Author: Coach Wheeler

Ball-First M2M Defense & The Play that Beat UConn WBB 2017

This article is about the play that prevented UConn Women’s Basketball Team’s 111 game winning streak from going to 112… and a type of basketball defense (Ball-First M2M) that would have changed the outcome.

I teach “Ball-First Man-2-Man Trapping Defense” and the loss of the UConn Women’s 2017 Final Four game to Mississippi State provides an opportunity to take a look into some of the principles of BFM2M. Let’s start by checking out the video of the last play Mississippi State used to beat UConn in the 2017 Final Four…

The reason that Mississippi State’s Morgan William was able to get off her jumpshot was due to a mixup on the defensive coverage by UConn. Morgan William is probably the smallest player on the floor so if even one of the UConn players had been closer to her, the shot would certainly have been blocked or at least been a lower percentage. As you see in the video of the last play, there were a bunch of UConn players defending, swapping coverage as Mississippi State players moved around at the top of the key.

Here is where the breakdown occurred and where UConn lost… as Morgan Williams begins to drive, #11 Kia Nurse (who was covering another player too) jumps up to take Morgan. Morgan starts to drive and (this is where BALL FIRST M2M comes in) #12 Soniya Chong, who is now covering MS player #00, waves at the ball handler instead of coming over to trap and stop the drive. If you watch the play further, Kia Nurse backs away from Morgan William, probably under the assumption that #15 Gabby Williams would stop her.

Ordinarily that is a pretty good assumption since Gabby Williams is one of the most athletic players for UConn, but Morgan William has too much speed and momentum so Gabby is unable to get to her in time to stop the shot.

How would it change with Ball-First M2M defense?

Kia Nurse would have continued to aggressively defend the ball (Rule#1-The Ball is our first priority). By staying with the offensive player, Kia would have provided a “wall” of sorts so Morgan could not easily change direction.

Next, Soniya Chong would have jumped into the path of Morgan and placed her body so that she and Kia would create a trap. This is a difficult move if a player has never done it before because without a strong focus on a particular part of the play, it can go wrong quickly.

Players who use Ball-First M2M know that the key to this move is to keep your eyes on the ball. You know that the driver cannot change direction since that would bring them into your other defender and the ball would be open for a possible steal.

By focusing on the ball, you also are able to anticipate a pass to the player you are “leaving” (and intercept a pass if it is thrown). If the offense dribbles into the trap or tries to “plow through” the approaching defender (who is focusing on the basketball) needs to be ready to grab the ball (probably at waist or chest height) and rip it way from them. Other offensive players, usually the taller ones, may try to bring the ball over their head as they step through the trap… which is another reason all players need to keep an eye on the ball.

No one scores without the ball. Every time the ball leaves a player's hand there is an opportunity for a steal. - Coach Dave Wheeler

I know what I have described is a lot to expect from someone who has not used Ball-First M2M and hasn’t developed the skills of where to look (hint: Ball-First) and where they need to put their body to stop a driving offensive player. Ball-First M2M is not an overnight fix, especially since you need ALL the players on the defensive team to understand the approach so they can deal with 2nd and 3rd options. It can be, however, highly effective.

Bottom Line…

Even though I am a long-time fan of UConn WBB, I have to give credit to Mississippi State. They played a tough game. I also appreciate the effort put in by UConn.

It is unfair to focus on one play as the reason they lost since there were countless opportunities to get another basket earlier in the game. Every player and every coach knows that just one more made shot or an offensive rebound or a defensive stop and there would never have been an overtime period. I give credit to all the players, coaches and parents who helped both teams get to this game. Few people have even the smallest sliver of a glimpse into all the preparation and hard work that is put in at this level of basketball.

 

Having said that, the reason for this article is to show how Ball-First M2M defense can work at the highest levels. There is much more to Ball-First Man-to-Man defense that I have not mentioned in this article… most importantly, traps in other areas of the court. Those aspects will have to wait for another article. If you want to be sent a brief email when new articles are published for this blog, be sure to sign up for our email notification service. As always, your comments are encouraged and appreciated.

Proper Pace – Effort

Here is one of my favorite coaching tips from Coach Geno Auriemma. It is about a way that he shows players the proper pace they should be using on the basketball court and the amount of effort / focus that he expects.

Effort is critically important to a player’s development. If a player doesn’t stretch outside their comfort zone, they won’t become one of the players that win.

Coach Wheeler “It’s about Effort”

I use “up & backs” as a key part of the conditioning program for my teams. Basketball is a game of acceleration and getting from one point to another. It is also about putting out bursts of effort and recovering quickly.

Most people don’t realize that the key part of the up/back drill is how long it takes for a player to be ready to do it again. The best players can do multiple runs with minimal rest but the drill must push players so they put out their best effort both while running and when they set their “restart threshold”.

