Basketball Coaching - General Topics
By Dr. James Gels, From the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball Playbook"Helping coaches coach better..."
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Tip: Basketball Coaching 101 - How to use this basketball playbook
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Tip: Basketball Coaching 101 - How to use this basketball playbook
Webmasters: feel free to link directly to any of these articles, but no framing please (see Copyright Restrictions).
Quote: "Anybody can boil water and coach basketball." Uhhh... well there's a little more to it than that if you are going to be good at it. It starts first with having a passion, getting the job and having a philosophy. Selecting a team (tryouts), having a system (X's and O's), understanding court-side strategies, organizing practices, teaching, inspiring and leading players, relating to management (admin), parents, fans, officials, and working in the off-season - these are just some of the things involved.
Still want to do it? It comes down to the passion, doesn't it? The articles below may be helpful in your progression as a basketball coach.
Basketball Coaching Categories
- Building a Program
- Teaching basketball
- Organizing practices
- Selecting offenses, defenses, plays, etc.
- Game-time tips and strategy
- General coaching articles
- Conditioning, Nutrition
- Mental Aspects / Other Stuff
- Coaching forms - stats, planners, etc.
- Basketball history, terminology, other stuff
- Training aids
- Coach's Clipboard Newsletter Archive
Pat Summitt and Geno Auriemma - passion.
Before we move on, see Basketball Coaching 101 - How to use Coach's Clipboard Basketball Playbook.
Building a Program
Developing a Coaching Philosophy... your own style of coaching, style of play and how you teach. Organization, preparation, work ethic and winning effort, setting goals, team concept, belief in the system, rules and discipline, measuring your successes, etc.
Writing a Coaching Philosophy... from Ari Fisher.
How to Build a Basketball Program... do you really want to take over a program? Outlining your "system". Selecting assistants - creating your organization. Developing talent and instilling work ethic. Changing attitudes and setting goals. Communication. Maintaining balance in your life.
The Assistant Coach... what makes a good assistant basketball coach.
What Basketball Coaches do in the Off-Season... basketball coaching in the off-season. How to improve yourself and your team.
4 Ways To Be An Effective Basketball Coach in the Off-Season... 4 ways coaches can improve in the off-season.
Off-Season Basketball Workouts... planning off-season workouts.
Writing a Coaching Philosophy... from Ari Fisher.
How to Build a Basketball Program... do you really want to take over a program? Outlining your "system". Selecting assistants - creating your organization. Developing talent and instilling work ethic. Changing attitudes and setting goals. Communication. Maintaining balance in your life.
The Assistant Coach... what makes a good assistant basketball coach.
What Basketball Coaches do in the Off-Season... basketball coaching in the off-season. How to improve yourself and your team.
4 Ways To Be An Effective Basketball Coach in the Off-Season... 4 ways coaches can improve in the off-season.
Off-Season Basketball Workouts... planning off-season workouts.
Teaching Basketball
Positionless Basketball - some thoughts.
Teaching Styles... different players learn in different ways, and have different learning styles. It's important to be aware of this in your teaching approach.
Teaching Basketball Fundamentals... the fundamentals that players need to master to become good players.
Are We Teaching Closeouts The Best Way... by "The Speed Guy" Lee Taft.
How to Teach Basketball by Drill Progression... teaching basketball offenses and defenses by using breakdown drills (with examples).
How To Use "Check Downs" To Teach Half Court Offense... teaching players how to read the defense when running a play and choose the best option.
Teaching Styles... different players learn in different ways, and have different learning styles. It's important to be aware of this in your teaching approach.
Teaching Basketball Fundamentals... the fundamentals that players need to master to become good players.
Are We Teaching Closeouts The Best Way... by "The Speed Guy" Lee Taft.
How to Teach Basketball by Drill Progression... teaching basketball offenses and defenses by using breakdown drills (with examples).
How To Use "Check Downs" To Teach Half Court Offense... teaching players how to read the defense when running a play and choose the best option.
Jay Wright
Organizing Practices
Planning Practices... organizing and running good practices, selecting and using drills effectively, etc. Sample practice plans are included.
Creating a Master Practice Plan... by coach Mike May, owner of Practice Planner Live.
Pre-season Middle School/Youth Practice Plan
Selecting and Using Drills... a comprehensive listing of time-tested, established basketball drills.
Competition in Drills, Your Greatest Tool to Improve Execution... by Mike May.
Focus Your Practices on Impactful Skills & Drills that Win Games... important game skills needed for success and the necessary drills.
