players in the college game.
BUILT TO RISE steve puppe/kansas athletics
The University of Kansas’ basketball training program is developed around ground-based strength and explosive exercises that mimic players’ movements on the court. By Andrea Hudy Basketball players come to the University of Kansas to follow in the footsteps of legends. Greats such as Wilt Chamberlain, Danny Manning, and Paul Pierce have laid a foundation of hard work and dedication for today’s players.
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As the teams’ strength coach, it is imperative that I further these attributes in our players through a comprehensive and wellplanned training program. Fortunately, I have great assistance in doing so. With support from the University, the Kansas basketball teams have one of the finest training facilities in the country. The Anderson Family Strength and Conditioning Center provides us with state-of-the-art weight training equipment that helps us build athletes who uphold Kansas’ rich traditions. The 42,000 square-foot facility allows our basketball players to have variety in their training program because of the abundance of equipment and space, including an area specifically for basketball training. It contains Coaching Management PoSTSEASON 2013 25
six platforms, eight selectorized pulleys, pullup bars at varying heights, and individual areas for dumbbells, plyo-agility drills, medicine balls, circuit training, and cardio. OUR PHILOSOPHY
The mission of the Kansas Strength and Conditioning Department is to physically and mentally prepare our student-athletes for the rigors of intercollegiate athletics and to compete with integrity and excellence. For each team, the two primary goals of our programming are to enhance sport performance and aid in injury prevention using various training and recovery techniques. How we approach this primary goal differs from sport to sport. Basketball requires fundamental movements such as running and jumping and demands high power, high velocity movements across diverse planes of movement from a wide variety of positions. Therefore, our basketball-specific weight training philosophy begins with a foundation of functional ground-based strength and explosive exercises that mimic the coordinated movements occurring during competition. Triple extension—the coordinated extension of the hip, knee, and ankle joints during running and jumping—is an integral part of our training program because it is in such high demand on the basketball court. Triple extension can occur vertically (jumping), linearly (running), and laterally (shuffling/ skating). If we can increase the amount of ground reaction forces a player generates in the weightroom while performing triple extension, that will transfer to the court in the form of better mechanical efficiency when the athlete is no longer under resistance. Mechanical efficiency is the ratio of work output to work input. In other words, it is the ratio of external work performed to total energy expenditure. If we can increase the amount of work a player performs while keeping his energy expenditure the same, then we are creating a better-conditioned athlete who can stay more powerful for longer periods of time. Any type of pulling lift involves the athlete performing vertical triple extension. Examples include the high pull, clean, snatch, jerk, and box jumps—resisted or unresisted. Linear triple extension drills we use include sled pushes and running or jumping uphill. And shuffling movements, slide board drills, and lateral jumping drills are all exercises that train lateral triple extension. Andrea Hudy is Assistant Athletics Director for Sport Performance at the University of Kansas, where she is responsible for training the men’s and women’s basketball teams. She can be reached at: ahudy@ku.edu.
26 Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013
To build a successful basketball player, we also concentrate on improving their lateral and rotational movement efficiency. So in addition to training triple extension, we focus on working the external rotators of the hip and the musculature of the groin and hamstrings. Many of these exercises are supplements to our strength training movements. Some examples include the Romanian deadlift, lateral squats, and reverse crossover lunges. We superset these exercises, as well as basketball-specific coordination drills, with our primary lifts. OFF-SEASON PLAN
Our men’s basketball team year-round training is designed to offer flexibility in exercise prescription, load, volume, and intensity. One of our training goals is to perform muscle endurance, strength, and power workouts at least once every week. The ability to
adapt the team’s training is important because, as coaches, we often train athletes with different levels of experience, time constraints, injuries, individual needs, and/or specific goals. During the postseason, summer, and preseason we resistance train and condition four days per week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday). When designing our daily programs, we emphasize high power output activities. These exercises require high muscle recruitment in order to produce high power output. They also require technical skill. After a proper warmup, our athletes begin each workout with exercises prescribed for that day. Some of these may include plyometric drills, high intensity acceleration and agility drills, or high intensity weightlifting or strength exercises. Our off-season lifting workouts generally include an explosive exercise, a squat varia-
Over four months, our non-linear periodization model dictates that the team’s running volume increases while lifting volume decreases. All conditioning drills are in yards.
Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday
May
50x10 Sync lift rep: 12
18x25 50x stadiums 8x200 Async lift rep: 5 Lift rep: 8 Lift rep: 6
June
60x10 Sync lift rep: 10
20x25 60x stadiums 10x20 Async lift rep: 4 Lift rep: 7 Lift rep: 5
July
70x10 Sync lift rep: 12
22x25 70x stadiums 12x200 Async lift rep: 3 Lift rep: 6 Lift rep: 4
Aug.
