One of my biggest hobbies for the last couple years has been developing my skills as a videographer and photographer. This has helped me gain opportunities to create multiple types of videos. Last month, I was able to create two ball handling workouts for the Nike Pre Season Elite Basketball Camp. They are each about 10-minutes long, challenge yourself and do both for a 20-minute ball handling workout. http://youtu.be/x4cZ5xJd3t8
http://youtu.be/Oc2rShu4qcg
I am currently reading "Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek. Thus far, it has been one of the greatest books on leadership I have come across. There is one passage I would love to share. It comes from the former Under Secretary of Defense, who spoke at a conference in consecutive years. The first year, he was given a first class ticket, greeted with a limo at the airport, greeted with a hotel suite, then hand delivered a ceramic cup on a plate for his coffee. The second year, he was no longer in his role as Under Secretary. He flew coach, picked up a taxi at the airport, then checked himself into his hotel room. When he got to the conference and asked for coffee, the attendant pointed to a cart where he could pour his own coffee into a styrofoam cup. That year at the conference, he shared his story, and pointed this out: “It occurs to me that the ceramic cup they gave to me last year, it was never meant for me at all. It was meant for the position I held. I deserve a styrofoam cup.
This is the most important lesson I can impart to all of you. All the perks, all the benefits and advantages you may get for the rank or position you hold, they aren’t meant for you. They are meant for the role you fill. And when you leave your role, which eventually you will, they will give the ceramic cup to the person who replaces you. Because you only ever deserved a styrofoam cup.”
Developing a sense of entitlement can be one of the most detrimental things we do to ourselves. When we believe that we deserve certain perks because of who we are, we begin to erase the memory of how we got to a certain position and the people who helped get us there.
No one person is more important than other in the game of basketball. Each player does his/her job to help the team reach its potential. When players begin to think that they deserve more playing time or more shot attempts, the team chemistry begins to disappear. As you approach this coming season, remember that you are but a player on the team. There are no titles, only the position of teammate. You deserve nothing, but you can contribute to everything.
The season is only a short 2-months away! What could be more exciting? As a player, I always enjoyed this time approaching the season. As each week reached completion, I felt my skills sharpening and my body becoming stronger and stronger. Once the season came, I was in the best shape I could possibly be in. If you are a player who has high expectations and takes the game seriously, there is no excuse to come into the first week of the season unprepared. If your team does not have any organized workouts, you can still take initiative to make sure you are ready for day 1. There is a ton you can do in 8 weeks! There are a lot of great resources available to help you get ready. Here are 3 easy steps you can take to help you prepare for the first day of tryouts. 1. Consistent sprint workouts
Gone are the days of running for miles at a time to get in shape. Research has proven that high intensity sprint workouts will prepare a basketball player in a much more efficient manner than long distance running. The standards of your spring workouts should be high-intensity, short distances mixed with limited recovery periods. This builds your body to be explosive while also prepping your energy systems for the demands of a basketball game.
2. Get your shots up
Skill workouts are outstanding. However, they can be inefficient if not performed right. It will do most players better to get in the gym and shoot. Make sure your reps are at game speed and with game focus. Keep track of your sessions and measure your improvement at different spots on the floor. If you can shoot the ball, you increase your chances of making a team and earning more playing time. Coaches always need shooters on the floor!
3. Develop positive habits
Once the season hits, new demands are placed on your body. A full day of school, two hours of practice, and then homework on top of that can shock your system. It’s important as a serious athlete to start prepping your mind and body for the season now. Develop a great sleeping pattern, be sure to start blocking out time for studying, and pay attention to your nutrition level (an easy start is to start drinking water throughout the day).
During a sprint workout last week I was able to observe something very special. As I was running, a local Army group was participating in a team building activity. There was one member who was on the track completing a physical assessment. One of his higher ups was running with him throughout the entire assessment, constantly encouraging him and giving him tips for success and improved performance. I finished my sprints and began walking out of the track when I noticed that the entire group was now running around the track. What I saw was a great moment to witness as a coach. The group had started to run because their teammate was behind pace entering his last lap of his assessment. Each member of the team was motivating him and helping him overcome any doubt he had, helping him to succeed and meet his time. Community is one of the most important things that we can develop to improve ourselves. Surrounding ourselves with the right people is a crucial part of who we are becoming and what type of people we are developing into to. Here are some questions to consider when thinking about your community.
