A Pen And A Napkin: Recent Episodes
Martin Plum
Shell Drill is one of the most basic drills in our game, but if you are going to "Win The Season", you've got to be able to change up your Shell Drill to match what your team needs! In this podcast, we discuss the importance of Shell, how to change up your Shell Drill to keep your players engagement up and how you can position yourself on the floor to make yourself a better Shell coach. In addtion, we have a great quote from one of basketball's greatest defensive coaches in Adolph Rupp, and we discuss one of America's best kept secrets in coaching . . . and he'd like to keep it that way.
Efficient language is necessary in high stress situations, so why shouldn't you create your own language within your own program? In today's "Win The Season" podcast, we dive into creating a program language, the elimination of confusion and I throw out some examples of my coaching career where we tried to use a common language. In addition, we've got a great quote from Steven Bartlett, and a study of perhaps the greatest modern college basketball coach, the one they call "K" . . .
Bobby Knight once said that "Basketball is the most overcoached and undertaught game in the world", and in many ways, Coach Knight was exactly right. In today's podcast, we talk about the warning signs of overcoaching, ways you can not overcoach and practices that will help you and your team grow! In addition, we've got a great quote from Marcus Aurelius (again) and a study of the "Zen Master" himself, Phil Jackson. Enjoy!
If you don't know what you stand for, you don't know what you're going to emphasize, right? In today's episode, we discuss your defensive pillars, the non-negotiable, always enforced rules of your team or program on the defensive end. Directly inspired by Jim Boone, we discuss why it is important to clearly define your pillars, how to implement and I share my seven defensive pillars with you. In addition, we have another great quote from Kevin Eastman, while we discuss one of the all time great coaches (and former APAAN guest) Roy Williams.
I was at Snow Valley Basketball School a couple of weeks ago, and while there, I got the chance to sit down with Karen Self (of "The Karen Self A Pen And A Napkin Moment"), Cam Schuknecht, the new Midland University Women's Basketball Coach and Joel Lincoln, the director of "Game Shots 3 on 3" out of Charlotte, North Carolina to discuss a variety of topics, including Snow Valley and why it works! We also discuss the importance of 3 on 3, improving as a coach and much more!
One of the greatest examples of basketball's "Special Teams" is your baseline out of bounds philosophy and execution on both sides of the ball. In today's podcast, we discuss goals that you should have for your playbook, who the ball should go to, formations, counters and selling the importance of baseline out of bounds to your team! We also have a great quote from USA Basketball, and we also discuss today in our Coaches Study one of my friends in the business who made his name nationally via USA Basketball!
We are 1/4th of the way through this crazy idea! Around a week ago, we discussed the struggles of handling success, so today, we flip that on its head and discuss what to do and how to handle failure. Our lives are not linear; life (and basketball) will trip us up, so today is all about why failure is necessary for growth, how to react to it and the mental approach we need to take even before the season starts. In addition, we have a great quote from Marcus Aurelius and a discussion on perhaps the greatest coach in NBA history, Gregg Popovich.
One of the great skills of the game (which, in my opinion, is the most important skill) that we often push off in practice is shooting, and it's a huge mistake! In today's podcast, we talk about the importance of getting shots up in practice, HOW to get more shots up and tips to help develop shooters. We also have a video with my favorite shooting drills, but you'll have to go to "The Opening Tip" newsletter to get that . . . In addition, we got a great quote to help with shooting, and a study of one of my favorite people that I've ever talked to on "A Pen And A Napkin", Coach Mike Neighbors!
We can't do this job (or any job) for a long time without knowing WHY we're doing the job, and coaching basketball is no different. With its long hours, intense nights and tough days, coaching basketball is a mission, but you have to know why you're doing it. What do you enjoy? That's what we want you to answer in today's podcast, while also discussing a little Leo Tolstoy and pushing you to research and learn about one of the great coaches of the 1980s and 1990s, Dale Brown.
Every second counts on game day, and organizing your bench is one way to save those precious seconds. In today's podcast, we breakdown thoughts on game day management of your bench, how to practice it before games even start and tips on be as efficient as possible during timeouts and quarter breaks. In addition, we've got a great quote from John Maxwell, while we discuss one of the great early coaches of the game, Clair Bee! Enjoy today's podcast!
As we get closer to the start of the season, what are ways that you can get your team into optimal shape before your first practice? That's the topic of discussion in today's podcast, where we break down various options, both on and off the floor, to help build toughness, chemistry, camaraderie and skill before your first day of practice. In addition, we've got a great quote from Jerry Rice and some research points of interest for one of our best modern coaches, Billy Donovan. Enjoy!
It was a blast to have on three great coaches for this month's Zoom roundtable! Rob Brost, John Carrier and Jake Nannen jumped on the pod to discuss how to be a great teacher of the game, what their focus is on for this fall to improve upon, things that they've learned this summer and one favorite drill of each coach! This was a blast to do, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed recording it!
We love X's and O's. I mean, we really love them, right????? One of the biggest draws for coaches to the game is drawing up plays, and watching our team run a set to perfection is extremely gratifying for most of us. In today's podcast, we discuss what we should and should not be doing with our set plays, suggestions on how to install them, the ideal number you should have in your portfolio and other tips! In addition, we've got a very appropriate quote from Mike Neighbors, and a study of one of our most popular and successful coaches of the last decade.
For most high school programs, the players that you have in your program are going to be pulled in multiple directions, whether that be by other sports, school activities or family activities. You have to show your human side and have some understanding, but you also have to hold players and families accountable for their non-emergency absences. In this pod, we discuss how to create a positive absence policy and how to clearly define repercussions, In addition, we have a quote from one of our Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, and a discussion of the predecessor to Dean Smith at North Carolina . . .
Ball handling and passing are two of the three ball skills of the Holy Trinity of player development, but they need to be emphasized DAILY this upcoming season. In this podcast, we discuss how you should implement ball handling and passing in your practices, ball handling techniques that you should be working on, and the difference between in-season and off-season development of these skills. In addition, we have a great quote from Coach Wooden and a study of one of the more underrated modern coaches who people often forget that he won a national championship!
As humans, most of us bounce back fairly quickly and strongly from failure, but where many of us get tripped up is when we experience too much success. In today's podcast, we discuss stories from my career of how success took off the edge, creating adversity in your team, anticipating adversity and more! In addition, we've got a great quote from the Roman philosopher Pliny the Younger, all while discussing the man who had more success than anyone else, yet remained grounded as a teacher his entire life . . .
Preparation is key for everything we do as coaches, but pregame scouting report information and implementation are vital to your team's success! In today's podcast, we discuss putting together scouting reports, what you should and should not include, how to present that information to your team and how to implement it in your practices! In addition, we've got a discussion on one of the great coaches and basketball influences of the last 50 years!
Each and everyone of us have our shortcomings, both as human beings and as coaches. Some of these shortcomings we are aware of, while many of these things we are not. In today's episode, we discuss our personal and professional "Blind Spots", what we can do to both diagnose them and make them a better part of our personality. In addition, we've got a great quote and a discussion of one of the all time greats, Adolph Rupp!
Newly minted as the women's head coach at Texas State, Chris Kielsmeier comes on the podcast this week to talk about a variety of topics, including program building, learning from tough times (including an early Covid-19 diagnosis), entering a new conference, fundamentals, building chemistry and much more! We also throw in a little Harry Caray for old times sake as well, so enjoy the conversation!
If someone is going to pressure you, you can't just break that pressure; you must ATTACK IT! In today's podcast, we discuss various ways that you can attack pressure defenses and make them pay for being overtly aggressive with you, things you should be implementing in practice to attack pressure and late game thoughts. In addition, there will be an "Attacking. Pressure" drill list and press breakers video on the next edition of "The Opening Tip" newsletter on Substack, so be sure to check that out to supplement today's pod! In addtion, we've got a great quote from Coach Meyer and a discussion of one of our great modern coaches in Tom Izzo!
One of the golden rules of coaching is to not allow non-basketball things to trip up your career, and not taking care of your program's inventory is one of those things that you can control with simplicity. In today's episode, we talk about how to take care of your inventory, some important things that you should want and the importance of collecting inventory quickly. In addition, we have a great qoute, and we discuss one of the greatest (short) careers in coaching w/ Pete Newell.
As we wind down the summer and we give our players some time off from either AAU or our program (or both), we need to start planning ahead to when our players come back for individual workouts and how we're going to work with our players. In this pod, we discuss strategies for individual workouts, how to structure them and what you should be working on. We also have a great quote from workout guru Alan Stein and a re-examination of a legendary coach whose legacy is both confusing and also deceiving . . .
Especially when you are builing a program, you need to identify the teams that you NEED to beat, and this season will be true for every team. Who are the teams that you need to put in a little extra preparation and emphasis for tactically? What team is standing in the way of your team getting to where you want to go? Here are some thoughts on how to go about this process, including a great quote from Wayne Dyer and some reason why you should study Norm Sloan, one of the great forgotten coaches in our game!
Every program, in this day and age, has to do some modicum of fundraising to afford what was once considered extras that have now become mandatory expenses in a quality program. In today's pod, we discuss what to do and what not to do when it comes to the structure of your fundraiser, how to distribute those funds and what you, as a coach, should and should not be doing! In addition, we've got a great quote from Coach Meyer and a discussion on the "40 Minutes of Hell"!
Your "Improvement Season" progress needs to be measured and have an analytical component, so how do you do it? Not only do you need to have analytics, you also need to make sure that you're working on the right things, building culture and keeping things fresh for your program. In today's podcast, we talk about all of these things and more, including a great quote from James Clear ("Atomic Habits") and one of America's most underrated coaches (with a personal connection)!
Scott Gullion, the head boys basketball coach at Scottsbluff (NE) HS, comes on the podcast this week! Coach has a great story of coming back to his home region after his apprenticeship with Nebraska basketball and how he worked his way up the ranks, taking over the helm of the Bearcats 10 years ago. We discuss his influences, how he's grown as a coach, failures before success, reloading this season, scouting, program and player development and much more! This was a really fun conversation with an up and coming coach in Nebraska!
As Coach Meyer would say, it's not called "Zone Offense", it's called "Zone Attack"! In today's episode, we discuss various plans of attack that you should be implementing into your zone offesne, regardless of what you run. We also discuss one of my favorite drills that you can run to prepare for any zone defense in practice. In addition, we also break down a great quote by Robert Greene, and we discuss one of the greatest coaches that was at the same school for over four decades!
For most coaches, perhaps the most difficult relationship(s) that we navigate in our career is our relationship with our players parents. In this episide, we discuss ideas for a preseason parent social, the benefits of it, different ideas for running a social gathering and some outside the box suggestions for the coaching staff. In addition, we've got a great quote from James Clear, along with suggestions for studying one of our great modern coaches, Tara VanDerveer.
Rebounding is one of the two major ways in which you can create more opportunities on offense (the other is forcing turnovers), so today we're talking about one of the most important, yet one of the most primal skills of the game! We'll talk about different philosophies, along with the discussion of how to implement rebounding into practices. In addition, we've got drills for you to use, but you can't get those drills here . . . We've also got a great quote about rebounding and a coach to study!
One of the hardest things for any head coach to do, especially newer head coaches, is to delegate tasks and manage a staff. In today's podast, we discuss some tips on how to delegate authority on your staff, what you can do as an assistant coach to make your head coaches job easier and a discussion on a couple of mistakes that I made when I was not as "seasoned and experienced". We also have a great coach to study today that is one of the legends in the game and a great quote to help with today's topic!
In order to be successful at anything, let alone coaching basketball, you have to become organized! In this podcast, we talk about the importance of organization, how to get organized, what to prioritize and how to eliminate distractions. In addition, we have a great quote from Philip Dormer Stanhope and a coach study on a forgotten but absolutely terrific coach!
One of the most important things that you can do as a coach is to look back on your past experiences, both positive and negative, and adapt them to your upcoming team. In today's podcast, we're going to discuss some of the things that you should look back upon from last season and how you can apply it to your upcoming team. In addtion, we've got a GREAT quote and an underrated coach to learn about!
Hunter Price's first book, "Care to Compete", is a winner! In this episode, we discuss the origins of the book, its structure, the four different types of players that you usually have in your program, and how to build a culture in your program where everyone buys in and cares about what you're doing! This was alot of fun to break down this book with Coach Price, and I encourage you to go out and get a copy of it for yourself!
Get your copy of The Last of the Cowboys: The Story of Snow Valley Basketball School here! https://www.amazon.com/Last-Cowboys-Valley-Basketball-School/dp/B0F634Q15L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1I7UIZVBBLG4W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.heOr37WpWb4zoZq4z37horroiq1GFk5UscQzNFDnhSPru1-ZKfQ9t8X429WajU9_.OMSsO-LEZeccMt3hWc05FAViiPTki7MYhUGyi2bQzBw&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley&qid=1780411806&s=books&sprefix=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley%2Cstripbooks%2C311&sr=1-1
Get your copy of King Of Their Court: Three Teams, One City and the Greatest Season in Nebraska High School Basketball History here! https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Their-Court-Greatest-Basketball/dp/B0DD3RL5G2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TBSC7YT6F3E&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V9yFwwyDNGIVloFLbXrJQlbd3IFwG6iRuOcb1P7TD5gZ6w2HafNocG7pROWL-VKAAkg-OY1HgbyM_4T-jAhiINsgr5RT0a-w_vKe7LA_Oey6vxwImTR9P1B97MRmeivRH5c_kRi9fTrvUZBH_KY7mg.8iyfVCRj83gLILGcBpZ9pIE5kSdX15BGlPy3QPm1udU&dib_tag=se&keywords=Kings+of+their+court&qid=1780411893&s=books&sprefix=kings+of+their+court%2Cstripbooks%2C166&sr=1-1
Want to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!
Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search
There wasn't alot of major planning on arranging topics with Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO, but one thing that was planned was that "Defensive Transition" was going to be the first X's and O's topic that we would cover, and that is the same for the "Win The Season" podcast! In this pod, we talk about strategies to build your defensive transition, why it's so important & how to implement it! In addition, we've got a great quote from Shane Parrish and a discussion on one of the best modern coaches of our time period!
Life is far too short to not enjoy what we do, so as you prepare for the upcoming season, are you still enjoying coaching your team and your program? Do you get excited to go to the gym? When inevitable obstacles get in the way of your program, do you have the necessary energy to fight for the good of the program? These are all questions that you need to ask yourself as you prepare for the upcoming season!
In addition, we've got a great quote to think about, along with all the reasons why you should study "The Godfather of Modern Basketball Coaches" . . . enjoy the "Win The Season" Podcast!
The highly successful girls basketball out of Centralia, Kansas, Dusty Thompson joins the pod this week. Coach Thompson has built a highly successful small school program in Northeastern Kansas, and in this episode, he tells us about his program building philosophy, along with discussions on pressure defense, influences on his career, preparation, scouting and alot more! This was alot of fun to break down the game with Coach Thompson, so enjoy!
In our second consecutive Zoom roundtable, I whole-heartedly welcome back to the pod two of my dear Snow Valley Basketball School friends, Liz Kay and Nichole Dixon!! In addition to all of our inside jokes (including our newest "sponsor"), we discuss our favorite drills, advice that you would give to your younger self, what you're working on to make yourself better and important coaches that you've studied to make yourself better! Hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed recording it!
Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! https://www.amazon.com/Hoops-365-Guide-Becoming-Basketball/dp/B0FPBD7QPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PYZOTGAM7OHT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sEuPkF0Nk-evy2O2iGy4zhOpGEgiAGP99esg3xF5OPz9EY0RYWKgal-JRlGgnkb6Fb28rxptX_Lc2kgmC4n0ZuzKcFtGhbMweHFxSRAOAeLJ2J9VjTqXlaKOuinrOmQ_FVuhrlmltmbb6G-qBz3A8igaBz2ssffgLItwd_sNjB3CpG_48B0iWFjK6RRjWttkmFAFopwzecUqIvbmOEXyOg.geclG40Oi09NgLDoNvoITm9hh0pkd-M6IFu79HpE-4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=hoops+365+book&qid=1779136298&sprefix=hoops+365%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1
Get your copy of The Last of the Cowboys: The Story of Snow Valley Basketball School here! https://www.amazon.com/Last-Cowboys-Valley-Basketball-School/dp/B0F634Q15L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1I7UIZVBBLG4W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.heOr37WpWb4zoZq4z37horroiq1GFk5UscQzNFDnhSPru1-ZKfQ9t8X429WajU9_.OMSsO-LEZeccMt3hWc05FAViiPTki7MYhUGyi2bQzBw&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley&qid=1780411806&s=books&sprefix=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley%2Cstripbooks%2C311&sr=1-1
Want to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!
Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search
The first of two June roundtable Zoom chats features Matt Thomas, the boys basketball coach at Highland (MO), Tom Stannard, the boys HC from Brownell-Talbot (NE) and Brandon Schwab, the girls HC at Algona Garrigan (IA). In this pod, we discuss building a culture, summer development philosophy, organizing a youth camp, favorite quotes and sayings and much more! We had a lot of fun recording this pod, and we hope that you enjoy listening!
Perhaps the greatest team ever to not win the championship at the end of their season, the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors have numerous buzzwords and phrases that bring you right back to a decade ago; 24-0, 73-9, "The Death Lineup" and "The Splash Brothers" amongst others, It was Steph Curry as unanimous MVP and close to his apex as a player who broke one of the great records in team sports; the Chicago Bulls 72-10 record. Without a doubt, this was a great team, but how great were they? Nate Wall, Jacob Brindle and I had our opinions, but you tell us . . .
I'm really excited to have on Tim Strauser, the head girls basketball coach at Gothenburg (NE) High School for Episode #330! Coach Strauser's program is known for pressure defense and fast paced offense, and he gets into both topics on this podcast. We also touch on his day job as a funeral director and how that helps him with his coaching, influences on his career, community service and connecting with the community, taking the next step and much more! Hope you enjoy this fun conversation!
Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! https://www.amazon.com/Hoops-365-Guide-Becoming-Basketball/dp/B0FPBD7QPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PYZOTGAM7OHT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sEuPkF0Nk-evy2O2iGy4zhOpGEgiAGP99esg3xF5OPz9EY0RYWKgal-JRlGgnkb6Fb28rxptX_Lc2kgmC4n0ZuzKcFtGhbMweHFxSRAOAeLJ2J9VjTqXlaKOuinrOmQ_FVuhrlmltmbb6G-qBz3A8igaBz2ssffgLItwd_sNjB3CpG_48B0iWFjK6RRjWttkmFAFopwzecUqIvbmOEXyOg.geclG40Oi09NgLDoNvoITm9hh0pkd-M6IFu79HpE-4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=hoops+365+book&qid=1779136298&sprefix=hoops+365%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1
Get your copy of King Of Their Court: Three Teams, One City and the Greatest Season in Nebraska High School Basketball History here! https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Their-Court-Greatest-Basketball/dp/B0DD3RL5G2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TBSC7YT6F3E&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V9yFwwyDNGIVloFLbXrJQlbd3IFwG6iRuOcb1P7TD5gZ6w2HafNocG7pROWL-VKAAkg-OY1HgbyM_4T-jAhiINsgr5RT0a-w_vKe7LA_Oey6vxwImTR9P1B97MRmeivRH5c_kRi9fTrvUZBH_KY7mg.8iyfVCRj83gLILGcBpZ9pIE5kSdX15BGlPy3QPm1udU&dib_tag=se&keywords=Kings+of+their+court&qid=1780411893&s=books&sprefix=kings+of+their+court%2Cstripbooks%2C166&sr=1-1
Want to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!
Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search
Harvard Men's Basketball Associate HC Mike Sotsky comes on the podcast this week to discuss a bunch of different topics, including his experiences with Duke basketball, winning a national championship in 2015, what he's learned from Coach K and Tommy Amaker, growing as a coach, defensive transition, favorite drills, game day procedures and more! This conversation was a lot of fun with one of America's up and coming coaches who is destined to have a great career!
Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! https://www.amazon.com/Hoops-365-Guide-Becoming-Basketball/dp/B0FPBD7QPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PYZOTGAM7OHT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sEuPkF0Nk-evy2O2iGy4zhOpGEgiAGP99esg3xF5OPz9EY0RYWKgal-JRlGgnkb6Fb28rxptX_Lc2kgmC4n0ZuzKcFtGhbMweHFxSRAOAeLJ2J9VjTqXlaKOuinrOmQ_FVuhrlmltmbb6G-qBz3A8igaBz2ssffgLItwd_sNjB3CpG_48B0iWFjK6RRjWttkmFAFopwzecUqIvbmOEXyOg.geclG40Oi09NgLDoNvoITm9hh0pkd-M6IFu79HpE-4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=hoops+365+book&qid=1779136298&sprefix=hoops+365%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1
Get your copy of King Of Their Court: Three Teams, One City and the Greatest Season in Nebraska High School Basketball History here! https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Their-Court-Greatest-Basketball/dp/B0DD3RL5G2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TBSC7YT6F3E&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V9yFwwyDNGIVloFLbXrJQlbd3IFwG6iRuOcb1P7TD5gZ6w2HafNocG7pROWL-VKAAkg-OY1HgbyM_4T-jAhiINsgr5RT0a-w_vKe7LA_Oey6vxwImTR9P1B97MRmeivRH5c_kRi9fTrvUZBH_KY7mg.8iyfVCRj83gLILGcBpZ9pIE5kSdX15BGlPy3QPm1udU&dib_tag=se&keywords=Kings+of+their+court&qid=1780411893&s=books&sprefix=kings+of+their+court%2Cstripbooks%2C166&sr=1-1
Want to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!
Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search
This bonus pod features the 2016-17 South Carolina Gamecocks, Dawn Staley's first national championship team! Staley had been knocking on the door of greatness, but she finally gets over the hump with this team, led by future WNBA super-duper star A'ja Wilson and a slew of terrific role players. The first team other than UConn to win a national championship in half a decade, Staley's squad got the job done in Dallas. Nate Wall, Jacob Brindle and I break down this team; it was a championship team, but was it a great team? You tell us . . .
Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! https://www.amazon.com/Hoops-365-Guide-Becoming-Basketball/dp/B0FPBD7QPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PYZOTGAM7OHT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sEuPkF0Nk-evy2O2iGy4zhOpGEgiAGP99esg3xF5OPz9EY0RYWKgal-JRlGgnkb6Fb28rxptX_Lc2kgmC4n0ZuzKcFtGhbMweHFxSRAOAeLJ2J9VjTqXlaKOuinrOmQ_FVuhrlmltmbb6G-qBz3A8igaBz2ssffgLItwd_sNjB3CpG_48B0iWFjK6RRjWttkmFAFopwzecUqIvbmOEXyOg.geclG40Oi09NgLDoNvoITm9hh0pkd-M6IFu79HpE-4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=hoops+365+book&qid=1779136298&sprefix=hoops+365%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1
Get your copy of The Last of the Cowboys here! https://www.amazon.com/Last-Cowboys-Valley-Basketball-School/dp/B0F634Q15L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1I7UIZVBBLG4W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.heOr37WpWb4zoZq4z37horroiq1GFk5UscQzNFDnhSPru1-ZKfQ9t8X429WajU9_.OMSsO-LEZeccMt3hWc05FAViiPTki7MYhUGyi2bQzBw&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley&qid=1780411806&s=books&sprefix=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley%2Cstripbooks%2C311&sr=1-1
Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search
Ryan Stanley is the new WBB HC at Union Commonwealth (KY) University, and he jumps on the pod to discuss his unique basketball journey, going through the interview process, melding AAU experiences with his new job, networking, player development, special situations, statistical analysis and a lot more! Coach Stanley has already made inroads in kickstart the Union program, so enjoy our conversation!
It's the day after Memorial Day, and we are officially into summer, so I thought it would be a good time to do a short, one-off pod on some things that are changing and things that are coming from APAAN, including:
*No more napkins! (But we're still sending stuff out there daily)
*Send me stuff so we can send it out to other people!
*"Win The Season" Podcast starting July 7th!
*The importance of daily improvement and "Hoops 365"
*Six goals that you should have for the summer
Hope you like it; enjoy!
We had a lot of fun breaking down a bunch of topics with Josh Thompson, the head boys basketball coach at Bishop McGuiness (NC), "Weekday" Wade Coulter, the GBB HC at Gretna East (NE) and Jordon Klein, the WBB HC at Fort Hays Tech CC (KS)! We chat about a variety of topics, including the summer focus for each program, favorite drills, personal summer improvement and learning from higher levels. We had a blast recording this; I hope you enjoy listening to it!
"Woo, Pig Suey! Razorbacks!" was one of the most commonly heard chants of the 1990's as Nolan Richardson's 1993-94 squad dominated the season, finishing it up with an epic victory over Duke in Charlotte for the national championship. Led by Corliss Williamson and Scotty Thurman, Richardson's "40 Minutes of Hell" dominated the game while playing 9-10 players regularly. Myself and my co-hosts, Nate Wall and Jacob Brindle, had our opinions on this team, but as always, you tell us . . .
Liz Flooks, the women's head basketball coach at East Stroudsburg State (PA), is our guest this week! Coach Flooks has had a interesting career to this point and is one of the rising stars in the community. In this episode, we discuss her journey, her communication style, player development, practice scheduling, building a program and much more! This was alot of fun to record, so enjoy this episode!
We reopen "The Notebook" to look at a variety of topics this week, including the NBA Draft Lottery and predictions for the draft (one of my favorite days of the year), a quick preview of the WNBA season, tips to help run a good youth camp and make it productive for both you and the campers, "Range" and much more. At the end, I tease our big summer project that will be in more detail in the coming weeks!
Dr. Tony Miller, the head men's basketball coach at Bob Jones University (SC) and the host of "A Quick Timeout" podcast, jumps on the podcast to talk about a variety of topics, including teaching the game, small sided games, when is information too much information, influences in his career, transition and conceptual offense and much more! This was alot of fun talking with a terrific coach!
"The Heatles" burst onto the scene after "The Decision" by LeBron James and the simulataneous signing of Chris Bosh to join Dwayne Wade in Miami. What was once thought to be potentially one of the NBA's greatest dynasties lasted only four years, but it produced two NBA championships and one of the greatest seasons ever. In this episode, Nate Wall, Jacob Brindle and I break down this squad, it's forgotten depth, the 27 game winning streak and "The Shot" by Ray Allen? Was this a great team? We have our opinions, but you tell us . . .
A terrific coach originally from the Hawkeye State, Rob Brost is our guest this week! Coach heads up the program at Bolingbrook (IL) HS with the boys program, where he has built one of the most consistent winners in the state! In this episode, we discuss his journey, coaching his son, coaching the elite player, being the hunted, building great relationships, playing fast on offense and much more! A really fun conversation with one of the best out of the Windy City!
It was great to have on old friend Ryan Psota, the head girls basketball coach from Lincoln Pius X (NE) this week! Coach Psota discusses a variety of topics, including working effectively with his assistant coaches, winning multiple state titles early in his head coaching career, creating numbers in your program, not beating yourself and adapting to your personnel offensively. This was a really fun podcast as we went down memory lane a little bit, so enjoy!
One of the great, but forgotten teams, in WNBA history is the 2010 Seattle Storm. Lead by two all time greats in Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson, the Storm (no pun intended) stormed their way to a terrific regular season before pulling off the very rare perfect postseason, sweeping their way to a championship. One of the best runs in WNBA history is a great story, but was this a great team? Nate Wall, Jacob Brindle and I try to answer that question!
Welcome back to "The Notebook"! We crack it open once again to discuss a bunch of different angles in the game, including the transfer portal in both the men's and women's game, North Carolina's hire of Mike Malone, player movement in the WNBA, the WNBA draft, NBA playoff predictions and 'Controlling what you can control'. Enjoy this Friday edition of "The Notebook"!
Some people call her "The Diva Coach", but I think it's safe to say that we should just call Dawn Thornton a winner! Coach Thornton has led Alabama A&M's women's program to multiple 20 win seasons and is our guest for episode #322. We discuss a variety of topics, including her growth as a coach and as a person, the recruiting landscape and how her program is adjusting to it, offensive transition, gap defense, and her connections to the HBCU universe. A really fun conversation with a terrific basketball coach!
Episode #321 features TJ Eskildsen, the head men's basketball coach at McPherson (KS) University. Coach Eskildsen has built a great program at McPherson, including an NAIA national tournament berth this past season. In this podcast, we discuss the influence of his father, building his program, developing players, pressbreaks, transition offense and much more! A really fun conversation with one of the best NAIA coaches in the country!
Perhaps Pat Summitt's greatest squad, the 1997-98 Tennessee Lady Vols was, without a doubt, one of the most entertaining teams in NCAA women's basketball history. "The Three Meke's", along with Summitt, was one of the most dominant teams in history, with only minimal challenges on their way to a 39-0 record and a national championship, all while playing an exciting brand of basketball. We had our opinions on this team, but as always, you tell us . . .
Scott Moore, the highly successful men's head coach at Grace College (IN), comes on the pod to discuss his basketball journey, running an efficient offense, the possibility of small school colleges advancing to higher levels, coaching the great player and much more, including an extended conversation about Coach Wooden! A great conversation with one of America's best small school coaches!