Creating a Master Practice Plan... by coach Mike May, owner of Practice Planner Live.
Pre-season Middle School/Youth Practice Plan
Selecting and Using Drills... a comprehensive listing of time-tested, established basketball drills.
Competition in Drills, Your Greatest Tool to Improve Execution... by Mike May.
Focus Your Practices on Impactful Skills & Drills that Win Games... important game skills needed for success and the necessary drills.
Selecting Offenses, Defenses, Plays, Strategy
How to Plan for a New Season
Coaches Preseason Checklist: A Quick Guide to Preparing for the Season... by Clint Daly.
Selecting Your Half-Court Offenses... choose your half-court man-to-man offense(s) (from free-lance, motion offenses - or patterned offenses) and your zone offense(s).
Selecting Your Half-Court Defense(s)... choosing your half-court defense(s)... man-to-man defenses, zone defenses, combination "junk" defenses, half-court presses and traps, and how to defend inbounds plays.
Selecting Plays... selecting plays for attacking man-to-man defenses and zone defenses, out-of-bounds plays (baseline and sideline), special buzzer-beater plays, etc. An extensive, long list of plays is provided.
Selecting a Press Defense(s)... selecting and installing an effective press defense. Included are a full-court man-to-man pressure defense, zone presses, match-up press defenses, half-court presses and traps, and deny presses.
Selecting Your Press Offense(s)... selecting and teaching your press offenses... tips on transition offense, attacking the press, specific press breakers and secondary breaks.
Coaches Preseason Checklist: A Quick Guide to Preparing for the Season... by Clint Daly.
Selecting Your Half-Court Offenses... choose your half-court man-to-man offense(s) (from free-lance, motion offenses - or patterned offenses) and your zone offense(s).
Selecting Your Half-Court Defense(s)... choosing your half-court defense(s)... man-to-man defenses, zone defenses, combination "junk" defenses, half-court presses and traps, and how to defend inbounds plays.
Selecting Plays... selecting plays for attacking man-to-man defenses and zone defenses, out-of-bounds plays (baseline and sideline), special buzzer-beater plays, etc. An extensive, long list of plays is provided.
Selecting a Press Defense(s)... selecting and installing an effective press defense. Included are a full-court man-to-man pressure defense, zone presses, match-up press defenses, half-court presses and traps, and deny presses.
Selecting Your Press Offense(s)... selecting and teaching your press offenses... tips on transition offense, attacking the press, specific press breakers and secondary breaks.
Game-time Tips and Strategy
Pre-game Preparation... develop a consistent pre-game routine.
Pre-game Warm-up Drills
Game Coaching, Strategy... court-side tips... game plan, tempo, defense, pressing, using time-outs, substituting, yelling at players, dealing with officials, specific game strategies.
Late Game Strategies for Winning Close Games
Why Games Are Lost... seven major reasons why games are lost.
Taking Good Shots - Shot Selection... the importance of getting good shots.
Reducing Turnovers... getting a handle on turnovers.
Tips for Better Passing... how to improve your team's passing.
Post Game Talks... by Ken Sartini.
Defensive Intensity - Charting Deflections... turn up your defensive intensity.
Calculating OER and DER... offensive and defensive efficiency ratings.
Basketball Late-Season Tune-Up... Preparing for March Madness
Pre-game Warm-up Drills
Game Coaching, Strategy... court-side tips... game plan, tempo, defense, pressing, using time-outs, substituting, yelling at players, dealing with officials, specific game strategies.
Late Game Strategies for Winning Close Games
Why Games Are Lost... seven major reasons why games are lost.
Taking Good Shots - Shot Selection... the importance of getting good shots.
Reducing Turnovers... getting a handle on turnovers.
Tips for Better Passing... how to improve your team's passing.
Post Game Talks... by Ken Sartini.
Defensive Intensity - Charting Deflections... turn up your defensive intensity.
Calculating OER and DER... offensive and defensive efficiency ratings.
Basketball Late-Season Tune-Up... Preparing for March Madness
General Coaching Articles
Shot Clock in High School Basketball - Yes or No?
Toughness by Jay Bilas
Struggling Through a Losing Season... dealing with a tough season.
Importance of a Strong Coach-Athlete Relationship
How to Motivate Your Team Throughout the Season... by Austin Winder.
Basketball Coaching Do's and Don'ts... by Ari Fisher.
Tips on Entering the Coaching Profession... by Ari Fisher.
