OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL COACHES
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JAMIE DIXON 2020-21 NABC PRESIDENT
IN THIS ISSUE:
Message From NABC Executive Director Craig Robinson
Q&A with NABC Board Members For DII And DIII
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COACHES’ VOTER ENGAGEMENT PLEDGE SIGNATURES
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OF DI PROGRAMS TOOK THE COACHES’ VOTER ENGAGEMENT PLEDGE
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COACHES JOINED THE COACHES’ VOTER EDUCATION TASK FORCE
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THE OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL COACHES
COLUMNS
2020 FEATURES
From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Changing of the Guard Rick Leddy A Message from the NABC Executive Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Craig Robinson NCAA Eligibility Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 NCAA Eligibility Center Releases New Covid-19 Response National High School Basketball Coaches Association. . . . . . . 16 The Challenges of the Times Strengthen the NHSBCA Dave Archer 3 Things Are Required. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Carey Casey NABC Chaplain’s Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 BREAKTHROUGH: Problems Precede Progress Pastor Donnell Jones
NCAA Summit Focuses on Mental Health and Well-Being of Student Athletes of Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Q&A with NABC Board Members for Division II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Matt Margenthaler and Patrick Estepp A Key in the Fight for Health Equity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Coaches vs. Cancer NAIA Basketball Divisions Merger Signals Beginning of a New Era. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Q&A with NABC Board Members for Division III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Gary Stewart and Mike McGrath NABC Coach’s Clinic Drills for the Pandemic Jamie Dixon, Head Coach, TCU and NABC President. . . . . . . . . . 20 NABC Coach’s Clinic Running a 5-Option Offense Mike Donnelly, Head Coach, Florida Southern College. . . . . . . . . 22
National Association of Basketball Coaches 1111 Main Street, Suite 1000 Kansas City, Missouri 64105 Phone: 816-878-6222 • Fax: 816-878-6223 www.NABC.com ______________________________________________ NABC EXECUTIVE STAFF Craig Robinson Executive Director Nate Pomeday Associate Executive Director Troy Hilton Senior Director of Corporate Relations and Association Affairs Stephanie Whitcher Chief Financial Officer Rick Leddy Senior Director of Communications Rose Tate Director of Membership Ebony Donohue Associate Director of Membership Mark Heatherman Senior Director of Special Events Janelle Guidry Director of Convention Wade Hageman Director of Corporate Relations Jenna Wright Director of Convention Housing Eric Wieberg Director of Digital & Social Media
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2020-21 NABC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jamie Dixon, President, TCU Gary Stewart, 1st Vice President, Stevenson University Lennie Acuff, 2nd Vice President, Lipscomb University John Calipari, 3rd Vice President, University of Kentucky Matt Margenthaler, 4th Vice President, Minnesota State University Tommy Amaker, Director, Harvard University Bill Coen, Director, Northeastern University Pat Cunningham, Director Frank Martin, Director, University of South Carolina Matt Painter, Director, Purdue University Bob Huggins, Director, West Virginia University Cuonzo Martin, Director, University of Missouri Mike McGrath, Director, University of Chicago Pat Estepp, Director, Cedarville University Charlie Brock, 2018-19 Past President, Springfield College Phil Martelli, Director Emeritus, University of Michigan Tom Izzo, Director Emeritus, Michigan State University John Moore, Director, Westmont College Dave Archer, Director, National High School Basketball Coaches Association Thom McDonald, Director, NJCAA and Two-Year Colleges
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS NABC Executive Director: Craig Robinson NABC Associate Executive Director: Nate Pomeday Accountant: Brian Welch, Welch & Associates, LLC N ABC General Counsel: Dennis Coleman and Christopher Conniff, Ropes & Gray, LLP B oard Secretary: Rick Leddy, NABC Senior Director of Communications Dan Gavitt, NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Judy McLeod, Conference USA Commissioner and Chair/NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee Kevin Lennon, NCAA Vice President for Division I Governance COVER: N ABC President Jamie Dixon, Head Coach, TCU PHOTO CREDITS: Cover (Courtesy TCU Athletics); Page 4 (Courtesy of Colleen Leddy Brennan/Tom Leddy); Pages 12-13 (Courtesy NAIA); Page 20 (Courtesy TCU Athletics); Page 22 (Courtesy Florida Southern Athletics). Time-Out is published quarterly by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Printed by Allen Press.
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FROM THE EDITOR, Rick Leddy
Changing of the Guard Just a few months ago, in early July, the NABC announced the appointment of Craig Robinson as the fifth executive director in the history of the association, formed in 1927 by legendary University of Kansas coach Phog Allen. Robinson’s appointment closed out the 29-year tenure of outgoing executive director Jim Haney, whose omniscient leadership guided the NABC in a transformational era. I was fortunate to be there from the beginning of that period, having worked for seven years as the NABC board secretary and media consultant with Joe Vancisin, the former Yale coach who preceded Haney as executive director and was retiring. The NABC board during that time, headed by Johnny Orr, George Blaney and George Raveling, sought to use the opportunity of transition to move the NABC headquarters, then located in Branford, Conn., to the Kansas City area. The coaches firmly believed that the move would allow improved communication and access to the NCAA staff at its headquarters in Shawnee Mission, Kan. My first meeting with Jim, Carol and their son, Jimmy, was at a meeting of the NABC board, the NCAA men’s basketball staff and CBS in Newport, R.I. It was a time when the groups gathered with families while also meeting to review the past NCAA championship and setting course for the years ahead. While I joined Jim and Carol in the meetings, my wife, Nancy, took our three children along with Jimmy Haney, to see the sights around the beautiful port city. It was the perfect time to connect. Soon thereafter, Jim embarked on acquiring space for the new headquarters in Overland Park, Kan., in close proximity to the NCAA. He then built a staff
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of professionals to grow the membership, develop marketing strategies and became immersed in engaging the community. The first major marketing coup for the NABC was the creation of Fan Jam in 1993 during the NABC Convention and NCAA Final Four in New Orleans. The interactive event, patterned after the NBA Jam Session, was a huge hit, sponsors were added, and Nike came on board as the title sponsor. Not long after, the NCAA saw the great success of the NABC marketing efforts under Haney and purchased Fan Jam, which has had some name changes and is now the NCAA Fan Fest, enjoyed by all during the NABC Convention and Final Four. Following the relocation of the NCAA headquarters from Kansas to Indianapolis in 2000, Haney’s inroads forging strong relationships in the Kansas City community paid dividends for the NABC. The association headquarters relocated to downtown Kansas City, Mo., in 2004 with big plans for men’s basketball. As Kansas City built a new arena – the Sprint Center – Haney knew that this was an opportunity to celebrate basketball, its history and honor its coaches and players. The College Basketball Experience (CBE), one of the nation’s top attractions including numerous experiential fan events, shares a common lobby with Sprint Center (now T-Mobile Center) and opened in the fall of 2007 and is home to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. This also opened the door for me to join the NABC staff on a full-time basis, retiring from my position as associate director of athletics at Southern Connecticut State University after 36 years. Jim graciously offered me the position of public relations director as Kevin Henderson and John Gravino moved over from the NABC to manage the CBE. In many ways it was a lifechanging moment for me. NABC
