Leadership

Here's a blog that identifies some qualities that could be desired for coaches.

You might shorten the list to intelligence, energy, and integrity; that would cover a lot of territory. Also, to quote Warren Buffett, the first two...without the latter...are dangerous.

The coaches are enjoying the off-season, healing up some nicks and bruises (like the players). We will have a new show debuting soon on Melrose cable TV, called "Let's Talk Sports". The premier edition had segments on the American League East, an interview with Melrose Lacrosse coach Chris Spaulding, and a brief overview of where the Celtics are headed into the playoffs.

Finishing Touch

Just focus on the first hard move to the basket.


Remember our core matrix of conditioning, skills, and team spirit

Form Begets Function

This is a VERY basic video...but I think it illustrates what parents and players can look for:

• Good form begets good function
• Motor muscle memory (the ability to reproduce the motion)
• Proper foot position (not emphasized as much here...in a prior video the instructor noted feet are usually about six feet apart
• The ELBOW is IN
• follow-through

I prefer to stand behind the player when they shoot to watch the global form. Young players tend to lower the ball to generate power, which SHOULD come from the legs. Bringing the ball down slows the shooting down, gives the defenders more time to close out the shooter, AND makes a "bigger" shot. The more compact the motion (I'll call it the swing) the more reproducible. 

The Postman Gets the Mail

Another example of the 1-4 offensive set, this time with an application designed to generate low post offense.

Note the screens away from the ball as well.

Perfect

"We dont' want you just to take shots this summer, we want you to take perfect shots."



We are going to have the best shooting team from Melrose...

Penny-wise and Pound Foolish?

Use your eyes!

Muscle Motor Memory

The key to success: repetition...

1) Jab step
2) Move without the ball
3) Catch and shoot
4) Catch and shoot off the dribble
5) One on two against pressure
6) Dribbling: crossover, change of pace, etc.

Training the Mind

Sometimes the most important skills we can develop don't involve anything below the neck:

• Confidence
• Willingness to prepare
• Positive thinking
• Relaxation
• Concentration

The coaches' expectation is that players will gradually assume more of the 'thinking' of the game, not just executing, but calling and eventually even planning how we play. Ultimately players will play best when executing that in which they have confidence of success. 

For our theme of 'better possessions', we would emphasize not just minimizing turnovers, but maximizing (offensive) success by effective movement without the ball, good ball movement, excellent decision-making (re: shot selection for example) and aggressive rebounding to start new possessions. 

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

The coaches held a team breakup dinner tonight at Prince Pizza, but the players stole the ball, by overwhelming the coaches with team warm up jerseys, team photographs, an autographed basketball, and gift certificates. Thanks girls.

This year's team had terrific team spirit, tireless effort during practice, and played their best basketball during the playoffs.

And the coaches have a better idea on what we need to work on to help prepare the players for next season, when we want to improve on this season's achievements.



We need to get quicker. You might get out the chalk in the driveway and work to get the feet moving.

Self-Checker

Young players can correct their errors by UNDERSTANDING why shots miss. Notice that the player is only taking shots from about ten feet. The principles are the same, no matter the distance.

Postage

The other day at practice, we broke down into specialty groups with Coach Labella taking the perimeter players and I worked with the post players. I was a guard in high school, but had to learn how to teach some post play to my daughters, who became successful 'bigs'.

We worked last week on the "drop step", "the up and under move", and the step back off the dribble. You don't need to have a huge inventory of moves, but rather a few reliable ones that you feel confident in.

Here's a video that has some good instruction. We will restart our Sunday sessions in May to allow those who are interested an outlet to work on their game.

Some points to remember:

• Having good footwork is critical.
• Even in the low or high post, you have to see the floor around you.
• The quick first move can be dominant.
• You must feel comfortable shooting the ball off the backboard (glass) in close. 
• Post players need to be able to shoot out to fifteen feet to draw big opponents away from the boards.
• Generally, I want the post players to be able to complete any move within two dribbles. 