Team Building Strategies... by Ari Fisher.
Basketball Coaching - Importance of Communication... by Ari Fisher.
Anatomy of a Championship Season with its Challenges to Traditional Coaching Philosophy... by Ari Fisher.
Coaching Youth Basketball... working with kids and their parents. Goals, what to teach, etc.
How Youth Coaches Can Prepare Players for High School Basketball... by Kyle Ohman.
Parent - Coach Relationships... working with parents.
Parent - Player Guidelines... parents and their kids.
Pre-Season Tryouts... organizing and running your pre-season tryouts.
8th Grade Tryouts - by Ari Fisher.
Running, Organizing a Youth Basketball Clinic... getting organized, using drills.
Playing AAU or Club Basketball... yes or no?
Mental Aspects
Toughness by Jay Bilas
Struggling Through a Losing Season... dealing with a tough season.
Importance of a Strong Coach-Athlete Relationship
How to Motivate Your Team Throughout the Season... by Austin Winder.
Basketball Coaching Do's and Don'ts... by Ari Fisher.
Tips on Entering the Coaching Profession... by Ari Fisher.
Team Building Strategies... by Ari Fisher.
Basketball Coaching - Importance of Communication... by Ari Fisher.
Anatomy of a Championship Season with its Challenges to Traditional Coaching Philosophy... by Ari Fisher.
Coaching Youth Basketball... working with kids and their parents. Goals, what to teach, etc.
How Youth Coaches Can Prepare Players for High School Basketball... by Kyle Ohman.
Parent - Coach Relationships... working with parents.
Parent - Player Guidelines... parents and their kids.
Pre-Season Tryouts... organizing and running your pre-season tryouts.
8th Grade Tryouts - by Ari Fisher.
Running, Organizing a Youth Basketball Clinic... getting organized, using drills.
Playing AAU or Club Basketball... yes or no?
Mental Aspects
Conditioning, Nutrition, Drugs
Alan Stein
Basketball Speed Starts with Stopping... by "The Speed Guy" Lee Taft.
Basketball Conditioning... getting in shape both physically and mentally. Conditioning programs, resources and drills.
How to Condition for Basketball... by Courtney Campbell.
Managing Long-Term Player Fatigue... by Thomas Emma, a former Duke player and graduate, with a Masters degree and specialty in sports conditioning.
Basketball In-Season Strength Training... by Thomas Emma, a former Duke player and graduate, with a Masters degree and specialty in sports conditioning.
Athletic Development - are we pushing our young athletes too fast?... by Thomas Emma, a former Duke player and graduate, with a Masters degree and specialty in sports conditioning.
What to Eat Before a Game or Practice... guidelines for what to eat before games and practices, and in general.
The Recovery Snack... what to eat after a hard workout.
About Food Supplements - Growth hormone (HCG), Creatine, Andro... should you, or not?
Why Wearing Proper Footwear Matters - by Aaron Connolly
Coach's Guide for a Drug Free Basketball Team
Basketball Conditioning... getting in shape both physically and mentally. Conditioning programs, resources and drills.
How to Condition for Basketball... by Courtney Campbell.
Managing Long-Term Player Fatigue... by Thomas Emma, a former Duke player and graduate, with a Masters degree and specialty in sports conditioning.
Basketball In-Season Strength Training... by Thomas Emma, a former Duke player and graduate, with a Masters degree and specialty in sports conditioning.
Athletic Development - are we pushing our young athletes too fast?... by Thomas Emma, a former Duke player and graduate, with a Masters degree and specialty in sports conditioning.
What to Eat Before a Game or Practice... guidelines for what to eat before games and practices, and in general.
The Recovery Snack... what to eat after a hard workout.
About Food Supplements - Growth hormone (HCG), Creatine, Andro... should you, or not?
Why Wearing Proper Footwear Matters - by Aaron Connolly
Coach's Guide for a Drug Free Basketball Team
Coaching Forms, Diagrams
Coaching Forms... stats, planners, scouting, evaluation, etc.
Court Diagrams... half-court, full-court, USA and International.
Court Dimensions... court diagram with measurements, dimensions.
Court Diagrams... half-court, full-court, USA and International.
Court Dimensions... court diagram with measurements, dimensions.
Basketball History, Terminology, Other Stuff
Basketball History... the history of the game.
Basketball Terminology... the language of basketball.
Motivational/Humorous Quotes
Basketball Terminology... the language of basketball.
Motivational/Humorous Quotes
