Coach Wheeler, Author at Building a Winning Mindset

Pure Sweat podcast interview with Coach Burt

I rarely endorse or encourage my readers to listen to a podcast interview … unless it includes valuable information for basketball coaches or players. The link below to a recent Pure Sweat podcast interview with “Super Coach” Michael Burt definitely falls into the category of good information. Coach Burt has some excellent ideas that will help you build a winning mindset within your program.

Pure Sweat: Coach Michael Burt (Part 1)

Check it out and see if you don’t agree that Coach Burt brings some great ideas for ways to build a winning mindset both in athletics and for life. (Also available on iTunes.)

Time Out Huddle

How a coach organizes and gets his team to execute a “Time Out Huddle” probably falls under the category of “How you do anything is how you do everything” because it is one aspect of a basketball game that is sometimes overlooked (and is allowed to be done in a “less than perfect” manner).

I came across the idea for this post as I was reading the book by legendary football coach Lou Holtz called “Wins, Losses and Lessons: An Autobiography”. The book is basically about Coach Holtz’s life growing up and becoming a football coach. While I was hoping there would be more blatant “secrets of winning”, I was able to discover a bunch of good ideas for coaches and players.

In the book, (page 191 if you are interested), Coach Holtz says the following,

“Execution is about paying attention to the details. If a team looks sloppy in the huddle, it will look sloppy during the play. If players are unruly on the sidelines, they will be undisciplined on the field. We set standards in that spring practice that many of those athletes had never seen before.”

Coach Holtz goes on to tell the story about how he coached his team to “properly execute a huddle” and how it helped his football team become better. What follows is my take on a basketball version of that.

What is a properly executed Time Out Huddle in basketball?

The ideas below can be applied to a Full time out or a 30 second timeout. The only difference is that the 30 second timeout would be done with the players standing up (on the court).

Perception is Reality

I should probably start by answering the question, “Why do we care how the team executes a time out huddle?” There are probably many reasons but, for me, the biggest reason is the psychological impact on the other team. If they see us RUN to our timeout, it tells them that we have more energy than they do, especially late in the game, and are probably less tired than they are. This is one small way to demoralize the competition. Aside from that, it can also impress the parents and fans in the stands since if they are rooting for us to win, they like to think that we are in better shape than the competition.

Rule 1 for a proper Time Out Huddle: We RUN to the huddle.

Everything and Everyone has a place.

The 5 chairs next to the head coach are where the players who are IN the game will be sitting. If someone is being substituted, they tell the person they are going in for and then take a seat with the other active players.

The coach will move his chair so that it faces the 5 Active Players. In case the chairs are not moveable, the coach will simply stand or squat in front of the active players.

The next 5 players on the bench will stand BEHIND the active players and hand them their drinks and towels. Right hand = drink, Left hand = towel. This assumes you have 15 players total (the max for varsity in NH) so there are another 5 players who stand behind the head coach. Assistant coaches are on the left and right ends of the active players so they can hear the head coach and offer suggestions if called upon.

Speaking of suggestions, and this may be something particular to a head coach’s style, this formation lends itself to a 5-10 second window of time when the players are getting to the bench and getting something to drink where the assistant coaches can feed the head coach their ideas/thoughts/suggestions. I know that is not much time but if a head coach wants the input, it is important for assistant coaches to be concise with their communication. Remember, timeouts are not long and it is important to get the right information to the active players so that they can head back out on the court and compete effectively.

Rule # 2 for a proper Time Out Huddle: Fill The Formation

Listen up !

The final focus of an effective Time out huddle is ATTENTION. All players should be listening to what the head coach is saying so they are prepared to go out on the floor and execute the strategy. All it takes is one person not paying attention to miss a key point of the conversation which could translate into a critical mistake at a key point later in the game.

Rule # 3 for a proper Time Out Huddle: Pay Attention!

As I said in the beginning, “How you do anything is how you do everything.” That means that they way that you execute your Time Out Huddle reflects how you execute any other part of your game. If you are serious about winning a basketball game, you need to be serious about each component that goes into that game, whether it is making foul shots or playing tough defense or something as simple as how you set up and perform your Time Out Huddle. For my teams, I like to say “We run our timeouts like champions.” and it also shows the competition that we are not a “typical” team. We are special. We care about doing the things that are required to win.

What does your Time Out Huddle say about your commitment to winning basketball games?

Dave Hopla – Basketball Shooting Expert

Today I had the pleasure of hearing Dave Hopla, Basketball Shooting Expert, speak at the Pure Shot Basketball Camp in Jaffrey, NH. Special thanks to Dave & Nancy Springfield who run the camp and arranged the event. The event was also sponsored by Dennis Wright and if anyone has more background on the sponsor, please be sure to add it as a comment so we can all thank him as well.