Welcome back to "The Notebook", where we take a look at a variety of topics within the game of basketball. In this edition, we break down the men's NCAA Final Four with a couple of predictions, we take a look at both the hot teams and the sinking ships in the NBA, some great quotes from some of the best coaches in the country and much more!
It is a great day to talk "March Madness" and how teams are working their way through the end of the season with three terrific coaches; Brandon Henderson of Riverside Prep (CA), Caleb Kluender of Columbus Lakeview (NE) and Steve Klein of Bellevue West (NE)! We discuss lessons learned from watching basketball all weekend, things learned from this past season, building a strong youth camp, getting your kids into the gym in the offseason and much more! Enjoy a really fun conversation!
THE story of the NCAA tournament so far has been the Nebraska Cornhuskers and their Cinderella season and run in Oklahoma City this past weekend. One of the great subplots of the Oklahoma run by the Huskers was the overwhelming fan support that followed Hoiberg's crew to OKC. Unless you were there, it's hard to describe what happened, but in this special narrative podcast, I'm going to try to tell you the story of what happened this weekend in OKC from the ground view. For our family, and more specifically, for our oldest, this was not a story of this weekend, but it was a story that was finally finished after seven long years . . .
Enjoy "Four Days in Oklahoma"
We're back with another episode from "The Mellow Mushroom" in downtown Lincoln to talk hoops! We've got Steve Self from South Sioux City (NE), T-Shaw from Sidney (NE) and Nate Wall from the suburbs of David City (NE) to chat about a variety of different topics!
It's the best weekend of the year for hoops heads, so let's not just break down one bracket, but both! I brought in Nate Wall and Jacob Brindle from "The Greatest Coaches" podcast and we coaxed Mr. Tony D. Vis out of retirement to do a one off with us to not only give you a national champion in the men's bracket, but also the women's bracket. 134 games x 4 predictors = 536 different predictions in 75 minutes . . . enjoy!
We had a great time at the Mellow Mushroom last week at the Nebraska girls state tournament with three terrific coaches; Elkhorn's Jen Wragge, Central Valley's Devon Beck and Norfolk Catholic's Tim Kassemeier! We discuss lessons learned from this season, what they're looking to learn about during the off-season, favorite shooting drills and a debate over a proposed rule change . . . enjoy!
Episode #316 (why do I hear breaking glass and Stone Cold Steve Austin walking out when I say that?) features Jimmy Motz from Norris (NE) and Jim Simons from Omaha Westside chatting it up about alot of late season topics, including getting ready for post season play, the important tasks you have to perform after the season concludes, rebounding and many more things! We had alot of fun putting this one together, so enjoy it!
Jamie Parish, the longtime head girls basketball coach at Sioux Falls Washington, jumps on the podcast to discuss a variety of topics in a really fun conversation! Coach Parish and I discuss growing his program through culture building activities. growing as a coach, coaching at different levels of enrollment, player development and much more! Had alot of fun recording this podcast with one of South Dakota's best!
We're back with another edition of "The Notebook"! We talk about . . .
*Bracket previews for both Men's and Women's College Basketball and the tiers they fall in
*A crazy weekend in hoops
*Is it okay to criticize players publicly?
*Things you could/should look at for your tournament run
*Keeping perspective
Enjoy!
My friend Nick LoGalbo is back on the pod to discuss the philosophy of Stoicism and how it can help you become a better coach! Coach LoGalbo has spent the last few years studying the Stoics and applying it to both his daily and professional life, and while we worked together at Snow Valley Basketball School, Coach turned me onto Marcus Aurelius's "Meditations", which has led us both to many different resources, including Ryan Holiday. We talk about the history of Stoicism, earlier influences and how you can apply Stoicism to your coaching. Enjoy!
What many people consider to be one of the greatest teams of all-time, if not THE greatest team of all time, the 1985-86 Boston Celtics featured NINE Hall of Famers or future Hall of Famers in various ways, including "Old Testament" players Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, along with one of the greatest guards of the era in Dennis Johnson, along with 6th man Bill Walton. The stats and the eye test speak for themselves, but how great of a team was this truly? You tell us . . .
Really excited to share Babe Kwasniak's story with "Maverick Leadership", a new book highlighting taking risks in your leadership style. A good read detailing 20 different leadership styles, "Maverick Leadership" covers everything from coaching to business to military thoughts. Coach Kwas dives into the book and his own story and how "Maverick Leadership" can help any leader, including basketball coaches, be better at what they do!
Featured in this edition of "The Notebook":
*Here comes KU Men's and UCLA Women's teams
*Potential #1 seeds in both tournaments
*The importance of the FT Line, team length and proper preparation for each game
*The NBA trade deadline
*Why girls basketball numbers are dipping, and some strategies to fix it
Episode #311 features Nick Thompson, the head boys basketball coach at Elkhorn (NE). Coach comes from a lineage of great coaches and has learned from some of the best coaches in the state of Nebraska. Coach discusses his journey, being selective in the jobs he applied for, why Elkhorn was the job for him, growing as a coach, building a fundamentally sound program, the importance of defense and more! This was a fun conversation with one of Nebraska's best up and coming coaches!
We've got a lot of great stuff to talk about in this edition of "The Notebook", including:
*College basketball achievements by freshman and old coaches
*Fixing collegiate eligibility
*Navigating up's and down's of January
*Preparing for late game scenarios
*Putting together your rotation based on analytics
ENJOY!
It is GREAT to have Mike Neighbors, the former HC at the University of Arkansas and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Sparks, back on the podcast! Coach and I break down a bunch of different topics, including the new Refindex.com to help rate officials at the collegiate level. We also talk about the last year of his life, from getting let go from his dream job to moving into the professional ranks and we also spend some time talking about some of our recent favorite books. This was alot of fun to have on Coach once again!
Blake DuDonis is the lead Assistant Women's Basketball Coach at Fairfield University, one of the best mid-major women's basketball program in the country. Coach DuDonis and the Fairfield staff have a unique philosophy to their program, which he dives into in the podcast! Coach also talks about his basketball journey, going from a head coach to an assistant coach, the next steps for their program, offensive transition, special situations and more! This was a really fun conversation with one of America's up and coming assistant coaches!
Ryan Hintz is the head boys basketball coach at Blue Valley (KS) High School, where he has built a really consistent program. He comes on the podcast this week to talk about a bunch of different topics, including being a transformational coach and how to motivate young people today, growing as a coach, developing back to the basket post players, developing a solid youth program and much more! A really fun podcast with one of the best coaches in the Kansas City Metro area!
The latest edition of "The Notebook" features an extended discussion of "January Season" and how to navigate perhaps the toughest season of the year, including growing your own team. We also have a segment on game situations to cover and prepare for. Our last segment deals with "New Year's Resolutions" and how to best prepare yourself for the New Year and how to make yourself better. Enjoy!
Really excited to have on Chris Mayes, the author of the "Drive The Gap" Substack series! Coach Mayes has two decades of international basketball experience that he has brought here to the United States and is now sharing with the world. In this episode, we break down the differences between the way the game is played and developed here in the United States as opposed to Europe, where coaches need the most help, player development at both the perimeter and the post, scouting and much more! Alot of fun talking with Coach this week!
Merry Christmas from APAAN! We've got a bunch of things to talk about this week in "The Notebook", including game situations, a great 1 on 1 drill, analyzing the 49-0 stretch of the Heartland going into Christmas break, Emirates Cup champion New York Knicks and more!
We had a terrific conversation with Amy Eagan, the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Lindenwood University (MO), a Division I program on the rise in the Ohio Valley Conference! Coach Eagan has been a winner at every level, and we dive into her journey to Division I HC, including her experiences with Molly Miller. In addition, we talk about building a program, battling the "Big Dogs", podcasting (?), player development, staff development and more! This was a really fun conversation with a great up and coming coach!
Bonus Pod Time! Today we're dropping our "Greatest Teams" podcast covering the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, owners (or previous owners) of some of the greatest records in NBA history, including the (perhaps) unbreakable record of 33 consecutive wins. From the tragedy of Elgin Baylor's retirement to Jerry West's agony, Wilt's excellence, Gail Goodrich's sharp shooting and more, Nate Wall, Jacob Brindle and I break down the roster, the coaching and the stats of this team. We also have my dad come on to give his perspectives, as this was one of his favorite teams of all time!
Episode #305 features Todd Fergot, the head boys basketball at LaCrosse Central (WI) and newly minted Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Famer! In this episode, Coach and I break down a bunch of topics, including parent meetings, growing as a coach, extending your coaching career, building a quality youth program, building a defense and much more! This was a great conversation with a terrific coach!
In this episode of "The Notebook" we take a look at Indiana football, it's Cinderella story and how studying their formula for success can help you! In addition, we talk Giannis trade rumors, the amazing streaks of LBJ (done) and SGA (still going), some game situations that you should prepare for before they even happen, including late game situations, the impressive starts of Texas and LSU women's basketball, and the excellence that is Mark Few.
It's time to "Rave On" w/ Briar Cliff Men's Basketball HC Mark Svagera! Coach Svagera and I discuss variety of issues, from stepping into a tradition-rich program, growing as a head coach, the challenges of coaching at a small school, blending his offensive philosophy while implementing a defensive identity, developing shooters and much more. A really fun conversation with one the best small college coaches in the country!
In the 3rd edition of the notebook, we dive in on a variety of topics, including the state of Michigan and college basketball, things to think about for December, taking care of yourself, hot teams in the NBA and an appreciation of greatness . . . enjoy!
The second edition of "The Notebook" is here! In this episode we're talking about some great women's basketball achievements, injured NBA players, some X's and O's to prepare for, "Feast Week" and a story to give those who are struggling hope . . . I hope you enjoy this one!
Jamie Carey is the new WBB HC at the University of Omaha with a great lineage of coaches that she has played and worked for, and she's on track to build the Omaha program into something special! In this episode, we talk about those rebuilding efforts and what its going to take to get the Mavericks to the top of the Summit League, her influences and amazing journey, statistical analysis, her favorite drills and much more! A lot of fun talking to one of the up and coming coaches in America!
The first time that we've had a father-son duo on the podcast before! Bruce Chubick Jr., the head boys basketball coach at Omaha Central, comes on the pod to talk about his unique upbringing and the influence of his father, leaving Omaha South to go to a rival school, taking over a consistent power in Nebraska, communicating with administration, scouting and much more! A really fun conversation with a terrific head coach!
Hey, let's try this out! I've got a notebook next to my computer, and when I see something good and useful for coaches to help them out this season, I'm going to write it in my notebook. Once I get enough stuff in there, I'll spill it out!
This first edition, we're talking some X's and O's with some of the stuff I've seen early this season, the excitement of early season college hoops, and some teams that have been surprising early in the NBA, while also having some teams that are not so good . . .
Let me know what you think! If you like it, let me know! If you think it stinks, let me know!! Just want to have some fun and talk some hoops to help coaches out!
We are going to continue with the Duke connection in this week's episode; we welcome in former Duke assistant coach, Notre Dame head coach and current Atlanta Hawks assistant coach Mike Brey onto the podcast! Coach Brey and I talk about his career, the experiences and lessons learned that he has had over the years, adjusting to going back to being an assitant coach with Quin Snyder, his experiences with Coach K, teaching motion offense and much more! A really fun conversation with one of America's best coaches!
In our latest segment on the "Greatest Coaches" pod, Tony and I dive into Rick Pitino, the often traveled and highly successful coach at numerous stops, including Kentucky, Louisville and St. John's. We break down Coach Pitino's career, including his numerous successes, his failures and what makes him one of the best coaches of the last half century. We also have trivia, our TWIB segment where we break down the early season NBA headlines and more! We also have an announcement . . enjoy "The Coaching Staff"!
EPISODE #300!!! WOW!!!!
Thank you so much to everyone who has followed along with A Pen And A Napkin; I hope that I've been able to help you out, even if it is in the smallest of ways . . . it has been my pleasure!
Today's podcast is with ESPN and NBA commentator Jay Bilas! We discuss Coach K's influence on him as a player and as a coach, along with his annual "Coaches Academy" he holds each year. We also discuss some questions asked by others, a season preview and much, much more!
It's been a great run; thank you so much for all of your support!
Tony and I have discussed how to take care of yourself for the short term, but this week we discuss a longer term view . . . how to sustain a long career. From organization to being a life long learner to knowing yourself, we've got a laundry list of tips to help coaches to not just thrive this year, but for many years. In addition, we've got trivia and a bunch of different topics in our TWIB segment, including the NBA gambling scandal and players from the G-League having collegiate eligibility. Enjoy!
Really excited to have on for episode #299 Dick Wettengel, the head girls basketball coach at Council Bluffs St. Albert's (IA). Coach has been involved with the game in the Council Bluffs area for over 50 years, and last year his squad cut down the nets in Des Moines. We discuss his influences, building his program brick by brick, pressure defense, sharing of athletes and much more. A really fun conversation with a coach who richly got his flowers this past spring!
The goal of every offense is to create the best shots for the best players, but how do you get down to the details of accomplishing that goal? This week, Tony and I break down the intricacies of getting great shots, from your set list to passing and screening. We also have a good TWIB segment, where we discuss Giannis, J-Kidd's new contract, a preview of the NCAA Top 10's and a preview of the NBA Pacific Division. Enjoy!
It's the best $5 I've spent in a while . . . after years of negotiation, I was finally able to bribe John Carrier from Nova Classic (MN) to come on the podcast! John and I discuss a bunch of different topics, including hiring AC's, offensive basketball, building a culture, making basketball fun for the players while also getting them to work hard, plus we take a deep dive into sharing the game and why it's important to be a life long learner. A great podcast with a bunch of great information!
There are very few people who we can associate with one word or phrase, but when you think of Nolan Richardson, "40 Minutes of Hell" immediately comes to mind! Coach Richardson was one of the best coaches of the 1980s and 90s in college basketball, leading Arkansas to its one and only national championship in 1994. We'll talk about the ups and downs of Coach Richardson's career, have some trivia, take a deep dive on the state of the WNBA and then break down what is perhaps the NBA's toughest division. Enjoy!
Chad Mustard is the boys basketball coach at Omaha Roncalli Catholic High School, and he has had a varied and exciting career. A former All-Stater in multiple sports in Nebraska who played multiple sports at the Division II level and eventually found himself on multiple NFL rosters, Coach Mustard brings those experiences and more to his coaching resume. In this episode, we talk about those things, along with fundraising, taking steps in growth in the program. pressbreaks, player development and much more. A really fun podcast with one of Omaha's best!
The first female team that we are breaking down on the "The Great Teams" podcast is a terrific one! Pat Summitt's last national championship team in 2008 finished the journey of going "back to back" with one of college basketball's greatest players, Candace Parker. We break down the roster, the schedule and the journey of this squad with Nate Wall and Jacob Brindle; enjoy!
We had a great time getting together before the Omaha Metro Basketball Coaches Association clinic last week! Dave Hubert of Ashland-Greenwood (NE), Bruce Chubick of Omaha Central and Derek Sonderland of Tri-Center Neola (IA) jumped on the roundtable to discuss a variety of topics gearing up towards the season, including practice planning, quotes and more!
One of the greatest challenges that faces most coaches is how much time and energy to devote to installing your offensive system. Spend too little time on it and your offense starts the season clunky and uneven, even moreso than it's already going to be. Spend too much time and other areas of your team suffers, like your team defense or rebounding. In this episode, Tony and I breakdown some ideas that you can use to help you install your offense and your sets, from time management to best practices in practice. We also have our trivia, a lively discussion on the WNBA playoffs, and a preview of the NBA's Southwest Division. Enjoy!
Really excited to feature Bruce Dall, the girls basketball coach at Cedar Rapids Prairie (IA) High School. Dall, the 2024 National High School Basketball Coach of the Year, has won multiple state titles and has chosen to make the leap to a higher classification in Prairie, and we discuss those changes and how it has affected his philosophy. In addition, we talk about being in shape as a coach, peaking at the end of the season, pressbreaks, pressure defense, half court defense and much more! A really fun conversation with a terrific coach!
As summer turns to fall, it means that we are taking more and more steps towards the start of our seasons! To prepare for your season, your players need to both be in shape and bond over situations that could generously be called "shared suffering". This week, Tony and I break down numerous different activities that a coaching staff can put their team through to get them ready for the upcoming season, both inside and outside the gym. In addition, we have trivia, a discusssion on both the WNBA playoffs and bubbling gambling issues in basketball. We finish up with a preview of the NBA's Southeast Division. Enjoy!
Here is part II of our two part series breaking down the clinics and drills that were shared at the USA Gold Camp in Omaha over Labor Day weekend! Excited to have John Jungers from Omaha, Dominic Amorosa from Houston, Texas, Ryan Hintz from Kansas City, Missouri and Brandon Shaver from Lake Travis, Texas discussing topics to help players and coaches grow while working with some of the best youth players in the country. Enjoy!
The topic was so good last week that we had to divide it into two podcasts! This week, Tony and I dive into the second part of our pod about leadership in your program and how you can be the best leader possible for the program. We addressed leading by example, staying calm, having high standards with minimal rules, be a developer of a whole program and have great passion for your job! We also have trivia, some TWIB topics, including predictions for the WNBA brackets and a preview of the NBA's Central Division. Enjoy!
This week's interview series is of the "Quick HItter" style; we've got four coaches that worked the USA Gold Camp with me in Omaha a couple of weeks ago, and we're going to break down their clinics and what they did in their clinic. Brandon Henderson discusses rebounding, while Karen Self chats about finishing around the basket. Ras Vanderloo talks about 3 x 3, while James Bush comes on to talk about the camp and learning from other coaches. This was alot of fun to put together, and we've got part II next week!
Being the leader of your program means so much more than the X's and O's (although you have to be technically sound as a teacher as well). As the CEO of the program, you need to refine your leadership skills to benefit everyone in your program. This week, Tony and I were going to talk about all of these concepts, but our conversation was so good that we're going to split it into two weeks, so enjoy part one of our conversation, with more to come next week. In addition, we will talk trivia, the Kawhi "no-show" endorsement deal, Caitlyn Clark out for the year, the passing of George Raveling and our predictions for the NBA's Atlantic Division!
USA Basketball Gold Medal winning coach Scott Fitch is our guest for episode #292! Coach Fitch led the U16's to another gold medal this summer, and he comes on this week's podcast to talk about relationships, things you canlearn from international basketball, his full time job as a social media speaker, organizing your game day, building a culture and much more! Coach Fitch comes from a family of coaches, and the influence of his father is evident as you talk to him. Enjoy this week's podcast!
Lute Olson is, at times, forgotten in the history of college basketball, but this week, Tony and I are here to make sure that Coach gets his flowers for his career. Starting out as a high school teacher and coach for 13 years, Coach Olson got his start at Long Beach CC before moving on to Long Beach State and the University of Iowa. After nine years in the Hawkeye state, Olson moved on to the University of Arizona, where he took a dormant program to a blue blood for the next 25 years. We discuss Coach Olson's career, his influence and his accomplishments. We also have trivia and TWIB to chat about!
Omaha Westview (NE) GBB HC Jason Simons makes his maiden voyage on APAAN this week as he discusses a lot of great topics! We chat about his move from a smaller school to a bigger school, player development, starting a program from scratch at Westview, the importance of good administrators, favorite drills and much more! Coach Simons has taken his program to the state tournament by year 3, and this year they go from the hunter to the hunted; listen to see how they're going to handle that shift! Great podcast!
NEW PODCAST ALERT!!!!!!!
The game of basketball has been around since December of 1891, but have we ever really settled this question . . . what team, at the game's highest levels, has been the most dominant single season team ever? We're not just talking about the NBA or college basketball, but the most dominant basketball team ever? In this new series, we're going to use math, the eye test and debate to try to figure out which team is the best basketball team ever at the four highest levels of the game (NBA, Men's and Women's College Basketball and the WNBA). We've selected 92 of the greatest teams ever, and by the end of this exercise, we'll be able to say which team was truly the greatest ever!
We start our series with the team that I fell in love with basketball with, the 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers. From "Fo, Fo, Fo" to Dr. J winning his one and only title, this is a legendary team whose place in the game is cemented forever. The question is, just how high do they rank? You'll have to listen to find out!
Having multiple ball handlers is key to having a team that takes care of the basketball and doesn't turn it over consistently. In this week's podcast, Tony and I break down overall philosophies that we have when it comes to developing better ball handling practices, and we also go through a few of our favorite ball handling drills. In addition, we have trivia and also discuss some of the headlines coming out of the WNBA, including Paige Bueckers' 44 point game. Also, happy retirement John Wall! Enjoy this pod
John Thompson, the longtime men's HC at North Carolina Wesleyan, comes on the pod this week to discuss a variety of topics! Coach talks about his career, his influences, the importance of basketball to his state of North Carolina, how to be a leader for the entire institution, player development, offensive basketball and helping your players grow through your programs culture. This was a really fun pod with a great veteran coach; enjoy!
Tony and I went to the wise Greg Berge once again to discuss eight issues that can prevent teams from achieveing their goals. From Energy Vampires to cliques to trust, all of these issues can derail any team at any level. Tony and I advise to really use this down time in August and September to address how you plan on working through this issues if they were to crop up within your team this year. In addition, we've got trivia, TWIB and more! Enjoy Episode #140!
Really excited to have on the "Guru of the Post", Coach Brandon Henderson from Riverside Prep (CA) high school! Coach Henderson goes through alot of stuff in this podcast, including his journey as a coach, taking over this program late in the summer and how he plans on creating the culture and standards he wants to have in both the short and long term. In addition, we discuss moving from multiple schools and how that has helped him develop, along with post play, BLOBs, offensive development and much more! Alot of fun talking hoops with one of my Snow Valley brethern!!
Tony's back, and we're back with a new episode! This week, we're going to discuss how to develop floor generals and leaders on the floor. We chat about the qualities that are within a floor general, things you can do to develop them within practice, and some of the best ways you can communicate your expectations to those leaders. In addition, we also have our trivia, TWIB (with some Arby's) and much more! Enjoy the pod!
Really excited to have Matt Thomas, the new boys HC at Highland (MO) high school! Coach Thomas is a veteran coach who is looking to get the Highland program back to where it was in the recent past, so we will discuss that, him coming back to the head coach's chair, non-negotiables, watching film from practice, "Desert Island" drills, packline defense, the influences of Don Meyer and Jim Boone, and much, much more! This was a really fun conversation with a Snow Valley guy, one of the "Last of the Cowboys"!
Tony and I have come up with a new idea for "The Coaching Staff"; let us know what you think! We've talked about great coaches on the podcast before, so we've decided to feature and breakdown the career of a great coach once a month . . . unfortunately, Tony couldn't be on the maiden voyage of this concept, but I was able to recruit Jim Simons from Omaha Westside to help me out. We break down the successes, failures and influences of Coach Thompson, all the good and the bad. We also have some trivia, Coach Simons gets some Arby's and we talk some basketball stuff. Enjoy!
I'm really excited to bring to the world episode #288, which features Derek Keizer, the head boys basketball coach at perhaps Iowa's most storied boys program, Western Christian (Hull). In this episode, Keizer details his basketball journey from coming to Western as an AC as Dordt College, going "back to back", 65Six Basketball, offensive transition, giving responsibilities to AC's and much more! This was a really fun podcast to discuss the ins and outs of taking over one of the most prestigious programs in the state of Iowa!
It was a great night at Wine 121 with new Ralston boys HC Tom Krehbiel, Omaha Roncalli boys HC Chad Mustard and Elkhorn boys HC Nick Thompson to chat about a bunch of different topics, including summer goals, things that they learned this summer from other teams, what they have planned for the interim time and much more. Alot of fun at Wine 121!
Getting through the rush of June and early July is a gauntlet for most coaches, but now you're on the back half of the summer and your time is not as crunched with workouts, leagues and camps. For many coaches, there's a temptation to just completely unplug and getaway, and to a degree, that should be done, but you also should use this time to focus in on a few things before you hit the next season. In this pod, Tony and I throw out some suggestions for what you can and should be doing with your basketball time for the next couple of months. In addition, we have some trivia, we're giving out some "Arby's" and we take a dive into the controversy swirling around the WNBA officiating landscape at the All-Star break. Enjoy!
After almost a year of scheduling conflicts and 25 years after I tried to recruit her to Briar Cliff, Carrie Eighmey comes on episode #285 to discuss a variety of topics. Eighmey, who is entering her second year as head coach at South Dakota, discusses her journey, what she's learned as she's climbed the ladder, both from her experiences and from a couple of key mentors, the art of recruiting, getting players to buy in, communication and working with administration, among many other things. This was a really fun conversation with one of America's up and coming female coaches!
I had a great conversation with Jared Ronai, the head men's basketball coach at Mount Vernon Nazarene (OH), for episode #284. In this episode, we talk about a variety of topics, including his basketball journey, building a program through footwork and culture, "RULE", establishing standards of behavior, motion offense, pressure defense and much more! Coach Ronai is definitely one of the up and comers in the game, so enjoy this podcast!
There's a good chance that at some point in your career you're going to take over a program that is not only struggling on the floor, but it is struggling off the floor, lacking in energy and excitement. This week, Tony and i discuss a bunch of different ways to lift up a struggling program and how to make it stronger, from establishing an identity to building your youth program to attracting support throughout the community. In addition, we've got some interesting trivia for you, along with a discussion on the NBA free agent market, WNBA updates and a shout out for Red Panda!
Rebuilding a once-proud program is not as easy as it seems, but Jory Collins, the head women's basketball coach at North Dakota State University, is well on track to getting the Bison back to the elite. In this episode, Coach Collins shares with us his journey from Kansas to North Dakota. He also discusses rebuilding the culture at NDSU, winning the BLOB game, :08 scores, offensive transition, getting to the NCAA tournament and much more! A really fun episode with one of America's up and coming coaches on the women's side!
If you are going to maximize your abilities as a coach, I firmly believe that you need to be a voracious reader and to have the ability and drive to pick up on coaching tidbits through literature. This week, Tony and I break down and explain some of our favorite coaching books that we have applied to our coaching journeys, and if you haven't read some of these books, you need to get on it right now! In addition, we have our basketball history, trivia and TWIB segments to share, including our reactions to the early off-season moves by various NBA teams!
What a great morning talking with Herb Livsey and Don Showalter, the two men most responsible for Snow Valley Basketball School, which kicked off their 30th summer in Iowa this week! We take some time to discuss "Last Of The Cowboys", the history of Snow Valley, stories about the camp and much more! In addition, Wes Bruns of Cedar Rapids (IA) comes on for a short interview about working through adversity and life in semi-retirement!
Because of some travel complications, we're dropping "The Coaching Staff" a day early . . . Tony and I wanted to go through a list of things that a new coach (especially) needs to be aware of before the step onto the sideline or as they take over their new jobs. From adversity to organization to finding a higher meaning, here's a great starting point for any new coach who is wondering what to expect, especially off the court. In addition, we have trivia, a discussion of the Lakers sale, the draft this week and predictions for Game 7!
I was back at home last week visiting family and friends, and my friend Kiley Yates from South O'Brien (IA) HS helped me bring together Derek Keizer from Hull Western Christian (IA) and Loren DeJong of Siouxland Christian (IA) HS together at my buddy Chad Lang's restuarant "Langer's" in Sheldon for a great podcast! We discussed summer strategies, staying in coaching for an extended period of time, sustaining a successful program, what these coaches learned from their highly successful seasons and much more! A great podcast with three of Iowa's best boys basketball coaches!
We've got a two-parter this week! We'll kick it off with NBA draft guru (and Omaha native) Rafael Barlowe breaking down the top end of the draft, discussing players with Omaha ties, some foreign players that may sneak up the draft board and other sleepers in the draft. In the second half of the pod, up and coming coach Jordon Klein discusses his rise up the coaching ranks, including his new positoin at Fort Hays Tech in Goodland, Kansas. Enjoy!
Both teams in the NBA Finals, the Pacers and the Thunder, have really built an identity on their aggressive defensive systems. In this week's pod, Tony and I discuss various methods and philosophies to attack defenses that are really aggressive, from both a program point of view to a daily expectation. In addition, we have our weekly trivia, a discussion of the Finals to this point and did the Knicks do the right thing firing Thibs?
It's tough taking over a new job, but it can be even tougher taking over for a legend, but that is what John Gianforte, the new GBB HC at Cedar Rapids Xavier (IA) is doing this spring! Coach graciously jumped on the pod with us this week to talk about a variety of topics, including his basketball journey, "re-recruiting" his players, adapting his system to a successful system, building a program from the bottom up, working with parents, community service and "Exit Tickets". Two Italian guys had alot of fun putting this together, so enjoy!
Tony and I are excited to have our first guest EVER for "The Coaching Staff" in Greg Berge, head boys basketball coach at Lake City (MN) and "culture guru"! We go through a bunch of topics during the podcast, including building a culture, building leaders and accountability within your program, battling for players attention in the "TikTok" generation, bringing joy back to the game for our players and much, much more! We also discuss the NBA playoffs and the NBA Finals matchup between Oklahoma City and Indiana. We had alot of fun with Greg, and you're going to learn alot from Coach Berge!