Through years of trial, I now use a “sorting technique” where the 1st 5 players who are ready and step up to the line are moved to their right side of the line. The rest of the team waits until they are done (usually 10 seconds) before they run. Anyone from either group who finishes in less than 10 seconds can “step up” to run with the top 5. This process quickly shows who is in shape and who is willing to put in the extra effort.  Maybe I will offer $100 like Coach Auriemma next time…

Preseason Basketball Camp 2017-Keene NH

Coach Dave Wheeler, in association with InviteOnlyBasketball.com and Parisi Speed School of NH, will be conducting a one-day preseason basketball camp on Saturday Nov.11th, 2017.

The camp, for boys in grades 7-11 (Ages 13-17), will be held at Keene State College’s Spaulding Gymnasium where the Owls play their home games.

For more information and to apply for an invitation to the basketball camp, please visit www.InviteOnlyBasketball.com !

 

Next Level Basketball

What does it mean for a player to “take their game to the next level”? It sounds like a good thing but without understanding the meaning it is hard to get there, right?

Plus… even if you have an idea of what the “next level” is for your basketball game, the question of “How do I take my game to the next level?” is still critically important.

This article will answer those questions (from Coach Wheeler’s perspective) and provide you with an example of a player who might Coach Wheeler could help “take their game to the next level.”

What are “the Levels”?

Below are the various levels from middle school through high school and even into college.  If you are interested in seeing some of the skills that are typically developed at each level, check out Coach Wheeler’s article on a Player Progression Plan. 

  • Middle School
  • High School – Player / non-starter… Losing team
  • High School – Player / starter… Losing team
  • High School – Player / non-starter… Winning team
  • High School – Player / starter… Winning team
  • High School – Player / starter… college-level skills (D3/Community College)
  • High School – Player / starter… All-state-Honorable mention
  • High School – Player / starter… All-state-2nd Team
  • High School – Player / starter… All-state-1st Team
  • College Starter – D3 / Community College
  • College Player * – D2
  • College Player * – D1

* There are obviously many levels within “college”.  Most players won’t need to worry about this since even “best in state” does not mean that you are guaranteed a scholarship at the college level.

There could be even more levels if you include various AAU team or individual milestones (tourney wins, elite team participation, etc.). Again, this is a simple framework for players that are working on their game, probably at some level in high school, and looking to go “to the next level”.

HOW do I go to the “Next Level”?

As mentioned earlier, Coach Wheeler’s article on development of Player Progression Plan has lots of clues for players looking to improve.

Beyond skill development, WINNING is another way to move up a level or two. Players on teams that win get more attention from people who evaluate players.

Since basketball is a team game, if you want to win more games, you need to look at your role on the team. What does the team need to win more games? How well are you performing your role on the team? How can you do more? Or better?

You might have some ideas for these questions but don’t settle for your own answers. ASK others to get a better idea of what will take your game to the next level.  ASK Coaches… your current coach (obviously), past coaches who have seen you play recently, AAU coaches, assistant coaches and even players whose basketball knowledge you respect.

When you ASK, you could say something like, “I want to take my game to the next level, what do you think I need to improve?” Be open to the answers but look for common answers that come up often. Also, don’t get upset if someone identifies a weakness that you are not proud of. Many people will only give you “good news” and it is important to value people who will “tell it like it is”. You don’t want sugar-coated feedback. You want the truth… and you need to act on the truth!

Coach Wheeler’s “Next Level real Player Example”:

Coach WheelerI coached this player as part of an AAU team when he was a freshman and he was a pretty good shooter. I won’t “name names” since I don’t want to embarrass him. Plus the advice could apply to a number of players.

As a sophomore, our “example player” saw some good minutes on his varsity team but he played a secondary role to seniors who played a similar position.

When I saw him a year later in a summer league, he had improved his ability to drive and make shots. The team he played on did not have great players so he probably had to carry a bigger scoring load than he might on another team.

Next Level tip:

This player has pretty good court vision since he handles the ball most of the time and rarely dribbles into traps or places he might lose the ball. His court awareness is part of how he might take his game (and the success of his team) to the next level.

He should work with his team so that they move into scoring position as he drives. For example, wing shooters need to get open to potentially receive a kick-out pass. Big men need to recognize when he is going to drive and find a lane where they can be open if the opposition collapses on the driver. Even if the driver shoots, big men should be actively getting in position for the rebound.

How are all these things the responsibility of the player with the ball? First, basketball is a team game and even if you are the best player in the world the other players on the court need to be active. Michael Jordan did not win a single NBA championship before Coach Phil Jackson brought in the triangle offense and convinced MJ that involving others was in his best interest (especially if he wanted to win).

Second, if you are the primary ball handler (as this player is in our example) your key responsibility is to distribute the ball for the highest percentage shot possible. That means “getting the other players to move to the right places”. Sometimes the coach sets up plays for the team but more often players have to work together on the court in various situations.

