Coaching Management
BASKETBALL
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GATORADE SPORTS SCIENCE INSTITUTE NUTRITION FOR THE INJURED ATHLETE When the body is repairing and recovering from an injury, the biological needs of the injured athlete change. In the immediate or acute recovery stage, the athlete should be most concerned about reducing inflammation and soreness, potentially enhancing recovery time from the injury. For a longer term recovery, the athlete should still focus on these factors but should also strive to prevent significant weight gain or loss. Many athletes become concerned that their muscle will turn into fat while they are inactive. The truth is that muscle may atrophy or lose strength from lack of use or immobilization, but the muscle is not turning into fat. However, some athletes do gain body fat while they are inactive due to excessive calorie intake, proper nutrition, along with weight management is necessary to support the body throughout the healing process.
The body requires adequate calories to heal. Energy malnutrition can exacerbate the inflammatory response and slow wound healing.
Lisa Heaton, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN GSSI Scientist & Sports Dietitian
VITAMINS AND MINERALS AND HEALING Many vitamins and minerals assist in the healing process, these vitamins include vitamin C, A, K, and B complex as well as minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, and copper. Athletes should focus on consuming these vitamins and minerals through whole food before relying on supplements. There is no evidence that taking large doses of these vitamins through supplements will speed recovery. Including a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, starches and meats support the intake of these vitamins and minerals through the diet.
NUTRIENTS OF INTEREST The following nutrients are commonly found in various foods, herbs or spices. While further research is needed to fully support their role in healing from an injury, these foods can safely be incorporated into a healthy recovery diet. Curcumin is a component of the spice turmeric and has displayed antiinflammatory properties.4,5 In certain studies curcumin has demonstrated similar anti-inflammatory properties to common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in both human and murine (rodent) models. This is important because side effects commonly associated with NSAIDs, like gastrointestinal distress, are not present when turmeric is used.6 It’s important to note there has not been a specific link between curcumin and exercise and muscle recovery. Omega-3 fatty acids have received plenty of attention over the last decade for their healthful properties. Omega-3 fatty acids have displayed anti-inflammatory effects within the body.7 Good sources include fatty fishes such as tuna and salmon, walnuts, and flax seeds. More recently, new evidence has suggested that consuming omega-3 fatty acids can decrease muscle atrophy (or mass/ strength loss) due to immobilization.8,9 Further research needs to be done in this area, especially in athletes, but is a very interesting concept.
ENERGY NEEDS As expected, the energy needs of the athlete decrease when injured compared to in-season training energy needs; however, it is important for the athlete not to excessively restrict calories. The body requires adequate calories to heal. Energy malnutrition can exacerbate the inflammatory response and slow wound healing.2,3 Basal energy expenditure, or the minimum calories the body requires without activity, increases during the healing process, especially in the early stages of healing. On the other hand, it is important that an athlete dealing with a long-term injury adjusts their diet accordingly. Returning to play can be more difficult if the player needs to focus on both losing excess weight gained as well as strengthening muscle tissues and training. It is common for injured athletes to continue eating the same calorie load as they did while training, resulting in weight gain.
PROTEIN AND AMINO ACIDS Adequate protein intake is critical for athletes recovering from an injury. Not consuming enough protein is counterproductive to the healing process and may worsen the inflammatory processes.2,3 This does not mean that an athlete must consume exorbitant amounts of protein or amino acids. When a muscle is immobilized, some strength and muscle mass loss will occur and is natural. Consuming excessive amounts of protein will not prevent this strength loss; however, eating adequate amounts of protein, will support the healing process.
Phytonutrients are compounds found within fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes, tea, wine and chocolate. The colors found in fruits and vegetables are due to the phytonutrients found within them. A few phytonutrients athletes may be familiar with are beta-carotene, lycopene, leutine, and flavonoids. Further research is needed regarding the potential anti-inflammatory and immune boosting effects of these nutrients. An athlete should attempt to consume a rainbow of colors within their diet to consume the vast variety of phytochemicals that exist. Further information For more information on how to support your recovery with proper nutrition, seek out a registered dietitian who specializes in athletics in your area. 1 Lin E, Kotani JG, Lowry SF. Nutritional modulation of immunity and the inflammatory response. Nutrition 1998; 14: 545–550. 2 Demling RH. Nutrition, anabolism, and the wound healing process: an overview. Eplasty 2009; 9:e9. 3 Arnold M, Barbul A. Nutrition and wound healing. Plast Reconstr Surg 2006; 117: 42S–58S. 4 Chun KS, Keum YS, Han SS, Song YS, Kim SH, Surh YJ. Curcumin inhibits phorbol ester-induced expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in mouse skin through suppression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity and NF-kappaB activation. Carcinogenesis 2003; 24: 1515–1524. 5 Kang G, Kong PJ, Yuh YJ, Lim SY, Yim SV, Chun W, Kim SS. Curcumin suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression by inhibiting activator protein 1 and nuclear factor kappab bindings in BV2 microglial cells. J Pharm Sci 2004; 94: 325–328. 6 Graumlich JF. Preventing gastrointestinal complications of NSAIDs. Risk factors, recent advances, and latest strategies. Postgrad Med 2001; 109: 117–120, 123–118. 7 Galli C. Calder PC. Effects of fat and fatty acid intake on inflammatory and immune responses: a critical review. Ann Nutr Metab 2009; 55: 123-139. 8 You JS, Park MN, Song W, Lee YS. Dietary fish oil alleviates soleus atrophy during immobilization in association with Akt signaling to p70s6k and E3 ubiquitin ligases in rats. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2010; 35: 310-318 9 Lee HU, Park MN, Lee YS. Effects of Different Types of Dietary Fat on Muscle Atrophy According to Muscle Fiber Types and PPARδ Expression in Hindlimb-Immobilized Rats. Korean J Nutr 2011; 44 (5), 355-365.
FUELING ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
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CONTENTS | BASKETBALL Edition | PRESEASON 2013 | Vol. XXI, No. 6
Coaching Management
25
21 COVER STORY 14 On the Offensive In recent years, scoring at the college levels has fallen at a historic rate. However, a few top coaches are finding ways to win while lighting up scoreboards.
5
PRESEASON
BULLETIN BOARD
Utah tries three refs … Building support via Twitter … Visualization training … Prohibiting phones on road trips … NABC pushes selfhealth initiative for coaches.
21 When the Going
Strength & Conditioning 25 End to End
A losing season can take its toll on even the most experienced coach. Learning strategies for handling such a year can make a big difference.
To dominate throughout a long season, Los Angeles Lakers Strength Coach Timothy DiFrancesco suggests correcting asymmetries and training with “monster” lifts during the preseason.
Q&A 11 Ken Deweese
Computers & Software 29 changing with
Leadership
Gets Tough
The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Head Men’s Coach talks about building an NCAA Division III power in Texas, selling his players on the value of good defense, and handling season-ending losses.
Coaches explain how they are using iPads and other tablets to gather information and easily share it with players. Plus, find out more about tools coaches can employ to get the most out of these devices in our iPad and Tablet Guide. On the cover
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 32 BASKETBALL FACILITIES 35 STRENGTH TRAINING & CONDITIONING 36 COACHING AIDS
technology
36 TEAM EQUIPMENT 34 ADVERTISER’S DIRECTORY
VCU guard Darius Theus is taught by Head Men’s Coach Shaka Smart to always be on the attack. Smart and other coaches share their insights on playing fast-paced, high-scoring, and winning basketball in our cover story, beginning on page 14. cover Photo: ap photo/steve helbert
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BULLETIN BOARD PRESEASON 2013
CONTENTS
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5 Utah debates two vs. three
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6 Building support through Twitter
Officiating
Two or Three? For years, high school coaches have debated the merits of using three officials for varsity basketball competitions. The conclusion of the 2012-13 season marked the end of a five-year pilot program conducted by the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) to try to settle the question. The UHSAA started the project in 2008 by distributing surveys to coaches from each of the state’s five classifications to gauge their interest in switching from two to three officials. Only those from the boys’ 5A division agreed to make the
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7 Visualization training
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8 Phone-free
change. After seeing the first year’s results, coaches from boys’ 4A joined on in 2009. Although girls’ coaches had voted against the idea previously, the UHSAA Executive Committee decided to add three-person crews in 3A, 4A, and 5A boys’ and girls’ postseason play for 2011 and 2012. Mike Petty, Supervisor of Officials for the UHSAA, supported the pilot program from the beginning. “The three-person system makes game management better,” he says. “Each official has a smaller area to cover than in a two-person crew. The additional set of eyes on the court picks up fouls that frequently get missed, such as illegal off-ball screens and thrown elbows. The game becomes cleaner and safer.” In addition, Petty believes using three officials allows veterans to keep working longer and helps rookies learn faster. “A twoperson crew requires more running,” he says. “I know referees who were ready to retire but stayed on after moving to a three-person system. “In the past, we’ve also had problems keeping newer refs because it took years for them to move beyond the j.v. level,” Petty continues. “But when using three referees, our younger officials often got assignments with two of our veterans. If this system continues, they should learn and rise more quickly.” Detractors say three officials see too much, leading to an overabundance of foul calls that lengthens games. Some coaches are also concerned about the pitfalls of choosing quantity over quality. They feel need-
AP PHOTO/rick bowmer
Lone Peak High School and Alta High School compete in the 2013 5A state championship game in Utah, which has been studying the effects of using three game officials instead of two.
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bus trips
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9 NABC pushes self-health
ing to fill more officiating slots will bring inexperienced referees to varsity courts. One of the biggest factors that has led some athletic departments to maintain their support of the two-person crews is cost. Officials in Utah receive $56.50 for a varsity game, in addition to being compensated for some of their travel expenses. To accommodate the pilot program, referees agreed to take a $5 per game pay cut, but it would still cost schools upwards of $1,000 more per season to hire third officials for both boys’ and girls’ home games. Another challenge the Utah pilot program faced was gender equity. Threeperson crews weren’t introduced to girls’ games until the postseason of the project’s third year. Because they were accustomed to playing with two officials during the regular season, several coaches said the change was disruptive. And because boys’ games in class 4A and 5A had three officials all season long, some people even raised the possibility of the disparity being a Title IX violation. In addition, a number of girls’ basketball coaches believe their games already get lower-quality officials and that adding one more would not be helpful. “The biggest issue for [girls’ teams] was that we wanted our officials to be drawn from the same pool as varsity boys’,” Deb Bennett, Athletic Director and former Head Girls’ Coach at Skyline High School in Salt Lake City, told the Deseret News. “We weren’t against three refs as much as we were against getting more inexperienced officials. Can’t we have some equality in officiating?” In response, Petty points out that every UHSAA official is qualified based on the requirements set by the NFHS. “All of our referees go through the same training and are certified,” he says. “I have no control over whether they choose to work boys’ or girls’ games.” This spring, the UHSAA again surveyed coaches and administrators to gauge their final reactions to the pilot program. In April, the Executive Committee proposed using three officials in girls’ 5A regular season games going forward. The proposal also stated that three referees would continue to be used during the regular season of boys’ 4A and 5A and in the postseason for boys’ and girls’ 3A, 4A, and 5A. At the June meeting of the Executive Committee, members were split on whether to continue expanding the use of
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three officials. Another vote will be held in August to make the final decision. Citing studies that show no increase in game length or number of fouls called, Petty is pushing for Utah to join North Carolina and Alabama as the only states to require three referees at the varsity level. Social Media
Cornhusker Connection After being hired as the University of Nebraska Head Men’s Coach in March 2012, Tim Miles made getting the Cornhuskers’ fan base more involved through social media one of his top priorities. As his more than 45,000 Twitter followers—fifth most among NCAA Division I basketball coaches—show, Miles has made quite an impression.
