Pete Newell - Component Parts Of An Offense

As some of you know, I recently moved to Dallas. Most of you can agree that after a move things get shuffled around an you end up finding treasures you forgot you have. I just so happened to come across one of these treasures in the form of the 1975 Medalist Flashback Notebook that was given to me by my dad, who in 1975 was coaching himself. (A total random thought, but some of you are "seasoned" enough to remember that Medalist was the company that created Sand Knit uniforms that would rub your skin raw and should have been more accurately called sandpaper knit)

The two contributors in the Medalist book really stood out to me: Pete Newell and John Wooden. Their thoughts and ideas are timeless; still very much relevant to today's game. In future posts, I will incorporate Coach Wooden's thoughts, but this week is all about Coach Newell. I know that this will make a couple of coaching colleagues very happy: Herb Welling and the new head boys basketball coach at East Lansing High School, Steve Finamore! (Coach Fin, I hope that you will be able to use some or all of this on the Newell blog you started: http://fatheroffootwork.wordpress.com/) So without further ramblings, I hope you enjoy and find something useful!

PETE NEWELL

Before you can actually run an offense, obviously you have to prepare for it. Although you are fully aware of these things, I would like to review them with you.

1. Conditioning - Founded upon sound training habits - prime requisite for team efficiency. Your physical reserve is the determinant in many close games. You should never be beaten because your team was not in better condition than your opponent. Often, superior conditioning can offset slightly better ability. Conditioning drills should be differentiated from fundamental individual and team drills. Each is distinct in its purpose. Fundamental drills are for the purposes of conditioning the individual's reflex, increasing his skills, and achieving a unity of team play. The objective of the conditioning program is to increase stamina and endurance through prolonged physical exercise that taxes the reserve of each player. It has been my experience that the least popular conditioning drills are the most effective.

2. Drills
a. Fundamental - Must know not only how, but why you are doing a drill. This must be carefully explained.
b. Repetitive - Habits are the results of repetitive acts. They will be somewhat boring to players, but they are essential to improvement.
c. Progressive - Break down offense to simple part method teaching.

3. Balance
a. Shooting Balance - Every player wants to score - that's the name of the game. Some possess more natural skill than other, but this should include the opportunity for every player to get free for a shot. Players won't develop their skills to the fullest extent without encouragement and opportunity. Besides individual shooting balance, it is necessary to be sure that the offense is not limited to certain areas of the court - opponents would overplay you.
b. Team Balance - All 5 men must be included in the offensive system. Every player must feel he is an integral part of the offense. Even the exceptional player needs the ball to score or needs court room to operate.
c. Floor Balance - Most systems initiate offensive movement from some form of floor balance. It is important that a pattern of play maintain some semblance of floor balance throughout. If a player knows where the other 4 men are to be and what their next move might be, then he is more prepared to anticipate the play option without chance of running into a teammate or his defensive man.
d. Rebound Balance - Can be done only through rebound responsibilities - hard to have responsibilities if the players have no idea when a shot is going to occur - or where they might be when a shot is taken. Rebounding depends upon individual initiative, but it also depends upon numbers. If a system of offense always ends up with a triangle of rebounding, percentages will take care of the rest.Sometimes individual initiative can be a detriment if the men become overloaded in one area. They often get in each other's way causing a fast break by opponents. Must learn how to judge both long and short rebounds. A team which has good rebounding balance will always be considered a strong board team regardless of its individual jumping ability.
e. Defensive Balance - Synonymous with rebounding balance - possible to have strong individual rebounding without having good defensive balance. - a team should revert to defense as soon as a shot is attempted. This does not mean we concede the ball to opponents - but we must be prepared to make the adjustment. Defensive balance will add advantages to a team's chance for success - may give rebounders more liberty to rebound aggressively and to play the ball even after opponents gain control of rebound. When lack of balance is difference between winning and losing a game - best to check system and see if responsibilities are clearly defined.

