Idaho Basketball Coaching Podcast: Recent Episodes
Idaho Basketball Coaching Podcast
Interviews about coaching high school basketball in the Gem State. If you are a high school basketball coach and would like to talk hoops, send a DM on Twitter or email at Idahobasketballcoachingpodcast@gmail.com.
We are fortunate to have Brian McCormick on this episode. McCormick name is probably familiar to you. He has coached players at all levels all over the world for several decades, and his impact on the game is remarkable.
McCormick, who has a PhD in Exercise and Sports Science from the University of Utah, released his 27th book for basketball coaches in March. NADA is his first book to focus on defense.
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SHOW NOTES
1:55 - The evolution of NADA
5:45 - 3 differentiators between NADA & traditional systems
20:40 - No Advantage vs. Defensive Advantage
30:10 - Antiquated Defensive Principles
41:40 - When incorrect decisions are the preferred decisions
45:20 - Using NADA in your program
51:10 - 1v1's Role in Improving Defense
56:50 - Offseason focuses
We are fortunate to have Chris Cheng on this episode to talk about 5-Out Trigger Offense.
Cheng is the head men’s coach at the University of Windsor in Ontario. He also happens to be the head coach of Canada’s U17 National team which will be competing at the World Championships later this summer.
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SHOW NOTES
2:10 - Pathway to a 5-Out Offense
4:30 - Evolution in Offense
5:50 - Offensive DNA
7:55 - Drill to teach pace
8:30 - Drill to game transfer
11:15 - Relocation for proper spacing
13:25 - Second Attacks: NBA
15:50 - Coverage solutions for triggers
18:55 - Off-ball players responsibilities
20:25 - Who decides triggers?
22:25 - Pre-Trigger actions
24:20 - Where players struggle
27:55 - Preparing Canada’s U17 team
29:25 - Establishing roles on a national team
30:25 - The growth of basketball in Canada
32:15 - Talent level in Canada’s college game
34:10 - Coaching growth area
We are fortunate to have Jason Hardy back on the podcast. The pride of Valley High School joined us last April to discuss how to use data to game plan and program build.
Hardy was the manager for the Idaho men’s program while going to school in Moscow. Most recently, he was a grad assistant for the Toledo women’s team.
Hardy is also a player development coach for CoachSessions.
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Topic Breakdown
1:40 - Defining Early Offense
2:35 - Early offense and offensive efficiency
5:15 - Keys to playing fast
6:25 - Principles of early offense
9:55 - Shot selection in early offense
13:30 - Playing out of advantage
15:35 - Benefits of teaching advantage
16:40 - Numbers behind early offense
19:55 - Early offense drills
23:30 - Teaching decision making
24:25 - Tulsa’s transition offense
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We are fortunate to have Liam Jefferson on this episode.
Jefferson is a head coach with the London Lions boys academy. Prior to that he spent 12 years as an assistant and head coach at Loughborough University.
Jefferson also was an assistant coach on Great Britain’s U20 staff last summer.
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
1:40 - The state of basketball in Great Britain
3:40 - Reasons for taking the London Lions job
5:55 - The purpose of the youth academy
7:50 - Roster rules for BBL teams
9:30 - Takeaways from using the CLA in development
12:50 - How the coaches are working together
14:50 - Areas that have been harder to implement
18:35 - A typical week for players
21:05 - Comparisons with England’s soccer academies
22:00 - Practice planning and implementation
26:10 - Individual development plans
29:50 - Connection between academy & the top team
32:05 - Categorizing player’s roles
35:05 - Using the CLA to teach players (PnR)
39:50 - Purposeful feedback in practice
42:15 - The bridge between practice & games
44:40 - Using film to guide development
48:35 - Personal development as a coach
We are fortunate to have Drew Dunlop on this episode.
Dunlop is a co-founder of The Pro Lane, a development facility in Wisconsin that works with players at all levels.
Dunlop has coached around the world and is recognized for his modern approach to training.
At The Pro Lane, he helps designs training environments that allows players to explore solutions that transfer to the game.
https://twitter.com/CoachDrewD
https://twitter.com/TheProLane
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
1:30 - Path from player to development coach
3:35 - Confidence as a coach to try something different
5:40 - Identifying that this coaching method works
6:50 - The process of making a learning environment
9:00 - The importance of whiteboards during training
10:35 - Using questions to guide learning
12:30 - How technology factors into development
15:00 - Emphasizing modern game skills
16:50 - Teaching players adaptability in finishing
18:45 - When in doubt, add a defender
19:55 - Teaching off-ball screening
21:25 - Methods for teaching players
22:35 - Teaching players about off-ball cutting
24:00 - The role of defense in the training
25:40 - Incorporating rebounding in development
27:25 - Including common triggers and actions
28:50 - Teaching spacing in development sessions
29:25 - The amount of off-court time as development coach
30:20 - From idea to implementation
31:40 - Teams, players to watch
32:40 - Growing as a coach & business
35:05 - Creating a focus for a development session
We are fortunate to have Nathan Williams on this episode. Williams is the head coach at Bonners Ferry High School. He helped guide the Badgers to their first state title in boys basketball last month.
Prior to that, Williams has coached at a variety of levels, including seven years as the head coach in Stanfield, Ore. Williams was also a standout basketball player in high school and was member of the Whitworth team that played for an NAIA championship in 1996.
1:35 - First State Title for Boys Basketball
2:40 - Characteristics of the 2023-24 team
7:20 - The role of older siblings & toughness
9:10 - Approach after finishing second the previous year
11:30 - Preparing a team for what they might see at state
15:30 - Coaching influences growing up
18:25 - Changes as a head coach from previous stops
21:20 - Teaching aspects of the game
23:40 - Culture building at Bonners Ferry
29:10 - Lessons from playing higher level teams
30:25 - Developing lateral quickness
32:00 - Preferred offensive attack
33:55 - Creating confusion for the defense
35:30 - Advantage situations in the post
37:00 - Preferred defensive approach
40:25 - Lessons learned from coach sons
42:15 - Having a son who is a college prospect
44:50 - Looking ahead to next season
We are fortunate to have Andy Harrington on this episode. Coach Harrington is the head boys coach at Owyhee High School in Meridian. The Storm just concluded a dominate season and are now celebrating their second 5A state title in the last three years.
This marks Coach Harrington’s third state title as a coach. And, of course, we have to mention that he is an OG when it comes to the podcast, having appeared on Episode 7 of the podcast.
- 2:15 - This year’s state title run
- 4:00 - The importance of offense
- 5:40 - Vision of the Owyhee administration
- 8:15 - Influential people & resources
- 10:25 - Getting ahead of player issues
- 12:20 - Determining roles & playing time
- 14:25 - Giving assistant coaches subbing duties
- 16:15 - Other assistant coach responsibilities
- 21:10 - Fundamental work in practice
- 22:20 - Building offensive responsibilities
- 24:00 - Favorite offensive actions
- 24:50 - Defensive priorities for players
- 28:25 - Teaching rebounding
- 29:20 - Cutting back on film
- 32:40 - Liam Campbell attributes
- 35:20 - Prepping for next season
- 37:05 - Storm troopers
- 38:45 - Organizing a big tournament
- 41:10 - Motivations as a coach
- 43:00 - Growth areas since 2020
- 44:10 - The importance of having a vision
We are fortunate to have Tyrel Derrick on this episode. Derrick is the head girls coach at Lakeland High School in Rathdrum.