He began his Twitter wooing of the Cornhuskers faithful by providing multiple daily updates and links to relevant team news and happenings. “In the beginning, we hosted several ‘Ask Coach Miles’ sessions,” he says. “On my weekly coaching TV show, I would answer a Twitter question from one of our fans. We’ve also started holding a ‘20 Questions for Coach Miles’ promotion every few months. My followers tweet their questions at me, and I respond to as many as I can.” His familiarity and versatility with social media developed during his five years as Head Men’s Coach at Colorado State University. “It was forced on me there,” Miles jokes. “The director of marketing thought tweeting would help promote the basketball team, so we started posting behind-the-scenes looks into the program to try to get fan recognition. It was a lot of fun, and it really took off for us, so I’ve tried to do some of those same things at Nebraska.”
Another practice that Miles brought with him from Colorado State is sharing a halftime tweet during games. The halftime tweets are a joint effort between Miles and his sports information director. Usually, Miles gives the SID a rundown of what was discussed with his team as he walks from the locker room back out to the gym. Then, the SID posts an update from Miles’s Twitter account. In the year since this practice began, Miles has gotten mixed feedback. Some say the halftime tweet is inappropriate and shows a lack of focus during games, but Miles claims nothing could be farther from the truth. “It takes less time to walk by my SID and say, ‘We need to handle the ball better,’ than it does to stop and wait for a reporter to do a sideline interview,” he says. “I think some people imagine me running to my computer to post, but it doesn’t work that way. I think our fans are excited by it and enjoy knowing what the team is focused on improving in the second half.” However, for all his online activity, Miles is not without limits when it comes to what he posts. “During my first year on Twitter, I said a few stupid things and realized I had to tone it down,” he says. “Now I don’t write anything that could be viewed as irresponsible in any way. For example, to avoid violating any NCAA rules, I don’t talk about recruiting, and I also don’t respond to insults.” And although flattered by the amount of followers he has, he doesn’t put too much stock in the number. “My daughter has an Instagram account, and she frequently asks me how many followers I have,” Miles says. “But I don’t ever want her to feel like a person’s worth is determined by how many people read their tweets or look at their photos, so I try not to put much significance on the number. For me, social media is solely about building our brand and promoting our program.” He tries to teach these same messages of social media responsibility to his players. “I’d be a hypocrite if I used Twitter and didn’t let them,” says Miles. “I don’t follow my players, and I don’t tell them to follow me. But I do expect them to protect the privacy of their accounts and act accordingly. We even brought in an expert to set some ground rules and
University of Nebraska Head Men’s Coach Tim Miles uses Twitter to make himself accessible to fans and build enthusiasm for the Cornhusker program. That access includes sending out halftime Tweets.
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BRIAN BEARD/CREATIVE IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHY
BULLETIN BOARD teach our guys the right ways to communicate.” When one of his players does post something inappropriate on social media, Miles approaches it as a teachable moment. “First, the individual is told to delete the tweet immediately,” he says. “Then, we handle the situation by saying, ‘Okay, you said something you shouldn’t have. You need to rectify that and take some responsibility for it.’” Miles has embraced social media in a way that few other coaches have, but he hopes more follow his example. “In the future, I think college athletics’ relationship with Twitter will become more integrated and open,” he says. “Coaches will always need to be careful about the way they handle it, but it can be a great tool for their programs.” Optimum Performance
Mind Games For women’s players at Bowdoin College, part of game preparation involves looking to the future and visualizing the goals they want to achieve. They have been doing this for
Bowdoin College women’s team captain Anna Prohl says visualization training helps her relax prior to playing and allows her to picture what she wants to accomplish in a game before she takes the court.
seven years as part of a formal program run by Dr. Bernie Hershberger, Director of Counseling Services at the school. The visualization sessions typically are held five to eight times each season. “The meetings involve seeing oneself perform at the most optimal level of play and rehearsing and integrating this into one’s mind,” says Hershberger. “Given that a considerable amount of performance has to do with mental preparedness and the capacity to recover when something goes awry, it is crucial that athletes take up mental training.” Each session begins with Hershberger getting a general read of the squad’s state of mind and encouraging players to assess their current level of functionality. “First, I listen to what they think will take their game to a higher level,” he says.
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“Then, a script is developed incorporating these images, and everyone participates in the visualization.” Hershberger caters the visualizations to what the players respond to best. “They seem to relate well to paradoxical interventions, such as ‘Go up strong with shots near the board, but have a light touch’ or ‘Play with abandon, but fly right,’” he says. “We also talk about how to be an effective team member on the bench, because successful squads are not based solely on individual performances.” The in-season sessions focus on optimizing the quality of play in game situations. “We do visualizations before as many games as possible as the season comes to a close,” says Hershberger. “I also often record our meetings so individuals can download them onto their iPods in case they want to mentally train right before a contest.” Since beginning visualization training, the Polar Bears have gone 153-48 with five NCAA Division III tournament appearances and three Sweet 16 berths. “I find it really helpful,” team captain Anna Prohl told The Bowdoin Orient. “You basically relax yourself prior to playing and visualize things you want to work at, seeing yourself on the court doing things that you want to do during the game.” Head Coach Adrienne Shibles does not participate in the sessions, but communicating with her helps Hershberger frame the content of his messages. “I want to hear what the coaches have been working on to prepare for their upcoming opponent, so I might have a five-minute discussion with Coach Shibles before I step into the locker room with the athletes,” he says. “I also usually have a quick summary discussion with her after each session.” Soon, Hershberger hopes to expand the use of visualization training to Bowdoin’s coaches. “Next year, we are looking to bring in a psychology professor from Harvard Medical School to educate our whole athletic department about the benefits of mental training,” he says. “Thereafter, we might begin to instruct interested coaches on applying these techniques with their teams. The methods can be learned quite easily, and integrating a practice personally might be the best way for a coach to teach it to a student-athlete.”
Policies & Procedures
No Phone Zone Looking over his team at the start of last season, Ryan Svenson, Head Boys’ Coach at Hillsboro (Ore.) High School, saw a problem: 8 Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013
The players didn’t know each other well. His solution? Take away their cell phones during bus rides to road games. “Unlike previous seasons where the roster was senior-heavy and the team was close knit, we had a more scattershot collection of kids last year,” Svenson says. “I wanted to come up with a way to encourage them to communicate face to face, but that’s one of the hardest things to teach. However, the more I talked about the problem with my staff, the more it seemed like a no cell phone policy could work. “We didn’t want to take a confrontational stance,” he continues. “We just wanted to create a new culture. My coaching staff and I started reminiscing about how, when we were players, we thought road trips were a lot of fun. They gave us a chance to learn new things about teammates and hear interesting stories. That closeness translated to the court, which I think helped us be successful. We wanted our players to experience the same thing.” Understanding the importance of cell phones to today’s teens, Svenson carefully introduced the idea, talking about it with players and their parents at the team’s preseason meeting and explaining the policy through an e-mail notification. To his surprise, everyone quickly jumped on board. “I didn’t receive any negative feedback,” he says. “I think by explaining that it was not a punishment but an opportunity to help them grow, players understood our goal and bought in.” Svenson also made sure he addressed parents’ safety concerns. “I gave the parents all of the coaches’ phone numbers and told them to contact us if there was an emergency,” he says. “It helped that most of our road games were only 20 to 30 minutes away, and the longest trip was about an hour. It’s not like the players were out of contact for long.” It was also important for Svenson and his coaching staff to practice what they preached. “We made sure we weren’t talking on our phones unless there was an emergency,” he says. “If you have a policy like this in place, it’s important that you model the behavior you want from your players. I think that’s one of the reasons we didn’t have problems with kids violating the policy.”
As the season progressed, Svenson noticed the prohibition was making positive changes. “The guys were interacting with each other on the bus a lot more,” he says. “When we were on our way to a playoff game in February, I heard a shuffling sound coming from the back. It turned out that several of the guys had been playing cards for weeks. I can’t remember the last time I saw that.” Even though the players got their phones back once they reached the opponent’s school, Svenson saw the desired effect continue after the bus ride ended. “Not having their cell phones became so engrained in the players, sometimes we’d have to remind the guys to retrieve them when we arrived at the gym,” he says. “And in the locker room, they tended to keep their phones tucked away. They really bought into that time being an opportunity to bond with their teammates. “Overall, the lack of cell phones has brought the players closer together,” Svenson continues. “This past season was the first I can recall where we didn’t have any chemistry or communication issues on the court, and I think the policy was a big reason why.”
To help build chemistry and grow closer as a team, boys’ players at Hillsboro (Ore.) High School (in white) were prohibited from using their cell phones during bus rides to road games last season.
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BULLETIN BOARD Coaching life
Coaches spend a lot of time thinking about how to keep their players healthy. Typically, though, coaches spend little time applying those concerns to their own bodies—and the National Association of Basketball Coaches is trying to change that. For the second consecutive year, the NABC held a clinic on personal health and wellness for coaches as part of its Professional Development Series at the men’s Final Four weekend. The goal was getting coaches to think more about their own personal well-being and take steps to improve it. Both clinics attracted more than 200 coaches and were conducted by Dr. Robert Sallis, Co-Director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship at Kaiser Permanente in Fontana, Calif., and creator of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Exercise is Medicine program. “We wanted to bring someone in who could raise the awareness of the importance of taking care of their own health, since it’s some-
thing that coaches may not think about very often,” says Reggie Minton, Deputy Executive Director of the NABC and former Head Men’s Coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy. “Just because coaches are in the gym every day doesn’t mean they are doing enough healthy activities.”
As part of an NABC clinic on personal health and wellness held during the 2013 Men’s Final Four weekend, Dr. Robert Sallis recommended coaches get 30 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise a day.
