Basketball Coach

Lately I've thought a bit about my favorite sport, and considered what my philosophy and strategy would be if I happened to become a high school basketball coach. Not that there's even the most remote possibility that would ever happen - in fact, I don't believe I have the right personality to be successful in the job.

Even so, it's sort of fun to ruminate on what I might do to build a program. The local high school presents an interesting challenge. There hasn't been a winning basketball program there in decades. In my opinion not because of a lack of talent, but a lack of the kind of program that identifies and develops the players that can result in a competitive team.

The program has to start with development. One of the first things I'd do as the new coach is go meet the coaches from the feeder schools. I'd talk with them about a vision for the program that starts in the 5th grade, even though at least half of the best prospects will choose the other local high school.

Currently the coaches in the early grades are free to build their own teams without regard for how their choices impact the eventual high school rosters. Good basketball teams need height, speed, and athleticism. Slow little guys who happened to develop basketball skills, did so either from a natural talent and love of the game or because gung-ho parents got them to camps and clinics and even private coaching.

But those little slow guys aren't the ones who will make your team successful when they get to the 11th and 12th grades.

The tall kids are gangly and uncoordinated. When the coaches have tryouts in the 5th or 6th or 7th grade, those tall kids who can't dribble, can't shoot, and trip over their big feet barely get a look. What the leader of a successful basketball program needs to recognize is that boys develop at very different rates. That gangly tall kid who doesn't get a second look in the 7th grade has the potential to blossom into a Division I college prospect by the time he's a Senior. That super fast kid who can't dribble or shoot very well has the potential to become the best point guard in the conference by the time he's a Junior.

So I'd plead with the coaches in the lower grades to do the following:

• Take at least 3 or 4 of the tall, uncoordinated kids on your 15-member roster.
  
• Take one or two of the super fast kids who can't dribble or shoot.
• Then go ahead and take the best 10 of the rest.
• But encourage those who didn't make the roster not to give up. Create and support an intramural program, encourage kids to play in the PAL or FFY leagues. Get Senior players from the High School to coach those kids and keep the coaches informed on which kids are beginning to show promise.
• Get an assistant coach on those lower grade teams that works specifically with the big men, teaching them the fundamentals. Give the big men a taste entering games whenever possible to get some experience and motivation.
• Emphasize summer camps to bring out the local kids. The primary goal of the summer camps should be finding and developing the local talent, not making extra money for yourself.
  
• Stay engaged, and get to know every kid playing basketball in the community, whether on the school teams or the other programs.

As far as the first year at the high school, I'd start with the call-out meeting within the first couple weeks after school starts in August or September. I'd roam the halls looking for the tall kids. I'd talk to the football, baseball, and track coaches about the most athletic kids in those programs. I'd invite every one of them to the basketball tryout.

At the call-out meeting I'd make it clear that the roster is wide open. We will take the best 12 players on the varsity roster. We'll take up to 15 of the best players on the junior varsity roster, and up to 15 of the best freshmen for the freshman roster. Nobody who played last year is guaranteed a spot.

After picking the rosters for the 3 high school squads, I'd help organize an intramural league and encourage those who didn't make it to participate. I'd keep an eye on the kids in that league to look for young up-and-coming prospects.

My emphasis for building a competitive team would be on practice. I would not be a great game coach, and am not a great motivator. But I can be methodical and intelligent about focusing on the keys to success:

• Fitness: Everybody on the team will find games to be physically like a vacation compared to practice. No rubber legs in the fourth quarter will ever be blamed for a loss.
• Fundamentals: Every team member will go through very structured drills every day to develop their fundamentals. Dribbling, footwork, shooting, passing, rebounding, discipline. No loss will ever be blamed on a lack of discipline or poor fundamentals.
• Standards: Strict rules will be established and enforced uniformly on standards of appearance, sportsmanship, language, and conduct. This will be a class program.

I would assign assistant coaches to primary duties: One in charge of post player development, another in charge of guards. Post players will become outstanding defenders, experts at blocking out and controlling rebounds and near-perfect shooting inside 6 feet. Guards and small forwards must be quick, have great hands, and great passers. Only the sharpshooters will be allowed to take open 3-pointers. Everybody will shoot 200 free throws every day.

Practice will be sort of like learning to play the piano. Every fundamental will start with the simple and build up to more and more complex skills. For example, players will learn to shoot by starting under the basket and gradually moving out. When a player can dribble with the left hand, they'll be challenged to learn behind-the-back and between-the-legs. The same approach to learning the offense - start with the simple placement and options, and gradually introduce more and more wrinkles.

I'd use mostly a man-to-man defense, relying on the players' speed and conditioning. Zone defenses will be used either to confuse the opponent or when matchups make it a more effective strategy.

I'd utilize a motion offense with lots of screens, constant player cutting, and an emphasis on playing fast and finding the highest percentage open shot. I'd have the basic motion offense with multiple options against man-to-man, and an inside-out offense with lots of options against zone. I'd look for big and dominant big men in the middle with quick, sharpshooting guards and small forwards that will force opponents to pick their poison; let the big man score under the basket or let the sharpshooters pop from outside - you can stop one but not the other.

I'd implement a rigorous offseason training program, designed for speed, agility, and max verticals. Players who show up for tryouts out of shape risk their spot on the roster, regardless of natural talent. I wouldn't necessarily run a lot of fullcourt press, unless I felt it gave us a definitive advantage against a slower or lesser conditioned team.

I'd foster team unity with time spent outside of practice, but be careful not to overdo it so players still have quality family time at home. Every player will know exactly where they stand with the coaches and their role on the team, and any attitude problems with their role won't be tolerated. On the other hand, every bench player will understand that they can earn their way onto the court during games through exhibiting outstanding effort in practice.

A special reward for one Junior Varsity player allowed to dress with the Varsity will be based on practice effort. One JV player will dress for each regular season varsity game, chosen the day before each game and based solely on the coaches' choice of which player exhibited the best attitude and gave the best effort for the given week of practice.

The day after each game (typically Saturday morning) will be a light workout and film session. Reviewing game film will identify the most critical problems in that game, and the specific fundamental skills will become the primary emphasis for the next week of practice.

The basic philosophies of cultivating talent and recognizing that boys develop physically at different rates will ensure the best possible roster each season. A strong conditioning program will ensure that physical stamina is never a reason for losing a game. Players will respect themselves, their coaches, and each other, and will be models for the rest of the school.

I'd try to find assistant coaches who are good at the things I'm not good at. Starting with great motivators. But I also need assistants who know how to teach, since they'll be tasked with player skill development.

I think it's a pretty good strategy. If the local high school gets a coach who lasts more than 2 years, maybe they'll land one that would use something similar. Maybe someday I could catch on as an assistant somewhere, maybe when I don't have to work as much.