Who is around me?
For a team to reach it’s full potential, all members must have a shared vision. Each player must do their job for the team to be successful. How are you doing your job to add to team success?
Who am I around?
There is a popular quote that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with. The people we are around have a strong influence on who we become, whether we realize it or not. Think about the people you’re around and if they are helping you constantly grow as a player and as a person.
Who is leading me?
One of the most underestimated parts of life is seeking a great mentor. We like to think that we always know what is best and do not need help from others. The truth is, all of the greats had mentors who helped them see things in different ways and approach things like no one else did. Consider the leaders in your life and think about who you could ask to become your mentor.
Who am I leading?
Developing people and helping them thrive in new roles not only helps them, but also helps yourself grow. Producing fruit is a crucial part of our life. Learn how to become a leader and help others achieve their goals.
I just finished my 10th year of working at Willamette University’s Pro Hoop Camp. This camp was founded by Jack Ramsey as “Pro Classic Hoop Camp” and then passed down to former Willamette University head coach Gordy James. It is now directed by current Willamette head coach Kip Ioane. It’s amazing how much things have changed since I was growing up. Camps are no longer as popular as they once were. There are many factors to this. I believe the primary reasons that camp attendance has declined is the growth of AAU and the increase in the use of private training. There are too many youngsters playing year-round AAU basketball. Even at the high school level, I would say that 90% of the kids playing on a traveling team are wasting money on unfulfilled promises of college scouting while also limiting their improvement in regards to fundamentals. Much of the camp population from about 10 years ago has now gone to AAU teams. Each year in July I learn things from other coaches and the players I coach at camp. Here are three things I took away from camp this year.
Players STILL don’t want to use their off-hand
After over 100 years of basketball, 9 out of 10 young players can not effectively use their off-hand at game speed. It boggles my mind that this has not changed. I think it’s more of a human problem than an athletic problem. We are born with a dominant hand. However, with all that we know through the game of basketball and all the resources players and coaches have, I am amazed that we are still coaching players who can’t use both hands by the time they graduate high school.
Sharing the ball is hard to teach young players
Every year at camp, the games are played a similar way. In the youngest age group, the most talented player dominates the ball, players try and launch three’s, and 3 out of the 5 on the floor rarely get to touch the ball. Even as you get to the middle and high school groups, you are lucky to see more than 2 passes before someone gets a shot up. Players are reluctant to play the game the right way. Each kid wants to get their own shot. What are some things we can do as coaches to teach players to sacrifice a bad shot for a teammate to have a better shot? Or even more, to make a cut that, while they may not be open from, opens up a chance for another teammate?
Find success in improvement
Despite the two negative I listed, the best part about camp was seeing players realizing that what they improved on during the week was their success. In three weeks, I had a team win 1 game and I also had a team go undefeated. Both teams had a successful week because of their improvements, not because of their record.
In June, I had the opportunity to attend the Fellowship of Christian Athletes event titled “Difference Makers.” While Tony Dungy was the headlining speaker, he was unable to attend due to a family health problem (he did Skype in to address and interact with the audience). Dungy called his longtime friend Jim Zorn as his replacement speaker. Zorn has spent multiple years in the NFL, both as a player and coach. He shared his story and how he came to living a life for Christ. Here are his three “I’s” that he reminds himself of daily. Integration
Athletics is not necessarily a spiritually driven area. It is usually ridiculed when athletes share their faith (i.e. Tim Tebow). Zorn discussed how his integration of occupation and spiritual conviction allowed him to grow more as a man and as an athlete.
Identity
Athletes tend to find their identity in their sport. It’s why many players become coaches, broadcasters, or in some cases never move on. When our identity is found in sports, we are left with nothing when that part of our life no longer exists. Also, it magnifies the sport to become the most important thing. What if you never were to play your sport? What would you be left with?
Influence
Regardless of our area of interest, we are each in need of the people around us. Whether we are influencing them or they are influencing us, people will make a difference in our lives. Think about the people in your life you are influencing and those who are influencing you. Does that influence surpass the athletic world?
