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A Modular approach to Offense

2012-02-18T11:46:00.000+13:00

Like many coaches, we tend to gravitate towards things that fit with who we are and where we're from. Case in point, I've been a Motion Offense guy from the Bob Knight school of thinking for a very long time and despite all the trends over the years, I've stayed true to that style. However, this hasn't stopped me from learning about and exploring other offensive system, after all we might need to defend them someday and it will be nice to know how to pick them apart beforehand instead of trying to implement massive adjustments on the night.

Many systems have come and gone; gone in the sense that they are no longer in vogue. Like the Triangle or Princeton etc, they still have their believers and people are still successful with them but they are no longer in the limelight as much as they once were. Over time, I have seen, adopted and modified my own philosophy to take in new trends and concepts, to keep my way of thinking fresh but sometimes, I had to write off many of these systems because the teams I coached didn't have the required people to run them in terms of height, experience or athleticism.

This is why I was excited to read about the Read and React Offense. Being a long time fan of Rick Torbett's work through the various Skill products he offers via Better Basketball, it made sense that something like Read and React would eventuate. In the Better 1-on-1 DVD, the early stages for Read and React were already unfolding so when Rick and his team finally formulated the original 17 layer version of the framework, I was in.

The thing that sold me most about Read and React is it's modular approach to offense. There is really no ground-breaking stuff in it, all the elements, or Layers, are things most coaches have used since the beginning of time. But the thing that sets it apart from other systems is (a) you pick and choose the elements you want to teach (b) you do not need specialised people to run it and (c) its principle-based giving players the freedom to just play.

I equate Read and React to driving a car. You can go anywhere you like, using any route you like, you have that freedom; but you are still bound by the rules of the road while you drive. In set plays and continuity offense, your route is bound; you don't have a choice, its follow the pattern or the offense dies. In true motion, you have complete freedom to play but can be bogged down by too many rules. Read and React, in my humble opinion, fills the void between the two.

We will be aiming to have the first 6 layers of Read and React 2.0 (the newer 20 layer version) in by game 1 on May 1. Many of the players we have, already know and understand the first 3 layers so building upon those habits should not be too difficult. We should have some new girls on board this year and will revisit the basic layers (1-3) just to get them up to speed before we start.

Anyhow, I'll be posting our progress throughout the season so feel free to come back to me with questions and comments if you have any.

The Journey of 1000 miles

2012-02-17T05:25:00.002+13:00

Last night, our Senior Team grabbed its third win in the local mid-week competition putting them at 3-0 for the season. Although it is a social competition, these games are more than just a fun way of passing a Thursday evening. To understand it, we have to go back to July last year and the Senior Regional Qualifiers.

The Senior Regional Qualifier is the tournament which determines which teams go on to compete at the Secondary Schools National Championship, the most prestigious High School Basketball Tournament in New Zealand. Of the 4 Operational Zones, 12 teams (6 Boys and 6 Girls) are sent from each zone to represent their Region at Nationals. For some schools, Nationals are a foregone conclusion with Teams like Wellington College and St Pats Kilbirnie making the trip every year. However, for Schools like St Mary's, that journey has been few and far between. In fact, the last time the School qualified for Nationals, most of the current Senior team were barely out of diapers.

Determined to make the most of the 2011 Regional event, especially given it was only 20 minutes up the road at Porirua, it made both fiscal and logical sense to have a go. And boy did we. Coming off one game shy of getting a bid to Nationals, that tournament proved with the right motivation and effort, we could run with some of the best in the Region. So it also makes complete sense that in 2012, the girls are keen to give it another go.

Many members of the current Senior team are Year 13, so it will be there last year at school before moving on to University and other adventures beyond our hallowed walls. As the realisation that this year will be their last together as a team, the need to leave a legacy and prove to themselves that they were good enough, sees us on a new course we have never sailed before. Entry in this mid-week competition is just a beginning. Remember we are still in the tryout phase of the season, yet we have a group of Seniors, who not only raised the entry fee for this competition, but play without knowing if they are even in the final 2012 squad yet!

So what is this all about? Well as Confucius said, the Journey of 1000 miles starts with one step. The Destination: Nationals. The Journey: Long and Forboding but tonights win is a small step in the right direction.

Backing the Pack

2012-02-15T06:22:00.002+13:00

Based on last years effort, what I've seen at trials so far and the time frame we have to work to, I've pretty much locked down what we're going to coach this year - Read and React and the Pack Defense.

We started to learn both last year, although I got reprimanded for teaching what looked like a Zone Defense to Under 16's (In most New Zealand Basketball competitions, Junior teams (16yo and lower) are banned from playing any form of half-court zones, although there is leeway in the rules for half court trapping schemes).

I can see how the Pack Line Defense, or the Pack as it is more commonly known as, could look like a Zone to the uninitiated. If a team never ran cutters through, it would easily look like a 1-2-2 Zone or Box and 1. However, this is not my motivation for going to the Pack. When I look at how we were beat last season, almost most if not all of it was in the paint, either through lack of boards (second shots really hurt us last year), dominant post play (not being able to match stronger, taller and more experienced players) or slow help, often getting beat 1-on-1 through the paint. In the end, it all came back to how we covered, or in this case didn't cover, the paint.

Athletically, we are well-rounded and run the floor really well fulfilling one of the first tenets of the Pack philosophy (Get Back!). Transition coverage has never been a problem for us as we give up very few points in conversion however we really need to cut off secondary breaks and set pieces in the half court and look hard at how we're going to get after boards this season. I know the Pack will fix most of the gaps in our current defense and will lessen the learning curve when the Girls move up to Seniors next year.

Last season bought mixed results, for every game we won by 20 points, we'd lose one by 20 points the week after. On average, teams are 14 points better against us so we'll be looking at the Pack to reduce that number significantly, while picking up our the slack on offense via Read and React.

But more on that tomorrow ;)

A Pleasant Surprise

2012-02-14T01:35:00.000+13:00

Today was the official first day of the 2012 season for St Mary's Basketball starting with a 7am tryout for both our Senior and Junior teams.

Between Dave Wilson, our school's Basketball Coordinator, and myself; expectations were pretty low given our numbers over the last two seasons. Dave was anticipating 16+ Girls would turn up and had bought enough gear to cater for that. So you could imagine our surprise when 28 fronted up!

