MULTIPLE SPORT ATHLETES NEEDED

Specialization. It has become more popular with young athletes to start specializing in one sport instead of participating in multiple sports.  If you search the internet you'll find enough written about this subject that would keep you busy for days.  You will find many points of view that say athletes should not be specializing in a sport.  I've enjoyed discussing and debating this topic with many coaches, especially in the past couple of years when this shift towards specializing has occurred. I would say most coaches I've spoken to would like to see kids playing multiple sports.  But there are also those who feel specialization is not a bad thing.  After all people are free to make their own choices in our country..

It is my belief that athletes high school aged and younger should be participating in multiple sports, if they want to.  The key words in the previous sentence is if they want to.  Some kids might genuinely be interested in participating in only one sport.  If that is the reason behind their choice, that's fine.  But we all could probably name a handful of kids off the top of our heads that are only playing one sport but would like to participate in more. 

WHY ARE KIDS SPECIALIZING?                                                                                          
I don't have any real hard scientific facts to back up any of the reasons I'm about to give.  But as a coach of 20+ years, a coach who is involved in many coaching organizations/groups, and is actively communicating with coaches, families, and athletes all the time, I feel I have somewhat of a feel for what is happening.

The most common reason I hear for kids specializing is the athlete has their eyes set on a college scholarship. The odds say that a scholarship isn't going to happen for them, but that doesn't mean they can't try to attain their goal of a college scholarship. My opinion is if that is what they want to do, then go ahead and try.  But, I would ask, "Is specialization necessary to reach this goal?"  The answer to that, in my opinion, is NO.  As I stated earlier, I have no scientific facts to back up why an athlete shouldn't (or should) specialize in one sport.  The closest thing I have is that I looked at ten random NCAA Division 1 women's basketball websites.  I looked at the rosters and read the bios of each player.  The bios typically include information about what the players did during their high school years, and will sometimes list other sports they played during that time of their life.  I counted how many of these D1 women's basketball players played either one, two, or three sports during high school.  Here are the results:

              Players that did not list playing another sport in high school- 42 (38%)

              Players that played two sports in high school -36 (33%)

              Players that played three or more sports in high school - 32 (29%)

*I don't claim these numbers to be an example of all NCAA Division 1 women's basketball players.  These are from 10 random teams I chose to look at.  Also, I do not know if players gave all the information for their bio.  As you know some people fill bio sheets out in more detail than others.  I do feel the numbers show that athletes that did not specialize in one sport were still able to reach their goal of a D1 scholarship as 62% of these athletes participated in more than one sport.

Another possible reason that younger athletes are starting to specialize could be how their high school coaches run their programs. High school league rules vary from state to state as to how much work a high school coach can do with athletes outside the actual season.  This is one factor that plays in to how many sports a young athlete participates in. Some coaches do pressure their athletes to take part in their off-season activities, whether that pressure is implied or direct, varies as well.  But some do apply it.  If an athlete is receiving some type of pressure to take part in these it is then natural for the athlete to feel they have to take part in these workouts.  This can cause a conflict between two or more sports an athlete would like to participate in. 

School size can also be a factor make a specialization decision.  If an athlete attends a large school there are obviously more kids to choose from for the high school team.  Because of this an athlete could develop the idea that they must choose one sport and stick with it in hopes that if they work at this one enough they will be good enough to make the varsity team. In smaller schools coaches from different sports need to share their athletes due to the fact there aren't as many potential players.  Coaches from different sports should work together as best they can to make sure their athletes don't have to choose one sport over the other during the summer months (off-season).  If coaches schedule their off-season activities at the same time then the athletes have to choose.  The coaches are putting the athletes in a tough position.  Because of this the chance that an athlete chooses to play just one sport over the other exists.  Be careful coaches and work together so you are not putting your athletes in a position to choose one sport.

IS THERE A SOLUTION?

