Backyard Buckets Basketball: Recent Episodes
Jen Fay
Analisse Rios is the head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Connecticut Sun. She dives into her experience working with the world's best athletes in the WNBA along with a behind the scenes look into program structure, communication with coaching staffs and creating player buy in.
Topics Discussed:
- How she structures her training camp workouts
- communicating with the coaching staff
- Improving lateral movement
- Closeout technique
- Pre/Post Game warmups & lifts
- Creating buy in amongst the group
- The importance of sleep/nutrition
- Foam rollers & other recovery tools
More on Analisse here
Follow on Instagram
Former NBA assistant coach and director of player development Dave Severns joins the podcast to discuss all things coaching and share many of the lessons he learned during his coaching career. One of the best sharers of the game, Coach Severns is the founder of the online basketball resource Jymratt basketball where he has thousands of notes and information he's collected over the course of his career.
Topics discused:
- Loyalty, trustworthiness and work ethic
- Staff dyanmics
- Addressing conflicts with players
- Triple threat and permanent pivot feet
- Player development must haves
- Preparation and coaching confidence
Jymratt Basketball
Coach Severns player development courses
Former college basketball player and founder of The Pack Basketball, Oney Harrison joins the podcast to discuss her journey as a player development and skills trainer. Oney has amassed a large audience on several social media platforms teaching essential basketball skills, footwork and drills for players of all ages. Her ability to teach and demonstrate is second to none and she shares some of her experiences and strategies that have allowed her business to flourish.
Topics Discussed:
Playing Career at Asbury & St. Bonaventure
Opening up her own gym
Gaining Clientele
Structuring Workouts
Managing players of different ages and abilities
Shooting Development
How social media has impacted her business
Follow Oney on instagram
More on The Pack Basketball
Harvard Women's Basketball Assistant Coach Steve Harney joins the podcast to discuss his first year on staff working for Head Coach Carrie Moore. Harney helped lead the Crimson to a 20 win season and has had multiple coaching stops at all levels.
We discuss:
- Building a competitive schedule
- Taking over a new program
- Staff retreats & developing relationships
- Empowering players in the film room
- Offensive concepts
- In game coaching and how to help your head coach
- Scouting reports & film analysis
- Managing the demands of the job
More on Steve here
Follow Steve on Twitter
Entering year 2 of her Professional basketball career in Spain, Aleksa Gulbe had a standout career as a Hoosier at the University of Indiana. Hailing from Latvia, Gulbe scored over 1,000 points and grabbed over 600 boards in her college career. Aleksa shares some behind the scenes into the Indiana WBB program along with her journey as a international player and the adjustment to attending school in the US.
Topics Discussed:
- International recruiting and the learning curve
- Individual position workouts & practice style at Indiana
- Meeting high expectations
- Team chemistry and NCAA tournament success
- Film study and scouting reports
- Playing fast & staying organized on offense
- Ball screen defense
- Differences between pro ball and college
More on Aleksa's career as a Hoosier here...
Aleksa's professional career
Juwan Brown is the head player development coach for the Texas Legends, NBA G-League organization. He is also working as an assistant coach for the Winnipeg Seabears in the CEBL.
Topics discussed:
- Differences between G-League & NBA
- Bringing energy and commanding the floor
- Film process and note taking
- Presenting concepts to team
- Starting workouts with 3s!?
- Scouting Reports
- P&R Concepts
- Favorite actions and teams to watch
- Learning from Tyler Relph
- Daily disciplines
More on Juwan here
Juwan's Twitter
Just a quick solo pod today catching you up to speed on what's been going on this summer! I discuss summer workouts at Quinnipiac, what i've been watching, listening to and reading along with some recruiting plans and getting more organized.
For more content check out my YouTube channel where I document everything and share more basketball videos and behind the scenes of Quinnipiac Women's Basketball
https://youtu.be/rOooIqj5prY
Bringing a new series to the podcast "HS Hoops Talk" where I will answer commonly asked questions and discuss topics geared towards high school hoopers who are looking to play at the next level!
In this episode I discuss 3 major keys to giving yourself the best opportunity to be recruited!
For more content like this subscribe to my YouTube Channel
NBA Player Development and Shooting Coach, Joey Burton joins the podcast to discuss all things player development, the art of shooting and coaching at multiple levels. Joey shares a message to coaches in regards to chasing your goals and being persistent in what you love to do.
Joey's Twitter
A jam packed basketball conversation with Associate Head Coach, Calamity McEntire. Starting off as a manager for Pat Summit at Tennessee, Calamity has had coaching stops at Hawaii, Boise State, Dayton & Texas. She shares a wealth of knowledge with us in regards to career growth, skill development, recruiting, staff dynamics and more. You don't want to miss this episode!
About Coach McEntire
Coach McEntire's Twitter
Coach Elkin dives into the nitty gritty of how to become an ELITE level Director of Baskebtall Operations at the Division 1 level. Having coached at all levels prior to his time at Yale, Matt shares what he's learned from the coaches he's worked under along with tips for building and maintaining a network within the coaching industry.
Topics:
- Benefits of coaching at various levels
- Time as GA at Northeastern
- Learning your head coach
- Organization and being flexible
- Do your job at an elite level
- Growing in the off season
- Networking and putting yourself out there
Read more about Matt here
Matt's Twitter
Iowa Women's Basketball Video Coordinator and Director of Analytics Ben Lober joins episode 65 of the Backyard Buckets Podcast to discuss the run to the National Championship game and the role that analytics plays within the program. Ben discusses his journey as a video coordinator and his day to day responsibilities within scouting. He also provides some insight and advice for young GA's and managers on how to separate themselves and add value.
