"Pleased but Not Satisfied"

The coaches believe that the girls have achieved the goals we outlined (literally) last summer:

• Achieved an understanding of basic offensive and defensive skills
• Achieved exceptional basketball conditioning
• Adhered to the highest principles of team play and mutual support
• Practice consistently hard

This isn't to say that the girls are accomplished players at this point, but they have shown consistent progress and more important, a dedication to improve. 

Why have they significantly improved over the past six weeks?

• The guards understand the importance of pressuring the ball
• The guards and small forwards usually can switch seamlessly against drivers
• The "bigs" are starting to understand the importance of playing aggressive defense before the opposition has the ball
• The team seems to have gained an authentic will to rebound

Where do we need to go from here?

• We need to build individual offensive skills such as outside shooting, quickness of release, and more separation off basketball moves
• We have to catch the ball better 
• We must be able to react more quickly offense
• We will learn how to read defenders more effectively
• We will learn how to create more deception in the passing offense
• We will implement a motion offense
• We need to learn to play against more height

Here are some tips from www.guidetocoachingbasketball.com/ball_handling.htm

I have highlighted some keys for us. 

Basketball Passing Pointers

1. One bad pass begets another. Get your players to understand this.
2. Avoid teaching passes that are rarely used. Teach passes you will use in competition.
3. Good passing teams are hard to beat. They have the tools that lead to scoring opportunities..
4. Keep the ball moving. This causes the defense to move and opens passing lanes.
5. The defense will usually get careless after a few passes.
6. Make your passes sharp and snappy. This leads to fewer interceptions.
7. Avoid careless passing. Lazy lob passes are easily intercepted
8. Don't force passes.
9. Use the eyes. More can be done with eye deception than the hands or feet.
10. Avoid bouncing the ball before each pass. This invites your defender to try to tie up the ball.
11. Precede many passes with a pass fake.
12. Slow cross-court passes usually lead to two points by the opponent.
13. Do not pass across the lane in front of the opponent's basket. Develop the habit of passing away from that area.
14. Do not pass to a player going away, unless it is a lead pass on a fast break.
15. Bounce pass around and under the big player. Their strength is waist up and weakness near his feet.
16. The small player is more apt to deflect or intercept passes waist down than those the side of his head and above.
17. Learn to execute the hook pass when in tight places in the corners, along the side lines, and under the basket.
18. Too many passes are made directly at the receiver. Pass to the side away from his defender.