This is just Coach Wheeler’s idea for how this player could get to “the next level”. As we mentioned earlier, he should be getting feedback from all the coaches in his life… and taking action.

Bottom line…

If you want to get better, you will have to take action. Basketball is highly competitive. You are not just competing within your school’s division. You are competing against everyone near your age who is playing basketball and trying to get to the next level. Remember, after your senior year in high school, no matter how good you are, the next year you are a freshman in college. From the big fish in the small pond to a small fish in THE OCEAN! The time to move to the Next Level is NOW. Don’t wait. Your future depends on it!

Player Progression

As a player develops, there are certain skills that need to be acquired at each level of play. This article will lay out the skills that would go into a player progression plan * from the middle school to varsity level.

Before we get started… Let’s have FUN !

Of course the underlying “skill” is enjoyment of the game and that needs to come first. In fact, most players self-select themselves for the sport based on their love of the game and some connection that develops very early in their childhood. As a coach, it is our responsibility to take players to the next level while fanning the flames of their love of the game.

** Coach Wheeler’s view only…

Coach WheelerThe player progression described below** is based on my coaching philosophy and the style of play that I like to use for my teams.

Another coach might have different priorities depending on how he expects his teams to compete.  Having said that, there are probably a good amount of overlap and none of the skills mentioned will “go unused” by a coach, especially if a player becomes outstanding in that area.

Levels of Player Progression…

I originally tried to divide the player progression into 3 levels (Middle School / Frosh-JV / JV-Varsity) but, as you will see, there isn’t much “in the middle”. I think that is because many skills have a wide spectrum with lots of different levels along the way.

The difference between a Middle School player and a successful Varsity High School player can also depend on how that year’s team defines particular roles. In other word, someone might not have all the skills of a well-rounded varsity player but the ones that they do have (e.g rebounding or defense) could make them a strong role player for the team.

Let’s start by looking at the Middle School skills…

Middle School Level
  • Passing (strength / heads-up)
  • Catching (move to the pass)
  • Position defense (relative to ball / athletics)
  • Rebounding (box out / launch to the ball)
  • Layup Technique (footwork / angles)
  • Mid-range shot (touch / form)
  • Run the floor (full speed / endurance)
  • Triple Threat / Court Vision
  • Growth Mindset
Frosh / JV …

[this level is basically the transition to, and preparation for, become a varsity player]

  • Run the floor / Speed layups (w/contact, multi-angles)
  • Heads Up dribble (quick & strong)
  • Strong “set shot” – mid-range / 3 pt. / w/o thinking

 

JV / Varsity Level
  • Power Drive (standing / full-speed / Moves)
  • Strong Handles
  • Jump (touch rim / dunk)
  • Pressure M2M Defense (w/o fouls, w/o “Ole”)
  • Off-ball defense (steals / traps / help)
  • Signature Move(s) – Inside or perimeter (move/shoot)
  • Court Awareness (instant ball movement)
  • Mentally Strong *
  • Strong Role on Team

* Mental Toughness or a Champion Mindset is a large subject and it can take years to develop but, to start with, it means that a player “Practices Like a Champion”. A Mentally Strong player is able to “out perform” opponents through their understanding of the game as well as their willingness to do what is required to win. A mentally strong player makes the other team work hard on both ends of the court.

How does progress happen?

Some of a player’s progress will happen naturally as they grow from middle school age to high school age. As they say, you can’t teach height. For some people that is not great news but there is good news too!

The good news (especially for “height challenged” players) is that most of the skills listed can be learned, even things like jump height. A good coach can help a player learn various skills and there is no shortage of videos on YouTube to show players ideas for skill building drills.

Who is holding you back?

I see it every year. A player doesn’t improve over the off-season and they are passed by other players who have improved. The missing ingredient for most players is not an exposure to the skills but rather a lack of consistent off-season work on those skills. While playing other sports during basketball’s off-season might help a player develop athletically, basketball is very much a game of skill. And skills require practice if you want to improve. I heard a good quote on a recent podcast… “If you still have the same weaknesses as you had last season [and haven’t improved your strengths], you have wasted the off-season.”

Bottom Line…

If you aren’t getting better each year, there will be someone who passes you and takes your minutes at the next level. Basketball is a team sport but it is also very competitive. There are only so many game minutes at the varsity level and they go to the best players (as defined by the coach).

At the end of the season, every player who is serious about their game needs to lay out their Player Progression Plan by identifying their weaknesses and strengths along with the activities that will help them improve. Ideally, this should be combined with a review by your varsity coach to determine how you might contribute most quickly at the varsity level.