80x10 Sync lift rep: 10
24x25 80x stadiums 14x200 Async lift rep: 2 Lift rep: 5 Lift rep: 3
summer CONDITIONING A typical Tuesday (or “day two”) in June might look like this: Squat jumps
5x3 + Med ball lateral lunges w/ rotation
4x5 each side
Power snatches
4x3 + Overhead lateral rips w/ pivot
3x10 each side
Squats
5x3 + Reverse crossover lunges
3x6 each side
Bench presses
5x3 + Glute ham raises
3x8
A typical friday (or “day four”) in July might look like this: Rebound cleans
4x4 + 15-Second pivot drills
3x15 seconds
Rebound snatches 4x4 + Overhead lateral bends
3x19 each side
Front squats 5x4 + Med ball overhead reverse crossover step-ups
3x6 each side
Heavy med ball 5x4 + Good mornings throws on incline
3x6
summer liftING CoachesNetwork.com
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
tion, a bench variation, a shoulder variation, and a back variation. The lifting portion of the workouts are efficiently structured by super-setting a major movement like an Olympic weightlifting movement with one or two functional or torso exercises. Each of the core lifts is superset with a torso exercise specific to basketball. We set it up this way so that there is always something for the athletes to do between core lifts, which helps them to not lose focus while in the weightroom. Percentages are used for most core lifts and each day has a specific goal. For example, Monday is a high volume work capacity day intended to induce a large hormonal response. Tuesday is a high load, low volume strength/ speed training day where neuromuscular recruitment is the primary goal. Thursday is a typical strength day designed for protein synthesis and neuromuscular recruitment. And Friday is a speed/strength day mainly consisting of low to moderate loads with an emphasis on speed of movement. Each day’s workout includes a lifting and conditioning portion. Here’s a closer look at how the four days are organized. Mondays: During the summer, we begin with an active warmup that is specific to the lateral (side-to-side) plyometrics and agilities that will be performed in that day’s conditioning session. The linear (straight ahead) A typical pre-conference strength/speed weight training session might look like this:
A typical conference or postseason strength/speed weight training session might look like this:
plyometric activities, accelerations, and agility drills are similar to the lateral drills in terms of length, focus, and progression. Early in the off-season, we teach 15-foot lateral acceleration drills that have no change of direction, then later in the summer and into the team’s preseason, progress to advanced 60-foot change of direction with rotation drills that have a reaction component. After the conditioning session, we resistance train using a total-body work capacity circuit. Tuesdays: We begin with a warmup that is specific to the day’s high load, high intensity, low volume lifting session. We train aggressively using relatively heavy loads, then transition to a conditioning session, such as having players run multiple basketball court line sprints. Thursdays: We begin with a warmup that is specific to linear plyometrics and agilities similar to what we performed on Monday. After the conditioning session, we perform a total-body strength-training workout. Fridays: To end our week, we complete a speed/strength lifting session and then perform an endurance-based conditioning workout. The conditioning workout is usually performed on the track and consists of multiple sprints lasting between 25 and 80 seconds. For examples of typical lifting and conditioning portions of the team’s summer work-
outs, see “Summer Lifting” and “Summer Conditioning” sidebars on page 26. IN-SEASON PERIODIZATION
Once the competitive season begins, we change from a planned to an unplanned non-linear periodization model. Weight training sessions are based on weekly goals instead of the long-term goals that guide us during the off-season. This reactive model takes into account many factors, including the team’s practice schedule, intensity and length of practices, number of minutes played during games, number of training sessions in the week, and number of players injured. There is a lot of variability in the team’s playing and travel schedules, which greatly impacts what we schedule and when. Games per week can range from zero during a bye week, to three once the conference season begins. To quantify decisions regarding exercise prescription, we lean on subjective feedback gathered by tools such as heart rate monitors and pedometers. These tools allow us to measure volume, intensity, and each athlete’s time on the court and adjust our strength training workouts accordingly. If an on-court practice consists of powerful high intensity synchronous running and jumping activities, then the weight training session after practice is less intense and would likely include asynchro-
Hang clean drop squats
2x4
Barbell split squats
2x4 each side + Lateral windmill
2x7 each side
One-arm dumbbell jerks
3x2 each side + Alternate leg hip lifts
2x10 each side
Close grip snatches
4x3, 3, 2, 2
+ Cable column downchops
2x10 each side
Hang power cleans
4x3, 3, 2, 2
+ Lateral med ball overhead rips
2x6 each side
Incline bench
4x6
+ Reverse crossover lunges
2x4 each side
Front squats
4x3
+ One-leg cable balance w/ knee drive 2x10 each side
Hurdle mobility Light barbell high pulls
For time 3x6
+ Overhead drop squats + Foam roll IT band
3x5
Jump rope Power jerks
For time 3x3
+ Dumbbell lateral squats + Foam roll external rotators of hips
3x5 each side
Jump rope Hang power cleans
For time 4x3
+ One-leg hypers + Vibration plate hamstring stretch
3x8 each side
Groin stretch x3 Plyo pull-ups w/ rotation w/ vest 3x6
+ Plyo pushups w/ vest + Vibration plate groin stretch
3x6
Box power squats Lower body stretch
+ Dumbbell bench presses + Foam roll calves
3x6
4x5 x3
+ 45-pound torso twists
2x8 each side
competitive season WORKOUTS CoachesNetwork.com
Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013 27
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
nous qualities such as a circuit. If the on-court practice is not intense—a shoot-around or walk-through, for example—then the weight training session is structured to be more intense, with an emphasis on building power using synchronous activities in a strength/ speed session or a speed/strength session. One major difference between the offseason and in-season workouts is that while the team’s core lifts are assigned specific percentages in the off-season, once games begin we look at a percentage range. Also, each player monitors his own loads and athletes who don’t play a lot of minutes either complete a higher volume of work or an extra training session per week. Every in-season workout session begins with static stretching for the low back, hips, hamstrings, quads, and calves. The players then complete mobility exercises like the overhead drop squat, and other exercises that increase their heart rate, like jumping rope, before heading into the more intense part of the lifting session. The lifting portion of each workout includes a series of Olympic weightlifting movements and strength movements that are
paired with a flexibility, mobility, and/or torso exercise. As we progress further into the conference season, recovery modalities such as foam rolling and other self-myofascial release techniques are implemented into the workouts. (For examples of in-season workouts, see “Competitive Season Workouts” on page 27.) DOES IT WORK?
Another important training resource at our disposal is the university’s Research and Coaching Performance Team. Led by Andrew Fry, Professor and Chair of the Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences department at Kansas, and myself, the Performance Team is comprised of coaches, sport scientists, and students who are studying new training methods and modalities. In turn, our players are able to adhere to the best training philosophies that research provides. The Performance Team helps with the squad’s training through various measurements used to validate the effectiveness of our program. For example, before the season begins each year, the Performance Team monitors our players as they perform a squat test using Tendo units.