4. Elements of Offense
a. Simplicity - Execution vs. surprise - some coaches in their eagerness to win do not have the patience to work toward the refinement of their inherited theories and will switch to a system of play which has brought success to others. This way brings initial success, but there is no guarantee for lasting success.
b. Flexibility - Must have ability to adjust during that game. Here is where sound fundamentals will help. A set offense is considered flexible when it can meet demands of the defense without losing its effectiveness. That means a flexible offense can be "fluid" against a man-to-man defense as well as a switching defense without altering its basic pattern. It can operate against most zones. It must be able to work against pressure. The fewer things a player must learn to do, the better he will do them.
c. Continuity - Important in case a certain play situation does not present a reasonable shot attempt. In actuality, continuity is nothing more than a series of plays including two-man play (guard-forward), a three-man play (guard-forward and post), and another three-man play (post and two forwards). Movement must be done with a purpose and successive play situations should develop with each motion of the player and the ball. Continuity should incorporate rebounding balance, floor balance, and defensive organization in its execution. A continuous pattern will often eliminate chance for defense to anticipate more than the initial move.
d. Tempo - The team that controls the tempo of the game will most likely emerge as the victor. There are contrasting tempos. Some teams run all the time - they have practiced that way and their habits have been created under such conditions. Others are content to move cautiously - hoping to eliminate most mistakes. Others strive for a balance somewhere between those. It is necessary not to attempt to control the speed of the game, but also to be prepared to play at more than one speed. Many teams cannot adapt when forced out of their tempo and become ineffective and disorganized.
e. Correlation to Defense - Offensive system must be correlated to the type of defense used - one compliments the other. Generally, a zone and fast break go hand in hand - men are in same positions all the time and prepared to run the same pattern after a rebound. Each man's responsibilities are limited and defined. The switching defense compliments a fast breaking offense for the same reasons. A team which may want to depend more upon its set offense to score and which wants to be set up before it begins it's operation may spend more time and manpower securing defensive rebounds. A strong man-to-man with switching options may match defensive men against offensive men for this purpose. They may hold-in all 5 defensive men - thus eliminating a fast break.

Man to Man Defensive Goals

This last week, I was involved in a great discussion with Coach John Harmatuk at Cypress Springs High School in the Houston area. He posed the question of whether to deny on the perimeter or allow ball reversal. My philosophy is that if the ball has chosen a side, it should stay on that side as reversals and middle penetration break down the defense.

Others joined the conversation with their philosophies; some were similar and others vastly different. I definitely understand that there is more than one way to skin a cat. The consensus was that whatever you chose, it is less about WHAT you chose as it is that the players BUY IN to what you have chosen.


It got me thinking about what I want to accomplish on defense. I gathered up my notes from past seasons, notes from clinics I've attended, and contacted many of my coaching colleagues. I've compiled a checklist of common threads. These are things that can be adapted to whatever style you employ. Below that, is a little teaching tool I picked up from my time with Kevin Eastman that we used at practice every day.

DEFENSIVE GOALS

1. Take opponent out of their comfort zone.


2. Allow only one shot per possession. Must have maximum concentration and emphasis on block out.


3. Make that one shot as difficult as possible. Contest all shots. Force opponents out of comfortable shooting areas; make them take shots they don't like to take. No easy shots: high percentage first shots, fast breaks, and second shots.


4. Keep the defense out of areas they would like to occupy. Force them to play option basketball. Occupy their spots before they can get there.


5. Always play 5-on-3 or better. Help defensive positions are extremely important. Discourage penetration before they can think about penetrating. Always think "early help".


6. If they score, it is off the dribble on a contested shot. No open look jumpers. No easy baskets.



Force to the Tape1

Image: Perception Is Reality

IMAGE - A mental picture or impression of something. A mental conception held in common by members of a group and symbolic of a basic attitude and orientation. A popular conception of a person.

PERCEPTION – A result of being regarded as such and becoming aware of through the senses; especially visual observation. A mental image.

REALITY – The quality or state of being: fixed, permanent, or immovable things; not artificial, fraudulent, or illusory; being precisely what the name implies; occurring or existing in actuality; having objective independent existence.

Have you ever run across a staff or faculty member on your campus that has misjudged the character of one of your players based on the way he dressed? Or because he wore earrings? Or too much jewelry? Or his pants hanging off his butt? Or your player was cursing in public or class? Or he has an unusual hair style? Has any of this happened to you on a road trip?

I think we have all encountered something like this at one time or another. Those of you coaching at high schools with a dress code, some of these issues have been solved (or at least I would think so). There is, especially at the collegiate level, a large disconnect between athletics and the rest of the campus. The images our players portray are a large reason for this.

I recently tweeted about the “fishbowl” our players live in. Because they have the privilege of playing basketball, they are going to be under even more scrutiny from the public. Our players are leading VERY public lives even at the high school levels.

With the passing of Coach Wooden this summer, we’ve heard volumes about how he not only taught the game of basketball, but he also taught valuable lessons about the game of life. To this end, one of the greatest things we can teach our players is this: Perception is reality.

