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Archives by Tag 'Practice Planning'

Youth Lacrosse: Key Tips and Drills for a Productive Practice

By adam.warner - Last updated: Tuesday, January 24, 2012

No matter if you’re a brand new coach or a more experienced one, it’s always important to create a framework of how to run a lacrosse practice at the youth level (U11). With Lambert (GA) coach Jason Breyo leading the way, you’ll learn key drills, teaching points, and overall lacrosse tips when it comes to leading a youth lacrosse practice. From stick drills to shooting and to even dodging, see what it takes to run a productive practice and receive detailed instruction on each skill your players need to play the game.

Partner Passing

Consider starting out each practice with partner passing. Start out with the kids five yards apart from each other and eventually have them move to 10 yards. This is the age group when stick skills really begin to develop. Have the players work with the right and left hands and make sure they step and throw.

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Stick Drills

In this drill, players should form two lines, one at each end of the field. One at a time, players will run with the ball for a few yards before throwing it to their partner in the opposite line who is coming towards them. That player will catch the ball and then throw back to the next player in line. Players continue to throw back and forth and look to establish constant movement.

It’s key here to incorporate moving the feet and techniques on how to get open by using your feet. You want to always be moving. Also, be sure to talk and communicate out there with your teammates.

The drill starts with the right hand and then switches to the left hand. At this level, it’s certainly harder for the kids to go with the left hand, but it’s something that they must know how to do and it’s key to practice at a young age.

Ground Balls

While ground balls are important at every level of lacrosse, they’re particularly important at the youth level. This drill is quite similar to the previous one, except now players will go back and forth passing and scooping ground balls. Players should move fast and use any hand they’d like. Be sure to bend down and get under the ball. Emphasize bending the knees and getting down to the ground, getting the back hand of the stick down, and really getting down low. This becomes especially important late in games and when players get tired.

Dodging

Dodging is a technique for players to get around defenders. Start your dodging drills with a face dodge. This technique is done emphasizing the stick and the feet. Bring your stick across your face, tuck the stick, move your feet, and then move past the defender.

Next, move into a split dodge. This is when you move from right to left or left to right with your hands. It really puts defenders off balance and opens up passing and shooting lanes on the offensive end. Remember, the feet here are really important. Explode out of the dodge and run through. Once you explode past the defender, pass to the next player in line. Also, consider getting a coach in the middle to simulate a defender. Get players to call for the ball. Meanwhile, have the players practice their split dodges going both ways.

Shooting

In our first shooting drill, we’re looking to simulate players appropriately cutting across the crease and getting shots on the run. So instead of having kids run up in a straight line, you should have the kids start in the attack position and have them pass up to the opposite midfielder. After this, we will then flip it around and have the midfielders pass up to the attackmen near the crease.

Players should catch the ball and shoot immediately. Start by going across with your right hand and always be moving toward the player you are passing to. Also, make sure you encourage shots that bounce on the ground. These shots are much harder for goalies to save as they are unpredictable and tough to pick up. Teach kids to shoot high and low, but also encourage shots on the ground.

**Key Practice Tip: Really consider leaving your goalie out of these warm-up drills at the beginning of practice. He/she should be on the other end getting warmed up. You don’t want them to be in there getting cranked on and have them lose their confidence, especially at this age. Keep them safe and ensure they still want to play the position.

Next, switch up the drill with midfielders passing up to attackers. Keep up the communication, make sharp cuts, and always be moving.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD ”How to Run a Youth Lacrosse Practice” with Jason Breyo. To check out more videos focusing on youth lacrosse drills and practice organization, visit our video library.

Filed in Lacrosse • Tags: Inside the Crease, Passing, Practice Organization, Practice Planning, Shooting Drills, Stick Drills, Youth Lacrosse

Hubie Brown: Secrets to Beating the Zone

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Legendary basketball coach Hubie Brown is a master tactician – particularly when it comes to zone defense. With Brown as your guide, learn effective offensive strategies to beat tough zone defenses, no matter if it’s a 2-3, 3-2, or 1-3-1 look. These are some of the same offensive tips and schemes that Brown implemented with his teams during his Hall of Fame career, including most recently as the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies from 2002-05.

A Quick Play to Beat Zone Defenses

This play is designed to beat most zone defenses, especially 2-3, 3-2, and 1-3-1 schemes. If implemented successfully, opponents should be getting out of a zone defense alignment in a heartbeat.

The Set-Up: 4 and 5 start out at the top of the key but spread out and just inside the 3-point line (elbow extended). 1 has the ball at the top of the key, while 2 and 3 are on opposite wings.

Keys to Remember

*When you leave an area, replace

*You must have a short pass and a long pass to make the offense work

*You must be able to reverse the ball

The Action: The point guard passes the ball to the big guy on the left (though he can pass to any of the two big guys if he desires). When running the big men in the transition game, Brown likes to run them to the middle of the paint. When it comes to zone stuff, he prefers to run guys to the same exact spot every time.

After the ball is passed to one of the two big guys, we run an X. The opposite big guy cuts toward the paint immediately and looks for the immediate pass in stride down low. If he doesn’t get it, he goes to the low block and the PG replaces his spot up top.