We had a great time chatting with Steve Smiley, Northern Colorado University Men's HC about a variety of topics for episode #278! In this episode, we talk about coaches journey through the JC ranks to a Division I AC to now the head man. In addition, we talk about NIL and the effects of the portal on mid-major programs like his, the influence of the legendary Don Meyer and his network of coaching friends, bench organization, implementing your scouting report, turning defense into offense and much more! Had a lot of fun talking hoops with one of the best young coaches in the country!
Fremont Bergan (NE) Boys HC Ryan Mlnarik comes on the podcast this week, fresh off of an unlikely state championship run this spring, the first #8 seed to win a state championship in years! Coach Mlnarik discusses his journey as a basketball coach and his stops along the way, navigating the season with a very young team, hitting the tournament trail and the process they went through to win a title, and more! We also talk about how he sets up his practices, offensive transition and his half court philosophy, among other things! Great chat with a newly minted state champion!
We spend alot of time during the season devoted to developing the team game, but many times at the end of the season it comes down to either getting a score or a stop in an isolation situation. This week, Tony and I break down the importance of one on one and why you should be working on it in practice. In addition, Tony and I will drop over a dozen drills that you can bring back to your program to help develop your one on one abilities on both sides of the ball! We also have trivia, a discussion of the NBA playoffs and a preview of the WNBA's Western Conference with Carter Plum!
Episode #276 features state champion GBB HC Kristina Danella of Glen Ridge (NJ) High School! Coach Danella has had a well traveled career at both the collegiate and high school level, and we dive into that, along with her successful playing career at the Division I level and how that has affected her coaching style, along with some transition offense, offensive sets, communicating with parents, her state title journey and many other things. Alot of fun with a terrfic young coach from the Garden State!
Although most of the topics that are discussed on this podcast deal with current coaching issues, one thing that we rarely think about until it happens is what life is like without coaching. This week, Tony and I break down the do's and don'ts of life without coaching, including prepping for the next stop, what we should look for in our next position, how to handle the situation if it wasn't your choice to step away and much, much more! In addition, we've got a new segment at the top of the pod, trivia, NBA playoff discussion and an Eastern Conference WNBA preview with a new guest! Enjoy!
Four girls basketball coaches got together last week at Wine 121 here in Omaha to talk some hoops; Gretna East's Wade Coulter, Oakland-Craig's Scott Guzinski and APAAN's all around pinch hitter Marc Kruger got together to discuss their 2025 journey, of which each team played on the final day of the season. We talk about those journeys and look ahead to the summer of 2025 and how they plan on putting their teams together. We also talk about what our coaches want to get better at as they prepare for the summer of 2025. Enjoy our roundtable discussion!!!
One of the elements that makes life difficult for many coaches is the parents of the kids that they coach. It's easy to put all of your difficult parents into one basket, but there are different kinds of difficult parents. In this epiosde, Tony and I break down those types of parents, along with our swan song for opening numbers. In addition, we have our trivia segment and our TWIB segment, including a big thank you to Coach Pop and a discussions of the NBA playoffs. Enjoy!!
Jared Blackwell took over the legendary Sandy Creek (NE) girls basketball program four years ago and has worked hard to put the Cougars back amongst the elite in the small school spectrum of Nebraska. In this fun podcast, Coach Blackwell talks about building the program back up after some down years, the influence of Russ Ninemire, the adjustments you make going from an assistant coach to a head coach, scouting, game day superstitions and much more! A really fun conversation with one of Nebraska's up and coming coaches!
Every team needs to have players that are going to keep things together and do great things without the ball in their hand; hit their partners with a great pass, screen well, be a great help side defender, and on and on the list goes. The more that EVERY player on your roster buys into the elements of being a glue player, the better your team will be. Tony and I break down the elements that makes glue players so important, and we also discuss the NBA playoffs, St. John 's dominating the transfer portal and more!
Coach Derek Sonderland is a veteran girls basketball coach in southwest Iowa, having coached almost a quarter of a century in various stops, including his current school, Tri-Center Neola, where he's on his second run as head coach. Coach Sonderland discusses those travels, along with some influences in his career, what his team needs to do to improve for next season, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, building a strong culture, some of his favorite drills and much more! A really fun conversation with a terrific coach!
Mr. Tony D. Vis is back, so "The Coaching Staff" is back! This week we talk about Don Meyer's "Five Stages of Coaching", which is a prominent topic this time of year as coaches take inventory of where they are at and what are they are looking to do in their next steps of their career. After we break that down, we've got trivia, a WNBA draft breakdown and a discussion of the NBA playoffs.. Great to be back with Tony on the pod, and I hope you enjoy it!
Kris Freeland has been the long time boys head coach at Dundy County-Stratton (NE) and has built a very solid small school program year in and year out. In this pod, we talk about Coach Freeland's position as an administrator and how he balances that out with his coaching duties, along with the influence of Greg McDermott and Tom Kropp on his career. We also talk about his "Improvement Season" plan, developing your program through it's youth, unique traditions about the DC-S program and much more! A really fun conversation this week!
Tony and I had some scheduling conflicts this weekend, so we were unable to do our usual thing . . . but I still had some stuff that I wanted to throw out there, so here's a shorter, solo pod with just me (for better or worse).
I'm really excited to announce that my second book will be available on July 1st, 2025! It's called "The Last Of The Cowboys: The Story of Snow Valley Basketball School",and at the center of the story is America's oldest, continuous basketball camp. Founded in 1961 in California, then later adapted and brought to Iowa in 1994, it will be celebrating it's 30th anniversary this summer. It's a great story about the true reasons why people coach basketball, so I encourage you to pick up a copy!
I also talk about the Houston-Florida game, the WNBA draft, chaos in the Nuggests front office and the NBA playoffs. We wrap up talking about our clinic this past weekend, which was a great success!
Hope you enjoy this; let me know what you think!
Sidney (NE) Boys HC Austin Lewis comes on the pod this week to chat about a variety of topics, including working as an administrator and a coach to get people to work together, keeping kids invested in your program, some of his favorite drills, shell drill, breaking down practices into groups and swinging back and forth between two classifications. A really fun conversation with one of Nebraska's up and coming coaches!
March Madness is upon us, and special situations, per usual, are at the forefront of the great games. It's alot about preparation and repetition to get the execution that you want and need in these clutch moments. Tony and I break down our thoughts on BLOB's, SLOB's and EOG situations, what we like to do to prepare our teams for these situations and how we put together our playbooks. Along with that, we've got our thoughts on the great UConn run in the women's tournament while giving our predictions for what is going to happen tonight in the men's championship game. We also discuss "Who's Up?" and "Who's Down?" this week. Alot of fun in this podcast!
Bennington (NE) Boys HC Luke Olson jumps on episode #270 this week to discuss a variety of topics! We chat about his family's coaching tree, being a mental skills coach, the growth of his community and how they've tried to adjust their program to it, developing their youth program, practice culture and much more! Coach Olson has done a great job in building up the Badger program and has them on the brink of taking them to heights they haven't seen; terrific chat, so enjoy!
Tony and I are back with multiple references to The Beatles and Kip Dynamite to help explain the important qualities of what you should be looking for in an assistant coach and how you build out your staff. We go through a multitude of qualities that you should look for in your individual coaches and then how to put them all together as one unit. Along with that, we have our trivia, a discussion on March Madness and an extended "Arby's" segment about the coaching carousel! Sit back and enjoy!
A veteran of the game for over half a century, Dave Bollwinkel from the Chicago Bulls joins the pod this week! Coach Bollwinkel started out as a high school coach before moving his way up the ranks to becoming a Division I HC at St. Mary's (CA) before spending the last 25 years as an NBA scout. We also talk about the in's and out's of coaching, the draft process, changes that he's seen in the game, and much more! Enjoy this great conversation with Coach Bollwinkel!
It's the best weekend of the year! Love having so much basketball on, and I'm sure that many of you are like me in that it has been non-stop hoops the last four days! In this week's pod, Tony and I take a look at both tournaments and what are some of the things that we can learn from them, both on and off the floor. Along with that, we have trivia, and we have some new candidates to buy Tony and I some Arby's! We wrap things up with "Who's Up?" and "Who's Down?", so enjoy this week's pod!
We have a great episode with episode #268 with McCool Junction (NE) Boys HC Jabe Wurtz! Coach Wurtz has raised the level of the program at McCool, finishing with the third place trophy this year at the D1 state tournament this season! Coach Wurtz and I discuss some of his influences, making the climb to the state tournament, half court offensive principles, BLOB defense and working with your administrators. Coach Wurtz is a rising star here in Nebraska, so enjoy his podcast!
Tony and I are back after a week off, and we're here to talk about shooting. As we all know, the three point shot has never been as important to the game as it is now, and as we step into the off-season, it's imperative that we find shooters and improve them so that our offenses can be as efficient as possible. Tony and I discuss how we can help shooters develop, along with some trivia, a discussion on the dismissal of Fran McCaffery, and other topics. Enjoy the podcast!
We had alot of fun at the "Mellow Mushroom" with Coach Nate Wall, Centura GBB HC Laetheion Brown and Sidney GBB HC Tyler Shaw last Friday at the Nebraska Girls State Tournament! We talk about a variety of topics, including gardening and how that can play into developing your coaching skills. We also talk about the summer, finding the right camps for your team and looking forward into next season. A really, really fun conversation!
Thanks again to Mike and his crew at the "Mellow Mushroom" in downtown Lincoln! Mike and his staff always take care of us and treat us like kings and queens, and it is greatly appreciated!!
It's time once again to sit down at the Mellow Mushroom in Lincoln, Nebraska to discuss a bunch of different topics related to the state tournament. We chat about the excitement of the state tournament, the preparation level that you need to have at the tournament, mistakes we've made, and how to bridge the downtime between your substate title game and your first round state tournament game. Along with that, we have Carter Plum's "Mellow Mushroom Review". Enjoy the pod!
We all got into coaching so we could help plan large meals, right? Well, the end of the year banquet is important to your program, as it is the last time that this edition of this team will be together, so everyone deserves a great send off. In this episode, Tony and I break down the details of putting together a good banquet and how to retain favor with parents, players and administrators. We also have trivia (or do we???), a discussion about Diana Taurasi, some of the scum of the earth and a tribute to one of Iowa's best . . . enjoy!
Kyle Courtney has built a really nice program at Rapids City Christian (SD), and he is our guest for episode #265! Coach Courtney has spent time in a variety of places, and he discusses how those travels have influenced his career. Along with that, Coach Courtney discusses his run and jump defensive philosophy, getting to the state tournament last season, the unique culture of his program and much more. Really fun conversation!
Breaking bad habits and building good ones are the key to any player's or teams success. In this episode, Tony and I discuss strategies that you can implement to help yourself, your players or your teams to break bad habit and create new habits that are going to be much more positive for you. We also have our trivia portion, alot of great #21's, a down time for Jayhawk fans, an good time for Fighting Irish fans, and our "Who's Up?" and "Down?" segment. Great discussion on creating the positive habits necessary for success!
On episode #264 we are pleased to have Mike Vuncannon, the head boys basketball coach at Columbus Scotus (NE)! Coach Vuncannon has been with the program for over 20 years and has the Shamrocks on the brink of a state tournament appearance. In this episode, we discuss Coach Vuncannon's influences, correlating being a golf pro with coaching basketball, the rigors of playing in a really tough conference, his half court offense and defensive philosophy and much more, including "The Scotus Way". Really fun conversation with Coach Vuncannon!
As we enter into tournament time, the pressure mounts on both coaches and players. How do you get your players to relax, enjoy the moment and make plays under pressure situations? That's what Tony and I take up this week! We discuss visualization, breathing, practice situations, one on one conversations and much more to help you put your players in the best situations possible. Along with that, we have some trivia, a great TWIB segment breaking down the big headlining games in both men's and women's college basketball, Tom Izzo's great week and much more!
Basketball lifer and longtime NBA player development coach Dave Severns is our guest for this week's podcast! Coach has had a long career in the game, and currently serves as a scout for the Indiana Pacers. Coach discusses his career, his "Hoop Of The Day" tweets, some of the best coaches he's seen this year, being a great assistant, networking, building trust and some of his favorite skill work drills and concepts, with much, much more! A really fun conversation with a guy that just loves basketball!
February and March are when the microscopes really come out when it comes to your team's attention to detail and ability to execute under pressure. What are some of the things that you should be working on, and how should you be working on them? That's what Tony and I break down this week on "The Coaching Staff"! Along with that, Tony and I discuss a couple of big NBA trades, the Texas-South Carolina match up, Dickie V's return to the announcer's booth and much more!
Mid-American Nazarene MBB HC Adam Hepker is our guest for episode #262! Coach Hepker, after an outstanding playing career, has taken over at his alma mater and continued to build on the legacy of Rocky Lamar. Coach Hepker discusses Coach Lamar, how playing overseas influenced his coaches career, the ability to tell players the truth, practicing with great temp and much more. A really fun conversation with one of America's best young coaches!
Late January is a time period where we are stereotypically hit with numerous disruptions, from injuries to illness to discipline issues to transfers and players who unfortunately decide to quit. When these things inevitably happen, how do you navigate through the process and still keep your team moving in the right direction? That's the topic that Tony and I are breaking down this week. We do that, along with trivia, and then an in-depth discussion on the MASSIVE Luka for AD trade. We finish up with some WNBA signings and our "Who's Up?" and "Who's Down?" segment.
Brad Vaught, the head women's basketball coach at North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC), comes on "A Pen And A Napkin" for episode #261. Coach Vaught has built a strong program over the last five years at NIACC and his team is on the brink of a national tournament birth this season. Coach Vaught discusses some of his coaching influences, the advantages of going the JUCO route, how recruiting may change with new eligibility rules, his offensive philosophy, working with parents and much more! Great conversation for episode #261
It's late January, and we are in the proverbial "Dog Days" of basketball season. You still have to have the urgency to get better, but you also can't burn out your players and make practices so intense that they don't have the proper physical and mental rest that they should have, so how do you do that? That's what Tony and I discuss this week, along with our TWIB topics, Who's up and down and much more!!
Todd Hale, the veteran boys head coach at Atkinson West Holt (NE), comes on the podcast to discuss a variety of topics. Coach Hale discusses his influences, constantly adjusting your program, bringing in outside instructors to his program, some of his favorite drills, practice set up and much more! Coach Hale has built a solid program at West Holt and it shows in this interview!
Hey, just joking on that earlier post this morning! You got a preview of this week's interview podcast, but here's Tony and I from last night discussing thoughts and strategies on how to kickstart your team in January!
We are officially in the middle of January, and by now we have some teams that are really hitting their stride, while other programs are struggling. There are a variety of reasons why teams may be struggling, but the question we ask ourselves when we are in that situation is "How do we get ourselves out of this?" This week, Tony and I go through numerous scenarios and give out our advice to help coaches and programs who may be at a place that they didn't anticipate being at right now.
Along with that, we have our trivia, our TWIB segment and our "Up and. Down" segment; hope everyone enjoys our newest installment of "The Coaching Staff"!
How many times, as high school coaches, have we complained that our players and our parents really don't understand what Varsity athletics is truly all about? Well, here at "A Pen And A Napkin", we're going to do our best to help educate and change that!
May 3rd and 4th, 2025 at Omaha Marian High School will be our 1st Annual "Varsity Preparation Academy" basketball event! This will help both players and parents of girls going into grades 6th-9th for the 2025-26 school year prepare themselves for the opportunity to play Varsity basketball! Taking the best from USA Basketball, Snow Valley Basketball School, Point Guard College and my own camp experiences, this hybrid approach to player and parent development both on and off the floor can help either your players or your parents prepare for the Varsity basketball experience. Get signed up today!!
Chip Daehling is the boys basketball coach at Douglas County West (NE) High School, and he has built a high competitive program the last few years, culminating in his first trip to the state tournament last season. In this week's pod, we discuss that state tournament birth, building his program, replacing a strong senior class, building an identity in his program, moving up a class and much more! A really fun podcast with one of Nebraska's up and coming coaches!!
At the heart of any defense is your defensive transition philosophy. This week, Tony and break down the importance of defensive transition, drills that you can use to help implement your philosophy and help with repping your transition, and then we wrap up our discussion with various different methods that you can transition. We have our trivia, our TWIB segment and Who's Up? and Who's Down? to cap everything off, including a discussion on Mick Cronin's "soft" comments . . . enjoy this week's podcast a day late (sorry, I was sick yesterday!)
Brandon Shaver, the head boys basketball coach at Lake Travis (TX) High School comes on the pod this week to chat about a variety of topics. Coach Shaver discusses his interview process, building a culture through his "Man Up Monday" program, getting the community involved, the importance of working camps outside of your own, networking and much, much more! Alot of good stuff to help you build. your program with. Enjoy our. conversation!!
Once you have been established and the wave of immediate responsibilities have been taken care of when you take over a job, one of the first things you may consider doing is building up your alumni network within your program. Having alumni support is always a bonus to have with your program, so Tony and I go through a variety of different ways to build your network and support from players that came before your current team. We also have trivia, another twist in the Jimmy Butler saga, the power of the SEC and much more!
Matt Sayman is our first guest of 2025, and I'm excited to have him on! Coach Sayman is the boys head basketball coach at Grapevine Faith (TX) High School, and he has built a terrific program that starts with building shooters first. We discuss that, along with his writing of the book "The Leftovers" about his experiences with the Baylor program during the last days of Dave Bliss and the first days of Scott Drew, his own "JAMODI" podcast, building their culture at Grapevine, turning his life around at age 30 and much more. Alot of fun talking hoops with Coach Sayman!
Merry Christmas, or as we say in our house "Happy Festivus"! This week, Tony and I discuss our Christmas wish lists for the game of basketball, especially at the high school level. We talk about rules, contracts, parent relationships and a whole slew of stuff that we'd love to see changed about the game. Along with that, we have trivia, TWIB and "Who's Up?" and "Who's Down?" . . .
Tony and I sincerely hope that everyone has a great holiday season!! We'll be back in two weeks, as we're taking next weekend off to spend some time with family. Safe travels and have a great holiday everyone!
Dave Slifer is in his 35th year of being a head coach at the collegiate level at the NAIA and NCAA DII ranks, and he has a great story to tell! This week, Coach Slifer and I discuss his career (with a few minutes down memory lane) while also discussing his coaching family (literally), signing a multi-year deal, winning a national championship, offensive and defensive philosophy and much more. A really fun conversation with one of DII's best coaches!
There's nothing better than having a packed, loud gymnasium with great student bodies going after it in the dead of winter. We'd all love to have a great student body presence, but how do we build that up within our programs? That's the topic that Tony and I dive into this week, and we give our thoughts, tips and advice on how to build a great student body presence at your games. We also have trivia, TWIB and our "Who's Up/ Who's Down?" segment as I jump on my soapbox to talk about the NCAA tournament's possible expansion . . . Enjoy!
It was a privilege and an honor to have on "Basketball Lifer" Clay Moser for this week's interview! Coach Moser has coached all over the country and the world, from the Los Angeles Lakers to China, and he discusses his experiences coaching with everyone from Jim Valvano to Phil Jackson. Coach also discusses networking, his consulting programs, analytics and how to come up with simple formulas to rate player efficiency, how to evaluate players, what makes great coaches and much, much more. A great conversation with one of America's smartest basketball minds!
Building your team's defense step by step, brick by brick is integral to your team's success. This week, Tony and I discuss the basic things that you should be looking at to build your team's defensive system, from offensive board coverage to rebounding on your defensive end and everything in between. Closeouts, communication and defensive transition need to be at the core of everything that you do defensively!
We also have some trivia, our TWIB segment, and who's up and down; enjoy this week's show!
Samuel Schlautman is the head girls basketball coach at David City (NE) and has built the program into a place where they are ready to make a run at the state tournament here in Nebraska this season! Coach Schlautman comes on the podcast to talk about his influences, growing numbers in your program, trying to create more offense, the pressures of returning everyone from a good team, BLOB's, transition defense and building a solid cultural foundation for his program. Enjoy this week's podcast!!
Much of our success as coaches is due to how we manage late game situations. In this pod, Tony and I break down late game situations that you should be prepared for as soon as possible, including late game shot selection, fouling up 3, fouling, delay game, pressbreaks, timeouts and "special teams". We also have our weekly trivia, a discussion on Danny Hurley and Maui, remembering Lou Carnesseca, the surprising Houston Rockets and a quick "Who's Up" and "Who's Down" . . . enjoy!!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope that everyone enjoys this "appetizer" of a podcast with Karen Self, the highly successful GBB HC at Seton Catholic Prep (AZ). Coach Self has spent all 33 years of her coaching career at Seton Catholic, winning 12 state championships and is closing in on the all time record for wins for any basketball coach in the state of Arizona at 832! In this pod, Coach Self and I discuss her almost walking away from coaching after one season, the lessons she's learned in her coaching career, the chase to 832, her half court defensive philosophy, statistical analysis, being a strong female role model and more! Terrific conversation with one of the best coaches in the country!
There's a big difference between being the hunter and the hunted, and if you are fortunate enough to be the hunted, you are going to face the prospect of people aiming to come after you and upset you. This week, Tony and I break down the steps that you can take to prevent being upset, even though it is almost inevitable that you are going to be upset by someone in your season. We go through things you can do with preparation and practices, along with the mindset that you need to drill into your team to avoid being upset.
Along with that, we have trivia, the flailing 76ers, "Feast Week" dream destinations, Azzi Fudd back for UConn, Ups and Downs, multiple Marv Alberts and multiple Phil Dunphy references . . . yep, it's "The Coaching Staff"! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Very excited to have Lincoln Christian (NE) GBB HC Scott Klein on the podcast this week! Coach Klein won a state championship last season with his squad, and he has everyone back from that team for this season except for one starter. Coach Klein discusses his basketball journey, their run to the state championship, taking over a program with high expectations, transition offense, pressure defense and much more. Really fun conversation with a great basketball coach!
As you approach your early season individual and team development, there are numerous questions that you need to answer to put your team in the best situation possible. What are those questions you should be asking of your program and of yourself? Tony and I break that down throughout this episode, things that you need to try to answer to the best of your ability to help set your team up for as successful of season as possible!
Along with that, we have trivia, we have our TWIB segment where we discuss South Carolina WBB and their dominance, NBA injuries, Wemby busting out, LeBron's defiance of Father Time, and our early scout on Cooper Flagg, plus Who's Up? and Who's Down?
Enjoy!
Mark Potter is the former head men's basketball coach at Newman University (KS), and his story is both special and difficult to tell. Coach Potter is a major advocate for mental health, and he knows first hand the toll that anxiety and depression can take on anyone after he went through his own mental health crisis almost 15 years ago. Coach Potter goes into detail about his story, his struggles and his new mission in life to hep others know that it's okay not to be okay . . . it's a great story to hear right before the start of the season, knowing that you need to take care of yourself before you can take care of your team.
Along with his mental health story, Coach talks about revitalizing the program at Newman, along with making the transition from NAIA to NCAA DII, passing, fundamentals and a whole bunch of other topics. Enjoy this really important podcast!
https://www.d2up.org/
Tony and I are back together this week (thanks Casey!!) and we're excited to talk about preseason player meetings and their importance! We discuss some things that you should be doing to help create a positive atmosphere while also being honest and transparent with important issues with your players. Along with that, we also break down some best practices, like taking notes during your meetings, amongst other things. We also have trivia, give out some Arby's and we discuss some of the big headlines of the beginnings of the professional and college basketball season. Enjoy!
I cannot thank everyone enough for their support over the last 5+ years of APAAN, and we've hit another major benchmark with episode #250!!! I'm really pleased to have on Creighton University WBB HC and longtime friend Jim Flanery on the pod this week. Flan has one of the most experienced and cohesive rosters in the nation this year, and we discuss a variety of topics, including his development as a coach, the evolution of the program, how he develops his motion offense, scheduling a tough slate every year and much more! We had a great time chatting, and I hope you've enjoyed all the pods, but this one was pretty special; enjoy!!!
Tony was really busy this week, so I called in Mr. Casey Hall to come in and pinch=hit this week! Coach Hall was the lead assistant for the Class A state champion Millard West Wildcats last season, and they have their three leading scorers back from last year's squad, so I thought it would be good to discuss 'staying hungry' and keeping that same motivation going after a degree of success. We go through a bunch of different things, and we also have our usual segments on trivia, multiple Arby's winners and a great chat on the direction of the WNBA. Enjoy the pod!
Really excited to have on Ryan Coenen, the GBB HC at Woodbine (IA) for episode #249! Coach Coenen has "built" a dormant program at Woodbine into a consistent winner, including a 2023 state tournament run, the first for the town since 1974. In this pod, Coach Coenen discusses his "competitive cauldron", his RRP philosophy, developing high standards, zigging and zagging, his emphasis on defensive transition, building a great practice and much more! Really enjoyable podcast with Coach!
Ever wondered what your spouse was really thinking or what it was like to be in their shoes? Parents, have you ever really thought about the effect that you have on a coaches family? Coaches, do you know what your spouse needs from you? We try to answer these and more questions as we met up at Wine 121 with Scott Wragge, husband of Jennifer Wragge of Elkhorn (NE) GBB HC, Jodi Scheef, wife of Kevin Scheef of Wahoo (NE) BBB HC and my wife, Carla Plum, as we go through a bunch of different topics related to coaches and their families. I hope you enjoy this unique look into the lifestyle of being involved in coaching!
Last week, Tony and I made a plethora of suggestions as to how you could/should start your practices, so this week it only makes sense to discuss what you could be doing to end your practices. We throw out a bunch of ideas, including shooting drills, scrimmage ideas, cultural exercises and much, much more! We also have trivia and an extended TWIB segment, where we discuss the shocking resignation of Tony Bennett, along with the WNBA finals, college basketball preseason rankings and much more! Enjoy!
Paul Dwyer has built a terrific small school girls basketball program at Elmwood-Murdoch (NE) high school, and he's our guest for episode #247! Coach Dwyer discusses his basketball journey, including building his program and garnering community support, unifying his program through slogans, cooperating and work with AAU programs, defensive philosophy and much more! Enjoy this week's pod!!
As we gear up for the season, one of the most important segments of practice is the start of practice; getting your practice started off strongly is vitally important to your team's consistent improvement and performance. This week Tony and I give out some of our favorite drills to start practice, as well as thoughts about what makes a strong start to practice. Along with that, we have trivia (which I nailed!), an Arby's winner, TWIB and a preview of the NBA's Southwest Division, which may be its most competitive division this season! Enjoy!
Our middle child Carter Plum is BACK with his analysis of the WNBA Finals that tip off tonight! Carter and I break down the matchups, who has the momentum, advantages and disadvantages for both teams, and Carter gives his prediction as to whom he thinks is going to win the title!
It's that time of year once again . . . my childhood and lifelong friend Dick Jungers from Newell-Fonda (IA) comes back on the pod for the 6th time to discuss a whole bunch of coaching topics. We discuss raising kids that are involved in activities and athletics, Dick's national coach of the year nomination, the psychology of coaching, reloading, playing alot of kids, shooting, game prep and much, much more! These are always special pods for both Dick and I, and I hope that you enjoy it as much as we did!
Tuesday, October 1st is a great day! We have the release of "Kings Of Their Court" happening today, and to give you a taste, here is a (very) amateur reading of parts of Chapter 1 of the book to help give you an idea of what the rest of the book is all about! Hope you enjoy it!
Wow, what a day!!! FIVE YEARS AGO this week I started this little venture and it has been an AMAZING experience! To celebrate, I've been fortunate to ask Stan Van Gundy, former NBA head coach and current announcer, onto the pod to celebrate. Coach Van Gundy and I discuss a variety of topics, including NBA questions, growing up in a basketball family, late game situations, organizing a bench, organizing a season and much more!
I am so thankful for all of the loyal listeners and everyone that has invested any time and effort into "A Pen And A Napkin"! With no team to coach this season, APAAN has become "my full time team", so I hope to help as many coaches out as I can this season to help you get better! Thanks so much!!!
As coaches, we all know that everyone within our program has to have a well defined role. What we need to do as coaches is clearly communicate and define those roles, but we also need to take a look at the bigger picture as we construct our rosters. Tony and I bounce off a bunch of ideas to help you with your development of roles, along with having some fun rating the best role players in the NBA. We also have trivia, Arby's, TWIB and a couple of disagreements as to how the NBA"s Southeast Division will fall . . . Enjoy!
We had alot of fun recording this roundtable podcast before the first night of the MBCA Fall Clinics this past week! Jim Simons of Omaha Westside, Steve Klein of Bellevue West and Jake Nannen of Elkhorn South jump on the pod to discuss their build up towards the 2024-25 season, including their fall activities and how they plan to build up their play books on both sides of the ball. Along with that, we chat about breaking down the season into manageable parts, fundraising, and the importance of attending clinics like the MBCA. A terrific, free flowing conversation with a little teaser at the end to whom may be the five year anniversary guest next week! Enjoy!
I got up this morning feeling like I hadn't talked sufficiently about the potentially great WNBA playoffs that are upon us, so I decided to invite on the most knowledgable WNBA fan I know . . . our son Carter!! Carter breaks down the four playoff series, who he doesn't want his beloved NY Liberty to play, and A'ja Wilson as a unanimous MVP. Enjoy a little bonus material!