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Haney continued to develop avenues for the growth and visibility of the NABC, creating the “Guardians of the Game”, a national awareness and education program. The core values of advocacy, education, leadership and service are the focus of the program and the positive aspects coaches play in the lives of student-athletes. While leaving his position as executive director of the NABC, Haney will stay on for another year as executive director of the NABC Foundation, Inc., a non-profit corporation which was organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes of the NABC. Since its creation, the NABC Foundation has focused on literacy programs for middle school aged youth and also annually holds a Court of Honor Gala to honor national business leaders with roots in college basketball. A benevolent fund to assist NABC member coaches in need was also established. Highly principled with great faith in God and the value of family, Jim most recently was the catalyst for the NABC’s Committee on Racial Reconciliation. His long relationship with Pastor Brett Fuller, who served for many years as chaplain of the NABC and having him join this committee, was a key piece in engaging the NABC to take a significant stance and a call to action to fight systemic racism. Haney’s foresight paid great dividends in 2000 when he added Reggie Minton to the staff as associate executive director, a position he held until being named deputy executive director in 2004. It was the perfect match of two incredible individuals to guide the NABC in the 21st century. The addition of Minton allowed Haney to focus on the growth of the coaching profession and the game, working and lobbying with the NCAA as an ex-officio member of the Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee. Minton, who announced his retirement in September, has had a distinguished career as a military officer, a coach at the Air Force Academy and administrator. NABC
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It was never difficult to recognize his history of life in the military as our weekly staff meeting would begin at 1400. It may have taken awhile but I think our NABC staff members have learned to make it on time. With an easy going and friendly manner and long history in the coaching profession, Reggie played an integral role in contact with coaches. Whether working with legends like John Chaney, Nolan Richardson and Gene Keady or young coaches looking for information and advice as they enter the coaching profession, he was always willing to listen and advise. Minton represented the NABC with Coaches vs. Cancer, a collaboration with the American Cancer Society, which has raised more than $110 million since its inception. He played a significant role in the exempt tournament the NABC sponsors each year – the Hall of Fame Classic and also chairs the Blue Ribbon Selection Committee for the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Working closely with the NCAA on all basketball matters, Minton heads our staff preparation for the annual NABC convention operations including securing courtesy cars needed for transport during the event. A former member of the NABC board of directors, Minton has chaired the selection committee for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and has been a trustee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He is a past chair of the NCAA Rules Committee, served as a consultant to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Issues Committee from 2002-2011, and several other key NCAA committees and steering groups. I know I speak for the entire NABC staff as we salute Jim and Reggie for the great legacy they have left with the NABC; their consistent efforts to improve the coaching profession and the game of basketball; their leadership, trust and faith in our staff; and most of all for their caring and friendship. FALL 2020
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Jamie Dixon President TCU
Gary Stewart First Vice President Stevenson University
Lennie Acuff Second Vice President Lipscomb University
John Calipari Third Vice President University of Kentucky
Matt Margenthaler Fourth Vice President, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Tommy Amaker, Director John Thompson III Harvard University
Bill Coen, Director Northeastern University
Pat Cunningham, Director
Frank Martin, Director University of South Carolina
Matt Painter, Director Purdue University
Bob Huggins, Director West Virginia University
Cuonzo Martin, Director University of Missouri
Mike McGrath, Director University of Chicago
Pat Estepp, Director Cedarville University
Charlie Brock 2018-19 Past President Springfield College
Phil Martelli, Director Emeritus University of Michigan
Tom Izzo, Director Emeritus Michigan State University
John Moore, Director Westmont College
Dave Archer, Director NHSBCA
Thom McDonald, Director NJCAA & Two-Year Colleges
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Craig Robinson
A Message from NABC Executive Director Craig Robinson Dear NABC members, I write to you as we approach what is sure to be the most unique and challenging college basketball season in the history of our game. That we’ve made it even this far is a testament to the shared values and priorities across the sport. The level of collaboration between coaches, NCAA leaders, conferences and student-athletes – thanks to the new NABC Player Development Coalition – has never been stronger than it is today. From the outset, we approached COVID-19 as an opportunity to be flexible and receptive to new concepts. No idea was considered too far outside the box. But the race is only just beginning. It will take all of us working together – true unity – to reach the finish line. As coaches, we are the public faces of college basketball. Our words carry power. We will set the tone for how the season is viewed. That culture of unity starts with us. First and foremost, our priority must always remain the health and safety of student-athletes, fellow coaches, staff and our local communities. Decisions about the season will be guided by medical professionals. It’s on us to let the experts do their jobs – regardless of any on-court ramifications. Competitive inequalities are inevitable this season. Some teams will be required to cancel games. Results will be impacted by quarantined players. Schedules will be imbalanced. Data will be incomplete. The game, simply put, won’t always be fair. We cannot, however, let these disparities distract us from the collective goal of providing student-athletes with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We owe it to our players to do everything in our power to preserve that opportunity. Our concern for players’ holistic wellbeing has also never been more important. Virus precautions and proper injury prevention following a protracted offseason are a given, but we also must prioritize mental and emotional health – both for ourselves and our teams. Student-athletes are navigating feelings of disconnectedness, worry for loved ones, lament over opportunities lost last season and uncertainty about the upcoming year. As they process this national crisis, the friendship, support and compassionate leadership of coaches is essential. Through it all, the NABC will remain in your corner. We will continue to advocate alongside the NCAA and other decision-makers for the good of the game and the best interests of coaches. We are hard at work developing new resources to serve you during these difficult times. Now more than ever, we are steadfastly committed to your development – on and off the court. It’s no mystery that our profession’s reputation has taken a hit in recent years. The improper actions of a few created repercussions for us all. But true character is revealed by how we react when our backs are against the wall. We have an opportunity to lead in the face of unprecedented circumstances. I believe in our game, I believe in each of you, and I believe history will ultimately regard coaches as having risen to the challenge. Sincerely,
Craig Robinson NABC Executive Director FALL 2020