To put that in perspective, we are a relative small private girls-only catholic school. 28 Girls represents about 5% of our total school attendance, which is pretty impressive given that Basketball is not the Schools #1 sport.

As excited as we are with the turnout, its a tough road ahead to determine who's a pretender and who's a contender. Although I see glimpses of promise in every player, getting this right will be, without a doubt, the toughest part of the season.

The Lin Effect

2012-02-12T03:00:00.001+13:00

Got to watch the Lakers v Knicks game today. Going into the game, I wasn't expecting much after all it was the Lakers and the Knicks have not really stood out as the team to beat in this shortened season. But because I had heard of Lin's efforts v the Jazz and Washington, curosity got the better of me and I had to tune in (It also helped that a friend was at the game, sending pics and snippets during the game to bring Super Lin-tendo home)

Well to cut a long story short, 38 points and a win later, I had Lin-sanity. But what really sold me wasn't the fact that he was undrafted, waived by so many teams, was the 4th guy in the Point Guard rotation, is the first American-born Taiwanese player in the NBA, has a Havard degree in Economics or sleeps on his brother couch. The thing that really sold me was he never gave up the Dream and in this day and age of easy living and something for nothing; to really see someone perservere and breakout like he has, is an inspiration to all.

38 for Jeremy Lin. Good for you Jeremy Lin. You go Jeremy Lin!

Tryouts announced

2012-02-09T01:36:00.000+13:00

Got news that the first of the Senior (U18) and Junior (U16) tryouts would be next Monday morning at 7am. A real test of commitment for the first session of the season but this is not an uncommon practice. I've often read stories of teams running their first practices at midnight or 3am out of tradition.

The news hit social media around 7pm and by 10pm, our private group was buzzing with all types of responses ranging from 'About time ...' to 'Why 7am?'. Despite the feedback, most of the girls know just turning up is a step in the right direction towards selection.

I suppose many of still in holiday mode but I'm sure an early morning workout will sort that out real quick ;) Looking forward to seeing the team again and blazing new trails in 2012

A New Entry marks a new Year

2012-02-08T00:29:00.001+13:00

It’s about time I dusted off this blog and let you all know that I am planning to document the trials and tribulations of our 2012 Junior A squad.

Technically, the team doesn't exist yet. Tryouts have been discussed and planning is well under way. I have plotted a 10-week course leading up to our first official game on 1 May. There is definitely a lot of work to be done and I'm feeling a little antsy - wanting to get this started ASAP - but we have to let the process go the course; making sure to dot the I's and cross the T's along the way.

Players too are feeling the anxiety/nervousness that comes with tryouts. Knowing that there are no guarantees, the longer we all wait; the more then tensions build and the self-doubt creeps in. Talking with a few of last year’s squad, they are definitely feeling the pressure and this is only their second week back at school!

Looking to go in guns blazing this week, I'll keep y'all posted with how it all turns out!

You gotta have faith ...

2010-03-22T23:04:00.003+13:00

The Utah State Aggies student section performed this pre-game cheer prior to a basketball game against Wichita State. Wild Bill puts the exclamation on the chant by ripping off his shirt. As the #12 seed in the South brackets, the Utah State Aggies open against Texas A & M in the NCAA Tournament. We’ll see soon how far the power of positive thinking will carry them.

and if all else fails ... You can always make like the Badgers ...

House of Pain’s song “Jump Around” is played between the 3rd and 4th quarters at Badger football games to pump up the crowd. The Badger faithful stand up, dance and well, jump.

The tradition of playing “Jump Around” began on Saturday, October 10, 1998, at the Badger’s Homecoming game against the Purdue Boilermakers. After the Badgers were held scoreless through the third quarter, one of the Badger’s marketing agents, who was in charge of sound, piped the song through the stadium’s sound system. It revved up the fans and players. The tradition continues on and is a highlight for many football fans.

The best way forward is ... backward

2010-03-09T22:31:00.003+13:00

Although we were the first winter sport out of the gate this year, the season has been anything but early. At the end of February, we suffered a tragic loss which affected not only the team but the school as a whole and in respect for all involved; we suspended operations until everyone was ready to train again.

Two weeks later, we are back on the court and looking fast, fit and ready to go. Coach Steve and I are in constant communication about the best way forward for the girls and after the mixed results from trials, we decided the best way forward was to take a step back and get the girls reacquainted with the fundamentals.

I know most of you are saying, ‘We do fundamentals every practice’, and we're no different; but for many of our girls, its been 20+ weeks since they've last shot a basketball, let alone trained with one; so it was only fitting that we took them back to the beginning. Call it a refresher course if you will.

Although the practices have been simple on paper, they have been anything but simple for most players, who are finding things like left-handed work challenging. I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised to see so many holes in our players’ basics but I have been very impressed with their willingness to improve.

Back to School - The never-ending journey of learning

The last few weeks has been a revision in coaching and team culture for me. If the number of hours I’ve spent watching coaching and basketball video, in the last two weeks, were mileage, I'd have gone to Auckland and back by now - Bob Knight, Mike Krzyzweski, Bob Hurley, Dave Arsenault, Doug Porter, Rick Torbett, Ganon Baker and Alan Stein are all great leaders in their respective fields. A Coach would be hard pressed to find a better group of people to learn from than these.

At home, Coach Steve is doing a fantastic job raising the awareness level of our teams’ fundamentals and it’s definitely something, I want to carry over as we start looking to put in our fast break/offense next week. I look forward to tomorrows practice as we pave our way to Game One, April 23!

Principles over Pattens - Being like Water

2010-02-06T02:31:00.001+13:00

There is no doubt in my mind that Motion Offense is the toughest offense to teach in basketball. That is because there are so many options and combinations that can occur on and off the ball that the mind wobbles when I think of all the information a player must digest in a split second to make it work. I suppose that is why we have plays and patterned offense, to help eliminate some of the guesswork needed to have five co-ordinated players on the floor. The other reason is to get the ball into the best players hands at the best spots for the best shots.

I hear many coaches often say 'Take what the Defense give us you' however this contradicts the very idea of set movement. Since a good defense will never conform to your offensive pattern or set, a player must break pattern to make the correct adjustment based on what the Defense gives. It's a fact that 80% of all made baskets come for open court play - yes, its true that the open court play may have originated from a set movement but it's usually a deviation in that set play that results in the basket and in doing so, usually justifies the play.