Our players are constantly being observed by those around them. What others become aware of through those observations becomes their reality. You could have the greatest young man in the world playing for you, but if he is wearing earrings with his pants hanging off his butt and cursing in the cafeteria his classmates and teachers are going to perceive him as a thug. That is now the general public’s real view of this young man.

Is this right? Is it fair to judge a book by its cover? Absolutely not, but that is the world in which we live in. It is extremely important to impress upon our players this message. Once they leave school and begin creating a life for themselves, they are going to have a firm understanding of this concept. If they want to win over a prospective employer, they are not going to be able to waltz into a job interview with their pants hanging off their butt. It just doesn’t work that way and they will end up either jobless or working jobs they don't desire.

This can become part your team’s culture. Like Doc River’s says, “You must fight for your culture EVERY day.” If you stand for positive image portrayal, and in my opinion you should be, you need to teach, model and enforce it every day.

The following is a great excerpt speaking to the fact that perception is reality and the life in a fishbowl from the 2000-2001 Oklahoma Sooner’s basketball handbook:

The Sooner Image

Although we are not trying to stereotype our players, we believe there are certain fundamental concepts to which each individual must subscribe.

As a basketball player you will be in the public eye more than athletes in other sports. You will be emulated by youth and your actions both on and off the court will be evaluated either positively or negatively by the general public. Recognizing and accepting this fact, we must make certain rules and regulations that reflect more the “generation gap” than acceptance from your peer group! As a representative of our team, you will be expected to exemplify conduct both on and off the court that does not lend itself to outside criticism during the season and to a lesser extent in the off-season.
Remember you are a student first and an athlete second. A minimum performance in the classroom will reflect on you personally and on your teammates generally. It takes only one so-called star doing poor class work to label a whole team as academically inferior.

We expect our players to have pride in themselves, their teammates, and their school. We will strive at all times to be good citizens and gentlemen.

We would hope to develop a squad morale and esprit de corps with self-respect and respect for one another that enables us to work together for our common goals and objectives.

THE SOONER IMAGE WILL BE POSITIVE!!

Coaching Job Description - by Dick Strockbine

Last week, the athletic department staff meeting at the University of Dallas focused on a "Back-to-school" type of theme. Our athletic director, Dick Strockbine, presented a letter that he had penned 16 years ago when he first took over the AD position at UD. It was his introduction to the coaching staff for the first time. In the following excerpt, he outlined what he wanted in his coaches and much of it is still relevant today. I hope that Coach Strockbine's letter inspires you, gives you pause as to what your job is, and makes you think about what you are doing now for the upcoming season.


"We must support each other. Look around. There's not many of us. We have to help each other or we will not succeed. Over recent years, we've been moderately successful and the reason is because we have all gotten along and helped each other. That has to continue.

I have a few rules/expectations:
1) No punishment drills.
2) Always put your best foot forward - Be prepared - "When you go to town, always wear your spurs. You never know when you might meet a horse."
3) No verbal abuse of players or officials.
4) Keep me up to speed on what you are doing.
5) Don't make rules you can't or are unwilling to enforce.
6) A record of 20-5 doesn't always mean success. 5-20 could be.
7) I expect us to hold our own against peer schools.
8) I will not interfere with the running of your team, but i will not sit back and let something happen that I believe is wrong.

To the outsider, college athletics is a halo profession. You have a job that many envy you for. A lot of people do give up high paying professional positions to do this. It's long hours, hard work, and low pay. Many times you will be working with athletes whose level of commitment might not be high and ultimately your successor failure in the eyes of many hinges on how much rest a 19 year old got the night before a big game. But, you have chosen it. Try to keep in mind the type of program this is and the type of student-athlete we are dealing with. These young people are bright and don't need babysitters or someone to tell that to stay out of the rain. Respect their intelligence, give them reasons and choices when possible, and don't take things personally. Remember that sports and games are not the only things in their lives. Show them respect and have fun.

In closing, I want to reiterate the need for us to support each other. We don't have room for outliers or for people who don't know if they want to be here or ,in fact, don't want to be here. We don't have room for people ho have to kick themselves in the ass in the morning to get out of bed to come to work. If there's anyone here who is not sure that this is what they should be doing right now at this time of their life, or anyone who is only here because they need a job, or need the insurance, I would urge you to give yourself and us a break and leave. Life is too short to be doing something you're not committed to. In the military they tell you that if you're spending 80% of your time on 20% of your people, you need to get rid of the 20%."