Over the course of an athlete’s career, we can monitor the shape of their force/velocity curve to ensure that the curve is shifting up and to the right, representing an increase in both load and bar speed at the assigned percentages. If an athlete’s curve is not shifting in the desired direction over the course of a training cycle, we can examine the data to see whether the individual needs more speed or specific strength work added to their workout plan. Over the years I’ve been working with the players, our use of planned and unplanned non-linear periodization models has resulted in much success with our athletes—not only because of the variability in the program, but also because of the ability to adapt our workouts to the team’s practice schedule. The team’s on-court performance consistently lasts late into the postseason, which for me, validates our program’s effectiveness. CM A version of this article appeared in our sister magazine, Training & Conditioning. To access more articles from T&C, please visit: www.Training-Conditioning.com.
Circle No. 117 28 Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013
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Work-Life balance
At Arizona State University, Head Women’s Coach Charli Turner Thorne took a ninemonth sabbatical from coaching with the goal of becoming a better coach.
STEPping BACK
When the 24-7 life of a coach becomes too much, there are not a lot of solutions. Unless you can take a step back from it all. By Charli Turner Thorne
CoachesNetwork.com
I can’t say for sure when I came up with the idea to take a sabbatical from coaching. But it started to emerge after completing my 23rd year on the sidelines, following the 2010-11 season. Like most coaches, at the end of every season I evaluate the state of our program and myself on both a professional and personal level. Going through this process two years ago, I realized I had to do something different. I had gotten to the point in my life where I was never truly unplugging. I loved my job and my team, but I didn’t like that work had consumed my entire life. As an NCAA Division I head women’s coach, I work almost every day of the year. We Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013 29
Work-Life balance
all do because recruiting is constant, players are on campus year-round, and we continually manage hundreds of relationships with different groups—players and staff, recruits, club coaches, university faculty, donors, media, and fans, among others. And there is always one more thing we can do to make our programs better. We convince ourselves that we are aware and intelligent enough to know how to balance it all. And for a long time I told myself I had to “readjust.” But for whatever reason I could not. The same coach who constantly reminded her team about the importance of recovery—that you can’t eat, sleep, and breathe basketball—was watching film at all hours of the day and trying to find time to make one more phone call. That’s the unhealthy point I
scheduled a team meeting, followed immediately by a press conference. While I’ve always valued the incredible support I’ve had during my time at Arizona State, this gave me an even greater appreciation for our administration. Affording me this kind of opportunity was, to my knowledge, unprecedented in major Division I athletics. It said that the administration valued me not only for results on the court, but everything else I had done in my 15 years as head coach— being active in the community, graduating players, and mentoring student-athletes whose contributions to the Arizona State and Tempe community went way beyond wins. The toughest thing about the decision was telling my team. I felt guilty, and it was incredibly hard to communicate the news to them. Obviously we commit to each other,
staff over the sabbatical period. They did their best to quiet the rumors and explain the situation thoroughly. BETTER COACH
The focus of my time away was learning how I could be a better coach. I read a lot. I watched DVDs of other coaches. I set up meetings with people I really respected, not just in coaching, but also in other fields. My focus was not simply on furthering my knowledge of Xs and Os, but rather on examining how I could help the young women in our program have a better overall experience and develop them into strong, caring leaders. I spent the most time on that because I feel it is an invaluable part of what we should do as mentors. I worked at a couple of coaching clinics
Another thing I did was to start a leadership academy at my son’s middle school in addition to coaching some of my kids’ teams. The opportunity to work with the neighborhood boys at the gym was very enjoyable and challenged me to simplify how I saw the game. reached when I finally realized I didn’t have the balance in my life, as a wife and as a mom, to be the best person and best coach I could be. Given that I had been coaching basketball for 23 straight years, I came to the conclusion that I would not be able to truly change until I took a step back. I approached my administration with the idea, unsure of whether they would be open to it, but having faith in them that they would. I stepped away from a job I treasured but had engulfed me. I began my journey for perspective, balance, and new ideas. MAKING THE MOVE
It was a difficult day when I relayed my desire to take a break from coaching to my supervisors. I was cautiously optimistic but also apprehensive about how they would react. I met with our Athletic Director at the time, Lisa Love, and our Sport Administrator and Senior Associate Athletic Director, Don Bocchi. We talked through everything—from my goals to the team’s needs to logistics—and Lisa proposed a nine-month window, which I thought was perfect. The nine-month, unpaid leave of absence would run from July 1, 2011 through the end of March 2012. I definitely caught Lisa off-guard with my request, but she was incredible in how she processed it all and went right into the logistics. We discussed how we would inform the media, let the team know, and handle the staffing dynamics. Once we got approval from University President Michael Crow, we 30 Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013
and everything in this world is about relationships. I have great relationships with my players and invest a lot of time in them, as do they in me, so I felt like I was letting them down by taking this nine-month break. But I also made sure I was very clear with the team on what was going to happen. My sabbatical would take me away completely. While I wanted the players to know that I loved and cared for them, I was not going to be a mama bear hovering over the program during my absence. At the same time, I knew they would be in great hands with my associate head coaches at the time Joseph Anders, who had been on my staff for 10 years, and Meg Sanders, who had been with me for eight years and also was an assistant on my staff at Northern Arizona. Joseph and Meg both had prior head coaching experience and their contributions were integral in the greatest accomplishments in the history of our program, including appearances in the NCAA Elite Eight in 2007 and 2009. Deciding which one of them would fill the head coaching role was also easy, because Joseph wanted to do it and Meg did not. They took over all my duties, including recruiting, which may have been the toughest aspect of my leave. Even though we tried to make it crystal clear that I would be returning within a year and nothing was changing, there was a lot of inaccurate information floating about, which led to speculation I was not coming back. Subsequently, recruiting was challenging for my
overseas and performed some speaking engagements. I was also able to devote more time to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association in my role as president of the organization’s executive committee. Another thing I did was to start a leadership academy at my son’s middle school in addition to coaching some of my kids’ teams. The opportunity to work with the neighborhood boys at the gym was very enjoyable and challenged me to simplify how I saw the game. Even more important was seeing them play for the love of it. With kids there is never any agenda and there is never any pressure. They are playing because they enjoy it and that was wonderful to be a part of. I also took time to connect with a lot of my former players, which helped me really review the tradition of the program. I asked them what they learned and what they got out of being on the basketball team. They told me stories about how their experiences at Arizona State had helped them be successful in life. That was fun and I thought valuable to bring back to the program. The times I met with Lisa during my sabbatical were fantastic because we both got to take a big-picture look at everything. I was Charli Turner Thorne has been the Head Women’s Coach at Arizona State University since 1996, taking her team to the NCAA Division I Tournament six times in seven years from 2005-11. President of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Executive Committee, she served as Head Coach at Northern Arizona University from 1993-96 and can be reached at: asuhoop@asu.edu.