However, principled basketball such as the read and react offense provides simple rules which can be builf up in layers depending upon skill, experience and receptiveness to a new way of playing ball. Using rules to simplify decision-making while still adhereing to the fundamentals of good offense - spacing, movement etc and letting the ball do the work is really what principled ball is all about. Its like water - put water in a glass, it takes the shape of the glass; put water in a bottle, it takes the shape of the bottle; but water itself has no natural form or shape; it moulds to its environment and that what principled ball is all about.

We are looking to be like water this season with the adaption of the Read and React Offense. Watch this space for developements.

Looking for the Empty Cups

2010-02-03T10:10:00.002+13:00

With tryouts over a week away, it was time to revise my original tryout plan to see if I needed to change it since we have decided to philosophically shift to Read and React. I'm glad to say that no changes were required.

Without giving too much away, Trials are about challenging participants both mentally and physically. Testing skills are a given as is scrimmaging but how do you test toughness? How do you test coachability? Adaptability? How do you see potential leadership? How do you see performance under pressure?

I'm sure every coach has their pet drills for skills testing but it has been my experience that sometimes the best players I've ever coached were what I call 'Empty Cups'. I remember the quote from legendary Martial Artist, Bruce Lee, but originally comes from a Zen proverb.

One day, a professor decided to visit a Zen master to learn about their philosophy. It was obvious to the master from the start of the conversation that the professor was not so much interested in learning about Zen as he was in impressing the master with his own opinions and knowledge. As the Zen teacher spoke, the proud man would frequently interrupt him with remarks like "Oh, yes we have that, too" and so on.

Finally, the Zen teacher stopped talking and began to serve tea to the learned man. He poured until the cup was full... and then kept pouring until it overflowed.

"Enough!" the professor once more interrupted. "The cup is overfull, no more will go in!"

"Indeed, I see," answered the Zen teacher. "Like this cup, you are full of your own opinions and speculations. If you do not first empty your cup, how can you taste my cup of tea?"

Many of the players I have coached over the years came to me with their cups full or near the brim, in other words a pre-conceived notion of how the sport is taught and played. These players, though skilled, are not usually receptive to new ideas or methods however 'Empty Cups' are, by their very nature, more coachable, more adaptable and open to new ideas allowing them to develop a wide and diverse range of skills.

Students of Bruce Lee, who were often practitioners of other martial arts, were often told to 'empty their cup' before they could train with him. Although we cannot discount talent or skill, there is no doubt I will be looking for the 'Empty Cups' next week ... watch this space.

So it begins ...

2010-02-02T11:27:00.000+13:00

It's the first day back to school and the sun is shining for the first time in two days. In fact, it looks like it’s going to be a brilliant day!

During the weekend, Coach Steve and I ‘synced watches’ philosophically and we share many ideas and targets although we may take different roads to get there. Still, our discussions has been valuable in shaping some the decisions I had made earlier, especially regarding what we were going to run and how we were going to run it. As you all know, I was leaning heavily toward running System Basketball this year but with the extreme mix of skill, talent and basketball smarts that could be in the team, we both decided that a return to basics is what we really needed.

As some of you may know, I am an avid follower of Rick Torbett's Read and React Offense - It is a principled based framework that develops off-the-ball reactions to ball movement. I personally consider it the Holy Grail of Offensive systems because I see the potential this framework could deliver in a 2-3 year program. And therein lies the rub (to misquote Shakespeare)

Not many people are willing to invest the time or effort to implement this program because so many coaches or schools are looking for results RIGHT NOW. However we recognise with the diversity of skill and talent available to us, that we must make a fundamental investment in each player; knowing that improving them individually improves our team exponentially.

And at the end of the day, isn't that what good coaching is about?

T minus 1 and counting

2010-01-29T18:29:00.001+13:00

Well with less than a week before the 2010 school term begins, the circus that is the execution of the season master plan begins.

This week, coach Steve and I received the green light as the Senior A coaches for 2010. For us, it is a milestone event and kickstarts the preparation and running of tryouts.

With school starting Feb 2, the wheels are well in motion. This season, we have agreed on a two step trial process, a single mid-week session to determine skill with a repeat session during the weekend to determine commitment. I believe we are on the verge of something special this year and we could see a large turnout hence the weekend 'commitment' test.

Only time will tell, watch this space.

Out with the Old, In with the New ... well, not quite

2010-01-14T01:34:00.003+13:00

There is a saying that goes along the lines "Learn from the past today to inprove the future" which seems fitting given the big clean up we did today. I found alot of my old notes, practice plans and score sheets from my years at Mana which made for some interesting reading to say the least. Don't get me wrong, its not all bad, in fact most of it brings back some great memories and I laugh now thinking about what we did back then compared to now.

Case in point, Platooning. For the uninitiated, platooning is the practice of 5-for-5 subbing. One of my philosophies has always been "Everyone plays", from starting five to the 12th player. This in turn led to my another philosophy of mine, "Its not the Starting Five but Final Five who make the difference". This came about because the Starting Five never determined the fate of our games; all thing being equal, our games were usually won or lost based on the performance of the players on the court at the end of the game. So in games, we would sub five-in-five-out every two to three game minutes (which is a lot longer than you think) and readjust at the quarter and half based on player performance. The 4th Quarter however belong to the Final Five, the five players who had the best performance on the night and we would use a regular 8-player rotation depending on the situation.

It would be fair to say that the practice had it fans and foes. There are a lot of good arguements on both sides but I personally felt most of the negative comments were people being selfish, win-oriented or did not have the teams best interests at heart. But in my experience, the comradery and motivation that happens through platooning more than makes up for any downside to the practice.

I will end by saying that Platooning is not on the cards for 2010 but its just one of many practices that have helped shaped my basketball philosophy over the years and one I was happy to read was successful for us back then.

3 weeks and counting

2010-01-12T09:11:00.002+13:00

Only three weeks to go until the start of the new year. Got a few things on at the moment regarding Basketball but I spent the last week finalising the plan for this season but it was tough.

Although I am strong believer in the System, there are a lot of influences that are changing some of my ideas about what would be good for our team including the success of Oregon Womens Basketball under Coach Paul Westhead and my recent interest in Coach Walberg's Dribble Drive Motion.