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BULLETIN BOARD During the clinic, Sallis went over the Exercise is Medicine guidelines, which recommend 30 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise a day, such as walking, or 20 minutes of more intense work, which includes jogging, at least three days a week. This can be accomplished in shorter 10minute ON THE WEB blocks For more information on instead of the Exercise is Medicine 20- or 30program, go to: minute exerciseismedicine. bouts. The org/public.htm. guidelines also suggest strength training at least twice a week, doing eight to 12 reps of eight to 10 strengthtraining exercises. Coaches should consult with a physician before beginning any exercise program. To help make coaches more aware of their level of physical activity, Sallis gave them pedometers to track the number of steps they take each day. “You should get 10,000 steps a day, and that sounds like a lot, but it works out to about 30 minutes of walking,” Minton says. “And I tell our
coaches they don’t have to go out there and try to be an Olympic runner. All they have to do is break a sweat, and get their blood moving for 30 minutes.” Sallis’s experience and reputation make him someone coaches are willing to listen to. “Dr. Sallis travels all over the world talking about this topic, so I think he has a lot of credibility with the coaches,” Minton says. “But he also understands the time and energy that coaches put into their jobs, especially at the college level. He’s able to communicate at the same level our coaches do. He tells them that they’re always doing something for someone else, but this is something they have to do for themselves. “The message was tailored specifically for coaches,” he continues. “I think that made a world of difference.” Minton knows from secondhand stories that the message is getting through to some coaches. He also says the fact that attendance at the second clinic was strong is a good sign. There’s even been some thought to broadening the wellness effort beyond future Final Four sessions. But for now, Minton simply wants coaches to understand that they have to make their well-being a priority. “You
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can’t wait until you have the time, you have to make the time,” he says. “You have to schedule that time like you do a practice, so you know what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it.” Minton has some other suggestions for coaches who want to be healthier but aren’t sure where to start. “First and foremost I would say ‘Treat yourself the way you ask your players to treat their bodies,’” he says. “Get some rest, do some exercising, and eat properly. Second, when you have an ache or a pain, go talk with the athletic trainer or visit the team doctor—don’t just hope that it will go away. And third, see if you can break any unhealthy habits. I know this is all easier said than done, but these steps can make a big difference in your health.” Although he realizes his message will not be heard by all—or even most— coaches, Minton is not going to stop trying to spread the word. “We can’t force our coaches to do anything,” he says. “All we can do is put the information out there, and we’re going to continue do to so. If it sticks with five percent of the coaches who hear it, then that’s five percent we’ve helped.” CM
Q&A
Texas-Sized Success
Led by Head Coach Ken DeWeese, last season Kitrick Bell (#21) and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men’s team became the first squad from Texas to reach the NCAA Division III championship game.
Q&A with Ken Deweese | University of mary hardin-baylor
larry radloff/crusports.com (right)
When Ken DeWeese became Head Men’s Coach at the University of Mary HardinBaylor (UMHB) in 1998, he had his doubts that the Crusaders could become an NCAA Division III power. Fifteen years later, that’s exactly what they are. Last season, they advanced to the NCAA Division III championship game, becoming the first school from Texas to accomplish that feat, and DeWeese was named 2013 National Coach of the Year by D3hoops.com and Schelde North America/DIII News. During his time at UMHB, DeWeese has led the team to 14 postseason appearances, including six of the last seven NCAA Tournaments. Along the way, he has racked up a 287-125 record and won a pair of American Southwest Conference titles. CoachesNetwork.com
DeWeese started his coaching career in 1969, at what was then Smiley High School in Houston, and spent several years as a coach at three other high schools before becoming an assistant coach at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) from 1975 to 1980 under legendary coach Don Haskins. While at UTEP, DeWeese made the unusual decision to leave the NCAA Division I ranks and become Head Coach at McLennan Community College, a post he held for 16 years. During his tenure, the team compiled a record of 404-105 and won 11 conference titles. In 1992 and 1994, DeWeese was named the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Junior College Coach of the Year. DeWeese then worked as an assistant coach at Georgia State University for two seasons before taking over as head coach at UMHB, where he assumed the head coaching reins just prior to the Crusaders becoming a full NCAA Division III member. In this inter-
view, DeWeese talks about the challenges and benefits of coaching in Texas, learning to appreciate the level of competition in Division III, counseling coaches on seasonending losses, and selling his players on the value of good defense—even on nights they allow 92 points. CM: You found out UMHB was moving from NAIA to Division III not long after you were hired. What were your thoughts when you heard this news?
DeWeese: Honestly, I didn’t think it would work. I was pitifully ignorant and arrogant about Division III. I had never seen a D-III game and didn’t know many D-III coaches, so I didn’t think it was very competitive. Fifteen years later, I’ve yet to win a national title at this level, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for the players and coaches we compete against. I truly believe that this level embodies what the creators of college sports had in mind. Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013 11
Did you think it would be challenging to recruit basketball players to a D-III school in Texas?
Yes. Because of my experience at higher levels, I couldn’t imagine finding players who would be willing to work hard, go to class for four years, and be willing to pay their own way. I remember saying to the school’s thenpresident, “We’re never going to get five guys.” He looked at me sternly and responded, “Your problem is going to be having too many players and not being able to take them all.” I didn’t think he knew what he was talking about. Well, he absolutely did, because there were a lot of people moving here and several new high schools being built, but there weren’t many new colleges where these high school athletes could continue to play. It turns out numbers have never been a problem, and we have access to a lot of talented high school players. If we wanted, we could have dozens of players on the team. What is your philosophy on roster size and participation?
We don’t have a j.v. team here, and my policy is that I will never cut a player I’ve
asked to play for me. So we often start a season with 19 or 20 players on the roster. If I’ve misjudged a player’s ability and they’re not ready to play at this level—which has happened—I tell them that they’re still on the team, and they are welcome to work out with us to try to improve for next year. That can lead to some tough conversations, however. For example, one year we had 16 players on the roster, but we are only allowed to dress 15 for the NCAA Tournament. So I had to sit down with one of our athletes and explain to him that he couldn’t be in uniform for the game. What are the keys to making a conversation like that go well?
Be honest with the player. In this case, I told him I had a lot of respect for him and how hard he worked during the season. But I also told him we were required to make a decision, and he was the 16th player. I suggested he use that time to be introspective about what he could have done better in practices when given the opportunity and think about things that might have enabled him to be higher on the list. He took my
message to heart, and he was in our top 10 the next year. He later told me that conversation was one of the best things that happened to him because it forced him to admit he needed to work harder. One of the secrets to your team’s success is a defense-first mentality. Is that tough to impart on players?
Yes and no. Yes in the sense that playing defense isn’t something the athletes naturally want to do, because a lot of them weren’t always asked to do so on their AAU and high school teams. But no in the sense that if a coach commits to working on defense every day and stresses it as a way to get the offense to work better, the players will get on board. Another thing I stress to my players is that quality defense isn’t just about holding a team to 50 or 60 points. I have seen too many coaches do that, and they think they play good defense, when in reality, they just slow the game down. You can play solid defense and still end up allowing a lot of points. For example, when we beat Concordia University, Texas in the NCAA Tournament this year, we allowed 92 points, but
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Q&A we held them to 38 percent shooting. Their high total was largely because they pushed the pace, which also allowed us to score a lot of points and ultimately win the game. You often travel long distances to play conference road games. What are the challenges you must overcome to be successful?
Keeping players mentally and physically sharp is the biggest challenge. Our league is spread out geographically, so sometimes a two-game in-conference road trip can last four or five days. Last year, we had six straight conference road games, and I knew it could be a rough stretch for the guys. We do several things to make sure our players stay sharp. For example, last season we scheduled November road games against Whitworth University and Whitman College in Washington state on a weekend, with a road game the following Wednesday in San Antonio. That got the team used to traveling long distances. Additionally, we made the practices before those games a bit longer and more intense in order to push the athletes physically.
During our day off between the Whitworth and Whitman games, several players got food poisoning, so they weren’t available for practice the next day. That, combined with injuries we already had, left eight guys who could participate, but we pushed them hard and no one complained. Even though we lost the Whitman game, I remember thinking that the players were tougher than I expected, and that we might turn out to be really good. Why did you decide to leave a Division I program like UTEP for the job at McLennan?
It was the right time for me to take on a new challenge and lead a program my way. Over the years, I had recruited a number of players to UTEP from McLennan, and I loved the campus and facilities when I visited. After one of those recruiting trips, I told my friends and family, “That is a junior college job I would happily take if it ever became available.” A few months later, it was. I interviewed, got the position, and spent 16 great seasons there.
For several years, you’ve helped other coaches handle season-ending losses. How did that come about?
Years ago, I gave a speech at a coaching clinic in which I discussed why coaches have trouble dealing with season-ending losses. I told them that if they don’t handle those setbacks properly, they won’t be mentally ready for the next season. I speak from experience because I know how disgusted I get when other teams are playing and we’re sitting at home. So when I talk to a coach, I work on getting them into the right mindset for the next year. I tell them that I understand how a season-ending loss can feel like the death of a close friend—because that’s how it feels to me. But I stress to them that rather than dwelling on it, they need to shift their focus to the next year. I tell them to look ahead and view the upcoming season and that group of players the same way a proud mother or father would view a new child, with excitement for the things to come, fully embracing the new opportunities and challenges in front of them. CM
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VCU guard Darius Theus is taught by Head Men’s Coach Shaka Smart to always be on the attack. Smart and other coaches share their insights on pushing the pace and scoring in order to play winning basketball.