In his second year, Derrick guided the Hawks to the 4A state tournament where they lost to Pocatello in the third place game. Prior to coaching girls, Derrick was an assistant for the Lakeland boys team.
Derrick was a very talented guard at Lakeland in high school who surpassed 1,000 points in his career and went on to play at Wheaton College.
We are fortunate to have Jon Yu on this episode.
Yu is passionate about teaching the game through a Constraints-Led Approach. Much of this episode focuses on Yu's use of the CLA, especially when it comes to shooting.
Yu is from British Columbia, Canada who is coaching this year in Vietnam for the Saigon Heat and as a player development coach for The Performance Lab. Prior to moving to Vietnam, Yu was held the same role for College Prep Italy under friend of the pod, Alex Sarama.Yu also has coached high school and AAU basketball in Canada.
Alex Sarama from Transforming Basketball joins the podcast again for a Thanksgiving discussion.
Sarama discusses his roles with the London Lions, Portland Trail Blazers, and Rip City Remix. He also reflects back on lessons learned while leading College Prep in Italy. Finally, he shares information on his new venture, Transforming Basketball.
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We are fortunate to have Phillip O’Callaghan on this episode.
O'Callaghan is a tennis coach and secondary PE teacher in Cork, Ireland. He has a popular twitter account and Substack newsletter dealing with skill acquisition.
NOTE: There are a couple of minor technical issues involving the audio.
EPISODE TOPICS
- 1:20 - O’Callaghan’s interest in skill acquisition
- 3:25 - How frustration led to a better way to train
- 5:00 - Skill acquisitions impact on other aspects of coaching
- 6:16 - Defining some skill acquisition terminology - Ecological Dynamics, Non-Linear Pedagogy, Constraints-Led Approach
- 8:15 - More terminology - Affordances & Scaling
- 11:30 - Individual development vs. Team development
- 12:30 - How to use CLA when introducing athletes to a sport
- 14:50 - Why should you use a defender to train an athlete a new skill
- 16:45 - The principle of representative learning design
- 18:30 - Using CLA with advanced athletes
- 20:25 - The role of decision-making in practice planning
- 22:15 - The role of the coach in using CLA in development
- 24:05 - Evolving as a coach using a CLA approach
- 25:20 - Thinking of constraints as opportunities
- 27:30 - Giving players freedom to play
- 28:30 - What coaches can expect from players using a CLA approach
- 31:45 - Can there be some wrong ways to use the CLA
- 32:45 - Untraditional ways to success are OK
- 34:00 - Using the Practice Activity Continuum
- 36:20 - The process of planning a practice
- 38:50 - Why players enjoy learning in a CLA environment
- 42:00 - Why you shouldn’t jump head first into CLA
We are fortunate to have Nicole Symons on this episode of the podcast.
Symons is the head girls coach at Coeur d’Alene High School. She led the Vikings to a 24-2 record and the 5A state title in Idaho this past season. It was the first state title for Coeur d’Alene since 2014.
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
2:20 - Approach to turning a program around
4:25 - Timeline for competing for a state title
6:55 - Selling players on the hard work
10:50 - Bring swagger and confidence into a program
15:00 - How do you make practices harder than games
18:10 - Building a relationship with players so they work hard
20:25 - Helping players become the right type of leaders
24:45 - Keys to coaching your child
28:25 - Having two parents as basketball coaches
30:20 - Deciding to come back after your child has graduated
32:45 - What’s the role of the high school team for high-level recruits
36:00 - Determining team concepts with a D-1 recruit
40:30 - Dealing with expectations after a state title
43:50 - Advice to yourself: Dealing with Parents
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We are fortunate to have Kurt Guelsdorf on this episode of the podcast.
If you are like me, you’ve probably used one of Coach G’s resources, especially if you run any Dribble Drive action.
Guelsdorf was a very successful high school coach in Oregon. He is now the associate head coach at Clackamas Community College.
In this episode, we talk some Dribble Drive but also hit on a number of topics of interest for coaches young and old.
Episode Topics
1:30 - The impact of asking why as a coach
3:30 - Experience leads to simplification
4:00 - Willingness to share concepts & ideas with others
7:45 - The role of reading in success
9:15 - Advice to first-year head coaches
11:10 - Thoughts on choosing a system as a head coach
14:50 - Deciding when it might be time to move on from a program
18:40 - Environment vs. Culture and its importance in success
23:55 - Planning for the upcoming season in late summer
27:30 - Filtering what you’ve learned into a workable format for the season
31:30 - What is that intrigues you about the dribble drive?
33:40 - The evolvement of spacing concepts in the dribble drive
36:25 - Defenses that can disrupt a dribble drive offenses
39:00 - Melding different systems with the dribble drive
42:55 - Thoughts on implementing press defenses
47:42 - Shot-clock considerations: 2v1s, end of shot clock considerations
51:15 - Incorporating special situations into practice
The Idaho Basketball Coaching Podcast now has a newsletter.
The newsletter has a bunch of great resources including drills and concepts that I use with my program. It also includes write-ups to help you become a better coach.
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We are fortunate to have Christian Narciso on this episode.
Narciso is professional basketball coach from Italy who has had the opportunity to coach at different levels across Europe.
Most recently, Narciso was a head coach in Malta where his team enjoyed a successful season, including claiming the Louis Borg Cup.
The Idaho Basketball Coaching Podcast is now on Substack. Subscribe today at CoachingIdaho.substack.com/
We are fortunate to be visiting David Arseneault Jr. for today’s episode.
Coach Dave is the head men’s basketball coach at Grinnell College in Iowa where he was a standout player for his father.
Grinnell, of course, is know for its System — a fast-paced style that employs trapping all over the court and quick shooting.
Before taking over at Grinnell, Arseneault was the head coach or the Reno Bighorns for two years, including a season where they set a D-League record for offensive efficiency.
We are fortunate to have Carly Clarke on today’s episode. Clarke is the head coach at Toronto Metropolitan University. She lead TMU to an undefeated season and national title in 2022.
Clarke is also a coach with Canada Basketball. She’s an assistant for the senior women’s national team, and this summer she will coach Canada at the FIBA U19 World Cup.
In this podcast, we talk about the rise of the women's game, developing a process as a coach, providing and receiving feedback, and the role of a mental performance coach.
Be sure to check out the Idaho Basketball Coaching Podcast Newsletter. https://coachingidaho.substack.com
We are fortunate to have Jason Hardy on this episode. Hardy was a standout at Valley High School before attending the University of Idaho. There, he was a manager for the mens team for three years.
Hardy’s life changed drastically this winter when he did an internship with the University of Toledo’s woman’s basketball team. The Rockets upset fifth-seeded Iowa State in the NCAA tournament before losing to Tennessee in the second round. Hardy recently announced he will be a graduate assistant at Toledo next season.