Defensively, I am influenced by Coach Rick Pitinos Black and White press which has seen a revival under Coach Billy Donovan (Yes, I do know that Donovan played for Pitino), Coach Tarkanians Amoeba defense from the famed UNLV Running Rebels days but I am grounded in the solid man-to-man principles of Coach Bobby Knight.

When we consider our talent, timeline and opponents for the 2010 season, the decisions we make now will have a great impact on what we coach, how we coach it and what results we expect to see. However with a stake planted firmly in the ground now, we can start making plans towards building success.

Kiwi goes up-tempo with a Legend

2009-11-20T13:37:00.000+13:00

The 2009-2010 season for the Oregon University Womens Basketball team has been boosted by the arrival of new Head Coach and Up-tempo Legend, Paul Westhead. Coach Westhead comes from a three-year tenure with 2009 WNBA champions, Phoenix Mercury, and looks to give back to the sport by running his unique brand of basketball at the green and gold.

At the forefront of this change is Senior Power Guard, Micaela Cocks, who is a Tall Fern and a product of the New Zealand High Performance program. Hailing from North Shore, Auckland, Micaela enters her last year at Oregon under Coach Westhead and is excited to play the up-tempo style. Click the link below to hear Micaela talk about it! (Please wait for the arrow to appear, there will be pause between action)

Ugly gets it done

2009-11-15T02:38:00.000+13:00

"Ugly" is a subjective term. Subjective in the sense that its meaning is matter of personal opinion. For example, most males I know, myself included, have one piece of clothing which maybe well past it prime but because of its sentimental value, we hold on to it as reminder of better times. It maybe an old rugby jersey or that first rep singlet or some beaten up pair of sneakers; in our eyes these things are beautiful. The Japanese have a term for finding beauty in "ugly" things - Wabi-Sabi.

And so it comes as no surprise that even in sports, we can see wabi-sabi at work. Look at all those sports movies, Rocky, Bad News Bears, Rudy, Hoosiers where the main character(s) are underdogs, not expected to amount to much, dont fit in and are not like the 'mainstream' yet in all cases, they go through hell, pull together and get it done. Their wabi-sabi comes from the ugliness they must endure to achieve victory and it is in victory that beauty is attained.

Case in point, the New Zealand Soccer team qualifying for the World cup tonight is a classic example of wabi-sabi for me. I'm not a huge soccer fan and to be honest, the All-Whites are not a team I follow. But they came into the game as the underdogs with a chip on one shoulder and history on the other. The game wasn't textbook by any means as it was anyones for the taking even after the Fallon header. However the All-Whites persisted and got it done achieving their wabi-sabi moment when that final whistle went. A well-deserved win that was 'ugly' in process but 'beautiful' in result and something I'll not forget for a long time to come.

Why Run and Gun?

2009-11-12T23:07:00.000+13:00

We are having a very interested conversation why teams should switch to the Grinnell system (40 minutes of Fast break and full court pressure defense with 1 minute platooning). Although the answers have varied, all of them are passionate for the system.

1. I want the best chance at playing everyone I keep on the team.
2. I like the philosophy that sells the idea to the kids that they can shoot - they are part of the equation - let's see what happens if you play harder then you have at any time in your life and then when you come out, you get to go back in a minute or so. Let's take the fear of coming out for a mistake out of the game.
-Coach Evan Massey of Galesberg HS

I had always been a press and run team and took a fair number of threes, but I was only playing 8 girls and we often wore down before they did. The genius of the system, I think, is the subbing. It's so simple that I kick myself sometimes for not seeing it myself earlier, but it's what makes this work, at least for me. Our intensity level never drops, and so the other team doesn't make hay against our press later in the game. I love playing a team that hasn't seen us, and sometimes even one that has, and seeing the look on their face when they win the jump ball in the back court and we immediately spring into a press. It's fun to coach and play, which helps. I don't see myself ever going back.
-Coach Mike Schutt, Newman Catholic HS, Mason City, IA

And so the praise continues but before I sign off, I will balance this with a comment from Coach Ron Rohn, who was an early adapter of the Grinnell System for Women but no longer plays the style:

I do think that the coach who asked to be taken off the (Run and Gun Coaches) list hit on a very key point however. It is not for eveyone and even many who think they can handle it can't. If your personality (or that of your team) is not one who can take the highs and lows, the lack of control, the criticism of others, you best not go down that path. I've seen many go down that path, and learn more about themselves than they could have imagined.
-Coach Ron Rohn of Muhlenberg College

New respect for Kobe Bryant

2009-11-12T07:15:00.000+13:00

He may not be my favourite player in the NBA (right now its LBJ) and the Lakers are, far and away, not my favourite team ... but like LeBron, the more I read about Bryant the more I respect and understand why his game has improved so much.

If anyone knows anything about martial arts and Bruce Lee, then you'll know what Jeet Kune Do is. Who would have guessed Bryant was a student of JKD master, Jerry Poteet. Knowing the theory behind JKD, one could understand that if Kobe could apply those lessons on the court, he would be one formidable opponent. Check out this video and enjoy!

You know I could get to like the guy ...

From Hero to Zero: Why jumping ahead is not always the best option

2009-11-12T04:51:00.000+13:00

Coaches are always on the lookout for talent especially those in the younger ranks who can make the step up to senior ball. I am no exception. However not every prospect can make that transition and it shouldn't be made without guidance, patience and some desire on the part of the player. Some players can take that step up however its not something Ive always encouraged because there are so many factors beside ball skills that needs to be considered like that players maturity, work ethic, moral and mental fortitude; these things happen over time and should not be rushed.

Now we know what can happen if all the right things comes together - LeBron James is a living example and was one of the first players to jump from high school to the NBA. But what about the others? The ones we don't hear about ... click the link below to read the story of Jeremy Tyler, a top NBA prospect out of San Diego, who through bad advice is all but squandering his chance at greatness.

From Hero to Zero - Jeremy Tyler : the story so far

I do hope it works out for him. It's a work in progress so I'll be keeping a watch to see how it turns out.

Learning so much

2009-10-22T22:25:00.000+13:00

The moment you stop wanting to learn is the moment you know it's time to leave!