We're all here to win, right? Most of us are not going to sell our souls for it, but we're competitive and we want to win. But how do you get yourself and your program in the right mental frame of mind to win, and what are some of the best practices that you can have to win? Tony and I break down numerous things you should be practicing and teaching your program in order to find that mental mindset necessary for sustained success. We also have trivia, our Arby's winner, TWIB and a preview of the NBA's Central Division. Enjoy!
Legendary Nebraska hoops coach John Miller comes on the podcast this week to chat about a variety of topics. Coach Miller is a Nebraska Hall of Famer with multiple state championships under his belt at both Chambers (on the girls side) and Southern Valley (boys). We discuss coaching perhaps the greatest player to come out of the state, building a consistent winner in a small community, playing uptempo basketball, player development and much more. A really fun conversation with one of the best coaches in the state!
EPISODE #100!!!!! Holy cow, we made it!!! What a great ride it's been, and Tony and I hope you will stick around for the next 100 . . .
Roles are so important to any program, and role definition is vital to your program. Although we often associate role definition to our players, this week Tony and I expand that thought to other areas of your program; your parents, your assistant coaches and your administration. We try to give you ideas on what to ask, what to do and how to structure things for your program to help everyone know how they can contribute to the success of the program!
Thanks so much to everyone who has supported us, from our listeners to Ruiz Auto! We definitely appreciate it!
Episode #242 features Steve Spiehs, the new HC for boys basketball at Heartland Lutheran (NE). Coach Spies was a long time assistant for 27 years who is now getting his first crack as a head coach, so we discuss that transition. We also discuss Butler basketball, BLOBs, defensive philosophy and a bunch of other topics. Coach Spiehs is going to do a great job at Heartland, so let's get a preview of what type of program he plans on building!
This week, Tony and I break down our favorite coaching phrases that we have used with either our players or in the building of our programs. We go through things that we've used with our players to try to establish a common language, as well as different phrases we've used to build our programs. Along with that, we have trivia, an Arby's winner (and Olympic hero), along with discussing the WBNA playoff picture and Cooper Flagg's new shoe deal. Tony also gives a 90 page synopsis of "Kings Of Their Court" and, somehow, we find a way to bring up "The Golden Girls" multiple times . . . yep, it's what we do on "The Coaching Staff" . . .
Very excited to bring on Nick LoGalbo, the head boys basketball coach from Lane Tech (IL) High School for this week's pod! We go through a variety of different topics, including social justice issues, stoicism and Marcus Aurelius, fundamental development, Nick's experience with international basketball and 3 on 3, balance in life and much more! We also take a segment to combine our passion for basketball and our shared love of "The Office" (trust me, it works!)! Enjoy this podcast, because we sure did!
Despite what anyone will say, we all want to be liked. The process of being liked begins with being respected, and this week, Tony and I discuss a bunch of different ways that you need to not only teach your team about what it takes to be a respected teammate, but you need to also work at being a respected teammate by your coaching peers. Along with that, we have our usual trivia, an Arby's award winner and a deep discussion about the W and how things are looking for multiple teams. Enjoy!
Early this summer, I had a series of coaches come on for a podcast to discuss what they wanted to accomplish this summer. This week, I've got six coaches on to discuss how their summer went and what they did. Really enjoyed having Andy King of Elkhorn North (NE), Dane Bacon of Bellevue West (NE), Lucus Dalinghaus of Johnson Brock (NE), Jason Dasinger of Etowah (GA), Andy Gillen of Ogallala (NE) and Jordan Arensdorf of Pleasanton (NE) all discuss their summers and what they hope to accomplish this fall!
As programs start to get ramped up for the upcoming season, the months of September and October are critical to ensure that the program's culture is as strong as it can be heading into the season. In this episode, Tony and I put out numerous ideas and thoughts on what you can do as you head into the season to help build your culture to be as strong as it can be before practice starts. Along with that, we have our usual trivia, an Arby's award winner and a great discussion about the second half of the WNBA season!
Gavin Petersen, the Associate Head Coach at the University of Utah women's program, is our guest this week! Coach Petersen began his journey on the beaches of Hawaii and is now in the mountains of Utah, and he talks about his journey, the growth of the Ute program, switching conferences, player development, scouting, analytics and much more! A really enjoyable conversation with one of America's up and coming coaches!
The greatest thing about coaching is the relationships you have, but sometimes the most difficult thing about coaching is the relationships. At some point in your career, you're going to have to work with what some people would call "toxic" people. For us as coaches, that is usually either parents or players, so how do you work through it? Tony and I discuss this topic, along with recapping the Olympics and projecting the 2028 Olympic roster. Enjoy!
This week's episode features Corey Harvey, the new men's basketball HC at Knox College (IL)! Coach Harvey talks about his background, including his time with the Dallas Mavericks, along with his climb into a head coaching position. We also discuss player development and scouting in depth, along with recruiting and other topics. Enjoy this week's podcast!
No new pod this week; Tony and I had some scheduling and travel conflicts, but we have a short pod highlighting all of the great things that Ruiz Auto Services and Exhaust have for you through August 31st!
-Oil change 45 for small vehicles and for trucks we can give 10% off
-$45 for inspection
-Free battery testing
-$12 on each tire rotation
-Purchase a Set of tires and get mount and balance free
-The first person to use code pen and napkin would get a $85 diagnostic
Legendary St. Joseph's MBB HC Phil Martelli comes on the pod this week to talk about a variety of topics this week! Coach Martelli recently retired and is passionately working on developing coaches and leaders, so we discuss that, along with his basketball journey, stories of the "Big 5", little known facts about his best friend Geno Auriemma, being an AC for Juwan Howard, and much more. A really fun discussion with a great coach and great man!
Alot of coaches and alot of players say that they want to run in transition, but are they willing to put in the time, energy and focus to really become effective at it? In this week's pod, Tony and I go through some keys to developing a great transition team, including a few drills that we have ran in the past to help build up your transition philosophy. Along with that, we have trivia, an Arby's winner and a discussion on how are Olympic teams are playing. Enjoy!
I've been teasing alot of this for the last month or two, but here we are, ready to make these three big announcements! One, holy $&@# I wrote a book, like a real book! Releasing on Tuesday, October 1st, "Kings Of Their Court: Three Teams, One City And The Greatest Basketball Season in Nebraska High School History" details the story of three teams that were ranked in the Top 25 in the country. Over 35 interviews and alot of work went into bringing this to life! Secondly, I'm starting a newsletter with exclusive material for APAAN; details in the pod. Third, we have a new sponsor!! "The Coaching Staff" will now be sponsored by Ruiz Auto Services and Exhaust here in Omaha. You'll get a chance to meet Juan Carlos Ruiz, the owner of both Ruiz Auto and All-American Used Cars And Trucks
This week we're really excited to have Chad Jilek, the GBB HC at Johnston (IA), on the podcast this week. The Dragons have been to five consecutive state title games in Iowa's largest class, winning three. Coach Jilek discusses a variety of topics including failure, managing expectations and culture, how to develop an effective youth program and much more. Great conversation with one of Iowa's best!
We found a few minutes to sneak away from Snow Valley Basketball School to have a roundtable discussion with some of the best coaches at Snow Valley; Massachusetts's own Liz Kay, Jason Kern of West Branch (IA) and Nick LaGalbo of Lane Tech (IL). We discuss the week at Snow Valley, summer work and preparing for the upcoming season. We also have a little Snow Valley trivia, as well as a little "Office" quote segment. Enjoy!
Episode #234 features Justin Smith, WBB HC at Dubuque (IA) University! Coach Smith has turned around the program at Dubuque, and has alot of great tidbits to share, including making the jump from high school to college ball, moving up from an assistant's position to being the HC of the program, 1/2 court offense, 1-2-2 pressure, and much more! Great conversation with one of Iowa's best!
We often complain about the actions and words of the parents of our players, but can we give them bullet points to help them navigate the world of being a sports parent? This week, Tony and I go through five points from Greg Berge that are pitfalls for both parents and coaches. We also have trivia, this week's "Arby's" award, and a tough discussion on Team USA after three scrimmages. Also, one of of us won a friendly wager by the end of the pod . . . Enjoy!
Perhaps the greatest overall coach in Nebraska history, Doug Goltz comes on the podcast this week to discuss numerous topics, including his long stay at Falls City Sacred Heart, building a school culture, half court offense, secondary actions, the weight room and much more! Coach Goltz's resume speaks for itself, including:
*749 career wins as a basketball HC, the Nebraska state record
307* wins as a football HC, including an 87** game winning streak
*30 state championships, combining football, basketball and boys and girls track and field
*19-0 in state championship games
Truly a remarkable coach and remarkable person, enjoy this week's podcast!
You talked, we listened!! A couple of weeks ago, Tony and I put out a poll to see what you wanted us to talk about, and the #1 topic selected was "What Great Coaches Do". So, Tony and I went through our six top coaches right now (Hurley, Staley, Kerr, Hammon, Mazulla and Reeve) and discussed their topic qualities! Along with that, we have trivia, our newest "Arby's" winner and a discussion on free agency winners and losers, along with our Olympic teams. Enjoy!
When someone becomes a head coach for the first time, the reality of the situation starts to set in and most coaches along the way make numerous mistakes that are completely avoidable. In this episode of "The Coaching Staff", Tony and I discuss mistakes that we've made, why we made them and what we should have done, both as younger and more "seasoned and experienced" coaches. We have trivia, an "Arby's" winner, and TWIB discussions about trades and the NBA draft. Enjoy!
Episode #231 features "Weekday" Wade Coulter, the head girls basketball coach at Gretna East (NE) high school. Coach Coulter goes through his journey and his influences, building programs and giving them belief through psychology, pressure defense, working with parents and much more! A really fun episode with one of Nebraska's up and coming coaches!
The most difficult thing to master in this world is yourself, and your body language, both as a player and as a coach, is for many one of the things that holds them back from achieving their ultimate goals. In this episode, Tony and I go down our many mistakes and successes when it comes to body language, how to handle situations when bad body language pops out and ways to help both. you and your players. We also have trivia, an NBA Finals recap, NBA coaching hires and much more!
Evan Miyakawa is one of men's college basketball's best analyst's, largely using data to drive his analysis. Along with that, Evan and I dive deep into the transfer portal, the outlook of some local teams (to Omaha), how to use statistical analysis to help with your program. "kill shots" and much more! A really good conversation with one of the up and coming analysts of the game!
There's only so much you can control as a coach once the ball goes up, but one thing you can control is your dead ball huddles. In this episode, Tony and I discuss keys to a great huddle, how to practice them, how to communicate in a huddle, how to use your AC's and more! Along with that, we have trivia, a tribute to Jerry West, Dan Hurley's decision, updates on the finals and more! We also have a new guest making their podcasting debut!
Tim Capstraw, the longtime radio color man of the Brooklyn Nets, jumps on the podcast this week to discuss a bunch of different topics, including his time as one of the youngest head coaches in Division I basketball at Wagner College. We discuss the Nets, some NBA chatter, John Wooden, influential coaches, and a rapid fire segment on the current state of the NBA. Alot of fun talking with a great commentator who continues to invest in the youth of the region both on and off the floor!
Running a team camp or a league at some level in the summer time is a win/win for your program; your kids get to play while you also should clear a profit to help finance your program. But . . . what are some things that you should be doing to ensure that it is a consistent success? Tony and I break that down this week with a bunch of really good ideas. We also have trivia, a deeper breakdown of the NBA Finals, and a discussion on perhaps the saturation of Caitlin Clark, with Tony comparing it to my back fence (trust me, it'll make sense) . . . Enjoy!
In a series of short burst interviews, I have eight coaches this week discussing how they are looking to make themselves, their program and their coaching staff better this "Improvement Season"! We also dive into how they are going to go through that process, and with a couple of our coaches, we discuss coming off a state championship and how they are going to look ahead to the 2024-25 season. Alot of great stuff from these eight coaches!
I've always believed that you need to have three half court defenses; one man philosophy, one zone package and one junk defense. This week, Tony and I break down implementing junk defense, how to communicate the concepts with your team, different types of junk defense and some stories about how we implemented junk defenses. We also have trivia, TWIB (including an NBA Finals preview) and a tribute to the late, great Bill Walton.
In Part II of our two-part podcast with Alex Sarama, we dive deeper into "Transforming Basketball". In Part II, Alex dives into how to take the concepts of part I and implement it into your 5 on 5 game and your practice structures. We discuss conceptual offense vs. patterned offense and how to implement drills to make your player development practical during your practices. Along with that, we discuss optimal challenge levels, player development and much more! Enjoy the second half of our discussion!
In the first of our two part series, Alex Sarama, the author of "Transforming Basketball", jumps on the podcast to discuss his book. In the first half of the pod, we discuss Alex's background, the basis of his philosophy, challenging traditional views of basketball, solutions to your problems and much more! You're really going to enjoy this pod!
If you're interested in ordering "Transforming Basketball", here is the Amazon link to the book: https://www.amazon.com/Transforming-Basketball-Changing-Think-Performance/dp/B0CY438DZR/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.5LSpoTEMkWOCUpnWeK7jDA.HT5U8vEB_29TRMiCc7XXKUzjbhc0MGa2as5KmBSvXI8&dib_tag=se&keywords=alex+sarama+transforming+basketball&qid=1716903830&sr=8-1
Two of the most undertaught skills in the game of basketball is pivoting and passing. Inspired by the passing of Snow Valley legend Tates Locke, Tony and I discuss these two basic skills and give out around 10 of our favorite drills to help with your teaching of pivoting and passing. Along with that, we have "the ice cream man", trivia, NBA playoff predictions and WNBA news. Enjoy!
Longtime Division I AC and HC Randy Brown of Fort Dodge, Iowa comes on the pod this week! Coach Brown has been a life long learner and looks to impart wisdom from both his own experiences, positive and negative, and the experiences of others. We discuss networking, his influences, helping with the IBCA, "Elite Coach Mentoring", the skill of resilience and much more!! Great conversation with Coach Brown!
While most of us understand the analytics of "new basketball", we've also all discussed "the lost art of the mid-range game". In this episode, Tony and I break down ways that you can have your players work on their mid-range game, and we also discuss the importance of sharing the ball and how to get your team to buy into this concept. Along with that, we have our usual trivia, TWIB and a guest appearance by one of my favorite movie characters of all time!
Episode #223 features Jim Simons, the head boys basketball coach at Omaha Westside (NE) High School. Coach Simons has built a consistent winner at Westside step by step, and Coach Simon's rise up the ranks was literally step by step. Jim tells us about his journey, how his coaching philosophy has changed, the influence of other coaches and coaching baseball on his philosophy, coaching AAU and much more. A really fun conversation with one of Nebraska's best!
What's the most important skill in basketball? SHOOTING! So, how do you teach shooting? Tony and I discuss some of our basic fundamentals that we use to teach shooting, and then we each throw out five of our favorite drills that we use in our practices. Along with that, we have trivia, a discussion about the NBA playoffs and our (very) amateur WNBA predications for the upcoming season!
We're really excited to have on for Episode #222 Brad Fischer, the Head Women's Basketball Coach at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh! Coach and I start the pod discussing the Milwaukee Bucks and what they need to do this offseason, then we dive into his high retention rate in his program, building a once proud program back up, pack line defense, practice planning, scouting and much more. Terrific conversation with one of DIII's best HC's!
We, as coaches, are supposed to evaluate our players and our AC's, but how much time do we spend evaluating our own performance as a head coach? This week, Tony and I break down different things that we can evaluate ourselves on, and how to do it, from the people you should talk to other evaluation methods. Along with that, we have trivia and a deep dive on the NBA playoffs. Enjoy!
Really excited to have Matt Ducharme, the WBB HC at UMass-Dartmouth, on the podcast this week! Coach Ducharme has done a great job building his program into a consistent winner, and he talks about recruiting, being at an institution for an extended period of time, offensive philosophy, scouting, influences and much more. Really fun conversation with a very good young coach!
After the season, we know that we, as coaches, need some time to recharge and get your feet back underneath you. At the same time, we sometimes lose sight of that for our players and what is good for them, so how do we help our players recharge? Tony and I dive deep into this topic, along with other topics, including trivia and our TWIB segment, where we discuss NBA playoffs and the transfer portal. Enjoy!!
We're really excited to have Sharman White, the Boys HC at Pace Academy (GA) who moonlights as the HC of USA Basketballs U17 team. Coach White is also just coming off of coaching the McDonald's All-American game and the Nike Hoops Summit, so we chat about that entire process, building a program from scratch, coming back to high school ball after coaching collegiately, X's and O's and much more! Great chat with one of the best in the country!
Our lives as coaches are becoming more and more demanding and busier than ever, so how do you balance all of the responsibilities that you need to perform and stay on top of it all? This week, Tony and I discuss methods and philosophies of what you can do to make sure that you are organized and on top of everything that needs to be done within your program. Along with that, we have trivia, and in our TWIB segment, we discuss the WNBA draft, Kentucky's hire of Mark Pope and a small preview of the NBA playoffs.
Really excited to have one of Nebraska's best, Johnson-Brock's Boys HC Lucus Dalinghaus, on the podcast this week! Coach talks about his background, running the table and repeating this past season, how his educational background has helped with his coaching, some of his favorite drills, and much more!! Really good conversation with a terrific small school coach from Nebraska!
What a great month March was!! So many story lines, alot of great basketball, the growth of the women's game and two great champions . . . Tony and I break down the tournaments and what we learned from watching the tournament and how it can affect your program. We also have a special trivia section right before we discuss the Kentucky job, Tara VanDerveer retiring and more!
Episode #218 is a great episode with Franqua "Coach Q" Bedell, the WBB HC at Odessa (TX) Junior College. Coach Bedell tells about his basketball journey, including his penning of four books, keys to a great interview, his dissertation on the effects of NIL and much more! We also go through SLOB philosophy, an outline for player development and many other things. Really great conversation with one of the best at the JUCO level!!
One of the most important things that you can do as a program is to get your local community involved with your program. This week, Tony and I go through a variety of methods that you can do to attract people to your program, some of which are pretty labor intensive while others are really, really simple. We also dive into some of the latest controversies in the women's college game, including the Washington Post story on Kim Mulkey, Angel Reese's presser and our Final Four predictions!
I'm really excited to have on Matt Hackenberg, one of the greatest sharer's of todays game. Coach Hack and I discuss alot of things, including building a complete program, how he got into the "sharing" business, his new "Encyclopedia of Zone Offense", post player development and much, much more! Sit back and relax a great conversation with one of the smartest basketball guys on social media!!
Basketball is a game where things usually start out at the top and then slide down to the lower levels. A new thing that we are now dealing with at a high level at the high school game is the "Transfer Portal". This week, Tony and I discuss what to do to try to retain your own players, what to do when a player knocks on your door and an overall look at how to handle the process. We of course have trivia, along with our Final Four picks and a discussion on the impending Kim Mulkey Washington Post story. Enjoy!
One of the greatest challenges that we face as coaches is the fine line between under coaching and over coaching. This week, Tony and I break down some doe's and don'ts when managing your team and how to coach them as the season goes on. Along with that, Tony and I give our Sweet 16 predictions for both the men's and women's brackets, and we also discuss turning down postseason bids. Enjoy!
It's hard to take over any position as a head coach, but it's even harder to take over a job when you're stepping into the shoes of one of the most successful head coaches in the history of Nebraska. Steve Klein did that and more, going 27-1 and winning a state championship this past season for Bellevue West. Coach Klein and I discuss moving into his job, the things that he learned, the journey of his team this season, transition offense and defense and much more!!
As we get around to the spring time, it is a time of renewal. For some folks, they are going to be looking on to other jobs, which is a complicated process. In this episode, Tony and I break down what you should be looking for in a job, the red flags that may crop up and how you should attack going after a job. We also have our trivia segment and our TWIB discussion, including "March Madness" and other topics.
Scott Guzinski, the highly successful head coach at Oakland-Craig (NE) High School, jumps on the podcast this week to talk about a variety of topics. We chat about coaching in small towns, the opportunity to have "trial and error" in your coaching development, the chance to take over a successful program, transition offense and ALOT of defensive principles. Really fun chat!
This week, Tony and I discuss ways that you can bond with your coaching staff and bring them closer together, from team activities to concepts that you can do together off the field or floor. Along with that we have our usual trivia and TWIB segment. In the opening, I discuss some of the reasons why I stepped away from my coaching job, what coaches should be thinking and the future of APAAN.
In our first state tournament roundtable, Britt Ehlers of Crete (NE) GBB, Dexter Goodner of Hastings College (NE) WBB and the legend himself, TK of Boys Town (NE) comes on the podcast at the Mellow Mushroom in "The RailYard" in downtown Lincoln to discuss a variety of topics, including the shot clock, calming your team down in big games, how to handle the end of the season and much more! Enjoy the pod, and check out the Mellow Mushroom when you're in Lincoln; Mike's the best!
Episode #212 features Laethion Brown, the girls basketball HC at Centura (NE) High School. Coach Brown is coming off of a state championship run last season and has his squad back at the state tournament this season! In our episode, Coach Brown talks about building his program, being asked to be harder on his players, his influences, defensive philosophy, how he sets up practice and much more! Enjoy this conversation!
As we end our seasons, it's always a tough situation. We're tired and exhausted, having been on a three to five month sprint, so what do you need to prioritize and what should you be doing? What should you expect to happen? Tony and I talk about these topics, along with our usual trivia and "TWIB" segment. Enjoy this week's "Coaching Staff"!
Episode #211 features Kevin "Q" White of Portage Northern (MI) High School. As the boys coach, he has started a rebuild in Kalamazoo and has things rolling in the right direction. In this podcast, we discuss his rebuild, interviewing for a job and the preparation that you should put into it, the importance of networking and working camps, transition offense, favorite drills and much more! Enjoy this podcast with one of Michigan's finest!
Tyler Byrd is a therapist and sports psychologist based out of Omaha, and I've known Tyler for a few years. Tyler dives into his background and discusses a wide variety of topics to help coaches out in today's world. We chat about the biggest challenges that our young people face today, common mistakes that are made by coaches, how to build leaders in your program, parents and much more! You're going to really get alot of great information from this podcast!
It's February, and that means that each team is preparing itself to win on the margins, both on and off the court, as we head into post-season play. This week, Tony and I discuss the things that you can control as a coach to help put your team in the best place possible. We also have our trivia segment, and we chat all new things in the world of hoops. Enjoy!
Really excited to have Jim McLaughlin, the head boys basketball coach at Freeman (NE) on for this week's podcast. Coach McLaughlin has built an impressive program at Freeman over the last two decades, and we discuss a variety of topics, including being a young head coach, developing a youth program, building a great defense, the mental game, networking and players development. Enjoy this conversation with a great coach!
On episode #208, we're excited to host the boys basketball coach from Doniphan-Trumbull (NE), Kelan Buhr!! Coach Buhr has done a great job in building a great, small-school program, and he discusses their youth program, off-season development, what to try to do to get over the hump this season at the state tournament, communicating with parents and much more! Enjoy this terrific conversation!
As we celebrate episode #500, we decide to sit down and have a little breakfast with two of "The Committee" members, Tom Krehbiel and Marc Kruger, to discuss a bunch of different topics. We chat about the Nebraska Prep Classic, our teams and where we're at at this point of the season, what we want and should be working on, and discussing our approval rating of the new foul system. Words cannot express how grateful I am that this many people still want to listen after 500 episodes, but here's to 500 more!
On the Keith Olberman/ Dan Patrick/ halfway to Danny Darwin (if you get all of this, you're my kind of people) episode, we welcome in Trevor Mickelson from ADM (IA) high school. In this episode, we discuss building a system, being an offensive coordinator and how they made it work at Waukee, along with implementing a system and much more. Plus, a tribute to Charlie, my four legged son . . .
We're back with our interview series this week with Amherst (NE) Boys HC Eric Rippen. Coach Rippen has had a great run recently at Amherst, but not without its challenges. Coach Rippen discusses coaching his program through great tragedy, special situations, lessons learned as an AC, scouting philosophy, pressbreaks and much more. Great discussion with one of Nebraska's up and coming coaches!
It's been a crazy couple of weeks, and I wanted to update everyone on a few things, including why I haven't been posting pods and Twitter postings, a retrospective on one of Nebraska's greats, Brad Feeken, who recently lost his battle with cancer and announcing the date for our 4th Annual "A Pen And A Napkin" Coaches Clinic!!
Kasey Krager, the GBB HC at Sioux Central (IA), is our guest this week! Coach Krager is back at his alma mater and has built a very solid program. We discuss his career path, building off of a disappointing ending to last season and how that has benefitted this team, playing a tough early season schedule, BLOB's, practice setup and much more. Enjoy this terrific conversation!
Brandon Schwab, the GBB HC at Algona Biship Garrigan (IA) comes on the podcast to discuss a wide variety of topics on the pod this week. We discuss being a farmer while being a basketball coach, his influences, learning how to win a state championship, coaching a Top 50 national recruit, offensive and defensive philosophy in the half court and much more! Great conversation with one of Iowa's best!
On this week's episode, we're excited to have Omaha Concordia Boys HC Ken Kulus. Coach has build a terrific program at Concordia, and he goes into detail about how he did this, both through successes and failures. Along with that, he talks about "The Chase" vs. being "The Pursued", offensive and defensive philosophy, building a great culture, scheduling and much. more. Enjoy our conversation!
Episode #200; hard to believe that we've gotten to this milestone number! In celebration of that, I was fortunate enough to connect with the Naismith Hall of Famer Bob Hurley Sr. and have a great discussion about the game. We chat about his career, the importance of clinics, coaching and mentoring his sons, the influence of Coach Wooden on his career, practice organization and shell drill, amongst many other things. Coach was generous enough to give me a good chunk of his time, and I hope that you enjoy listening to this podcast as much as I enjoyed doing it!
In a first for "A Pen And A Napkin", we sit down with a current high school player and her coach . . . who just happens to be her mother. Britt Prince has been a dominant player since day one of her high school career, and a rare 5 Star recruit by most services. Recruited by most of the Power 5 schools in the country, Britt recently committed to the University of Nebraska. Hear Britt's story of how the recruiting process went, things the family considered when making this decision, playing for her mom and alot more! Great conversation with a great coach and a great player!!
This week we're really excited to have Craig Wortmann, GBB HC at Hartington Cedar Catholic (NE) to talk hoops. Coach Wortmann and I discuss being a former Division I walk-on who A) actually started multiple games and B) went through a coaching change in college and how both of those experiences have affected his philosophies. Along with that, we discuss playing a tough schedule, running a set based offense, the importance of the weight room and much more!
This week, we have a great two part episode with two up and coming mid major coaches in Northern Illinois MBB HC Rashon Burno and Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Bart Lundy. Coach Burno discusses his background from the legendary St. Anthony's (NJ) program and his relationship with the Hurley family, along with Billy Donovan, rebuilding the Northern Illinois program and much more! Coach Lundy comes on in the second half of the pod to chat about his own journey, lessons learned along his journey and how he's developed as a coach, game day procedures and how he and his staff evaluates a game and much more. You're really going to enjoy these two terrific coaches!
Excited to have Oregon State MBB AC Marlon Stewart on the podcast this week! Coach Stewart comes from the Bennett/ Montana coaching tree, and he shares with us alot of his philosophy. We discuss half court defense, recruiting against the "Blue Bloods", being involved in your community, building a great culture and much more. Great stuff to mine from this podcast!
Jason Kern, boys basketball HC at West Branch (IA) comes on the podcast this week for a great conversation! Coach Kern and I discuss a variety of topics, including growing up in a basketball family, his basketball influences, helping your players with the recruiting process, BLOB'S, half court defense and building a playbook. Terrific conversation!
Penn Wood (PA) GBB HC and well traveled camp coach Mo Boykins jumps on the podcast this week to discuss a variety of different topics, including S.U.C.C.E.S.S., microbiology (???), team defense, being a strong female role model, working camps all over the country, and much more. You're going to love Coach Mo's energy and enthusiasm!!
Really excited to have Dave Schlabaugh, the head men's basketball coach at Cornell College (IA) on the podcast this week. Coach Schlabaugh has had a great career at both the high school and college levels, and we discuss his career, including his involvement in Snow Valley. We also discuss culture, offensive basketball and much more, so enjoy this podcast!
Treading off the beaten path a little bit this week with a pod with ESPN's Paul Biancardi, who has spent the better part of the last two decades examining recruiting at the grass roots level. We go through Paul's coaching career, including with Jim O'Brien, Tom Thibodeau and Rick Majerus. Along with that, we chat about modern recruiting, what can be changed to make things better and much more. Enjoy our chat!
This week's podcast features Kevin Janata, the head boys basketball coach at Howells-Dodge (NE). Coach Janata has built a consistent winner at Howells-Dodge, and we discuss his half-court offensive and defensive philosophy, along with coming home to coach, helping players through personal lost and tragedy and much, much more. Great discussion!