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Note: There were some audio issues in this podcast.
We are fortunate to have Shawn Freeman on this episode of the Idaho Basketball Coaching Podcast. Freeman is the head boys coach at Sugar-Salem High School.
The Diggers beat Bonners Ferry to win the Boys 3A State Title last month. It’s Sugar-Salem’s fourth state title since 2017, and Freeman’s been at the helm for all of them.
The Idaho Basketball Coaching Podcast now has a weekly newsletter. Sign up at CoachingIdaho.substack.com.
We are fortunate to have Nate Sanderson on this episode. Sanderson is a highly successful girls basketball coach in the state of Iowa.
You probably know Sanderson from the Coaching Culture Podcast and his work at the Thrive On Challenge. It is through these platforms where Sanderson has helped coaches around the world create strong cultures within their programs.
In this episode, we discuss the end-of-season assessments, mentoring assistant coaches, and staying confident as a head coach.
Did you know ... the Idaho Basketball Coaching Podcast now has a newsletter. Check it out at https://coachingidaho.substack.com.
We are fortunate to have Adam Hiatt on this episode of the podcast. Hiatt is the head men’s coach at Montana Tech in Butte. The Ore Diggers just finished the season 29-5 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Tournament.
Hiatt’s Idaho ties run deep. He was a standout player at Bonners Ferry High School, and then spent 2 years at Ricks College — when it was Ricks College. He also got his college coaching start at the University of Idaho under George Pfeifer and was the head coach at Westminster College in Salt Lake City.
We are fortunate to have Kareem Kalil on this episode.
Kalil is a high school coach in Denver, where he had the opportunity to coach both the girls and boys teams at DSST: Byers. The girls team won its conference, qualifying for the state tournament for the first time in the school’s history.
Kalil also spent 3 months coaching at College Prep Academy in Italy, and will be heading back next week to finish the season. In this episode, Kalil talks about differences between coaching in the United States and Europe and ways to incorporate authentic learning into your program.
We are fortunate to have Jim Winger on this episode of the podcast.
Winger is the long-time boys head coach at Lake City High School in Coeur d’Alene. Winger started as the head coach at Coeur d’Alene High in 1992 and then moved to Lake City when it opened in 1994.
He stepped away from coaching for 5 years, but returned in 2008. At the time of this interview in early January, his team was the top-ranked 5A team in Idaho and in the top 40 rankings of teams nationally.
We are fortunate to have Francesco Nanni on this episode of the podcast.
Nanni is an Italian professional coach, who has more than 10 years of experience at various levels in Italy. He has established a big social media following from his clips of game breakdowns and drills.
Nanni recently released a serious of videos through Basketball Immersion that provide coaches with hours of drills for developing 1-on-1 skills for players at all levels.
We are fortunate to have Basketball Development Coach Steve Dagostino on this episode.
Coach Dags has helped develop players of all ages and all levels since 2008. He and his staff typically train more than 1,000 players per year.
Coach Dags is a Court Coach for USA Basketball’s junior national team, and runs NBA Pre Draft workouts. Besides working with NBA players, he also coaches his daughter's youth team.
We are fortunate to not just have one coach on this episode, but three coaches with us today. The common thread among today’s guests? We all spent some time coaching basketball in Idaho this summer.
Well, 3 of the coaches are actually from Idaho. The fourth coach, Alex Sarama, is from England and spent a week last June in the Gem State conducting clinics on implementing his BDT Offense with Lake City, Skyline, and Sandpoint girls basketball teams.
Since that time, I’ve spent a lot of time discussing the game with Skyline’s Ty Keck and Lake City’s James Anderson. My conclusion: You won’t find two more knowledgeable basketball coaches in the state — especially when it comes to Sarama's BDT offense.
The podcast is a discussion about our experiences coaching the BDT offense since Sarama's visit. If you are considering adopting the BDT offense, this the podcast episode for you.
We are fortunate to have George Couros on today’s podcast. Originally an educator in Canada, George is an Innovative Teaching, Learning and Leadership consultant based in Florida.
I had the opportunity to participate in a workshop led by Couros last month at my school, and I’m currently reading his book The Innovator’s Mindset. I’ve really enjoyed applying his message and approaches for encouraging an innovator's mindset in my classroom … and also in my basketball coaching.
Couros is also a basketball junkie. He played the game growing up and also has experience as a coach and referee. He's a proud season-ticket holder to the Orlando Magic.
We are fortunate to have Nate Colvill on this episode. Colvill is the new head women’s coach at North Idaho College.
He comes to Coeur d’Alene with an extensive basketball background, having played at the University of Montana in the 90s. He has coached at both the high school and college level, including a stint as an assistant for the Lady Griz where he coached my current assistant coach Madi “Madison” Schoening.
Colvill is an expert in post development and recently held a post camp in Coeur d'Alene. He also has a daughter who is 6'7 and is being recruited nationally.
We are fortunate to have Nabil Murad on this podcast. Coach Murad is from Ireland, and we conducted the interview at a hotel in Dublin. (Apologizes for any disruptive background noise.)
Murad has coached basketball around the world, including the United States and UK. He is currently coaching in Austria, where among other things, he is the U16 Men’s National Team head coach.
Among other things on this episode, Murad discusses Individual Development Plans and encouraging players to be strong communicators and leaders.
We are fortunate to have J.P. Nerbun on this episode.
Nerbun, who played basketball at the University of South Carolina, just released his second book called The Culture System. The book gives readers a glimpse at the secrets of successful team cultures.
Nerbun consults with athletes, coaches and parents at every level across the world helping with culture building through TOC Culture Consulting.
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
1:10 — What is culture in regard to sports team and programs?
2:25 — What part of the Culture System is most overlooked?
5:40 — Creating an authentic leadership philosophy
8:45 — Self-assessment methods to look at ourselves and program
13:20 — How to document and share your Culture System
16:30 — How to introduce change to a current standard
18:30 — What’s an appropriate number of standards?
20:35 — What are landmarks for coaches to make sure things are working?
22:50 — Addressing the challenging part of coaching
26:30 — Does having a Culture System impact performance?
28:10 — Is a Culture System different for a team trying to go from good to great vs. a team going from bad to good?
32:10 — What was your “Why” for writing this new book?
We are fortunate to have Marshall Cho on this episode.
Cho is the head boys coach at Lake Oswego High School in Oregon. Cho is also apart of USA basketball. He has worked the Nike Youth Summit since 2012, and most recently was at the Junior National Team Minicamp in April.
Previous to working at Lake Oswego, Cho has coached in New York City, Mozambique, and DeMatha Catholic High School in Maryland.
We are fortunate to have Chris Oliver on today’s podcast. I believe it is safe to call him The Hoops Podfather or The Basketball Coaches' Coach.
Odds are you’ve learned from Coach Oliver whether it’s on The Basketball Podcast or from one of the many resources from Basketball Immersion. In this episode, Oliver shares his thoughts on how coaches should approach practice.
EPISODE BREAKDOWN
0:55 - Who should practices be for?