Dealing With A Difficult Player

I know that all coaches can agree that they have, at one time or another, had a difficult player on their roster. Doc Rivers talks about wanting "character over characters. More R's than S's." The "S's" can range from the physically violent or threatening to the psychological. We all have experienced a player that we consider to be a "cancer" to our team. The following tips can aid your dealings with those players.

The Aggressor = This is the player that is intimidating, hostile and enjoys threatening others.

What to do: LISTEN! Listen to everything this player has to say. Avoid escalation and arguments. Be formal with the player, call them by name. Be concise and clear with your reactions.

The Underminer = This is the player who takes pride in criticizing others, is sarcastic, and devious.

What to do: Focus on the issues at hand. Do not acknowledge the sarcasm. Don't overreact. Most of the time the underminer is begging for the attention. Be direct and let them know his actions will not be tolerated.

The Unresponsive = This is the player that is difficult to talk to, defiant, and never reveals thoughts or ideas.

What to do: Ask them open ended questions; rich questions where "yes" or "no" are not the answers. Be silent with them and wait for an answer. Be patient and friendly. Many times, for the unresponsive, the silence can be like fingernails on a chalkboard and they will ultimately say something even if it isn't the answer to the question. Let them know that this is a start!

The Egotist = This is the player that knows it all, feels superior, and acts superior.

What to do: Make sure you know the facts. Agree when possible and try to find common ground. Disagree only when you know you are right. Back yourself up with stats and video.

In all of these cases, we've got to put into perspective how the behavior is detrimental to the TEAM. Ask them, "What is good for the team?" You've got to sell the loyalty to their team and teammates.

Ask yourself, "What is good for the team?" Of course we've got to know when to cut dead weight. Sometimes we can do everything in our power to get our message across but that message still won't be received. If you have tried and tried and tried, the TEAM's well-being outweighs the individual.

Zone Offense for Multiple Zone Defenses

This zone offense works against any zone look, both odd front and even front. We will look at this offense against a 2-3 and a 1-3-1. It not only can create looks for shooters, but also provides penetration opportunities and post looks.

Versus a 2-3 Zone:

Versus a 1-3-1 Zone:

Lessons From Legends of Hydroplane Racing

Those of you that know me well, know that I am a HUGE fan of Unlimited Hydroplane racing. Growing up in the Seattle area, the first Sunday in August on Lake Washington was THE place to be; filled with the thunderous roars of these 30' boats powered by WWII fighter plane engines (now they are powered by helicopter turbines and sound like glorified hairdryers). At an airshow in Bremerton, WA when I was 4 or 5 years old, I was truly introduced to the hydros by a man displaying his boat and signing autographs that is now the winningest all-time driver in history.

The man was Bill Muncey; vivacious, good natured, and a master self-promoter. In his career spanning more than 30 years at the wheel, Muncey won a total of 62 races, 8 Gold Cups (the hydro racing equivalent of the Superbowl), 7 National Championships, and 4 World Championships. He has been inducted into the National Marine Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, and the Hydroplane and Race Boat Museum Hall of Champions just to name a few. Unfortunately, it was only 2 years after I met Muncey that his boat blew over and was killed in a race in Acapulco.

Naturally, his replacement filled his void, both in my mind as a fan (anyone who took over for "my guy" was worthy of my fandom) and on the race course. Chip Hanauer took over in the cockpit of the Muncey racing team. Hanauer went on to become the most successful driver since Muncey winning 61 races, 11 Gold Cups, and 7 National Championships. Hanauer, too, has been inducted into the very same halls of fame as Muncey. Chip is not only a great racer, but a really great down-to-earth guy who doesn't carry himself in the conceited manner of current professional athletes and racers.

BILL MUNCEY ON:

WINNING

"Others (drivers) are colorful. I'm not so interesting to watch but when that checkered flag goes down, I try to see that I'm there."

"People tell me it's a mistake to expect to win every race. I tell them if you accept responsibility to put on a good performance, dedicate yourself and prepare mentally, why, there's no reason you can't win every time out. I don't come here to lose."

"There's nothing pleasant about racing an unlimited (hydroplane). The pleasure comes after you win."

PREPARATION

"I don't believe in luck. If you're adequately prepared, you don't need luck."

"In the days before the race, I wander around the pits. I make it a point to find out how each driver is feeling, whether he's happy or confident or worried or scared or mad—and I file these ideas away for the race. See, I don't like to do anything casually."