Topics:
- Final four run
- Game prep in NCAA tourney
- His film process
- Caitlin Clark's stats
- Delivering info to the staff
- Scouting reports
- Sportscode vs Synergy
- Advice for GA's/Managers
- Analytics websites he uses
About Ben
https://hawkeyesports.com/coach/ben-lober/
Watch the video podcast here on YouTube
Backyard Buckets Newsletter
Kicking off season 2 with a mashup episode focused on tips for younger coaches. This episode includes 4 shortened segments spanning all areas of the game including on court coaching, work life balance, speaking up and networking. These are 4 clips from previously recorded podcast episodes, the full episodes are linked below.
Segments
1:20 Jordan McCann (Loyola Chicago) - Growing your voice & being a fly on the wall
12:53 Brianna Finch (Boston University) - Feedback and the balance between competition and learning
17:45 Carolyn Smalls (Johns Hopkins)
28:35 Jess Jenkins (Akron) - work life balance, time blocking, off season projects
Link to full podcast episodes:
Jordan McCannhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-57-jordan-mccann-d3-to-d1-recruiting-coordinator/id1521531231?i=1000566790909 Brianna Finchhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-55-brianna-finch-post-season-evaluations-small-sided/id1521531231?i=1000562504565
Carolyn Smallshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-60-carolyn-smalls-takeaways-from-year-1-as-an/id1521531231?i=1000575355336
Jess Jenkins
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-58-jess-jenkins-st-bonaventures-sweet-16-run-time/id1521531231?i=1000568735973
Quick recap of the Sweet 16 & Elite 8 games along with final four predictions! We also touch on our experiences traveling to the final four and some of the benefits of attending for young or new coaches. Hope you enjoy the episode!
Link to YouTube Video breakdown (Available soon)
Carolyn's Twitter
Backyard Buckets Twitter
Joined once again by Carolyn Smalls, we recap the first and second round games and discuss some of the best Sweet 16 matchups and more. The video version of this episode can be found on YouTube that includes clips from each of the games discussed.
Link to video podcast w/ film breakdown
Backyard Buckets Twitter
Carolyn's Twitter
A casual conversation from two hoops junkies around this years NCAA Women's tournament. This first episode was meant to be more general, giving big picture thoughts on the seeding and potential matchups down the stretch. We discuss a few possible cinderella teams and our final four picks!
Follow Backyard Buckets Basketball on Twitter
https://twitter.com/backyardbball_
Follow Carolyn on Twitter
https://twitter.com/coach__smalls?lang=en
Wrapping up "Season 1" of the podcast with a quick basketball update as we countdown the days until our first game. I give some insight into the daily schedule of our players during preseason and what recruiting looks like for coaches during the fall.
Season 2 will feature some of the best moments in previous podcasts in a slightly different format. As always thank you for all of the support!
Entering his first season as an Assistant for Longwood University Men's Basketball, Quinn McDowell has published a number of courses and clinics on both the Princeton Offense and Ball Screen Continuity. After a stellar playing career at William & Mary and overseas, Quinn had several coaching stops including most recently Lehigh University. He is also the founder of Arete Hoops, a comprehensive basketball resource for coaches in players. Find out more about Quinn below.
Quinn's Courses
https://coachtube.com/users/coachmcdowell20
Quinn's Twitter
https://twitter.com/aretehoops
Arete Hoops Website
https://www.aretehoops.com
Mike Jagacki enters his first season on staff with SUNY New Paltz Men's basketball after spending the last three years as a video coordinator and then promoted to assistant coach for the Hofstra Pride Women's Basketball program.
Topics Discussed:
- Handling feedback as a content creator
- Making the switch between men's/women's basketball
- Building a defensive philosophy from scratch
- Aligning your general principles with your ball screen coverage
- Matching your system to your personnel
- Defensive protection plans
- Improving individual defenders
- Role as a video coordinator
- Making the jump to a full time assistant coach
- The power of photoshop/graphics
- Scouting process and focusing on personnel
- Seeking knowledge and learning something new everyday
Learn more about Mike
Mike's Twitter
Purchase Mike's book here - Lockdown Defense: Developing Elite Defenders
Listen to the Lockdown Defense Podcast
Really enjoyed this open ended discussion with Johns Hopkins Assistant WBB Coach Carolyn Smalls. Carolyn and I met through zooms and online clinics and were finally able to connect in person at this years final four. She is an active learner and basketball junkie. It was awesome to hear about her experiences and what her takeaways from her first year as a college coach.
More on Carolyn here...
Follow Carolyn on Twitter
Academy of Art Head Coach Scott Waterman joins the podcast. Fresh off the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance and 20 win season Scott discusses his path to the head chair. With stops at Dartmouth, Cal Fullerton, Long Beach State, Dominican and currently Academy of Art, Coach Waterman has had a vast amount of experience at all different levels. We focus mainly on the defensive side of the ball and game preparation while touching on the the habits and lessons he has developed along his coaching journey.
More on Coach Waterman here...
Follow Coach Waterman on Twitter
Providence Friars Women's Basketball Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Jess Jenkins joins the pod to discuss her historic playing career and her transition from player to coach.
Topics:
- Post Season Workouts
- Player Development
- The importance of watching film at Providence
- Growing up as a gym rat
- Decision to commit to St. Bonaventure
- Sitting the bench as a Freshman
- Playing and working for Jim Crowley
- Getting outside of her comfort zone speaking in front of the team
- Keys to scouting and game preparation
- Asking older coaches for help
- Becoming the Recruiting Coordinator
- Managing Time
- Working as a Spin instructor part time
Jess' Twitter
More about Jess here...
Current Loyola Chicago Women's Basketball Assistant Jordan McCann joins the podcast to discuss his college coaching journey from the high school level to the division 1 level. With stops at the division 3 and division 2 level prior to getting his start in division 1 start at Iona College, Jordan talks about the differences in responsibilities and expectations. He credits the staff at Iona for helping to develop his coaching voice and organizational habits. A Chicago native, Jordan is headed back home to work for Coach Allison Guth as the newly formed staff begins their first season with the Ramblers.