Coach Wheeler’s In-season Player Progression Plan

I believe that “What we work on EVERYDAY improves over time.” That is why there are some basic elements that will show up in every practice that I run…

  • Physical Challenges (running / defense / strength)
  • Shooting
  • [Perfections] which covers a number of skills
    – Running
    – Passing
    – High speed layups
    – Communication
    Players should show progress in the first half of the season. By the time that we have played the teams on our schedule at least once, we should be ready to take our game to the next level. A tournament over Christmas break is always a good test to see where the team is in terms of player development as well as team cohesiveness and execution.

The second half of the season is focused on extending the team’s progress. We also want to do even better against opponents the 2nd time we play them. This approach is designed to get the team ready for the playoffs. If things go well, it also gives us a seeding that helps our drive for a championship.

All team success starts with the player’s progression and acquisition of skills. A coach can teach but the player has to take responsibility for their own development. If you show that you want to go the “extra mile”, most coaches love that attitude and will give you extra attention. As a player, you have to decide what you want. Do you want to be a key contributor at the varsity level? Or do you want to sit on the bench? You get to decide based on how you progress as a player. Hopefully this article gave you some ideas to work on. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions.

Player Evaluation

As the new season (and the new player tryout) approaches, I have been giving some thought to my Player Evaluation Drills Checklist.  Every coach is probably looking for something different so it is likely that my evaluation protocol will be substantially different from other coaches. Plus, there are different skills needed for each team, the coach’s style of play or at every level of play.

Below are the basic qualities that I am looking for as part of a player evaluation. These fit with my style of play and the fundamental components that are needed.

  • Speed – full court
  • Passing skills
  • Moves – Drive to the basket
  • Layups (at speed)
  • Shooting form
  • Shooting- Perimeter, Game Conditions
  • Inside shooting / moves
  • Ball handling
  • Strength
  • Defense
  • Rebounding
  • Hustle

Aside from “Hustle”, most of these attributes are focused on quantifiable performance and don’t really address the intangibles and attitude of a player. Since this article is primarily about a list of drills to test players during a tryout, we will leave a discussion on how to evaluate the intangibles to another article.

10 Drills to evaluate players…
  1. Mikan Drill. How many layups can a player make in 30 Seconds? Middle school players should focus on alternating hands and getting their footwork down. High school players can rotate through various forms of layups on both sides (overhand, across shoulder, reverse facing baseline, reverse with back to baseline).
    .
  2. Perfections. This is our cornerstone drill and it involves full court layups (rt/lft), 2person passing across lane, 3 lines (rt/lft), 3man weave (wide/narrow). If an individual misses, they go again. Multi-person drills are to 10 in a row (or until the coach is tired of waiting for them to finish).
    .
  3. One Dribble Drive with defense from the 3 point line. Track number of defensive stops / scores.
    .
  4. Foul shots. # out of 20.
    .
  5. Shot progression. 5 at each spot, 3 spots at blocks/center, 3 spots 1/2 way to foul line (middle/wing/wing). Track # of makes out of 30 shots. Max time limit…? One rebounder to assist.
    .
  6. Sprint. Down and Back. Target = 10 seconds max. Depending on the setup of the court, we may finish at the blocks or foul line instead of the baseline so players don’t run into the wall or stage.
    .
  7. Dribble sequence. Around cones spaced around court (up/back), various moves (crossover, pull-back, between legs, behind back, spin move). Track # of circuits completed in 30 sec.
    .
  8. Jump Height. Track highest point, (NOT a player’s “net” jump. In a game, the ball does not care about your “net jump”).
    .
  9. Shuffle Drill. Around the lane. Track total time.
    .
  10. Beat the Pro. 30 seconds. Pro scores on any miss. Shoot game locations. Move “around the world”. First shot is foul shot (1 point).
What’s on your Player Evaluation checklist?

What drills should be added to this Player Evaluation checklist?  Or should I replace one of the listed drills? For example, I had “Palming the Basketball” as one test but changed it out for another. I figured that there would be few players at the high school level who could do it (even though it can be accomplished even with relatively small hands by simply working on grip strength).

Bonus Download:

Check out Coach Wheeler’s Player Evaluation Clipboard Sheets on The Building A Winning Mindset Resource Page!

 

 

Program Turnaround Plan

If you are a coach interviewing for a leadership position with basketball programs in need of a turnaround, it is important to have a solid idea of how you will improve the situation right from the beginning. That is what they are hiring you for, right? How are you going to create a “Culture of Winning”?

What is considered a “Turnaround Opportunity”?

As I discussed in an earlier post, there are typically 3 levels of “Winning” and most turnaround opportunities are in the Type 3 category [“Participation Awards”] where the program loses 2 or more times more often than it is winning basketball games.  Occasionally a Type 1 program will drop to a Type II level [Mediocre] and decide that they need a turnaround so they can return to their tradition of winning. In either case, there are certain elements that need to be established before the program can start to see more wins.

It all starts upstairs.

Before I get into the specific skills that need to be developed I should point out that winning starts with the mentality or “way of thinking” of everyone within the program.

