Let me start by saying I can be & struggle with being negative. For me, not only was the glass half empty, the glass had a crack in it. I use to say "I'm not negative, I'm a realist." Sadly, I coached & lived that way.
Here is where I say thanks to my wife Paige, my friend Alan & influences like Coach Tom Crean, Jimmy Dykes & Jon Gordon for changing my life view. Now that's not to say I still don't get down; it's just not as often.
Negativity kills a program's culture. It's a cancer. It can come in so many different forms its hard to defend against. Whether it comes from a Coach verbally or their body language the leaders of the program have to set the tone. The same can be said for the leaders of the home. Parents' negativity can creep from their lips into your locker room. We all know we can't control every players parents or even everyone's feelings but we can set the tone. Be the thermostat, not the thermometer. So when is it okay to be negative? Here's my 3 points on Negativity.
In Practice
There is a small amount of room for negativity in practice. I'd rather see a coach be negative in practice than during a game. LET ME CLARIFY. I'm not a sunshine & rainbows guy. I believe you teach basketball. I believe you coach kids. When a mistake happens, correct it don't compound it. I use the same terminology with my 4th grade son, my 7th grade son & my 12 grade players. The delivery is all that changes. It's like the pitching mound in baseball. The pitcher is stilling throwing to home plate, just the distance changes. It's hard to be an effective teacher if you're constantly negative. Think about when you learned to drive. I'd guess whoever taught you didn't sit & tell you how awful you were doing the whole time you were learning.
So when is the time to be negative in practice? Anytime you witness bad body language or lack of focus. Attack it head on but once it's dead move on. Some would say after a loss. Did your kids lose on purpose? If so time to get a Uhaul. Fix the problem, dont dwell on it.
Attack the Problem, not the Person
Pretty self explanatory. Fix what needs to be fixed. If it is an oncoming, repetitive problem fix the player. Remove them. Everyone deserves a second chance but not for the same mistake.
After Games
Address the mistakes made. Especially after a win. "Good win, we still need to get better at..." That creates a humble, hungry atmosphere. I am one of the ones that hate to lose more than I love to win. We're suppose to win. I use to have a sense of "just glad we didn't lose" after games. Where's the joy in that?! Being happy is a choice. Negativity is a choice.
After a loss, the negativity is already in place. Talk about why you lost. Talk about how to fix it. The main thing is do not let one loss snowball into more. I'm not suggesting you talk moral victories. That's ridiculous. You can play well & lose. There is no victory in that. Control the amount & time of negativity in your locker room. Losing is suppose to hurt. Every year all of us but one end with a loss. Losing is devastating. How you handle it determines how it handles you.
Hope this helps you out this season.
Thoughts about the game of basketball and life from Coach Greg White.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
"How's Your Bench?" In-Game Teaching Situations
As the season approaches or as already begun for some of you, I wanted to take time to address a topic that most of us, including myself, don't do a very good job with. Using the bench as a teaching tool is a very effective way to improve your team. I'm not talking about using it as motivation for better play or to get a point across to a player. I'm talking about teaching your entire team. The bench in game is a great place to teach your team about being a team. I will cover 3 points that I believe will lead to a better team environment and help your team learn during the game as much as they do in practice.
#1 Coach Practice, Manage Games
This is something some coaches struggle with. I have mentioned my career beginnings in an earlier post. I was a Head Coach at age 22. I thought that I had to "coach hard" to prove I knew what I was doing. The mistake I was making and I guess some of you have to is that I wasn't coaching hard in practice. I'd drill, teach and then at game time I'd overdo it. Players didn't know how to respond. I added to their stress. Games are stressful enough for players as it is. He's got his Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa there. His girlfriend isn't in her normal seat. The cheerleaders are yelling, band is playing, opposing fans know his middle name and the three guys in the Foot Locker uniform are awful as usual. Then he throws it away. He's embarrassed as it is and here comes the horn and you blast him from the sideline to the water cooler. Obviously he didn't throw it away on purpose but now you've piled on the mistake. I'm not saying allow mistakes to go without addressing them. Here's my take. In-game mistakes come from in-practice mistakes not being fixed. Practice is the place for blasting the mistake. Go nuts in practice. Practice should be just as stressful mentally as it is physically. Maybe even more. Coaches have to learn to manage games. If you're having to get your team to play hard come game time you're in more trouble than Xs and Os. Manage match-ups, minutes and make adjustments. Coaching practice requires you to prepare your players for games in every aspect. This includes how your rotation works as well as preparing your players for in-game situations.
*Practice late game situations with players other than your starting five. Fouls effect who is out there at the end of the game.
#2 Involvement
The Bench shouldn't be viewed by players as a great seat. Players have to be taught to be involved. Now this may bother some of you but I am not a fan of "Corporate Action" on the bench. I have never and probably never will be the coach that requires every player to stand and clap when a teammate leaves the floor. Here's why. If you are having to make your team stand for their teammates then you have a problem in my opinion. The secret to a successful team is this:
The guy getting 2 minutes can't be jealous of the guy getting 30 and the guy getting 30 has to appreciate the guy getting 2.
Players should want to be involved! That goes for your rotation to the guys at the end of the bench. Here i a tip to help with that.