Topics Discussed:
- Wearing several "hats" at the D3 & D2 level
- Taking a new position
- Asking for help and learning from those around you
- His experiences in staff meetings
- International Recruiting & making relationships
- Player Development
- Loving what you do
- Brining energy and enthusiasm
More on Jordan here...
Jordan's Twitter
Sean Light is currently the CEO of Weight Room Wealth and former Strength & Conditioning
coach for the Los Angeles Lakers and Arizona Diamondbacks. Sean played college basketball at West Virginia & Quinnipiac University and majored in journalism before entering the fitness landscape. He shares his journey of becoming a division 1 athlete and how he worked his way into the professional ranks as a strength coach.
Topics:
- Convincing John Beilein he was good enough to play at West Virginia
- Transferring to Quinnipiac and falling in love with Strength & Conditioning
- Pouring into your craft
- Working in professional sports
- Habits he observed from the best of the best
- Daily routines & the importance of structure
- The ability to train your brain
- Training for mental toughness and overcoming the fear of pressure
- Starting a business from scratch
- Book and podcast recommendations
Connect with Sean
Twitter
Weight Room Wealth Website
https://weightroomwealth.com/home1647376124945
Recently completing her first season on staff at Boston University as Assistant WBB Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, Brianna Finch has over 20 years of coaching experience and delivers some great advice and teaching points throughout this episode.
Topics:
- Adjusting to a new program and staff
- Recruiting to your head coach
- Post Season Evaluations and spring workouts
- Planning with the end in mind
- Small Sided Games and Constraint based learning
- Cutting Actions and Creating Advantages
- Developing Your Coaching Voice
- Being a continuous learner
Coach Finch's Twitter
More about Coach Finch here...
An extremely informative episode with former Assistant Coach at Abilene Christian and current Director of Player Development for Texas Tech WBB Erik DeRoo. Erik discusses his journey from being a Graduate Assistant at Fresno State and how that role helped him earn his next position as the Creative Recruiting Coordinator at Abilene Christian. His efforts resulted in enormous growth for all of ACU WBB"s social media platforms along with the explosion of his own personal brand on Tik Tok. Erik goes into detail on his decision to leave ACU and take a support staff role at Texas Tech. This conversation is LOADED with tips and advice for new and veteran coaches in regards to personal branding, career advancement and evolving with the times!
Topics Discussed:
- His roles/responsibilities as a Graduate Assistants at Fresno State
- Earning trust with head coaches
- Mid major basketball and the ability to "wear many hats"
- Mid major vs. Power 5 Resources
- Why handwritten letters matter
- Growing a team's social media presence
- Why every coach and player should care about their personal brand
- Leaving the coaching side for a support staff role
- Having a WRITTEN plan in place when seeking change
- NIL opportunities
and more...
Follow Erik on Twitter
Erik's Newsletter
More about Erik's coaching path here...
Newly hired Director of Basketball Operations at Arizona State University, Carter Caplan has worked his way up the ladder starting as a manager at Drexel. He has had stops at both Niagara University and the University of Delaware. We discuss...
- Deciding to take a new job
- Understanding your head coach
- It's about the players
- How to earn trust and take initiative
- Separators between good and great
- Roles and responsibilities
- Being relationship driven
- Organization and preparation
- Loving what you do
Carter's Twitter
What's up guys! Officially making this the season 2 premiere of the podcast. After taking a couple months off in the heat of the season I'm more excited than ever to get back to posting consistently and having some valuable basketball conversations.
In this solo episode I discuss...
- Our season at Quinnipiac
- How my scouting process has evolved
- Post game reports and areas of improvement
- Teams/leagues/concepts I'm studying
- My struggle in creating routines during the season
- Post Season workouts: basketball and strength/conditioning
- Content plans for spring & summer
Ohio State Women's Basketball assistant coach Jalen Powell joins the pod to discuss her new position at OSU. We talk through her journey from being a manager at Ole Miss to a GA at Arkansas and a few of her other stops along the way. Growing up in Long Island and spending a large majority of her early basketball life in NYC, Jalen has been around the best of the best in terms of high level players and coaches in ultra competitive settings. We go way back and discuss our AAU days playing for Exodus NYC and when she knew she wanted to become a coach.
Topics:
- Jerry Powell Training & Long Island Basketball
- Exodus NYC AAU Program
- Decision to attend Ole Miss
- Getting into coaching
- Learning from older coaches
- Embracing different roles
- Advice for managers
- Day in the life as an assistant at OSU
- Breaking down scouting reports
- Building player relationships
- Asking for help
- Growth mindset
Read more about Jalen here...
Jalen's Twitter
Washington native and Oregon State Women's Basketball alum Mikayla Pivec joins the pod to discuss her college experience playing in the Pac-12 and her present experience playing professionally in one of the top leagues in Spain. Mikayla was a significant contributor at Oregon State right from her freshman season
For more on Mikayla's playing career at OSU
Follow Mikayla on Twitter
Topics:
- Having difficult conversations & adapting to new roles
- Difference between European and NCAAw style of play
- Ball Screen Reads and Watching Film
- Scouting Reports at Oregon State
- Practices leading up to games
- Getting out of a slump
- Playing with Sydney Wiese
- WNBA Draft Pick
- Throwing javelin in the offseason
- Best & Worst Pac-12 Arenas
Founder of Clockwork Athletics, Anthony Pugh is a former college basketball player at Robert Morris University. After one year at RMU, he stepped away from playing and decided to go all in on his passion for training and helping other players reach their potential. Anthony currently lives and trains in Ohio.