Nothing Ever Changes

Lessons from a major college basketball coach:

81) 3 keys to be in every game: transition defense, rebounding, turnovers!

82) Work on transition defense everyday…our mindset is: “we run-they don’t”

Thanks for a great season. 

"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.

Take the Fifth...

The fifth grade Melrose travel team completed its inaugural season in fine fashion with a 29-15 victory over Salem in the finals of the North Andover Tournament. The hosts put on a fine event, and the team got additional experience, playing its best basketball of the year in the tournament.


Melrose played in the Middlesex League, the River Valley 'A' League, and a pair of area tournaments, compiling  an overall 35-15 record.

Click the photo to enlarge.

Back from left: Erin Reardon, Gabrielle McDonnell, Cat Torpey, Leonora Ivers (tournament MVP), Bella Federico, Katie Donovan, Michaela Short

Front from left: Anne Morrison, Shannon Jones, Colleen Denning, Kaitlyn MacInnes, Chrysta Barbaro, Caroline Nolan

The girls worked exceptionally hard all season, without complaint, and developed good fundamental skills, conditioning, and showed tremendous team spirit and support of each other.

Many of these young ladies will be the future of Melrose basketball, and we think it will be a bright one.

End Game Thinking

We didn't get a last shot, but here are some concepts other teams use.

Lessons Delivered

Basketball is like life; it forces us to learn to win with humility and to lose graciously. Preparation offers us a better chance to win, but no guarantee.

In the North Andover tournament today, the girls won the morning game handily, but lost an afternoon game by a single point in the last minute. The palpable disappoint must be digested uncomfortably, with lessons absorbed.

The difference between winning and losing can be razor thin. Although casual fans often focus on a play in the last moments of a game, we can win or lose via a series of opportunities, passes gone astray or other turnovers, rebounds not obtained, a missed layup or a free throw rimming out.

When we have done all we can to prepare and to play winning basketball or not, we can only go back to the drawing board, designing ways to prepare and to execute and to coach better so that perhaps we can change the outcome the next day. Basketball is like life...with work, relationships, and suffering.

Offensive Attack Options

Ball movement, player movement.

Toolbox

From the Toolbox.

Resource Room

There are lots of resources available online for those who want to find more drills, but the most important development comes from just PLAYING, and not just basketball. Playing other sports helps develop your coordination and overall athleticism.

I enjoy Rob Sarmiento's Beantownhoops.com.  Rob has lots of playing and coaching experience and has been a friend to Melrose basketball. He loves high school basketball and knows the game inside and out.

The Melrose Lady Raiders will compete for the EMASS Division 2 championship Tuesday at the TD Banknorth Garden. The team has worked toward COMPETITIVE GREATNESS through superior SKILL and TEAMWORK. They have shown what hard work and determination can achieve.

Some good video examples of women's and men's basketball from FIBA.

Work and Success

As we remind the young players, "the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary."

The fifth grade travel team is in its final days of the season, with stops in Burlington (Monday) and at the North Andover tournament next weekend.

Our vision for our players is simple: competititve success through the building blocks of conditioning, skills, and team work, and the cornerstones of enthusiasm and industriousness.

We will continue to try to work to help the girls become the players they can be, with the offensive skills of:

• Rebounding
• Pivoting
• Passing
• Shooting
• Dribbling

The first two skills are the most underappreciated, and shooting the least taught.

Floor Drill

Bulls Eye Drill

Westhead Drill

Free Throw Drill (highly important)

Free Throw Drill 2

Drill Baby Drill

Perfect practice makes perfect. We CAN see your progress. Keep practicing.

Some of your future Lady Raiders...great group of young ladies.

More Jeff Morrison photos here...requires registration.

The girls are wrapping up their season with the River Valley 'A' League tournament and a tournament at North Andover next week.