The ball then gets skipped to the player in the corner. The passer then makes an X-cut down the lane and looks for the pass. The big guy on the low block will now cut up the lane and the opposite wing player should fill the spot up top.

The player with the ball in the corner now has a short and long pass available. The skip pass goes back up to the top player on the opposite side.

Options with the Zone Offense

If it’s a two-man front (i.e. 2-3 defense), you should step right up into the two guys. This will give you two more options. If it’s a 3-2 zone, always step into between the point and the wing.

Meanwhile, any time against the zone where you throw the ball into the post, (don’t forget: post players should be set up on the first lane line, don’t be on the block), leave an area and replace. The player now has options with the skip across for the 3, a cutting player down the opposite side of the lane, and more. If you screen the zone up top, the opposite player then cuts diagonal to the box and opposite wing guy drifts to the corner.

*Now watch as the squad runs through the drill at full speed run with all of the different options.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Hubie Brown’s Secrets of Winning Basketball – Volume I.” To check out more Hubie Brown videos, including Volume II of Secrets of Winning Basketball, head over to our basketball library.

Filed in Basketball • Tags: BasketballCoach eNewsletter, Hubie Brown, Practice Planning, Program Development, Zone Defense, Zone Offense

New Basketball Resources Essential for Coaches!

By nate.landas - Last updated: Wednesday, November 9, 2011

We have just released four Basketball resources that are essential for coaches. These four new items can be found at the following links:

Basketball Crowd Noise Simulator for PC
Basketball Crowd Noise Simulator for Mac

The Software uses 21 high quality sounds that include:

Home Team Sounds – Sounds for when the home team makes a shot, misses a shot, is at the Free-throw line, steals the ball, blocks the ball or has a big play.
Away Team Sounds – Sounds for when the awayteam makes a shot, misses a shot, is at the Free-throw line, steals the ball, blocks the ball or has a big play.
Miscellaneous Sounds – Crowd Noise during a time out huddle, chanting “Airball”, chanting “Defense – Defense”, chanting a “5-4-3-2-1 countdown” and Clock Buzzer.

CoachDeck – Basketball

CoachDeck cards were created to assist the millions of hard-working youth sports volunteers and parents who would like to help players learn important skills and fundamentals though fun drills and games. The time commitment involved in coaching is enormous, and sometimes it is not possible to thoroughly prepare for each practice. Designed by professional coaches, the drills can be performed by players from ages 6-16 and are laid out in a fast, easy-to-understand format that allows you to conduct an extremely effective practice with little or no preparation.

The basketball deck features drills in four areas:

Defense
Passing
Shooting
Ball Handling

Playmaker Basketball Marker Board

Show a play … wipe it away! Playmaker has full basketball court permanently screened on a white erasable surface. Includes erasable pen which attaches firmly to the clip head with Velcro fasteners. 9″ x 15″

Mark V Basketball Score Book

Men’s and women’s basketball scorebook, for 30 games, score to 136. Wirebound, hardback. Full size, 8-1/2 inches by 11 inches. Separate spaces for field goals and free throws. Instant scoring for individual and team fouls. Index page for handy reference. Room for 15 player roster. Additional space for player technical fouls and for up to 10 team fouls each half.

Filed in Basketball • Tags: Coaching, Crowd, Practice Planning, Resources

6 Techniques and Drills for Developing an Elite Shooter

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Pick up some new shooting tips, techniques and drills from legendary basketball coach Don Meyer. The former Northern State University head coach produced more than 900 wins during his illustrious coaching career. In this week’s skill development feature, learn about form shooting, proper footwork, shooting progressions, and a variety of shooting drills that Coach Meyer has used over the course of his Hall of Fame career.

Wrist Extensions

Start out by making wrinkles with your wrists. Put both hands on the floor. Pretend you are carrying a waiter’s tray. Hold that position for 10 seconds. The more you can lay your wrists back, the better your range and touch will be. Now point your wrists toward you on the floor (backwards). Hold for another 10 count.

Follow Through

Next, lay on your back without a basketball. Get your elbow next to you on the floor and then make a shooting motion. Be sure to get that elbow down and in tight. Then get your hands up and hold your follow through. Make your hand relaxed and form a “V” with your fingers.

Shooting Progression

This is a “lay on your back” shooting drill. Get your elbows on the floor and next to your body. Shoot the ball up in the air. Pop it up and then catch it. Try to get the ball 10 feet up in the air if you can. Hold your follow through. Now retrace backwards and lay the elbow back down on the floor. First try this with a partner who can catch the ball for you, then do it on your own.

Note: This was a drill that Hall of Famer Jerry West performed frequently throughout his career.

Shooting in Place

Now shoot the ball in place. Every shooter has a shooting pocket or launching pad. How quickly you can get into your shooting pocket is very important. Many players dip the ball (sometimes to their kneecaps) and will have a hard time getting off good shots against quality players. They will often strip the ball or pressure it. Therefore, it’s important to the get the ball into your shooting pocket as soon as possible when taking a shot.