2:22 - Practices as dance recitals
4:27 - Do practices have too much “busy work?”
6:42 - Is the statement “I know you don’t like this, but …” acceptable for a coach during a practice?
10:15 - Normalizing the hard or less exciting parts of practice
11:25 - How does challenging players fall into athlete enjoyment?
14:10 - Tips for how to change your practices
18:12 - The benefits of two-way teaching
20:19 - Accepting and explaining the messiness of practice
24:00 - The role of practice in team cohesion
25:00 - Assessment methods for determine the effectiveness of a practice
26:47 - What has the Basketball Immersion journey meant to you?
29:00 - What does Basketball Immersion offer coaches?
32:48 - Servant leadership growing basketball
I’m fortunate to have Anthony Pugh on this podcast. Pugh is a Player Development Coach based in Ohio, who works with players of all ages and skill levels.
He is the founder of Clockwork Athletics. Besides providing detailed development for players, there are plenty of resources for coaches to help improve development within their program.
In this episode, we discuss helping players develop their finishing around the rim.
BREAKDOWN
1:05: Becoming a skills development coach
3:10: Difference between sharpening skills and developing new ones
7:05: Developing skills that fit into the player's role on a team
8:45: How many finishing moves does a good player need?
10:45: The trickle-down affect from the NBA
11:47: Finishing points of emphasis for young players
14:15: Teaching players not foul on finishing moves
15:35: Helping players to make quicker decisions when finishing
17:24: 3-part process for teaching a finishing move
21:40: How quickly do new skills show up in game situations
24:53: Teaching players how to use the glass
29:06: Keeping players engaged in training
31:00: The thought process when finishing
32:23: Teaching players other options than finishing
35:30: Methods for creating finishing situations
36:57: Breakdown between 1v0 vs. live situations in training
40:13: Overcoming the "I can't" or "I will never do this" phases
I’m are fortunate to be joined by Lyle Fuller in today's podcast. In the episode we discuss the impact that Name, Image, Likeness policies being adopted by state activities associations around the country could have on high school sports.
Fuller is a practicing attorney who graduated from Duke University in 2000. He is also a broadcaster and longtime Idaho high school sports fan in Preston.
BREAKDOWN2:00: Idaho Activities Association adopts NIL policy
4:35: Why does Idaho have a policy?
5:52: Ohio considering NIL rules
10:30: How might high school athletes profit off their NIL?
12:30: Benefits and issues that could come from NIL
15:00: Will Idaho athletes get NIL deals?
16:50: How much money makes an NIL deal worth it?
18:25: Will this impact communities with multiple schools?
21:50: What do you think NIL looks like in 5 years?
27:30: Duke basketball talk with a Duke graduate
30:30: How good was the boys basketball in the 4A South East Conference?
We are fortunate to have Colby Blaine on this podcast. Blaine is the head men’s coach at the College of Idaho.
In just his fourth year as head coach, the Boise High grad as already surpassed 100 wins with the Yotes. That includes a 32-5 record this season, which saw the CofI advance to the Elite 8 in the NAIA National Tournament.
In this episode, Blaine talks about the past season, why college basketball in Idaho is underrated, and the process the coaching staff uses to define players' roles.
We are fortunate to have Alex Sarama back on the podcast. Sarama is a basketball coach based in Italy.
You probably know Sarama from his work with Basketball Immersion, where he’s become a team and coaching development resource for basketball coaches around the world.
Sarama recently wrote about developing a comprehensive vision and coaching development plan for basketball programs. On this episode, we dive into what a comprehensive vision that includes styles of play is and why it is important.
Sarama also identifies ways you can share this with coaches in your program and help develop buy-in.
We are fortunate to have Darren Hansen on this episode of the podcast.
In this episode, Hansen answers questions related to strength and conditioning development for basketball players in and out of season.
Hansen has a degree in Exercise Science and is the owner of HansenAthletics, an online strength and conditioning platform that focuses on a performance-based approach to develop athletes. Hansen works with athletes worldwide, but has physical location in his hometown of Pocatello where he works with athletes at all levels and abilities.
We are fortunate to have Ty Keck on the podcast.Keck is the Skyline Girls Basketball Program Director.
He just finished his seventh season as head coach and has helped the Grizzlies win trophies the last 2 years at 4A state tournament. That includes Skyline’s first appearance in the state final, where the Grizzlies lost to Burley.
Keck talks about a season that he's called a "roller coaster." Keck also discusses the process of implementing a conceptual offense.
We are lucky to have Zachary Eastman on today’s episode. Eastman is the head coach of the Lapwai boys basketball team.
Lapwai just finished off an undefeated season (27-0) to win their second straight 1A Division II championship. It was the program's 12 state title.
Lapwai led the state in scoring with 83 points per game and beat two 5A teams. Senior standout Titus Yearout will play next year at the University of Idaho.
We are fortunate to have Andy Jones on the podcast. Jones is the head coach at Timberline High School in Boise.
The Timberline girls just beat rival Boise High to claim their first 5A basketball title since 2003. It’s the seventh state title for Jones, who is now just 2 titles behind the legendary Emery Roy for most titles.
We are fortunate to have Allison McNeill on the podcast. Coach McNeill is a legend when it comes to basketball coaching.
After playing at the University of Oregon and short spurt overseas, McNeill coached at the college level in both Canada and the United States.
She went on to coach the Canadian Women’s National Team for 16 years, which included a quarterfinals appearance in the London Olympic Games.
We are fortunate to have James Anderson on today’s podcast. Anderson is the head coach of the Lake City girls basketball team.
Besides girls basketball, Anderson has also coached on the boys side and has a lot of experience with youth development.
Anderson’s team just had an impressive run in the top bracket of the Tarkanian Classic this week. Lake City lost in the tournament championship game by 1 point. It was the Timberwolves first loss of the season.
We are fortunate to have Casey Wheel on this podcast. Wheel is a strength and conditioning coach at Pacific Ridge School in Carlsbad, California.
I’ve had the fortune of watching Wheel talk about athletic development and have learned a lot from his presentations.He also has a great Twitter and TikTok accounts where he posts a lot of content related to athletic development.
In this episode, Wheel gives advice on how to develop athleticism — especially agility — in your program. He also shares tips on working with athletes transitioning from another sports season.
Coach Nate Hartman joins the podcast to talk about the beginning of the season and practice planning.
Hartman is the head boys coach at Middleton High School. Prior to that, Coach Hartman was the varsity assistant at Idaho Falls. He helped lead the Tigers to a 4A State Title.
Coach Hartman has learned the game from some of the best. He shares that basketball knowledge on his website coachnatehartman.com.
Coach Mike Winters joins the Small-Sided Coaching Development Series to discuss his new book about coaching high school basketball.
Winters has more than 25 years of experience as a boys high school coach in Illinois. Winters just published a book called The Journey: Lessons from the Hardwood.
Winters’ book is a blend of macro and micro aspects of coaching basketball. There are a lot of big picture lessons on leading a program, mixed with some specific details that will make you a better coach in regard to X’s and O’s.
Coaches who are serious about their development should put this book on their reading list.