EXECUTION

"I define, as accurately as possible, everything I'm expected to do - an can do - and then go out and do it."

"If you're going to do something, I think you've got to do your very best. Otherwise everybody's let down, including yourself. I'm a poor loser. When I lose I'm terribly unhappy, because I feel somehow I've failed. I haven't done what everyone had a right to expect of me."

DOING WHAT YOU LOVE

"I know there are people in other sports with my degree of success who are making 10 times the dough, but I have to question whether they're 10 times as happy."

TEAMWORK

"When you're in that boat, you're just part of a chain of elements which decide in the end whether you win, lose, flip, blow up or just go dead in the water. I'm no more important to it than a carburetor or a quill shaft."

CHIP HANAUER ON:

WINNING

"There's a feeling of satisfaction in winning doing what you love and making a living at the same time. I've gotten more than I ever have hoped for."

"There is only one success and that is to live your life in your own way and spend your days in a way that is of your own choosing."

"Having expectations about the end result is one of the surest ways of impeding your performance and sucking the joy out of the experience. Expect nothing, but give everything you have. You will most likely be pleased with what results."

PREPARATION

"I approached every race, as the most important race I will ever be in. It's a simply truth. The races which came before, had already been won or lost. The races to come in the future, may never be. I needed to win only one race in my entire life. The one I was currently involved."

"Change is inevitable. You will simply wither as a person and as an athlete, if you don't embrace change and try to anticipate what that change might, "look" like before it arrives. The first person to identify and adapt to the inevitable change, has a huge advantage!"

EXECUTION

"My philosophy on racing hydroplanes was that it was my life's work. As my life's work, how I conducted myself in it's pursuit helps define who I am as a person. What we choose as our life's work is not nearly as important as how we conduct ourselves in it's execution."

TEAMWORK

"Winning championships is the result of being associated with talented, dedicated people, working hard, hour by hour, motivating teammates to be their best and allowing yourself to be motivated by them. Then there's three additional aspects, communication, communication and more communication. Hard to beat any team. in any sport, that has refined the art of communication!"



** A very special thank you to Chip Hanauer for contributing to this blog post! Chip, you're the best and I hope that our paths will cross again in the near future. **

Alabama Football: Motivational Meeting

I just saw this on ESPN's website. Great stuff for all coaches regardless of sport. These are things that all of our athletes need to hear. In order to win, you've got to commit to something larger than yourself. Enjoy!

Alabama Football All-Access: Motivational Meeting

Lawrence Frank - Defensive Concepts

"Your every day habits will determine your execution."

To play on a good defensive team you must:
a. be a good individual defender.
b. be a good team defender.
c. be both a & b.
** If neither, you won't play! **

Defensive non-negotiables:
1. Sprinting back on defense.
2. Protecting our paint.
3. Closing out hard and contesting the shot.
4. Playing aggressively without unnecessary fouls.
5. All five players blocking out and rebounding.
** No Layups
** No Freethrows
** No corner 3's

If the ball gets into the paint, what are the consequences for the offense?
1. Charge
2. Steal
3. Deflection
4. Blocked shot
5. Hard "NBA" foul
** Never mention anything about scoring!

Transition Defense:
1 back = Dunk
2 back = Layup
3 back = Jumper
4 back = Got a chance
5 back = GAME ON!
- Win the first 3 steps!
- Stop the ball above the 3-point line
- Get the ball out of the middle 1/3
- Think "help"
- Open shots beat you in transition, but mismatches rarely will.

Selecting A Staff - Doc Rivers

Some thoughts on creating your coaching staff from Doc Rivers, Head Coach of the Boston Celtics:

- Build your staff based on the idea of what your team should be. Ask yourself what do you want your team to stand for? Hire accordingly. Things Doc looks for is loyalty, talent, and team players

- Engaging Assistants. Don't hire "yes men". Look for people that will provide insight into what will make you better. Debate, explore, decide, and implement.

*** Pat Riley "Beginners are open. Experts are closed. The challenge is to stay open."

- Take a page from the football coaching mentality. Find staff members that have strengths that compliment each other. Much like football coaches being position specific and/or offensively or defensively specific, find coaches that fill voids. Doc says, "Give them room to be great!"

- If you tell your team to play their roles, shouldn't you do the same with you and your staff?

- The X's and O's don't matter. What matters is if you and your staff can get the players to buy in. Assistant coaches must buy in to the system and goal(s) as much as, if not more than, the players.