In this blog, I am going to expand on “What does it take to win?” There are six areas in which “What does it take to win?” becomes the dominant question. They are as follows: 1) organization, 2) fundamentals, 3) systems of scoring, 4) evaluation of playing talent, 5) game strategy and 6) defense.
Organization
Winning is an attitude, a frame of mind and atmosphere and a compelling goal. Combine these factors with outstanding organization, good talent, plus hard work and you have a champion. Of these attributes and conditions, the area most controlled and planned by the coach is that of organization.
A team that is well-organized, well-disciplined and well-drilled is a well-coached team. It will win more that it loses, but more importantly, it will be a credit to the players, coaches, the institution it represents and the fans who support it.
Organization as it pertains to a program means “getting ready for anything”…being prepared for every phase of the game long before the opening tip. Organization covers the areas of developing team standards, scheduling, individual skill development, preseason conditioning, strength building, preseason practice, pre-game preparation, the game itself, with all its variables, the post-game analysis and critique, the post season and off-season work. The coach of a well-organized team and program leaves no stone unturned in getting his team ready to meet every possible situation.
Fundamentals
Within any coaching philosophy for winning basketball, No. 1 must be an appreciation for the basic skills of the game. Most coaches have an appreciation for the fundamentals, but not all have the patience, or the desire, to spend the time on this most important aspect of the game.
In reality, coaching success depends directly on one’s ability to the basic fundamentals. If the team is weak fundamentally, it is better to utilize practice time on ball handling, passing, shooting, rebounding, balance and footwork, etc., than it is to waste time teaching intricate offenses and defenses that require fundamentals that the team does not possess. Trying to throw the long pass when not one team member knows how, or is physically able to, makes that kind of pass is ridiculous.
True, working on fundamentals is not the most fun part of practice. It requires much work and effort on the part of the players and a great deal of patience on the part of the coach, but watching individual improvement can be a most rewarding part of coaching.
Systems of Scoring
An offense, by design, should be simple enough that both the teaching and learning are painless, but effective. Logically, the easier learning is for the players to comprehend, the quicker they will execute an offense with confidence and skill. Naturally the offense must be flexible enough to be adapted to changing personnel and varying defenses.
These offensive principles must be molded into a strong offensive system of scoring. If such is the case, you can feel confident that the opponents will be continually concerned with the basic “screens and cuts” of the offense and will be engrossed to the extent that other variations of the offense will be the ones that will win the game.
Evaluation of Playing Talent
The ability to competently evaluate the talent of players obviously has a bearin on one’s chances for success. The physical size, strength, speed and agility, and the MENTAL ATTITUDE of each individual must be thoroughly evaluated and then utilized to the fullest extent. For example, a player with a great knack for scoring should not end up being the passer. Those with the highest shooting percentages should be getting the majority of shots. The coach must find a role for each player and make sure that the player understands and is comfortable with his role. All of these factors must be reflected in the offensive and defensive schemes.
Game Strategy
After spending much time building the fundamental skills and more time building the offense and defense, it is time for the moment of truth, the game itself. Now scouting reports become very important. The old axiom, “never underestimate the opposition,” is a good one. Comparisons of strengths and weaknesses, individual match-ups, etc., become very important. What adjustments can be made during the game itself? In lower levels of competition, it is extremely important to have a positive understanding of maximum participation. It is very important to use a maximum number of players to encourage and build a love for the game.
Post-game analysis and critiques are equally as essential as the pre-game preparations.
One question that must be answered is: what must we do to improve? Video, stats and notes can be of great help in planning for the upcoming practices, the next game, and for a later date with the same opponent. It is imperative the keep an updated notebook of each team you play.
Defense
Offense puts people in the seats and defense wins championships. A player does not have to be a great talent to be a good defensive player. A team can have an off night offensively, but defense is the most consistent phase of the game and a team should never have a bad night defensively. It is imperative to get your players to really buy in and dig in on defense! At the lower levels of competition, teach the basics of good man-to-man defense. At the higher levels of competition, find ways to change up in order to keep the opponent off balance and out of rhythm.
In closing, I will leave you with this.
“Coming together is a beginning…Staying together is progress…Working together is unity… and thinking together is success.” If you can get your players to do this you will be successful and you will have figured out “What it takes to win!”