It's about that time of year when Dick Jungers, my childhood friend and classmate, comes on the pod for his annual appearance, but then Dick had a great idea; why not invite on a couple of classmates? So, that's what we did! Along with Coach Jungers, we have Jay Huff, the former wrestling coach at Burlington (IA) and Ben Haugen, the baseball coach for the 2023 state champion Esko (MN) program. We had a blast taping this, discussing our great influences growing up, our careers, our goals and aspirations and then we delve into some childhood memories of growing up together. This was alot of fun for us to do, so I hope you enjoy it!
We're really excited to have Jason Dasinger, the boys HC at Etowah (GA) high school on the pod this week. Despite the host mispronouncing "Etowah" around 35-40 times throughout the pod, we have a great discussion on a multitude of topics. We discuss his growth as a coach, the mission of his program, understanding his own weaknesses, delegating and trusting his assistant coaches, feeder programs and much more! Enjoy a great conversation with Coach Dasinger!!
We haven't used this format for a while, but this week we're back with our "Quick Hitter" format! We're excited to have the following folks on this week discussing the following topics:John Carrier on his "Communication Log" and how he keeps track of his interactions with his playersJyusef Larry discusses his unique deep dive on analytics and how he uses it to build his lineupsLinndy Frieden on his "Motivation Boards" and how it helps build his programDavid Lepisto on his offensive philosophy and how he builds it into his program at the youngest levels.
This week's guest is Rusty Elmore, the Men's Head Coach at Garden City Community College (KS) of the famed JayHawk Conference. Coach Elmore discusses his unique journey as a coach who started in business to his influences, the difficulties of taking over a successful program, the "Peel" defense, building a staff and much more!
Really excited to have Rex Walters, the former 1st round NBA draft pick and member of the 1993 Kansas Final Four team, on the podcast this week! Rex is now an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets, and we unpack his coaching career, from playing for and coaching with some of the legends of the game, to his stint at the University of San Francisco to his current job. Along with that, we discuss team defense, building a team first culture and more! Great discussion this week!
We had time to sneak in one more roundtable at Snow Valley this week, so I'm really happy to have Liz Kay from "The Commonwealth of Massachusetts", Ryan McAdams from Arkansas-Fort Smith and Tim Leuschen from Millard South (NE) discuss analytics, changes to practice schedules and things to consider when putting together your game schedule. Great discussion with four REALLY tired coaches!
It's always great to be at Snow Valley, and it's always great to have the opportunity to have a roundtable, so let's do both! Jeff Steines (Ames, IA), Austin Godfrey (St. Louis, MO) and the always awesome Tony Vis come together to talk giving the game back to the players, building trust in a short amount of time, being at Snow Valley and more. Enjoy!
This week we have one of Nebraska's best small school coaches in Traci Berg, the GBB HC at O"Neill St. Mary's. We discuss coaching at a small school with limited numbers, how to run practices with less than 10 players, offensive and defensive transition philosophy and much more. We also touch on Traci's husband's cancer diagnosis and how that has changed some of her perspectives on coaching. A great chat with one of Nebraska's best!
Former Xavier and current Miami (OH) Men's HC Travis Steele comes on the podcast this week to discuss a variety of different topics. Some of the things that Coach Steele discusses includes his progression as a Division I coach, things he learned being a young HC at the Division I level, rebuilding the Miami program, defensive transition and player development. Great discussion with one of the best young HC's in Division I!!
Back home visiting my dad and step-mom, so I thought we'd have a road show podcast while I was back home! Really excited to have on Heather Graffing from Central Lyon, Ryan Brasser from West Lyon and Kiley Yates from South O'Brien to discuss a wide range of topics, including off-season improvement, off-season adjustments, building community support and much more!
I'm really excited to have on Ryan Moore, the Boys HC at Santa Clara (CA)! We discuss alot of different things in this episode including assisting at the Division I level, coaching two NFL players as high school athletes, pressure defense, transition offense and the competitiveness in southern California. Along with that, we also get some Kardashian discussions in . . . yep, you read that right! Great discussion this week with Coach Moore
Dave Hubert from Ashland-Greenwood (NE) discusses many different things in this podcast. Included are how to get more young people into coaching, communication with parents, the differences between being at a bigger school compared to a smaller school, different roles between being an AC compared to a HC and more! Great chat with a "seasoned" Nebraska coach!
We're really excited to have on Dave Cresap, the legendary boys basketball coach at Perham (MN) who recently took over the men's program at Minnesota-Fergus Falls. We talk adjusting to a new level, networking, recruiting, building a great team camp, post game awards and much more. Terrific conversation with one of Minnesota's best!
During the summer, much of the recruiting emphasis the last couple of decades has been on player's AAU teams, but the NCAA has recently made changes to allow for a "Scholastic Viewing Period". There is one weekend (June 15-17) for GBB High School teams to be seen at various events around the country, so this week we host Nichole Dixon from Georgia, Steve Pesarski from Maryland and Andrew Curtis from Arizona to discuss their events, the changing landscape of recruiting for the high school coach, what we can do as high school coaches to help our players, and much more! Here is the website with all of the events listed nationwide for next weekend: https://www.nfhs.org/articles/approved-june-scholastic-basketball-events/
This week we're excited to have on Jamie Smith, the GBB HC at Solon (IA). Coach Smith has had a long and winding basketball journey over the last 25 years, and he touches on alot of different topics on the podcast, including making his first state tournament appearance this past season, practice planning, communicating with your administration, organizing your program from the ground up and much more. Alot of great information shared by Coach Smith; enjoy!!
In our latest episode, we have a great conversation with Jennifer Goetz, the GBB HC at Pleasant Valley (IA) coming off the heels of a state championship in Iowa's biggest school class. In this pod, we discuss the 12 year build to the 2023 state title, the culture that she's established at Pleasant Valley, including "The PV Way", along with how she has built her 2-3 zone, player development and much more! What a fun conversation that you're going to mine alot of stuff from
Scott Guzinski, GBB HC at Oakland-Craig (NE) jumps on the podcast this week for a great conversation! We discuss building a philosophy based on aggressive offense and defense, along with how his philosophy has evolved over the years, building a consistent winner, how his stints as an AD has affected his philosophy and building a strong program through the weight room. Really good stuff from this year's Class C2 runner up!
DeLisha Milton-Jones, the head women's basketball coach at Old Dominion University and two time Olympic gold medalist, joins us on the podcast this week! Coach and I go through alot of different discussion points, including her evolution from a great player to a coach, her coaching journey, the influence of international basketball on her career, player development and much more. Terrific conversation with one of the all-time greats!
Part II of our two-part podcast with Matt Kramer drops this week! This week, we jump more into Coach Kramer's philosophy as a coach, including taking care of the classroom, what you should be looking for (or not looking for) in a job, hiring assistant coaches, fundraising, "Run and Stun" and much more. Really enjoyed this episode with Coach Kramer, and don't forget to check out his books on Amazon!
In the first half of my conversation with Matt Kramer, we discuss both of the books that he has written; "The Best Laid Plans of a High School Basketball CEO" and "A Coaching Life". In our conversation, we discuss the origins of the books, building up his program, getting fired twice, coaching at a basketball factory, and other things! If you're interested in ordering Coach Kramer's two books, here's the Amazon links:"Best Laid Plans": https://www.amazon.com/Best-Laid-Plans-High-School-Basketball/dp/1457508087/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2RV5BN9HGWQM0&keywords=The+best+laid+plans+of+a+high+school+basketball+CEO&qid=1681737466&s=books&sprefix=the+best+laid+plans+of+a+high+school+basketball+c%2Cstripbooks%2C874&sr=1-1"A Coaching Life": https://www.amazon.com/Coaching-Life-Leadership-Journey-Best-Laid/dp/B0BW2SL4Q5/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=A+Coaching+Life&qid=1681737535&s=books&sr=1-1
Pleased to have on retired basketball coach and Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Eddie Andrist on the podcast this week! Coach and I discuss alot of different topics, including his run and jump philosophy, his relationship withDick Bennett and Bo Ryan, his coaching experiences, his international experiences, communicating with parents, and much more. Great conversation with one of Wisconsin's best!
Alot has been said about basketball in the last few weeks, but instead of it being centered on the men's game, it's been about the women's game, and the major reason for that is one player; Caitlin Clark. I thought I'd do my best to summarize my observations and opinions on Clark in this narrative podcast format . . . hope you like it!
Really excited to have Tony Siske, the head boys basketball coach at Crete (NE), on the podcast this week! Tony comes from a family of coaches and has experienced a wealth of success at multiple stops in the state. In this pod, we discuss getting players to buy in to the program, leaving jobs, keys to a long coaching career, teaching his defensive philosophy and numerous other discussion points; enjoy!
In our latest episode, North Polk (IA) Boys HC Aaron Dose comes on the podcast! In a great conversation, we discuss a variety of topics, including trying to get over the hump against an opponent, youth development, passing and ball handling drills, pressbreaks and much more, including . . . fishing??? Enjoy this conversation with one of Iowa's up and coming coaches!
Jon Palicki, the GBB HC at Resurrection College Prep (IL) jumps on the podcast this week to chat about a variety of different topics. We discuss offensive and defensive philosophies, while we also discuss podcasting, coaching and teaching at two different schools at the same time, being part of the state board and numerous other topics. Enjoy this podcast!
In our last roundtable discussion of the 2023 state tournament, I sit down with Tom Tvrdy of Omaha Marian (NE), Kelly Cooksley of Broken Bow (NE) and Nate Pribnow of Fremont Bergan (NE) to discuss a variety of topics, including the implementation of the shot clock, building a championship culture, Improvement Season plans and much more!
Our second state tournament roundtable features Kirk Walker of The College of St. Mary (NE), Steve Selk of South Sioux City and my main man Casey Hall of Millard West. We discuss a variety of topics, including different state tournament formats, Improvement Season adjustments, summer camps and much more! Also, Carter Plum gives his "Pizza Review"!
In the first of three roundtables from the Nebraska Girls State Tournament, Nate Wall, Dexter Goodner, Tom Krehbiel and I sit down to go through a variety of topics. We chat about holding kids accountable, defensive transition, differences in the mens and women's game, making yourself better during "Improvement Season" and much more! We had a great time at "The Mellow Mushroom" in the Haymarket District in Lincoln; be sure to check them out!!
Kristin Meyer, the head girls basketball coach at West Des Moines Dowling (IA) jumps on the podcast this week for a great conversation! We talk about a variety of topics, including leaving one highly successful program for another, being Caitlyn Clark's high school coach, scouting, half court defensive philosophy and communicating with parents. Great conversation this week with one of Iowa's best!
Jake Nannen is one of Nebraska's up and coming basketball coaches, and we're really excited to have him on for episode #161. In this episode, we discuss a variety of different topics, from his background to coaching and sharing of athletes in a small town. We also talk about implementing a system in your program from top to bottom, we trade ideas on defensive concepts, we take a look at stats and much more! Great conversation with one of our Coaches Clinics presenters!!
Jenna Bolstad, the head Women's Basketball Coach at Miles Community College (MT) is our guest this week! Jenna is a real up and comer in the coaching profession, and she shares with us alot of her philosophy, including her favorite drills, building a great camp, coaching international players, preparing to be a head coach, game management and much more. Enjoy this week's podcast!!
Episode #159 features BJ Blase, the boys basketball coach at Central City (NE). In this episode, we discuss a variety of topics, including the importance of facilities, teaching kids how to win, not rushing players up, transition offense, building a playbook and building a tradition where there hasn't been alot of tradition. Enjoy this episode with one of Nebraska's best!
Andy Gillen, the highly successful boys HC at Ogallala (NE) comes on the podcast this week to discuss a variety of topics, including his influences like Phil Jackson and Bill Belichick. We also discuss "Truth Sessions", the pros and cons of multiple stops, building chemistry, his defensive philosophy and much more! Great conversation with one of western Nebraska's best!
Terrific conversation with Dane Bacon, GBB HC at Bellevue West (NE) High School. Coach Bacon and I go through a variety of topics, from rebuilding the culture of the T-Bird program to the keys to winning close games. In addition, we talk about their recent 93-91 game (you read that correctly), along with shooting drills, transition offense, BLOB philosophy and more!
We're back on the interview trail with Jason Dolliver, the head girls coach at Pender (NE) High School. Coach Dolliver and I touch on a variety of topics, including being a leader in the community, changes in coaching basketball, his basketball influences, how he gets his teams to not foul, communication with parents and much more! A terrific interview with one of Nebraska's best educational leaders!
DeMarcus James, the highly successful boys HC at Fort Worth OD Wyatt HS (TX) comes on the podcast to discuss a variety of topics, from marketing your program to the growth in Texas basketball to playing a challenging schedule. Along with that, we discuss transition offense, SLOB's and off-season development. Great discussion with a terrific coach from the Lone Star State!
This week we are excited to talk to Tim Sandquist, the highly successful Men's HC at Kirkwood CC (IA)! Coach Sandquist touches on a wide variety of topics, including his basketball journey, hiring of assistant coaches, the stresses of being a head coach as opposed to an assistant, practice execution, half court defense and more! Terrific conversation with one of the best JuCo coaches in the country!
Our newest episode features Justin Bowen, a terrific up and coming coach from Southside (AL). Coach Bowen has coached numerous sports and has already made a big difference in his first season as GBB HC at Southside. We chat about his influences, coaching multiple sports, things he felt like he was and wasn't prepared for, the "Champ Chain", defense and much more! Great conversation with a young, rising star in the profession!
When we put together our thoughts and plans for our seasons, we tend to error on the side of the most optimistic outcomes. Realistically, there are going to be things that go wrong; injuries, bad practices, underperformance, etc . . . This week, Tony and I discuss these very scenarios and more and what you can do to work through the situations when things go wrong . . .
Ras Vanderloo, the highly successful boys head coach at Sioux City East (IA) comes on this week and we have a great conversation! We talk about coming from a coaching family, being involved with USA Basketball, aspects of youth sports and coaching that should be emphasized, delegating responsibilities to your assistants, and much more! A really fun conversation with one of Iowa's best!
In order to build a quality program, we have to have special nights to create traditions and honors for people in the past, present and future. Some of these nights have direct ties to our current programs, while other nights can serve our community at large. In this week's "Coaching Staff", Tony and I go through some special nights that we've put together in the past and things we're thinking about in the future.
The GBB HC at Mustang (OK), Katie Smith has built one of the best programs in the Sooner State. On this week's pod, Coach Smith discusses playing for her father, how to build a great culture, how to run a quality summer league and much more! A great conversation with one of Oklahoma's best!
This week, we are really excited to welcome on Katie Smith, the GBB HC at Mustang (OK) High School. Coach Smith discusses a variety of topics including how to put together a quality summer league, slogans to get her important cultural messages across, playing and coaching with her father and much more. A great conversation with one of Oklahoma's finest!!
As coaches, it is important that we teach the game properly and efficiently. In this episode, Tony and I break down teaching methods, how to get the most out of your team, what your priorities should be, and much more!
Today, we're celebrating the 150th interview podcast of "A Pen And A Napkin" with former University of Kansas and University of North Carolina Head Coach Roy Williams! Coach was very gracious with his time, and we had a wide ranging discussion, from his coaching influences to retirement, running an efficient offense, improving from year one to year two, Michael Jordan and much more! Enjoy episode #150!!
Have a solid plan going into your season is essential for success, but what are some of the things that you should consider when putting that plan together? This week, Tony and I break down how we put together are practice schedules going into the season, including when to implement certain concepts, how to implement certain concepts and other considerations. Enjoy our conversation!
We had a great night last night at Wine 121 in Omaha as myself, Sarah Goodwin from Bennington (NE) High School, Kirk Walker of the College of St. Mary's and Shawn Gilbert, the Head WBB Coach at Midland University sit around and talk some hoops. We chatted about how to handle a cancer on the team, early season adjustments, establishing roles, integrating new players into your program, what a head coach looks for in an assistant and much more!!
Every program should be meeting with both their players and their parents before the season begins. With those meetings should be some sort of packet of information to share with your families about pertinent information about your upcoming season, your philosophy and anything you feel is important to the success of your season. In this episode of "The Coaching Staff", Tony and I go into a bunch of details on what to share and how to share it with both your players and your parents.
Dylan Seikel, the new men's HC at SUNY-Canton, comes on the podcast this week. Voted a "30 under 30" by the NBCA last year, Coach Seikel is stepping into his new job as a late hire, so we chat about what he's trying to implement, hiring a staff on short notice, offensive and defensive philosophy and much more! A great conversation with one of America's best young coaches!
As we inch closer to the opening of our practices, we have a lot of important things that have to be taken care of. In this week's edition of "The Coaching Staff", Tony and I discuss a variety of different aspects of your program that you should have taken care of before the first practice of the year, or at the very least, taken care of early in the season. Over the next few weeks, Tony and I will then break down and get more specific about many of these topics!
We're really excited to have Josh Luedtke, the head boys basketball coach at Creighton Prep (NE) this week! Coach Luedtke talks about his background as a Prep graduate, being a "football guy" coaching basketball, changing to an uptempo philosophy and some of the great traditions at Creighton Prep. Great conversation with one of the Metro's best!
This week, Tony and I break down what are some of the do's and don'ts of observing higher level practices; what you should be looking for, what you shouldn't be doing and how to communicate to people whom you think will help your career. In the second half of the podcast, we take a dive into the current situation with the Warriors and how we might handle it. Enjoy!
We wrap up Season 1 of "The Film Room" with one of the greatest documentaries about the game of basketball ever, the 1994 classic "Hoop Dreams". Dexter Goodner of Ord, Nebraska helps me break down this documentary that was critically acclaimed at its release and still stands the test of time today. Enjoy our conversation!
We've got. a great week of "Quick Hitters" lined up this week, starting off with Josh Pastner, the Men's Basketball Head Coach at Georgia Tech, discussing early season practices and how to construct your practice plans. Bill Flitter, out the the San Francisco area, jumps on to chat about his practice planning system, while Denis Schaefer, the Men's Basketball Head Coach at Grand View (IA) University, discusses the process he went through in changing his philosophy later in his career. Three great conversations with three terrific coaches!
As we get closer to our seasons and our numbers increase in our open gyms as fall sports wrap up, we need to come up with ideas that will change up the usual "play to 11 by 1's and 2's" concept. This week, Tony and I break down over a dozen different scrimmage ideas that we've used to help our teams get better and think about the game without forcing us, as coaches, to make them think.
Perhaps the greatest sports film ever made, Norman Dale's Hickory Huskers make the trip to Butler Field House to play in perhaps the biggest game in Indiana high school history. My friend Tony Chapman and I break down the 1986 classic "Hoosiers" from start to finish, and hopefully we see Coach Chapman running "The Picket Fence" sometime this season in Grand Island!
My old high school friend and Iowa Hall of Fame Coach Dick Jungers of Newell-Fonda (IA) comes back on for his 4th solo podcast. In our annual discussion, Coach Jungers and I discuss preparing for the season, how we design practices, building your program through player development and building a challenging schedule, amongst other things. Great conversation with a great lifelong friend!!
As our season gets closer, we want our programs to start preparing for our seasons, both as individual players and as a whole. In this week's "Coaching Staff", Tony and I break down different things that we've done in the past and what we're doing now to prepare our teams, including how to work with our athletes that are currently playing a fall sport.
One of the greatest, yet one of the most controversial, coaches of all time is 3x national champion Bobby Knight. Coach Knight, as it is well known, had so many good qualities, but he also had a dark side to him, which ultimately led to his dismissal at Indiana. ESPN took a look at Coach Knight's last days in "The Last Days of Knight", and Carl J. Pierson and I break down this important documentary
Excited to get back to dropping podcasts! This week we have Kyle Cooper, the head men's basketball coach at Howard College (TX). In this pod, we discuss "the grind" that it takes to achieve success, working under Billy Gillespie, man to man defense, drill work and much more. Great discussion with our first JUCO coach!
Unfortunately for some of us this upcoming season, we're going to get off to a less than desirable start. One of the toughest circumstances to handle as a coach is when you feel like you're not playing up to your potential, especially early in the season. What are some ways to handle this, depending on your circumstances? Tony Vis and I break down some different ways to handle (and perhaps not handle) things.
Jen Wragge of Elkhorn (NE) GBB jumps on this edition of "The Film Room" to break down an early 2000's classic film, "Love And Basketball", starring Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan. We chat about the importance this movie gave to women's basketball, a few plot holes and alot more!
We're back at Wine 121 in Omaha with another "Roundtable" format with Andy King, boys basketball coach at Elkhorn North, Tom Krehbiel, boys basketball coach at Boys Town, and the legend simply known as "G", Andy Gerlecz, the girls basketball coach at Papillion LaVista-South. We chat about the MBCA, getting ready for the season, youth programs and much more!
Part of our purpose as coaches is to develop the whole person, not just the basketball player, and we also want our players to have a sense that they are one with the community and the community is one with them. This week on "The Coaching Staff", Tony and I discuss different service projects our programs have done and how to implement them, along with their importance to both your players and your community.
The Loyola Marymount Lions, under Coach Paul Westhead and with All-Americans Bo Kimble and Hank Gathers, were must-see TV for basketball fans in the late 1980's. Playing the "Philly Style", Marymount set scoring records that will never be broken. This great run was marred by great tragedy when Gathers tragically died on the floor on March 4th, 1990. Millard West GBB HC Marc Kruger and I breakdown the great "30 for 30" "The Guru of Go" examining the Marymount era, Gathers' death and its fallout, both good and bad.
This week, we are really excited to host Aaron Thomas, the head boys basketball coach at Aplington-Parkersburg (IA)! We have a great discussion on a variety of topics, including the influence of his father, the legendary Ed Thomas, on both his coaching career and the community of A-P. Along with that, we discuss teaching leadership, transition offense and scoring alot of points, developing your youth program, and much more! Great discussion with one of Iowa's best!
A big part of our job as high school coaches is supporting other programs while also thinking of new and different ways to garner support for our programs. In this episode of the "Coaching Staff", Tony and I discuss what you can do to make other programs feel appreciated while also discovering different ways to get your community involved with your program!
Tyler Shaw and I break down the "He Got Game", the 1998 basketball classic directed by Spike Lee and starring Ray Allen and Denzel Washington. We discuss redemption, the pressure on athletes from the "hangers on", where would Jesus Shuttlesworth have been drafted if he had gone pro and perhaps the greatest sports agent ever captured on film, Mr. Dom Pagnotti!
Back from the ashes is the "Quick Hitter" format! This week we talk with three coaches that I worked the Snow Valley Basketball School with earlier this summer; Ryan McAdams, the WBB HC at Arkansas-Fort Smith discusses rebounding, while Dave Schlabaugh discusses building motion offense. Liz Kay brings us home with a discussion on special situations and end of game situations. Great discussion with three terrific coaches!
In Episode #2 of "The Coaching Staff", Coach Vis and I chat about different aspects of a necessary evil to any good high school program, the process of fundraising. Coach Vis and I discuss alot of the do's and don'ts of fundraising, and what are efficient ways that we've come up with to help increase the budget of your program!!
Bob Hurley Sr. of St. Anthony's (NJ) might be the greatest high school coach in the history of the game. With over 900 wins, 23 state championships and 3 "national championships", Hurley's legacy only grows with time. In 2010, the documentary "The Street Stops Here" details the journey of his 2008 team, along with the ups and downs of trying to keep St. Anthony's open. My friend Nate Wall of David City Aquinas (NE) helps me break down this tremendous documentary!
Episode #140 features Jeremy Rickertsen, the Head Boys Basketball Coach at Cedar Rapids Prairie (IA)! Coach Rickertsen talks about his evolution as a coach, including coaching on the same sideline with his best friend, being the high school HC of an NBA lottery pick (Keegan Murray), communicating effectively with parents, practice set up and execution and much more! Great conversation with one of Iowa's best!
Welcome to "The Coaching Staff"! One of my oldest friends in coaching, Tony Vis, was wrangled into this weekly series on coaching advice. This week, we're going to talk about your coaching inventory; what are your programs needs and what are your wants when it comes to putting a quality program together? At the end, we have a little basketball trivia and some other information, so enjoy!!
Ever seen a 5'5" point guard with a 56" vertical leap? Probably not, unless you've witnessed Michael J. Fox in his classic 80's film "Teen Wolf"! One of my oldest friends, Ryan Meyer, comes on the pod to discuss the ins and outs of this movie, including observations that most basketball coaches may not notice. We had a great time recording this, so enjoy the same banter we've had for almost forty years!
GBB HC of Holy Innocents (GA) and my Snow Valley Basketball School camp friend Nichole Dixon jumps on the podcast with me this week! On this week's pod, we chat about coaching multiple sports, embracing AAU as a HS HC, "Wisdom Wednesdays", "Truth Tuesdays" and the "Tradition Board", among many other things. Great conversation with one of the best from the state of Georgia!
Reading is the lifeblood to the brain, and we, as coaches, must have a solid foundation of reading to keep ourselves sharp and also have the ability to share the most pertinent information to our players to make them better. This week, I'm going to discuss some of my favorite coaching books, then, in the second half of the pod, we have a major announcement about "A Pen And A Napkin"
Episode #2 in our "Film Room" limited series features myself and my (awesome, beautiful, wonderful) daughter Genevieve Plum breaking down the ESPN 30 for 30 "The Bad Boys". We go through our father/daughter basketball documentary history, the legacy of this edition of the Detroit Pistons, the very complicated legacy of Isiah Thomas, basketball lessons learned and much, much more; sit back and enjoy!!!
We're starting a new feature this week on APAAN; we're going to review five Hollywood features and five documentaries where some/most/all of the focus of the film is on basketball and how these films can help you become a better coach! This week's feature is the Nick Nolte/Shaquille O'Neal classic from 1994 "Blue Chips"!! I break this movie down with Scott Polacek, head girls basketball coach at Howells-Dodge (NE). Let me know what you think and enjoy!!
One of the major aspects of "special teams" in basketball is baseline and sideline out of bounds execution on both sides of the ball. On this week's "Foundation Friday" we discuss the importance of BLOB and SLOB execution, when to implement, how to implement and different thoughts on one of the most important aspects of "winning on the margins"!
Boys Basketball Head Coach of Waukee Northwest (IA), Brett Watson has done a great job of taking a first year school and got them to the state tournament. In this podcast, we talk about "The Process", stepping into a championship level program, his "Core Values", "Marginal Gains" and many other aspects of the mental game. Alot of great information, especially on some non-traditional coaching concepts!
Usually we have a pretty good idea of how our teams work behind the scenes, but sometimes you need to drill down a little deeper with your teams. Here are three "team tests" that we have used in the past to help you and your coaching staff figure out what your team is REALLY like and what they really think about themselves and their teammates.
Mike Hilmer, Head Boys Basketball Coach at North Linn High School (IA), jumps on the podcast this week to talk about coaching his kids, hosting the team hangout, getting your team ready to play in February and March, run and jump pressure defense, shot selection and more! Great conversation with a coach that has been to five straight state championship games!!
98-99% of our AAU programs do things the right way, both on and off the court. However, the incidents that happen at AAU and youth events continue to escalate in intensity and violence from all areas; players, coaches and even parents in the stands. This week, I'll share some experiences that have happened recently and some proposals to help bring this madness under control.
Doug Billman, Boys Basketball HC at Antwerp (OH) comes on the podcast this week to chat about a variety of topics, including half court offense and defense, coaching at his alma mater, taking a program to unprecedented heights, high standards and much more! Really good conversation with one of Ohio's best!
Many of us, in some way, shape or form, track our players progress in the summer. It is also important to reward our players and recognize the efforts that they put in, so we came up with a system for this summer and beyond that we call our "Wall of Honor", which is tangible, measurable and can be reached by EVERYONE in the program, but only if you are willing to put in the time!
Really excited to have Brendan Dittmer, GBB HC at Elkhorn Valley (NE) High School, on the podcast this week! In this episode, Coach Dittmer and I chat about building a great culture in a small community, as well as rebuilding a program from within. Along with that, we discuss transition offense and defense, statistical analysis and the Junior Falcon program. Great listen for our listeners this week!
Most of our programs are going to be active in the summer, but what is the purpose of our summer activities? Along with that, how do we evaluate and measure our summer activities, both in our individual players and as a team/program.? Here's some thoughts and ideas on how to take a look back on your summer or look ahead to what you have to accomplish this summer.
Happy 4th of July everyone, and welcome to this week's episode! This week, we chat with Shana Gerberding, who is the GBB HC at Bruning-Davenport-Shickley (NE) High School. Coach Gerberding discusses coaching in a coop school, the MUDECAS tournament, growing as a program, her defensive philosophy, superstitions and much more! Alot of fun with Shana this week!!
As coaches, we're all competitive, and we're all coaching our teams for a reason; to win. However, there are people that we sometimes work with that make either your job or everyone else's job very difficult for a variety of reasons. In this pod, we talk about warning signs of tough co-workers, situations we should worry about and how to handle those situations.
The "Dean of the Big Ten", one of four active coaches with over 800 wins (joining Tara Vandeveer, Geno Auriemma and Gary Blair) and the 2019 National Coach of the Year are all ways you can describe Lisa Bluder, head women's basketball coach at the University of Iowa, and she is our guest this week! In this episode, Coach Bluder and I discuss starting small and going big, Title IX, coaching great players, offensive transition basketball and bouncing back from a disappointing end to a season. Great discussion with one of the nation's best!