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NCAA summit focuses on MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING of student-athletes of color Recommendations to be released to help campuses better support student-athletes of color. During eight hours of Zoom calls in August, approximately 50 professionals from mental health, higher education and sports medicine organizations discussed mental health disparities facing student-athletes of color and reflected on ways to better support them. The occasion: The NCAA’s Diverse Student-Athlete Mental Health and Well-Being Summit, a joint effort between the Association’s Sport Science Institute and the office of inclusion. The reasons for holding the summit, which included current and former student-athletes, were layered. To start, it’s part of the NCAA’s ongoing effort to amplify the need of supporting the mental health of student-athletes. In addition, the impact of COVID-19 has shed light on health disparities that exist in the United States, including in mental health. Student-athletes have faced significant mental health challenges during this pandemic, a survey in the spring revealed. Recent social injustices have added even more mental health challenges, especially for student-athletes of color. The summit was an opportunity to discuss those issues and start working toward solutions to better support student-athletes of color. “It was definitely a great and unparalleled experience,” said Jaila Tolbert, a former volleyball player at Virginia Tech and a member of the Board of Governors Student-Athlete Engagement Committee. “I got the opportunity to listen to some thought leaders and really take in a lot of information, some hard information about the diversity and wellbeing of Black student-athletes and how they’re
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faring during COVID and really uncertain times. On top of that, we’re fighting a whole different battle, a whole different virus with racial injustice. Obviously, there’s some actionable change that needs to happen.” Tolbert was one of five student-athlete voices heard in the summit. The other four were Division I SAAC’s Alexis Garrett, Division II SAAC’s Angel BautistaPonce, Division III SAAC’s Devonte Amos, and Courtney Turner, a former student-athlete. “It was great to get their perspective because often times their voice is left out, especially because some of their institutions don’t have the resources that some of the larger athletic departments have,” said Stephany Coakley, senior associate athletics director/mental health at Temple, who served as the co-chair of the summit’s steering committee. “It’s important to put services in place that are going to limit the barriers to care that studentathletes from diverse populations experience. This can be achieved by having staff who are culturally competent, having staff of color and other diverse backgrounds providing mental health care, creating resources that speak to their lived experience as opposed to somebody else’s lived experience. This work is vital. I’m glad we’ve taken the time to do it. I look forward to publishing our results and continuing to develop what we started.” In the coming weeks, proposed action items from the summit will be released. They will be in the form of recommendations and foundational statements to assist NCAA schools and conferences in addressing the topic through education, research and policy development. NABC
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“I think the major overarching theme from the summit, which wasn’t a surprise, was that mental health care in this country is lacking but especially lacking for people of color,” said Darryl Conway, senior associate athletics director/chief health and welfare officer at Michigan, who served as co-chair of the summit’s steering committee. “The stigmas associated with people of color seeking mental health care are there, and those are things that need to be overcome, along with the lack of providers of color, which was a huge theme. How can we improve that? How can we get more providers of color? That was something that was very important and is a huge takeaway.” Underrepresentation of people of color in professions including mental health care, athletic training, medicine and athletics, in general, was among the barriers to mental health care the summit attendees discussed in detail.
“A coach is going to have a way different experience with some things than an athletic trainer is, than a dietitian is, than a strength coach is, than a mental health provider is. Even a mental health provider who’s embedded in athletics is going to view things differently than a mental health provider that works at a campus health system or works in private practice. A physician is going to view things differently than a psychologist. And a sport psychologist is going to view things differently than a social worker or a clinical psychologist. Those are all, for me, the reasons that an interdisciplinary approach is what is needed and what must happen.” Stephany Coakley, senior associate athletics director/mental health at Temple and co-chair of the summit’s steering committee, said it’s the exact approach being used at Temple and needs to be more widely used across the NCAA.
“We have a multi-disciplinary approach because, as The summit also focused on a few other main members of this athletics department, our time topics: resources and support for athletes with each student-athlete is very limited. and staff, clinical training and care, have very limited information with “...the ability Wewhich institutional systems and research. to make informed decisions, Within these topics were several to have everybody but when we collaborate, themes. They included antiwe gather more information involved in it and racism athlete training and because the athletic trainer education, approaches is providing information, the everybody lending to increase help-seeking academic advisor is providing a hand is important behaviors and reduce stigma information, the coach is in mental health, support providing information, and because everybody’s for identity development now we have the ability to coming at it from beyond sports, and increased help the student-athlete in the preventative screening. totality of their experience,” she different angles said. “I found that approach “The first overwhelming extremely helpful here because and different sentiment from the summit is you can miss the boat just working women and men who are trusted experiences...” in your individual lane, particularly veteran professionals in their fields, with mental health care. We don’t nationwide, all shared the same – Darryl Conway want to miss the boat because it will take professional assessments: This a generation a longer time to achieve wellness. The longer that needs more, not less, assistance in the holistic somebody is in distress, it’s uncomfortable for them. education provided by intercollegiate athletics,” The ability to collaborate with all of the stakeholders said Britton Katz, interim vice chancellor for student and develop a comprehensive care plan enables affairs and dean of students at the University of the student-athlete to move in the direction of South Carolina Upstate. “I’m grateful to the NCAA thriving and resilient sooner rather than later.” for setting up such a task force that allowed us to propose ideas.”
One of those ideas was to focus on a studentathlete’s entire support system, such as coaches, athletic trainers, academic advisors and legal guardians, among others. Conway emphasized the importance of thinking of mental health and well-being as a group endeavor, not an individual journey. “So much of this and so much of health care is an interdisciplinary approach, and there’s no one person that can do it all. And there shouldn’t be one person that can do it all because it needs to be a team effort. So the ability to have everybody involved in it and everybody lending a hand is important because everybody’s coming at it from different angles and different experiences,” Conway said. NABC
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Until the summit, Kean men’s basketball head coach Adam Hutchinson never thought about it this way. Admittedly, he said he also never considered how athletics participation could be a source of mental illnesses like anxiety and depression. It’s why he ended the summit with a personal takeaway he knows he’s not alone in: Awareness is key. “There were people on that call who had clearly been engaged in these issues for longer than I have,” he said. “What I took from my participation was an awareness of, ‘I have a blind spot here. I have something that is an issue, and I need to be engaging and better prepared to contribute.’”