COVER STORY
on the
offensive For the past few years, scoring at the college levels has fallen at a historic rate. However, a few top coaches are finding ways to win while lighting up scoreboards. By Mary Kate Murphy
ap photo/steve helber
The 2012-13 men’s college basketball season marked a new low for scoring. According to the NCAA’s statistics, the national points per game average for Division I teams was 67.5, the lowest since 1951-52. Some of the best teams in the country won games by posting fewer than 50 points, including Georgetown University, which earned a 37-36 win over the University of Tennessee. In addition, last year’s Division I average of 66 possessions per game marked the slowest pace of the past decade. The decrease was felt across all levels of the college game. For example, women’s Division II experienced a steady decline over a five-year period. Scoring per team went from 66.4 points per game in 2008-09 to 63.8 last season. In the past five years, men’s Division III teams have gone from averaging 72.0 points per game to 69.8 in 2012-13. A variety of theories for the change in the game have been offered. Some coaches and analysts say the current shot clock in the men’s game is too long while others argue the game has become too physical, mak-
ing it more difficult to score around the rim. And then there are complaints that many of today’s head coaches run stagnant stationto-station offenses and stifle the creativity of their players. While the first two issues may be largely out of a coach’s hands, responsibility for the second two falls squarely on their shoulders. We talked to successful high school and college coaches whose teams run offensive systems known for their efficiency or uptempo pace. They offer their thoughts on
take every possible way to score and put them all into one offensive system. So we utilize ball screens, off-ball screens, back cuts, dribble penetration, and post-ups.” Shaka Smart, Head Men’s Coach at Virginia Commonwealth University, challenges current basketball norms on both ends of the floor by using a style that is simply referred to as “Havoc.” Known for its high-octane offense and stingy defense, this balanced system has made the Rams one of the top 10 scoring teams in Division I with a top 20 adjusted
lifeblood of Behn’s system. “We substitute in shifts like an ice hockey team because we always want to have fresh legs on the floor,” she says. “Each shift stays on the court for two to three minutes, and we often play 12 to 13 women each game.” Combining two styles into a hybrid offense is something Stephen Miss, Head Men’s Coach at Belmont Abbey College, does as well. He pairs a traditional halfcourt structure with a run-and-gun transition scheme that produces 87 points per
“I call it ‘my way or their way.’ When we defend well, resulting in a missed shot or a turnover, I let the players run the fast break. However, if the other team scores, we use my system, which is a structured, high-post offense.” stephen miss, belmont Abbey College the lack of scoring and explain their philosophies on developing a productive offense and learning to put the game in their players’ hands. ATTACK EARLY
Jim Crutchfield, Head Men’s Coach at West Liberty University, is one coach who believes that many of his contemporaries value caution more than creativity on offense. “Teams are not aggressively looking for shots when they bring the ball up the floor,” he says. “There is a huge difference in the way coaches approach offense in the last 15 seconds of the shot clock compared to the first 20. Almost every time, they’ll have their players pass the ball around and then with 10 to 12 seconds left on the shot clock, set a high ball screen and attack the basket. But teams don’t have to be this contrived to be successful.” An outsider looking at Crutchfield’s West Liberty squad would have no idea that college basketball teams have had trouble putting points on the board. Appearing in two NCAA Division II semifinals and another quarterfinal since 2011, his Hilltoppers have averaged more than 100 points a game for each of the past four seasons, yet Crutchfield says he’s never made lighting up the scoreboard a priority. “Our system is geared towards winning, not scoring a lot of points,” he says. “That’s never been one of our goals. I’m more concerned with getting high percentage shots.” Taking and sinking those high percentage shots has made Crutchfield’s motion-based offense one of the most efficient in college basketball. “It’s not a lot different than other motion systems except that ours starts the moment we get the ball, no matter where or how that happens,” he says. “Our goal is to 16 Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013
offensive efficiency—an estimate of the number of points scored per 100 possessions against an average opponent. “With our style of play, the different aspects of the game work off each other,” says Smart. “The offense is connected to the defense and vice versa. My offensive philosophy is straightforward: to score as many points as possible. To accomplish this, we like to speed the ball up the floor and hit one of the options off our primary break— a shooter on the wing for a three, one of our bigs diving to the block, or our point guard driving the lane. And my defensive philosophy is to force turnovers and bad shots so we can get the ball back quickly.” A 2,500-point scorer both in high school and again during a successful career at Boston College, Sarah Behn, Head Women’s Coach at the University of MassachusettsLowell, says she has always been a fan of shooters having the “green light.” After returning to collegiate coaching in 2011 following a 10-year hiatus spent at the high school level, she decided to ignore current trends emphasizing slow, methodical play and coach what she was comfortable with. She ended up with a squad that was second in NCAA Division II scoring last season. “We’ve implemented a hybrid of the uptempo, run-and-gun systems currently used by Grinnell College and the Loyola Marymount University teams of the 1980s and 1990s,” she says. “Although those programs run a little faster and score a little more than we do, we aim to cross half-court within four seconds and shoot within 12. Our goal is to take 80 or more shots a game with at least 40 coming from beyond the three-point line.” Because of the rapid tempo at which UMass-Lowell plays, substitutions are the
game. “I call it ‘my way or their way,’” he says. “When we defend well, resulting in a missed shot or a turnover, I let the players run the fast break. However, if the other team scores, we use my system, which is a structured, high-post offense.” Even when your team’s DNA is to push the pace, there are times when your opponent refuses to cooperate, and you need to adjust. Mike McConathy, Head Men’s Coach at Northwestern State University, is no stranger to opponents using slow-down tactics. The highest scoring and third-fastest team in NCAA Division I last season, Northwestern State often faces teams that try to bring the game to a crawl. “When that happens, we turn our defense up a notch,” McConathy says. “If we’re playing a squad that runs a lot of half-court sets, we make sure to be up in the passing lanes and really pressure their ball handlers. We try to wear them down and get them to play our tempo. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but that’s a risk we take.” STEPPING BACK
A popular belief holds that the pace of today’s game has slowed due to the influence of over-controlling coaches who micromanage every possession. Duggar Baucom, Head Men’s Coach at Virginia Military Institute, calls these individuals “joystick coaches,” but says he understands their need to be in charge. “Nowadays, some coaches are paid a lot of money, and all of us are under tremendous pressure to get our teams to perform,” he says.
MARY KATE MURPHY is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management. She can be reached at: mkmurphy@MomentumMedia.com.
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COVER STORY
“I think it’s natural to want to manage everything tightly when your job is on the line.” Baucom admits that he used to be a controlling coach. During his first season at VMI in 2005-06, the Keydets finished 7-20 predominantly playing half-court offense and packed-in defense. After losing two of his star players in the off-season and looking to shake things up on a team that hadn’t had a winning record in a decade, Baucom instituted a new style of play one week before the first game of the 2006-07 season. The scheme is based on a philosophy of “shoot the ball before we turn it over,” and the team’s goal was to take 100 shots per game, with at least 50 of them being threepointers. In the system’s inaugural season, Baucom’s squad doubled its win total from the previous year and led the nation in scoring with 100.9 points per game. Baucom’s squad was eighth in the country in scoring last year, and he has been so successful with the current system that he can’t envision ever going back. “Our second year using the system, we won 24 games, and we’ve made it to three Big South Conference championships,” Baucom says. “Playing this
way also helps in recruiting. I’ve never heard a kid say, ‘I can’t wait for my coach to control all my shots.’ When I sit down with prospects and explain how we run our offense, they say, ‘Well, that sounds like a fun way to play!’” Even at the high school level, learning to loosen your grip can pay dividends. “Early in my career, I wanted to show everyone how good of a coach I was,” says Tom Costello, Head Boys’ Coach at Dublin (Calif.) High School, whose team averages close to 80 points per game and reached the NorCal Division I championship contest last season. “Back then, we had a ton of plays in our arsenal, and I called out something different every time we came up the floor. However, that strategy didn’t work because my players were bogged down by all of the possible plays running through their heads. Since then, I’ve learned to simplify the offense and let my players dictate the action.” A key part of running a fast and efficient offense is trusting the players to make good on-court decisions. Crutchfield says allowing his squad so much freedom is starting to turn his hair gray, but he has learned that some mistakes are inevitable.
“A player makes an offensive decision every second,” he says. “When the ball moves, they think, ‘Where do I go? Do I screen? Do I cut? What should I do?’ Because my team is on offense for roughly half the game, each individual makes 1,200 decisions. With five guys on the court, that’s at least 6,000 per contest for the team. “Of those 6,000 decisions, at least 1,000 are going to be bad ones at first, and you have to understand that,” Crutchfield continues. “As a coach, your goal should be to get that number down to 900, then 800, and so on.” Crutchfield also believes that a huge key to offensive production is building up his players’ confidence, something he learned from legendary coach Jerry Tarkanian. “I called Coach Tarkanian when he was at UNLV to find out why his teams were so good at scoring,” says Crutchfield. “He told me about a former player who wasn’t a good perimeter shooter in college, but was great from downtown once he got to the NBA. One day, Tarkanian asked him, ‘Why are you shooting so well now?’ And the player responded, ‘Coach, every time I shot the ball for you, there was always a question mark in
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my mind over whether or not I was making the right choice.’ “What I got from that was: When your players know they’re supposed to shoot,
choices clearer and defensive execution more successful. Smart spends a great deal of time in the preseason getting each player comfortable
guarding him? Next, does he work on this look outside of practice? Finally, if it is off the pass, did he catch the ball clean and ready to shoot? If the answer to each ques-
“I want a player to consider three things before each shot. First, is it one that he can routinely make in practice with no one guarding him? Next, does he work on this look outside of practice? Finally, if it is off the pass, did he catch the ball clean and ready to shoot?” SHAKA SMART, virginia commonwealth University they’re going to be better shooters,” he continues. “So we don’t allow that question to enter our guys’ heads. If they have an open shot, we want them to take it, and we make that very clear.” PRACTICING INDEPENDENCE
As many of these coaches have discovered, a large component of trusting their players is allowing them some freedom when it comes to shot selection and on-thecourt decision-making. Establishing expectations for each player can make their
with the different looks he might see within Havoc. “We start by running through our offense without any defense,” he says. “We add it later when the team gets acclimated. Eventually, we’ll get to what we call ‘Style of Play’ segments, where we scrimmage nonstop for four minutes to teach our guys how to make offensive decisions at high speeds.” The preseason is also when Smart outlines his criteria for a good shot. “I want a player to consider three things before each shot,” he says. “First, is it one that he can routinely make in practice with no one
tion isn’t ‘yes,’ it’s probably not a shot we want him to take.” To help his players determine what is and isn’t a good shot for them, Miss developed a ranking system. “We rate them from one to 10, with 10 being a shot that always goes in, which is an impossibility,” he says. “Our goal is to get a seven, eight, or nine every time we are on offense. For different players, that means different things. For example, a 22-footer for my shooting guard might be a seven, but it would be a two for my center.”
slow & steady When is it not a good time to install a fast-breaking offense that scores points in bunches? Jim Molinari, Head Men’s Coach at
Western Illinois University, was named the 2013 NABC District 12 Coach of the Year after his team finished the season with a program-best 22 wins and captured the Summit League regular-season title. The Leathernecks did all this while averaging 57.9 possessions a game, the lowest in NCAA Division I. Molinari’s philosophy is to be honest about his program’s weaknesses. “It’s important to evaluate where you are,” says Molinari, who has also served as Head Men’s Coach at Northern Illinois University and Bradley University. “My beliefs stem from The Art of War by Sun Tzu. Tzu says that if you have more troops than your opponent, you attack. If you have fewer troops, you defend. At all the places I’ve been, we’ve had less talent for a multitude of reasons, such as a lack of basketball tradition or facilities.” As a result, Molinari uses a style based on reducing the number of possessions in a game. “We run a half-court offense that relies heavily on pick and rolls, screen and rolls, and on-ball screens,” he says. “Defensively, we
18 Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013
protect our basket, and we were second in the country last season in points allowed. With this strategy, there are fewer chances for our opponent to score, which gives us an improved chance to win.” Another key to Molinari’s philosophy is limiting his team’s turnovers. “There are so few possessions due to our style of play, so we can’t afford to turn the ball over and let our opponent score out of our offense,” he says. “I won’t tolerate turnovers, so that puts pressure on my players to take care of the ball.” Molinari is used to critics who say his games aren’t exciting to watch. However, he points to increased attendance at Western Illinois’s home games as proof that success can trump excitement. “People want to be a part of winning,” he says. “When you’re successful, your fans will embrace you regardless of how you go about putting points on the board.” At the end of the day, Molinari is satisfied with his program’s identity. “I believe you are what you do, and the same is true of a basketball team,” he says. “Our style of play is our identity. My biggest job as a coach is to get my players to buy into it, accept it, and ultimately, embrace it.”