Topics Discussed
- Decision to walk on at D1 level instead of playing D2/D3
- Why Robert Morris
- Relationship with Coach Andy Toole
- His role on the team as a walk on
- Decision to walk away from the playing side to start training business
- Day in the life as a trainer and student
- Importance of a morning routine
- Watching Film
- Workout standards and accountability
- Handling player frustration
- His coaching mentors and favorite Twitter follows
Anthony's Website -
https://www.clockwork-athletics.com/about-me/anthony-pugh
Anthony's Twitter -
https://twitter.com/Anthony_Pugh2?s=20
Priscilla Edwards enters her 1st season with the Clemson Women's Basketball team after spending time at Providence, St. Johns and her alma mater St. Bonaventure. Coach Edwards is the founder of PE Basketball, a grassroots skill development company started in NYC. She is also the owner of "Glow Cafe" in Providence, Rhode Island.
Topics Discussed...
- NYC basketball then vs. now
- Playing career at St. Bonaventure
- Time as an assistant coach at St. Johns & Providence
- Recruiting Red Flags
- Owning multiple businesses
- Managing time and being ambitious
- Taking Risks
- New position at Clemson
Follow Coach Edwards on Twitter
https://twitter.com/_PEbasketball?s=20
More about Coach Edwards here...
https://clemsontigers.com/coaches/priscilla-edwards/
Brijesh Patel has been the head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Quinnipiac University since 2008. Prior to Quinnipiac he was the assistant S&C coach at the College of Holy Cross. Coach B overseas all 21 sports but spends the majority of his time with men's and women's basketball/ice hockey. He is known for his all encompassing training philosophy which focuses on improving an athlete's ability to move functionally in different positions that they will encounter throughout their sport. Workouts include numerous types of exercises centered around flexibility, speed, power, balance and core strength. Coach B is known for his ability to get the most out of his athletes not just from a physical standpoint, but more importantly a mental one.
Topics...
- His journey and mentors
- Learning how to move and be functional
- Importance of in season training
- Recovery Techniques
- Creating Training Plans
- Getting Outside Your Comfort Zone
- Balance of structure & freedom
- The Power of visualization
- Seeing an athlete reach their potential
Follow Coach B on Twitter
https://twitter.com/bpatel515
More on Coach B here...
https://gobobcats.com/staff-directory/brijesh-patel/32
A jam packed episode featuring one of Washington's all time greats, Chantel Osahor. Chantel was a major part of the 2016 final four squad and played alongside Kelsey Plum, the NCAA WBB all time leading scorer. She discusses how impactful her coaches were in her development both on and off the court. Chantel recently took an assistant coaching position at Oklahoma after spending two years at Arkansas with her former coach, Mike Neighbors. This was a fun episode that gave some insight on Chantel's playing career and now coaching journey.
Topics:
- Recruiting for a brand new coach
- Playing Career at Washington
- Why She Chose Washington
- Relationships with Assistant Coaches
- Developing from her freshman to senior year
- Final Four Run
- Playing alongside Kelsey Plum
- Playing for Mike Neighbors
- GA Experience at Drake
- Coaching with Mike Neighbors at Arkansas
- Responsibilities as a first year assistant
- Scouting Reports & Film
- Mike Neighbors Shoot Around Philosophy
- Making The Move to Oklahoma
- Continuing to learn as a young coach
- Favorite Books
Follow Chantel on Twitter @COsahor0
Long time girls high school basketball Coach at the Village School in Houston Texas and current Player Development Coordinator for Tulsa Women's Basketball, Coach Doug Brotherton joins the pod to discuss...
- Transitioning from HS basketball to college
- How he knew Tulsa was the right fit
- Getting to know a new staff
- Adjusting to a different role with new responsibilities
- Player Development at Tulsa
- His experience as a high school head coach
- Practice Planning
- Developing leaders and growing player/coach relationships
- His time as an NBA advanced scout
Follow Coach Brotherton on Twitter @CoachBrotherton
Check out Coaches Edge @Coaches_Edge
Quick episode recapping my first time out on the recruiting trail, our summer session 2 schedule/workouts and plans for the fall.
Watch Our Summer School Recap VLOG here
https://youtu.be/Ns-K1bIx52Q
Follow Backyard Buckets on Twitter for more X's & O's
Backyard Buckets Basketball Newsletter
This was a fun episode with two up and coming stars in the college hoops media business Aaron and Andrew Robinson. The faces behind All Facts Media and the Auto Bid Podcast, the twins bring the energy and passion in this pod as we dive into their high school and college basketball experience, how the game has changed over the past few years and some of the underlying issues that aren't addressed within the college game. We end the episode with their thoughts on starting All Facts Media/The Auto Bid and their long term goals to continue to grow in the media business.
Follow Aaron & Drew's Twitter & Podcast Here...
All Facts Media Twitter
The Auto Bid Podcast
Stanford Women's Basketball Associate Head Coach Kate Paye joins the pod! Coming off of a historic season that included winning a national championship, Paye and her family have been a major part of Stanford athletics success for years. Her brother was the quarterback for the football team prior to her time at Stanford where she walked on the women's basketball team and earned a scholarship after her first season. Paye just completed her 14th season on staff and her 5th as the Associate Head Coach.
We discuss a wide range of topics which are outlined below!
Timestamps:
Reflecting on a COVID Year (2:00)
Scouting Report Defense (6:20)
In Game Adjustments (9:45)
Coaching Responsibilities (11:45)
Staff Meetings (12:30)
Watching Film (17:00)
Guarding Off Ball Screens (20:30)
Teaching in Series (22:15)
Short Shot Clock Actions (23:30)
Ball Screen Talk (27:00)
Shooting Drills & Shot Selection (28:20)
Film Sessions (31:00)
Recruiting Advice for Young Coaches (34:00)
Find Out More About Coach Kate Paye Here
Follow Coach Paye on Twitter @KatePaye
Check Out The Backyard Buckets Newsletter Here
First year Brown Women's Basketball Assistant Coach Ugo Nwaigwe joins the pod to discuss her first few months on the job along with her high school & college basketball experience. We have a really fun conversation centered around what we are learning as young assistant coaches, pushing through adversity and connecting with players.