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Circle No. 118
Work-Life balance
also fortunate to meet a couple of times with President Crow. He is a great mentor and he directed me to some developmental opportunities early in my sabbatical, in particular going to an ashram for a week. He also provided me with very useful advice on my professional growth, helping me to think about how I see myself as a professional and to evaluate the areas where I could grow. On the personal side, I needed to get my balance back, so I took up yoga, worked on meditation, and allowed myself to be mentored. I went around asking everybody the question, “How do you stay present?” That was the million-dollar question during my sabbatical: How do other people stay in the now? It was amazing how many smart people struggled to answer that question. Answers ranged from prayer, to listening, to
greatly benefit from some type of sabbatical. While I took a little less than nine months off, I think shorter sabbaticals may make more sense, since it’s hard for coaches to take a large chunk of time away. The key is for coaches to not wait until they are 20-plus years into their career, but maybe take two to three months off every seven to 10 years. For those coaches who would like to do it, I encourage them to have the courage and conviction to talk to their administrators if they think it is feasible. Certainly everybody’s situation is different in terms of how long they have been at a program and what kind of staff they have in place. It’s also important to honestly assess the value that you have to your institution and the community. Upper-level administrators may need to be convinced this is a positive move. I think
charge, it gives assistant coaches extra responsibilities and allows for great professional development. This will only occur, of course, if the head coach on leave does not hover over the program. I had confidence in my staff and let them take over and run the program the way they wanted to while I stepped away. And I think that is the only way a head coach is truly going to get the most out of a sabbatical experience. BACK ON THE SIDELINES
The nine months went by in a blink, but it was everything that I needed it to be. Before taking my sabbatical I knew deep down that I wasn’t taking care of myself. Trying to squeeze every drop of juice out of every waking hour in the day wasn’t ideal, but it was all that I knew.
When you have time to step back and look at everything— if you are really honest with yourself and you want to learn and grow—you are able to return with a much healthier disposition. When you are constantly working, it is hard to have clarity and generate really substantive new ideas. even breathing. I have adopted a few good techniques from others to quiet my mind and hopefully my players’ as well. As a coach it is very powerful to help your athletes be “in the now,” which can lead to peak performance. Of course, the biggest personal fulfillment was being able to reconnect with my family—my husband Will and our three boys, Conor, Liam, and Quinn. We had the opportunity to spend our first Thanksgiving together. We took a trip to Flagstaff and had fun in the snow, building a snowman, sledding, and having snowball fights. I went boogie boarding with my kids, which is something I had never done before. We had some fun “firsts,” but mainly I just worked to be more present with all of them. Lastly, I had time to really think. I was able to reflect on changes I wanted to make as a coach and as a person. A NEW TREND?
Coaching is not a healthy profession by nature. It’s not so much a job as it is a lifestyle full of daily demands. Because of this, I feel like sabbaticals should be strongly considered for all coaches, particularly to promote longevity. Many of my peers who have been coaching longer than me have not felt the need to take time off and I applaud them. They have done things better than I have in regards to balancing their lives and being able to unplug. But there are also many coaches who could 32 Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2013
the more coaches work to add value to their institution and their community beyond day-to-day coaching, the more they are earning the right to have that time away. Administrators see the off-the-court work and they want the coach to build on it. In 2012, two outstanding basketball coaches—Gail Goestenkors, Head Women’s Coach at the University of Texas, and Nell Fortner, Head Women’s Coach at Auburn University— resigned. I know both women poured their heart and soul into their jobs and like me, they may have had difficulty keeping balance in their lives. With that in mind, I think it’s important for coaches to make sure they are finding windows for recovery and are able to maintain proper work-life balance. The coaching community talks about work-life balance all the time, but we don’t come up with any solutions to achieving it. All we do is keep building in legislation that allows us to recruit even more because we want to win. We have a passion for our institutions and for our programs and somehow we have to juggle that with not turning into robotic workaholic coaches—because that doesn’t help anyone. In fact, it absolutely trickles down to the student-athletes and impacts the quality of their experience. If coaches are overworked and feeling too much pressure, then invariably the athletes are going to feel the effects of it one way or another. The rest of the coaching staff can also benefit from a head coach’s sabbatical. By empowering someone on staff to be in
The time away gave me the perspective of knowing what “balance” really is. It enabled me to equip myself with the tools and strategies I’ll need to make sure I don’t become overwhelmed by my job again. A few of the ways I’ve been able to do that is by organizing my days to allow more time for contemplation and staying consistent with prayer and yoga. When you have time to step back and look at everything—if you are really honest with yourself and you want to learn and grow—you are able to return with a much healthier disposition. When you are constantly working, it is hard to have clarity and generate really substantive new ideas. I know I am a better coach and mentor because of this opportunity. For example, it did not take long upon returning from my sabbatical for significant challenges to emerge. The clarity, knowledge, and balance gained from my time away allowed me to process things in tremendously efficient and effective ways. Simply put, it’s amazing the myriad of positives that can come from a head coach being able to step away and spend time learning and growing. Obviously it benefits the coach but, if done right, it also helps the program overall. CM A version of this article appeared in our sister magazine, Athletic Management. To access more articles from Athletic Management, please visit: www.AthleticManagement.com.