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COVER STORY
Miss also understands that a lot of things are out of his control, so his approach is to instruct heavily during practice and leave the games in his players’ hands. “By tip-off, I believe the best coaches have already prepared their team for any scenario they’ll see,” he says. “I don’t think winning rests on calling a timeout at the perfect time or drawing up the perfect play. I don’t believe in the ‘magic pen’ during late-game situations. My players never run a play that we haven’t practiced.”
skill that resulted in the highest combined score since the 2009 title game. Although the regular season was plagued with physical games, poor shooting performances, and lowscoring outcomes, some view the title match as a sign of things to come. “Coaches tend to go with the flow of what is successful,” says Crutchfield. “Since Louisville won the national championship, I’d expect more teams to start playing like them. And that might mean more full-court pressure and an uptick in scoring.”
As for the coaches who decide to continue running their contained, conventional offenses, Crutchfield thinks they are missing out. “It’s hard to sit back and watch mistakes occur, so it’s understandable that coaches want to have control at all times,” he says. “But when you do that, all the good things that could happen if your players had a bit more freedom get thrown out the window. Part of coaching is enjoying what you do. And I think being creative and doing things differently leads to a more enjoyable experience.” CM
CHALLENGE OF CHANGE
Trying to play fast and rack up a lot of points in a game that is increasingly slow and low scoring will present challenges for some coaches. When Gary Barnes, Head Boys’ Coach at Chestatee High School in Gainesville, Ga., switched from a traditional halfcourt offense to an up-tempo, transition-based style, he found he was the biggest obstacle. “When I played in high school and college, our offense consisted of walking the ball up the court and running a play,” he says. “For my first 12 years as a coach, I thought that was what you had to do to win. It was difficult to let go of my conventional ways of thinking.” Other times, it’s the players’ habits that need to be broken, especially if they are used to a different style of play. “A lot of our athletes were taught in high school to turn and run back on defense after a missed shot,” says Baucom. “But at VMI, we press fullcourt after every shot, whether it’s a make or miss, so we need to teach our kids to find their man and face-guard him instead.” Another learned behavior that coaches might have to change is a student-athlete expecting to play most of the game. In a system like Costello’s, where he typically rotates 11 players and frequently subs them in and out, none of his athletes play the whole game, and some have difficulty accepting this. “Last season, we had 11 seniors,” he says. “Of course each one thought, ‘This is my year to shine.’ But we frequently had five guys coming off the bench that could have started for any other team in our league. “To help them accept reduced playing time, I met with each player one-on-one to talk about his strengths, weaknesses, and where he fits within the structure of our team,” Costello continues. “I think this communication went a long way in making it easier for them.”
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LEADERSHIP
If a season turns difficult, Jane Albright, Head Women’s Coach at the University of Nevada, says coaches should be on the lookout for teaching opportunities.
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH
A losing season can take its toll on even the most experienced coach. Learning strategies for handling such a year can make a big difference. By Von Mitchell
CoachesNetwork.com
Anyone who has worn a head coach’s whistle for even a short period of time would likely agree that the competitive season can be overwhelming. From planning practices to preparing for competition to communicating with constituents, it can often feel as if there is more to do every day than is humanly possible. That is especially true at the high school level, where most coaches also have to balance teaching responsibilities. “By the end of the year, I’m dog-tired,” says Jack Thomson, Head Baseball Coach at Sierra High School in Manteca, Calif. “You try to make sure you Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013 21
do a good job in the classroom and with your team on the field, and that puts a lot on your plate.” While they may not have a teaching load, many college coaches have additional tasks beyond running their team. “Sometimes you have a season that’s going well, but you have outside stuff going on,” says Kelly Sullivan, Head Women’s Track and Field Coach at Oregon State University. “For example, right now I’m in the midst of an enormous fundraiser to help us build a new track facility. The future of our program depends on me raising the funds for this project, so there is some outside pressure.” Coaches must also deal with the inevitable criticism that comes with their profession. “The environment we coach in has changed a lot due to social media,” says Randy Montgomery, Head Boys’ Basketball Coach at Hoover High School in North Canton, Ohio. “People get on Web sites and say things they didn’t used to say. You have to deal with that.” All the extra responsibilities and time spent at work are worth it when the wins are piling up and your athletes are improving every day. But what about those seasons that don’t go well? How do you get through a year when none of your strategies seem to work, injuries pile up, and heads are hanging low? Bruce Keith has spent 40 years in education, 32 of them pacing the sidelines as Head Football Coach for various high schools in North Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado. Although he has won seven state titles (one at Divide County High School in North Dakota and six at Sheridan High School in Wyoming), he also vividly remembers the down years. “There was one season when, by the fifth week, we had lost seven kids for the year,” he says. “It seemed like every time we made a little progress, we lost another key component and got set back. It was frustrating.” There’s a lot of advice available for coaches on how to win. In this article, we ask veteran coaches to share their insights on how to survive a season when losing takes center stage. KEEPING PERSPECTIVE
In the area of attitude, few compare to Jane Albright, Head Women’s Basketball Coach at the University of Nevada. After three decades of coaching, she has molded a wonderful perspective that any coach can use in the midst of a difficult season. “There’s a teaching opportunity in every-
thing,” Albright says. “In a season like we had last year, where kids are working very hard but we are losing, you can teach them many important things. “One is that there’s a huge difference between being a loser and losing,” she continues. “Just because you lose games, that does not make you a loser. I’m very much into John Wooden and his definition of success—peace of mind comes from doing your best to become the best you are capable of becoming. When we lost games this past year, we talked about what we could do better and stressed that as long as the players truly did their best, they were not losers.” Albright feels that’s a great lesson for both athletes and coaches. “In my first season as a high school coach, we finished 3-17,” she says. “That was the first losing team I’d ever been a part of, and it was an eye-opening experience. But I learned that sometimes you can do your very best and still not be good. It’s a lesson we all need to know, and there’s not that much wrong with losing as long as you’re doing your very best.” Keith trumpets the importance of being
dependable as a coach in the middle of a tough season. “I tried to always keep how I treated the players and how I prepared consistent,” he says. “The plan pretty much remained the same whether we were 0-8 or 8-0. “Maybe we stunk on Friday night, but the kids would come in on Monday and know how we were going to do things,” he continues. “It wasn’t like, ‘Okay, you played badly on Friday so I’m going to run you into the dirt.’ I didn’t do that. To me, that shows a lack of maturity.” It was also important to Keith to still be a great teacher of football during down times. “We tried really hard to teach our kids how to play the game the right way,” he says. “I had a couple of teams where, because we were so young, we knew it was going to be a while before we could be competitive. So we focused on making the kids better football players as opposed to getting them ready with a particular game plan. The idea was, ‘We’re going to play football Monday through Thursday to get better and hope it shows up a little bit Friday night,’ all the while knowing that Friday night might be tough.
AFTER THE GAME What coach doesn’t over-think things after a close game—win or lose? Losing, especially, begets an onslaught of self-
analysis: I should have tried a different strategy, I should have played so-and-so. And winning a nail-biter can throw enough adrenaline into the system to keep a normally placid individual awake long past bedtime. So what have the veterans learned? “After a game, I go out with my wife and assistant coaches,” says Randy Montgomery, Head Boys’ Basketball Coach at Hoover High School in North Canton, Ohio. “We sit around and talk for a while. As a head coach, you re-live everything— especially if you lose. I try not to watch film until the next day, though.” “I used to drive myself nuts watching film,” says Bruce Keith, a retired high school head football coach, who made stops in North Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado. “I’d bring it home Friday night and watch it through the night, sometimes until sunrise on Saturday. I realized after a while that it was counterproductive, so I stopped. I think the best way for me to unwind was just to be with my wife and talk about it, or to not talk about it, but just to be with her.“ “Win or lose, I have trouble sleeping after games,” admits Dawn Redd, Head Volleyball Coach at Beloit College. “So I make sure that when I come home, I just sit for a half-hour to an hour—no matter what. Even if I get home at 1 a.m., I sit and process how everything went.” Jack Thomson, Head Baseball Coach at Sierra High School in Manteca, Calif., also always finds a way to unwind. “After a tough game, sometimes I’ll come home and run,” he says. “Sometimes we’ll just talk as a coaching staff after a game and sometimes we’ll meet with the players to figure out a solution together.”
VON MITCHELL is a freelance writer as well as a business teacher and Head Boys’ Basketball Coach at Delta (Colo.) High School. He can be reached at: vandmmitchell@aol.com.
22 Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013
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LEADERSHIP
“We just tried to stay steady and positive,” Keith continues. “We showed the kids that what’s really important is staying upbeat, working hard, and improving both individually and as a team.” Thomson agrees. “The number one way to keep your sanity in a losing season is to focus on the process and not on the result,” he says. “If you can keep that in mind, it alleviates a lot of pressure. By concentrating on teaching the kids, everything else kind of takes care of itself.”
any criticism he received as a football coach. “My wife did a great job with our kids, helping them keep a proper perspective about what I was doing,” he says. “My son played for me and then later coached with me, so he understood. I saw my daughters cry a couple of times, but my wife would sit in the stands with the kids and set an example of having class and being dignified. She taught them that even if people were critical of me and what I was doing, the family was going to be positive and strong.”
