Coach, this doesn't make sense!

So it all started with rolling a basketball.

In a simple drill, I call Paired Passing, we get partners to face each other with a ball in their right hand. In an athletic stance, they roll it to each other which basically forces their partner to stop it and return it with their left hand. This rolling continues for a 20-count then they proceed to do the same while crossing sideline to sideline. From there, we go from rolling it to other things like passing, pass off the dribble etc.

"Coach, this doesn't make sense"

Although it's a simple drill, its the first step in a progression to becoming a two-handed player - today it's rolling, tomorrow it's passing, dribbling the next and then shooting. But like all complicated things, it has to start simple and we build it up from there.

"OK, I don't get it but I'll do it"

I also like Paired Passing because it's fun and quite hilarious to watch basketballs go flying left, right and center because some Girls are just not that coordinated. However it's my job to make them aware of their weaknesses, define it as an area for improvement and then work on it within the context of my master plan (I think anytime you say master plan, you must say Muwahaha! and curl your imaginary evil mustache but I digress)

"Thinking, talking, moving and rolling is harder than I thought"

The other upside is the communication factor. In order to succeed from a coordination and movement perspective, they need to communicate. Now I don't tell them what to say, as a unit, they need to sort that out for themselves. Do we call names? Do we count? Do we whistle? How about we bat eyelids? Whatever works to be honest because that's how we have to do it in games.

Even to the trained eye, the things I do to develop my teams are sometimes unorthodox and way, way out there (ask me about balloon ball-handling one day) but we will have fun, we will see improvement in your skill, we will see a greater contribution from you in games and as your confidence grows, in life.

"So you're saying I'm going to be a two-handed player someday"

Yes, Someday ... and who knows, you might even get to play for Aik and the Ferns (see below) ;)

  

Doesn't it always start like this?

We had our first Junior A practice on Tuesday and it was strange to look at a team list with a lot of unfamiliar names on it. With the majority of last year’s team moving into Seniors, there are only two veterans left and the rest are a mixture of promoted Year Tens and a handful of Year Nines. For our first practice, I drew up a list of drills emphasizing fundamentals like ball-handling, passing/catching and shooting; lots and lots of shooting.

There's an old adage in basketball that when you select players for a team, Choose Shooters over Defenders, because you can always teach a Shooter to defend but you can't always teach a Defender to shoot. Although there is an ounce of truth in that, at the high school level I believe most Coaches live by an even older adage; Beggars can't be Choosers, because in many cases, we are not responsible for the talent that tries out or their history.

Obviously you can imagine my disappointment when only half the team turned up to training. Apparently Tuesdays after school is a really bad time to schedule trainings because it clashes with another in-season sport. My fantastic practice plan needed an urgent rework to fit the numbers and still achieve what I had set out to do; but to say I was peeved (on the inside of course) would be an understatement. Now don't get me wrong, I understand the priority (in-season over pre-season) and players should definitely fulfill their commitment to their in-season sports and activities.

However, becoming a member of any team, regardless of whether it's in-season or not, still requires commitment, communication as well as common courtesy especially in terms of attendance. We all know about the repercussions that missing players create for Coaches in terms of planning and practice, so I won't go into that too much other than saying that there will be words said and some discipline dealt at our next training.

Going forward, I want these girls to understand that although we have many commitments in our lives, learning to prioritize and communicate those priorities to everyone affected ensures that not only will they get to do what they want to do, but those affected by their absence can also plan accordingly and achieve what they want to do as well.

At the end of the day and even with half the team present, we still had a very good fundamentals workout. I got to see their work ethic as well as things to address at future practices (e.g. Form shooting and Lay-ups 101; here we come). I'm really pleased with what I saw and look forward to seeing how things go with everyone on board Friday.

Another step forward

We announced the 2013 Junior squads today and although there were some tough decisions to be made, I was happy with the final result.
 
When I first started at St Mary's, selection was easy - You turned up, you were in. We could count the number of Trialists on one or two hands and we often had to recruit other girls in to put a team on the floor. However in the last 2-3 seasons, we have been getting record turnouts (20+) which makes it even more challenging to test  and grade players.

This season has been by far the toughest - We have an exceptional Year 9 class in terms of skill and height coupled with a veteran Year 10 class with drive and experience. Twenty-nine Girls vying for spots across three teams was never going to be an easy task. Fortunately for me, I had help from our Senior class who did a fantastic job leading the Trialists through stations, helping with the score-keeping and providing feedback about the candidates.

It's moments like this where Coach Dave Wilson is really missed. Coach Wilson resigned last year due to health concerns but his insights and experience made tryouts manageable. He also had an eye for diamonds in the rough and was a great person to bounce my left-field thinking off. St Mary's Basketball definitely misses his commitment and contribution but I digress.

Taking in all the numbers, staff feedback, player feedback as well as my own personal notes, the long and thankless task of deciding teams began. We have an unwritten policy that if a Girl wants to play, she plays. Period. We don't cut people here. Getting balance between the three teams was the hardest thing to decide; making sure every team had at least two capable ball handlers, good height, a good spread of skill and experience without compromising competitiveness has got to be one of the toughest calls I've ever had to make but I am very pleased with the final result.

So much so that if you consider our top team is called the Junior A's and our second and third teams are called Junior B1 and B2. I jokingly call our B1 team, "Junior A-minus"; I think they're that strong. In fact, if they don't make a division final this year, I'll be very surprised indeed. That is not to say our B2 team is weak, most of the players there had strong showings at trials and are only where they are because there was no room in the upper grades to place them without compromising position and numbers balance.

I am expecting great results from all of our Junior Teams and I will be watching their progress as we prepare for the 2013 season, which starts in 2 months time.

A New Season Begins

It's the day after our first Junior tryout and I am very excited for the upcoming 2013 season.

Early signs of a great year ahead became evident when 29 Girls registered for Junior Basketball - that in itself is a new record and a significant step forward for our Program.

Traditionally, we always hold our first Trial at 7am, something I picked up from my predecessor, Coach Dave Wilson. We always viewed the morning trial as a test of commitment. We would get about half of the registered players turn up to that first morning trial with most opting for the later after school dates. It was a surefire way to sort the serious players from their casual counterparts.

So you can imagine my surprise when we arrived at the gym yesterday and not only had 24 of the 29 registered girls turned up but they were there before us (Yes! On time is late when it comes to Sports, Weddings and Job Interviews). Totally impressed and overwhelmed by the pressure, we slowly got things underway running a battery of skills tests and a limited amount of scrimmaging.

Although some struggled and some shined, I tend to view players on their potential - their potential to grow, to be coached and to be a supportive team mate. I also assess players from the ground up, meaning I believe the best players have the best footwork - that is the ability to start and stop with balance, the ability to change direction and to do so with efficiency. But we'll save that discussion for another day.

Although I am sad to see my Junior team of two years move on to the Senior ranks, I do so with the knowledge that the Girls coming after them will be more than capable of upholding our traditions and preserving our winning ways. Definitely look forward to next week!