A successful mindset can be built over years of winning traditions but in a turnaround situation you need to convince all parties (players, parents, fans and school administration) that 1) winning is possible and 2) they have the tools they need to build a winning team.

Once these two beliefs are in place, the next step is to have a plan to develop the specific skills/tools needed to actually win games. It is critical to get everyone to buy in to your plan and be willing to work hard to create positive results. Once the positive results start rolling in, it makes it easier and easier for more people to “get on board” and build that winning momentum !

Let’s start building…

Everything starts with a Winning Mindset. I require any team that I coach to adopt 3 core values that we will hold onto no matter what. These key parts of our winning mindset are 1) We never quit, 2) We control our minds, and 3) We overcome challenges. These 3 ideas or “tenets” shape how we approach practice … which shapes how we play in games. I went into these 3 core values in another article on this blog, as well as in person during various interviews. Let me say that they were chosen very carefully and, when given time to fully implement them, they translate into powerful tools that help you create the mindset you need to win in both sports and in life.

What does a “Culture of Winning” look like?
  1. Practice like a champion.
  2. Expect to win / Refuse to Lose
  3. Win with class.

wheeler's Pyramid of Winning Basketball

1st Principles for a Turnaround –
3S: Shooting, Strength and Speed

First, I should point out that I believe in the Growth mindset (vs. the Fixed or Talent Mindset). This means that nearly everything is a skill that can be learned and developed. On the other hand is the Fixed or Talent mindset which says that a player either has a talent or doesn’t. Their potential is “fixed” and cannot change.

What most people forget is that a varsity basketball program is the result of years of basketball going all the way back to shooting the ball in the driveway at home. Kids develop at different rates and someone who is the best in grade school can be easily passed by someone who continues to work on their skills through middle school and into high school. On top of this there is the literal “growth” that happens and is not always easy to predict. Growth spurts can happen at almost any age and can completely change a player’s abilities on the court.

Having said that, Shooting, Strength and Speed are all skills that can, and should, improve year after year as an athlete goes through high school.  These are the foundation that other skills and strategies are built upon and it makes sense to adopt a Growth mindset so you keep getting better.

Some might say that a team needs height and it is genetic which means it is not subject to development. While it is nice to have a height advantage, many games can be won without a height advantage. Plus, the ability to jump CAN be developed and when combined with speed and strength, a shorter team can often perform much better than a “tall” team.

Shooting Development

This might be a little controversial, but my experience has shown me that every high school that wants to be competitive should have a Dr. Dish or Shoot-a-way basketball shooting machine. It allows players to get in a high volume of shots by themselves. The machine collects the ball after it is shot and passes to the player for the next shot while keeping a tally of makes & misses. It is a valuable tool that every team should have and should be used CONSTANTLY. More shots in practice (with a little coaching) results in more makes in games. It is also a good goal for booster clubs and coaches as part of their fundraising efforts.

This is in line with my 3P’s of shooting…
1) Practice,
2) Practice while moving and
3) Practice at game speed.

My shooting development program also includes the following concepts/drills…

  • [Shooting] confidence is earned.
    More shots made in practice = more confidence in games.
    .
  • Shooting accuracy and range is a function of strength.
    Your leg strength and arm/wrist strength determines your working range. Putting up lots of shots will help but a strength program is also an important part of a successful basketball program.
    .
  • Shooting form typically need to be corrected in high school.
    As strength is added, a better, more effective shooting form often needs to be adopted. This typically happens in the transition from Middle School to High School but whenever it happens the new (correct) form needs to be “burned in” with repetition so that it becomes automatic.
    .
  • Center Swish Drill. This helps players target the very center of the basket and can be useful when they are making adjustments to their shooting form, ideally over the summer when they have loads of time to put up shots.
    .
    Quick NBA Legend story:
    The idea of “center swish shooting” came from something I heard about how Larry Bird practiced his shooting. Someone saw that on some days Larry would shoot a tone of shots while on other days he shot only a few. When asked about it, Larry said that he shoots until he is happy with the results (he shoots for the very center of the basket). Some days his stroke is 100% and it is a short practice.  Other days he needs to “dial it in” which can take more shots. If you aren’t yet as good as Larry Bird, how many shots do you think you will need to shoot?

Strength Development

Consistency is the key for strength development. It does little good to burn out your muscles by lifting too much weight and then being too sore to work out for a week. Consistently lifting enough weight to stress your muscles so they will adapt and get stronger is the key. Don’t lift so much that you are too sore to lift in two days.  Effort is important but consistency (with proper recovery) builds results.

Basketball players should start learning basic lifting in 8th grade (age 14) with body weight exercises and focus on a consistent schedule. It will add up.