son, if I can get three or four days of workouts in a week, I’m pretty excited about that.” Any workout can help, even if it’s a quick reprieve. “In the last five or six years, I’ve gotten into cross-fitness workouts,” says Thomson. “It’s five days a week for about a half-hour. They’re short duration, high intensity sessions so I don’t have to commit an hour and a half to do them.” Sometimes, the best medicine is just to get away altogether. “I’m a Sabbath person, so I don’t work on Sundays,” says Albright. “I read
“So anytime I’m in the position to gently tell them a harsh truth, I do. Sometimes the truth is that the other team or person was better. It shouldn’t be the end of their world. Being real is always a good thing. You address it and keep trying to move the player forward.” Part of that teaching can be showing young people that real life has its ups and downs. “Our kids today live in a world where they’ve been coddled and given trophies and told they’re the best there is,” says Albright. “So anytime I’m in the position to gently tell them a harsh truth, I do. Sometimes the truth is that the other team or person was better. It shouldn’t be the end of their world. Being real is always a good thing. You address it and keep trying to move the player forward.” At the same time, Keith points out the importance of not letting things get too serious. “I tried real hard to inject humor into practices and meetings,” he says. “There are just some things that are funny. I want the kids to work. I want them to be intense. But I want them to know it’s okay to laugh. They can’t be turtlenecked all the time. When kids are having fun in practice, they’ll be more attentive and they’ll play harder. I think it really works against you if you try to intimidate them.” One last way to keep perspective is to remember the big picture. “There is more to what I’m doing than winning and losing,” says Sullivan. “It’s about relationships with people. I’m in my 32nd year of college coaching and I still love bouncing ideas off other people to see what they think. I’ve coached at all different levels and enjoy friendships with a lot of different people.” FAMILY FOCUS
Balancing work with family is an ongoing struggle for many coaches. When the season is not living up to expectations, it can be even tougher to not bring problems home. That’s why coaches say it’s important to have some strategies in place ahead of time to handle it. For Keith, the hardest part was making sure his family was not negatively affected by CoachesNetwork.com
What works well for Thomson is to not bring the game home. “I think it’s important that you have your coaching time and you have your family time and you don’t mix the two,” he says. “When I leave the baseball field, I try to leave the game there. That doesn’t mean I don’t wake up in the middle of the night thinking about baseball sometimes. Just like everybody else, I have my sleepless nights. But I don’t come home and rehash the game with my wife.” Montgomery takes the opposite approach, making his team a family affair. “My family loves it,” he says. “That’s the key for us. My wife and my daughters enjoy basketball as much as I do and it’s pretty much our life. We go to Las Vegas in the summers and watch the high school tournament while we’re out there. Everything is built around basketball.” Dawn Redd, Head Volleyball Coach at Beloit College, plans time for her family in a structured way, taking a trip prior to the start of the season. “Before the hectic time hits, I try to take a vacation with my family,” she says. “We then get good quality time together since it can be rough during the season.” Time for YOU
While taking care of your team and your family can be difficult enough on its own, it’s also important to take care of yourself. Especially during a trying season, you need to keep your body and mind functioning at their best. “To keep my sanity, I have to work out,” says Redd. “I play volleyball in what I call an old ladies league—I just go out and have fun. I also do a fitness class at my gym. I don’t work out at school, which a lot of coaches do. I like to get away so I have a little space between work and my personal life. In sea-
and play with my dogs. I have a lot of friends. I get away from it. I think that’s why I still coach at age 57.” Eating right can also be important to maintaining your personal health. “I try to cook at home—even if it’s something in the crock pot,” says Redd. “If I know it’s going to be a late night, I’ll bring a lunch and also a healthy dinner I’ve prepared at home.” “I’m blessed with a wife who’s a good cook,” says Thomson. “So at home we eat very balanced meals. We don’t eat out much. You can probably count on one hand the number of times during a month when we eat out. I make breakfast every day. It might be oatmeal or it might be eggs and a meat, but I try to eat a good breakfast. I take my lunch to school, and when we travel I always try to pack my own food.” ALL WORTH IT
At the end of a losing season, it can be tempting to hang up your whistle and call it quits. But those who have been in it for the long haul always find a way to come back. “There are so many ups and downs in coaching and it can consume you,” says Montgomery. “But if you can balance it all and keep making it fun, it’s a great thing. I’ve avoided being consumed by it for these 33 years because I love it.” Thomson keeps going because he knows he’s making a difference. “Coaching has given me an opportunity to connect with a lot of young people and hopefully be a positive influence in their lives,” he says. “We’ve had our share of success, but the connections are what make it all special.” CM Versions of this article have run in other sportspecific editions of Coaching Management. Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013 23
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STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
end to end AP PHOTO/BEN MARGOT
To dominate play through a long season, this author suggests correcting asymmetries and training with “monster” lifts during the preseason. By Timothy DiFrancesco Some coaches approach the preseason like a student preparing for a big exam. They cram and try to get ready for the season in a very condensed time period. However, this is a recipe for disaster for strength
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and conditioning coaches. Players are more apt to suffer an injury when they’re overworked, and performance gains made during the off-season can suffer. In other words, the team may fail that exam. Let’s look at a simple but critical plan to get the most out of the preseason and avoid getting an “F.” First and foremost, the preseason should start with screening players for asymmetries and deficiencies. It should also involve strength, plyometric, and conditioning work. While the specifics of the programming need to be tailored to the individual players, this framework can be applied to any team at any level during the preseason. Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013 25
RETHINKING THE PRESEASON
I think it is important to periodically reevaluate preseason training’s role in the competitive season. This is not a time to cram in as much work as possible, but rather a piece of the puzzle to a successful season. First, it is important to remember the big picture: The team needs to be peaking physically during the playoffs, not the first games of what can be a very long season.
you have previously screened may only need a quick look to determine if any major changes have developed over the off-season, it is crucial to pay close attention when evaluating athletes who are new to the team. It takes time to identify and correct movement asymmetries, but if not addressed, unnecessary non-contact injuries could result. Although individual screenings are ideal, you can evaluate athletes in a group setting,
The following core activation positions can be used for this preliminary reboot: n Breathing in supine n Supine/prone/rolling patterns n Bridge patterns, including the “get-up” n Tall-kneeling n Half-kneeling n Quadruped n Split stance n Squat stance.
Strong players will always be assets to any team, as will players who move well. But strong players who also move well are the dream athletes. Not only does this combination result in an elite player, a strong player with above average movement patterns is less likely to suffer a non-contact injury. There may be many team and individual goals that need to be met prior to the playoffs, but every player should be at their physical best in the postseason. Because you can back off as the season progresses, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that more is better in the preseason. Players may come in out of shape and it is normal to feel the immediate urge to help them cram for the exam. However, you can always increase training volume as the season progresses, but you can never undo damage done by overworking your players in the preseason. Athletes can tolerate only a certain volume of training, practicing, and competing before their bodies respond negatively with signs of overtraining, injury, or both. All of the performance gains in the world are useless if an injury keeps a player off the court. The preseason is a period that should be used to identify and avoid sources of non-contact injury while you prepare the athletes to play and showcase performance gains that were made in the off-season. MOVEMENT SCREENING
Strong players will always be assets to any team, as will players who move well. But strong players who also move well are the dream athletes. Not only does this combination result in an elite player, a strong player with above average movement patterns is less likely to suffer a non-contact injury. The concept sounds simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Achieving an ideal combination of strength and movement ability begins with a movement screen or assessment. This is the starting point and most important part of the journey to peaking during the playoffs. There are numerous types of screenings and assessments. While returning athletes 26 Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013
since your assessments don’t have to be complicated. You can easily gain insight into players’ quality of motion just by analyzing their form as they perform bodyweight squats, lunges, and single-leg squats. Grading the quality and symmetry of these fundamental movement patterns can help you decide which direction to take the players’ preseason training programs. I see several common movement and strength asymmetries or limitations in basketball players. To varying degrees, they include: n Poor ankle mobility n Poor hip mobility/strength n Valgus collapse during the single-leg squat n Poor overhead squat pattern with hip hinge or forward trunk lean n Poor thoracic spine mobility n Poor single-leg deadlift pattern. You should immediately correct asymmetries or limitations you find because there is great potential for injury when coaches proceed with strength and conditioning programming for athletes who do not have quality fundamental movement patterns. When athletes who cannot do a quality body weight deep squat load two to three times their body weight on a bar, they are magnifying the dysfunction, which in turn puts them at a greater risk for injury. To address an asymmetry or limitation, start with primitive pattern training. The first step is to activate the core to work in appropriate neuromuscular reflexive patterns. The core needs to be able to provide stability for the spine and trunk while the hips and shoulders do dynamic work from many different stances and positions. Over time, core activation patterns can atrophy, and a quick system reboot may be all that is necessary to recreate a solid foundation for strength and power training.
Implementing appropriate primitive pattern training is a great launching pad to addressing general mobility/stability limitations. But be prepared to narrow your focus for specific asymmetries found in the movement screen. Asymmetry correction becomes much more effective when you are able to pair the primitive pattern training with corrective exercises that target identified issues. Here are a few common asymmetries/limitations and their corresponding corrective exercises: n Poor ankle mobility: Suspension strapassisted dorsiflexion n Valgus collapse during single-leg squat: Side-lying clam shells, eccentric single-leg squats, and bowler squats n Poor thoracic spine mobility: Thoracic spine prayer. Athletes who have basic movement pattern limitations or significant weaknesses should address the identified issues before progressing to more advanced training techniques like plyometrics or circuit training. You may have to remind these players of the long-term goal of peak postseason performance during this beginning phase. STRENGTH WORK
Although correction of movement asymmetries and limitations should be the primary focus during the preseason, it does not have to be the only one. It is appropriate and necessary to begin movement correction while simultaneously addressing strength limitations. In fact, sometimes movement dysfunction is a result of strength limitation. Timothy DiFrancesco is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. He has also worked in the NBA Developmental League as a Head Athletic Trainer and co-founded TD Athletes Edge, a performance training facility in Massachusetts. He can be reached at: tdifranc@tdathletesedge.com or on Twitter at: @tdathletesedge.
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STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
A quote from Pavel Tsatsouline and Dan John in their book, Easy Strength, sums it up nicely: “Everything else being equal, the stronger fighter shall prevail every time.” In other words, you simply can’t make up for a lack of strength during competition of any sport. Especially in the preseason, you need to find ways to build upon strength gains made in the off-season while avoiding significant soreness. I have found that the best way to do this is to lift very heavy for low reps and higher sets. A lot of coaches who train basketball players think that because it is such an explosive/plyometric sport that lifting heavy is not a priority. Tsatsouline and John write in their book, “They forget that if you want a monster vertical, you will need a monster squat first.” I tend to stick in the range of four to six sets while using a rep range of two to six for many of our “monster” exercises. I use the term “monster” to describe exercises that target power muscles such as the glute and
work. Combining the right types of exercises trains both strength and power, which are necessary for all aspects of the game of basketball. It is important to remember that only players who first perform well in a movement screen test should progress to plyometric work. When you pair a plyometric movement with a strength-based exercise, think about the muscle group you are working and select a plyometric exercise that will challenge that same group. The following pairs are examples of what I use: n Goblet squat and box jump n Hex bar deadlift and broad jump n Half-kneeling dumbbell alternating vertical press and med ball squat to vertical throw n Rear foot-elevated dumbbell goblet squat and single leg-elevated jump. To avoid overtraining, I follow a basic set of rules when pairing plyometric and strength exercises:
WCE circuits are a simple way to address explosiveness, power, agility, and anaerobic capacity, all while avoiding repetitive movements in the same plane, which can lead to overuse injury. The key to designing a WCE circuit is to keep it short and simple while putting a premium on quality of movement. When I am developing a WCE circuit for the team, I keep the following in mind: n Only the players who pass the movement screen are ready for WCE circuits. n Keep the number of exercises between four and six to avoid compromising the quality of form and work. n The order of the exercises can make or break the circuit’s effectiveness. Complex and total-body exercises can exhaust an athlete, so these types of exercises should not be placed too close together in the circuit order. n Keep the amount of upper-body and lower-body work comparable. If too many
When you pair a plyometric movement with a strengthbased exercise, think about the muscle group you are working and select a plyometric exercise that will challenge that same group. hip musculature. This type of exercise gives us more bang for our buck. One example of a monster exercise in my toolbox is the goblet squat. It is an extremely simple exercise, but has a ton of reward combined with very little risk. Other lower-body exercises that fall into this category include the hex bar deadlift or squat and the rear footelevated dumbbell goblet lunge. Upper-body monster exercises in my toolbox include pushup variations, single-arm bent over dumbbell rows, and suspension strap inverted rows. PLYOMETRIC WORK
The preseason is a good time to pair strength-based exercises with plyometric
Avoid more than two pairs per workout When your strength exercise has 10 or more reps per set, use half of that number of reps for the plyometric exercise n When your strength exercise has less than 10 reps per set, use that number of reps for the plyometric exercise n When in doubt ... less is better! n n
WORK CAPACITY ENHANCEMENT
The final piece of our preseason plan is conditioning, which does not include the traditional running of sprints after practice. This is where our work capacity enhancement (WCE) circuits, or interval circuit training, come in (see “WCE Circuit” below).