Shooting Drills

Each player should have a ball. At the same basket, each player will shoot it. The goal here is to get the ball as high as we can. Don’t shoot at the rim. Instead, look to hit the top of the glass or side of the glass. Bend your knees and sit into your game.

Get the ball up. Now shoot a bank shot and look to hit the top near corner of the basket. Get the ball in your pocket right away and don’t dip it. We’re looking to swish every shot. We don’t want to be short on a bank shot. The angle we want to bank at should be between the box and the first hash.

Tip: Always hold your follow through. According to Coach Meyer, if you do anything at all when it comes to shooting, make sure you hold the follow through. Remember, you can make a million shots in practice, but you need technique to make them in a game.

Footwork

To be a quality scorer, you must get your feet ahead of your hands. It all comes down to footwork. That’s a perfect example of why NBA champion Richard Hamilton is so good. He’s got tremendous footwork. Some players can shoot, but they can’t score. For this exercise, the goal is to make 2-3 shots in a row from close range and then keep moving back once you hit them.

Tip: There’s a shooting hand and a balance hand. We don’t want the balance hand to interfere with a shot (AKA “Balance Hand Drag”).

Meanwhile, you must be mentally tough to be a scorer. If you miss 5-6 shots in a row, you have to believe that you’re going to score on the next attempt.

Target: Shoot for the back half of the basket. You’ve got nine inches to work with. When shooting from the top of the circle, you’ve got one degree in either direction to make it. That’s why it’s so important that we keep the ball straight. Keep it straight and to the back half of the basket.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Don Meyer: Secrets to Building a Championship Basketball Program.” To check out more videos in the Don Meyer collection, click here.

Filed in Basketball • Tags: BasketballCoach eNewsletter, Don Meyer, Practice Planning, Shooting Drills

Winning with Undersized Teams: Characteristics and Misperceptions

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Butler head coach Brad Stevens has created a name for himself by maximizing the abilities of his players. Although not always equipped with multiple seven-footers or a handful of First-Team All-Americans, Stevens has proven year after year that basketball teams don’t necessarily need the tallest and most athletic players to win.

In this week’s team development feature, learn about some common characteristics and misperceptions when it comes to winning with an undersized basketball team. Coach Stevens clearly details his winning philosophy and gives fellow coaches a blueprint for success even if they don’t have a roster filled with the tallest players in the league.

Common Characteristics of Undersized Teams that Win

Coach Stevens has learned over time that his best teams — regardless of size — share certain characteristics. Most importantly, all players need to be ALL IN. For instance, those players would run through a wall for the good of Butler University. It’s not about them. Rather, these players would sacrifice for the team in game situations and make the team better as a whole.

For the majority of Stevens’ teams, if they were undersized, they were undersized at the 2, and either the 4 or 5 positions. Often, Butler would run out there with two point guards, two 3′s and a 5. And although they were undersized, they had tough-minded guys in those spots. These players took it as a challenge and carried that mindset.

These teams also had the ability to playmake from a number of spots. Although playing untraditional basketball, the team’s 4 players could put it on the floor and make plays for other people. That’s very important to be able to do. These are the kind of players that Stevens looks for in that spot – and it’s made his teams better over time.

Also, it’s about defensive versatility and your turnover margin. Before 2009, most of Butler’s teams were in the national top 10 for turnovers in Stevens’ eight years at the helm. However, most of the NCAA teams they played against out-rebounded them. Therefore, when undersized, it’s mostly about trying to be even when it comes to rebounding, but also turning it over less than your opponent, and getting good shots.

There were times when from a physical stature that Butler couldn’t beat people to the ball or get to the rim faster. Plus, as the team got into the tourney and played squads like Florida, those teams would likely win the physical battle most of the time. Therefore, undersized teams must figure out a way to counter that so they have a chance to beat them.

Misperceptions of Undersized Teams

First, a common misperception is that undersized teams don’t recruit for size. In actuality, teams like Butler would love to have that 7-foot pro. But the bottom line is that those guys aren’t in school (college) very long. Plus, everyone else is looking for those guys as well. However, when it comes to recruiting, it’s also about getting guys that will sacrifice inches and make up the difference in speed and skill. These are guys that move well and have an unbelievable skillset.

Another misperception is that undersized teams don’t utilize the post. But at Butler, the goal is to spread the floor and run ball screens. The team wants at least one player at the rim every time. That person could very well be our 1 posting, or even the 3. For instance about five years ago in the Sweet 16, Butler ran post actions for its 1 and 3 players.

Finally, a third misperception is that size dominates the league. However, big men now have to face a flurry of adjustments, like extremely quick guards, containment on ball screens, etc. In Stevens’ first seven years at Butler, there was only one player over 6-8 that made the First Team All-League squad.

Also, Butler didn’t make that jump from NIT team to Sweet 16 team until the squad fully understood that undersized did not mean undermanned. That starts with players and belief. With Butler’s guys, they could sell the fact that they had an advantage.

The previous clips can be found on Championship Productions’ DVD “Brad Stevens: Winning with Undersized Teams.” To check out more exclusive videos focusing on overall team strategy and concepts, click here.