I typically have high school players do legs & core on one day and arms/chest/back on the following day. Ideally, they should not lift on the 3rd day.  This gives two complete cycles per week with another day off. If a player is running and doing basketball drills, this should work his muscles sufficiently without interfering with any practices or games that come up.

Quick NBA Legend story…
Michael Jordan lifted weights throughout his NBA season and he would have sometimes 4-5 games per week. He famously would lift on the morning of a game day to stay on his strength building program.

Most under-utilized weight training tool:

Kettle bells are becoming more common but they are still very often sitting around unused. In particular, kettle bell swings are a great way to strengthen your core all the way from your thighs, through your glutes and abs and the rest of your core muscles. Having a strong core gives you a strong foundation when making twisting moves around the basket while also helps prevent back injuries.

Other ways to improve strength and mobility include yoga and other activities that involve balance. These types of exercise help tone your core muscles which helps to prevent back injuries and give you some great looking abs!

Speed Development

I have found that there is no replacement for a timed full speed sprint. It is simple to time yourself and by measuring your speed, you are able to see improvement.

Another way to develop speed is by using HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training. Basketball is a game of sprints, not jog-jog-jog. Joggers get beat by sprinters.

There is a good app I have on my iPad called Tabata Stopwatch Pro which allows you to set your exercise intervals (e.g. sprints) as well as the rest interval. This brings up another aspect of “speed” as it applies to basketball. It is not only how fast you can sprint but also how fast you can recover from sprinting and sprint again. Building your ability to recover is something that the Tabata or HIIT workout does well.

Favorite Speed Drill: Jump Rope

A jump rope is an inexpensive way to improve your foot speed as well as hand/eye coordination. Players are surprised by how much quicker they can become by something as simple as jumping rope.

Another Favorite Drill: Lunges

The lunge is another underrated drill. In fact, the trainer who helped Michael Jordan go from a 35 inch to a 46 inch vertical jump uses an adapted form of the lunge as part of his “Jump Attack” training program. I like to use either weighted lunges with the rear foot on a bench as part of a weight workout or step lunges as a warm-up.

Jumping is not just about muscle strength but also involves flexibility, especially in the hip joint, so a lunge exercise helps in a number of ways.  Jumping also requires quickness and technique which are also skills that can be developed. If you have a jump program that you would like to see reviewed on this blog, leave your contact info in a comment and we will be in contact.

Player Development Timetable:

High school players need to be developed starting in elementary school where the key is building a love for the game. Playing basketball is fun. Getting better at basketball is fun. It is sometimes challenging but it is still fun. At the higher levels, the game becomes more challenging but the satisfaction of overcoming those challenges, combined with the thrill of winning take the “fun” to a whole new level.

Need Year Round Basketball to win?

With AAU and other leagues, it is possible to play year-round. Is this required for the successful turnaround of a basketball program? Probably not but the best players will find opportunities to play year round, often in addition to other sports. Weekend AAU games are a great complement to a school soccer or cross-country team in the Fall or a track or baseball season in the Spring. The key is to make all coaches aware of the player’s schedule. No one wants surprises when it comes to game conflicts. The last thing a coach wants is worn out players when they should have been resting up for the next day’s game.

What’s next to Turnaround a basketball program?

wheeler's Pyramid of Winning BasketballThe Winning Mindset and the 3 S’s get you about halfway up the pyramid of winning basketball. Looking ahead, there will be articles on this blog about Skill development and Strategies. These are things that many coaches focus on … without the strong foundation of a proven strong mindset and 3S’s. In a turnaround situation, that is a recipe for disaster (and more losses). Be sure to sign up for our email notification service. Don’t miss the future articles. They will go further up the Pyramid of winning and how to turnaround your basketball program!

Building your inner / outer Warrior

No one is born a warrior.

You become a warrior. You train yourself. You learn from people you admire and respect.

You challenge yourself. You set a standard for your actions that is above average. “Good enough” is not good enough for you.

You focus on what is important. You are not distracted by unimportant things. You spend time with others who share your goals. You help them get better just as they help you improve.

You stand for your values. Your actions reflect a respect for the value of competition.

You are constantly learning and improving. You are open to new ideas and find ways to adopt the best ones.

You recognize that there is always room for improvement. You know that success is enjoying the journey toward achievement, not the achievement itself.

You never quit. No matter how tough it gets, you are tougher. You find a way to your goal or you make a new way.

You control your mind and emotions. You choose your reaction to circumstances. You are not at the mercy of your situation.

You take action on your top priorities. You don’t need external motivation. You are in charge of your life.

You know how your mind works and can find all the motivation you will ever need.

You are strong and getting stronger. You protect the weak. You challenge oppression.

You strive to be better than your past. You bounce back from mistakes and learn from each one so they are not repeated.

You see the best in others. You recognize the worst as an opportunity for growth.

You are an example for others. You are a beacon of possibility.

You are a warrior. You never give up on your dreams.