Follow Ugo on Twitter
Time Stamps:
Long Island Basketball - 3:00
Recruiting Process - 12:00
Playing at Wagner - 19:00
Transferring to Temple - 26:00
Instilling Confidence - 30:00
First Few Months as a D1 Assistant Coach at Brown - 37:00
- Building relationships w/ new players
- Planning Workouts
- Feeling Empowered
- Naming Drills
- Ways to learn outside of the office
Towson Women's Basketball Associate Head Coach Zach Kancher joins the pod. We discuss his remarkable accomplishments in regards to voter education/registration initiatives within the Towson community along with the impact he has had on coaches and student athletes all over the country through his virtual town halls and "scouting reports". Shifting to basketball, we discuss his path to becoming a women's college basketball coach, his scouting process and some advice for recruiting as a young assistant.
Read more about Zach's work on improving voter turnout
Time Stamps
0:00 - Zach's Voter Education & Social Justice Initiatives
25:00 - Practice Player at GW
42:00 - Being Efficient Watching Film
50:40 - Ways to Make Scouts More Engaging
54:00 - Recruiting Tips
Follow Zach on Twitter @ZKRedhead
Solo episode discussing a number of basketball topics! I share some thoughts on player development, areas I need to improve in, the anticipation to get out on the road and recruit and a couple changes for next season.
Greg Tarca just completed his 3rd season on staff with the Lehigh University men's basketball program. He was the volunteer video coordinator in his first season before being promoted to the Director Of Operations two seasons ago. Greg is a Quinnipiac Alum and basketball has always been a huge part of his life.
We discuss...
- Playing HS basketball in New Jersey
- Walking on at Quinnipiac under Coach Tom Moore
- His role in practice as a walk on
- Bringing energy and being consistent
- Working for Hoop Group and getting hired at Lehigh
- Role of a video coordinator - wearing many hats
- Transitioning to the Director of Operations position
- Planning road trips and being accountable
- Thoughts on the mid range two & scouting reports
and more...
Greg's Twitter
Backyard Buckets Twitter
Backyard Buckets Weekly Newsletter
Davidson Women's Basketball Assistant Coach James Janssen joins the podcast to discuss the "Tagging Up" philosophy first created by Aaron Fearne. Coach Janssen shares how and why they decided to implement the concept with their team a few seasons ago along with the emphasis being on transition defense and not solely on offensive rebounding. He explains how the staff introduced the philosophy to the team, drills they focused on in order to build the habit and evaluate the results they have seen over the last few seasons.
If you enjoyed the episode be sure to leave a rating & review!
Watch Coach Janssen's "Tagging Up" Coaches Tube Clinic Here
Backyard Buckets Basketball Newsletter
Uconn Women's Basketball manager Tim Tamallanca has grown up around hoops his entire life! The nephew of Quinnipiac head coach Tricia Fabbri, Tim always thought he would attend QU but he ended up at Uconn and is reflecting back on his 3 years as a manager with the women's basketball team under Hall of Fame Coach Geno Auriemma.... We discuss
- The COVID Year and how it impacted the role of a manager
- Growing up a Quinnipiac Fan
- The requirements to become a manager
- Practice player tryouts & expectations
- Being committed to the job
- No job is to small & why the details matter
- His favorite memory during his 3 years
- QU vs. Uconn NCAA Game in 2018
- What a typical game day and practice looks like for a manager
- Takeaways from the coaching staff
- The player he appreciated most
Leave a rating and a review if you enjoyed the podcast episode!
Subscribe to the Backyard Buckets Newsletter Here for more X's & O's breakdowns
University of Dayton Assistant Women's Basketball Coach Ryan Gensler joins the podcast! He discusses his coaching journey and we get into the details of each one of his stops leading up to his current position at Dayton. He offers a ton of advice for young coaches and shares some practical tips for how to be the best at the job you currently have & more....
Topics:
- GA/DOBO at Providence - The role of a Director Of Basketball Operations
- Assistant Coach at St. Bonaventure
- Coaching in a Sweet 16
- Shifting to a Recruiting Coordinator position at Loyola Maryland
- Delegating and Organizing as a RC - Relationship building in recruiting
- Making the jump to the University of Florida as a video coordinator
- What He learned About Graphics/video/analytics
- How To Make Scouting Reports more engaging
- Current experience back at Dayton with Shauna Green
Coach Gensler's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ryangensler/
Coach Gensler's Twitter - https://twitter.com/RyanGensler
Sign Up For The Backyard Buckets Newsletter Here!
Former Pac10 Rookie and Player of the year Val Whiting joins the podcast! Val shares her experiences not just in college but playing professionally overseas, in the WNBA and as an alternate for the USA National Team. We discuss...
- Tara Vanderveer's philosophy
- Coach Val's Tik Tok Fame
- Film & Scout at Stanford
- Stanford Practice & Skill Development
- Playing Through The Post
- Post Players Shooting Jumpers
- USA National Tryouts
- Mental Health Struggles
- Adjusting to Less Playing Time
- How Coaches Can Help Their Players Through Struggle
- Why Sports Psychologists Are KEY
We finish off the episode with a fun Quick Hitters segment per usual!
Be sure to give the podcast a rating and review if you enjoyed the episode. Follow Coach Val on TikTok @iamcoachval
After 28 years at Fairfield University, legendary Coach Dianne Nolan knows what it takes to build a program from the ground up. We discuss....