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Summer Basketball Camp
This new service from the publishers of Coaching
Management and Athletic Management is affordable and can help generate income for your Offseason Training Program
program.
Trivia Night Fundraiser
For more information: call Coaching Management Publisher
Mark Goldberg 607.257.6970 Ext. 11 or email
mg@momentummedia.com CoachesNetwork.com
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Coaching Management POSTseason 2013 33
The Quality Game Program That Your Team Deserves Coaching Management designs and prints game programs—and yearbooks—at an affordable price. We can even provide you with a digital version of your publication.
For more information call or email Coaching Management Publisher Mark Goldberg 607.257.6970 Ext. 11 | mg@momentummedia.com 34 Coaching Management POSTseason 2013
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CoachesNetwork.com
Coaching Aids Develop Players’ Skills
Liven up your practices with the new Basketball D-Man and free “InYourFaceShot Blocker” tool. Offer a more complex and realistic shooting scenario for your team with the D-Man, and develop dribbling, passing, shooting, and big-man player skills and techniques. The patented D-Man is great for individual or team training and is lightweight, portable, and collapsible. The D-Man includes a wheeled base and is adjustable, with a height up to nine feet. Prices start as low as $49.99 and include a free Shot Blocker Tool. The Sports People • 877-757-9255 www.thesportspeople.com
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Many Happy Customers
Simplicity and dependability best describe the 6000 Series Gun. 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 made shots, total shots, and shooting percentage. The fastpaced workout that results from the 6000 Series Gun forces players to use a proper arc while shooting game shots from game spots at game speed. The Gun comes with a five-year warranty. With more than 11,000 happy customers, the 6000 is changing the world of basketball. Shoot-A-Way • 800-294-4665 www.shootaway.com
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Train to Advance
Airborne Athletics’ most popular commercial basketball team training machine is the Dr. Dish. With a unique design and proprietary Smart Court Technology, it’s more than just a shooting machine—it’s an advanced team trainer. The Dr. Dish offers realistic, fast-paced basketball drills to help all your players become better shooters, rebounders, pass receivers, defenders, tippers, and more. It’s versatile, mobile, and battery-operated. Plus, it comes with 45 preloaded drills designed by coaches for coaches. Airborne Athletics • 888-887-7453 www.airborneathletics.com
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Ultimate Shooting Machine
The all-new 8000 Series Gun is the ultimate basketball shooting machine. Efficiency, dependability, and repetition with instant feedback take this open gym magnet to a whole new level. Spot-to-spot programming, customizing, and saving your favorite drills along with easy set-up give 8,000 owners the
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ultimate shooting practice. Workouts can now be controlled by a multi-function remote, and coaches have the ability to specify shooting locations and number of shots per spot, as well as requiring made shots before players can move to a new location. Player accountability is enhanced with the optional ticket printer and the ability to upload shooting sessions to a computer through the new Shot Tracker option. Shoot-A-Way • 800-294 4654 www.shootaway.com
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Game-Paced Drills
A popular machine from Airborne Athletics is the iMake, a commercial basketball shooting machine. The iMake incorporates Airborne’s Smart Court Technology, which allows you to program the iMake to throw where and when you want at game speed. This machine comes with 23 pre-loaded drills, or you can customize and save 50 of your own. For a price that’s easy on your budget, it’s the easiest to use machine of its kind. Position this on your court and watch your players advance to the next level. Airborne Athletics • 888-887-7453 www.airborneathletics.com
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Making Recruiting Easier
CyberSports has been developing recruiting technology that assists coaches in tracking prospective student-athletes since 1995, and has remained the leader in recruiting technology because of its commitment to supporting its customers as well as its ability to stay current with technology and the demands of coaches as it relates to recruiting and compliance. The applications offered by CyberSports not only allow your staff to track all your NCAA requirements but also allow for greater and more effective communication between staff. CyberSports • 315-737-7150 www.cybersportsinc.com
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Join the Revolution
SportsBoard mobile player assessment solutions are revolutionizing the sports world. Basketball coaches at every level are using SportsBoard for recruiting, collecting in-game stats for efficiency ratings and tagging video, and recording video evaluations of athletes in development camps. In 2012, more than 120 college sports programs subscribed to SportsBoard—the University of Maryland was first to adopt it department-wide. Duke, Miami, and VCU, all ranked among the nation’s top 25 men’s college teams, are also SportsBoard customers. SportsBoard • 530-323-0202 www.sportsboard-win.com
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Directory
Institutional Basketball Systems
Advertisers Directory Circle #. . . . Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page #
Circle #. . . . Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page #
102 . . . Active Ankle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
109 . . . Medi-Dyne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
106 . . . Airborne Athletics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
120 . . . Newsletter Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Side Court Goals
110 . . . Athlete’s Guide to Nutrition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
117 . . . NSCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
125 . . . Coaching Management Program Services . . . 34
123 . . . Powernetics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC
Rampage Systems
107 . . . Bison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
116 . . . Schelde North America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
104 . . . Courtclean. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
124 . . . Shoot-A-Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC
114 . . . Cramer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
119 . . . SMi Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
115 . . . CyberSports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
108 . . . Spalding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
105 . . . Human Kinetics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
103 . . . SportsBoard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
121 . . . Institutional Basketball Systems . . . . . . . . . . . 36
118 . . . The Sports People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
112 . . . Jaypro Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
122 . . . TurfCordz®/NZ Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
111 . . . K&K Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
100 . . . Wilson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC
Portable Systems | Wall Mount Ceiling Upgrades | Playground
MAP Pricing. Call for best.