Trent Harrison joins the podcast to talk about the Middleton Girls Basketball Program.
In his first season as head coach, he guided the Vikings to the 4A SIC crown and an appearance in the 4A state tournament. Harrison was the assistant coach at Middleton the year before.
Harrison has experience coaching boys basketball at Caldwell. He is also the JV football coach at Middleton.
Coach Ágúst Björgvinsson joins the Small-Sided Coaching Development Series to discuss basketball in Iceland.
Björgvinsson is a long-time coach in Iceland who is based in Reykjavik. He is currently coaching with Iceland's U-16 mens national team and works for Valur, one of Iceland’s top clubs.
Björgvinsson has coached both men’s and women’s senior teams in his career. He has also coached at several camps in the United States.
This interview was conducted at Valur’s athletic complex in Reykjavik.
Garrett Hickey joins the Small-Sided Coaching Development Series to discuss player development.
Hickey is the associate head coach for Fairfield Prep in Fairfield, Connecticut. He’s also the founder of #ShareTheGame🏀, a hashtag and blog that is a great resource for basketball coaches at all levels.
In this episode, Hickey shares his thoughts and ideas for developing a defensive culture in your program.
Justin Wetzel joins the Small-Sided Coaching Development Series to discuss player development.
Wetzel is originally from Cut Bank, Montana, and has coached at the high school, college & professional levels. Currently, Wetzel is an assistant coach for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the G-League. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach for the Wisconsin Herd. Wetzel also coached high school and college basketball in Montana and North Dakota, including a head coaching stint at Dickinson State.
In this podcast, Wetzel shares some of the lessons he has learned in nearly two decades of coaching. He also defines player development and shares how he works with players to create player development plans.
Austin Johnson joins the podcast to talk about Lewis-Clark State College Men's Basketball Program. Johnson just finished this third year as head coach and led the Warriors to the NAIA Championship Game. He was also named the NABC's NAIA Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
Johnson, who is originally from Kansas, discusses how his path in coaching led him to Lewiston. He gives an inside look to his coaching philosophy and the culture he's helped build at LCSC.
Idaho Basketball Coaches Association founder Jon Nettleton joins the podcast to discuss the NFHS's decision this week to allow state's to adopt a 35-second shot clock without penalty for the 2022-23 season.
Nettleton, who is the head boys coach at Mountain View in Meridian, has been an advocate for Idaho to adopt a shot clock. He helped conduct a survey a few years ago that found nearly 90 percent of Idaho's coaches were in favor of a shot clock.
Nettleton shares the potential path for how a shot clock might be adopted by the Idaho High School Activities Association. He also identifies ways that a shot clock could improve the game in Idaho.
Diogo Cunha joins the Small-Sided Coaching Development Series to discuss spacing concepts and curling off of off-ball screens.
Cunha is an up-and-coming basketball coach who originates from Portugal. He is currently a youth coach with the City of Birmingham Rockets in the United Kingdom.
Cody Hansen joins the podcast to talk about McCall-Donnelly Girls Basketball Program. In his seventh season, Hansen led the Vandals to their first state tournament appearance since 1993. It also happened to be McCall-Donnelly's first year in the 3A classification after a decade in the 2As.
Hansen is a longtime high school coach who spent a year as a grad assistant at the University of Idaho. In this podcast, Hansen shares some of his influences over the years and discusses how his program uses analytics. He also gives some of his favorite drills and talks about the approach he used to keep a smaller team competitive.
Aaron Fernandez joins the Small-Sided Coaching Development Series to discuss practice planning for all levels of basketball.
Fernandez has coached at various levels of basketball as head and assistant coach. Most recently, he worked as a player development coach and video coordinator at Davidson College. He is currently finishing his Masters degree in Coach Education and Athlete Development at Xavier University and coaching 2 AAU teams in North Carolina.
Fernandez starts the episode by debunking 3 coaching myths and sharing how he has changed in the podcast. Later in the podcast, he talks about the importance of decision-making in teaching the game and provides ideas for how coaches at all levels can incorporate this important skill into their practices.
Jordan Ax joins the podcast to talk about Owyhee Girls Basketball Program. Owyhee High opens next school year and will be the newest school in the continuously growing Meridian School District.
As the program's first head coach, Ax talks about the challenge of facing the unknown with the school still under construction and students deciding if they will attend. He discusses the challenges of playing at the 5A level with a team that will likely feature several young players. Ax also talks about working with state champion coaches Andy Harrington (boys coach) and Dane Roy (athletic director) in building a basketball culture.
Before being named Owyhee head coach, Ax was the head girls coach at Vallivue High School. Before that, he was a longtime boys assistant coach.
Seth Kindig joins the Small-Sided Coaching Development Series to give 5 tips for how you can be a better coach.
Kindig is the Director of Girls Basketball & head varsity coach at Providence Christian Academy in the Atlanta area. You may have come across Kindig’s notes from coaching clinics or podcasts that he regularly posts on his Twitter account. Kindig also started TCD Teams, which helps coaches create transformative relationships with their players.
In this podcast, Kindig give 5 tips for being a better coach with detailed explanation and examples for application. The tips include Know Yourself To Lead Yourself; Apply The Support Challenge Matrix; Use Constraints; Be Mindful, Not Mindless; and Remember You Coach People, Not A Sport.
Jeff Sanor joins the podcast to talk about the Meridian Boys Basketball Program. Sanor capped off his fourth year as head coach by leading the Warriors to the 5A State Championship.
Sanor is a longtime coach who graduated from Boise High School. After a standout high school career, Sanor played three years at the University of Washington before finishing at Boise State.
In the podcast, Sanor reflects back on the past four years at Meridian and his coaching style. He also discusses his coaching mentors and how he filters through all the information available for coaches. Finally, Sanor discusses his decision in a District game against Eagle where his team held the ball out for several minutes.
Jarrod Moore joins the Small-Sided Coaching Development Series to talk about coaching and player development.
Moore is the Coach Development Manager for New South Wales Basketball, which works with more than 80 basketball associations in Australia's most populous state. Moore has a considerable background in teaching coaches how to coach.
In this podcast, Moore discusses a number of topics that will benefit all coaches in their development. He provides some great takeaways for working with parents and feeder programs. Moore also provides tips that will help veteran coaches nurture younger coaches and players.
Bryan Chase joins the program to talk about the St. Maries Boys Basketball Program. Chase capped off his seventh year as head coach by guiding the Lumberjacks to the 2A state title.
Chase has built one of the most consistent programs in the state. St. Maries has made the state semifinals all seven years and finished third and second the previous 2 years.
A former girls basketball coach at St. Maries, Chase relives St. Maries run at this year's state tournament. In the state semifinal, the Lumberjacks hit a 3-point shot with .6 seconds remaining on the clock to beat defending state champion North Fremont. The next day, St. Maries rallied from five down with 90 seconds remaining to win the school's first state title in six decades.
Chase discusses playing in the 2A Central Idaho League and his coaching influences.
Brent Tipton joins the Small-Sided Pod Coaching Development Series to talk about Pick and Roll concepts.