WCE Circuit Here is an example of a work capacity enhancement (WCE) circuit we commonly use during the preseason. Athletes would take a one-minute break after their first time through, then repeat the circuit a second time.
Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Station 4
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Med ball footwork throws x12 each arm Elevated alternating single-leg jumps x30 Half-kneeling med ball slams x12 each side Various ladder footwork drills x4 laps
upper-body or lower-body exercises are sequenced together, quality will diminish. n Grip dominance should be considered when choosing or organizing exercises for the circuit. Too many grip-dominant exercises will compromise quality of movement. n Duration of the circuit varies and should be examined each day. It’s best to base it on workload in the days leading up to the circuit, workload on the day of the circuit, and planned workload in the days after the circuit. A linear increase in duration is not necessarily an effective approach. I prefer to take these variables into account and alternate the length of each workout from short (30 to 90 seconds), to medium (90 seconds to three minutes), to long (three to five minutes). Your training program should and will change, even on a daily basis. It’s important to take into account the players’ response to the workouts. If you are debating on intensity, load, or length of a workout, I suggest erring on the side of caution. Remember, it’s a long season before the test of the playoffs, and too much too early can result in a failing grade. CM A version of this article appeared in our sister publication, Training & Conditioning. To view more strength training articles, visit: www.Training-Conditioning.com.
Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013 27
Circle No. 113
iPAD/TABLETS
Changing With
Technology
iPads and other tablet computers are changing the way basketball coaches gather information and share it with players
It’s hard to believe that iPads and similar tablet computers have been around for only three years. In that time, they have become part of everyday life for many people, including basketball coaches and their players. Their use has helped revolutionize scouting reports, statistical analysis, and film study, all while making the preparation process more efficient then ever. Because tablets are excellent at streaming video, it’s no surprise that one of the most common uses of tablets is to store and play game footage. Jordan Ott, Video Coordinator for Michigan State University’s men’s basketball team says that even though Spartan players didn’t receive their iPads until mid-way through last season, the effect has been significant. “I don’t think the players have ever watched more film than they did this year,” he says. “Be it opponent scouting edits or their own film, the players asked to see more of it than they ever did in the past. Our coaches are certainly pleased because they believe that basketball has the chance to become more like football in the amount of film watched. In their view, the more prepared the players are, the more efficient practices can be.” CoachesNetwork.com
Kevin Cullen, Duke University’s Basketball Director of Information Technology has seen the Blue Devils’ players and coaches benefit since the men’s team received iPads last season. “Prior to getting them, sometimes a player might not have understood something a coach was showing on video, but they would be too shy to speak up. Now, he can watch that same clip as often as he wants on his own, at any time,” Cullen says. “As a result, the players come to practice more prepared than they had been before, and the coaches spend less time reviewing concepts and more time implementing new strategies.” Best of all for coaches, there is plenty of software out there to help make the process easy. Known as “apps,” these programs walk users through the steps of gathering, digesting, and disseminating key information. “It’s the only way our head coach looks at game film,” says Chad Bunn, Director of Video Operations for Brigham Young University. “And it’s made everything so much easier. There’s no need to carry around a laptop or a portable DVD player and a stack of DVDs. With a 64-gigabyte hard drive, we can store anywhere from 10 to 15 games on then at once. And we can upload film automatically, regardless of where the coach is. We’ve even got a cable that can be hooked up to the TV, allowing coaches to view it on a bigger screen.” Another benefit to using tablets is the speed at which information can be disseminated to the entire team. “Our staff stresses efficiency, especially during the postseason,” Ott says. “We can upload video to each players’ iPad immediately following a game and they can watch it on the plane ride home, or even on the ride
to the airport. That means when they return, the coaches can have them focus on something else.” John Leighton, Head Girls’ Basketball Coach at Franklin (MA) High School says his athletes have responded well to the increased video analysis he is able to do with his tablet. He especially likes compiling video on individual players and then showing them footage of specific types of plays. “I can tag players in a video and highlight things they’re doing well,” he says. “Then I can use those tags to quickly create specific clips for players that emphasize skills I want them to work on. For example, I can send a player clips of all the charges she’s tried to take so she can see what’s worked and what hasn’t.” Cullen uses the apps on his tablet to log events on the video as they occur during games and practices. Using customized identifiers, Cullen marks specific items of interest to the coaches, such as when possessions start and end and selected plays the Blue Devils run. This way, all the
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Coaching Management Preseason 2013 29
Coaching Management Preseason 2013 29
We can put together an entire game plan in a few hours using a tablet. Global Apptitude, LLC 855-709-9673 globalapptitude.com
data is available to be analyzed mere minutes after a game or practice ends. “Because the logging process is so much quicker, I’m able to enter much more data with this than I was using a laptop,” he says. “That means there’s more information for the players and coaches to pore over.” Bunn says the tablets can also change the way a coaching staff prepares a game plan and communicates it to players. “We’ll load up an opponent’s last few games for the players to watch, and when we start talking about individual players and plays, the coaches use a virtual chalkboard to diagram plays,” he says. “We can put together an entire game plan in a few hours using a tablet.” Tablets are also ideal for tracking statistics during games. John Kmack, President and CEO of GymRat Basketball, LLC, runs the GymRat Challenge, which is one of the largest and most prestigious AAU tournaments in the Northeast. With more than two dozen games going on at any one time, keeping track of players’ performances can be a difficult task. In years past, that task was handled by individuals using pen and paper to record basic statistics in binders. But this season, Kmack modernized the process by using 30 iPads. The effect was amazing. “We were able to capture orders of magnitude more data than we had in years past,” he says. “Not only were we able to provide real-time scoring, but we tracked players’ performances through heat charts. Because college coaches are unable to attend our events live, being able to access this data for players they are recruiting was a huge benefit, and we wouldn’t have been able to do it using our old method. “It was also a massive time-saver after the games were completed,” 30 Coaching Management Preseason 2013
Kmack continues. “Rather than having to go through dozens of binders, and eventually put the data into a spreadsheet, all the information was already in a format we wanted and we could find any player’s stats quickly and easily. Coaches today are so busy, they’re going to realize the benefits of that, even if they’re using it on a much smaller scale.” Many of the statistical programs out there also make quick work of a coach’s postgame duties. In addition to having box scores available immediately after a game ends, apps can send a box score and summary to numerous media outlets at once, sparing a coach from having to read them over the phone multiple times. But it isn’t just the pure volume of data available to players and coaches that have changed due to the rise in tablets. The quality of information has risen as well. Leighton says the statistics he’s obtained from using a tablet have definitely helped his team. “I take down all the live stats from our games on my tablet, “ he says. “But instead of having just the traditional numbers like points and rebounds, I’m able to calculate individual player efficiency, and track where we’re shooting well and poorly from on the floor,” he says. “The ability to do that during a game and make adjustments on the fly as a result has helped me out a lot.” Whether they’re used to give players access to more video, crunch numbers, run meetings, or just save a little time at the end of a long day, iPads and other tablets are changing the way coaches do their jobs. And with tablet technology still in its infancy, only time will tell where it will lead in the future. CM
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Unique Advantages:
• Gameplan eliminates the need for paper, DVDs, and hard drives • Creates visual interactive documents to increase athletes’ learning and retention • Real-time communications keep everyone in touch all the time
Customer Portfolio includes: • Michigan State University • Stanford University • Duke University • George Washington University
This program works with other applications and operating systems that coaches use. Circle No. 500
CoachesNetwork.com
iPad/Tablets PlayerLync 720-459-4050 playerlync.com This company offers high schools and colleges:
• Playbook Creation and Study • Video Analysis • Communications • Opponent Scouting • Player Skill Assessment • Strength & Conditioning Tracking • Tablet-Based Platform for Secure Communications
Portfolio Statement:
For teams that are ready to advance beyond inefficient paper-based communication and non-secure video tools, PlayerLync provides a leading tablet-technology platform. PlayerLync offers a secure, real-time method of content synchronization and integrated messaging—all with one of the easiest end-user experiences available.
Unique Advantages:
• Automatic content management that includes both delivery and removal of content from iPad • Application and content are fully functional on- or off-line • Private and secure messaging and communications allow teams to communicate like never before
GameChanger info@gamechanger.io gamechanger.io/basketball This company offers high schools and colleges: • Stat-keeping & analysis
Portfolio Statement:
The free GameChanger scorekeeping app and team Web site will give you instant access to countless stats, shot charts, and much more. GameChanger will also deliver live play-by-play updates, stats, and instant recap stories to parents and fans.
Unique Advantages:
• Simple, intuitive scorekeeping software and in-game tools • Instant stats, play-by-play updates, shooting charts, and recap stories • 100 precent free for coaches, scorekeepers, and teams
Customer Portfolio includes: • GymRat Challenge, Albany, NY • St. Anthony High School, Jersey City, NJ • ICSB Bulldogs, Hungary • Hico Tigers, Hico, TX
Customer Portfolio includes: • Brigham Young University • Duke University • Stanford University • Villanova University
CoachesNetwork.com
This company offers high schools and colleges:
• Playbook Creation and Study • Video Analysis • Stat Keeping and Analysis • Recruiting • Opponent Scouting • Player Skill Assessment • Practice Planner
Portfolio Statement:
Entering its 21st season, TurboStats Software provides one of the most advanced basketball coaching softwares available. The company has a live technical support staff to answer all your questions. TurboStat’s staff is trained in advanced basketball metrics and has authored a book on advanced statistics. TurboStat’s products have been used by more than 25,000 teams and 10,000 schools.