•30”- 48” base to board extension •Height adjustable •36” x 60” acrylic backboard •Base padding •1050 lbs loaded
Composite
Fury Select
www.wallpaddingsolutions.com
From $2108
101 . . . McDavid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Main Court Goals
From $5133 MAP Pricing. Call for best.
•48”- 66” base to board extension •Height adjustable •42” x 72” temp. glass backboard •Base padding •1900 lbs loaded
Composite
Storm Arena
Mention this ad and receive $30 OFF backboard padding! The right systems for your application since 1999. Let me price your systems. You will not be disappointed!
-Tom Nicotera
www.institutionalbasketballsystems.com
Thunder Systems
www.tipnrollbleachers.com
877-272-5430
Products Directory Circle #. . . . Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page #
Circle #. . . . Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page #
510 . . . Active Ankle (Excel lace-up brace). . . . . . . . . . 38
518 . . . Power Systems (Cambered Squat Bar). . . . . . 39
513 . . . Active Ankle (Volt ankle brace). . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
515 . . . Power Systems (Pro Power Jumper™). . . . . . . 39
522 . . . Airborne Athletics (Dr. Dish). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
519 . . . Powernetics (High Stepper). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
523 . . . Airborne Athletics (iMake) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
516 . . . Powernetics (Power Trainer). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
505 . . . Bison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
533 . . . Samson Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
532 . . . Courtclean. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
503 . . . Schelde (Clubmaster™) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
514 . . . Cramer (950 tape). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
508 . . . Schelde (SAM™). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
509 . . . Cramer (ESS Ankle Compression Sleeve) . . . . 38
527 . . . Shoot-A-Way (6000 Series Gun). . . . . . . . . . . 35
535 . . . CyberSports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
528 . . . Shoot-A-Way (8000 Series Gun). . . . . . . . . . . 35
506 . . . Future Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
529 . . . SMi Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
501 . . . Human Kinetics (Developing Agility). . . . . . . . . 39
502 . . . Spalding (Arena® Portable Backstops). . . . . . . 37
500 . . . Human Kinetics (Developing Endurance). . . . . 39
507 . . . Spalding (Slam-Dunk® Precision 180 Goal). . . 37
504 . . . Institutional Basketball Systems . . . . . . . . . . . 37
531 . . . SportsBoard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
520 . . . K&K Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
530 . . . The Sports People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
511 . . . McDavid (195™ Ankle Brace). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
517 . . . TurfCordz®/NZ Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
512 . . . McDavid (Hex™ Shooter Arm Sleeve). . . . . . . . 38
525 . . . Wilson (Custom Basketballs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
524 . . . Medi-Dyne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
526 . . . Wilson (uniforms). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
521 . . . NSCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
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Basketball Facilities Trusted at Every Level
Spalding’s Arena® Portable Backstops are recommended for the highest levels of competition. The standard backstop is equipped with a SuperGlass™ Pro Backboard, Slam-Dunk® Precision 180 Goal, and E-Z Bolt Backboard Padding. Spalding is the official backstop of the NBA, and the backstop and backboard supplier to the NCAA Final Four. Spalding basketball products are trusted at every level, from the NBA to backyard pick-up games. Spalding • 800-435-3865 www.spaldingequipment.com
Schelde’s recently updated Clubmaster™ now offers many of the standard features found in its world-class SAM portable goals. Built to take the punishment of slam dunks, the Clubmaster is an economical main court system for high schools, clubs, and college intramural facilities that meets or exceeds all interscholastic standards. Its spring-activated mechanism and patented dynamic sub-frame provide instantaneous set-up. Plus, it includes Schelde’s patented “Dunk Proof” backboard and adjustable tension breakaway rim.
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. Pre-installed mounting brackets in the board easily affix to your existing fan-shaped or rectangular backboard mounting points. The mounting bracket absorbs all stress from the rim, and the backboard comes with a lifetime warranty. 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. 504
Prevents Sagging
Nothing updates the look of a gym like a fresh set of Bison’s Original DuraSkin backboard safety padding. Available in 16 school colors, including the increasingly popular shades of burnt orange, cardinal, Vegas gold, and brown. Only Bison offers a 10-year replacement warranty, pin-style center pad connector to prevent unsightly sagging, and molded-in goal relief to eliminate trimming. Plus, the DuraSkin backboard bolts securely onto all 72-inch-wide glass main/side court rectangular boards.
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Future Pro • 800-328-4625 www.futureproinc.com
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High-Performance Flex Action Spalding manufactures quality-driven basketball products for professional, collegiate, and recreational use. The Slam-Dunk® Precision 180 Goal is a high-performance system with 180-degree flex action with an adjustable reflex mechanism to break away while being dunked on. The Slam-Dunk® Precision 180 is the official goal of the 2012 NCAA Final Four. From the NBA to the backyard pick-up games, Spalding basketball products are trusted at every level of the sport. Spalding • 800-435-3865 www.spaldingequipment.com
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A Smart Upgrade Package
Bison, Inc. • 800-247-7668 www.bisoninc.com
Future Pro offers free custom lettering and your choice of five-powder coated school colors (royal, scarlet, silver gray, white, and black) with your purchase of a BA165 Lockable Ball Cart. The ball cart has capacity for 24 balls and comes with a five-year warranty. Several other ball carts, training aids, and equipment storage options are available from Future Pro, so call to see what’s in-stock and ready to ship.