* Assign responsibilities to players on the bench. This can be Calling out shooters or calling out screens. I like the players on the bench to "coach" help side defense. This helps keep both the players on the floor and on the bench mentally involved.
Body-Language
This is the tell all about a player. A player's body-language is the billboard of their character. Take for instance the player sitting on the end of the bench slouched down in his chair, mad because he isn't getting any minutes. Now picture the player that just turned the ball over and hears the horn signal a sub. He walks over to the bench and slams himself down in the chair refusing to slap five with a teammate. Both are forms of selfishness that can't be allowed. No one considers the damage done by the player taken out of the the game acting like that. Odds are the guy beside him would give anything to get the chance to be on the floor. Players leaving the floor for any reason, good or bad, must be thinking of team first. Players are taken out of the game for various reasons. Hopefully every player wants to stay on the floor but they must realize their attitude and actions effect their Coaches and their teammates.
*Coaches must NEVER allow a player to show disrespect to them when leaving the floor.
The player may have had the biggest turnover in their career and be trying to get under the bench but they must stop and listen to what their Coach has to say.
*Players must NEVER display negative body language toward another teammate.
Regardless of how embarrassed or angry a player is he must never disrespect his team. This also goes for managers and trainers. Players must stay focused on the task and team and not themselves. A great way to promote this is to encourage daps, hi-fives plus verbal encouragement.
*Don't Choreograph positive body-language, Encourage it.
I hope that this helps you and gets your season off to a great start. I'd also recommend this. If you haven't watched Alan Stein's Play Present video I'd strongly endorse it. Play Present
#1 Coach Practice, Manage Games
This is something some coaches struggle with. I have mentioned my career beginnings in an earlier post. I was a Head Coach at age 22. I thought that I had to "coach hard" to prove I knew what I was doing. The mistake I was making and I guess some of you have to is that I wasn't coaching hard in practice. I'd drill, teach and then at game time I'd overdo it. Players didn't know how to respond. I added to their stress. Games are stressful enough for players as it is. He's got his Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa there. His girlfriend isn't in her normal seat. The cheerleaders are yelling, band is playing, opposing fans know his middle name and the three guys in the Foot Locker uniform are awful as usual. Then he throws it away. He's embarrassed as it is and here comes the horn and you blast him from the sideline to the water cooler. Obviously he didn't throw it away on purpose but now you've piled on the mistake. I'm not saying allow mistakes to go without addressing them. Here's my take. In-game mistakes come from in-practice mistakes not being fixed. Practice is the place for blasting the mistake. Go nuts in practice. Practice should be just as stressful mentally as it is physically. Maybe even more. Coaches have to learn to manage games. If you're having to get your team to play hard come game time you're in more trouble than Xs and Os. Manage match-ups, minutes and make adjustments. Coaching practice requires you to prepare your players for games in every aspect. This includes how your rotation works as well as preparing your players for in-game situations.
*Practice late game situations with players other than your starting five. Fouls effect who is out there at the end of the game.
#2 Involvement
The Bench shouldn't be viewed by players as a great seat. Players have to be taught to be involved. Now this may bother some of you but I am not a fan of "Corporate Action" on the bench. I have never and probably never will be the coach that requires every player to stand and clap when a teammate leaves the floor. Here's why. If you are having to make your team stand for their teammates then you have a problem in my opinion. The secret to a successful team is this:
The guy getting 2 minutes can't be jealous of the guy getting 30 and the guy getting 30 has to appreciate the guy getting 2.
Players should want to be involved! That goes for your rotation to the guys at the end of the bench. Here i a tip to help with that.
* Assign responsibilities to players on the bench. This can be Calling out shooters or calling out screens. I like the players on the bench to "coach" help side defense. This helps keep both the players on the floor and on the bench mentally involved.
Body-Language
This is the tell all about a player. A player's body-language is the billboard of their character. Take for instance the player sitting on the end of the bench slouched down in his chair, mad because he isn't getting any minutes. Now picture the player that just turned the ball over and hears the horn signal a sub. He walks over to the bench and slams himself down in the chair refusing to slap five with a teammate. Both are forms of selfishness that can't be allowed. No one considers the damage done by the player taken out of the the game acting like that. Odds are the guy beside him would give anything to get the chance to be on the floor. Players leaving the floor for any reason, good or bad, must be thinking of team first. Players are taken out of the game for various reasons. Hopefully every player wants to stay on the floor but they must realize their attitude and actions effect their Coaches and their teammates.
*Coaches must NEVER allow a player to show disrespect to them when leaving the floor.
The player may have had the biggest turnover in their career and be trying to get under the bench but they must stop and listen to what their Coach has to say.
*Players must NEVER display negative body language toward another teammate.
Regardless of how embarrassed or angry a player is he must never disrespect his team. This also goes for managers and trainers. Players must stay focused on the task and team and not themselves. A great way to promote this is to encourage daps, hi-fives plus verbal encouragement.
*Don't Choreograph positive body-language, Encourage it.
I hope that this helps you and gets your season off to a great start. I'd also recommend this. If you haven't watched Alan Stein's Play Present video I'd strongly endorse it. Play Present
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)