Best Things From My Notebook for the Last Year

Well...it's been a while since the last time I posted. Seventy days to be exact. But that's what happens when basketball season hits, just don't have time usually. But tonight I did want to sit down and write about some of the best ideas I've had in my notebook over the last year. I always keep a small 5.5" x 3.5" notebook with 200 pages that I write down any observations,  thoughts, feelings, and ideas in about basketball. I keep it with me and try to take it everywhere I go, but just like this blog there are stretches that I am without it, but I usually go through at least one notebook per year.  I think it's important to keep notes, write them down in one place, and revisit them often as possible. Even going over it tonight I've had a few "Ow-yea I remember that!" moments. I would encourage all of you that read to do this as well, it's proven very beneficial for me over the years. Anyway, by best thoughts/ideas from the notebook are below, some are my ideas, some are from high school coaches that I've watched in practices and games, some are from college coaches, enjoy!

Coach Miller (Robbinsdale Armstrong HS)
-Use the retreat dribble to change the passing angle inside.

Coach Miller (Robbinsdale Armstrong HS)
-When passing, you need "big vision" on the floor as you pass and small vision as you make the pass. The "big vision" is used to see the defedners, angles, etc.

My Idea
-Show me your three best players, I'll tell you how your year ends. Show me your assistants and I'll tell you how your career ends!

My Idea
-Every player should have a reversible jersey and a grey shirt under it in practice. That way you can divide up into up to four groups - light, dark, shirts, and skins.

My Ideas for Zone Defense
-Dork and Start trap within zone
-Have each opponent have a color - red, yellow, green.
          *Red=Guard hard and cheat to them - star player or great shooter
          *Yellow = play normal - average player
          *Red = Don't bother guarding, sag off and don't pay much attention to - poor player.

Jon Leisener (St Croix Prep - my HC last year)
-Would run drills for X number of minutes, but not start clock until all players were doing the drill right and going hard.

Mark Klingsporn (Tartan HS)
-When player dives on the floor ir takes a charge in practice, EVERYONE runs over to pick him up. Makes it a big deal and adds energy to practice!

Griess (Augsburg College)
-Defensive drill is no good if offense has no clue what's going on!

Griess (Augsburg College)
-On defending the flex cut:
     *Screener's guy jam the cutter high, player guarding the cutter go low

Chicago Hyde Park
-Played St. Paul Johnson who is known for their trapping man to man. Ran a spread dribble handoff offense and killed them by backcuttig the handoff when Johnson tried to trap.

21 Shooting Drill Jon Leisener  (St. Croix Prep)
-Players do 3 man 2 ball shooting. Shoot until one player in the group gets 5 makes. That marks the end of a round Then everyone shoots 2 FT and adds to the score (player who got to 5 has a score of 5 before the FT, everyone else has however many they made). Shoot a second round. Continue until one player gets to 21 points.

Ken Novak (Hopkins High School)
-Read "The Talent Code". Coach put me onto this book and it's totally changed how I teach the game. I would strongly suggest EVERYONE on here reads this book.

Champlin Park 8th Grade Warm Up Drill
-Players are in partners. They move around the outside of the floor. Along the half court and baseline they do shuffle passing with partners. On the sidelines they do the zig zag dribble.

Bo Ryan (Wisconsin) Role Reverses Set
-Start with a 3 out 2 in look. Shooter on the left block, post on the right block, wings on the wings. The post comes up and sets a PnR on the right elbow. The pg goes off the PnR while the shooter comes up to the top of the key from the block.

Sign for Eastridge High School Girls
"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence"

West Side Booster's 8th Grade BLOB
-Stack on the ballside block. Shooter inbounding. Shooter on the opposite block, post on the opposite elbow. The shooter comes through the stack with the elevator screen to the ballside corner. The post on the opposite elbow flashes to the rim. Ball gets passed to him the shooter in the corner. If no shot the stack sets a double down screen for the inbounder.

Lakeville North 8th Grade
-Coach had a set of towels and held different ones for different defenses.

Jim Tressel when faced with allegations:
"There is nothing more pathetic than a leader looking for sympathy"

George Karl
"So much of basketball is enthuasium"

Buzz Williams
Keep track of turkey's - 3 stops in a row.

Larry McKenzie (Academy of Holy Angels)
-Practiced in football pads to add to



There is a lot more in the book from some really great coaches. Some of it I didn't share because I didn't want this post to be super long. Some things were not shared out of respect for the coaches who shared it with me - I tried to share some small insights from the coaches but at the same time I don't want to give away their big picture things either! Anyway, hopefully you got one good idea from the list!