As a trainer there are three things I always ask of the athlete:
As a coach I look at my practice plan in three ways:
As a father and employee I try and supply three things:
What are the three things:
ENERGY-EFFECTIVENESS-EFFICIENCY
ENERGY- As a coach I love bringing energy to the table. It's a must. I'm fiery, intense, on the verge of spaz sometimes, lol, but its the passion inside me. I can't contain it. I try and keep it moving in my practice plans. Maintain the player's focus. On the same note, I expect the kids I train, and my teams to match my energy. IT'S A MUST! As a technically oriented perfectionist, the best advice I can give anyone I'm working with is, 'Go Hard!'. I always tell others that most mistakes, flawed skills can be fixed but the mistake is being made not because of a lack of knowledge or ability but lack of desire or intensity.
For example a poor defensive stance can be taught but to be done right you have to DO IT, and that takes energy. Another example is I continually fight with young shooters to get more extension and higher release point on their shot. Well now that I have told you what I want- energy, energy, energy. That is the only way to accomplish it. Driving to the hole and layups, sure there is some technique but go hard and half the time you will get it on your own. Then we can teach where we need to but just do everything as hard as you can and I will have to correct less. When working on an athlete's 1st and 2nd step, or dribbling attack moves I can tell them what they are doing well and not doing so well to be more effective, usually its being to high, steps aren't big enough and, or dribble is not being extended beyond the defense. How to correct it, GO HARDER!
EFFECTIVENESS- Players, cover all areas of the game but also learn to specialize in the type of player you are, the position you play, and the offense your team runs. Do all ur drills as real as possible. Tighten up all your moves and learn to quicken your shot.
Coaches, build your shooting drills and such around what kind of offense you will run. If you run a high-post/UCLA cut in your offense, run it as a lay-up drill. If screens are set out on the perimeter for ball handlers, have the perimeter players practice shooting off of screens, splitting the D, finding the screener, cutting back on the cheating D. Screeners should practice rolling and finsihing, popping and shooting after setting screens. BE EFFECTIVE!
EFFECIENCY- NO WASTED TIME, NO WASTED MOVEMENT! From where you set without the ball, how you catch set up your shot, and shoot to how you cross between the legs and attack, make what you do concise, quick, as little movement as possible to accomplish the task. Dribble hard, low, & quick. Keep your shot high, straight in your delivery, as little movement as possible that isn't N-S.
As a coach, keep practice moving, as little standing around as possible. Make points clear and precise. Don't waste time doing things in practice that aren't working towards your goals. Finally I am so surprised how many coaches that coach elite AAU teams never refer to a practice plan. A practice plan is like the chief cornerstone to a succesfull practice. Practice plans help maintian focus. Things are already thought out freeing your mind to teach rather than making stuff up on the fly and being concerned with what is next. PRACTICE PLAN, simple as that.
Even when I do 1/1 with individuals I know what I'm doing before I walk in the gym. I don't wait till I get there to figure it out.