I'm glad I’ve had the experience that I’ve had this year. It helped me understand my shortcomings as a teacher, leader and role model. It helped me realise that there is more to coaching than teaching Players X's and O's. After our season finished, I went looking for answers why, a team of our quality could not deliver on the court. Going through the feedback from the players, I am starting to see why. As I’ve stated in previous articles, most of it has to do with discipline, commitment and providing a positive environment to grow in.

I've also started reading about gender differences in terms of motivation, praise and giving feedback. I must admit it was a bit of a wake up call but having read it, I now have a different outlook on what is required for next season. In fact, I’ve created a separate motivational plan to build team pride, raise morale and inject competition while staying focused on our main objectives.

I am also involved with a Coaches group where we openly discuss issues we face both in and outside of basketball such as players/parents with separate agendas, handling "practice" players, turning coal into diamonds, what it means to be a Captain etc. There are a lot of real life issues on the table but there is also a lot of inspiration and support as well. The advice and feedback is golden. Especially now, as I get to experience the pre-season/season with them, as they go through it.

In another group, I’m learning all about run and gun basketball. I believe based on our current team, and the projected team for next year, that this will be the best style for us. The Coaches in this group have been very helpful and I’ve made quite a few contacts in the US and Europe. The one thing that hits me is how willing coaches overseas are willing to help. Over here, its pretty much closed shop; secret squirrel stuff. Over there, I’ve had one US coach, not only offer me his playbook, but his first 15 practice plans from last season as a building block for our season next year. That’s awesome.

To close, as you can see, I’m still learning and planning and learning some more. I can’t wait until the rubber meets the road in February. I’ve gotta feeling, it’s going to be awesome.

Keep Moving Foward

2009-10-21T02:28:00.000+13:00

BYE MADDIE ... SORRY TO HERE YOU'RE LEAVING US
Got some news that our PG of three years is transferring to another school next year. Although it sad and we will definitely miss her, we wish her all the best in her journey beyond St Mary's.

ATTACK BASKETBALL IS COMING!
In other news, ordered Attack Basketball from Coach Doug Porter of Olivet Nazarene University today. Coach Porter runs a modified version of the Grinnell System which has been designed for Girls. He is also active on the Yahoo Run and Gun Coaches Group which has been a huge help in answering many of the questions I had about it.

I believe Attack Basketball is a viable system for our girls given there skill and level of fitness. But making sure I can sell it to the right people may prove to be a challenge. Lets see how that pans out in Feb 2010.

ON GENDER AND COMPETITION
As you can tell, I've been away from the blog for a while but this doesn't mean my pursuit for awesome ended with the East game back in August! Part of what I been looking at is where I failed as Coach this year. I know I delivered the X and O's but on review, I fell over at the basic level - Not preparing the team mentally and not taking gender issues in to consideration.

I have been reading Kathie DeBoer and Anson Dorrance regarding the competitive nature of the female student athlete and it pretty much confirms that everything that you shouldn't do when coaching girls, I did! I assumed what works for boys would work for girls, how wrong I was! So I have created a seperate motivation plan and checklist to ensure that we will do our best to foster a positive team environment next year!

Nationals : Finals Day

2009-10-16T11:36:00.000+13:00

Well as you all know by now, everything turned out predicated. Westlake won the boys and Rob Loe was the boys MVP. For the Girls, Church College "fulfilled the prophecy" (see what I did there, LOL) winning the final vs New Plymouth. Letava Whippy taking the MVP for the second year in a row.

ON MVP
Rob Loe getting the nod was a given IMHO. His unselfish play, especially during pool play when noone was looking, was a testament to Tall Blacks selection. Dominating in the later half of the tournament, he and teammate Shaquille Hohipa-Wilson were a combination to see. In my eyes, it was like watching a baby Malone and Stockton at work. A joy to watch!

On the hand, personally I'd like to question the choice of Letava Whippy. I will say straight up that I didn't get to see many Church College games (3 in all) because IMHO they were auto-wins and my time in Palmerston North was much better spent watching challengers like Fraser HS, Waimea or New Plymouth Girls. In those 3 games I did watch, Letava did exceptionally well but in a team of exceptional players, she did not stand out. To para-phrase the Incredibles - When everyones special then nobodys special! IMHO I would've like to see Moengaroa Subritzky take tournament MVP because she had been consistant all week. But I digress.

ON NATIONALS
What a great showcase for New Zealand basketball and inspiration for coachs and players alike. It was definitely a pleasure to get up there even if it was for three of the five days. Still, I lapped up and enjoyed every second of it. As a coach, seeing the quality of the teams here only inspired me to do more for our girls even if the season doesnt start until Feb 2010! Can't wait to go.

Nationals : Day Three and Four

2009-10-11T05:42:00.000+13:00

Based on the game of the day, I decided to forego day three and stay home. The only real games of interest to me personally were the St Pats game vs. New Plymouth (NPBHS won) and the assortment of Girls game which, at this stage of the tournament, were almost self-evident.

Day Four - Good vs. Evil
Today was Quarterfinal day and for most teams it was the day to put up or shut up. On the cards were some great matches today including the much anticipated rematch between St Pats and Mana. In the Girls Quarters, there were several great games to watch:

Waimea vs. Rangiora
New Plymouth vs. Northcote
Mt Albert Grammar vs. Fraser High

Based on what I had seen of Waimea, especially given their win against Fraser High the other day; this should've been an open-and-shut win for Waimea. But someone forgot to tell Rangiora, who blazed ahead in the early quarters, to put the fear into Waimea faithful. As it turned out, Rangiora pushed them right down to the wire but some very cool calls from Coach Zizic in the dying minutes saved the tournament for Waimea. (Waimea 57 Rangiora 55). They move on to face Church College, who easily sent Waikato Dio packing in the other quarter of the round (CCNZ 75 Waikato Dio 44).

The last two matches were classic in terms of polar opposites. The New Plymouth vs. Northcote game was Finesse (NPGHS) vs. Power (Northcote); the Fraser vs. Mt Albert Grammar (MAGS) game was the 'Group of Stars' (Fraser) vs. the 'Team of Players' (MAGS). Both were fantastic games to watch for their own unique reasons.