A couple of days late on this, but hey, it's been busy!! When we put together our practice plan on a daily basis, we focus on drills, X's and O's and other entities, but we also should be reminding ourselves of what is important culturally to our program. In this podcast the cultural reminders that I have listed on my practice plan to help remind me of what I should be doing to properly teach and lead my program EVERY DAY!
We all have mentors in our life, but when's the last time you really thought about the influence of mentors and what they've exactly done for you and your development in your life and your coaching career? When's the last time you've told a mentor what they've taught you and what its meant to you? Here's a bonus (or make-up) Foundation Friday to make you think a bit more about where you're at in your career . . .
Really excited to have Mark Downey, the head men's basketball coach at Arkansas Tech University, on the podcast! Coach Downey has had a wide variety of experiences in his career, which he shares in the podcast. Along with that, he discusses his "High Standards of Excellence", "Building People", being part of the "Glory Road" cast, "Stingy Defense" and much more. Great conversation with a great coach!
Kassie Schuett, girls basketball head coach at Gothenburg (NE) is our guest this week! Coach Schuett discusses a variety of topics, including building trust and loyalty with her players, preparing a team for a state tournament, lessons learned from a deep post-season run, player development in a small town program and much more. A terrific conversation with one of the best young coaches in Nebraska!
Summer basketball is a great way to develop your program and your individual players. It's an exciting time with a feeling of new growth and opportunity, but you also have alot of different variables that you need to consider. In this podcast, we chat about some of the things that we do in the summer to help our program grow!
University of Nebraska Men's Assistant Coach Nate Loenser comes on the pod this week to discuss a variety of different topics. Coach Loenser talks about his basketball journey from high school to being an assistant coach with the Bulls, coaching in the G-League, different coaching styles, player development and other topics. Great discussion with one of the best assistant coaches in the country!
Many of us will be watching the NBA Finals over the next couple of weeks to satisfy our "basketball junkie" needs, but what can be learned from watching these games? How can we make ourselves better while we watch the best in the world, whether it is players, coaches or front offices, show us their craft? Here's some things to think about as you're watching these games, along with my (very amateur) prediction on who I think will win the series!
We had a blast taping a "Roundtable" pod in my hometown of Sheldon, Iowa last week with Kiley Yates, Boys HC at South O'Brien (IA), Boys HC Eric Maasen of Sheldon (IA) and GBB HC Jay Schuiteman of Unity Christian (IA). We chat about summer camps, Improvement Season concepts, mentoring coaches and much more. Great conversation; enjoy!!
If you do this job long enough (and often times you don't have to do this job very long before you are in this situation), you're going to find yourself in a situation where you have to make a choice. It's better to make the right choice than the popular choice. Always.
Ponca (NE) GBB HC Bob Hayes comes on the podcast this week to chat about a variety of topics. Coach Hayes, like myself, is a Briar Cliff (IA) graduate, so we discuss the influence of Ray Nacke, former MBB HC at Briar Cliff, along with his long time assistant Ron Schultz. We also talk about his role as Principal/AD/HC, man to man defense, transition offense and building a great culture. A really fun conversation; hope you like it!
Basketball is a game of momentum and runs, but how do you emphasize and build the concepts of "streaks" into your program? How do you educate your players and staff about what you're looking for and how to create streaks during competitions? In this "Foundation Friday", we take a look at streaks in basketball, how to emphasize, measure and practice them within your program!
You're really going to enjoy this podcast with Garrett Hickey, the head boys basketball coach at Norwalk (CT) HS and creator of the #sharethegame Twitter feed. In this pod, we go through a bunch of different topics, including networking, creating your own coaching portfolio, practice set up, teaching and communicating styles in practice and creating a program portfolio. We also go through a little Social Studies teacher trivia (I wonder who wins?), so enjoy this podcast!
In the second half of our two-part pod on preparing for special situations, this week we talk about two special situations that we're all going to be in at some point; the comeback game and the delay game. Thinking about what to do when you get to these situations long before they happen is really important to your teams' success! We wrap up with thinking about what to do in the last :05 when you are at the free throw line and need to miss.
South Dakota State University MBB HC Eric Henderson comes on the podcast this week to talk about a variety of different topics. Amongst many things, Coach Henderson talks about his background as an educator, learning from such great head coaches as TJ Otzelberger and Greg McDermott, SDSU's "Five Character Traits", situational basketball, the transfer portal and much more! Enjoy this conversation with one of America's up and coming coaches!
Pop open the champagne, it's a happy ending after all ( . . . at least for ALMOST everyone . . .)!!!! Casey Hall and I review the season finale of "Winning Time", entitled "Promised Land". At the end of the episode, both Casey and I put out our "wish list" for Season 2, so enjoy our review!
We all know that we're going to be in pressure situations when we get into our season, so why not use this time to start thinking about what you're going to do next season? In this week's "Foundation Friday", we take a look at the Special Situations chart that we've developed to help prepare our teams for these situations. Next week, we'll go over the 2nd half of the chart!
For episode #125, Ed Schilling, the men's assistant coach at Grand Canyon University, comes on the pod! Coach Schilling has one of the more unique resumes that we've ever had on "APAAN"; one of the few coaches who has coached at the high school, high Division I level and NBA level; success has followed him at every level. We chat about his journey, what he's learned along the way and we have a great discussion on player development and what to do with your players in the off-season. Truly a terrific conversation; enjoy!!
The first season of "Winning Time" is winding down and Casey Hall and I are here to continue to review every last episode. In this week's episode, "An Acceptable Loss", we discuss the individual battles that some of our characters face and attempt to overcome, along with discussions on Hollywood real estate. Enjoy!!
There's four major pillars to "Improvement Season" that could/should be addressed; your schemes, your analytics, your skill development and your culture. What are the keys to taking all of these things from bad to average, average to good or good to great? On this "Foundation Friday", we take a look at all of these concepts and how to address them.
Welcome to "California Dreamin'", Episode VIII of "Winning Time". Before we get to the episode itself, Casey and I chat about the headlines with the show and it's characterizations of Jerry West and other concepts of the series. After that, we dive into the episode itself and give our reviews in our various categories.
Heather Grafing, the GBB HC at Central Lyon (IA), comes on the podcast this week! Coach Grafing, who has built an impressive program, including a 2022 state runner-up, discusses important influences in her career, making a run to the state title game, playing an uptempo system, her "Pillars of Success" and much more. Great discussion on the intricacies of building a solid program from top to bottom!
Welcome to Episode #300 of "A Pen And A Napkin"! Last week, we discussed individual player improvement during "Improvement Season", but it is also important that we take this time to improve the team as well. Here's some thoughts on what you can do to improve your team from top to bottom throughout May, June and July!
Joe Hesse, the 3x state champion head coach at Humphery/ Lindsay-Holy Family (NE) comes on the podcast this week to chat about a variety of topics! We talk about his influences, the strength of basketball in his community, some of his favorite drills, his belief in zone defense and much more! Terrific conversation with one of Nebraska's greats!
Our latest review of HBO's "Winning Time" finally delves into the greatest rivalry of the 1980s; Celtics vs. Lakers, and Bird vs. Magic. In this episode, "The Invisible Man", we continue to break down the series, including the evolution of Paul Westhead as a coach, along with the evolution of the Lakers team. Enjoy the return of Casey Hall as we delve into one of our favorite episodes!
As we all start to dive in to the off-season, it's important that we have a system in place to tangible measure our players accomplishments and improvement in order to get the buy in we need. In this podcast, we discuss some of the strategies that we have used in order to get our players to put in the work necessary to have as good of season as possible NEXT season!
British Basketball League (BBL) pioneer and legend Vincent Macaulay comes on our podcast this week! In this great conversation, we chat about building and growing the game in a country where basketball is not a traditional sport, changes to American basketball, using the 3 point shot, influences in Coach Macaulay's career and much more. It's a great opportunity to learn about the game from a completely different perspective, so enjoy our conversation!
Our latest reviews are in . . . and they're not good for "Winning Time" Episode VI "Memento Moir". With Casey Hall out of town, Marc Kruger steps in as a guest commentator to help me break down this episode, including a question that probably needs to be asked; was Earvin "Magic" Johnson a good person?
Fundraising is one of the most important things that our programs can do to help build up your program; however, sometimes you're not sure as to what to spend those funds on or how to properly ask people for funds. In this pod, we explore topics where you can reinvest fundraising dollars, where to do it at and how to raise even more money for your program!
Welcome back to "Winning Time"!!! In this episode, which Casey and I subtitled "The Kareem Episode", we dive into, what some would now say is the under-rated career of the NBA"s all-time leading scorer, along with the other things we liked from this episode. Before our actual review, however, Casey and I took a few minutes to discuss mental health and how that has affected us in the last couple of weeks. It was important for us to talk about this subject; if you or someone you know needs help, don't hesitate to reach out to those that can help.
Rechelle Turner, the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Murray State University, comes on the podcast this week. Coach Turner chats about a variety of topics, including her jump from the high school ranks to being a Division I head coach, defending your players, inequity's that still exist in women's athletics, transition defense, running a quality summer camp and much more! Great conversation with an up and coming coach at the collegiate level!
Coaches are always emphasizing the details of the game, but how can you communicate and emphasize these intangibles that are necessary for success in a tangible way? One of the ways that you can do that is through a "Hustle Board", a way to measure your teams effectiveness and toughness, both as a team and on an individual basis. Here's some ideas on how to build this concept!
Josh Thompson, Boys HC at Bishop McGuinness (NC), jumps on the podcast this week to discuss a variety of topics, including the UNC-Duke Final 4 matchup, a unique school nickname, making that first deep post-season run, player development, delegating responsibilities to assistants, out of bounds plays and philosophy, and much more. Great conversation with one of North Carolina's best!
Casey Hall and I are back for our review of "Winning Time"! This week, we finally hit some serious basketball material with Episode IV "Who the F . . . is Jack McKinney?". The Lakers hit training camp, McKinney tries to become a head coach and Jerry West comes in to save the day! Enjoy our review!
We're all, to a degree, selfish and want what's best for our programs; however, we DO have to think about alot of factors as we put together our summer programs. In this "Foundation Friday", we talk about the factors that you need to consider as you put together your summer program, plus a big announcement about how things are going at "A Pen And A Napkin"!
Casey Hall and I take a deep dive on "Winning Time" Episode III, uniquely titled "The Best Is Yet to Come". This episode highlights the search for a new Lakers coach, with Dr. Buss adamant that Jerry Tarkanian is his guy. Other subplots include Earvin Johnson's acclimation to Los Angeles socially and Jerry West finding his way. It's our favorite episode so far, so enjoy!
Ever wonder what it's like to win a state championship? Ever wondered what needs to be done to win a state title, or wonder what were the intangibles that led to that championship? We have that handled right here with this podcast! Five state championship coaches, from the first one (Mohs, Martindale and Stoffel) along with a 12-timer (Flynn). We add in a repeat champion in Tim Cannon and the story of the state tournament, Fort Calhoun's TJ O'Connor and his description of their tremendous run and how the Pioneers captured the state's imagination. Enjoy this unique Quick Hitter format!!
The state tournament is a tremendous opportunity to network, to watch high level basketball and to learn from various situations that present themselves. In this pod, I've taken a look at some of the things that I saw last week at the Nebraska state tournament that a coaching staff should consider looking at and prepare for, especially as your season progresses.
Casey Hall and I breakdown Episode II of "Winning Time", HBO's new series on the 1980's Los Angeles Lakers. We chat about the overall episode, then dive into our categories and give our grades on the episode.
In the last of our four state tourney roundtables, Jerome Skrdla of Gretna (NE), Nate Wall of David City Aquinas (NE) and Jimmy Motz of Norris (NE) come on the pod to chat it up at the N-Zone in downtown Lincoln. We discuss timeout usage, developing community support and much more! Enjoy this great discussion, and when in downtown Lincoln, grab a bite to eat at either the Mellow Mushroom or the N-Zone!!
Another day, another roundtable!! Millard West's finest, Marc Kruger and Casey Hall, along with Paul Markley, jump on the pod at the N-Zone in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska. In this pod, we chat about what we look for when voting for postseason awards, how to make all of your players feel valued and much more, including a food review by Carter Plum!!
Another day, another roundtable! Tom Tvrdy returns to this roundtable, along with Sarah Goodwin, GBB AC at Bennington (NE) and Paul Markley, GBB HC at Ralston (NE). We chat about our own self improvement, communication with our players, helping our players balance out their summer activities and much more!
Dexter Goodner of Ord (NE), Tom Tvrdy of Omaha Marian and I sit together, eat some Mellow Mushroom pizza, and discuss a wide variety of topics, including lessons learned from this season, off season development, selection of summer camps and much more! Enjoy the first of many podcasts this week from the Nebraska state tournament!
Casey Hall and I get together to review "Winning Time", the new HBO series about the 1980's Showtime Lakers! We go through what we like and what we didn't like, including our favorite and least favorite scenes, the basketball realism of the episode and other awards. Hope you like it!!
Grant Cole, GBB HC at Auburn (NE), jumps on the podcast this week to discuss a variety of different topics. On the pod, we chat about returning home to coach, working with numerous family members, his half court offensive and defensive philosophy, scouting and breaking a 40 year state tournament drought. Alot of great thoughts shared; enjoy!
As we wrap up our seasons, it's easy to look back at the tangible entities, like wins and losses, as a way to evaluate our season. But what are some other things that you should be looking at other than wins and losses, and what are ways that you could or should be measuring yourself in those areas? Here are some thoughts on this in this extra "Foundation Friday"!
At the end of our seasons, we have given all that we have to give, but there should be a time of recovery, both mentally and physically. Some of this stress is self-induced, while much of it comes from outside sources. What are the warning signs that you should be looking for, and what are some things that you can do to help yourself? Here's some thoughts on this very important topic.
Almost every program is dependent on a strong youth program. The focus is, of course, on the development of skills, but what are the other things that you should worry about and consider as you get ready to move from one season to the next? This week, my youth coaches and I had our end of the season meeting, and here are the things that were at the top of our list!
Jacob Mohs, the boys basketball coach at Ashland-Greenwood (NE) HS, comes on the podcast this week to talk about a variety of different topics. We chat about his coaching influences, coaching different sports, what he learned about a winless season and developing his youth program, along with how he developed his "offensive standards" and how they teach their motion principles. A great listen!
100 Foundation Fridays!!!! Hard to believe that this is #100, but here we are! This week, we're going to talk about the do's and don'ts of discussing with your players about their season and their futures, from questionnaires to timing of these discussions. It's important that you put alot of thought into each and every one of these discussions, so here's some tips on a very important topic that will help get your next season off to a great start!
Just a quick hitter pod on updates, apologies and future plans for "A Pen And A Napkin" . . .
Nate Pribnow has rebuilt Fremont (NE) Bergan into a perennial state tournament contender, and in this week's podcast, he shares a bunch of great information about his program. We discuss playing in what is probably the best conference in the state, sharing athletes, offensive and defensive philosophy, servant leadership, melding AAU and high school ball and much more. Great conversation!!
It's early February, so we're all looking for an edge heading into. post season play. What are the things that we should be focused on as we head into the final stretch of the regular season? Fundamentals, execution, confidence and camaraderie are at the top of the list, but here's some of my thoughts on prepping. your team for the home stretch!
Every team needs days off; that's obvious. But sometimes, especially this time of year, it's great to take a day off WITH your team and do something that will boost morale and energy for the stretch run of the season. In this "Foundation Friday", we talk about different ideas that you can use to "surprise" your team with a great bonding experience!
Legendary Minnesota coach Larry McKenzie comes on the podcast this week. A 6-time state champion, Coach McKenzie talks about building up programs in two different schools, finding his calling as a high school coach, developing the Minnesota Black Basketball Coaches Association, pressure defense, "The Creed" and creating an individual plan for each player. Terrific conversation with a great coach!
Newly minted IGCA Basketball Hall of Famer (Class of 2022) Don Martindale comes on the podcast this week! The GBB HC at Estherville-Lincoln Central, Martindale has 12 Regional Final and 5 State Tournament appearances on his resume. We chat about influences, the origins of the Estherville "Midgets" nickname, rebuilding a program, organizing a youth program and much more. Enjoy listening to one of Iowa's finest!!
The best way to evaluate our teams and make them better is by meticulously watching our own game footage. There are good ways and bad ways to use game footage to your advantage, so this week we'll go through some of the things that I've picked up upon when it comes to game evaluation, along with how to share those things with your team!
This week's episode features Greg Berdnt, GBB HC at Hastings St. Cecilia's (NE) HS. With a career record of 126-17, Coach Berdnt has built a juggernaut at St. Cecilia's, and he details his "Competition Culture", the bond with his child hood friends and what it taught him about coaching, coaching at lower levels, half court offense and defense and much more!
Many times, we get caught up in the day to day grind of the middle of the season, but we need to keep our big picture goals and purpose in mind. From practice length to quotes, here's some quick hitting things that we all need to remember as we get into the dog days of January!
We open up 2022 with Todd Wolfson, the Boys HC at St. Francis (Pasadena, CA) High School. As I record in a blizzard and he records a stone throw from the Rose Bowl, we discuss leaving one successful job for another, having a slow build over the season, having a great coaching staff, stats and what he looks for and creating a great family atmosphere and culture. This is a great pod to start off 2022!
Alot of teams will be traveling over the break and spending the night with their teams. Although it's a great opportunity to bond as a team, it is also your responsibility to make sure that everything is lined up as well as possible. Here's some things that I've learned over the years about putting together a travel itinerary for a team trip
In our latest (both figuratively and literally) episode of "A Pen And A Napkin", Chris Strathman, the highly successful GBB HC at McPherson (KS) comes on the pod! In this pod, we discuss the value of continuity of our coaching staff, building a youth program, transition basketball, half court defense, and the lost art of the live scout. Alot of great information in this late night conversation!!
At this point of the season, we're all looking at our teams and what we can or need to do to improve our teams. Some of us might be considering radical adjustments to our teams and lineups, while others are looking at tweaks. Here are some things to consider before you make any major adjustments to your team, both for the short term and the long term.
In part two of our podcast, Carl Pierson goes through the writing of "The Other Side of Glory". The book details the journey of the Waconia Wildcats' 2019-20 season and their pursuit of a state tournament berth that has eluded the program for over four decades. In a season of ups and downs, high expectations, joys and disappointments, the spirit of the team and the joy of high school athletics shines through. A great read for any coach and team!!
In this special two-part podcast, we talk to Carl J. Pierson, the author of "The Politics of Coaching". We talk about how the book came about and then dive into some of the major political pitfalls that a coach can get caught up, from parental agendas to working with administration to the structure of your program. A great listen and a lot of really important topics discussed for all coaches at all levels!
Some of us are big scouters, spending alot of our practice time and time with the team, while other coaches don't spend nearly as much time on our opponents. Both methods have produced successful results, and you have to do what you're comfortable with. In this "Foundation Friday", here are the methods that we use to prepare for our opponents.
Legendary Harlan (IA) boys basketball coach Mitch Osborn, owner of over 700 wins, jumps on the podcast this week to discuss a wide variety of topics. We chat about the overall success of Harlan's athletics, mixing business with coaching, being an administrator, youth programs, practice set up and fighting cancer. A great conversation that you're going to get alot from.
In the hustle and the bustle of the early season, we sometimes forget the details of what we could or should be doing on game days to get prepared for the game, then we're left scrambling at the last minute to get these things taken care of. Here's a preemptive list of things that you should be thinking about before game night!
Lisa Steele, the former GBB HC at Paul VI (New Jersey) comes on the podcast this week! In this terrific conversation, we talk about the adjustments that great players have to make to be a coach, coaching at different levels, the importance of a mentor, taking care of the family first, marketing your program and her fledgling broadcasting career. We also dive into the "Blizzard" match-up zone, working with administration and scouting. Great conversation!!!
Here are a few quick updates about this season and things to expect for the upcoming 3-4 months!
We organized our first youth tournament last weekend, and it was a great success, but it didn't come without some lessons along the way. We had a great group of people that helped organize the tournament, so here are some things that we did well, and there are a few things that we plan on adjusting for next years tournament.
Clark Ribble, the head boys basketball coach at Beatrice (NE) high school, comes on the podcast to discuss a wide variety of topics, including coaching in California, his progression as a head coach, "rebuilding" the culture of their program, the great influences of his career and building a community culture where everyone in the community is behind the program. A great listen this week!!
We're all going to be in a situation where we are going to move a player up a level. As coaches, we look at it as a talent issue, but there are alot of variables that we should consider before we pull the trigger on this decision. In this "Foundation Friday" we look at those variables and what you should do when you make that decision to move a player(s) up.
Women's Basketball Hall of Famer and WNBA champion Lin Dunn comes on the podcast this week to discuss a wide variety of topics. We chat about the beginnings of Title IX, coaching in the 1992 Olympics and sharing a private plane with the "Dream Team", getting your team to peak at the right time, coaching the shot clock, special situations and much, much more. You're going to love this conversation!
Establishing clear boundaries, clear lines of communication and other important variables to your program while also creating an environment of fellowship and trust is a daunting task for most of our coaches. In this "Foundation Friday" we discuss tactics that you can use to try to take a situation that most coaches dread, the early season parent meeting, and try to turn it into a positive experience for both parents and coaches.
Wow, 100 interview episodes!!! That is just crazy to believe!!! In celebration of hitting triple digits, we're bringing back the three that got things going; Kelly Flynn from Fremont (NE) High School, Jen Wragge from Elkhorn (NE) High School and Kevin Scheef from Wahoo (NE) High School. We discuss transition, what we're prepping for the first week of practice, breaking down the season into smaller segments, special situations and much more!! Thanks to everyone who has supported the pod, and we look forward to 100 more!!
We know what we want our players to look like at their optimum level, but have we really taken the time to really map out our players journey and find the checkpoints along the way? In this "Foundation Friday", we go through our "Mastery of Skills" checklist and what we should and should not include to show positive progress for our players.
I'm excited to have Jordan Arensdorf, the GBB HC at Pleasanton (NE) High School. We chat about a variety of topics, including the pressure of winning when you're expected to win, handling a locker room after a tough loss, preparing for the state tournament, half court offensive and defensive philosophies, and the advantages of teaching K-12 PE. Alot of good nuggets in this pod!
There are a million different ways to end practice, but we often forget how important it is to end practice on a high note. It's important that before you get to the end of practice, you have a plan for how you're going to end practice. Here's some thoughts and ideas on how to end practice in a variety of different scenarios and ending it on a high note!
Casey Hall and I come back to discuss who we think is going to win the major awards this season, and then we break down the playoffs round by round to try to predict who is going to be hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy next June. We had alot of fun doing this, so let us know what your picks are and what you think of ours!
Casey Hall and I get together to discuss and preview the Western Conference for the upcoming NBA season, highlighting the teams that we like, some teams that we don't like, and we both identify a sleeper that we think is due to get over the top this season. Have some fun with some amateur prognosticators, and let us know what you think of our predictions!
Casey Hall and I take some time to preview the 2021-22 NBA season this week, starting with the Eastern Conference. We go through the three tiers; the 5 teams that we don't believe will make the playoffs, the four teams that we think will be in the play-in, and then we preview the six teams that we believe to be in the top six. We're just having some fun, but let us know what you think of our predictions!
In our latest episode of "Quick Hitters", we bring on a variety of coaches. Jamie Smith, the GBB HC at Solon (IA) comes on to discuss program building, while University of Nebraska Men's Assistant Head Coach Doc Sadler jumps on to discuss their half court defensive concepts. In our second half, Winona State MBB HC Todd Eisner is back to discuss half court offense, including a deep dive on ball screen concepts. We finish with my old child hood friend and classmate Jay Huff, the Activities Director at Burlington (IA) HS to discuss what coaches should be doing to be proactive with issues before their season starts. Alot of great perspectives; enjoy!!
Andy King, former Creighton Prep AC and current Boys HC at Elkhorn North (NE), jumps on the podcast to talk about a variety of topics, including his playing career, building a program literally from scratch, the importance of skill development, coaching AAU while also being a high school head coach, and how he has an open door policy when it comes to his practices.
Most of us have some sort of vision for our programs, but have you taken the time to specifically think ahead one, two or even three years into the future? In this "Foundation Friday" we take a look at the "3 Year Plan", which we've used to help rebuild our program step by step, outlining our priorities and giving our program the opportunity to have some tangible methods to measure the progress we've made. If you're interested in a copy, feel free to reach out to me apenandanapkin@gmail.com
Winona State (MN) MBB HC Todd Eisner jumps on the podcast this week to discuss a wide variety of topics, including his own playing career and the influence of Creighton University on his life, bringing two different schools to the national title game, going from being a head coach to an assistant and then back to being a head coach, and taking a deep dive on half court defense and the Pack Line. Awesome conversation on a verity of topics!
How many times do we think it or we say it; "That's a great drill, and we need to do that one more often." Too often we allow what we believe to be our best drills to NOT be part of our practice plans, so take them and bring them to the desert island with you! In this pod, we talk about making sure that you have your best and most important drills in your practices on a consistent basis!
As one of my childhood heroes, Harry Caray, would say . . . "Holy Cow!!!" It's been two years since "A Pen And A Napkin" has launched as of today, and I am so humbled by those that have supported this concept! In appreciation, I'm offering a special 50% off on all of our "University" videos; go ahead and take a listen
The 2021 Iowa Coach of the Year, Dick Jungers, is back for his annual appearance as we celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of "A Pen And A Napkin" this week! In this episode, we discuss adjustments made throughout the season for Coach Jungers' team as they made it a three-peat at Newell-Fonda, building a culture of winning, the psychology of coaching, practice set up and execution, delegating responsibilities to your assistant coaches and much more!
In today's game, it is important that you have an open and sincere dialogue with your teams, but what is the line between what is good for your program and when you are giving up too much control? In this episode, we talk about how promises are different than negotiable topics and how to handle those situations.
We're really excited to have Brett Coultier, the Head Boys Basketball Coach at Princeton (MN) HS! In this pod, we dive deep into breaking an 87 year state tournament drought, using social media to enhance your program, playing at a high pace, off-season development, switching man to man defense and many more topics, including who we think we will Season 23 of Big Brother! Great conversation!
As coaches, it is important to have clear lines of communication with your players, but where does that communication start? In this episode of "Foundation Friday", we talk about our preseason questionnaire and how that can be used to get to know your players on a level other than basketball, while also giving you the opportunity to clean up possible areas of concern before they even start!
Really excited to have Liz Kay, the GBB HC at Wahconah Regional HS (Mass.) to chat hoops! In our conversation, we theorize about the smaller number of female coaches in relation to male coaches in the profession, having her best team ever but not having the opportunity to play for a championship, working camps, building a great culture, building a youth program and more!
As much as we would like to have ALL of our players get along and love each other ALL of the time, that is simply impossible. Conflict is inevitable, even in the best of times, so what are some things that we can and/or should do to help resolves these situations and keep your team on the right track.
We're back with another great roundtable discussion with Millard West GBB AC Casey Hall, Creighton Prep HC Josh Luedtke and Omaha Marian HC Tom Tvrdy. In this episode, we discuss the 2021 state tournament, off-season preparation, using the fall to get ready for the upcoming season and ways to minimize stress as you coach. Terrific discussion!
Elkhorn Mount Michael (NE) HC Derrik Spooner is our guest this week! Coach Spooner talks about a variety of topics, including the uniqueness of Mt. Michael, wearing dual hats as an administrator and as a coach, preparing for the season, developing a strong class, passing, practice planning and more. Alot of great information to mine from this one!
Although there are many coaches who run some sort of pressure defense, there are alot of different things and philosophies when it comes to pressure. In this pod, we discuss different thoughts and ideas on pressure defense; when to apply, why you would apply it, how to apply it, the positives that can come out of it, and when to pull back from applying full court pressure.
Tony Chapman of Striv Sports and Nebraska Preps comes on the podcast as a pinch hitter this week to discuss a bunch of great topics, including being a coaches kid, covering the historically great 2021 Nebraska Boys Basketball tournament, things that can be done to make youth sports better and great things that he sees in coaching while covering a wide variety of sports and activities. Great conversation; enjoy!
Our time as coaches is limited; probably for most of us, AT THE MOST we'll have 35-40 years to do this job, which is not that long in the big picture. Are you enjoying what you're doing? Are you taking an inventory every day of what is bringing you joy? Realize that our coaching careers are short, so enjoy every practice, every game and every season, and enjoy the ride from beginning to end.
As part of the "University" program, I've put together a series of videos on each one of these topics. Now, I've made them available for ANYONE to purchase; listen to this pod to get all of the details!
Excited to have Dell Leonard, the GBB HC of Mountain Home (AR), whom I met while at Snow Valley! Dell and I have a great conversation, including the importance of mentors, getting your team to peak at the right time, transition offense and defense, attacking pressure and we even throw in some "Top Gun" talk. Enjoy the conversation!