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Q&A with NABC Board Members for NCAA Division II with Matt Margenthaler, NABC Fourth Vice President, Head Coach, Minnesota State University and Patrick Estepp, Head Coach, Cedarville University What steps are being taken on campuses to address the safety and welfare of students, including studentathletes, regarding precautions and mental health? Be sure that the student-athletes are vigilant about wearing masks and keeping social distance on campus. As much as we normally want our studentathletes out meeting other students, this is a year where we have asked them to keep their circle pretty tight. If possible, an institution should be aggressive in having students quarantine pending test results, which will help keep numbers of positive cases relatively low. Try to test in-season athletes and have symptom checks before beginning each on-court or weight workout. Schedule times for the gym to be available for them to shoot and have a limited number of players that are allowed in the locker room at a time. Utilize adequate equipment to clean things used in practice and basketballs each time they are used. In terms of mental health, the best thing we can do as coaches is get oneon-one time with our athletes. Listen to them and what their concerns are and allow them to feel they have a safe space to voice those how they feel. Keep reminding them that tomorrow is never promised, and while we want to dream about what might be possible for the future, what we have been given is today and the relationships with some great teammates. Let’s make the most of it.
Can you offer some recommendations for restructuring practice drills that are both effective and safe for interaction? For the first two weeks on campus, it may be safe and efficient to have players shooting with their roommate week one and then doing small group workouts week two. From that point on, limit each drill to 10 minutes or less and then break the players up every time when changing drills into separate baskets, so we limit their contact with the same person. Each coach and support staff person should be wearing a mask during workouts. From a mental health perspective, coaches need to find ways to make our drills as competitive and fun as we can. In
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talking to our players, most did a lot of work on their own this summer to improve on their game. What they missed the most was competition and playing. So, we have tried to provide that this fall in as safe a manner as possible.
Coaches are concerned about their teams’ mental and physical health. Your thoughts on how coaches, especially older coaches, are navigating during this pandemic? One assistant coach has tried to minimize times where he meets in person. He has done a really good job keeping social distance and wearing his mask when he is around others. It’s important that if you have a staff member that falls into a higher risk category, allow them to only do what they are comfortable with. And be sure to remind your student-athletes even if they don’t feel like they are at risk, they can do these protective measures because they care about others in our program.
How do you see the protocols for testing for COVID-19 affecting Division II programs? The testing protocols are not just limited to NCAA guidelines. The protocols vary significantly in different states and in many also include quarantines set by the county and the institutions. Hopefully we will have improved access to testing at a reasonable cost and we have to continue to test asymptomatic athletes.
Final Statement from Margenthaler and Estepp We urge coaches in NCAA Division II to join the NABC and help us develop a strong voice on the many issues that we all face today. There are numerous challenges, especially during this pandemic, and the more we can come together the better it will be for coaches and the student-athletes. We are very excited to have Executive Director Craig Robinson and Associate Executive Director Nate Pomeday on board to help us carry out our mission.
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A KEY IN THE FIGHT FOR HEALTH EQUITY Not only does Coaches vs. Cancer reflect some of the best of NABC’s past, the unique program is positioned to help the NABC address a critical issue moving forward – health equity. “Cancer is a disease that can affect anyone, but it does not affect everyone equally,” said Craig Robinson, the executive director of the NABC. “Black communities and other populations disparately impacted by cancer experience greater obstacles to cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and survival.” Some of these disparities go beyond the obvious connection to cancer. They include structural racism, poverty, lack of access to affordable healthy foods, jobs with inadequate pay, low quality education and housing, and unsafe environments. Research shows that while overall cancer mortality rates are dropping, populations who are marginalized are bearing a disproportionate burden of preventable death and disease. The American Cancer Society (ACS) is re-examining and deepening efforts on how to more intentionally address health equity in research, programs, services, and advocacy. Just this month, ACS launched its updated health equity landing page, which offers comprehensive data and resources about how health disparities impact cancer research and treatment. More information is available at cancer.org/healthequity. The NABC and ACS are dynamic teammates. Since 1993, the two organizations have partnered together to use the basketball platform to fight cancer through the Coaches vs. Cancer program, the NABC’s charity partner of choice. The program has raised more than $130 million during that period – often bringing in just a few thousand dollars at a time. And the efforts are collectively making a difference. Last year, the American Cancer Society announced the cancer death rate has dropped 29% since 1991. However, ACS has stated that “if we are to further reduce deaths from cancer and achieve our mortality goal of reducing cancer deaths by 40% by 2035, we need to make sure everyone has the ability to benefit from the advances in the prevention and treatment of cancer.” South Carolina head coach and 2016 Coaches vs. Cancer Champion Award recipient Frank Martin currently serves as co-chair of the NABC’s Committee on Racial Reconciliation. “Health equity is a real and very important issue in our country, and the stats show that certain populations have a much higher risk of serious medical issues, like cancer, due to not having access to proper medical care; both preventable care and the needed treatments after a diagnosis,” said Martin. “I’m proud to be a part of both the NABC and Coaches vs. Cancer organizations, and as coaches we all NABC
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need to continue to engage our communities and together help bring awareness to this issue.” Being a part of Coaches vs. Cancer is being a part of the fight for people who need help. And, in 2020, more people need help than ever. Navigating a pandemic and reckoning with racial injustice is deeply impacting people from all walks of life. But threats to health, financial losses, and emotional distress are taking an especially hard toll on cancer patients, their families and caregivers. • 80% of cancer patients have seen a delay in their healthcare. Months of limited screenings and treatments mean less early detection and the risk of more deaths in the future. We are not diagnosing cancers we know are there. • ACS is projecting a 50% decline in funding of promising research this year as donors face economic uncertainty. Failing to invest in research now means we will have fewer preventative tools, fewer treatment options, lost progress towards a cure, and ultimately, more deaths from cancer in the future. • People in the poorest areas have 20%-25% higher cancer death rates than those in the most affluent areas. And the gap is widening, as the people in the poorest areas lack access to cancer education, healthcare and screenings. Where you live shouldn’t determine if you live. • Blacks have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial or ethnic group in the US for most cancers. Cancer prevention and treatment is a social justice issue. Blacks have 14% higher cancer death rates than nonHispanic whites. Like the NABC, Coaches vs. Cancer is for any coach at any level. First-year East Central University head coach Chris Crutchfield has spent the last decade working with coaches Lon Kruger (Oklahoma) and Eric Musselman (Arkansas), both who are extremely involved with Coaches vs. Cancer. “It doesn’t matter the size of the program or at what level you coach. Cancer impacts us all and we all have a platform to be a part of the battle” said Crutchfield. “We know being involved with Coaches vs. Cancer is a great opportunity to show the young men in our program it’s important to be a part of something bigger than basketball.” The NABC and the American Cancer Society encourage you to find your role on the Coaches vs. Cancer team. Contact your local ACS office or Natalie Morrison at natalie.morrison@cancer.org. FALL 2020