One of the points that Dave Hopla made was that players who were serious about improving should be taking notes. I did not have my notebook with me but I wrote down everything I could remember soon after the event. There was a lot of great information and I’m hoping that by posting my notes, it will help reinforce some of the ideas presented by Dave AND anyone who can “fill in the blanks” will add a comment below so that we can all benefit as much as possible from Dave Hopla’s speech and amazing basketball shooting demonstration.

Here are my notes from the event (in no particular order)…

How Dave starts out…
– He warms up with rollers to get his muscles moving and loosened up. (He told me this prior to the speech when he was just warming up.)
– He goes through a “shooting progression” which involves shooting one handed from 3 spots (left, right & center) near the basket and then moving out. He then added his “guide hand” as he shot from further out.

Tips on your Basketball Shooting Technique:

(notice the alliteration or use of similar letters at the start of many words)
– Toe(s) toward Target
– Form an L with your Elbow
– Wrinkle at the Wrist
– Follow Thru – “put your hand in the basket”

“Words Matter” – Don’t call it a “foul shot”. Foul things stink.
“Only one shot matters… the one you are taking.”
[The past is over and the future isn’t here yet. – DW]
Mindset 1st ! Get your head right before anything. “Good is the enemy of Great. Feel GREAT!”
Visualize what you want to happen. [Track your progress.]
Catch the basketball with your EYES and your HANDS.
Get a journal and take notes! Players who write down the good ideas they hear become better.
Play “Beat The Pro”. It starts with a “free shot” and the pro scores with every miss.
Dave mentioned a handout called the “Maravich Practice Drills” that someone gave him when he was young which helped him improve as a player. Here is a link to a YouTube video with 10 “Maravich Drills“. I don’t know if these are the drills that Dave was referring to but I am sure they will help you improve.
Practice your basketball shooting EVERY DAY. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be dedicated.

I spoke with Dave after the event and he said that he has a website but did not mention it because he has not been active with it recently. He also has a book that comes with a DVD (Amazon link).

– Below is a YouTube video featuring an interview about basketball shooting with Dave Hopla.

I welcome your feedback in the comments and please feel free to say what you got out of the event. When it comes to basketball shooting, Dave Hopla is a highly skilled individual and, personally, I found it facinating to see what it looks like when someone makes 98% of the shots that he takes. (He had someone keep track during the event and that was the actual % he made! Amazing!)

Mental Toughness – Control Your Story

Narrative is the story you are telling yourself.

You have a voice in your head that is narrating or explaining what everything in your life means. Picture Morgan Freeman’s voice doing a play-by-play as your coach tells you that you won’t be starting the next game. Maybe the voice says “The coach hates me.” or “The coach has his favorite players and there is nothing I can do to change his mind.” With this thinking (and the story it implies), are you likely to do the things which will get you into the starting lineup any time soon? Probably not.

On the other hand, what if Morgan Freeman said, “The team we are playing is very tall and obviously coach thinks we need our taller players in there.” or “I wonder what I need to do to get into the starting lineup?” or “Coach has always treated me fairly so he must have a good reason for not starting me. I will need to ask him to explain it to me so I can find a way to contribute to the team’s success.”

Where do these stories in my head come from?

The story we tell ourselves is built on the beliefs we have accumulated over the years and it can be hard to change our thinking… or it can be as easy as considering a different (more effective) story to explain the situation. This is the difference of being controlled by your past or developing the mental toughness skill of actively CHOOSING how you interpret events in your life.

How do I change the Narrative or Story I tell myself?

Get some alternatives. Ask someone else how they would explain the situation, preferably someone who does not have an interest in the outcome. Often your family’s beliefs are the same or at least very similar to our own beliefs. This means that they may not offer stories or narratives that are substantially different from our own and their stories may not give you a better course of action.

Find an “objective 3rd party”, i.e. someone who is not part of the “problem”, and see what types of explanations they can find for you.

What if the new story is not true?

Living in denial of the truth will certainly bring poor results but the reality is that there are a multitude of ways that events in your life can be interpreted. Clearly you need to recognize the facts of the case, like in our example the fact that the coach said you are not starting in the next game.

The key is how you react to the facts… and the sooner you realize that while you might initially think a particular circumstance is “good” or “bad” it is often how we react that makes it good or bad for us. Choose to be mentally tough and create your own story.

You can change your story…

… and this can open up all kinds of opportunities that you would have missed.

