130 Great Ideas to Get a Lot More Accomplished in Practice

Principle #1 Mindset

Practice with the mindset and manner of a champion

aving the right frame of mind is what separates the programs with great practices
from all of the others. By whatever means you can, indelibly etch the following
saying into the minds of your players:

EVERY TIME WE TAKE THE FLOOR, WE PRACTICE AND PLAY WITH
THE TECHNIQUE, INTENSITY,
TOUGHNESS, AND TOGETHERNESS OF
A STATE (OR NATIONAL) CHAMPION.

1. Everyone in the program must believe that
championship level practices every single
day of the season are the key to success on
game day. If they do not demonstrate that
belief, then you must continue working to
convince them that is true. Then
collectively, the team members must roll
up their sleeves daily and make that vision
a reality. For practice to impact your win-
loss record, the players must agree to be
and want to be held accountable to and be
coached to the highest standards in your
class. Certainly, there is no way to measure what your competition is doing in
practice. However, if the coach and the players have the mindset that your
programs standards for intensity, execution, toughness, and togetherness are those
of a state champion, and you go to work every day to earn the right to feel that
you are succeeding, your practices will be exceptionally productive. Your players
must believe that the coaches are not helping them if they allow anything less than
the championship level.

2. Hard work is merely the price of admission into the competitive arena; it is no
guarantee of success. If it is not present, then you cant even think about
competing. But, consistently doing the right things, in the right way, and in the
right frame of mindall while working very hardover an extended period of
time, can lead to success. Hard work is not a victory in and of itself; it must be
accompanied by technique and toughness. It is possible to be a hard worker with
poor technique and no toughness.





H
"I have no individual goals. We
play for one reason and that's to
win the title. Practice is more
important than the games, and I
will practice when I'm hurt,
when 95 percent of the players in
this league would sit out. I expect
all of you to do the same thing.
You will follow my lead."...to the
Chicago Bulls. And follow they
did.

--Michael Jordan
130 Great Ideas to Get a Lot More Accomplished in Practice



3. Players must see and believe that the
coaching staff is eager and excited for
practice every day. A coachs
enthusiasm for practice should be
obvious to the players and assistant
coaches. The coachs enthusiasm
should be contagious. For practice to
be great everyone needs to be
enthusiastically involved. As
classroom teachers, it always amazes
us when we see and hear athletes
cheering in response to an announcement that their practice has been cancelled.
That is not the type of response that demonstrates an understanding of the
importance of high quality practices.

4. Players will do in the games by habit what they learn, rehearse, and are held
accountable for in practice. If a coach allows cutting corners in practice, that is
what s/he will get in games. Don Meyer says that coaches can be demanding
without being demeaning. We believe that type of interaction with players is
imperative to success. For example, we believe that placing the ball under your
chin after a rebound is an important fundamental. Therefore, in practice situations
we blow the whistle and call a turnover if a player falls to chin a rebound. By
consistently demanding that this fundamental be executed, you will begin to see it
occur more frequently. We want to create the mindset that doing things properly
leads to increased success.

5. The players goal for each practice should be to improve themselves for the good
of the team. A coachs goal should be to instill that goal in the players and plan
practice to make it happen. Spend time making sure that your players see that as
their goal.

6. Everyone involved in your practices must know the expectations that you have as a
coach for the level of performance and effort. Frustration and conflict which lead
to team turmoil are always present when players individually and the team
collectively are being coached to a higher standard than they are currently able to
reach. The tension can be reduced greatly when everyone knows what the
expectations are and why those expectations are so high.

7. The practice court is a classroom. Practice is one of several classes that students
attend each day. Like all classes, the students should expect to be taught
something each day. Coaches should have clear objectives for the day and a well
planned lesson designed to help the players achieve those objectives.


"My passion is to coach and do
things to the best of my ability. I
want our team to get better every
day at practice. If we can do that,
the other stuff will take care of
itself."

-- Coach Mike Krzyzewski
130 Great Ideas to Get a Lot More Accomplished in Practice


8. Coaches should enter practice
with the mindset that if players
are making mistakes, the reason
they are making mistakes is that
the coach has not taught them
properly. Coaches need to make
adjustments in how they are communicating their ideas. Yelling the same
instruction louder does not facilitate the teaching process. Coaches must believe
that everything that happens on the court happens as a result of their actions. A
good coach is like a good teacher. If the student is not learning, the teacher must
change the teaching methods.

9. Coaches must believe that they can win with their team, regardless of the teams
shortcomings or perceived shortcomings. It does not matter whether the team is too
short, too slow, too inexperienced or lacking in basic skills. Coaches must believe
that they can overcome all obstacles placed in front of them. There are ways to
play when your team is too slow and too short. Young players can be taught and
skills can be practiced. If you do not believe that you can win, you will not.

10. Coaches must not accept excuses from themselves, their staff, or team members.
By making excuses for player or team failures, one relinquishes control of their
influence over the outcome.

11. Coaches should take pride in the design of their practices and players need to
develop pride in the way they practice. Pride is an attitude that separates excellence
from mediocrity. Mediocre practices produce mediocre results.

12. Plan your practice as if your career depends on it, because it does.











The rest of the book is broken into the following principles:

The seven essential principles of practice success
Stop yelling, and start teaching.

--Coach Bill Walsh
Prepare for every practice like you
just lost your last game.

--Coach Don Meyer
130 Great Ideas to Get a Lot More Accomplished in Practice



Introduction.Practice--the lifeblood of every successful basketball program
Principle #2 Efficiency--Plan for the most efficient use of limited time and facilities
Principle #3 Habits--Motivate players to habitually do the right things right
Principle #4 Competition--Make practice as competitive as possible
Principle #5 Team Building--Incorporate team and chemistry building
Principle #6 Game Planning--Incorporate game planning
Principle #7 Thoroughness-- Be meticulous and cover everything you do in games

Appendices

Appendix A Worksheet for developing your master plan
Appendix B Player Practice Evaluation Form
Appendix C Playing Hard Checklist
Appendix D Sample Master Practice Plan