By nate.landas - Last updated: Friday, May 3, 2013
University of Minnesota Head Women’s Swimming Coach, Kelly Kremer, provides you with proper breaststroke kicking techniques. The instruction and demonstration in this segment will help athletes swim the most efficient breaststroke as possible.
Get technical breakdown of the breaststroke kick in the clip above.
By nate.landas - Last updated: Friday, May 3, 2013
Kelly Kremer details the pull phase of the stroke, which will help you achieve a championship-caliber breaststroke. Demonstrating these drills for Coach Kremer are two NCAA Champions: Jillian Tyler (NCAA Champion 100M Breaststroke) and Haley Spencer (NCAA Champion 200M Breaststroke). Use these pulling exercises to swim a faster breaststroke in your next meet!
Getting the hands through the arm pull quickly is important. Also, focus on getting the swimmer to lunge forward on the pull with fast flat recovery of the hands into the glide position.
By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, May 1, 2013
In this week’s edition of All Access, we take a trip to Dallas, Texas for a behind-the-scenes glimpse at an SMU men’s basketball practice. Follow along as Hall of Fame basketball coach Larry Brown leads his team through the ‘Iverson Drill’ before moving into various sideline out-of-bounds plays.
The Iverson Drill
In this individual shooting/scoring drill, players will start along the wing and then, one at a time, sprint hard across the top of the key and just beyond a cone set up on the floor. At this point, players will use proper footwork to turn and face the passer (at the top of the key) and then receive the pass. From here, players will crossover or rip it across, make a strong move at the basket, and then finish with a layup. After working both sides of the floor with layups, players will eventually get into a series of pull-up jumpers.
Coaching Points: Players must make a strong crossover. Put the ball down quick and make two bounces only before exploding to the rim. Get the weight on your pivot foot.
Sideline Out of Bounds into Offensive Sets
In this next segment, players work on various sideline out of bounds plays that transition right into the team’s offensive sets.
The blue team has possession. Player 3 takes it out of bounds. Player 1 is on the nearside low block while player 5 is on the near elbow. Player 4 is on the farside elbow and player 2 is in the farside corner.
Watch as Coach Brown ensures that the players know their roles in the set (even taking one player aside to go over specifics). Meanwhile, this particular out of bounds play involves backdoors, post ups, and many other options. Once the offense takes control of the ball in the half-court set, the unit goes into a “Fist” set play directly from there.
As far as the defense, all five players are in a three-quarters denial mode and staying on their man tough. Once the offense gets possession and runs through a first play, the action going 5-on-5 from there (whether a miss or make).
By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, May 1, 2013
In this week’s team concepts feature, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich reveals one of his all-time favorite defensive drills. Extremely competitive and fast-paced, this particular team drill helps establish defense as the foundation of your squad. Coach Popovich will first walk through the drill and hit on key coaching points before letting the players go full speed for multiple reps.
4-on-4-on-4 – How it Works
This is a competitive defensive drill that helps establish defense as your core. According to Coach Popovich, it’s also a drill that tells you how minutes will be determined. In other words, if you can’t play defense, you’re not going to play as much.
This half-court drill is more basketball oriented than other defensive drills, which is a big reason why Coach Popovich uses it so often with his own team. At the end of the day, you win by playing defense.
Start the drill off by eliminating pick & rolls and post ups. Now this is real basketball. You can pass and go through or pass and screen away. You can dribble all you want. You score by making stops. The first team to 7 stops is the winner.
As soon as the ball goes through the net or the play is over, the next team is ready and waiting at half court. The reward for the defense making a stop? Staying on DEFENSE. Meanwhile, the previous offense moves off the court and a new team comes on and attacks. If you score, your reward is to go on defense. There are no points rewarded for scoring. You only accumulate points for stopping. If the defense doesn’t get possession, it’s not a stop.
Drill at Full Speed
On the heels of walking through the drill, the three teams of four are now ready to play at full speed. Since we are eliminating pick & rolls and post ups, it’s crucial that players are moving well out on the basketball floor.
Coaching Points: The new defense must pick up the new offense instantly during transitions. There’s simply no room for a slow response. If you are slow reacting, you’re going to get burned. Also, be careful not to shoot too quickly or put up bad shots. You can get into a hole real quick and have agitated teammates at the same time.
By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, May 1, 2013
In the latest edition of our Playbook Series, we’re highlighting a pair of sideline inbound plays that feature up to four different options for basketball teams. Whether you coach a middle school, high school, or college team, these easy-to-implement set plays will make a terrific addition to your playbook for the upcoming season.
Sideline Out of Bounds Play with Four Options
Submitted by Bill Agronin, Niagara University, Niagara, New York
The Set-up: Player 3 takes the ball out. Player 5 is on the opposite block while player 4 sets up on the near block. Meanwhile, players 1 and 2 start off in the middle of the paint with 1 closer to the rim.
Option 1 – Player 4 sets a screen for 5 across the lane before cutting up to the foulline. The inbounder hits 4 with the pass.
Option 2 – Player 3 passes to player 2 in the lane area after 2 sets a screen for 1 and 4 in the paint.
Option 3 – Player 3 passes to player 5 going to the corner off of 4’s original screen in the lane.
Option 4 – Player 3 passes to player 1 around the top of the key off of 1’s screen in the lane.
Multi-Option Side Out of the Bounds Play
Submitted by Keith Cooper, Saint Martin’s College, Lacey, WA
The Set-up: Player 3 takes the ball out. Players 5 and 4 are at the top of the key, with 5 on the ballside and 4 on the opposite side. Player 1 is on the nearside low block and 2 is on the opposite low block.
The Action: Player 5 sets a screen for 4, who uses the screen and breaks to the ball looking for the inbounds pass. Meanwhile, player 2 sets a screen for 1 in the lane. 1 uses the screen and cuts around the lane and to the opposite side wing. Player 4 quickly receives the pass from 3 and the reverses the ball to 1 on the wing.
Next, player 3 comes inbounds and makes a shuffle cut to the ballside short corner. 1 looks to hit 3 on the cut while 4 and 5 set staggered down screens for 2. Player 2 then uses the screens to cut up towards the top of the key and receives a pass from 1.
The Finish: If 3 wasn’t open, or if 2 doesn’t have a clear look, then players 4 and 5 set a double screen at the elbow and 3 breaks across the lane and comes off the double screen around the opposite side wing area. Player 2 passes to player 3 for a three-point shot.
Worry-Free Shopping