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Stands Up to Slam Dunks
Schelde North America • 888-SCHELDE www.scheldesports.com
Custom Lettering
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Portable Basketball Goals
The Schelde Sam™ is the world’s alltime best-selling portable competition basketball goal—more than 6,000 SAMs are currently in use in 120 countries. Renowned for its simplicity and heavyduty design, the SAM has been used in several Olympics and is currently used in professional, and collegiate arenas throughout the world. It meets or exceeds all international, professional, and NCAA requirements and has been approved and recommended by FIBA, the governing body for international basketball competition. Schelde North America • 888-SCHELDE www.scheldesports.com
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Cleaner Than Clean
The only way to keep sport surfaces in top-notch condition is with daily maintenance. For more than 20 years, Courtclean has provided the easiest, most effective way to pick up dirt, dust, sweat, and other body oils. In just minutes, you can clean an entire basketball court or wrestling mat and start play immediately. Courtclean offers the perfect way to reduce maintenance costs with a low-priced, proven effective product. Courtclean • 800-900-2481 www.courtclean.com
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Team Equipment Show Your Team Colors
Opponents will always know it’s your house with Wilson Custom Basketballs. Show your team colors with a full color, durable, non-slip logo on your game ball. Customize the Wilson NCAA Game Ball, Wave Game Ball, Evolution Game Ball, or Wilson autograph balls with your logo or mark. The minimum order needed for a custom order is as low as twelve balls, and lead-times are usually just a few weeks. Contact Wilson Customer Service for more information.
Wilson Sporting Goods Co. • 800-245-5454 www.wilson.com
Maximum Protection
The Volt provides maximum protection for the maximum athlete. Engineered for performance, the Volt features a carbon fiber-reinforced plate, a molded-bearing hinge design to provide a smoother range of motion, strengthening ribs for a thinner profile that fit better in your shoe, fabric-backed EVA foam pads for durability and comfort, and a single webbing strap with dual fastening option for a customized fit. Active Ankle Systems, Inc. • 800-800-2896 www.activeankle.com
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Simulates Tape Unrestricted Movement
The Cramer ESS Ankle Compression Sleeve’s patented articulated ankle joint allows for unrestricted movement while providing mild compression and support to the joint. Compression provides a performanceenhancement benefit as well as mild muscular support. The unique knitted design allows for lightweight fit and exceptional stretch and comfort.
Cramer Products, Inc. • 800-345-2231 www.cramersportsmed.com
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Ankle injuries are a pain—they are all too frequent and difficult to come back from. A University of Wisconsin-Madison Sports Medicine study, involving over 1,400 high school basketball players, showed that those wearing the McDavid 195™ Ultralight Laced Ankle Brace were three times less likely to experience ankle injuries compared with those who didn’t wear it. The McDavid 195 brace simulates a perfectly executed athletic tape wrap, but unlike taping, the fully adjustable figure-six straps can be tightened quickly and easily without shoe removal. Support your players from head to ankle with McDavid. McDavid • 800-237-8254 www.mcdavidusa.com
Best of Both Worlds
For athletes looking for the best of both worlds, the Excel lace-up brace provides the comfort and mobility of a lace-up with the support and security of a tape job. With its circumferential strap that helps stabilize the brace and lacing system which tightens all the way around, the Excel provides a conforming and comfortable fit. The Excel is also lined with neoprene for maximum comfort and fit with nylon eyelets to reduce pressure points. Active Ankle Systems, Inc. • 800-800-2896 www.activeankle.com
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Conquer the Court
Wilson custom basketball uniforms set the standard for quality and performance. Meticulously developed with the revolutionary ProFusion™ sublimation process, every uniform color permanently fuses itself into Wilson’s durable fabrics. With 30 styles, 27 colors, and six different fabrics to choose from, Wilson has the perfect style for any game. When a bold look combines with the strongest uniforms in the industry, you get exactly what you need to conquer the court. Wilson Sporting Goods Co. • 800-245-5454 www.wilson.com
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Make the Shot
Perfect for Athletic Trainers
McDavid • 800-237-8254 www.mcdavidusa.com Circle No. 512
Cramer Products, Inc. • 800-345-2231 www.cramersportsmed.com
Bringing out the shooter in every player, the Hex Shooter Arm Sleeve provides flexible Hex™ pad protection at the elbow, while compression keeps muscles warm and your shooting touch hot. The hDc™ Moisture Management Technology and mesh at the elbow allow for the perfect cooling ventilation. It’s all about taking and making the shot with McDavid confidence. Your research for sleeves ends here.
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Every roll of Cramer 100-percent cotton porous tape is like the next, which means you can count on it to unwind consistently, conform better, and adhere longer. Cramer 950, constructed with a latexfree adhesive, is perfect for athletic trainers or athletic programs looking for a high-quality, economically priced porous tape alternative. Cramer Products has been the industry leader in sports medicine and athletic training room supplies for more than 85 years.
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Strength Training & Cardio Safe and Effective
Powernetics offers the Power Trainer, which for more than 10 years has made the power clean a safe exercise for athletes from junior high to the collegiate level. The Power Trainer enables athletes to not only do cleans safely, but also to reverse the clean. The unit can be used to perform seven different exercises: the clean, reverse clean, deadlift, lift jump, high row, bench press, and shoulder press. The Power Trainer has been proven over the years to be among the safest and most effective tools used to perform the power clean.