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NAIA Basketball Divisions Merger Signals Beginning of a New Era As the NAIA merges its basketball divisions from two down to one, its historic 32-team tournament format in Kansas City will also adjust. As things rapidly changed by the minute last March, a day into the NAIA Division II Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Sioux City, Iowa, it became increasingly clear as the hours went by that college basketball had seen its last champions crowned in the NAIA in its current format. The NAIA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments had been a staple in the world of college basketball since the late 1930’s. A simple concept for a tournament not seen anywhere else. A 32-team championship bracket, housed at one site, played over the course of six days. It sounds incredible for the college basketball enthusiast… eight games a day for the first three days with an early morning tip-off before 9:00 a.m. and an end to the day after midnight. The NAIA has been doing it this way for over 80 years, but as changes have occurred around it, the NAIA held strong to its approach. As with all things, however, change occurs and with it came the merger of its divisions and a new approach to the tournament format. 2020 was supposed to be the last tournament of the old format, which was designed by the NAIA to be a salute to its rich basketball history. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic response, the Division II tournaments halted and shut down play while the Division I tournaments were canceled. In 2021, the NAIA will, for the first time, have a 16-team tournament held over the course of five days to crown one champion on both the
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men’s and women’s side. To qualify for this final site championship bracket, teams will travel to an “Opening Round” tournament with four teams at various sites around the country. The winners of each of the 16 Opening Round tournaments will head to Sioux City, Iowa (Women’s) and Kansas City, Mo. (Men’s). Overall, the championship will be a field of 64. The final format comes after the NAIA Divisions in Basketball Task Force nearly two-year review and recommendation for a single basketball division with potential formats. The National Administrative Council (NAC) Championship sub-committee reviewed all information and data and presented the recommended format which was approved by the full NAC body. The rationale behind the NAC’s decision was that a 64 qualifier/16-team final site tournament will offer a superior student-athlete experience, as well as provide the best opportunity for cost savings and team travel reimbursement. This format also retains the same amount of national qualifiers as it did for the current two-division format. “This is a watershed moment for our organization,” said former NAC Chair Robert Cashell. “The membership owes a thank you to the original task force that came forward with recommendations and the NAC Championships Subcommittee for their deliberate and thoughtful approach to this change.” “I believe the format will provide a special student-athlete experience and continue the NAIA’s tradition of offering unique championship opportunities for both men’s and women’s basketball.”
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Changing a format is no easy task and the NAIA has been hard at work since the announcement in the summer of 2018 to work through a number of hurdles. The championship selection, which utilized the national Top 25 ratings to determine the at-large berths, will now move to a selection committee to fill the final field of 64. The committee, which will be made-up of coaches, athletic directors and conference commissioners, will determine the field based on a number of criteria. The goal at the end is to ensure that the best 64 teams are included of the over 230 schools that field a men’s basketball team in the NAIA. While the sports world has seen its share of shut downs, the NAIA continues to work toward making its new format a truly memorable experience for its student-athletes. Small College Athletics Finds Ways to Survive Through Pandemic Like everyone else in the sports world, the NAIA is working toward solutions in making athletics a reality as changes occur rapidly for its 250 member institutions Throughout collegiate and professional sports, the primary focus has surrounded how to continue the business of sports through a global health crisis. While Major League Baseball stumbled out of the gate figuring out how to safely get through a season outside of a bubble (and has since found solutions to its issues), those sports that created such an environment have thrived. Nearly zero cases in the NBA bubble and not one positive case in the NHL’s version in Canada have proven that sports can still continue safely given the right environment and set of parameters.
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As thoughts now turn to college sports, it remains to be seen what will transpire, but small colleges are as eager as ever to get their student-athletes back on the field or the court, so long as it is done safely. The NAIA has taken time and consideration in looking at each set of data and circumstances in putting together a strategy that will work for all of its members. Its model takes an approach that the best way to continue is to put the power in the hands of its member conferences and institutions to make the best decisions for their schools. As the season has changed to fall, thoughts turn to basketball and other winter sports. Recently, the NAIA announced that there have been no changes in the winter championship calendar and that its membership will retain the autonomy on how to schedule games and return to play. It is through this autonomy that the NAIA membership is seeing advantages on campuses. A regional approach has been critical to its early success stories. Among small schools this fall, the NAIA is the largest association that has membership competing in all fall sports, though championships have been delayed until the spring. With basketball on the horizon, it bodes well for schools that have already had indoor sports played and have been able to learn how to better handle the trials and tribulations of playing in this new environment. As basketball practices continue to ramp-up across the country at every level, the NAIA members may be the most prepared to kick things off, which could prove critical in their success of hosting a full season this year.
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NCAA Eligibility Center Releases New COVID-19 Response Given the continuing impact of COVID-19 on the educational environment, the NCAA Eligibility Center recently partnered with the NCAA membership to identify changes to the initialeligibility certification process for students. These changes are for student-athletes who initially enroll full time in an NCAA member school during the 2021-22 academic year. Students who initially enroll full time in an NCAA member school during 2021-22 will receive an automatic initial-eligibility waiver in the academic certification process that provides the highest level of relief for which they are eligible, per the criteria below: As part of the COVID-19 Automatic Waiver criteria for those student-athletes enrolling in an NCAA member school in 2021-22, standardized test scores are not a requirement. Coaches, please be sure your student-athletes have received this information and understand the requirements. All students who have a Profile Page or Certification account with the Eligibility Center received this information in August. Additionally, students whose accounts were impacted with a status change are notified via a task in their EC account. For student-athletes who have already received an academic evaluation, the Eligibility Center is applying the COVID-19 Automatic Waiver criteria for 2021-22 enrollment to all students who initially enrolled full time in 2020-21 or 2021-22 and have already received an academic evaluation. The Eligibility Center began applying the COVID-19 Automatic Waiver criteria for 2021-22 enrollment to these students’ accounts in August.