- Her first day on the job as a head coach
- Recruiting back in the day
- What Coach Fabbri (Quinnipiac Head Coach) was like as a player
- Playing Through The Post
- The evolution of the 3pt line
- Making adjustments late in the season
- Advice for young assistants
- How to become a better public speaker
- Developing a work ethic
- Game Day Coaching Attire
If you enjoyed the episode be sure to leave a review!
Sign up for the Backyard Buckets weekly Newsletter here
Jaquann Starks and Jenniqua Bailey, skill enhancement trainers at the Revolution Basketball facility in Manchester Connecticut join the pod! We start the episode with the story behind Micah Lancaster and how he structures his I'm Possible training programs, certifications and workouts. Next we shift gears to talk about the most important elements to training such as terminology and footwork, along with advice for high school athletes who may have had their seasons cancelled and are struggling to gain exposure. We wrap up with our usual "Quick Hitters" rapid fire segment and talk stationary ball handling, the NCAA Tournament and their favorite training tools.
Jaquann's Page
https://www.instagram.com/trainerjstarks/
Jenniqua's Page
https://www.instagram.com/trainerjbailey/
Follow Revolution Basketball Here
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/revolutionskillsnewengland/
Official Website - https://www.revolutionbasketballtraining.com
What's up guys! Quick one for you as we get back in the swing of things and start to upload more regularly... we just wrapped up our season and I'm excited to share with you guys everything I've learned and what I continue to learn now as enter post season workouts, summer recruiting etc... If you're interested in seeing how my first season went as a college coach, I documented the whole thing on YouTube here!
If you haven't already be sure to check out my brand new newsletter covering player and team breakdowns, x's & o's and tips for players of all levels. Sign up using the link below!
https://backyardbuckets.substack.com/p/player-breakdown-ncaa-wbb-top-freshman
Joe Ross is a player development coach out of New Jersey. He trains players of all ages and skill levels from overseas professionals to youth players. We talk about the the importance of following your passion and how Joe has done just that. We wrap up with a fun Quick Hitters Segment where Joe talks about New Jersey Basketball and names a few people in the training industry that he looks up to...
We also discuss...
- His High School & D3 College Career
- How He Got Started In Training
- Quitting His Full Time Job To Go All In On Training
- How He Structures Workout Groups & Plans
- Balancing Training & A Part Time Gig at The NBA Replay Center
- How Film Study Influences His Training
- The Impact Social Media Has Had On His Business
Follow Joe - @jrr_hoops
https://www.instagram.com/jrr_hoops/
Just a laid back season update and q&a episode for you guys! Been a while since I just talked to the pod and Rachel asked some good questions that I had a lot of fun answering... We discuss how the season has gone up to this point, Rachel talks about her role as our head manager and her day to day duties and I answer a bunch of questions related to coaching and my first 6 months on the job!
Former women's basketball walk on and assistant coach at William Patterson University (New Jersey) Mollie Kearns joins the pod to discuss her ongoing journey in the basketball coaching world....we discuss the following
- What it's like to be a walk on
- Her role in practice as a walk on
- Why she wanted to get into coaching
- Balancing two full time jobs
- Working campus and attending practices
- Being willing to do the dirty work and sacrifice
- Day in the life of a D3 coach
The 2019-2020 All MAAC Conference Trio Alana Gilmer, Rebekah Hand & Grace Vander Weide join the podcast to discuss all things Marist basketball! We get insight into their college basketball experience as well as reminiscing on the "rivalry" with Quinnipiac....
We discuss
- Rebekah's GA positon at Texas Tech
- Grace's High School Coaching Job
- Alana's individual skill training position
- Advice for high schoolers transitioning to college hoops
- Life as a student athlete and takeaways from Marist
- Film & Scout Prep For Big Games
- Game day Shootarounds & Walk Throughs
- The Quinnipiac Rivalry & 2018/19 Championship Games
- Why they felt that senior class was special
- COVID Ending Their Tournament Hopes
and we end with our usual Quick Hitters - Rapid Fire Questions!
Repost of an interview I did on the MAAC CHAAT podcast with hosts Coach Dianne Nolan and Chris Williams... Had so much fun going back in time with these two basketball junkies who watched my career and continue to invest their time and energy into college basketball, more specifically the MAAC conference! Love what they are doing over on their podcast so check that out here
Quick little update podcast for you guys today discussing my recent blog post on my takeaways 6 months into college coaching. I talk about the biggest differences from being a former player compared to now being on the sideline in a coaching role. I have a lot to learn and a long way to go but I'm loving the process of getting better every day and look forward to continue sharing the journey with you guys!
Evan Conti played 4 years of college basketball at Quinnipiac University for Coach Tom Moore. After graduating in 2015 he went on to play professionally in Israel and eventually had an opportunity to become an assistant coach for the men's basketball team at New York Institute of Technology in Long Island. We touch on the following topics throughout the episode and end with our new Quick Hitters segment where we bang out 5 rapid fire type questions!
- Playing HS ball at Holy Cross
- His college basketball experience at Quinnipiac
- Playing Professionally in Israel
- Training younger players in Long Island
- Getting the call to become an assistant coach
- Developing Relationships with players
- Recruiting
- Taking over as head coach
- Practice Planning/Film & Scout
- Advice to young coaches
Subscribe to Evan's Podcast - Level Up Your Basketball Pod
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/level-up-your-basketball-podcast/id1534376611
Bringing you a new series to the podcast! Every week (or two) I will be answering some of the most frequently asked questions and bringing on a variety of guests in a shorter form "quick hit" episode that will cover a number of random topics.
Questions Answered
- Tips for smaller players
- What AAU team did you play for?
- Tips for injured players to stay connected with team
- Play varsity or JV as a freshman?