Northcote really took the game to New Plymouth but not in nice way. It was aggressive; as aggressive as a Girls game can get without calling it a fight. The New Plymouth team was really getting beat up physically and had to earn every point it scored. They were taking some tough knocks which affected them mentally and it showed in the number of turnovers that would plague them throughout the game. To Northcote’s credit, they were attacking the cup in a no-nonsense manner which was a testament to their aggressiveness but when one of their girls put an elbow to the eye of one of the NPGHS players, they crossed the line and provided the motivation that New Plymouth needed to win the game. Good triumphs. (NPGHS 76 Northcote 54)

The game of the day for me was the MAGS vs. Fraser High quarter. Though not as physical as the NP/Northcote game, the game featured aggressiveness on smarter level. Fraser ran the Jeff Green playbook to a tee - fast moving 1-2-2 three-quarter trap with a fast break on every change of possession. MAGS to their credit were very much up to the challenge but could not contain Fraser's early onslaught which allowed them to go into halftime with the lead. Despite being 15 points down, MAGS regathered themselves and behind an inspiring performance from Point guard, Morgan Hunter (22 points) bought the game back to a 2-point difference with 3 minutes to go in the fourth. What happened next was a blur however the pivotal moment in my mind was a ref’s call which awarded possession to Fraser after one of their players were clearly the last to touch the ball that headed out of bounds in the dying minute. IMHO this call sucked out all the confidence the MAGS team had left and allowed Fraser to run up some quick points before the buzzer sounded to end the game and MAGS bid for a National title. Evil triumphs (Fraser 83 MAGS 77)

Words of Wisdom from the GOAT

2009-10-01T10:03:00.000+13:00

ON HIS MENTORS
"The process for me has always been pure. It's been about leading and staying true -- authentic -- to those fundamental values that flowed downstream from my parents and Coach (Dean) Smith."

ON BEING CUT AS A HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE
"Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I'd close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it, and that usually got me going again."

ON PERCEPTIONS OF HIM
I"ve never been worried about anyone's perception, one way or another. I've never allowed anyone's opinion to define me. I'm comfortable with who I am, I trust myself."

ON TEAM FIRST
"One thing I believe to the fullest is that if you think and achieve as a team, the individual accolades will take care of themselves. Talent wins games but teamwork and intelligence wins championships."

ON FAILURE LEADING TO SUCCESS
"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

ON OBSTACLES
"Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it or work around it."

ON FEAR
"I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it is an illusion to me...failure always made me try harder next time."

ON WORK
"Anything can happen if you are willing to put in the work and remain open to the possibility. Dreams are realized by effort determination, passion and staying connected to that sense of who you are."

Nationals : Day Two

2009-09-30T21:25:00.000+13:00

Day Two was a little lacklustre compared to yesterday. Teams obviously realising that the two-a-day game schedule is a test of endurance as well as stamina and were pacing themselves accordingly.

Meet a Friend, Beat a Friend
Nationals are a time to catch up with old acquaintances and friends as well as make new ones. And as expected there was a lot of, for want of a better word, schmoozing going on. Coaches swapping ideas, friends from rep or national teams catching up, Refs sharing ideas about how certain calls should be made; the amount of networking that occurs is quite amazing actually. Like real life, In New Zealand Basketball, it’s not what you know but who you know but in coaching circles, if you know more then you become the person to know. Strange how that works really but where else could that happen but at Nationals!

Game of the Day: Waimea Girls vs. Fraser HS Girls
As far as teams go, they are polar opposites. Jeff Green's Run and Gun vs. Tatjana Zizic Princeton-like offence. The poster boy for Hotheads vs. the Ice Queen. Dogs vs. Cats. It's all here. I got the distinct impression that both teams were trying to stay off the radar as long as possible but the sheer fact that I, as a complete outsider, already knew and had expectations for Waimea totally debunks that theory. And any team with Jeff Green on the sideline (especially in *that* shirt) is going to be as invisible as Bull in a China Shop and just as dangerous.

The long and short of it all was that we got to see the bully-boy Jeff Green of old which obviously implied that Waimea pulled off the first major upset of the tournament beating Fraser 72-58. A well deserved win IMHO so chalk one up to Ice (brrrr It's cold in here. There must be Waimea in the atmosphere. I say o-wee-o-wee-o-wee ice ice queen ... break it down).

Separating the Contenders from the Pretenders

Basketball, if nothing else, is a game of Follow the Leader - if something is successful for one team then it is almost always copied by others until it becomes so saturated in the sport that it is accepted that as being the norm. Obvious examples - During Magics era, it was the Lakers break and the UCLA offence, during the Jordan era, we got the Triangle Offence and now its Dribble Drive and Princeton. But it doesn't stop there. Case in point - Warm-ups.

It should come as no surprise that as I walked the courts today one of the things I looked at, as a coach, is how teams prepare for games. Of the 48 teams at Nationals this year, I would say 2/3 of them are doing the same warm-up routine almost drill for drill. Not that I can say much about that, we were guilty of the same thing this season. However, what intrigued me most was how the top-ranked teams prepared especially knowing that they only had 10 minutes at most on court to warm up.

Some of the top boys teams did paired rope jumping, other used plyo techniques mixed with on the spot running to get up a sweat before taking the floor; most teams did nothing and waited for the court to get free. Once on the court, the top teams went into fast moving high rep routines as if they had a 10-min warm-up routine already. Some were very impressive e.g. the Rangiora Girls warm-up which has every girl moving, shooting or sliding. No lines, No waiting; Just moving and lots of work upfront. To me, these things show Leadership; being true to your team needs by setting and following your own path. And being a Leader amongst teams especially at Nationals makes you a Contender in my book.

Check back for more from Day three!

Nationals : Day One

2009-09-29T03:34:00.000+13:00

Day One of any tournament is always a tough one; for some its the lag from travelling, for others its not knowing anything about the venue or the competition; for most its just nerves that come when you play in an event this size. Regardless, Nationals remains the showcase event for all that is good (and bad) about Secondary School basketball in New Zealand. And for the most part, it was all good! On a comical note, here's my awards for Day One (and tell a few quick stories along the way)

The Chuck Norris Award for straight-up Guts : Wellington College

I've been following them most of the season. Saw them lose to St Pats in the Playoffs. Saw them comeback at Regionals. Saw them force and pull victory in OT against Cashmere today as well as that last minute lose to Hastings BHS. I've seen this team take so many knocks this season, it's amazes me how they always come back and bring it game after game. They show a tenacity and toughness that I and even Chuck Norris would be proud of! Why? Because you can't teach toughness; it must be earned through expereince.