Powernetics • 800-829-2928 www.powernetics.com
The new Samson Sprinter is yet another way the company is leading the way in heavy-duty custom equipment. This unique piece allows your athletes to perform a sprint motion while in a biomechanically sound running position. Adding resistance is made easy with the plateloaded weight horns that are designed to prevent any plate movement. Created with comfort, durability, and adjustability in mind, the new Samson Sprinter will fit every athlete comfortably, and just like any other Samson piece, it will last a lifetime. Samson Equipment • 800-472-6766 www.samsonequipment.com
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Improve performance
In Developing Endurance, 11 National Strength and Conditioning Association members provide endurance athletes and coaches with a research-based regimen for improving athletic stamina and minimizing chronic injuries. Included are endurance assessments and sport-specific program designs highlighted by over 35 sample training programs with all the tools needed for success in building endurance. This 312-page book sells for $19.95.
Power Systems, Inc. • 800-321-6975 www.powersystems.com
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develop agility & quickness In Developing Agility and Quickness, 17 of the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s experts provide evidencebased assessment tools, exercises, drills, and training regimens. Applicable to almost every sport, Developing Agility and Quickness focuses on improving athletes’ fleetness of foot, change-of-direction speed, and reaction time. This 200-page book sells for $19.95. Human Kinetics • 800-747-4457 www.humankinetics.com
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Maximize Your Training
Train with the same products as leading professional athletes and international Olympians. TurfCordz® resistance gear is engineered to meet the most rigorous athletic demands during the highest levels of athletic agility and strength training. Designed to improve stamina, strength, and flexibility, TurfCordz products feature patented safety elements that allow athletes to maximize their resistance training comfortably and without fear of injury. NZ Manufacturing • 800-886-6621 www.nzmfg.com
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Reduce Groin Injuries
The High Stepper develops explosive power in the hip flexors and legs. The stepper uses a running motion, which substantially increases athletes’ speed, quickness, and durability. Coaches notice fewer groin injuries with their athletes after training on the High Stepper. The High Stepper 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. 519 CoachesNetwork.com
The Pro Power Jumper™ is designed to evenly distribute resistance loading during jump training, to increase power and vertical jump height. The 30” x 50” platform has a non-skid rubber surface, providing a large, safe training surface. Each unit includes your choice of a waist belt or shoulder harness, and a set of regular or long Slastix™ resistance tubing. The platform requires two 45-pound weight plates for counter-weight during use.
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Sprinting Toward Strength
Human Kinetics • 800-747-4457 www.humankinetics.com
Develop Explosive Power
Maximize Effort
The Cambered Squat Bar’s padded harness and textured grip handles reduce discomfort through the neck and shoulders when squatting with traditional Olympic bars. Increased comfort improves focus on technique and maximizes effort. The offset position of the weight plates assists in keeping the load and lifter balanced during all movement phases of the squat. With its 81-inch length, the bar fits standard power racks, and has a 400-pound load limit. Power Systems, Inc. • 800-321-6975 www.powersystems.com
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More Products A Trusted Authority
The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is a trusted authority on strength and conditioning, bridging the gap between science and application for more than 35 years. The NSCA’s annual National Conference, the premier strength and conditioning event of the year, is back in Las Vegas this July. Experience everything the conference has to offer —sessions by top educators, researchers, trainers and coaches; to Special Interest Group meetings; networking events; and more.
NSCA • 800-815-6826 www.nsca.com
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Effective Relief
Medically designed, athlete-proven Medi-Dyne products are easy to use tools that really work to relieve tight muscles, stretch important muscle groups, and prevent pain and injury. With patented stretching, strengthening, foot, knee, and blister products, the Medi-Dyne family of brands includes Cho-Pat ®, Tuli’s®, ProStretch®, StretchRite®, CoreStretch®, Skin-on-Skin®, and RangeRoller®. These products are known for both their effectiveness and ease of use. Medi-Dyne is dedicated to providing innovations in pain relief and prevention. Medi-Dyne Healthcare Products, Ltd. • 800-810-1740 www.medi-dyne.com
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Affordable Coverage
Purchase affordable insurance for your sports teams, leagues, tournaments, events, camps, and clinics from K&K Insurance. Conveniently available online, the company’s website is simple to use and provides an option to buy coverage immediately when using a credit card. Sexual abuse and molestation coverage is now available when purchasing liability coverage. Celebrating 60 years of insuring the world’s fun, K&K Insurance is a trusted provider of coverage for the sports and recreation industry. K&K Insurance • 800-426-2889 www.sportsinsurance-kk.com Circle No. 520
Awards and Promotions SMi Awards is the official awards supplier of the NFHS, with a full line of custom logo watches, plaques, rings, gift sets, and more. These items are perfect for senior/letterwinner awards, championship teams, and staff gifts— plus more than 300,000 promotional products are available. The company offers significant pricing incentives for annual purchases and will work with you on an unparalleled personal level to provide service you expect and deserve. If you’re looking for a reliable awards-supplier with quality products, outstanding prices, and 25 years of experience, contact SMi Awards. SMi Awards • 800-326-8463 www.smiawards.com Circle No. 529 Circle No. 122 40 Coaching Management POSTseason 2013
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Box 329 Riverside, TX 77367 1 (800) 829-2928 www.powernetics.com
Explosive Exercises:
The SUPER CAT is in basketball and athletic programs all across America. The Super Cat has been proven to be the most effective machine in developing the “Power Potential” of athletes. Other machines don’t come close to the Super Cats durability and safe operation to outlast any strenuous workout regiment. We are recording the highest vertical jump on athletes in weight training history.
• Quarter squat jumping • Angle squat jumping • Angle squats school colors available 7-year warranty
The SUPER CAT will give your program the edge in vertical jump and quickness to take you to the next level.
Develops the “POWER POTENTIAL” of every athlete. The Super Cat will dramatically increase the speed, quickness and vertical jump of your athletes.
Coaches call TODAY for your FREE instructional video! Circle No. 123
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