Secret To Coaching A Killer Basketball Team...

Today, I'd like to talk to you a bit about practice planning.

It's one of the most important (yet widely ignored) factors in coaching a successful team.

Properly preparing for your practices has a number of key benefits:

=> You maximize the use of your gym time

=> You ensure your players get the right mix of skills, drills and game preparation

=> You show players, parents, and other coaches that your confident and well prepared

(so they're less likely to disrupt your plans or interfere with your role as a coach)

Below are 4 essential ingredients for planning a killer practice.


My philosophy on practice is based on four principles:

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1. Structure:

A successful basketball practice has to be well-organized, following a clear set of objectives from start to finish.

My practices will always follow a simple formula:

a) Warm-up: Effective warm-ups allow the players to become mentally and physically focused to begin the practice.

Properly warming up the muscles and ligaments of the body is also essential for avoiding injury.

b) Fundamentals & Defense: Michael Jordan once said

“I don’t need to play with superstars. Just put me on the court with five guys who have strong
fundamentals and can play defense, and I guarantee you we’ll be a winning team.”

While I doubt you have any budding MJ’s on your squad, this principle forms the basis for the core part of my practices.

Equip your players with the basics in ballhandling, shooting, passing, rebounding, and defense, and you can guarantee an increase in your winning percentage.

c) Game Preparation: I believe firmly in coaching simplicity. For the vast majority of teams at the high school level and below, all that is necessary is a handful of set plays.

The key is executing these plays with precision, and understanding how to react to the defense.

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2. Variety:

Players can become easily bored with the same drills being repeated practice after practice.

Mix it up by introducing a new drill at least once per week.

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3. Competition:

Encourage an atmosphere of hard competition to simulate a game-like level of play. Do this by rewarding hard play (i.e. Hustling for loose balls, taking the charge) with positive feedback, ... and punishing poor play (i.e. missed layups; poor foul shooting, poor concentration in drills).

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4. Fun

Don’t take yourself too seriously. If the players aren’t having fun, they’ll lose interest and motivation very quickly.

Remember, healthy competition is also a source of fun. Push your team to compete hard to win at every drill.

Follow that formula and you'll immediately see an improvement in the intensity and smoothness of your practices.