- How much gear do you get as a college athlete?
Kevin Perez was one of our practice players at Quinnipiac University during and leading up to our run to the Sweet 16 in 2017. I begin the conversation by asking him about his experience as a practice player for our team, more specifically, why he joined in the first place, what his takeaways were, and about the relationships he formed while being a part of the team.
We then flip the script and he asks me about my high school and college basketball experience along with some of the big differences between mid major and power 5 level schools.
Follow Tyler Leclerc on instagram @tjltraining
Topics we discussed...
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Tyler's playing career
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His decision to drop out of college and start his own business
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Struggles of being a young trainer
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Daily Routine & Film Study
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Importance of social media and personal branding
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Saving Up To Open His Own Gym
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Training and Teaching Style
2x NCAA Scoring Champion Stella Johnson joins the pod!
Topics covered in order
- High School, AAU, Recruiting Process
- Freshman Year Struggles
- Developing Her Game in The Off Season
- Stella's Workout Routine
- Moving Without The Ball
- Predictions for last years potential Rider vs. Marist MAAC Tournament Matchup
- WNBA Scouts at Games & The Draft Process
- Being a Rookie in The Wubble
- WNBA Film & Scout Prep
- 25 Point Breakout Performance
- Stella's Favorite WNBA Teammates/Players
Robyn Brown spent the summer pumping out content for last years WNBA runner up, the Connecticut Sun. She took on the job of several individuals as COVID restrictions limited the amount of media professionals that were allowed to travel into the "wubble" with the team. We got some good insight on what life was like on the campus of IMG Academy and the massive impact that social media has had on the growth of the WNBA.
Topics Covered
- Robyn's background and affiliation with Quinnipiac
- Advice for students taking the journalism/social media route
- The importance of social media in growing women's basketball
- Personal branding and showing a player's life outside of basketball
- What a typical day in the wubble looked like for Robyn
- Deciding which content to post and when
- Getting to know the players and coaching staff
- Game day preparation and being confident on camera
- WNBA's BLM and social justice movement
Alana Gilmer started her college career at Virginia Tech playing in the ACC but ended up becoming one of the best to ever play at Marist College. She goes into depth on her decision to commit to VT, why she transferred out and how she adjusted to a new school and a redshirt season. This was a fun conversation to have with a former "rival" and I hope it helps anyone who may be going through a similar situation.
Timestamps
2:00 - Upbringing, HS, AAU, Getting Recruited, Why Virginia Tech
6:00 - What She Wishes She Would Have Considered Before Committing
8:30 - Her Freshman Year at Virginia Tech
11:40 - Why She Transferred and How She Ended Up at Marist
17:30 - Biggest Differences Between Virginia Tech & Marist
20:30 - Takeaways From Redshirt Year and Having To Sit Out
25:30 - Advice For Someone Who MIGHT Want To Transfer
28:00 - What a Typical Individual Workout Would Look Like
32:20 - Versatility of The Marist Offense
35:15 - Playing To Your Strengths vs Working On Weaknesses
38:00 - Consistency, Coming Back From Bad Games, The Marist Fan Base
41:25 - Favorite MAAC Gym To Play In
44:45 - Favorite Player in The MAAC From 2019 - 2020 Season
47:00 - Playing Overseas & What To Be Aware Of
Sam Guastella is one of the best to ever play at Quinnipiac University. She went on the play professionally overseas and has stayed involved with the game even after her playing career. Sam has explored several different avenues within the game and is now in her 3rd season coaching at the Division 1 collegiate level.
Time Stamps:
1:15 - Intro - Upbringing, HS & AAU Basketball
5:30 - New Jersey Girls High School Basketball - Earning Minutes in High School
9:00 - Developing Her 3pt Shot & Loving Your Role
12:15 - Playing Time vs Experience - JV or Varsity as a Freshman?
16:10 - How Sam Got Recruited to Quinnipiac, Importance of Taking Visits!
23:15 - Do Your Research on The School!
25:00 - Playing as a College Freshman
28:30 - Being Prepared For The Weight Room
30:15 - Playing With Teammates Who LOVE Basketball
31:30 - My Experience Playing With Sam
34:00 - Being Competitive and Bringing The Energy
37:00 - Favorite Road Trip or Away Game Throughout Sam's Career
38:45 - What It's Like To Play Professionally Overseas
49:30 - Starting a Coaching Career - Balancing Grad School & Basketball
54:30 - Presenting Her First Scouting Report as a Coach
56:45 - What High School Players Can Expect in a Scouting Report
1:00:00 - Adjusting To Different Styles of Play
1:01:00 - Building Relationships as a New Coach
1:03:50 - Interning With The Philadelphia 76ers
1:09:53 - Life Lessons Outside of Basketball
What's up guys! Quick episode for you guys today on a question I've been getting all summer long. Here is my best advice for anyone who is trying out for a new team this season. Be prepared, know your strengths and push through the struggle! Good luck and I hope you get something from this episode of the Backyard Buckets Podcast
Brianna Butler ranks 12th all time in NCAA history and holds the Syracuse University record in made 3pt field goals. Leading her team to multiple NCAA tournament appearances and a national championship game in 2016 against Uconn, Bri has played against the best of the best and gives her take on college basketball and what it takes to play at the highest level.