Warriors WIN.

 

– by Coach Dave Wheeler

 

Swish-Warriors Win

Tools to Train Your Brain – Pattern Interrupt

What is a “Pattern Interrupt” and how can I use it to control my mind?

 A Pattern interrupt is a technique to change a particular thought, behavior or situation. Behavioral psychology and neuro linguistic programming use this technique to interrupt and change thought patterns and behaviors. It can be as simple as initiating a handshake or as definitive as seizing the moment to travel or fulfill your bucket list.

Humans have an average of up to 50,000 thoughts per day. Amazingly up to 95 percent are the same thoughts, repeated every day (according to the National Science Foundation). That’s a lot of repetition. And very little space for new thinking. [Helen Roe, HuffintonPost.com]

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We all have patterns in our behavior. Some are simple habits while others are ways of thinking that are deeply embedded in our subconscious mind. Usually these patterns help us simplify our lives by not having to think about everything that we encounter. There are also patterns that cause us to do things that are not in our best interest or just make us feel bad.

As an example of a simple (mostly helpful) pattern, let’s say you are packing up books into your backpack. Do you think about how they go into the backpack? Unless there is a book that is unusually large, you probably don’t think too much about the activity. You just do it. What else do you do without thinking? Probably more than you might think. These are the patterns that often help us by keeping our life simplified… but sometimes don’t help.

Patterns in Sports

Let’s say that every time you try to do a drill in practice you are frustrated because you are not getting the results you want. Every time you start the drill, the emotions start coming out. You have built a pattern that ties together a particular drill with the bad feelings of frustration.  Intellectually you know that it takes time to learn a new skill but you are still frustrated.

That’s where a pattern interrupt could help you take control of your [pattern of] emotions. It can be difficult to interrupt your own patterns since many of them are so deeply embedded and automatic that we might not recognize them as just patterns. This is where it helps to have a coach or a friend you trust that understands when you need a pattern interrupt.

What might be a pattern interrupt for this example?

By definition, the interrupt must be unexpected and not part of the pattern. If the coach sees that you are getting frustrated by the drill, he or she might walk by and poke you in the shoulder or make a silly sound.  Maybe the coach shakes your hand. Whatever they do, as long as it is unexpected, your pattern would be interrupted. After that, you both might smile because you realize there is no reason to get upset over a drill that you are learning. The coach might then explain how you could take control of your emotions and even enjoy the challenge of the drill.

Other applications of a Pattern Interrupt in Sports

Patterns are not limited to reactions to external situations. You might have a pattern of thinking when you encounter stressful or pressure-filled situations. Do you say to yourself “I am not good at this.” or “I can’t do this.”? These are patterns that can hurt your chances of performing successfully in games and as soon as you recognize them, be sure to interrupt the pattern. Replace those thoughts with empowering thoughts and you will get a boost of confidence.

Imagine the pattern…

Since you probably are not asked to make a game-winning shot every day, it can be helpful to imagine or visualize the situation. It has been proven that your brain doesn’t care if it is a real experience or a vividly imagined one. By “putting yourself into the situation” via visualization you can evaluate your thought patterns and interrupt the ones that are not supporting your success.

How do I use a Pattern Interrupt in [non-sport] situations?

The first step is to recognize a pattern you want to change. It might be an emotional response that you have… or it might be a pattern you recognize in your friend’s response.

The next step is to INTERRUPT THE PATTERN. Did you see what I did there? I typed in ALL CAPS to interrupt the flow of your eyes as you read this paragraph. Yeah, it was probably not much of an interrupt but it gives you an idea of how you want to “take a sudden left turn” to break out of the pattern.

The final step is what you do after the pattern is interrupted. It does very little good to go around doing crazy stuff to break people out of unproductive patterns if you don’t help them move in a better direction.

Depending on your relationship with the person whose pattern is being interrupted, it may be as simple as asking them a question or two so you can find out why they have been repeating the pattern. Usually it made sense when it started but it could also be a result of years of built up history so be sure to let them know you are there to help.

Bottom Line…

If you want to break out of old (unproductive) habits, you need to recognize and then interrupt the patterns. This will give you the opportunity to do something different (and hopefully better).

Pattern Interrupts are a valuable tool that anyone can use to train your brain. We are all creatures of habit based on years of history. We have patterns that help us and others that don’t.  You now have a tool to start changing those habits or patterns into something that better supports your goals.

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Please leave a comment below to tell us how you used a pattern interrupt. What did a pattern interrupt do for you or someone in your life?

Mental Models & the OODA Loop

What am I talking about when I say “Mental Model”?

A Mental Model is a concept in your mind of HOW to solve a particular type of problem. For example, you might think that the way to put out a fire is to pour water on it.

You may think this because you tried it and it worked or someone told you that it would work. In many cases this mental model for putting out a fire works extremely well… but there are some cases when it is the last thing you want to do.