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For Students Initially Enrolling Full Time in the 2021-22 Academic Year
For students-athletes who initially enroll full time in 2021-22 and have not previously received an academic evaluation, the COVID-19 Automatic Waiver for 2021-22 enrollment may be provided at any time the student-athlete’s Eligibility Center account is evaluated, either via a preliminary or final certification. In early September, the Eligibility Center began applying the COVID-19 Automatic Waiver criteria for 2021-22 enrollment in the academic certification process for students who initially enroll full time in 2021-22.
The Eligibility Center has released an FAQ document, available at https://on.ncaa.com/COVID19_Fall, that outlines all of the aspects of the COVID-19 Automatic Waiver, including information on: • Submission of academic documents. • Distance, e-learning or hybrid option learning. • Pass/fail grades. • Core-course time limitations. • Canceled international leaving exams. • All requirements for students who initially enrolled full time in 2020-21 (including mid-year enrollees).
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Additionally, the Eligibility Center released information on the impact of COVID-19 to amateurism requirements and delayed enrollment, available at https://on.ncaa.com/DelayedEnroll. Please review this important information to understand how it might impact your student-athletes. (This is particularly important to share with your international students.) The Eligibility Center is hosting a series of webinars to review the impact of COVID-19 on initial-eligibility requirements. All coaches who receive the EC’s coaches’ newsletter have received an invite to attend one of the upcoming webinars. Additionally, webinars for student-athletes are being held. The following is a list of the webinar dates for student-athletes:
•O ctober 10 at 11 a.m. Eastern; register at https://pub.s1.exacttarget.com/g2tyldsstp2.
•R epeat presentation on November 7 at 2 p.m. Eastern; register at https://pub.s1.exacttarget. com/twsfoikazja.
In September, all students with an Eligibility Center account received invitations to register for one of these events. Please encourage your student-athletes to attend one of these important webinars. The Eligibility Center will continue to monitor the environment and make necessary adjustments to prioritize health, safety and fairness for all prospective student-athletes. Please continue to monitor our newsletter for additional information. To sign up for the Eligibility Center’s newsletter, visit https://pub. s1.exacttarget.com/2ccvy5cr5fs.
The following chart provides a quick reference that reflects the COVID-19 Automatic Waiver criteria for 2021-22 enrollment by division.
*Standardized test scores are excluded from these criteria. **Students certified based solely on international credentials are exempt from the 10/7 core-course progression requirement.
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The Challenges of the times strengthens the NHSBCA by Dave Archer, Executive Director, NHSBCA Like most aspects of society, scholastic basketball coaches faced a myriad of issues in the past year related to the Corona Virus, Social Justice, wide spread unrest and unemployment. Our vocabulary became dominated by “re-words,” such as re-think…reconcile…reimagine…review… rebrand…reinforce…reactivate… resocialization… reboot…rebuild…restart…re-invent…repeat… reform…re-do…re-define and re-launch. The unprecedented circumstances dramatically affected individual coaches, State Basketball Coaches Associations and the National High School Basketball Coaches Association. Individual coaches and their teams lost the opportunity to finish their regular season, to play in summer leagues and to attend camps together. State Basketball Coaches Associations were dramatically affected financially by not being able to host banquets, summer camps, and their annual clinics. The NHSBCA was not able to operate their well-designed Scholastic Recruiting Events throughout the nation. A unique by-product of the circumstances was the noticeable strengthening of the NHSBCA. A well designed structure of meetings at the state, regional and national level increased the strength and resolve of the NHSBCA.
appropriate actions at the high school level, (c.) strong professional development opportunities, (d.) boost the NHSBCA Awards, Honors and Recognition programs, (e.) improve the benefits of membership and, (f.) enhance our working relationship with the NABC, WBCA, NCAA and NFHS. Additionally, the NHSBCA plans to take a more active approach in sharing our thoughts, concerns and plans on such issues such as: (a.) the NCAA Recruiting Calendar, (b.) the role of club and travel youth basketball, (c.) the rumored movement of non-scholastic basketball to be a year around venture displacing high school teams and, (d.) the growing number of high school players transferring schools. Collaboration among the NHSBCA network of state basketball coaching leaders is at an all-time high working to improve the scholastic game of basketball and its coaches. About the NHSBCA The National High School Basketball Coaches Association also serves as the High School Congress of the NABC. About thirty-five state basketball coaches’ associations and representatives of some states that do not have a basketball coaches association work together to improve scholastic basketball and scholastic coaches. The NHSBCA is the national voice for high school basketball coaches, working to foster high standards of professionalism and to support coaches. The NHSBCA conducts two general meetings per year, one at the NABC Convention and the other in July. Additionally, the NHSBCA Executive Committee conducts monthly phone conference meetings. For additional information about the NHSBCA, visit www. NHSBCA.org.
The NHSBCA leadership focused on what role could/ should trained scholastic coaches have in the youth basketball space moving forward. These are a few of the NHSBCA initiatives which are in various stages of design and implementation: (a.) vibrant Scholastic Recruiting Events employing a regional concept, (b.) following the lead of the powerful NABC Committee on Racial Reconciliation, the NHSBCA will encourage and recognize
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Q&A with NABC Board Members for NCAA Division III with Gary Stewart, NABC First Vice President, Head Coach, Stevenson University and Mike McGrath, Head Coach, University of Chicago Q: Where do coaches begin to address the challenges for their programs during this COVID-19 Pandemic? A: The hard part is this is a constantly changing landscape and coaches must adjust and remain flexible while following all of the national health and safety protocols. With the pandemic causing our student-athletes to be away from campus and their teammates for a long period, the mental health and well-being of our student-athletes is at the forefront. Increased communication is very important with all of the uncertainty and as coaches, the more we can provide answers to them, it goes a long way in relieving their anxiety. This is like the first practice, where the plan now is not necessarily where the plan will be further down the road. We have to continue to adapt, adjust and communicate based on the constantly evolving situation.
