Put Players in a Position to be Successful

Put Players in a position to be Successful

I wanted to make this post to hopefully get this to Trend and start dialog between coaches in our fraternity. I am blessed that I have had the opportunity to go into many gyms across the country and across the globe. I have observed many coaches who make the critical mistake of running plays, sets, or offensive systems that do not fit the players. I have made a career and have a niche of changing the culture of many professional clubs around the globe. I don't do anything magical and I don't have a magic stick in my pocket. I keep the game simple, I allow players to do what the do best.
(See my bio on this website) I have been blessed to worked with great High level players. I have been blessed to have coached some competitive Teams. I ask when I sign a contract to have complete autonomy of daily basketball operations . I want autonomy of the player personnel decisions.  I first have individual meetings with the players, I then ask the right questions.
1) What are your strengths? 2)What are your weaknesses? 3)What are your personal goals on the Season? 4) What are your Team goals for the season?
I spend hours watching game film to watch the players and see what they do well. I want to know what was working.
I change the culture. I change the way they will work and I change the way they will prepare.
I then run a series of competing practices. It put the players on the court where they are most comfortable.
I then hold a Team meeting. I identify Roles. I establish in front of the entire Team what I need from players? I then discuss these roles in front of everyone, and I want everyone to know and understand these roles. I want each player to tell me what their teammates do well. I want their team mates to tell me where their team mates want and need the ball to be successful. I get everyone on the same page. It is open communication. the Team will have an identity.
The Team will be mentally and physically Tough. We will be defensive minded. We will be competitive.
I PUT PLAYERS IN A POSITION TO BE SUCCESSFUL !!
If a Big likes his back to the basket on the right block, I create plays! sets or systems where he can catch it on the right block.
If I have a slasher who likes to go left from the top of the key! I again create plays for my slasher to catch it at the top of the key so he can attack left.
If I have a shooter who has a high percentage of shots made from the left corner, guess what. I design a set so he can catch it in the left corner.
It is these details that win games, it is these details that builds confidence. it is these details that builds confidence and trust. it is these details that WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Don't be that coach that steals a play or a set from watching a game on TV, or be that coach who attends a coaching clinic and steals a play from the whiteboard, or buys a book, or DVD and says I am putting in this play? the mistake is you might not have the players to execute that play, you might not have the players with the skill sets to execute that system.
Don't be that coach who runs a offensive system who has a Big man catch the ball 28' from the basket and constantly makes a turnover because he can't execute a post entree pass.
This is what plays out, We have all observed this happen during games.
The Big catches the ball and again turns it over, as he can't get the ball into the post on a High/Low set. he doesn't have good hands, he panics, and again he turns it over, the Coach yells and screams at the player,  the players is loosing confidence! his head goes down! his shoulder slump! the players is embarrassed because everyone can hear the coach yelling at him! his team mates loose confidence in him! the player is being yelled at in front of the peers! he family sits in the stands and his girlfriend is a cheerleader. the kid is now down on himself and one mistake has turned into another mistake and he misses his Defensive assignment. the coach then takes him out of the game. the kid sets on the bench and he is now in the Tank. he is the Teams best rebounder and the team gets out rebounded and looses the game. Why? The Coach didn't allow the player to do what he does best.
Think of the domino effect here. These players are fragile, the confidence is fragile, the self esteem is low. the productivity is lowered, the negativity is a cancer.
All because the Coach wasn't progressive thinking enough to PUT THE PLAYER IN A POSITION TO BE SUCCESSFUL and DO WHAT HE DOES BEST.
This is the same as a Boss or a Manager. Put your employees in a position to be productive.We train employees to do a job, we don't ask an dishwasher to go out and now do the books as an accountant do we? It is a simple concept.
I challenge coaches to take care of the details. Do your due diligence,