The Tyra Banks Award for Nationals Top Model : Fraser HS

Fraser HS has really raised the standards in Team Pride and Presentation at this years Nationals. Everything from the Coaching and Support Staff in matching blue blazers to the larger banner, which they fly proudly benchside, all oozes professionalism at the highest level (in basketball terms, of course). All credit to their Tailor!

The Kanye West Rain on Your Parade Award : Church College

Yo Church College! I'm really happy for you and Imma let you finish but Fraser HS and Waimea College has got the best Girls team here! Based on todays performance, Fraser HS and Waimaea College now enter my #1 spot as potential spoilers of Church College last year at Nationals. Don't get me wrong, they are as strong as ever, I just haven't seen them pushed yet. Still, If you're in their pool, my commiserations to you.

The Mariah Carey Why you so Obsessed with Me Award : Dribble Drive Motion

My personal pet hate in basketball is trendy Offenses and the team that run them for no other reason but to keep up with the Joneses. Almost all the boys teams at Nationals are running DDM sets or DDM/Princeton-based quick hitters which is fine if you have the players for it but many do not, relying on one or two guards to make all the key moves. IMHO BBNZ actually encourages this style because the 4-out and open post sets requires players to be multi-positional, something that is required on the international stage. However if this is the case then they need to actively promote this at the base (youth-level ball) so those skills can fostered as players come up. Still, whatever happened to matching your Offensive philosophy with your personel? Did that die with the Triangle?

Keep checking for Day two and more articles tomorrow!

Explaining the Princeton Offense

2009-09-26T00:26:00.000+12:00

Open Post (5-out) and 4-out sets are all the rage at the moment and this is due in part to the two most popular offenses in the NBA - Dribble Drive Motion (DDM) and the Princeton Offense.

The Princeton Offense, sometimes referred to as the backdoor offense because of all the easy layups it creates, is based on the 2-man game (eg dribble handoffs, ball screens, drive and kick, give and go etc) and 3-man game (eg pick and roll, dribble weaves, scissors cuts etc) and a high/low Post game. This video breaks down the Princeton Offense showing how they get their 3pt shooters open and create backdoor and high/low scoring opportunities.

Well worth a watch even if you've seen it all before!

Cool Quote of the Week

2009-09-25T02:59:00.000+12:00

The Strong take from the Weak but it's the Smart that take from the Strong

Coach Pete Carril, creator of the Princeton Offense

Im going to the Show!

2009-09-24T17:06:00.000+12:00

Well Monday is the start of the Seconary Schools Nationals in Palmerston North. All the Big guns will be in town to play for the coveted National Championship Silverware. Being a basketball showcase event, I expect the level of competition to be off the charts!

Hot favourites in the Girls Competition has to be Church College, who will be looking go out on top; while in the boys I have to go with local team, St Pats Wellington, but spoilers in the form of Church College and Westlake will be up to the challenge. Onus will be on Pats to bring it and bring it hard!

I expect it to be full on and, all things willing, I will be there to catch up on the latest in people, plays and performances. Check back next week for updates.

Draw (PDF) : AA Secondary Schools Nationals, Palmerston North

Learning Lessons from Business

2009-09-21T17:31:00.000+12:00

While catching up on my favourite blogs, I came across this article about daily planning and focusing. I was so intrigued by it that I wanted to share it with you all. Of even more interest is the source, Coach Don Meyer, one of the winningest Coaches in College Basketball, who in turn sourced it from Corporate Motivator, Jack Canfield.

Don't you find it interesting that Coaches are looking for the edge whereever they can find it? Anyway I hope you enjoy this ...

The most important 45 minutes of the Day

Exploring Run and Gun

2009-09-21T01:04:00.000+12:00

In the 90's, Hurry-up Offense were all the rage in Pro football; from the Oilers Run and Shoot to the Bills and Bengals No-Huddle. The premise was to go at such a fast pace that your opposition will make mistakes via turnovers or getting caught in mismatches. I've always been a big fan of this style of football and it should come as no surprise that I am also a fan of up-tempo basketball.

I've been spending the last couple of weeks exploring the Run and Gun style of Basketball and found there are even more extreme variants out there like Coach Dave Arsenault's style simply known as 'the System'.

The System is based on a formula of offensive goals which are backed by aggressive pressing and trapping defenses fueled by a unique substitution rotation know as shifts. Check this video out to see what it's all about ... crazy but exciting stuff

Made Us Proud

2009-09-18T14:51:00.000+12:00

Quoted from the Wellington Basketball Association website:

One thing about basketball – “it ain’t over til it’s over!” Early in the going, this was looking to be one-sided match as St Mary’s took control from the get-go against Sacred Heart Girls College, boosting out to a 23-9 1 period run, with Whitney Souness (16-points) and Maddie Stephens (8-points) doing the damage.

Sacred Heart reversed that trend in the 2nd quarter with a 14run of their own, Danica Ferriso (21-points) having the hot hand while their defence knuckled down and got some good stops. With St Mary’s leading 29-23 at the half both teams struggled in the 3rd quarter with St Mary’s retaining the lead on the back of Emma Mayo’s(13-points) inside game.

While all the other games finished, attention turned to centre-court in the final period as Sacred Heart made a run of it (14-7), with impressive effort from Aleisha Moen (20-points). With a St Mary’s bucket by Souness with 8-seconds left and a 1-point lead, Sacred Heart called a time-out for a last-second play, but unfortunately turned it over, much to the relief of St Mary's, who took out the Mayer and Toyer Cup as Division One winners with a close 45-44 win.

This year couldn't finish without mentioning the Junior A basketball team, who had a fantastic run this season, winning Divison One and being runner-up at Regionals against old rivals, New Plymouth GHS. I must also take some time to mention Sacred Heart who put up a great fight and kept the Juniors honest all season. Obviously, that rivalry with Sacred Heart and NPGHS will continue as many of the girls they faced this season transition to Senior grade next year.

Adding to School Pride

2009-09-13T21:05:00.000+12:00

Quoted from the CollegeSport Wellington website:

THORNDON’S St Mary’s College have booked their first appearance in more than a decade at the national secondary schools finals, while Wellington Girls’ return for a second year.

The two sides qualified from 64 teams competing at last week’s lower North Island secondary schools netball tournament in Gisborne. Wellington Girls’ beat St Mary’s 39-29 in the playoff for third, and, in making the top four, secured their spot at the national finals.