We all want our teams and our programs to have a great, tight-knit bond. Although we'd like to have that environment come about in an organic way, it is part of your staff's job to create opportunities and to have exercises to build that bond within your team. In this week's "Foundation Friday", we go through a bunch of team bonding and building concepts and ideas that have been good to us over the years!
Excited for "Quick Hitters" Volume #6!! In this episode, we have USA Basketball's Don Showalter talking about a "Coaches DNA" and what makes a great coach, along with Dick Lien, legendary coach who just published a book called "A Coaches Journey: It's in the File Cabinet". In the second half of the pod, Burwell (NE) Boys HC Adam Stolzer talks about the use of Hudl and how his program uses film to improve, we then wrap up with Craig Doty, Men's Basketball Coach at Emporia State (KS), where we chat about keeping balance and taking care of ourselves as coaches. Great information all the way through; enjoy!!!
All of us have an idea as to what we want our teams and our programs to look like, but sometimes we need a little help in laying out the road map to get there. Directly borrowing and inspired by Pete Carroll's "Win Forever", this is something that I put together to help me figure out my philosophy, my priorities and what I wanted to emphasize when I would get back into coaching. Enjoy!!
Myself, Tom Krehbiel, Doug Woodard and Marc Kruger sit down at Wine 121 in Omaha to chat about a bunch of different basketball subjects, including playing an underclassman above an upperclassman, fundraising, what you're doing to get ready for the season, organizing your staff on game night and much more! Great conversation with a great group of coaches and guys!!
After a couple of days at the Nebraska Coaches Association Clinic, there were quite a few things that I took from the discussions. Here's some things that I learned from Tim Cannon, Kelly Flynn, John Larsen, Jeff Ritz and Craig Doty. Enjoy the odds and ends from the last couple of days!
Last week, I FINALLY took the time to head out to Snow Valley Basketball School in Waverly, Iowa, and it did not disappoint!!! Dropping a "Foundation Friday" on a Monday, here are some things that I took away from Snow Valley, including skill development, camp design and other things. Thanks to everyone who I got to work the camp with!
In our latest episode, Dave Bollish, the girls basketball coach at Scottsbluff (NE), dives into his coaching career and philosophy. We discuss jumping from being an assistant to being a head coach in the same program, the slow build of a program, representing the western part of the state, pressure defense, attacking offense and much more!
Just a few updates for the coming week or two for "A Pen And A Napkin", including this week's interview pod, working Snow Valley, the Nebraska Coaches Association clinics and APAAN "University"
You can run all the plays you want, but if you don't finish the shot at the end of it, it doesn't matter. In order to become a great shooter, you have to have a routine that is practical and well-rounded, but also active and will get your players ready for practice. In this Foundation Friday, we go through our "33 Shot" Warmup; feel free to tweak to fit your program or your philosophy.
University of Illinois-Chicago MBB HC Luke Yaklich comes on the pod to discuss his career, starting as a high school coach before moving on to college ball. We also discuss the influence of Dan Muller, John Beilein, and Shaka Smart, as well as practice planning and the importance of preparation. Great conversation with one of America's best coaches!
Every coach, every off-season, looks at their schedule and their team, and it's human nature to try to anticipate what your record is going to be the next season. However, we often look at things from the perspective of "everything's going to go right" perspective instead of a realistic, analytical perspective. Here's a formula that I've used that gives you a pretty accurate predictor of where your team could/should end up this winter.
Here's our first week of APAAN "University"; let's get the party started!! As a bonus to everyone who has followed "A Pen And A Napkin", we're going to open up our first week, "Communication with Your Players", to ANYONE who wants to jump on for free! Here's a quick preview of the week!
We're excited to have on our first international coach, Brent Tipton, the U17 Men's BBall Coach from Guam! In this episode, Coach tells us about his journey, international coaches we should be studying, fundamental skill development, attacking pick and roll concepts and the two sided fast break. Alot of good information; enjoy!!
We're not coaching an Xbox game, we're coaching human beings, and sometimes the hardest part of coaching is the personalities that you have on your team. You're going to have players that are not content with their role, so how do you identify these players early, what are the warning signs and how do you handle those situations as quickly as possible? Here's some things to look for and some strategies to use to combat them!
A quick three minute pod on updates for this week, plus discussing updates to our "A Pen And A Napkin" University program!
We, as coaches, want to run great practices and workouts at all times. However, it is inevitable that we're going to have a bad practice at multiple points throughout our season. The key to this inevitability is bouncing back as quickly as possible and not allowing one bad practice to become two or three bad practices. In this week's "Foundation Friday", we take a look at strategies to minimize our bad practices.
In our last pod on Don Yaeger's "Great Teams", we take a look at the last pillar of what makes a "Great Team"; Mutual Direction. Getting your teams to move in the same direction is the greatest achievement of any coach or organization, and Yaeger gives us a lot to think about when it comes to what it takes and what we can do to get our team unified and moving together as one!
This week's pod is a "Quick Hitter" with three terrific guests! Chris Fore, the President of the California Coaches Association, comes on the pod to discuss the rights of coaches and what coaches should look for in their jobs. Jeff Morris, a retired girls hoops coach from Nebraska, chats about his career, while Casey Hall jumps on to discuss his active 2-3 zone and how to create chaos while protecting the basket. Great information that needs to be shared!!
Cracking zone defenses can sometimes be easier said than done. In this week's "Foundation Friday", we talk about attacking zone defenses, concepts and ideas for getting open shots, fundamentals vs. a zone, and one of our favorite breakdown drills for attacking a zone.
In our third part of our four part series on Don Yaeger's "Great Teams", we dive into "Activating Efficiency". In this pillar, Yaeger addresses conflict resolution and how to work through friction, mentoring, leadership transitions and how to run an effective meeting. As this book moves along, there's more and more information that apply to coaching your teams on a daily basis; take this information and run with it!
Holy crap . . . I designed a website! Today we're launching apenandanapkin.com, which opens up access to sign up for "A Pen And A Napkin University", your online coaching course where you can "hone your craft" to help you become the most complete coach that you can be! Details for both are in the pod, so enjoy and get fired up to get better today!!
In this week's podcast, we dive in with Dexter Goodner, the GBB HC from Ord (NE). In our outside discussion, we go through his career, bouncing back from a heart-breaking loss, the influence of Kansas basketball on his career, taking a stand on social issues, weightlifting, music in practice and summer workouts. Alot of great conversation and fun interaction!
We're kicking into high gear with our summer camps and leagues, and it's easy to get sucked into things like focusing on winning and losing. Although you never turn down a win, you need to focus on a multitude of things to ensure that your program grows in the direction where you are using. your summer activities to build towards the most important season; the winter. Enjoy!
In Part II of this 4-part Book Club series, we take a look at Pillar II of Don Yaeger's "Great Teams", which is Effective Management. When we look at our teams, we have to look at them from the perspective of their "boss", and the strategies and leadership styles it takes to get our players to "go to work" every day, build a great and deep staff and develop camaraderie!
A terrific episode on our latest podcast with Nate Sanderson, the new GBB HC at Mount Vernon (IA). In this episode, we discuss rebuilding programs, winning state championships, bouncing back from getting asked to resign, basketball analytics, practice design, communicating with your players and . . . wiffle ball!!!!! TERRIFIC chat; you're going to draw alot from this one!!
One of the key components of a high school program is running an effective elementary level camp in the summer to spark interest in your program. In this "Foundation Friday" podcast, we talk about suggestions that will make your camp better and to help run it smoother while also giving your campers a great experience!
In Don Yaeger's "Great Teams", we break down the essential qualities that a "Great Team" should possess to be considered great. These 16 qualities, broken down into four pillars, will help you figure out what you should be looking for to identify and/or build a great team, whether that is in sports or business. Over the next four weeks, we'll take a look at each pillar, starting with Pillar I, finding our "why"!
Most of our coaching careers are focused on the next job, but we often forget about what we should and should not be doing leaving our last job. Although I"m sure that I've made my fair share of mistakes leaving my current job, here are some thoughts and advice on what you should and should not do as you leave one job behind and transition into the next one.
This week's interview pod features Jason Isaacson, the head boys basketball coach at Council Bluffs (IA) Abraham Lincoln. In this pod, we discuss the keys to turning around his alma mater, developing players in the off-season, the recruitment process of a Power 5 player, practice set up, defensive philosophy and much more! Alot of great stuff to learn from this pod!!
Have you ever wondered what your impact on your former players was? Have you ever gotten a chance to sit down and ask about your players experience with them after there's been some time to reflect on it? Have you ever wanted to ask your former players what you did well and what you didn't do so well? This week, three of my former players (Laura (Speer) Dischler, Tara Cannon and Caley Barker) sit around at my driveway and we talk about coaching, the coach player relationship and much more in this unique roundtable podcast!
As coaches, we're always trying to "win on the margins", and here's another area in which you can help your team win; the timeout game. In this pod, we discuss timeout philosophy, organization, how to "steal" timeouts and what you should be teaching your team about your timeout philosophy.
If you couldn't make it to our coaches clinic on May 1st . . . no problem!! We taped every on court presentation, and they are now available to you at the VERY affordable price of $10 per video, or $50 for the entire collection! Over 4 hours of coaching information from some of the best in the midwest, with NO repeats when it comes to concepts and drills taught! It is truly a complete library that is going to expand your own knowledge of the game and help you hone your craft!
In a two-part interview, we have nationally renowed Bob Starkey, the new associate head coach at Auburn University, one of the preeminent assistant coaches in the country. We chat about his experiences with Hall of Famer's Dale Brown, Sue Gunter and Gary Blair, being the coach of TWO #1 overall draft picks from different genders, coaching Shaquillle O'Neal, his friendship with Don Meyer and "The Art of . . ." coaching series. In the second half, Babe Kwasniak returns to the pod, where we talk about his year off, lessons learned and how he's going to attack his new job at Cornerstone Christian Academy. A bunch of terrific stuff in this pod!!!
Execution at the moments of highest pressure is what separates many teams, and the comeback game is no different. Inevitably, your team is going to fall behind at various points of the game, so what is going to be the plan when that happens? Here are some thoughts and tips to look at the game with the end in mind and to put your team in a situation to be successful when it seems the most unlikely.
In an abbreviated but terrific version of "Quick Hitters", we have Kelly Kielsmeier, the Associate Head Coach at Quincy University (IL) coming on the pod to talk offensive actions and movement. The second half of our "Quick Hitter" is Chris Oliver from Basketball Immersion; we chat about all things basketball from the 30,000 foot view, including comparing HS coaching to AAU and European ball. Enjoy!!
In part three of our three part series on the mental game, we explore practical applications to the mental game, both for you and your players. Things like breathing, "Think Time" (borrowing from Kevin Eastman), cue words, phrases, self talk and more, here are some ways that you and your program can conquer the toughest opponent of all; yourself.
It's another "Quick Hitter" pod, with Nate Wall of David City Aquinas coming on to talk about building a youth program. Dave Runchey, the longtime assistant to Scott DeJong at Ankeny Centennial, discusses the qualities of a good assistant coach. We wrap up with Sarah Goodwin, who discusses 1 on 1 workouts and how to build trust with individual players. Alot of great information, including a teaser at the end!
Just like any skill(s) in sport, you have to practice the mental game and prepare for certain scenarios just like we would offense and/or defense. In this Foundation Friday, we take a look at strategies for prepping your players and yourself as a coach for practices and competitions, including how to handle adversity and what to do after games to keep your mental edge.
For the last few months, I've been thinking of ways to expand the "APAAN" universe, and the result of that is "A Pen And A Napkin University", a program to help coaches in a more direct fashion to hone their craft. It's an affordable program that is flexible and can fit both your schedule and your wishes as to what you would like to sign up for, all done in the off-season! Make yourself a better coach by enrolling into "A Pen And A Napkin" University!!
Longtime Howells-Dodge (NE) GBB HC Scott Polacek comes on the pod this week for a lively discussion. We jump into building a summer schedule and what to look for in a summer camp, bringing football and mock trial experiences into coaching basketball, reaching 400 wins, "Becker Time" and the importance of press breaks. Alot of really good information tossed back and forth . . . Enjoy!
In the first of three in a series, we talk about the mental game and how much it plays into our programs. We often talk about the importance of the mental approach of our players, but what about leadership and the coaching staff; how you do you mentally prepare before each practice and competition? Here are some thoughts and ideas on what you can do to improve the mental approach of both yourself and your players.
New Oklahoma MBB HC Porter Moser goes through a detailed description of his background and coaching philosophy in his new book "All In". In this short, compact read, Moser talks about his failures and how he confronted them, how he bounced back from getting fired at Illinois State, the values he leans on and instills into his program, and much more. Great read for anyone interested in leadership!
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith MBB HC Jim Boone comes on the podcast this week to discuss a multitude of topics, including the benefits and drawbacks of multiple stops in a career, pushing players beyond their comfort zone, the packline defense (just a quick hitter), closeouts and motion offense. We also delve into really important stuff like late 70's Baltimore Orioles baseball, and perhaps Coach Boone's toughest question he's ever had to answer . . . desert island grilling choices . . . Enjoy the pod!!
As Coach Meyer used to say "You'll never end a season saying that we were just too tough." But how do you establish standards within your program to create toughness and a commitment to the team first? Here are some thoughts on how to build toughness up and down your program, but build toughness the right way.
Yep, you read the title right . . . Robert Sutton gives you guidance on how to identify people in your life (including evaluating yourself and how you treat others) and how to deal with "jerks" in your life. Any organization needs to make sure that they have everyone rowing in the same direction, and if anyone is disrupting that flow, they need to be dealt with. Sutton gives us all tips on how to organize our programs to get everyone on the same page. Enjoy!!
The next couple of months are a great time to take a look at your practice plans and analyze how you spent your time; did you spend too much time on defense but not enough time on shooting? Too much time on special situations that your team was never in position for anyway, and not enough time on free throws? How about shaking up the order of your practice? Here's some thoughts on looking backwards so you can look forwards!
Great discussion with 4x state champion Humphery St. Francis (NE) GBB HC Bryan Reichmuth. In this pod, we talk about building a strong culture at a small school, bouncing back from a state championship game loss to set up the 2020-21 season, being part of the recruitment of a Power 5 player, defensive pressure, offensive transition and practice set up. Great information from one of the best small school programs in the state!
Legendary Georgetown Coach John Thompson's autobiography "I Came As A Shadow" is a tremendous summation of one of basketball's legendary figures. As one of the most influential and controversial coaches in college basketball history, Thompson casts a long shadow, both literally and figuratively, and after reading his life's story, you have a greater understanding of Thompson's life and why he was the master of "Hoya Paranoia". A great read with numerous lessons to learn!
Hastings Adams Central (NE) Boys HC Zac Foster comes on the pod to discuss the development of his program and how he has built a perenial power in central Nebraska. We discuss the influence of Paul Beranek, developing championship habits, developing a quality youth program, shooting and we wrap it up with a discussion on the merits of a shot clock in high school basketball. Great information for all coaches!
We're all going to spend alot of time this off-season breaking down film, possessions, drill work, practice plans and everything in-between, but how much time are you going to spend breaking down yourself? What are your greatest strengths? What are your greatest weaknesses? What are you going to do to emphasize your strengths and what are you going to do to shore up your weaknesses? Taking the lead from Coach Wooden, here's an honest discussion about looking inwardly at making yourself the best coach you can be, and it has nothing to do with X's and O's.
"It's the most . . . wonderful time . . . of the year!" Casey Hall and I get back together to talk about the 2021 NCAA tournament bracket, from our favorite first round games to our analysis of the regions into our picks, which we take all the way through to the national champion. Enjoy!!
Great new podcast with up and coming coach Jeff Janssen, the Head Girls Basketball Coach at Indianola (IA). In this pod, we talk about lessons learned as a new HC, crossing over basketball and cross country, transition offense, practice organization, delegating authority and much more! Alot of great information!!
In this Foundation Friday, we take a look at some real-life scenarios that have played out at various state tournaments the past 10 days or so. Some of these are traditional situational examples, while others are based on the mentality that you try to build up within your program even before you get to the state tournament. Alot of different scenarios to think about on this one!
It's important that you communicate to your players both about the season that you just completed, but also the future and how they fit into your program. You also have to have a plan as you go into these conversations, and you want to make sure that you communicate what you want exactly how you want. Here are some tips to help with these vital conversations!
We are excited to announce our 1st Annual "A Pen And A Napkin" Coaches Clinic! Mark it on your calendars; Saturday, May 1st at Fort Calhoun High School. We are planning on having six speakers to speak about how to make your program better! Along with our speakers, we plan on having small group break out sessions over lunch to where coaches can bounce ideas off of one another; you get the chance to get better and also help others in multiple ways! Details in the podcast, and speakers will officially be announced when all speakers are confirmed!
Ballard of Huxley (IA) Boys HBB Coach Jeff Schertz comes on the podcast this week to discuss his journey to Iowa from the deep south, including a stop as the oldest men's basketball manager in the country. We also discuss different regions of the country, along with transition offense, flowing into motion offense and scouting. Alot of great information!!
Another great "Quick Hitters" cast with Jodi Steier, Assistant Women's Basketball Coach at Iowa State University (Player Development), Josh Luedtke, Boys Basketball Coach at Omaha Creighton Prep High School (Developing a Defensive System), APAAN "Triple Threat" Tyler Shaw, Girls Basketball Coach at Sidney (NE) High School (Special Situations), veteran Omaha official Chris Peterson on the game from an official's perspective, and Mike Power, Activities Director at Carroll Kuemper (IA) HS on seeing things differently from an administrative position rather than a coaching perspective. Alot of great information; enjoy!!!
Welcome back to the pod!! As we wrap up our seasons over the next few days and weeks, there are many things that we need to take care of, including ourselves. Here are some things to think about that you need to do for the good of the program, the good of your players and for your own good.
In our latest episode, legendary Ankeny Centennial (IA) GBB HC Scott DeJong comes on the podcast this week! The 7-time state champion HC discusses coaching 6 on 6, developing a championship culture, building a great defensive scheme, changes in how high school programs function, the value of staff stability, and much more!
Excited to have Shawn Gilbert, the WBB HC at Midland (NE) University, on the podcast this week. In this week's discussion, we discuss hiring a assistant coaches, the role of assistant coaches, developing a great basketball camp, the analytics of the game, ball handling development and many other topics. Great discussion!
Head Boys Basketball Coach at Mount Vernon (IA) Ed Timm comes on the pod this week to discuss his long career as a coach, including the transition from college ball to high school, winning a state title in 2012, setting up an efficient practice, creating an environment where your players are supportive of one another, defensive transition and much more! An entertaining podcast with a newcomer to podcasting!
Welcome to Quick Hitters, Volume I! In our first edition of this podcast, we dive in with five coaches on five topics; Jeff Steines (Ames, IA) on in-game defensive efficiency, Josh Siske (Papillion-LaVista, NE) gives us some good shooting drills, TJ O'Connor (Fort Calhoun, NE) discusses zone pressure schemes, Greg Mays (Hastings, NE) chats about growing as a coach and John Carrier (St. Paul, MN) discusses his efforts to refine his coaching philosophy. Enjoy; hope you like it!!!
We're all taking a break the next few days, so it's a great time to not only rest and relax, but to also examine your season, where you're program is at right now and, perhaps most importantly, where you are at as a coach. It's a great time to reflect, to make adjustments and to realize how lucky we all are to be in this profession! Have a great and blessed holiday season!!
In our latest interview episode, Beatrice (NE) GBB HC Jalen Weeks comes on the podcast to discuss a variety of topics, including growing up in a coaching family, his development as a head coach, his half court offensive and defensive philosophy that he teaches and how to build a youth development program in your community. A great listen with alot of good information!
My good friend Casey Hall and I get together to talk about the upcoming NBA season. We talk about the top story lines, break down teams that we think are going to be alot of better and alot worse, then make our picks for conference and NBA finalists, along with our picks for the 2020-21 NBA Championship.
Coaching is a fulfilling but stressful occupation, and sometimes your priorities and your organizational thoughts can get lost in the shuffle. It takes time and effort to stay on top of your program, but what are the important things that you should be looking at? Borrowing from Mike Neighbors, the WBB HC at the University of Arkansas, here is a list of things that should be your priorities and helpful tips for organizing yourself and your program at all times.
One of the most basic drills in the game of basketball is the Shell Drill, and we all run it in some way, shape or form. Although it's important to just have those days when you need to grind it out, you also need to have different options to do the same drills multiple ways. Here are over 15 different ways you can do shell drill in your practices and get positive results, both offensively and defensively.
As your season progresses, you are re-evaluating what your theories were before you started practice and how those theories are now playing out in practices and games. Here are some thoughts about the things that you should be looking at and what your priorities should be as you make those necessary adjustments early in the season.
2x state champion Jay Schuiteman, the long time GBB HC at Unity Christian (IA), comes on the podcast to relive a few glory days of the high school years, along with the importance of communication, building a program from scratch, simplicity, "The Process", how to improve as the season moves forward and many other things to build a successful program!
New Milwaukee Bucks AC Mike Dunlap is our guest this week, and he definitely delivers great information on topics such as growing as a HC, important books for coaches to read, how to have "simplicity with detail", coaching Giannis Antetokounmpo, a great discussion on ATO execution, and how to help your players grow mentally. A terrific podcast with one of America's great coaches!
As competitions begin for teams around the country, it is important that you use every minute of game day to your advantage. It is also important that rehearse what you're going to do before games, during game and after games, and to simulate those concepts to the best of your abilities. Here are some thoughts and ideas on how to use and organize these segments of your game days!
Andy Gerlecz, the girls basketball coach at Papillion-LaVista South (NE), comes on the pod to chat about his coaching journey, the influence of Scott Hawk on his career, developing roles, communication, "Bright Spot" coaching, "Daily Vitamins" and how his coaching philosophy has evolved over the years. Great last 45 minutes of just us discussing alot of different things about coaching and how to coach your teams!
We are all in the part of the season where we are trying to put together a roster, finding roles for our players, having to consider whether or not to keep some players and eventually determining playing time for our players. This are all difficult decisions, but they are ones we must make. Here are some tips on some things to consider and some advice on how to handle those situations when they arise.
7-time state champion Eric Behrens of Omaha Central comes on our podcast this week to discuss his journey as a coach, from playing for his father to replacing him, making the jump to the collegiate level, working with the South Sudanese community in Omaha and much more. We also talk about the challenges of coaching in the age of Covid-19, along with transition defense, transition offense and out of bounds plays.
As we start our seasons, it is really important for you to have energy as a coach and to create practice plans that are going to bring the necessary energy to your practices. Gone are the days of 20-25 minute drills; you need to break things down and create an energetic, chaotic practice that will get your players active and ready to work; here's some tips that I have based off of our first practice next week!
Just wanted to drop a quick pod to explain how some things could/will go as we all head into our seasons and the immediate future of "A Pen And A Napkin"
Sometimes it's just nice to read a book about basketball without feeling like you need to highlight all the passages in the book that you think are important; "The Book of Basketball" is all of that and more! My favorite book of all time, writer and podcaster Bill Simmons discusses the history of the NBA, his "Pyramid" of the league's greatest players, a chapter on the greatest teams in the game and, most importantly for us as basketball coaches, discusses "The Secret" about basketball.
Preseason conditioning and preparation can be a grind. You need to build toughness, camaraderie and skill, but you're going to need different methods to do it. Here are some of the ideas that I've used and heard of to help change up your preseason workouts to get your team ready for the upcoming season.
2019 NAIA National Champion Drew Olson, the Head WBB Coach at Concordia University (NE), comes on the pod for a great discussion. We chat about his family coaching tree, his professional influences, pressure defense, analytics and recruiting players to a national championship program. Great information!
One of the most underestimated and undertaught skills of the game is screening; we all talk about it, but how miuch do we break down screening and making cuts off of screens? Here is a discussion starter on screening, philosophy on screening and cutters, and some drills that you can integrate into your practice to help your players screen, read screens and defending screens.
Nick Nurse is one of the best coaches in the world, and he shares his coaching journey in "Rapture", detailing everything from his childhood in Iowa to coaching in England, Belgium, the D-League and eventually the NBA. He discusses his coaching philosophy, how he learned from his mistakes, communication with players, building a strong work ethic and much more. A great read that would make a great Christmas present!
One of the newest members of the 500 win club in Nebraska, Kearney Catholic GBB HC Rick Petri comes on the podcast to discuss his dual role as AD and coach, coaching with his daughter, getting kicked out of a conference, rebounding, the importance of passing, teaching motion development and growing as a coach. Great information!
In this "Foundation Friday" on a Monday, we'll dive in on two things; first, I'm asking for my listeners help for something near and dear to my heart, a big ask, if you will. In the second half, we focus on why we do what we do and why it is important to focus on the big picture in coaching and our coaching relationships.
Longtime MOC/Floyd Valley Boys HC Loren DeJong comes on the latest edition of the podcast to discuss his evolution as a coach, building a program in a small town, the influential coaches in his life, building a defensive mindset and developing players within your program. Terrific information from one of Iowa's best!!!
As you examine your team for the upcoming season, what is the best way to put together the pieces of your program and how do you truly evaluate your players? Along with that, how do you decide your rotation and how deep would you ideally go into your bench? Here are some thoughts on roster construction and evaluating your team going into the upcoming season.
In celebrating our 1 year anniversary, APAAN welcomes back Dick Jungers, GBB HC at Newell-Fonda (IA). We go through last year's epic comeback in the state championship game, along with building your program and getting positive involvememnt with the community. We also discuss disrupting the opposition's offenses in various ways, among other topics. Great to have a life-long friend back on for our first 2x interviewee!!
As we creep closer and closer to the start of the season, what is your plan as far as what you are going to do for your practices? What is your strategic view point for implementation? How are you planning week to week? Here are some thoughts and ideas on what you can do to help plan for your entire season before it even starts to get the most out of it.
Long time Norfolk Catholic (NE) GBB HC Tim Kassmeier hops on the podcast this week to discuss a variety of topics, including being at the same school for almost 3 decades, getting your players involved in building the culture of your program, footwork drills, variations of shell drill and a bunch of other stuff. Great podcast!
Practice is going to be starting for most high school coaches in the next few weeks, and many of us are already working on practice plans. What do you want your practice to look like? What, other than the obvious drill work and X's and O's, do you want or need to emphasize? What are other factors that you might need to consider as you build your program on a daily basis? Here are some thoughts on what you could/should be emphasizing and executing in practice.
In a quick hitter interview this week, Ames (IA) Boys HC Vance Downs jumps on the podcast for a variety of topics, including discussing the strength of Iowa as a "basketball state", out of bounds philosophy, building a solid staff, game day preparation and more! Alot of good information in a short amount of time!!
The Denver Nuggets shook up the basketball world this week with their epic 3-1 comeback against the heavily favored Los Angeles Clippers. With the other LA team waiting for them, my Headlines! partner Casey Hall and I break down the other side of the bracket and make our picks to see who will represent the west in the NBA Finals.
Casey Hall joins me once again, this time to discuss the NBA Eastern Conference finals. We go through the match-ups, discuss which team have the edge in what spot, point out where both teams might be suseptible, and give our predictions as to who is going to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA finals this year.
Madison Memorial (WI) Boys HC Steve Collins, the owner of teachhoops.com comes on the podcast. We have a great, free flowing conversation about the use of social media, building relationships with your players, building a great staff, using analytics and how to navigate the coaching world while social issues and Covid-19 continues to change our job description every day. Terrific podcast from end to end!!
For the first time, we're going to combine an interview podcast with a Foundation Friday podcast! NBA shooting coach Dave Love, who has worked with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Phoenix Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers, along with Team Canada, goes through his philosophy on shooting and things you can do as a high school coach to make your players better individual shooters.
In the second half of Jon Gordon's book "The Carpenter", we discuss important topics that are relevant to coaching, like serving with love to your team, how success often takes a long time, dealing with failure and how to recover from it and many more lessons that can be applied to both basketball and life!
Bennington (NE) GBB HC John O'Connor comes on the pod to discuss a variety of topics, including lessons learned after being a first time state tournament HC, involving players in social media, building a program up from scratch, offensive and defensive transition, while we wrap with a back and forth on program building. A ton of great information!
Although the traditional back to the basket post player is not as prevalent as it once was, at some point it is going to come back. As a high school coach, if you have a back to the basket post player that is one of your five best players, you HAVE to develop that player and make them an effective part of your offense. Here are some tips to help develop your post players around the basket.
The famed author Jon Gordon is famous for his stories of everyday people who are lost and need direction, someone who has encountered a situation where they are not really sure what the next step is. In "The Carpenter", Gordon puts together a story where many of us as coaches have been; stressed, burnt out and frustrated, losing our passion that once burned so brightly. Here are some lessons from this very simple book that can hopefully help you get better and become the craftsman you want to be!
I can't believe we're at 50! Tim Cannon, the Boys HC at Millard North (NE), jumps on the podcast to discuss his four decades of coaching in the Omaha metro, building a juggernaut at Millard North, coaching a top 20 player in the nation, pressure defense, attacking pressure and much more. So much good information from one of the best in the business!
No matter how talented your team may be, if you don't have a great point guard (or we may want to start referring to this position as "decision maker"), your team is probably not going to reach their goals. Here are some tips and ideas on how to develop great decision makers and methods that you can use, both on and off the court, to put your decision makers in the best positions possible.