My opinion is that this is far from a quick fix. To help the situation I do feel that we need to be mindful of the following to help prevent specialization at a young age:

1. Parents and coaches need to remember that it's about the kids.  It's not about the parent living through their child.  And it certainly is not about the coach.  Ask the kids what they want to do.  

2. Give the younger people exposure to a variety of sports.  Let them try as many sports as they like growing up. In the end they will gravitate to the ones they like most.

3. High school coaches need to work together.  Promote the positives of having multiple sport athletes in your school.  Don't monopolize the athletes in your school - share them.  You can still get enough work in with your sport and still allow them to work at others.  Don't worry, you will have athletes that work a lot more at your sport than the other(s), but let them make that decision.

4. Continue to stay up to date on studies that are done on the benefits of playing multiple sports.

CONCLUSION

I know there are many athletes out there that specialized in one sport and are glad they did.  I also know of athletes that specialized in one sport but wished they hadn't.  In the end this is a personal or family decision.  Whatever you decide to do, think it through from all angles.  And always remember, it's about the kids. 

COACHES: WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS OFF-SEASON TO GET BETTER?

Coaches provide their players with multiple opportunities throughout the off-season to help them improve as basketball players.  Coaches need to do the same to improve at their craft. We owe it to our players and our program to continue to learn and grow as coaches.  Here are 14 ideas that might help you continue to grow as a coach.  Nothing real groundbreaking here, but hopefully something will ignite a spark or thought that will help.

1. Attend coaching clinics.Some valuable information can be learned.  Clinics are also great for networking and sharing ideas with other coaches attending the clinic.
2. Get together with coaches in your area to have roundtable discussions. Share thoughts and ideas. I have taken part and even organized roundtables and found them extremely valuable. 
3. Contact college coaches and set up a time to visit with them. Most are willing to do so when their time allows. I would encourage you to have specific topics or questions ready for the college coaches ahead of time.
4. Work basketball camps. Not only is this a chance to work with players other than your own you will get a chance to observe other coaches work.
5. Coach a travel or club team. Working with kids outside your program can be refreshing.  Or coach a youth team in your own program.
6. Watch game film of your last season.  Focus in on what hurt your team in your losses, and what helped during your victories.  Make note of these and figure out what needs to be a focus for your team as you continue throughout the off-season and prepare for next season.
7. Watch games.  Attend AAU or summer league games and write down your observations. What did you like?  What did you dislike? What could you use with your own team or program?
8. Watch games on TV or online.  You can catch some FIBA games online during the summer.  I like to DVR college games throughout the winter and then watch them over the summer with more of a coach's eye. Have your notepad ready when you watch them and take notes.
9. Read as much as you can that can help you as a coach.  As you read each book, take notes on them. Coaching books have so much information in them that some things can get lost in your memory.  Writing down, or highlighting, tidbits you find important will be helpful in your recalling of this information. 
10. Use the internet.  There are many great websites and blogs on the internet that focus on coaching basketball, the game of basketball, and coaching.
11. Learn something new about offense, defense, and philosophy.  Put a list together of what it is you'd like to learn more about, then find the information needed to learn. Take action.
12. Organize your own files.  If you're like me, you have a ton of files stored away in a file cabinet, on a shelf, or the computer.  Take time re-organize them all so that you can be more efficient when looking for this information in the future.  You might even find something you forgot you had and decide it is something you can apply to your team this upcoming season.
13. Breakdown the toughest teams in your conference, section, or in the state.  What makes them so good? What do you have to do to beat them?  Start formulating a plan now.  Don't wait until you only get two days to prepare for them during the actual season.
14. Relax.  Take some time for yourself.  Connect with family and friends that you don't get to see as much during your season.  Coaches run 100 mph during the season, so don't forget to take a little time for yourself when you have the opportunity to do so.

