COACHING VIDEO NOTES: LARRY EUSTACHY "CREATING TOUGHNESS"

The following notes were taken from a coaching video by Larry Eustachy titled "Creating Toughness". The video was made when Eustachy was the head coach at Iowa State.  He is the current coach at Colorado State.

In creating toughness, it starts with the coach.

Eustachy feels that coaches with the label “player’s coach” don’t last long.  Considers himself a demanding coach. Coach needs to be demanding.

Coaches need to have that first day excitement every single day of the season. Your players deserve it.

A coach can be demanding without cursing or raising their voice if it isn’t their way.

You can be demanding, but there has to be some fun/enjoyment so they want to come back.

You can’t ask more of the individual or team than they can give you. Coach has to understand their team and where they are at.

The start of creating toughness...His team prides themselves on being the strongest team in the conference (physical strength). All the weight room time gives your players an edge physically and mentally. Knowing the work they put in, they see results physically, and they believe they are stronger.

Create adversity in practice. Put the players in stressful situations.  You can certainly be complimenting along the way.

Start practice with 5 sprints in 30 seconds.

In practice drills they have no out of bounds.  Gets players in habit of getting after loose balls.

During scrimmage time they use regular out of bounds rules.

95% of coaching is getting players to play hard.

If a player falls down, gets knocked down they must get up within 2 seconds or the team runs. Obviously if they are hurt, stay down.

5-MAN WEAVE
Go up and back two times.  Have two groups and take turn with their reps.

• If you miss the shot on the last time, you do it again
• If you don’t catch the ball with two hands, you do it again
• If the ball hits the floor, you do it again

FULL COURT 4-ON-4 DRILL

• If a team scores at one end, they keep the ball and continue to try and score at that end.
• If defense gains possession they transition to the other end and attempt to score.
• Emphasize things you want to work on. This can change every time you do this drill.
• Whatever you emphasize that day must be done or there will be a consequence.
• If it’s hands high on a closeout that is being emphasized and a player doesn’t do it, then the team runs.
• Any turnover results in running at the end of the drill.  If White team has three turnovers, they run three sprints.
• This drill also works well in 3-on-3.

Some coaches want practice to go smooth.  Smooth is no good. Things going wrong is good. Makes the players and the team tougher.

3-ON-3 BLOCKOUT DRILL

Three lines outside the three point line; one at the top of the key and one on each wing. The first three are defenders, the next three are offense.  Back the three lines back to give the 3-on-3 space to play.  They play 3-on-3.  The defense needs to get three stops in a row to get “out”. If the defense gives up an offensive rebound and still get a stop, it doesn’t count.  Need to get three stops in a row without giving up an offensive rebound. Each possession a new offensive team comes in so the defense is going against fresh players to make it more challenging.

THE MAN DRILL

5-on-5 halfcourt drill. 60 second drill

Offense cannot dribble, must catch with two hands, can’t travel, and no handoffs. Defense tries to prevent the offense from catching the ball.

Each offensive player keeps track of how many catches they had in 60 seconds. Then switch offense and defense.  New defensive players guard the player that guarded them.  At the end of this 60 seconds determine which player had the least number of catches. That player loses and has a consequence. If they tie, shoot a 3 to determine the winner.

Don’t take the fun out of it.  Be demanding. The players will know if you genuinely care about them. They will buy in if they know you care.

RECOMMENDED BOOKS FOR COACHES

This is a list of a few of the books I took the time to read so far this summer that I feel can help us as coaches. Happy reading!

Toughness by Jay Bilas
I recommend you put this at the top of your reading list. You want a tough team, this is the book that can help you start implementing strategies to use with your players/team. Bilas shares his own thoughts along with other people, from a variety of professional backgrounds, to share their thoughts on toughness.

The Golden Whistle by Jim Burson
Coach Burson uses a story of an up and coming coach to share his thoughts on how a coach can be successful.  He shares his own experiences from a variety of situations that can help coaches make a positive impact on their team on and off the basketball court.  Coach Burson has put this book into a format that makes it easy to read, and easy for coaches to apply strategies with their own team.

The Politics of Coaching by Carl Pierson
This is the actually the second time I've read Coach Pierson's book. And it will not be my last.  His book is a must read for younger coaches, but is equally as beneficial for veteran coaches.  Pierson provides so many helpful hints that will give coaches a great opportunity for longevity in the coaching profession. I have given this book to new coaches coming into our program.

The Hard Hat: 21 Ways To Be A Great Teammate by Jon Gordon
I'm a big fan of all of Jon Gordon's books, but this one blew me away.  This is what I call a Wow! book.  It will make an impact on you not only as a coach, but as a person.  This is Gordon's first "true story" as it is written about about a former Cornell lacrosse player named George.  So many valuable lessons for coaches, players, and people in general in this book.  It's a quick read, but it is one that you will no doubt refer back to many times.