Unique Advantages:
• TurboStats provides one of the most complete sets of basketball metrics on the market, helping you win more games • Running on Windows tablets with active digitizers TurboStats has the fastest scoring technology available • TurboStat’s NET player rating system has accurately projected some of the top NBA players based on college stats
Customer Portfolio includes: • UCLA Men’s Basketball • Centre College, Danville, KY • Franklin High School Girls’ Basketball, Franklin, MA • Prestonwood Christian Academy, Plano, TX This program works with other applications and operating systems that coaches use.
This program works with other applications and operating systems that coaches use. Circle No. 501
TurboStats Software 800-607-8287 www.turbostats.com
Circle No. 502
Circle No. 519
Coaching Management Preseason 2013 31
Basketball Court A Smart Upgrade Package
Replace old backboards and rims with a regulation 42” x 72” x 1/2” tempered glass backboard with bolt-on padding and a competition breakaway rim. 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. 503
Stands Up to Slam Dunks
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. Schelde North America • 888-SCHELDE www.scheldesports.com
™
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Custom Seats
The Sport Pride™ team chairs allow for fullcolor graphic school logos, sportsmanship messages, or even player photos. These comfortable chairs were designed to match Bison’s custom graphic scorer’s table and wall padding, but can also be ordered as sideline chairs for any level of play. Chairs feature 18-inch-wide, two-inch-thick cushion seats in white and graphic padded backs with black steel frame. Design assistance is available. Bison, Inc. • 800-247-7668 www.bisoninc.com
Improves Safety
One of the only true 180 breakaway goals with a positive lock-release mechanism, Bison’s Baseline 180 improves player safety during aggressive slam dunk action from any direction. The ring assembly floats on 13 hardened chromium steel ball bearings for smooth flexibility from the left baseline, right baseline, down the lane, or any angle in between. The pressure-release mechanism is field adjustable and meets National High School Federation and NCAA standards. Bison, Inc. • 800-247-7668 www.bisoninc.com
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Secure Storage
Salsbury’s standard lockers were too small for football, baseball, and softball teams. But Salsbury Industries’ Open Access Lockers provide large vented space for clothing, uniforms, and many other applications. The Open Access Lockers include a coat rod and feature a lockable upper shelf and foot locker for secure equipment storage. Salsbury Industries’ trained and knowledgeable staff can get you what you need—meeting your time and budget requirements. Salsbury Industries • 800-LOCKERS www.lockers.com
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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
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Circle No. 505
High-Performance Flex Action
SAM™ Portable Basketball Goals
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 backyard pick-up games, Spalding basketball products are trusted at every level of the sport.
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 heavy-duty 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.
Spalding • 800-435-3865 www.spaldingequipment.com
Schelde North America • 888-SCHELDE www.scheldesports.com
32 Coaching Management Preseason 2013
Circle No. 524
Circle No. 508 CoachesNetwork.com
Case Study
Proven Protection: New Study Shows the #195 Laced Ankle Brace Helps Prevent Ankle Injury
L
ace-up ankle braces are designed to prevent acute ankle injury in athletes. But until now, that statement wasn’t backed up with any hardcore evidence. A recent, extensive study shows that lace-up ankle braces, specifically the McDavid #195 Laced Ankle Brace, prevents most acute ankle injuries in basketball players.
Injuries Three-Times Less Likely
Tim McGuine, PhD, ATC, and Dr. Alison Brooks, both researchers at the University of Wisconsin Sports Medicine, designed the study to demonstrate the positive effect of wearing an ankle brace over a career. The controlled study involved 1,460 male and female (ages 13 to 18) basketball players from 46 high schools across the country. During the 2009-2010 season, one group (740 studentathletes) wore McDavid #195 Laced Ankle Braces exclusively while the other group (720 student-athletes) did not wear any braces. Results of the study show that the athletes who didn’t wear the McDavid Laced Ankle Brace showed a rate of injury nearly three times higher than those who wore the brace. “Seeing more than three times the amount of acute ankle injuries without the brace is a telling statistic,” McGuine says. “Having more players wear a brace on a regular basis would help prevent injury.” The study proves that the effectiveness of lace-up braces is independent of an athlete’s injury history. This combats the previously held notion (from studies using alternative types of intervention products) that braces are more effective in athletes with a previous history of injury than those without.
The Cost of Injury
Furthermore, each injury costs approximately $11,900 per athlete to treat in direct and indirect costs. In the U.S. alone, an estimated $2 billion was spent on the treatment of high school athletes’ ankle sprain injuries in just one school year. Plus, 30 percent of the athletes who sustain ankle injuries suffer long-term consequences, and these injuries have a severe effect on their ability to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. Having athletes wear an ankle brace on a regular basis is proven to help prevent injury and ultimately reduce cost.
CoachesNetwork.com
—Tim McGuine, PhD, ATC, and Alison Brooks, MD, conducted the study, “The Effect of Lace-Up Ankle Braces on Injury Rates in High School Basketball Players,” at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
McDavid
| 800-237-8254
|
www.mcdavidusa.com Coaching Management Preseason 2013 33
Institutional Basketball Systems Portable Systems | Wall Mount Ceiling Upgrades | Playground
Side Court Goals
From $2108 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
Rampage Systems
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 Circle No. 115
34 Coaching Management Preseason 2013
Directory
Advertisers Directory Circle #. . . . Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page #
101. . Airborne Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 112. . Better Basketball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 103. . Bison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 110. . Coaching Management E-Newsletter Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 102. . Coaching Management Program Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 109. . GameChanger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 113. . GamePlan™. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 100. . Gatorade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IF C 115. . Institutional Basketball Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 104. . National University Golf Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 108. . OPTP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 106. . PlayerLync . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 116. . Powernetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC 107. . Salsbury Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 111. . Schelde North America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 117. . Shoot-A-Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC 105. . TurboStats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 114. . TurfCordz®/NZ Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Products Directory Circle #. . . . Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page #
514. . Airborne Athletics (Dr. Dish). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 515. . Airborne Athletics (iC3 Shot Trainer). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 521. . Better Basketball (Read & React Offense) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 520. . Better Basketball (Video on Demand). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 507. . Bison (Baseline 180). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 505. . Bison (Sport Pride™ team chairs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 502. . GameChanger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 500. . GamePlan™(Global Apptitude). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 509. . Gatorade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 523. . Human Kinetics (Agility and Quickness). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 522. . Human Kinetics (Developing Endurance). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 503. . Institutional Basketball Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 517. . OPTP (Scap & Cuff Trainer™). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 518. . OPTP (Stretch Out® Strap). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 501. . PlayerLync . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 511. . Powernetics (High Stepper). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 512. . Powernetics (Power Trainer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 506. . Salsbury Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 504. . Schelde (Clubmaster™). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 508. . Schelde (SAM™) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 516. . Shoot-A-Way (6000 Series Gun) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 513. . Shoot-A-Way (8000 Series Gun) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 525. . Spalding (Arena® Portable Backstops). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 524. . Spalding (Slam-Dunk® Precision 180 Goal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 519. . TurboStats Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 510. . TurfCordz®/NZ Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 CoachesNetwork.com
Strength Training & Conditioning Fuel They Need
Give it everything you’ve got. Gatorade is dedicated to providing high school athletes with the fuel they need to achieve their best during practice and competition. That’s why Gatorade offers G Series performance packages to high school coaches and athletic trainers at a significant discount. To get the most out of every play and every player, visit the Web site to learn more and place your order.
Gatorade • 800-88-GATOR www.gatorade.com/coaches Circle No. 509
Strengthen & Stabilize
The Scap & Cuff Trainer™ is now available. Strengthen and stabilize the shoulder joint and girdle with the new Scap & Cuff Trainer™. Designed by a physical therapist, the Scap & Cuff Trainer features a 12-ounce weighted ball that can be oscillated linearly while the user performs isometric and isodynamic exercises. Use this product alone or in combination with an exercise ball or the BOSU® Balance Trainer.
Safe and Effective
For more than 10 years, the Power Trainer 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
Reach New Heights
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Strengthen leg muscles and reach new heights in conditioning with the Jump Belt, a TurfCordz® product designed to increase vertical leap. The Jump Belt features an adjustable belt and two 30-inch tubes connected to foot straps. It is available in resistance levels that range from three to eight pounds, up to 34 pounds. TurfCordz resistance products provide a versatile, safer, and more comfortable workout. NZ Manufacturing • 800-886-6621 www.turfcordz.com
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Stretch Safely
The patented Stretch Out® Strap delivers the benefits of assisted stretching—without the partner. Multiple loops permit deep, gradual stretching of major muscle groups with safety, control, and effectiveness. The straps come complete with a stretching guide, featuring color photos, anatomical illustrations, and more than 30 stretches emphasizing contractrelax techniques. In each exercise, the user contracts muscles while resisting with the strap, followed by a passive stretch and hold. OPTP • 800-367-7373 www.optp.com
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OPTP • 800-367-7373 www.optp.com Circle No. 517
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. 511 Circle No. 114
CoachesNetwork.com
Coaching Management Preseason 2013 35
Coaching Aids/Team Equipment 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 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 Training
The Dr. Dish Basketball Shooting Machine and Team Trainer is the only full-court offensive and defensive basketball training machine on the market today. With its unique design and advanced drill technology, coaches can use the 45 preprogrammed drills or program their own customized realistic, fast-paced basketball drills to help all of their players become better shooters, rebounders, pass receivers, defenders, tippers and more. Dr. Dish is versatile, mobile, and battery-operated. Ask about the company’s free financing terms for schools. Airborne Athletics • 888-887-7453 www.airborneathletics.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. Human Kinetics • 800-747-4457 www.humankinetics.com
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The Future of Video is Here
The new Video on Demand section of Better Basketball’s Web site allows you to purchase videos that can be watched from any Internetconnected device. Sign up for a free VoD account, browse Better Basketball’s complete catalog, and pay only for what you need. You can purchase entire videos, or just the chapters you want to watch. No more waiting for the DVD to be shipped, just browse, click, and watch today.
Better Basketball, Inc. www.betterbasketball.com 36 Coaching Management Preseason 2013
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Train Smarter, Score More
The iC3 Basketball Shot Trainer allows your players to run drills with incredible repetition, shoot with proper arc, and develop game-time muscle-memory on their own time, in their own driveway. The iC3 is one of the only athome basketball trainers that combines highreps with proper-arc shooting for improved performance. Maximize shots per minute and increase your players’ shooting repetitions by 300 percent with the iC3. Easy to install, you can have several iC3’s for your players to use at home. Airborne Athletics • 888-887-7453 www.airborneathletics.com
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One Offense, Multiple Personalities
The Read & React Offense is not like traditional offenses. It does not demand specific types of players, a certain tempo, or even a set formation. Flow seamlessly from five-out to four-out to three-out. Attack man-to-man defenses as well as zones. Push the pace, shoot the three, or pound the post. Every coach has a different style. Each year the team’s strengths change. Read & React will adjust to your personality. Better Basketball, Inc. www.betterbasketball.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 fast-paced 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 4654 www.shootaway.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
Circle No. 523 CoachesNetwork.com
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. 116