“Problems are not solved at the same level of thinking that created them.” – Albert Einstein

Comments on Changing Your Narrative and Creating Your own Story are welcome and encouraged…

Halftime Speech for the Win

Are you setting your team up for a win in the second half with your halftime speech? Or are you letting them off the hook since you are leading the other team by assuming your team will continue playing the same way in the second half? The halftime speech is a critical skill for coaches and one that is primarily about setting up a strong mental state in each of your players.

Let me demonstrate with an example…

One of my favorite college teams is very talented, well coached and they have great potential. They also have a weakness that could keep them from advancing as far as they could into the post season playoffs.

Their problem is that they almost always win the first half of games, often by 10-20 points, only to let the other team back into the game in the 3rd quarter.

How could this be addressed?

First, we must recognize that the problem is 100% mental, especially if the team is up by more than 10 points at halftime. Clearly they have the ability to beat the other team.

The underlying thinking must be something like, “We won the first half so we can relax and not try quite as hard because we have a [10-20] point buffer.”

The change in thinking has to be that NO BUFFER is safe. Every possession and defensive stand is win or lose. It is NEVER OK to LET the other team score or to LET them keep us from scoring.

“But that’s not realistic”

You are correct. A shutout is a near impossibility in basketball but would you rather WIN or “be realistic”? One of my favorite quotes is “How you do ANYTHING is how you do EVERYTHING.” Translated to a basketball game… “How you think about each possession is how you think about winning or losing.”

Are you willing to “BURY” the opposition?

Or do you want to give them a chance to win? You have proven that you can beat them in the first half and right now the other team’s coach is telling his or her team, “You have to play better, try harder, do something, or you are going to lose.”

They will come out motivated to play better basketball. Most likely they will try something different in an effort to gain an advantage. If you take their best and build the lead, by the 4th quarter they will give up. The end of the game will be played by their scrubs.

Or you can let them back into the game so you have a chance to lose the game at the end.

Don’t take them lightly. Things can happen. We have seen our key players get into foul trouble. Maybe they have someone who could get hot and score a bunch of points. There are still many ways for them to win. Let’s make sure we don’t give them the opportunity.

STEP UP and take this game away from them. It is our time. Our game. Our win starts NOW.

Will any coach who reads this post have the humility and confidence to use the ideas here? I suspect that there aren’t too many… but if I can help my favorite college team go another round or two in the NCAA playoffs, then I will be very happy.

We want your Halftime Speech story too…

What’s your “go to” halftime speech? Do you have a story about a challenge your team faced and how you turned it around at halftime? What do you think about this approach? Please leave a comment below with your thoughts, ideas or suggestions.

3 Levels of Winning Basketball

3 Levels of Winning - NH Basketball 2016-17 — Click the image above to see full size listing. Source: MaxPrep.com

It started with a simple observation… I was looking at the season records for all high school basketball teams in New Hampshire (where I live and coach) and noticed that there seemed to be three distinct “Levels of Winning” based on each team’s record.

The image to the right shows the 3 Levels in the NH example. (Sourced at MaxPrep.com.) The order of the listing is based on MaxPrep.com’s rating system.

Below are the characteristics of each level of winning highlighted in the image to the right.

TYPE 1 = THE ELITE

These teams win twice as many as they lose (or better). They are considered “Hard to Beat” by their opponents. Their basketball programs are designed to consistently perform at a high level at all times. Winning is part of their tradition. They hate to lose and they expect to win every game. They are constantly looking for new ideas and what is working for other teams that might be able to be incorporated into their systems.

These teams don’t settle for just making the post season playoffs. They are disappointed if they don’t make it the championship game and, even then, it will haunt their offseason if they get there and didn’t win.

These teams are often very well organized and their strategies are set up to make the most of their competitive advantages, skills and talents.

Type 2 = “Mediocre is OK”

These basketball programs usually accept one or two games above 500 as “good enough”. They often think that they are “doing well”, i.e. they are “average” or maybe “slightly above average”. They may work very hard but they don’t have a tradition of excellence so it can be hard to make the leap to the next level. In NH, many of these teams make the state playoffs which adds to their perception that they still “have a shot”.

Type 3 = “Participation Awards”

These teams lose twice as often as they win. They are just happy to put on the uniform and ANY win is a cause for celebration. They rarely make the playoffs or if they do, they are typically beaten handily in the 1st round by a Type 1 team. If they are left alone, they create a tradition of being relatively easy to beat. This expectation on the part of opponents allows for an occasional surprise win due to an underestimation of their potential.

What does “Level of Winning” mean?

Physically, all 3 types of teams are often very similar. Some might have a slight height advantage while others might be faster, quicker, smarter or better in any number of parameters that would allow them to be competitive. The teams that win figure out how to take what they have and find a way to win.