Our most important job as basketball coaches is to use basketball to help shape our players for the rest of their lives. "Rules For A Knight" by Ethan Hawke gives a "code of ethics" that can help us, as coaches, start conversations and help teach our players how to be better teammates and people, while also strengthening the core principles of any program.
York (NE) GBB HC Matt Kern comes on the pod to chat about a lot of free flowing topics, including being influenced by Marty Gilson, coaching with his childhood best friend, the importance of being a great teacher, prepping for a game and sharing athletes in a smaller school. Towards the end, Kern becomes the interviewer as we chat about my new position. Great podcast!!
In our latest version of Headlines!, Casey Hall and I get together to predict the eight first round playoff series, including key players and injuries as the NBA kicks off the bubble with first round series this week.
Having great ball handlers and decision makers are important to the success of your team. As you develop your ball handlers, what is your philosophy and what are the things that you want to emphasize to your ball handlers? Here are some ideas to help narrow that down for you and your players.
On this episode of the pod, Broken Bow (NE) and Nebraska Pride GBB HC Kelly Cooksley comes onto the pod to discuss a variety of topics, including being a "Keyboard Warrior" in the time of Covid-19, struggles in district title games, breaking down how to run a dribble drive offense, rebuilding programs and a preview of a great event for girls hoops in Nebraska this upcoming season!
Your youth program is the lifeline to most high school basketball programs, but there are a myriad of pitfalls that come along with organizing your system. Here are some things to consider as you look at your youth system and the important things that you should communicate to your coaches, players and parents as they commit to your program!
Steve Merfeld, the Associate Head Coach at Creighton, comes on the podcast to discuss his career, including his time with Jim Larranaga, growing as a coach, the importance of having great chemistry within your coaching staff, coaching an undersized team, and much more!
"Rebounding wins Rings" is a popular saying, but what is your rebounding philosophy on the offensive glass, and how are you going to progressively teach rebounding to reach a crescendo and create chaos in practice? Here are some things to think about when it comes to building your program's philosophy as to how best clean the glass.
Creighton Assistant Women's Basketball Coach Carli (Tritz) Berger jumps on the podcast to discuss a variety of topics, including how being a great player has affected her coaching career, women in coaching, recruiting multi-sport athletes, teaching Creighton's highly effective motion offense and building a great culture at Creighton! Great podcast with one of the best young female coaches in the game!!!
Ryan Reeder, the Boys HC at Waverly High School and co-director of the Lincoln Supreme Court AAU program, jumps on the pod to discuss executing a wedding in the time of Covid-19, organizing his staff, teaching an effective 2-3 match-up zone, using timeouts and scouting opponents, along with thoughts and concepts on developing players.
In the second half of our look at Hugh Blane's "The Seven Principles of Transformational Leadership", we look at the highlights of the last four priniciples, the key components to them, and how you can implement them into your program. Also included are tips on how to not only look at your program, but looking at yourself and how to put yourself in a transformational mindset!
One of the reasons the vast majority of high school coaches get into the profession to help young people grow and flourish in whatever it is they do, using sports as a way to teach life lessons. But how do you build a process of doing that with everyone one of your players? "The 7 Principles of Transformational Leadership" is a great read to help you not only be a better coach, but to be the leader that you want to be for your young people.
Basketball has changed rapidly in the last decade, and analytics have much to do with that. "Basketball Analytics: Spatial Tracking" was one of the first books to look at NBA data to make analytics understandable to the laymen basketball fan. Here are some findings by A Pen And A Napkin that can correllate to the high school game and help your program achieve more wins by breaking down the game even further.
Coaches and players are going to get sick and miss practices and competitions, but what are some things that we can do to protect our programs from the growing trend of players missing time because of club sports? Here are some ideas for coaches to hold your players and parents accountable and to protect your program.
OSA Director Connor O'Neill, Millard West HC Marc Kruger and Papillion-LaVista HC Josh Siske hang out in my hotel room for an hour and we discuss four big topics; defensive transition, offensive transition, scrimmage concepts and free throw drills and games that you can run in your practices and make them more effective. Alot of great ideas bounced off of one another over this hour!
During the grind of the season, we sometimes forget that EVERY practice should contain certain elements of growth by both the players and the coaching stafff. Here is a simple way where you can look at yourself and your program every day to make sure that your practices and how you execute them stay consistent and aligned with the vision of what you want.
In our latest edition of Headlines!, Casey Hall and I break down the biggest headlines in hoops, including the return of high school basketball, the effect of Covid-19 both in the present and what could happen in the future, the return of the NBA, games we're looking forward to in the bubble and our NBA title favorites!
Long time HS HC Bruce Chubick of Omaha South High School comes on the podcast to discuss a variety of topics, including his unique journey, health scares, an important discussion on the civil unrest in our nation right now and how he has rebuilt numerous programs.
2020 has been a crazy year, and many historians have compared it to the seminal year of 1968. A little known basketball story of this time period is the narrative of the 1968 Omaha Central High School boys basketball team, who saw its dreams of a state championship interrupted by the ugliness of racism and chaos of the presidential race of 1968. A powerful, true story of how race is everpresent in our mission of coaching basketball.
2020 has been a crazy year, and many historians have compared it to the seminal year of 1968. A little known basketball story of this time period is the narrative of the 1968 Omaha Central High School boys basketball team, who saw its dreams of a state championship interrupted by the ugliness of racism and chaos of the presidential race of 1968. A powerful, true story of how race is everpresent in our mission of coaching basketball.
Papillion-LaVista Activities Director Jason Ryan comes on the pod to discuss something we haven't talked about on this pod; how to get a job! He includes what he's looking for in a candidate, what he's looking for in a resume, the importance of networking, the future of high school sports this coming school year, and much more! A lot of good information for coaches looking for a new job!
We all talk about changing or evolving our culture, but what are the concrete steps and potential pitfalls that go into the process of creating or refining your culture? "Change the Culture, Change the Game" gives you the step by step process of changing or refining your culture to put it in the place you want it to be!
As we come back to action, it's a great time to reset your team and your philosophy. Building your defense step by step is important, but what are the steps that need to be implemented? Here are some ideas and things you can take with your own defensive philosophy, along with thinking about how to streamline communication with your team to "know your no's".
Coaches are coaches, no matter what sport they coach. Former NFL GM and 3x Super Bowl Champion Michael Lombardi takes us into the minds of three of the greatest NFL coaches (Al Davis, Bill Walsh and Bill Belichick) to understand what makes them great, how they built their organizations, how they organize practices and everything else under the sun to help coaches hone their craft and make themselves the absoulte best they can be.
With our society slowly but surely moving back to a state of normalcy, organized basketball is springing back into action. Most everyone is anxious to get started again, but what are some things that we need to think about as we get our players back into the gymnasium with a basketball in their hands? Here are some thoughts and ideas to consider.
The Director of the Girls Basketball Program at the Omaha Sports Academy, Connor O'Neill, comes on the pod to discuss the process of reopening summer basketball, steps that have been taken by AAU programs to ensure safety and when real basketball will begin again. We also discuss player development, good team drills and the importance of not pigeon-holing players.
One of the most respected coaches and speakers in the nation today, Super Bowl champion HC Tony Dungy has helped tens of thousands of people find direction while also holding people accountable for their actions. In his book "The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge", Dungy gives a thought to all 365 days of the year, using Bibilical teachings, life experiences and common sense to help the reader navigate through the hectic pace of life and to slow down so that they can focus on themselves before they try to help others.
We all want to have a great staff, but what should we look for and how should we structure it? In this podcast, we discuss the qualities that we should look for in assistant coaches, how we communicate with our staff, what assistant coaches should be looking to do for their head coach, things assistant coaches should be doing to become head coaches and more!
Dan Hughes, the 2x WNBA Coach of the Year and the head coach of the 2018 WNBA champion Seattle Storm, comes on the pod to discuss challenges of the Covid-19 crisis on the sport, building a great culture, important analytics, working with Gregg Poppovich, international basketball and developing an entire roster.
It is important to be organized going into a competition. We've all scouted and prepped our teams, but have we prepped ourselves for any situation? Having a game sheet with the important information for as many scenarios as you can imagine can be the difference in commanding a huddle and getting your team ready to win as opposed to be confused and ill-prepared. Here are some tips to prep your own game sheet.
Steve Selk, the GBB HC of perhaps the premier program historically in the state of Nebraska, South Sioux City, is our guest for today's pod. In this pod, we discuss stepping into such an established program, adjustments of a first year HC, offensive and defensive philosophy, scouting, crossover from baseball and a discussion on communicating with parents.
"Mental is to physical as 4 is to 1," legendary coach Bobby Knight once said. So how do we get our athletes to become mentally tougher? Here are some tips that may help out at least some of your athletes grow mentally and to help you, as their coach, understand why some players behave the way that they do.
I team up with good friend Casey Hall to discuss "The Last Dance". We discuss points and ideas that coaches can take away from "The Last Dance" to help themselves this next season, including team chemistry, multi-sport athletes, building a culture, work ethic and more. Then, we tackle the two debates; the best dynasties of the Jordan era, and whether or not MJ is the goat over LeBron. Great stuff!
Former Creighton Bluejay and the new Norris (NE) HBB coach, Jimmy Motz, comes on the pod to discuss a variety of topics, from winning a state title at a very young age to influences in his coaching path, along with the evolution of a coach, starting at a new program and what to emphasize and how recruiting rankings and modern technology has made things more difficult on high school coaching.
In part II, we discuss how to use practice to make your teams more aggressive, communication with your players and your parents, infusing your team with passion and excitement, and the things that you should focus on, including making everything competitive. Practice is truly an artform, and the more you practice at practice, the better you'll be!
The Head Girls Basketball Coach from Oakland-Craig (NE), Joe Anderson, comes on the pod to discuss building a consistent winner in a small community, balancing being a head coach in two different sports, how coaching football has helped his basketball coaching and vice versa, breaking down film and maintaining excellence dealing with catastrophic injuries to great players. Great information on this pod!
Practices need to be efficient and they need to be highly organized, but you also need to make sure that your players are having fun and having a great experience; we want to leave them excited to come back the next day. Here are some ideas to help build your practice culture to fit all of these concepts.
We all visualize ourselves being in the room, sitting across from folks discussing what your program will be like, but what needs to be done before you get there? In this episode, we discuss tips to prepare for interviews, what you should have ready and what you should expect during the process.
Bonus Pod! NBA Champion and accomplished author Kevin Eastman comes on the pod to discuss his unique communication style, the qualities of a great assistant coach, what makes Doc Rivers a great coach, discussion of his book "Why The Best Are The Best", how build team chemistry and much more! Enjoy one of the best in the business!
In honor of "The Last Dance", we dive into Phil Jackson's first coaching book, "Sacred Hoops", where he mixes stories from his playing days, his growth as a coach and how he worked to develop a championship dynasty. Mindfulness, vision and relating to players are all part of Jackson's plan of attack, and we sprinkle in a couple of examples from "The Last Dance" into a 20+ year old book. Enjoy!
Our latest episode features Jon McKowen, the highly successful boys basketball coach at Cedar Rapids Kennedy. We discuss helping his dad win a state title, coaching a future NBA player, switching man to man defense, adjusting off-season expectations because of Covid-19, practice organization and building a youth program. Really good information from one of the best in Iowa!
We all practice special situations, but have you thought about how you can shape your verbage to help your special situations (and your program at large) more efficient? Here are some ideas to create a verbage and also to pre-educate your team on how you want to execute special situations even before they happen.
In the last of our trilogy on "The Cubs Way", we dive into the leadership style of Joe Maddon; how to build trust, on playing hard, getting your players to play with energy, meetings policy, how to build camraderie amongst your players and coaching staff and much more! A lot of good information that is transferable to all sports and leadership positions!
Long time Millard West (NE) GBB HC Marc Kruger jumps on the pod to discuss his coaching journey, how he prepared himself to be a head coach, game organization with both players and assistant coaches, developing motion offense, and a great group of drills. We also discuss our ultimate Cubs starting lineup in the cable TV era (it's what Cubs fans do together). Terrific information!
How do you get your kids motivated to come in and work on their game in the off-season? How do you track what they are doing? What incentives can you give players that are going to be productive for your program? How do you build trust and a sense of ownership with your players going into your offseason? Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your "improvement season" program!
University of Arkansas WBB HC Mike Neighbors jumps on the pod to talk about his lessons learned in his journey to becoming a Division I Head Coach, multiple job transitions, getting your players to play at their peak level, the growth of his newsletter, book recommendations and why Leo McGary was the best assistant coach in the history of television. Great NEW stuff from one of the great ambassadors of the game!
In our latest episode, Omaha Roncalli boys coach JJ Stoffel comes on A Pen And A Napkin to talk about moving over from an assistant to the head job, two state title game runs and the experiences it taught him, playing for a state title in front of an empty arena, practice set up, defensive principles, building a culture at a smaller school and the influence of Rick Majerus on his career.
As a head coach, it is a fine balance between being a micro-manager and not being involved enough. It is easy to get caught up in the minutia of the job, but how do you separate what is important and what isn't? Here's a podcast detailing how to delegate the responsibilities of your job to your staff and stay focused on winning.
Taking the plan and then putting into action is the focus of this podcast. Communication, evaluating strengths and weaknesses, player development, execution of fundamentals and developing as a coach are the focus of this podcast. Enjoy Part II of this three-part series!
4x National Championship coach Jamie Sale of Morningside (IA) College comes on the pod to discuss rebuilding the Morningside program, jumping from one rival to another, keeping the edge, personal off-season improvement, pressure defense, developing great shooters, offensive sets and how Covid-19 ended the national tournament before it even got started this season.
Building your program takes patience, but it also takes organization. Where do you want your players to be at when they reach a certain level? Here is an explination of the individual player matrix that we put together to help rate your players and organized your program from top to bottom and, in the long run, make your job easier when it comes to coaching changes and evaluating your players!
The turnaround of the Chicago Cubs from "lovable losers' to breaking the greatest championship drought in North American professional sports was not an accident; it was the result of a precise plan laid out by the management of the Cubs. To celebrate what would have been Opening Day (and opening month), we take a three part dive into the building of an organization and a champion.
Six-time state champion HC Doug Woodard comes on the pod to discuss a variety of topics, including coaching his grandson, the epic 4th quarter comeback to win the 2020 state title, pressure defense, transition offense, setting up an effective practice and organizing camps. Great information from one the all-time greats!
International basketball afficianado and ESPN college hoops analyst Fran Fraschilla comes on the pod to discuss his growth in the game, the growing international game, practice organization and importance, how to build character and chemistry on your team, player development tips and what coaches you should be stealing from. Great conversation!
Tim Crothers' great work "The Man Watching" is an excellent guide for male coaches who are coaching female athletes while examining the successful model of North Carolina's legendary women's soccer HC Anson Dorrance. Included in the pod is our "Anson Dorrane Program", which is a 12-14 day program you can use with your team to increase communication, understanding and creating the "Competitive Cauldron" necessary for great teams to grow.
One of Nebraska's legends, Gretna GBB HC Jerome Skrdla comes on the podcast to discuss his long career, how the game has changed, moving his program up to Class A (NE's highest class), how to coach with a good friend, creating a great work ethic in your program, shooting drills and developing toughness. So much good information from one of Nebraska's best!
Analytics are all the rage in basketball, but we as high school coaches don't have the resources to calculate our analytics as much as we would like. Inspired by Boston Celtics HC Brad Stevens, this sheet helps you analyze every possession on both sides of the ball, including shot selection, where you get your shots from and how efficient your offenses or defense are.
Book Club is back! Today we break down Coach K's "The Five Point Play", a book on leadership based on "The Fist": Communication, Trust, Collective Responsibility, Caring and Pride. There are also some outstanding quotes and general coaching thoughts that comes from one of the greatest to ever do the job!
Boys Town (NE) Boys HC Tom Krehbiel comes on the podcast to discuss the Boys Town structure, putting together a team on the fly every season, the Metro Basketball Coaches Association, "RAP", and the future of basketball this summer with our current global health situation and how it will effect next season. Alot of great information on this one!
After your season ends, you enter the last phase of your responsibilities for your season; organizing your post-season. Here are some personal and professional tips to help you end your season on a high note while also beginning the process of preparing both yourself and your program for the upcoming season.
We sit down with 11x state champion Russ Ninemire, 4x state champion Tom Tvrdy, Papillion LaVista South Head Coach Andy Gerlecz, David City Aquinas HC Nate Wall and Sidney HC Tyler Shaw to discuss rules changes (including a shot clock), evaluating your season, the influence of AAU on high school programs, shooting drills and much more!
What a terrific episode with Matt Kern (York, NE), Jennifer Wragge of Elkhorn (NE) and the former HC at Millard North, Dave Diehl. We discuss team chemistry, building towards a productive off-season, teaching movement without the ball, defensive drills, getting better as a coach in the offseason and what Coach Diehl will be doing in retirement . . . which is VERY interesting! Absolutely awesome pod!!
Bishop Heelan's Head Boys Basketball Coach Andy Foster comes on the pod to discuss his journey to the head coaching position, skill development, summer work, organizing his summer workouts and stories about playing for the legendary Don Meyer. Terrific conversation!!!
Making the state tournament is the goal to almost every high school team; qualifying puts you in elite company! With this comes a rush of responsibilities that sometimes overcomes the competitions itself, so here are some tips to keep yourself organized so that you can put your team in the best position possible to not get to the state tournament, but to win it!
In a great episode, LeMars (IA) Head GBB Coach Judd Kopperrund the passion of high school basketball in Northwest Iowa, building a consistent winner at LeMars, influences on his career, attacking zone defenses, creating an identity and much more! Great listen!!
Having a solid relationship with your administration can help you work through alot of things, but it is important that you, as a coach, build those relationships with your administration. Here are some do's and don'ts in working with your administration to create a positive work environment.
If you win 748 games, you're doing something right. Legendary South Dakota boys coach Larry Luitjens discusses losing a job, his relationship with the Lakota Nation, working through tragedy, practice setup, organizing his programs and the importance of great assistant coaches. Terrific pod!!!
Both coaches and parents have a vested interest in the players that are associated with your program. Sometimes those views don't align with one another, so what are some ways that you can work together and make your relationship with your player's parents the best it can be? Here are some ideas to help you out.
Long time Iowa girls head coach Tony Vis joins the pod this week to talk about his career, the advantages and disadvantages of coaching at multiple schools, being an assistant now and the adjustments it takes, attacking pressure, applying pressure and weight room workouts. Great stuff from a long time coach and friend!!
We all know about the analytics revolution, but as high school coaches, we don't have the time and resources to use analytics the way alot of us would like. Here are some simple analytical ideas that you can use to help your team on both the offensive and defensive ends.
Steve Lutz, assistant men's basketball coach at Purdue University, joins the pod this week to discuss recruiting and team building, player development concepts and drills, what separates pros like Carsen Edwards and Doug McDermott from everyone else and what to look for while hunting for a job. Great information from an outstanding coach!
The dog days of the season are upon us, and everyone is tired. How do you keep everyone fresh, both mentally and physically? Here are some ideas for your team and your program to move your squads forward with positive activities while also give them a break from the grind of the season!
Our first group taping in a live setting was a great success, as we sit down with three highly successful coaches in Kelly Flynn of Fremont (NE), John O'Connor of Bennington (NE) and Jerome Skrdla of Gretna (NE). We discuss the influence and legacy of Kobe Bryant, how coaching has changed, changes we'd like to see in girls basketball, attacking pressure defense, creating chaos in practice and how you pace a season as a head coach. So much good information to share for all to hear!
As the season moves along, it is easy to get sucked into the latest crisis or to feel TOO good about your team. You need to remind yourself to come to practice and competitions every day ready to teach the game as you would in the classroom. Here are some important reminders about teaching during this important stretch of the season!
We step outside the realm of basketball and crossover to soccer in this week's Book Club. Chris Brady and David Bolchover wrote "The 90 Minute Manager", analyzing the qualities of a soccer manager to leadership. A lot of good, crossover information comes out of this book!
This episode features Tyler Struck, the head boys basketball coach at Nevada (IA). Struck discusses the influence of Greg McDermott on his career, and also the pros and cons of taking over a highly successful program. He also gives us insight on the process of switching from a man to man defensive scheme to more zone, dribble drive implementation and developing the concept of "mindfulness" with his players. Great episode!!
As we move into mid-January, teams are starting to hit their stride with their own schemes, so you should be able to move into a more detailed scouting report and prepping your team. What to look for, how to present it to your team, and how to divide scouting responsibilities amongst your staff are all touched on in this pod!
Jay Wright's "Attitiude" is a great read for any aspiriing coach or leader. Coach Wright details how he has built a top-notch culture, the challenges he faced as his program came down from great heights and how he built it back up to a championship level
Hillsdale (MI) Head WBB Coach Matt Fritsche goes into detail about all he's learned at every stop, how to build a program, keeping a positive spin on things when things aren't going your way, shooting drills, defensive philosophy, practice planning & more
It's early January, and your base system is in; it's time to work on situations that could make or break your season. End of quarter, end of game, negotiating foul trouble, BLOB's, SLOB's, free throws and timeouts are all discussed on this podcast!
Rick Pitino is one of the most successful coaches in the modern era of basketball, and he explains the thought process that has made him so successful in this book. Pitino outlines 10 steps that will help anyone achieve their goals in all walks of life!
Coach Drake Beranek from Kearney (NE) High School is our guest this week. Beranek discusses his coaching influences, including his father, being a young head coach, skill development, his offensive philosophy, pheasant hunting, & turning down Don Meyer
This episode covers the various roles that an assistant coach should or could take, from how they communicate to the attitude they should have to how they work with their head coach. There are also tips as to how a head coach can organize their own staff!
The return of "Book Club" is the second half of Seth Davis' "Getting To Us", covering the philosphies of Auriemma, Doc Rivers, Brad Stevens and Dabo Swiney. Self-doubt, organization, enjoying winning and building programs are all featured in this pod.
This episode features Kirk Walker, who coached for over two decades at the high school level before jumping to the college hoops. We talk about ball movement, rebounding, team communication, rebuilding a program, building offensive confidence and more!
In this episode, host Marty Plum discusses how lessons learned from his father-in-law and how he lived his life, as a hard working farmer, can be applied to coaching your teams. The simplest lessons are often the best.
As competitions begin, how do you attack that process? Here are our tips for the day of your competitions, from your mental state to gameday procedures to handling post game discussions and how to handle wins and losses. Prep yourself as well as your team
The first half of this two parter detail's "Getting To Us", detailing the PEAK performance attitude of great coaches; this week we feature Urban Meyer, Tom Izzo, Coach K, Jim Harbaugh and Jim Boeheim. Great details of what makes the best the best!
In our latest episode, Coach Tyler Shaw of Sidney (NE) talks about coaching both boys and girls, rebounding from state tournament frustrations, attacking defense, 5 out offense, sharing athletes, weight workouts and gets a couple questions in himself!
We all know how important intangible plays are to winning; how to we convince our players their importance? By grading and rewarding them on it, just like you would other stats. This week, we discuss hustle boards, drill records and post game awards!!
Don Showalter, who has 42 years and over 600 wins as a high school coach, chats about his USA Basketball evolution, rebuilding USA hoops, USA team building, Coach K and Coach Pop, practice planning, gameday procedures, pressure defense and special teams!
The end of our trilogy of Jon Gordon and Mike Smith's "You Win The Locker Room First" details the final third of the book, including the last two C's; Coaching and Character. The book wraps up with a chapter discussing "Beyond the C's". A must read!!
In this pod we discuss ways that you can have your players actively participate in team building exercises; most start with the coaching staff, but your players must be active and make each experience positive!!!! Teach players to lead others!!!!!!
In the sequel to last week's "Book Club", we discuss the other four C's and strategies to implement them; Communicate, Connect, Commitment and Care. So many good things in this book (BUY IT & A HI-LIGHTER NOW!!!!!) that Part III will drop next week!
Dave Diehl, the head girls coach at Millard North (NE), discusses many topics, including coaching a 3 OT state semifinal, "3's & Frees", taking over in the middle of a season, multiple pop culture references, mental toughness and "the zipper merge"
Foundation Friday #7 discusses how coaches can create energy and culture within their own program. All of these are quick hitters, including Game Day Attire, Quizzes, Fox Hole Test, Role Call, Signing the Locker Room, and letter writing! Great ideas!
In the first of a two part Book Club series, host Marty Plum dives into Mike Smith's and Jon Gordon's "You Win the Locker Room First", covering the first 3 C's; Culture, Contagious and Consistent, and how you present and maintain these qualities.
Terry Comstock, the former boys basketball coach at South Sioux City (NE) and current director at United Sports Academy discusses going from a head coach to an assistant, feeder programs, doing things differently, half court defense and other topics!
"Culture" is a great buzzword that we hear, and we know it when we see it, but how do we build it? In this episode, we discuss thoughts and ideas on building culture, how to create it, the importance of the weight room, the culture formula and much more!
Book Club #6, "Generation iY" discusses how to relate, communicate and understand the perspectives of the players we are coaching today. Tips on how to communicate and relate, along with learning styles and the necessary thought process to excel today!
Long time Briar Cliff University Head Coach Mike Power discussess lessons learned over 30 years of coaching, the best team never to win a championship, BLOB'S, attacking defense, transition offense, recruiting philosophy and "The Man In Black"
As coaches, we often say we have to deal with parents; instead, let's try to work with parents. "Parent Social" gives some tips on how to work with parents and create positive relationships before your season starts. Alot of good ideas!
To celebrate collebe hoops tip-off, we spotlight "Beyond Basketball". Coach K delves into 40 words that he believes are important to running a program. Words matter, and this book helps any coach build their vocabulary or pillars for their program!
In our latest episode, Bentonville West (AR) head coach Greg White discusses the influences on his career, working his way up the coaching ladder, the "Gamble Road" monicker and a shared love of a childhood sport. Great insights from an outstanding coach!
This episode discusses the major topics coaches should discuss with their individual classes (at the very least, your senior class), including standards, the team's "North Star", off-season development and "Defining Our Norms". Great listen!
In our latest edition of "Book Club", we break down Jay Bilas' "Toughness". Included in the pod is details of the "Bilas Program", which we used to help convey the message of the book to our players. One of the best coaching books PERIOD!
In this episode, host Marty Plum talks with 8 time state champion Aaron Losing on building his summer program, attacking the basketball on defense, playing attacking offense and why he's never satisfied with just winning. Great listen!!
In the third edition of "Foundation Friday", host Marty Plum discusses the all important individual meeting, what to address, how to handle tough subjects and how to build relationships with your players heading into the next journey with them.
In our latest episode of "Book Club", host Marty Plum discusses "The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team", a fable of how teams need to work together. It's a book that is applicable in all walks of life; family, business and basketball!
In this bonus episode, host Marty Plum talks to Babe Kwasniak of Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Cleveland, OH) about culture, leadership, how his miiitary service has shaped his coaching and how a play on a napkin won a big game for his squad. A must listen!
Giving us a new perspective from the college coaching ranks, Iowa State Women's Head Coach Bill Fennelly discusses "The Iowa State Way", the three point shot, moving up in the coaching ranks and many other things!
On Foundation Friday Episode #2, host Marty Plum talks about important things that need to be discussed with your new staff as you continue to shape your program to move it in the direction you want. Good for both a new coach and an experienced one!
In this episode of "Book Club", we honor one of the greatest of all time, John Wooden, with his work "Wooden: A LIfetime of Observations On and Off the Court". A must read for any coach or educator!
In this episode, Coach Tvrdy of Seward High School talks about the evolution of his coaching career, winning 104 games in a row, creating a competitve culture while having fun, creating a "master plan" for your season and much more! @tvrdy_tom #nebpreps
In our premier episode of "Foundation Friday", host Marty Plum discusses the key points that all coaches should address in your first team meeting of the year, which usually takes place in March or early April, and why this meeting is so crucial
In the first edition of "Book Club", "A Pen And A Napkin" host Marty Plum breaks down "Practice Perfect", a great guide to communicating and making your educational practices more efficient and more positive for both your students or athletes.
In Episode #5, host Marty Plum discusses a variety of topics with Papio South boys coach Joel Hueser, including playing for his father, the 5 pillars of "Building a Culture of Greatness", shot mechanics, teaching motion offense and hosting a great camp
In our newest episode, Coach Dick Jungers and I adress numerous coaching topics, including taking over a successful program, interviewing for a job, scouting tendencies, game day procedures, practice organization, getting over the hump and
In our newest episode, Marty Plum chats with Kevin Scheef, a multi-state championship coach at Wahoo (NE) High School. We discuss feeder programs, communicating with parents and administration, and the legendary Wahoo 1-3-1 zone
In this episode, Marty Plum chats with Jennfer Wragge, the high successful girls basketball coach at Elkhorn (NE) High School. We cover topics like culture, coaching influences, practice structure and shifting from the assistant to head coach
In our debut episode, Nebraska legend Coach Kelly Flynn and I talk about a variety of topics to establish a program, including feeder programs, practice organization, player development and handling the pressures of coaching at a high profile program.