St Mary’s were the surprise package, squeezing New Plymouth Girls’ High School out of the running. The Wellington teams were stopped short in the semifinals by dominant Palmerston North sides, including winners Tu Toa, coached by Pulse coach Yvette McCausland-Durie, and runners-up Palmerston North Girls’ High School.

Congratulations to SMC's Senior A Netball team for making it to Nationals. You make all of us who support the Black, Grey and White very very proud. We wish you all the best at Nationals.

PS. And remember what I said about New Plymouth GHS previously ... well you know they wont be liking St Marys kicking them out of Netball Nationals ... thats for sure.

All I can say is ... like it or not ... the Rivalry grows.

Having a Vision

2009-09-13T10:08:00.000+12:00

As many of you know, I have had a long association with American Football, as a player and coach, much longer than I have involved with Basketball. The physical game is about as different as apples and oranges but the psychological game is so alike that it comes as no surprise to me that coaches from all sports are cross-polinating ideas on mental preparation and motivation.

A Football hero of mine, 4-time Superbowl-winning Quarterback, Joe Montana, who empitmized excellence. Mentored by legenadary coach, Bill Walsh, Montana stood as a leader amongst giants although he wasn't a big man in football terms. Often referred to as the original Iceman, Montana was famous for keeping poise and making lightning quick decisions under extreme pressure. He has recently released a book called 'The Winning Spirit: 16 timeless Principles that drive Performance Excellence' of which I would like to share some extracts with you over the coming weeks starting with ...

Principle #1: Know what you want

It’s been said that clarity is power. That’s true, but clarity put into action is ultimate power. It is impossible to strive for something until we know what it is we are pursuing. You have to know what you want.
Getting clear is mandatory. It offers direction and motivation and helps prioritize energy.
More is seldom achieved without hard work. Having more or getting more, almost always requires giving more—of yourself.
Recently, after I delivered a speech, someone in the audience asked me how old I was when I won my first Super Bowl.

“Twelve years old, and I’ve won a thousand of them since.”
Einstein said that imagination is more important than knowledge.
Clarity put into action is ultimate power.

Raising the Bar

2009-09-11T17:53:00.000+12:00

It was always one of my goals as Head Coach 'to raise the bar' or exceed the standard against which all other teams are measured. To exceed the Standard requires much more than winning, it requires excellence at the individual and team level and it requires the desire and dedication to be the best.

The Local Derby - CollegeSport Premier Grade

Premier Grade represents the highest Girls competition at the local level. Although we narrowly missed out on making the Playoffs this season, our overall 5th place finish signified that we were very competitive and more than capable of making the cut.

However, Hutt Valley is, without a doubt, the current standard for Premier Grade Basketball this season. In order to be competitive regionally and nationally, one must meet or surpass the bar set by them.

Final Placings for the 2009 College Sport Senior Girls Premier Grade
1. Hutt Valley HS
2. Wellington East
3. Mana
4. Wainuiomata
5. St Mary's
6. Sacred Heart
7. Aotea
8. TK Whakatupuranga

The Regional level - Secondary School Zone 3 Tournament

At the Regional level, New Plymouth GHS and to a lesser extent Sacred Heart (New Plymouth) have been the bar in Zone 3 in both Junior and Senior Grade for the last 2 seasons.

St Mary's have been very competitive versus New Plymouth GHS at the Junior level. We are 2-2 in the four times we have met and personally I think they look forward to seeing us and much as we look forward to seeing them.

At the Senior level, we have not had the opportunity to meet them on the court. The only way for us to do so is to attend the Regional tournament, which we have not been able to do for the last two seasons. It is my wish that this changes in 2010 and we get to continue this battle royale at next year's Winter Tournament.

Final Placings for the 2009 Zone 3 Regional Tournament
(* means qualified for Secondary Schools National Championship)
1. New Plymouth GHS*
2. Sacred Heart College*
3. Hutt Valley HS*
4. Freyberg HS*
5. Mana College*
6. Napier GHS*
7. Wellington GHS
8. Wanganui HS
9. Aotea College

The National level - Secondary Schools National Championship

Nationals represents the ultimate challenge for any basketball program. Success in the Premier Grade is the price of admission, success at Regionals would validate and verify a higher calling but Nationals affirm your place amongst the most elite teams in the country.

At the time of writing, Church College (CCNZ) is the dominant force in Girls Basketball and has been for many years but that dominance will end when the school finally closes this year. However there is no shortage of potential successors ready to step up and fill that void; Rangitoto (Auckland), New Plymouth GHS and Waimea (Nelson) have all stood out as the bar setters at their respective regional competitions. It will be interesting to see if any of those teams can upset CCNZ, especially given that they will be motivated to leave the competition as National Champs in their final year at this event.

Nationals begins Monday 28 September so I will be keeping you up to date with how that goes. After all, the bar set at Nationals is one we must recognise and aspire to for our own success and hopefully in doing so, we can push it even higher.

Finding the next competitive edge ...

2009-09-08T10:40:00.000+12:00

I am fascinated by the number of coaching sites that are now looking beyond X and O's to find the edge in competitive basketball. Almost all agree that talent is everywhere and even with strong fundamentals and good strength and agility practices, coaches are now looking at the mindset for that extra edge.

I can understand that imitation is the ultimate compliment - Many coaches follow the trends set by College or Pro ball eg the triangle offense, dribble drive motion, syracuse 2-3 zone etc. And even grounded coaches - those with concrete philosophies - are flexible to new innovations in the game. But few will emulate successful programs because, for the most part, because noone can emulate the chemistry and culture within those programs.

Two of my favourite blogs at the moment are basketball-focused but draw their inspiration from many sports. You can see what those programs are doing to improve in terms of personality and culture by pulling from best of all sports ... IMHO anyone who quotes Lombardi, Summit, Belichick, Tiger Woods and Colin Powell on the same page has got to be good!

Coach Bob Starkey - LSU Lady Tigers

Coach Greg Brown - UCF Lady Knights

Today is Day One of the 2010 season

2009-09-07T09:38:00.000+12:00

Last week was the end of all official College basketball (on the local and regional level) for 2009. We do have a few feedback sessions to capture lessons learnt and our team dinner to close everything up but we can officially state that the journey to 2010 starts today.