Winning starts with a mindset. This is typically built into the basketball program by the head coach but there may be components that have become traditions after many years of winning across multiple coaches.

What type of team do you want to have next season?

This time of year (off season) includes many coaching changes. Some schools want to improve their team and a new coach is probably a good place to start. (Of course I’m not just saying that since I am in the market for a varsity coaching position.) It is common sense that the head coach sets the standards for the varsity and all the teams leading up to varsity. There is also much more that goes into a winning basketball program at the high school level… and I look forward to your comments.

Comments Welcomed and encouraged

I expect that there will be many comments like “Are you calling [insert my team’s name here] a bunch of losers?” No, their record of wins and losses just put them into one of three relatively arbitrary “Levels of Winning” categories so we could think about what goes into consistently winning basketball games at the high school level. The commentary that I added are strictly based my own observations. It is very possible that a program will have a “down year”, perhaps due to injuries, transfers or any number of other variables. On the other hand, occasionally a team will have an “up year” where they overachieve beyond what their history would predict.

Isn’t it much more complicated than 3 Levels of winning?

Of course it is. There are hundreds or even thousands of key attributes that go into the development of a winning basketball program (some of which are discussed in other articles on this blog). The 3 Levels of Winning is simply a framework to help us figure out where to look for some of those attributes or components that will take our programs “up a notch or two”. I look forward to the insightful comments from my fellow coaches, parents, players and athletic directors.

Survey of Athletic Directors 2017

Have you ever wondered what specific characteristics and experiences that Athletic Directors look for when they are hiring their next basketball coach?

We all can guess at some potential hiring parameters … a winning record, positive testimonials from past players, fellow coaches, parents and other athletic directors … but are those the most important factors?

Coach Wheeler is in the process of doing a survey of Athletic Directors on the topic of their “Hiring Process” so that he can provide the information to other coaches as they develop their resume and apply for coaching jobs.

Survey Questions for Athletic Directors* include…

When do you know that you need to make a coaching change? What are the indicators? Aside from illegal or immoral activities which would be an immediate dismissal, what would you see as “the final straw” that would tell you that you need a new coach for your team?
What is the most important quality you look for in your next varsity basketball coach?
Where do you find the best candidates for your coaching openings? Online? Network of contacts? Other coaches? Other AD’s? Replies to Job Postings? Teachers at your school?

* If you are an Athletic Director and would like to participate in this survey, you can simply cut/paste the questions into a single comment below and add your responses. If you want to contact Coach Wheeler or if you need any clarification, please

Basketball Coaching Cover Letter 2017

I used the following cover letter for a basketball coaching position I applied for recently and will likely use it for future applications this year. This is my “current” cover letter and is subject to change since I tend to edit my cover letter depending on the position and they are often very different year-to-year.

The basketball coaching cover letter below is also not formatted / laid out like the official version due to the way this website works. If you know someone who has an opening, please let me know through this website or the contact form on my camp website, www.InviteOnlyBasketball.com.

I would really appreciate your feedback and ideas for improvement in the comments below. What is your first impressions? If you were an athletic director (AD) do you think that this letter would intrigue you enough to call for an interview?

If you need more background, this basketball coaching cover letter is often paired with my current basketball coaching resume which is on this webpage. Check it out!

Thanks,

Coach Dave Wheeler

Coverletter Text Below ***

Re: Boys Basketball Varsity Coaching position

What is the most important part of high school athletics?

Winning?

Or developing the character of the athletes that go through your program?

I think you will agree that character AND winning can, and should, go together. Especially if the athletes are taught how to overcome challenges, persevere when times are tough and develop the skills they need to be successful.

My approach to basketball is a little different from other coaches. I believe that winning basketball is a skill that anyone can learn if they are willing to put in the effort. I believe in using every square inch of a basketball court and never giving up until the game is won. I believe that a player’s attitude and mindset are the keys to success both on and off the court.

As a coach, I am also a teacher… of new ideas and techniques within the game of basketball. I teach players to take chances based on the support of their team. I teach players where to focus their attention so they are able to anticipate their opponent’s next move. I teach players how to make the game easier for us and harder for the opposition.

I would like the opportunity to talk with you about what I could do for your school’s basketball program as your next head coach. Please give me a call at 860-309-XXXX (cell) or 203-885-XXXX (office) so we can set up a time to talk.

Sincerely,

Dave Wheeler
Head Boys Basketball Coach
The Marlborough School
Overall Record: 36-2
2x regular season league champions
League Playoff Runner-up (2017) & Champion (2016)

2016 Basketball Camp Completed

The first Score More Basketball Camp by InviteOnlyBasketball.com was held last Saturday at Keene State College and for all those who attended, it went over very well. Campers came from as far away as Rhode Island and each camper got a great looking, reversible practice jersey to take home.