Goals are important. Every athlete should have goals. At the end of last season, we asked our players to set goals for the following season, both individually and for the team. Some goals were realistic, others made no sense for where our team is currently at. One things that most young athletes don’t understand about the goals they set is that there is a direct correlation between the preparation and the result. When you set your goals, make sure you consider how much time and effort you are willing to sacrifice to achieve them. This is the foundation of goal setting. The higher your goal is, the more preparation will be needed and the more work will need to be put in. Goals need to be realistic in relation to your work ethic. If you want to be a 40% three-point shooter but don’t plan on getting shots up until October, you may need to rethink your goal. Or, better yet, rethink your process of achieving it.
The same is true for team goals. A young team may have a goal of going .500 during the year. If only three players are consistently putting work in the off-season, the chances of this happening may already be doomed.
If you want to set your goals high, make sure you are ready to attack them with the preparation necessary to get you to your highest level.
Summer league is a great chance for coaches and players to improve on the court and develop their relationships off the court. We are about halfway through our summer schedule. As with any season, there have been positives and negatives. However, players have the ability to take ownership on their improvement individually and also as a team. Here are three things you can do this summer to take the next step as a player and leader. Show up
It sounds easy, but any coach will tell you that there are a number of players in their program who do not take advantage of the opportunities they are given. If you are a player who tells your coach how great you want to be and the lofty goals you have for the team, you must be able to show your determination by the way you prepare. If your coach is providing workout opportunities, show up to everything you can.
Keep track
How do you know you are improving? Make it tangible. Keep a journal of what you are doing and what you are learning. Every time you workout, practice, or play a game, write down at least one thing you improved on and one thing that you will continue to emphasize. To take this a step further, write down some action steps you can take to help you improve on what you wrote down.
Check in
If you are a leader of your team, it’s important to motivate your teammates to stay involved in what’s going on. If you have a teammate that has talked about how much they want to improve, yet they are not showing up to anything, check in with them to ask where they have been. For a team to reach its full potential, it is crucial for each player to develop great habits. Also, the more players involved in off-season activities, the better the chemistry of the team will be.
A few weeks ago, I was able to hear Rob Ketterling speak about his book, Change Before You Have To. He shared a story of when he began to realize his physical health was slipping. In his next doctor’s appointment, he told his doctor to treat him like he just had a life threatening heart attack. He wanted to take prevented action steps before anything devastating happened. While this is a great message and an inspiring thought, it was a minor note in his presentation that caught my attention in regards to coaching. He was giving a room full of pastors some “change before you have to” steps in regards to church operations. One of his suggestions was to continually develop leaders and prepare them for greater roles in the future rather than limit them to an individual talent. Prepare them to be in charge one day.
I started to think about the last time I tried to prepare current players for a possible future as a coach. Most coaches were once players. Some played beyond high school, others did not. And while we observed coaches while we were playing, I don’t think it’s too common for coaches to develop future coaches. What are some ways we can prepare our players in the case that one day they end up being coaches?
This can be a valuable way to further mentor players. Earl Watson of the Portland Trailblazers was recently quoted regarding the way he was mentored by the coaching staff this season.
"This is the only coaching staff that actually prepared me to coach," Watson said. "Like, every day they would quiz me. Every day they would push me. Every day they would teach me. They kind of held me accountable for that next step in life. They did a good job, all of them, each and every one, of preparing me for that next step."
While most high school players are not mature enough to step into a leadership position directly after graduation, we can still give them valuable lessons on how a coach sees the game and what a coach values in their decision making. Our job is to assist in the transition from adolescence to adulthood through the game of basketball. Limiting this to physical performance would be limiting our potential as coaches.
“Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.” Matthew 3:10
The thought of producing good fruit has been in my mind for quite some time. I have always thought of the fruit of my labor as the end product of what I do. Recently, I started thinking about the fruit we produce in a different way.
Rather than focusing on the end result, producing good fruit requires a meticulous process in which we are consistently caring for its development.
Being a coach, our fruit is typically seen as wins or the caliber of players. To an extent, this might be valid. But it’s more important to focus on your process of preparation than to have our eyes fixated on wins and what other will think of us.
Think about what will be best for the long-term development of players as people before we compromise their character for the sake of a couple of wins. Model the work ethic and habits we want our players to obtain. Remember that development of coaches, players, programs and teams is a race that requires patient endurance and persistence as opposed to a quick sprint. Produce good fruit through an intricate process of development.
#LiftAsYouClimb