Keep Calm and Read Defenders

I am sure that you have seen the "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters that have gained some popularity over the last couple years. To provide some background, these posters were designed by the British government in WWII and hung around various cities to keep their people at bay in case of a German invasion. 

With that said, one of the hardest things to teach any athlete is the ability to read the defense. Our entire offense is predicated on making the correct read. What we did was take that slogan and edit it to state "Keep Calm and Read Defenders".

Each sport has their own way of teaching this point. One of my favorite Blogs is by Caltech's Men's coach, Oliver Eslinger PHD. He found this article by George Bretherton of the NYT on Peyton Manning and how he reads the defense while in the pocket. Below are the thoughts from his quarterback coach, Frank Reich, on what is going through Peyton's mind:

Lessons from I AM BRUCE LEE

If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.

Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.

Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.

A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.

Real living is living for others.

 

All fixed patterns are incapable of adaptability or pliability. the truth is outside of all fixed patterns. 

 

If I tell you I am good, you will probably think I am boasting; if I then tell you I'm no good, you will know that I am lying.

  A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.

To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.

Be like water. If the you put water into the glass, it BECOMES the glass. Be like water. 

 

Notice that stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.

 

 -Bruce Lee

The Anthem for all Assistants

I forgot about this song and thought it might provide a little inspiration to all the assistants out there that come in early and stay late.   

"When you want me to come...Holla

 When you want me to come...Call me!

When you want me to come...I'll be around"

 

What you can learn from Ernest Hemingway

Living in South Florida, it is easy to relate to Ernest Hemingway. I have read quite a few Hemingway books and still find him one of the most intriguing authors. I recently started "Island in the Stream" and can't seem to put it down. Because of this, I wanted to find a way to bridge Hemingway with basketball and came across an entry by The Bacharach Blog. Here is an annotated version of their blog combined with some of my insight on the coaching world.
1. Don’t Waste Words and Be Clear: One of the best coaches I have ever learned from has an amazing ability to condense his thoughts into a few simple words. It is easy to remember and condition into the athletes. Daniel Coyle puts this thought into science in his book "The Talent Code". Coyle describes how Tom Brady's quarterback coach uses simple, to-the-point terminology that allows for immediate corrections by the athlete. By carefully choosing each word you allow for a deeper connotation. "Think finish, not foul." "Sprint up, not out" "Occupy your defender", etc. 
2. Make a Schedule: Whether you start your day by working out, having your coffee or reading the newspaper, establishing routines are what makes us human. As coaches, we tend to get wrapped up in our wins and losses. Hemingway did a great job of writing a little bit everyday however, he also did a good job of getting away everyday. Whether it is fishing, hunting or boxing he gave himself an outlet from his daily writing. Google provides their engineers with "Innovation" days where they can take off from work and stimulate their mind in other areas. By allowing yourself time to get away, you give yourself a chance to grow and make connections with other things besides basketball. 
3. Quit While You’re Ahead: Hemingway would make a point to write only a little bit every day. Just like you can ramble when you are writing, you can do the same thing when you are interacting with players. Sometimes saying nothing says everything. As we have learned from Pat Summitt, sometimes you can say everything with a stare. Driving the same point home can get old quick. When someone else says it better than you, there is no need to repeat it.
4. Keep Your Mouth Shut: Thinking before you speak is a hard skill to master but it is one that is invaluable. Somehow as you get more authority in coaching you feel like you should have an answer for every situation. Sometimes it is better to just remain silent.
5. Don’t Give Up: You won't always do everything the right way. You are going to make mistakes. Don't allow obstacles to get in the way of your success. See every obstacle as a learning opportunity and grow from that. Every situation whether good or bad is a learning opportunity, but it is how you respond to that situation that matters most.
6. Work Standing Up: During season you work long hours. You have to be willing to get away from being hunched over a desk and go workout. Whether you do it in the morning, lunch break or after practice you have to find a way to release stress or you will drive yourself crazy. Hemingway would work standing up due to an injury sustained in WWI. He felt that he wrote better when he was fighting off fatigue. Instead of drinking that sixth cup of coffee, hit the treadmill.
7. Lastly, Hemingway said, “Never mistake motion for action”: Thus, the essence of our offense. What a great way to describe a motion offense. I'll leave it at that.