Highlights…

Parisi Speed School presented the first session and showed drills to improve agility and explosive movement. Ben from Parisi also tested each camper for their vertical leap while providing pointers along the way. Each camper got a “Speed Pass” for a free session of Parisi Speed School at the Summit facility in Marlborough, NH and there loads of other prizes from Parisi during their highly energetic and engaging session.

Keene State Associate Head Coach Tyler Hundley helped out with the second session focused on shooting. Coach Hundley scored over 1000 points in his high school career and gave the campers insights into what it takes to become a scorer. He also gave each camper specific feedback as they put up 100 shots on Keene State’s Shooting Machine (aka The GUN).

Keene State Men’s Head Basketball Coach Ryan Cain, who himself scored over 1800 points in his college career, stopped by and spoke to the campers as well.

The shooting / scoring session included loads of shooting drills at various distances and against different challenges (defense, competition). In total, each camper must have put up over 500 shots!

Scoring Moves were also discussed including the 29 Signature Moves of some of the best NBA players. Here is the link to Coach Wheeler’s blog where he presents the list of moves along with a video showing clips of the moves. 29 Signature Basketball Moves

The final session, after a number of shooting contests, 3-on-3 and 1-on-1 contests, focused on the mental aspects of competition. Coach Dave Wheeler ran the campers through a “scorer’s meditation” which focused on the skill of mindfulness. Obviously one meditation won’t give you complete control of your mind, but it was a good introduction to a skill that will allow you to disregard distractions while being present for key experiences so you can perform at your best. The concept of visualization was also presented, combined with the relaxation process of meditation, as a way to improve your shooting while also resting your body.

The camp ended with awards based on the contest results and, as an added bonus, all campers got to meet Croix Sather, a friend of Coach Wheeler’s who had stopped by to help with the videotaping of the event. Croix is a keynote speaker and author who ran across the United States, from San Diego to New York City, doing 100 marathons in 100 days. He also spoke 100 times, mostly to at-risk groups, as he ran across the country. Each camper also got a copy of Croix’s book, “Dream Big, Act Big”.

Overall it was a great day with lots of great information, challenging drills and so much more. Keene State College is an excellent location for the camp and everyone involved was incredibly supportive. We are looking forward to doing it again next year !

What could have been better?

Attendance was lower than we would have liked but everyone involved got some great value out of the camp. The lower numbers also allowed us to give more attention to each camper and give everyone a chance to use KSC’s GUN. (Rated as one of the highlights by the campers.)

Marketing will need to be expanded and when we schedule the Fall Camp in 2017, we should be able to market via events throughout the Spring/Summer/Fall leading up to the November event. With the video of Coach Wheeler’s “Mindset” session, we may even be able to get speaking opportunities at other camps or events in 2017.

Expanded middle & high school connections and a longer, multi-point marketing program with the schools around Keene would also have helped. Coach Wheeler had a few connections but more will be developed through the 2016-17 basketball season.

Scheduling would also have been better if we were at least one weekend later. After picking Nov.5th (based on availability of the facility at Keene State), Coach Wheeler learned that there was one more AAU tournament on that weekend. Since AAU players are a prime audience for InviteOnlyBasketball.com, it would have been better to have the camp later, perhaps the second or even third weekend of the month.

Looking forward to next year’s
pre-season basketball Camp…

There will definitely be another camp next year. If you or someone you know would like to be part of it, be sure to apply for an invitation over at www.InviteOnlyBasketball.com. This way you will get “into our system” and we will be sure to let you know as more information about the next camp becomes available. Hope to see you at a basketball camp soon !

Dealing with Zebra’s (aka referees)

As a player or coach, how do you work with the referees who are officiating your game? Or are you in a constant battle with them to try to get them to make the “right” call?

Today I interviewed an experienced basketball referee to find out the best ways to “deal with the zebras” wearing the referee jerseys during your games. A lot of it comes down to common sense and simply respecting that officials have a difficult job to do. The best ones know that they are not perfect (and I even got my interviewee to say that he might have missed a call at some point in his career as a basketball referee).

Here is a link to the audio recording of the interview…
“What Coaches need to know about the Zebras”

[I am working on a transcript of the interview for those who would prefer to read instead of listen. Check back here tomorrow.]

In the meantime, please leave your comments, reactions and questions in the comment section below. What has worked for you? Do you have a story involving referees that at the time wasn’t very funny but with time you were able to see the humor? We would love to hear about it… so leave a comment below!