Leadership Lessons Of Abraham Lincoln edited by Meg Distini
This book is full of quotes and thoughts from Abraham Lincoln.  The author does a nice job of organizing them into different topics such as discipline, communication, leadership, conflict resolution, and determination.  This is a book you can pick up and read for a few minutes at a time and pick up some valuable gems to get you to think.

HALF COURT SCRAMBLE DRILL

This Half Court Scramble drill can work with 3-on-3, 4-on-4, or 5-on-5.  The diagram above shows the drill set up as 5-on-5.  The coach can designate what play the offense should run.  The offense will attempt to score while the defense is trying to prevent a score.  At some point when the offense is attempting to score, the coach will yell out a defender's name.  That defender (X3 in the diagram) will sprint to touch the baseline and get back into the play as soon as possible.  Meanwhile the other four defenders will scramble in attempt to keep the offense from scoring until X3 gets back in the play.

Scoring the Drill
Give each team the same number of possessions on defense.  One point is awarded to the defense for every "clean stop" they get.  A clean stop is when the defense prevents the offense from scoring while not giving up an offensive rebound.

Another scoring option is to give an additional point for a possession when the defense forces a turnover prior to the offense has a shot attempt.   You can also award 3 points for taking a charge.

Before starting the drill establish the consequence for the losing team.

WOLF DRILL: Defensive Intensity & Toughness

The WOLF DRILL is a defensive drill that allows you to work on a variety of defensive skills in one rep:  closeouts, on the ball defense, blocking out and taking a charge. 

Three offensive players align around the perimeter, one at the top of the key and 2 and 3 on the wings.  One defender starts with a basketball and under the basket.

X1 rolls the ball out to 1.  X1 will execute a closeout.  They play one-on-one.  1 gets three dribbles to try and score.

 As soon as X1 and 1 complete their part of the drill, the ball is immediately passed out to 2.  X1 will now sprint to 2 and execute a closeout.  2 will immediately catch and shoot.  X1 must box out 2 after the shot.  Both players attempt to get the rebound.

If 2 makes the shot X1 immediately passes the ball to 3.  If 2 misses and 1 gets the rebound they will immediately pass to 3.  If 2 gets and offensive rebound, they play until 2 scores or X1 gets a rebound or turnover.
On the catch 3 will immediately attack the basket off the dribble to attempt to score on a layup.  Meanwhile X1 is sprinting over to set up to take a charge outside the lane (if possible).

Players rotate 1 to 2.  2 to 3.  3 to defender.

5 LINE SCRAMBLE REBOUND DRILL

SKILLS COVERED
*Rebounding
*Communication
*Hustle/Effort

ALIGNMENT 
*Three players line up in lane facing rim.  One on each block and one just inside the free throw line
*Remaining players divide evenly into five lines standing on the three point line facing the rim.  One in each corner, one line at each wing, one line at top of key. Lines are numbered
1 through 5 (players must know numbers).

*Coach stands about 15 feet away from the rim, anywhere, with the ball.

RUNNING THE DRILL 
*Coach yells three out of the five numbers (for example 2, 4, 5).
*Coach shoots the ball and everyone in the gym yells "shot!"
*Players from the three lines called must crash the basket hard as soon as ball is released.
*The three players in the lane must turn and locate crashers, make body contact, and secure the rebound. Do not just look at the ball and rim.
*Players must get three rebounds before being allowed to leave the lane and get in crashing lines.

*Keep track of how many reps it takes for each group to get their three consecutive rebounds.  The group that takes the least amount of reps, wins the drill.

DRILL VARIATIONS
*Make players get more or less than three rebounds before leaving the lane depending on the skill of your team or rebounders.

TOUGHNESS DRILL: 3-ON-3 DEAD BALL

Coaches want their players to play with a level of toughness.  Asking them to play tough is one thing, but teaching them to play tough is another.  One drill to use to help create a toughness in your team is the  3-on-3 Dead Ball Drill.

SKILLS COVERED
*Deny defense
*Pivots
*Passing
*Mental Toughness


ALIGNMENT
*Three offensive players start with one player on the point, and one on each wing.
*Defender on the ball gives ball pressure. The wing defenders are in full deny position.

EXECUTING THE DRILL
*Split your team into groups of three.
*Offense cannot dribble. They are not shooting either. They must use pivots to create space so they can make passes.
*Defense denies their person the ball.  No help responsibilities.
*One rep is for 30 seconds. Offense can use the entire halfcourt area. Do not go out of bounds.
*Offense plays keep away from the defense while the defenders are denying every pass.
*If the defense gets a turnover, or they tip the ball out of bounds the rep is over. Then defense goes to offense and a new defensive team comes on the floor.
*If the offense goes the duration of the rep (30 seconds) without a turnover or tipped pass, they win. For every rep a group of three has a turnover or a tipped pass they will be assigned some type of running or push-ups.  Example:  one line drill for every tipped pass or turnover.

Coaches will learn a lot about players as this is an exhausting drill, but it reinforces the mentality a defender must have to be successful and how well an offensive player can keep their composure.