Ask a College Basketball Coach

[Casper05]

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Casper,

What kind of ball does your team use for practice? Games?

Why the hell is the NBA ball so hard?

[/ QUOTE ]We use Nike 2004 balls for our games/practices. Not all the schools in our conference use this ball, so we also have 2 of each of what they use to use before our games with them.

I've never touched an NBA ball [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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Really? When I played, our entire conference used the same ball and then the entire conference switched one year. Because of that, I always thought that it was a "conference wide" decision.

[/ QUOTE ]This would be nice, but our conference doesnt do this (or at least they dont enforce it)...I'm sure there are some that do.

[Casper05]

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Great thread. One thing I've always wondered about is this....

Warning: Some bragging in this post, but I'm trying to explain why I can't understand how people can't do what I can do so its kinda necessary.

I wrestled and played football in HS. Didn't get into basketball very late(probably about 16 years old), and I literally incorrectly shot the ball with 2 hands until I was 16 or so. Despite all of that, I picked up shooting really quickly for some reason. Now I'm not a great athlete in the run fast/jump high aspect, but I do have good coordination and balance and can usually pick up good form in sports fairly quickly.

Anyway, my question is what exactly is so hard about shooting for some people? Two years after learning to shoot, I made near 95% of 500 free throws during a free throw drive fund(I was 100% for my college career, but the sample size was small)....so to me, it really doesn't make sense to see a guy like Bruce Bowen, who is obviously a much better athlete than me, not be able to shoot free throws.

With big men, I would guess that the big hands and extreme height would hinder them. But what gives with the NBA level guards that just can't shoot? Is it lack of practice or is there some innate skill that is missing there? I have to think that the coaches are making sure they're shooting a ton during the offseason, yet I just don't see improvement.

[/ QUOTE ]Some if it, especially with big men as you mentioned, has to do with having larger hands. Some of it has to do with being taller thus having a more difficult angle. A lot of it though, in my opinion of course, is that most players how have bad shots have a habbit that either has never been noticed or that nobody has worried enough about to fix. I mean, these guys have always been the best on their respective teams, so HS and college coaches have ignored their smaller flaws to spend more time on other things. Little things like using the thumb of your off hand to help shoot the ball can make a huge difference...Every little piece that is incorrect about your shot makes it increasingly difficult to have a good shot each and every time.

[Casper05]

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I don't know if you will answer this, but has your team every made the big dance? And when was the last time they went dancing?

[/ QUOTE ]nope, hopefully this year! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Casper05]

I guess when I started I poked around on a lot of internet sites like the one you linked...I have a couple coaching books as well. I'd have to dig them up to tell you the actual ones. Most of it now is watching film and talking to other coaches. I would suggest recording a team you really like, or a team who plays great defense/offense and just going over it piece by piece. Diagram the set plays that you like and organize yourself a playbook...its never too early to start, and even if you never look back at it it would be cool to have and would give you some good experience.

Offensively, I think its important to play to your players strengths. If I had my choice of players I would run a strict motion where everybody is always moving, but with less freedom than some of the other motion offenses out there. I'm also a big X's and O's guy, so I would run a lot of set plays.

I would press most of the game if the skill level of my players and my team's depth allowed it.

I think the Flex offense is a good offense for a lot of high schools, but its basically useless in the college game. Defense is taught much better, and it is very easy to scout a team that runs flex.

Thanks for your questions- hopefully I'll be getting more in the upcoming months about what its like being in the tournament. I was on staff as an administrative assistant with a team that was in the tournament 2 years ago, but I wasnt a member of the coaching staff so it didnt mean as much to me as a tourney appearance would now.

[Casper05]

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What's more important: Raw talent, work ethic, or intelligence?

[/ QUOTE ]Talent by far

[Casper05]

Frustrating day at the "office"...

The worst part of college athletics (at least at small schools that dont have all the benefits of some of the "BCS" programs) is dealing with immature kids that refuse to do what is necessary to suceed in life. (i.e. academics)

[delaware99]

Casper,

I did not read the whole thread but good stuff from what i did read. I coach 9-10th CYO in Delaware, and it is a joy to make a difference in a few kids lives. To me one of the big thrills i get as a young coach is when we play as a team and make the other coaches do a double take to see my age and what i have my teams doing year after year.

Good Luck this year.

[KUJustin]

Any temptation to emulate what Grinnell is doing?

It seems to me that for a smaller school, having a "gimmick" like that could be an advantage both in recruiting and on-the-court.

[Casper05]

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Casper,

I did not read the whole thread but good stuff from what i did read. I coach 9-10th CYO in Delaware, and it is a joy to make a difference in a few kids lives. To me one of the big thrills i get as a young coach is when we play as a team and make the other coaches do a double take to see my age and what i have my teams doing year after year.

Good Luck this year.

[/ QUOTE ]Congrats on your success. I coached junior high girls for two years and varsity boys for 2 years before my current job and it is always enjoyable to see young people grow up in front of your eyes. Of course, its also fun when you see that your team is better coached than the opposition.

Good luck in the future, and feel free to PM me with any stories/questions/etc that you may have.

[Casper05]

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Any temptation to emulate what Grinnell is doing?

It seems to me that for a smaller school, having a "gimmick" like that could be an advantage both in recruiting and on-the-court.

[/ QUOTE ]No...the players that we try to recruit aren't scrubs or one dimensional players...we want guys (and our class this year is outstanding) that want to win games in the NCAA tournament.

If I every find myself as the HC at a Div 3 school then sure, I may give it a look.