Tipton is the head coach of Guam's U-17 team and an assistant for the men's senior team. Originally from Missouri, Tipton is also a Regional Director for The Basketball Embassy.
In the podcast, Tipton gives a detailed breakdown of the PnR concepts used by Guam's national team. He gives reasons for making the PnR part of an offensive attack and provides context on how to teach these concepts at all levels.
From the creator to the screener to the other offensive players, Tipton provides tips that will make you think about ways to use the PnR as a 5v5 weapon.
Joerik Michiels joins the Small-Sided Pod Coaching Development Series to talk about his philosophy on basketball skills training.
Based in Belgium, Michiels is the co-founder of Elite Athletes. EA started as a small group of coaches managing a youth team to a skills training academy that shares its unique philosophy on training with coaches around the world.
Using a mix of block and small-games, Michiels focuses and his staff focus on mastering the fundamentals. In this podcast, Michiels shares philosophies and techniques that have been developed over the last decade.
Michiels recently released a 197-page Skill Development Guide that coaches can purchase. Besides hosting camps and clinics, EA (eliteathlete.be) provides an All Access development opportunity through its website for coaches and players.
Don Showalter joins the Small-Sided Pod Coaching Development Series to talk about implementing your transition offense and defense systems.
Showalter is the Coach Director for USA Basketball. Coach Showalter was a successful high school coach and the U16-17 Men’s National Team coach from 2009-18. During his time, he was part of 10 Gold Medals.
Showalter speaks at clinics throughout the world and has a popular session on transition defense on FIBA's Basketball Channel on YouTube. In this podcast, Showalter give some good insights for getting your players to be successful in transition on both offense and defense.
Mike McKay joins the Small-Sided Pod Coaching Development Series to talk about how we can better connect with today’s athletes.
McKay is a former high school coach and athletic director. He now works as the Women’s High Performance Manager for Basketball Canada. McKay provides some history on what has led Canada to be a hotbed for for basketball talent on both the men’s and women’s game.
McKay has appeared in a number of clinics and always leaves coaches around the world thinking about how they can improve. In this podcast, he explains the difference between a transactional vs. transformational coach.
He also provides several methods coaches can use to help improve their practices and develop better players. If you are looking to improve as a coach, McKay provides several takeaways that will better your coaching and development methods today.
Jon DeMarco joins the Small-Sided Pod Coaching Development Series to discuss rebounding.
If you are on basketball Twitter, you more than likely have come across Coach DeMarco. He provides coaches around the world some great teaching resources in different types of media. His weekly Get Better Basketball Chat on Twitter is nearing 100 straight weeks of helping coaches on a variety of topics.
DeMarco provides a lot insights for coaches to consider when it comes to rebounding. Among other things, he discusses how a coach can create their own rebounding philosophy and how to work with reluctant rebounders. DeMarco also provides some of his favorite rebounding drills.
Alex Sarama joins the Small-Sided Pod Coaching Development Series to discuss how coaches can use small-sided games to enhance their practices. Sarama is from England and has been coaching basketball since he was 14. He now works for Basketball Immersion and as a consultant for clubs and federations across Europe.
Sarama goes in-depth for coaches on how they can create small-sided games that emphasize their program's concepts and principles while giving players a game-like environment. He also gives tips for how coaches can incorporate decision-making elements that encourage development and creativity for their players.
Sarama discusses how to structure practices when using small-sided games and how coaches can still emphasize 5v5 concepts while using 2v2, 3v3 teaching situations.
Mario Betancourt joins the program to talk about the Vallivue Boys Basketball Program. A long-time assistant coach at all levels, Betancourt is entering his second years as the Falcons head coach.
Betancourt is a fixture in the Treasure Valley basketball scene, having played his high school basketball at Caldwell High. He shares his journey as a coach, which started by leading a girls junior high B team shortly after graduating high school.
Betancourt goes in-depth on the Vallivue program, especially how the Falcons are able to generate money through activities like a youth league, father-daughter dance and a print shop. He also discusses how the coaching staff works together when it comes to player development and lessons he learned as first-year head coach.
Cody Powers joins the podcast to talk about the Raft River Girls Basketball Program. Powers is about to start his seventh year as a head coach. Prior to Raft River, Powers spent 1 year as an assistant coach at Burley.
Powers help guide Raft River to a consolation title at this year's 1A D1 State Basketball Tournament. He was selected as the District 4 Coach of the Year.
Powers talks about his experience in building the Raft River program. The Trojans place an emphasis on fundamental work, including a daily form shooting drill. Powers talked about making the decision to devote time to the fundamental work in each practice and also moving to a motion offense.
He also discusses Raft River's defensive philosophy and talks about some accountability measure the program employs.
Travis Noble joins the podcast to talk about the Timberline boys basketball program. Timberline made waves last year when the Wolves made a late run to the 5A state tournament.
Noble is entering his third year at Timberline. Prior to that, Noble coached in college and at Oakley High School. Noble shares insights on how coaching differs from the college and high school levels and how he approaches coaching at a 5A high school versus a smaller school.
Timberline employs a Blocker-Mover offense. Noble explains the roles for players and how they break down practices to get players ready. He also discusses his decision to move from a pressure man-to-man defense to the pack line.
Finally, Noble shares a lot of insights on the Timberline culture and why seniors are so important in his program.
Kris Knowles joins the podcast to talk some basketball from the athletic director side of the game. Knowles is the athletic director at Sandpoint High School. (That's right ... he's the boss of the podcast host.) Prior to that, Knowles was the athletic director at Bonners Ferry High School.
Before becoming an administrator, Knowles was a basketball coach at Lake City High School where coached both on the boys and girls side. He was also an assistant coach at North Idaho College.
Knowles played basketball in junior college after graduating from Coeur d'Alene High School. While at CHS, he played for longtime coaches Donnie Haynes and Jim Winger.
Knowles shares some great insight for basketball coaches, including what coaches can do to make themselves standout and the relationship between the coach and AD.
Jon Nettleton joins the podcast to talk about the Idaho Basketball Coaches Alliance. The Alliance is still in its infancy but is intended to give Idaho basketball coaches and organized voice in regard to decisions by the state.
Nettleton recently sent an email survey to all of the high school basketball coaches in the state with questions about incorporating a shot clock, adding a restricted area, the rule of two, and other issues.
Nettleton is the head boys coach at Mountain View High. He led the Mountain View to the 2011 5A state championship and has made the Mavericks a regular visitor to the Idaho Center.
Jacqueline Luna-Castro joins the podcast to talk about her basketball career. Jax Luna-Castro is a professional basketball player who went to Boise High School
Luna-Castro was Idaho's Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior and went on to play at UC Santa Barbara and College of Charleston. Her professional career has taken Luna-Castro all of the world, playing in places like Finland, Greece, Australia and Puerto Rico. She just recently signed with a team in Lithuania.
Luna-Castro has also started the organization Ball2Books, which provides books and basketball clinics to underserved areas.
Tony Gibbs joins the podcast to talk about the Malad Boys Basketball program. The Dragons won the consolation trophy at this year's 2A tournament after reaching state for the first time since 2006.