TAKE TIME TO REFLECT...AND ENJOY

I hope you all have had a great start to 2014.  Normally this blog is devoted to basketball and basketball coaching topics that attempt get you to think, or it's just simply sharing information.  Today's entry is slightly different as it is more of a personal reflection of mine.  Don't stop reading though as I am hoping that this will trigger some positive memories of your own that remind us all what a great profession coaching is.  This particular list will not be about wins, losses, or championships, but it will be about the many other things that we get to witness as a coach.  And these are definitely things that make our jobs enjoyable.

• Our team volunteered to work with Special Olympians.
• Being recognized as one of the top academic teams in our state.
•  Watching our seniors graduate.
• Seeing how well upperclassmen welcome younger players into our program.
• Team get-togethers.
• Seeing our players take part in other sports, clubs, and organizations.
• Getting a "thank you" from a player who acknowledges the work you do as a coach.
• Having a parent go out of their way to say "thanks".
• Helping players organize themselves as they prepare for making a college choice.
• Writing recommendations for players.
• Hearing from teachers how our players are good citizens in school.
• Seeing confidence grow in players.
• Our team volunteered to read to elementary classrooms.
• Seeing players step up and become leaders.
• Watching players show genuine gratitude to their parent(s) on Parent's Night.
• Seeing our players commit to outworking our opponent.
• Having our players show genuine support for each other.
• Team welcoming challenges and understanding how they help us in the long run.
• GREAT participation by our players during the off-season (gym and weight room).
• Players asking to keep the gym open longer during open gyms.
• Learning new schemes and the team buying into them.
• Treating floor burns as badges of honor.

These are just a few memories that I have from 2013. Hopefully they help remind you how lucky we are to coach.  Nobody wants to win more than I do, but there is so much more to enjoy about coaching than winning.

Have a great 2014!

8 WAYS TO KEEP DEVELOPING AS A COACH

Coaches - Here is a question for your to consider about yourself, "What are you doing to continue your development as a coach?"  We are always promoting work ethic and skill improvement to our players.  The coach must also remember that they must continue to work and improve as well.  Below is a list of 8 things coaches can do to help themselves grow as a coach.

1. Meet regularly with your coaching staff.  The off-season is a great time to meet and share thoughts and ideas with each other.  Have an agenda for your meetings.  Talk personnel, X's and O's, scheduling, practice design, overall philosophy, potential changes to be made, etc.

2. Coaches Roundtables.  If you have a chance to become involved with a roundtable discussion with other coaches, do it.  It is a great opportunity to collaborate, learn, and network with other coaches. 

3. Coaching DVDs.  Set aside some money in your team's budget (or personal budget) that allows you to purchase a few DVDs each year.  You may not use everything you see on a DVD, but if you pick up one thing you can use for your program it is worth the purchase.

4.  Attend coaching clinics.  One of the great things about coaching clinics is you get to see a variety of coaches speak on different topics.  Another benefit of attending a clinic is getting to connect with other coaches.  There are a lot of quality side-discussions with clinic attendees that occur at clinics where you can pick up some great information.

5. Attend college practices.  If you have a college team in your area, contact them and ask if you can attend practices. Bring a notebook and be ready to take some notes. 

6. Contact other coaches to learn about something they do that you really like.  Typically coaches are willing to share with each other.

7. Focus on all aspects of coaching.  Don't just focus on the X's and O's of the game. Learn more about building relationships, motivation, and other aspects of this nature.

8. Remember that none of us know it all.  So keep an open mind to listening, watching, and to even possibly change.

KEEPSAKES FOR YOUR PLAYERS

As a coach you always hope each of your players have positive memories of playing on your team.  There are always plenty of positive memories that fill each season.  This blog entry lists some keepsakes that you can put together for each of your players to help them remember the experiences of being a member of the team you coach.
  
SEASON STAT BOOKLET
Create a booklet in a simple three pronged folder that includes:

• A copy of the game schedule with scores from each game.
• A copy of each box score from every game played.
• A copy of your season's cumulative statistics

SEASON SCRAPBOOK
If you have a local newspaper that writes about your team you can create a scrapbook for each of your players.  Cut out and copy every article that was written about your team from all media outlets.  Use a three-hole punch to put together a scrapbook in a three pronged folder.