Q: Overall for Division III programs, it seems that institutional parity is a particularly significant issue. Will you explain that? A: Our Division III landscape is very diverse in terms of the shape and scope of our members. There are public and private, large and small, rural and urban institutions in which some are semester and others quarter based and each of these unique characteristics creates different scenarios. One of the outcomes will likely be competitive imbalances this season. Each coach will have to focus on managing their unique situation to try to avoid focusing too much on what other programs are doing. As competitors that is not an easy thing for coaches to do.
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Q: What steps are the NABC taking to keep coaches informed as the 2020-21 season starts? A: The NABC has made an unwavering commitment to increased communication and that will be a critical element to our success as we proceed. Our leadership wants to hear the questions and concerns from our coaches so that they can address them. We have received numerous inquiries, suggestions and proposals from coaches that have been very well thought out. They have been reviewed and vetted very seriously in a team effort between the NCAA and NABC. Transparency and open communication have clearly been a focus for our new Executive Director, Craig Robinson. Craig and NABC staff have been laser focused on Division III men’s basketball throughout the process. This focus of collaboration with the NCAA, specifically Dan Gavitt, NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball, and NCAA Division III staff liaison, Alex Mortillaro, has been very evident and will continue to be a priority of our leadership moving forward.
Q: Any closing thoughts? A: It is obvious the NCAA has been working tirelessly on all aspects of college basketball. They have taken into consideration the perspective of the constituents at all levels of the game including student-athletes, coaches, administrators, support staff, referees and fans. For success it must be a comprehensive plan. The pandemic has created uncharted terrain, thus the leadership of the NABC has taken a proactive and assertive role in aiding the NCAA in the planning of the 2020-21 basketball season. The collaboration between the NABC and NCAA affords us the best plan for optimal success for this season and beyond.
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3 Things Are Required by Carey Casey, CEO & President of Championship Fathering
“ It’s a familiar passage to some, and whether or not you embrace a biblical faith, these are worth a closer look for each of us.”
We live in interesting times here in the year 2020. There is great uncertainty about the future given the Corona virus, the chaos and disunity in politics and race relations, as well as fires, hurricanes and other disasters that threaten our sense of wellbeing. Maybe you’re doing your best to stay positive through it all. Even if that’s true, there are young people watching you and looking to you for confidence and security as they try to navigate life: your children and the players on your team, of course. As a role model for those young people, what is required of you? What do you want to communicate to them—and even more important, what qualities do you want to live out before them—that will convey stability, peace, and selfassurance? Lately I have been pondering three timeless fundamentals of life that come from the book of Micah in the Bible. When considering the question, “What is required of you?” his response was: “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” It’s a familiar passage to some, and whether or not you embrace a biblical faith, these are worth a closer look for each of us. Act justly. Many different people today are calling for “justice,” and there are numerous ways to define that word. But looking at the bigger picture, acting justly is about character and integrity—doing what is right even when no one else notices or posts a photo of it on social media. It’s treating everyone with dignity and respect, whether they are college presidents or restaurant servers. Coach, the greatest legacy you can leave for the future generations is not about money or material things or even winning championships, but about your values and the content of your character. That’s where your true greatness lies, and if you get that right, then the rest of it will fall in line.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the NABC.
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Love mercy. According to the prevalent thinking in today’s culture, most of us probably have good reasons to feel demeaned or disrespected if we look hard enough. When bad things happen, the knee-jerk response is to find someone else to blame. But dads and coaches with
character are quick to extend grace and forgiveness to people. Whenever I feel disrespected, I ask myself: What would my dad say? When things didn’t go my way as a child, he would tell me, “Son, don’t lose your mind. Keep your poise.” That thought stays with me to this day, and although I’m not perfect, that thought allows me to step back and see things from a different perspective. I think, Well, this lady is probably having a bad day, or, I wonder if this young man had a father around to school him up on how to treat people. With a little empathy for the people around me, it’s much more likely that I can respond to difficult situations with kindness and mercy. Walk humbly. For me, the secret to being humble is captured in a simple statement: “It’s not about me.” That attitude is crucial as we seek to be better leaders and set a positive example for our children and the players who are watching us. We aren’t thinking about ourselves so much and we’re able to help those around us be all they can be. As fathers and as coaches, we are leaders, but that doesn’t mean we’re always right. Being humble means we really listen to others and seek to understand them; we don’t assume we always know what’s best. And when (not if) we mess up, we’re quick to admit our mistake and seek forgiveness. For any leader, there are few things stronger than humility. Coach, make sure the young people around you can see you acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly. They are forming opinions about life, claiming values, and starting patterns of behavior, and you can plant seeds of character and unity in them that will continue to bear fruit for many years. Carey Casey is CEO, President, and the author of Championship Fathering. He has also authored the book Championship Grandfathering: How to Build a Winning Legacy and is the general editor of the book 21-Day Dad’s Challenge: Three Weeks to a Better Relationship with Your Kids. Carey and his wife Melanie live in Chicago. They are the parents of four children and have nine grandchildren. www.ChampionshipFathering.org
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BREAKTHROUGH: Problems Precede Progress by Donnell Jones, Pastor, Grace Covenant Church DC www.GraceCovDC.org
“ Problems usually precede progress!!!”
2020 is the year in history we will never forget. We will tell our children, grandchildren and generations to come this is the year few if anyone ever imagined. Think for just a moment if in the summer of 2019, someone told you next year there is going to be a global pandemic that will pretty much shut the world down! In the US alone, hundreds of thousands of people will die from a deadly virus. Everyone will have to stay in their homes except for emergency or essential reasons. When we get to go outside our homes, everyone will have to wash their hands continuously, wear a mask in public and maintain a minimum of 6ft physical distance. Zoom virtual connections and meetings will be the norm for everybody. Things like bottled water, toilet paper and paper towels will be in high demand and short supply. Oh, there’s more. There will be an outcry of racial injustice due to the senseless death of a black man followed by massive protests all over the world. There will be an economic fallout that will result in millions of Americans losing their jobs. There will be no collegiate or pro sports. Both High School and College students will miss their graduations. Weddings will be postponed or worse cancelled. Like stop for a moment and think about all that. That’s not some movie or tv drama mini-series. That is actually what happened this year and you would not believe it except that we find ourselves living in what is so real and surreal at the same time. It’s so overwhelming. People are struggling with mental, emotional, physical and financial health. Fear has seized the hearts of so many people. When or how will this all end?