What if the fire is a grease fire? If you pour water on a grease fire, it will make it even worse. Check out the short video below to see what happens.  There are a number of alternative mental models for putting out fires that would work better such as cutting off the oxygen to the fire (by putting a lid on the pot if the grease fire is in a pot).

For other types of fires, a better approach (or mental model) might be to crush it or stamp out the fire. Or your mental model might tell you to find an appropriate fire extinguisher and use it on the fire.  Clearly there are many mental models and many ways to solve a problem.

Value of 3M – Multiple Mental Models

As we saw in the previous example, having multiple mental models can make us more adaptable to different types of problems that might arise. We all know someone (maybe ourselves) who is like the man who only has a hammer so everything in his world looks like a nail!

3M (Multiple Mental Models) is especially important in changing situations where our old models might not be the best choice. Add to this the Uncertainty that must arise when we realize that our observations, almost by definition, are imperfect.

We view everything through the lenses of our past experiences and values. If something doesn’t fit, it is common to just “brush it off” as an anomaly or a freak, one-time occurrence. Denial can cause a problem to grow until we are faced with a dire situation (which could have been solved easily if we had recognized it earlier). So how do we solve problems faster and, ideally, when they are smaller and easier to solve?

Inside the OODA Loop

OODA stands for Observe / Orientate / Decision / Action and is a problem solving framework developed by a fighter pilot named John Boyd. The OODA Loop is the sequence that we go through to solve a problem, often in a competitive situation where our competitor is going through their own OODA loop too.  Even if your problem is not as dramatic or life-threatening as fighter pilots trying to shoot down their opponent, the OODA Loop concept and way of thinking can still apply.

The first parts of the OODA loop are Observe and Orientate. As was shown earlier, our Mental Models figure into both how we observe a situation as well as how we orientate to it (or “make sense of the situation”). An incorrect or out-dated mental model can cause us to make (and act on) a bad decision. For a figher pilot, a bad mental model can be fatal.

On the other hand, if we have good mental models we may be able to jump from an Observation directly to Action. This “implicit decision” to react to a pre-determined situation can give you an advantage over your competition, especially if they are still Observing, Orientating and Deciding. By Acting before they do, you essentially are creating a new observation for them and short-circuiting their OODA Loop.

Basketball… for example…

If we are playing Man-to-man defense and the offense does “X”… do we have an “implicit decision” for the “Y” action that we will take? What are your team’s mental model(s) for situations that commonly come up in a game?

What if the competition beats or counters our actions effectively? Do we have a mental model to deal with this new situation? Do we need to adapt or change our mental model? Perhaps by switching from a pressure M2M to one that includes more help defense? Do we back off the M2M or change the match-ups?

Or do we need to develop a completely new mental model for an effective basketball defense? Maybe a zone defense would work better? Or something we have never tried before… ?

Building Mental Models

Whether you are competing on the court or in the corporate boardroom, you should understand how to build new mental models. There are two processes (that I learned from reading about fighter pilot and military strategist Col. John Boyd) which you can use to come up with new mental models… Inductive or Deductive.

Deductive process involves analysis and the breakdown of other mental models into sub-components that can then be re-imagined through the Inductive process. While deductive processes are important to our understanding of both the competitive situation and our options for action it can also lead to paralysis since we can always break things down into smaller and smaller bits which won’t get us closer to a new model and the ability to translate it into action.

Inductive process of building mental models involves creativity and the creation of new combinations or components to build a different mental model. Some combinations will work while others will be discarded. The key is to find something that can be acted upon and tried against the competition.

Where does all this end?

The short answer? Probably never since we are always encountering new competitive or problem-solving situations and must come up with new mental models.

The better answer? When we win. Once we have a mental model that works, we have an advantage in the current competitive situation. We can win.

The bad news (or exciting news, depending on how you look at it) is that things change and a mental model that worked in the past will probably be less effective in the future.

The competition learns… so be ready.

It is good to build a little Uncertainly into your life. Uncertainty keeps you on your toes and helps you be on the lookout for situations where your existing mental models are letting you down. A mind that is open to the idea that you don’t have all the answers will also drive you to continue to learn and prepare for your next competition. (Ideally, you are adapting faster than your competitors.)

Mental Models keep us alive by helping us solve problems. They can also kill us if we are in a dogfight and our mental model is out of date or ineffective.

Are your mental models up to date? What can you learn today so you are ready to build new mental models? If you found the OODA Loop idea interesting, I would recommend reading this post that gets into the concepts that Boyd used to create and implement his OODA Loop idea. It provides more insights related to the use of OODA Loops which can improve your effectiveness as an athlete and in life.

Leave a comment on your Mental Models

Did you find this article useful? What mental model did you explore or change? What problem did you solve by building new mental models? We would love to hear your stories and feedback in the comments below !