Heather Macy: Practice Planning Pyramid & Drills

with Heather Macy,
Georgia Southern Head Coach;
Nova Southeastern Head Coach from 2025 to 2026;
2026 Sunshine State Conference Tournament Champions;
Barry University Head Coach from 2023 to 2025;
2026 Sunshine State Conference Tournament Championship;
Greensboro Head Coach from 2020 to 2023;
2021 USA South Regular Season Champions;
2021 USA South Tournament Champions;
Spartanburg Methodist from 2019 to 2020;
2020 Region X Regular Season Champions;2020 Region X Tournament Champions;
2020 Region X Coach of the Year;
East Carolina University Head Women's Coach from 2010 to 2018;
2013 Conference USA Coach of the Year;
Three-straight 22+ win seasons;
Francis Marion Head Coach from 2007 to 2010;
2x Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Champions;
2x Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year;
Pfeiffer University Head Coach from 2005 to 2007;
2007 Conference Carolinas (CC) Coach of the Year;
was an assistant at High Point, Catabwa and UMBC;
played college basketball for Greenboro

Coach Macy was the first coach in East Carolina history to lead the program to 20 or more wins in three straight seasons (2013-15). In the 2012-13 season, Macy orchestrated a huge turnaround that saw East Carolina win 10 more games than the year prior, which led to her being named the C-USA Coach of the Year.

The growth of your team is dependent on what you get out of your players during every valuable minute you have on the practice floor.

Heather Macy shows you the keys to success that she has found while developing her players with intelligent practice planning. In addition to getting 11 practice drills that will improve various concepts in your offense and defense, you will also learn a collection of strategies for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of your practices.

Transition Game Drills

See how Coach Macy establishes the fundamentals of her transition game and builds them up through a three drill progression in her offensive implementation pyramid. The progression trains players to:

• Advance the ball under control and pass off for a layup
• Perform precise execution of the outlet
• Beat any type of full court pressure defense

Defense Drills

Using a pyramid of three defensive drills, Macy shows you the fundamentals she most heavily emphasizes in her half court pressure man-to-man defense.

• Improve your players' technique on closeouts and when pressuring a used dribble
• Train your players to better disrupt passing lanes and deny players cutting to the basket by closing their V-angle
• Get your players to slow down an attacking ball handler to limit early penetration in the open court

"Inter-State Offense" Drills

See how Coach Macy develops a key scoring option by playing through the high post. She gives you two breakdown drills that demonstrate how your perimeter players can play off passes to the high post with four different actions to choose from. These drills will also teach your team how to maintain spacing and how to communicate on screens by "talking with your feet." Your players will learn how to make the right reads to score, no matter how they are being guarded by their defender.

Mental Training Drills

Learn how to end practices in a way that will give your team a gut check while improving their basketball skills. These three full court drills demand focus and precise execution to meet timed goals.

Make sure you are leaving nothing on the practice floor with these great drills and planning ideas from Coach Heather Macy. Perfect for coaches and athletes of all levels!

Produced at the Spring 2015 Las Vegas (NV) clinic.

56 minutes. 2015.