PHOTOS ON A DVD
You need to find a person who is willing to be in charge of taking game action pictures of your players.  One idea is to assign this as one of the duties of a team manager.  Put the pictures on a DVD, add some music to the background, and you have a full season of visual memories.  You could even have your manager take pictures of the team in practice, at team meals, getting an ankle taped, stretching before practice or games, and at team functions for some candid pictures.

PLAYER'S WRITTEN MEMORIES
Ask each player to write an entry (no longer than one page) that explains some of their favorite memories of the team and season. Copy each player's entry and put it into a folder for each player.

HIGHLIGHT DVD
Go through each game and put together a highlight DVD of some of the better made plays from the season.  Include plays from each player. 

333 DRILL

333 stands for playing 3-on-3 and needing 3 stops.  The 333 Drill has mostly a defensive focus, but you can also coach offense at the same time.  This drill forces your players to defend at a high level over a period of time.

333 starts with three offensive players and three defensive players playing 3-on-3.  The remaining players form three lines near half court waiting to get into the drill.

The goal is for the defensive team to get three clean stops.  A clean stop is when the defense prevents the offense from scoring.  A clean stop also means that the offensive team does not get an offensive rebound during the possession. If the offense shoots and misses, gets an offensive rebound, and then turns the ball over this would NOT be a clean stop for the defense because they gave up an offensive rebound.

The defensive team must get three clean stops before they are "out".  After each possession a fresh group of three offensive players comes in to play against the three defenders.  This makes the challenge even greater for the defense, as it forces them to play through fatigue while competing against fresh players.

Once the defensive group gets three clean stops, a new group of three defenders come in to attempt to get their three clean stops.

Drill Variations
*Coaches can allow the offense to just play. But you can also have the defense defend ball screens, down screens, dribble handoffs, back cuts, flare screens, or any other specified movement by requiring the offense to execute these during their possession.
*Cap the number of defensive possessions a group of three defenders can have.  For example, if you cap it at six possessions the defense has to get their three clean stops within six possessions.  If they don't, the run.
*Require the offense to get a paint touch before they shoot.  This keeps the offense in an attack mode and prevents them from settling for jump shots.  A paint touch can come from a post entry pass, dribble penetration, or passing to a cutting player in the lane.

STOP ADMIRING THE PROBLEM AND CHANGE!

During pregame warmups I was visiting with the coach of our rival opponent.  The opposing coach has had a long and very successful career.  Personally, I always enjoy competing against his teams because I know I will have to be at my best.  As we were exchanging typical small talk I had mentioned to him how impressed I was with how his team ran their half court offense and sets when I scouted them a week earlier.  He actually started to laugh, which surprised me because I was sincere with my comment.  He then continued and said, "Yes, we might be able to run our offense and our sets well, but it doesn't matter how well you run your offense, or what offense you run if you can't put the ball in the basket."  Hmm...

This was a "wow!" moment for me.  We had always dedicated time during our in-season practices to offensive skill development, but I will admit I was more of a drill coach that liked to break down our offense and defense to keep working on getting better at each.  And I think back to how many times I wished we could shoot a few percentage points better.  And I think back to how many times I wished we had a few more quality ball handlers on the roster.  Or maybe said to an assistant, "They just didn't work hard enough on it during the off-season."  FINALLY, I recognized I needed to make a change instead of just admiring a problem.  A coach always wants their team to improve, right?  Hoping for improvement is one thing, but taking action to fix it is another.

What I had been doing was admiring the problem instead of trying to take control and help fix it. The decision was made to then dedicate more of our in-season practice time to skill development. Dedicating more in-season practice time to skill development will obviously improve the offensive skill of our players.  The result of this becomes less hoping by the coach for a few percentage points increase in shooting percentage. 

Offenses and set plays are a big part of basketball.  But those offenses and set plays will look much better when your offensive skill is better.  Sounds simple, but it's true.