Gibbs is entering his fourth season as head coach, and he spent two years as Malad's JV coach. Gibbs shares how Malad battled through injuries and a series of loser-out games to qualify for state.
Gibbs also talks about the program's matchup zone, set plays on offense, and a typical practice. A football ref, he also responds to how that has helped him as a basketball coach.
Joshua Edwards joins the program to talk about his recent appointment to the WBCA's Social Justice Task Force. Edwards is an assistant women's coach at the College of Southern Idaho.
Edwards, who is the only junior college on the task force, has been at CSI since 2015. In the podcast, he discusses the mission of the Social Justice Task Force and explains why he wanted to be a part of it.
Edwards also discusses how he ended up at CSI and provides advices for coaches looking to get into the college ranks. He also shares his thoughts on the state of girls' / women's basketball.
Coby Karl joins the podcast to talk about several subjects related to his experience as a player at Boise State and now as a head coach for the South Bay Lakers, the G-League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Karl shares why he decided to pursue a career in basketball coaching, despite the advice of his mother. Karl explains how is able to separate his job coaching with his life at home.
Also in the podcast, he gives tips on how coaches can connect with their players and some drills to help with decision making. Karl also shares the impact his time playing for Boise State helped propel him to a professional career that included time in the NBA.
Jacob Skinner joins the Small-Sided Pod Coaching Development Series to discuss pressure man-to-man defense. Skinner is the head boys basketball coach at Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas. It is his second stint as head coach Texas High, after spending time at Shiloh Christian in Springdale, Arkansas.
Skinner shares the key concepts of his pressure man-to-man defense including the pick-up points and off-guard responsibilities. He discusses how they cover common offensive actions and how the defensive system translates to inbound plays.
Skinner often shares defensive and offensive concepts he is studying through his Twitter account (@jacoblskinner).
Daren Garey joins the podcast to talk about the Kimberly boys basketball program. Garey has been the head coach at Kimberly for the last 7 years. In that time, the Bulldogs have been state runner-ups twice and finished third.
Garey has more than 20 years of basketball coaching experience, including a stint as the girls varsity coach at Kimberly. In the podcast, Garey discusses the offensive system that led the Bulldogs to scoring 66 points per game. Kimberly's transition offense uses two outlets and allowed their top scorers to find open shots.
Garey also discusses Kimberly's defensive philosophy and shares some activities to help with team building and clearly outline roles for players.
David Lepisto joins the Small-Sided Podcast Coaching Development Series to talk about his Circle of Offense and the role of assistant coaches. Lepisto has coached basketball for 25 years and is currently an assistant coach for the Kimberly girls basketball team in Wisconsin.
Lepisto identifies the parts of the Circle of Offense and how the Kimberly coaches use its principles as the basis for an offense the score 60 points a game. Lepisto also describes the evolution of his offensive theories. Finally, he describes what assistant coaches can do to make themselves a valuable part of program.
You can follow Lepisto on Twitter under the handle @DLphyed. He also has plenty of resources coaches can use at https://sites.google.com/view/kimberly-girls-basketball/home.
Karlee Wilson joins the podcast to talk about the Lewiston girls basketball program. Wilson was just recently hired to coach the Bengals, where she was an all-state guard that was part of state championship runs.
After high school, Wilson played at the University of Idaho and was a member of two teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Wilson spent the last two years coaching at Moscow.
In the podcast, Wilson shares some of her favorite experiences from her high school and college careers. She also gives insights on what made her a standout free throw shooter and defender. Wilson then talks about what she learned as a new head coach at Moscow and why she is excited to be back at Lewiston.
Alan Stein Jr. joins the Small-Sided Podcast Coaching Development Series to talk about leadership. Stein is a long-time basketball performance coach who has worked with NBA players like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry.
Stein shares his thoughts on the role of coaches in today's game and provides tips to help develop winning mindsets, rituals and routines. Stein uses his experiences working with world-class athletes and coaches to provide coaches with examples they apply to their own program.
Stein also identifies ways that coaches and athletes can use his book "Raise Your Game" or other books in a team book study. Stein is active on Twitter and provides resources on his website AlanSteinJr.com.
Mac Stannard joins the podcast to talk about the Burley boys basketball program. Stannard is a first-time head coach who was hired by Burley earlier this spring. Prior to becoming the Bobcats' head coach, Standard was an assistant coach at Kuna and Eagle. He has coached for Idaho Select.
Stannard talks about preparing for his first head coaching job and what he has learned so far coaching this summer. He also shares his approach to offense and defense and explains the importance of toughness and communication to his program.
Stannard goes in depth on the pressure defense he is installing and how his coaching staff, which includes three former Burley players, is teaching the on-ball screen offense to the players.
Mark Cascio joins the Small-Sided Podcast Coaching Development Series to discuss the Drive and Space Offense. Cascio is championship-winning high school boys coach in Louisiana with more than 14 years of experience.
Cascio shares the origins of his offensive system and how it works within the Anatomy of a Possession. Cascio also shares the WHY regarding his offense and provides examples of how he teaches it in practice. He also provides a number of helpful tips for coaches.
Cascio has put on clinics and helped coaching staffs across the country through his Courtside Consulting business. Cascio is active on Twitter (@CoachCascio) and provides resources on his website CoachCascio.com.
Jared Phay joins the Small-Sided Pod coaching development series to talk about playing with discipline in a high-tempo offense. Phay is the head coach at Missouri State University - West Plains.
Phay has deep Idaho roots, having grown up and played high school basketball in Idaho. Phay had successful runs as the head coach at North Idaho College and College of Southern Idaho. He led CSI to an appearance in the national championship game in 2018.
Phay provides his definition of playing fast and playing with discipline and explains some coaching methods he uses to get his players to compete at a high tempo on offense and defense.
Adam Rankin joins the podcast to talk about the North Star Charter boys basketball program. A true basketball junkie, Rankin is entering his fourth year guiding the Huskies. He has also has experience coaching girls and at the youth level.
Rankin shares what it is like to coach at a small charter school. He talks about his philosophy when it comes to building a program and how it encourages his players to have a growth mindset.
He also talks about his experience running a "Grinnell" type system where all 5 players were subbed after a minute-and-a-half and gives several other insights from his coaching experience.
Dave Love joins Small-Sided Pod Development Series to talk about what he would do if was a shooting coach for a high school program. Love is a professional shooting coach based out of Calgary who has worked with basketball players at the highest levels.
Love goes deeper into a recent blog post on his website about what he would do if he was the shooting coach for a high school program. In the podcast, Love identifies ways coaches can provide individual or small-group instruction within a team setting. He also identifies methods coaches can use and emphasize to help players at any level improve their shooting habits.
Love is active on Twitter (@CoachDaveLove) and has a website CoachDaveLove.com where basketball coaches can find many of his resources.
Chris Shuler joins the podcast to talk about the Century High Girls Basketball Program. Shuler has led the Diamondbacks to three 4A state titles since 2015.
Shuler discusses what Century has been focusing on in their summer league with some transfer players joining the program. He also shares some of the key principles of their man-to-man defense and how they teach these in practices.