In the face of so much despair and discouragement, we are not without hope. Every one of us knows what it is to experience personal trials and challenges. Hope views the situation as the prequel to Breakthrough. I don’t mean it in some cheesy kind of fictional movie kind of way. What I am saying is that we have in the biggest crises of our lifetime the biggest opportunity of our lifetime. The pressure we have all experienced globally, nationally and personally, unfortunately for many leads to breakdown. For those persons, we need to do our best to assist them in whatever way we can; a phone call, food, rent among other things. A little can make a difference especially since what the person receives in addition to the kindness you extend is a transfer of care. Someone caring for another in the midst of the struggle sustains them. On the other hand, Problems usually precede progress!!! For others, this moment is about breakthrough. Some of the most challenging moments in our lives that nearly crushed us actually served to catapult us into an awareness, a focus and an intentionality with resolve and humility to live from a new perspective and a different vantage point. No one, me, you or anyone else wanted what 2020 has brought. But now that it’s here, now that we are in it, let’s embrace this moment in faith; the kind that says what intended to crush us and break us down will serve by the grace of God to catapult us toward BREAKING THROUGH to a version of us we have never seen. Pastor Donnell Jones is pastor of Grace Covenant Church in Washington, D.C., Character Coach for the Maryland Terrapins and Chaplain of the NABC.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the NABC.
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C O A C H’S
C L I N I C
Drills for the Pandemic Jamie Dixon Head Coach, Texas Christian University
With the COVID-19 pandemic and not being able to play 5-on-5 and do a lot of contact, these drills are great ways for our guys to continue working on their shooting skills, while getting a lot of shots up. All four of these drills are competitive and elevate performance. We take the most three-pointers in our league, so getting a lot of shots up and putting a goal or benchmark on these drills is crucial.
MAVERICK
WARRIOR (Frame 1)
M SHOOTING
WARRIOR (Frame 2)
There are three basketballs for each group and at least six at one basket. There are four minutes on the clock and the goal is to get 90. Player 1 shoots, gets his own rebound and passes to player x that does not have the ball. **No all-time rebounders.**
Put a minute and a half on the clock. The goal is to get 12 makes. A player starts at the half-court circle and runs in to lane line extended and takes a threepointer. The player then runs back to the half-court circle, touches it and then runs to the top of the key for a three-pointer. This same process is repeated at the three spots for the minute and a half.
TRAILBLAZER SHOOTING
There are two groups of three, one on each side of the court. There are two basketballs in each group. Players at half court start by running to opposite ends and getting a shot from their teammate. Players get their own rebound. After a player passes to their teammate for three, they sprint to the opposite end and get a shot.
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With four minutes on the clock, the goal is to get 70 makes. The player on the wing passes to the shooter in the corner. The shooter gets their own rebound and gets it to the passing line. There are three basketballs going in this drill.
Shoot from these four spots on the floor, one minute per spot. Start the shooting line in the corner and passing line on the wing, bumping each line one spot over after the minute. Jamie Dixon is in his fifth season as head coach at his alma mater, TCU, and is the current president of the NABC. In 2017-18 he guided the Horned Frogs back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years. In his 13 seasons as the head coach at the University of Pittsburgh, Dixon earned four National Coach of the Year honors, including being selected as the 2009 Naismith Coach of the Year. He led Pitt to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances including three Sweet Sixteen appearances and one NCAA Regional Final. Dixon’s Panthers also won three Big East championships.
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Maverick
Frame 1 - Maverick
M Shooting M Shooting
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Trailblazer Shooting TRAILBLAZER Trailblazer Shooting SHOOTING
M SHOOTING
Warrior
Frame 1 - Warrior
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Running a 5-Option Offense Mike Donnelly Head Coach, Florida Southern College
We run a motion based offense at Florida Southern. Initially, everything starts for us in transition. We want to run after every make, miss or steal. If we can’t get a high percentage shot in transition, we want to establish a flow and rhythm in the halfcourt with adequate spacing. In both transition and in the halfcourt, we want to have five (5) options readily available. The player with the ball must be an option, and the four receivers off the ball must be a visible threat as well. Our philosophy is to not run plays, but rather to create space for our players so they can make plays. The best way to create space for the ball is to keep the help defense busy and active at all times with ball and player movement. We want every offensive player out on the floor to be an actual threat to score. We teach our players with the ball to see everything. We want the ball handler to not only read and react to the defense, but to also see his receivers. The player with the ball must see all options, and receivers must be a visible target by showing their hands to the passer. The passer must see screeners, receivers and cutters. We want our offensive players to run just to run, pass just to pass, and move just to move. We don’t want our players to dribble just to dribble, or to become stagnant off the ball. Receivers are non-threats when they gravitate to or stare at the ball, or if they are not in the passers vision. When a receiver is a non-visible threat, it is very easy for the defense to square up the ball. With running a 5 option offense, the objective is to force the defense to constantly move. When a defense is forced to move, breakdowns occur, and gaps and space become available for the offense to exploit.
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An unpredictable offense is much more difficult to defend than a predictable offense, so not only do we rely heavily on our 5 option halfcourt motion principles, but also our halfcourt actions. Each action has a signal indicator. For example, our handoff action is the letter X signal, and a fake handoff is a fist signal. A rub action is a chest swipe signal. Our flare or back screen action is thumbs up and our drag wing ball screen action is a throat swipe. We break down our actions regularly in practice. We stress that these actions are executed at game speed to establish proper timing, and we also emphasize pass execution as well. Every detail matters. Whatever action we run, we always want each player to be a viable scoring option and threat. So, if we run a handoff action, both the passer and receiver will look to score. Once an action is executed, we want our players to attack and to be creative. It is imperative that our players have the confidence to score in space. Without a player’s ability to score, an offense cannot survive and will ultimately fail. The head coach at Florida Southern College since 2015, Mike Donnelly was the NABC District Coach of the Year in 2019-20 and a finalist for NABC Division II Coach of the Year. The Mocs finished the shortened season ranked fifth nationally in Division II with a 29-2 won-lost record and won both the Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament titles. He has had two 1,000-point scorers in Jonathan Lawton and Brett Hanson with Hanson earning honors as the 2019-20 NABC Division II Player of the Year. Donnelly coached previously in Connecticut at Post College and Southern Connecticut State University, earning coach of the year honors in both conferences.
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TEACHERS OF THE GAME LEADERS OF THE GAME SERVANTS OF THE GAME ADVOCATES OF THE GAME
GUARDIANS OF THE GAME