Shuler also gives his thoughts on the state's proposal to seed the state tournament and how he spends his time on long bus rides. The conversation includes several other insights into the Century program.
Michael Lynch comes on the podcast to breakdown his practice planning thoughts for our Small-Sided Pod series on coaching development. Lynch is the head boys coach at Leicester High School in Leicester, Mass.
Lynch is active on Twitter and recently posted a string of 10 practice planning thoughts. Lynch share some of the thoughts he thinks are most important and also identifies ways coaches can use effectively use a drill library. Finally, he also identifies a mistake he made in his own practice planning and a change he plans to make when practice starts this season.
You can follow Lynch on Twitter by searching for @leicbasketball. He also runs a blog (leicesterbasketball.com/coachescorner) which includes a variety of useful coaching resources.
Kim Brydges joins the podcast to talk about the Boise High girls basketball program. Brydges has been the head coach of the Brave for 15 years and is continuously near the top of the 5A SIC. She has coached players who have gone on to play at the Division 1 level and state Players of the Year.
Brydges discusses a number of topics that relate to coaching. A believer in the Positive Coaching Alliance, she shares ideas and methods to develop leaders for your team and create program cohesion. She also discusses the origins of Boise's Pink Zone game which has raised tens of thousands of dollars for breast cancer research.
Brydges also discusses some Xs and Os, including on-ball screen coverages and ways to teach proper footwork. She also shares what the Brave program has been doing this summer because of the pandemic.
John Leonzo discusses Teaching Offense with a Games Approach in our first Small-Sided Pod. SSPs feature basketball coaches and experts from outside of Idaho giving short development sessions on basketball.
Leonzo helps explain what Small-Sided Game are and how a basketball coach can use them in a Games-Based Approach to practice. He also takes us through how a coach might teach a dribble drive action or concept to a team using the TLC method — Teaching, Learning & Competing. Finally, he provides some helpful tips and reminders for a coach that might be incorporating a Games-Based Approach for the first time.
Leonzo is an assistant coach for the Cedarville women's basketball team and runs the website LeonzoBasketball.com. His twitter handle is @John_Leonzo.
Jeremy Dennis joins the podcast to talk about the Borah boys basketball program. Dennis was a long-time varsity assistant before taking over as head coach in 2016. Under Dennis' stewardship, the Lions have won back-to-back 5A state titles.
In this podcast, Dennis talks about how years of coaching at lower levels and as a varsity assistant helped him when he became a head coach. He also talks about some cultural aspects of the Borah program that stress players leading and embracing the grind.
He also talks about coaching high-level players and drills they use on a regular basis to reinforce the program's values.
Josh Uhrig joins the podcast to talk about the Moscow boys basketball program. Uhrig guided Moscow to this year's 4A state title game where the Bears fell to Preston.
Uhrig has coached Moscow for five years and was previously an assistant coach at Genessee. Uhrig shares lessons he has learned during his time as a head coach and how he works with his assistant coaches. He discusses his philosophies when it comes to offense and defense.
Uhrig also identifies ways his program "Respects the Game" and his feelings on the Inland Empire League using both 4A and 5A games to determine seeding in the respective district tournaments.
Matt Miller joins the podcast to talk about the Timberlake girls basketball program. Miller has been one of the most successful coaches in Idaho over the last decade, finishing third or better at the 3A state tournament nine including three state championships.
Miller talks about how he got his start in coaching high school basketball and what has made the Timberlake program successful. He explains why he is not a "drills" coach and how he gets his players to execute at a high level.
Miller also discusses how he gets ready for a season and the importance of on-court leadership with successful teams.
Andy Harrington joins the podcast to talk about several topics. Harrington is a rising head coach who helped guide Middleton boys program to a third place finish at this year's 4A state tournament.
As a younger coach, Harrington talks about the pros and cons of having a younger coaching staff and what it is like having his father as an assistant. He also gives his opinion on a proposal to seed the state tournament and discusses some X's and O's.
Harrington played high school basketball at Bishop Kelly and coached at College of Idaho.
Courtnie Smith joins the podcast to talk about her experience as a high school head coach. Smith was hired in May as an assistant coach at Idaho State University. Prior to that, she was the head coach at Blackfoot High School where she lead a turnaround that saw the Broncos play three days at the 4A state tournament the last two years. Smith was also a head coach Marsh Valley and Century high schools, and she also coached at an AAU team for several years.
In this episode, Smith talks about her responsibilities at Idaho State but also delves deep into her experience as a high school head coach. Some of the topics include: What it takes to rebuild a program, how she taught her players offensive concepts, and ways to work with parents.
Ryan Lundgren joins the podcast to talk about his experience as a high school and college coach. Lundgren finished his first year as an assistant coach at College of Idaho. Lundgren discusses what he did to stand out in a competitive job interview and what he's learned in his first year in Twin Falls. Prior to joining CSI, Lundgren was the head coach at Vallivue High School for four years.
Besides success on the court, Lundgren was successful as a fundraiser and had team social media account that would rival a lot of colleges. Lundgren gives suggestions on how to build a program and talks a little X's and O's.
Mike McLean joins the podcast to talk about the Post Falls way. In the last 12 years, Mclean has been one of the most successful boys coaches in Idaho winning 2 state titles. Most recently, his Trojans fell to Borah in the 5A state title game.
McLean goes "behind-the-scenes" of the Post Falls program to discuss his practice philosophy, the role of assistant coaches, building toughness, and the best way to develop high school basketball players. He also discusses what drives him as a coach and what it is like to coach his sons.
The third episode of the Idaho Basketball Coaching Podcast features University of Idaho men's head coach Zac Claus. Claus was named head coach in February after serving as the interim head coach for the Vandals during the 2019-20 season. Prior to that, Claus was an assistant coach at Idaho, Nevada, Sacramento State and Portland State. In college, Claus played at Creighton, Nebraska and Eastern Washington. Topics include how the team dealt with last year, how he makes decisions as a coach, and his vision for the Idaho program now that he is head coach.
The second episode of the Idaho Basketball Coaching Podcast features John Naccarato and Kent Leiss. Naccarato is the assistant coach with the Coeur d'Alene girls basketball team. He also spent time as an assistant with the boys program. Leiss is a long-time head coach with stops at Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint. Topics in this episode include the role of assistant coaches, teaching toughness, and the importance of communication.
If you are a high school basketball coach in Idaho and would like to talk about your program, email the show at idahobasketballcoachingpodcast@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Twitter @coachingidaho.
The first episode of the Idaho Basketball Coaching Podcast includes a roundtable with Duane Ward and Kent Leiss. Ward has coached high school boys and girls in Idaho since the 1960s, while Leiss coached boys at Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint high schools.
The discussion includes a number of topics, including ...
- how to filter through all the coaching information that is available,
- determining what to run and when to make a change,
- working with club programs,
- teaching kids the game in practice,
- the role of team goals vs. individual goals.
If you are basketball coach in Idaho and would like to talk hoops, email the show at idahobasketballcoachingpodcast@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Twitter @coachingidaho.