Time Stamps
Intro 1:40 - AAU Philly Belles & Transferring High Schools
6:10 - Why Playing With The Best Competition Is Crucial
7:00 - Players That Had An Influence on Bri
7:45 - Remembering Coach Apache Paschall
9:00 - Favorite AAU Tournaments
10:20 - The Growth of Exodus Basketball
12:35 - McDonalds All American Experience
17:45 - College Commitment Process, What Players Should Look For In A School
21:15 - Freshman Year
24:00 - Adjusting To The Weight Room
25:50 - Learning Offensive & Defensive Concepts
27:00 - Transitioning From High School To College, How To Balance It All
28:25 - Differences Between Playing in the Big East vs. ACC
29:40 - Pressure to Perform as a Freshman
32:20 - Development From Freshman To Sophomore Year
34:04 - Favorite Schools To Play At
35:30 - Brittney Sykes
36:40 - Senior Year Doubters - Final Four/Championship
38:25 - Playing & Shooting In The Carrier Dome
41:00 - Path To The National Championship Game
45:15 - Film & Scout Talk
48:10 - Pre Game Shoot Around
49:45 - Career Take Aways
50:50 - Addressing The Transfer Issue
55:30 - Best Game of Your Career
58:10 - How To Get Out of a Shooting Slump
59:40 - The Importance of Being Versatile
1:00:40 - Life After Syracuse - WNBA Draft and Training Camp Experience
1:05:20 - Biggest Difference Between College and WNBA
1:06:30 - Playing Professionally Overseas
1:12:54 - Highlight Tapes
Paula Strautmane graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2019. She is a 3x MAAC champion and was a MAJOR contributor to the success of the program during her time at QU. This conversation taught me a lot about the international basketball scene along with the most important factors to put yourself in a position to be recruited to play college basketball in the United States.
1:00 Intro (Where she is from, club basketball & more)
2:30 How often do international players go home?
3:30 Difference between a club team and national team
7:00 National Team Process & Rules
12:30 Paula's Experience Trying Out For World Team
16:20 How Playing With Older Players Helped Her Game
17:30 The Many Professional Opportunities in Europe
19:00 Advice For Making Your National Team
22:50 How To Get Recruited To The US From Your National Team
25:00 Why You NEED To Play on The National Team
28:20 How Paula Got Recruited To The US
31:30 Factors Paula Considered Before Committing
35:20 What An Official Visit is Like
39:50 Making Her Decision and Moving To The US
45:40 Advice For International Players Wanting To Play College Basketball
Feel free to reach out to Paula with any questions.
Instagram @paulastrautmane
Division 1 basketball isn't for everyone and it's important to really think about your priorities in terms of your love for the game and being part of a team. Here's some insight from part 2 of my interview over on the Hoop Laude YouTube channel on what it takes to be successful at the D1 level.
Quick little chat and rant for you guys on a topic that has been on my mind as we head into the final weeks of summer and life is still....WEIRD! Been a lot of ups and downs these past few months with everything going on but it's so important to be able to look long term and not let the current moment dictate your attitude & actions.
Another former college basketball feature... Brittney Jackson grew up in Brooklyn NY and attended one of the best basketball high schools in the country. She flew under the radar and was a senior with NO offers, but that didn't stop her from putting in extra work every day and staying motivated. She discusses her sudden opportunity to play at the D1 level and how important it was that she stayed READY!
Time Stamps:
Intro & Britt's Story 1:00 - NYC Kid, Switching AAU Teams & Playing Competitive High School Basketball
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Making Sacrifices To Get To The Next Level - 7:00
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Doing What's Best For You - 9:20
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What Catholic School in NYC Was Like - 11:00
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Feeling Like You Don't Belong (Freshman Struggles) - 12:20
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What She Would Have Done Differently in High School - 16:00
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Britt's Relationship With Coach Ron Kelley/Dwight Shaw (HS & AAU Coach) - 19:10
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College Letters ARE NOT college offers, Recruiting Process - 21:20
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From Community College to a D1 Offer - 23:20
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Adjusting From High School to College - 28:15
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Experience in the Weight Room and Being a Smaller Player - 31:15
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Playing Point Guard as a Freshman in College! - 33:20
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Losing Playing Time & Wanting To Transfer - 38:25
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Being Away From Home - 42:05
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Life After Basketball - 44:10
Follow Britt on Instagram @coachBritt10
I sat down with Shannon Hovan, high school basketball coach and host of the unTITLED Podcast to discuss the role of women in sports. I discuss my childhood experiences playing baseball and the challenges many girls face when participating in a male dominated sport. We also shift gears and discuss ways to handle conflicts that may arise as you get into more competitive settings, whether with a teammate or yourself. Lastly, I give my opinion on the role of the female athlete both in and out of her respective sport! Hope you enjoy.
Check Out more of Shannon's Interviews on The unTITLED Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-untitled-podcast/id1519124885
Adily Martucci led the charge for the Quinnipiac Women's Basketball teams historic Sweet 16 run in 2017, and is one of the winningest players in program history. She discusses her basketball journey, how she handled moments of adversity and was able to stay motivated even when she wasn't getting playing time.
Time Stamps
Intro - 1:00
Upbringing, AAU, Recruiting Process, Why Quinnipiac?
Making The Most of a Redshirt Season 8:30
Teammates That Made an Impact on Adily - 9:50
Freshman Weight Room Summer Workouts 14:10
Gaining An Advantage! - 16:25
Hardest Conditioning Workouts - 21:10
Coach B's Impact on Adily (QU Strength Coach) - 28:00
Team Unity In Moments of Adversity - 31:20
Grinding For Playing Time - 33:20
Adily's Breakout Season & Biggest Moments - 40:00
Advice To Players Redshirting or Sitting Out - 51:40
Advice To College Freshman - 53:00
Life After College Basketball - 54:00
Part 1 of a 3 part series with Bel from the Hoop Laude YouTube channel. Discussing some of the sacrifices that need to be made in order to put yourself in a competitive setting to be successful and get necessary exposure, that will benefit you and your basketball career in the long term.
In this episode I chat with a girls high school basketball team and give them my best advice and tips for everything regarding college basketball. I introduce them to my story and then get into Q&A at the end. Apologies for the choppy audio at some points but this discussion needs to be heard!
I discuss 3 more factors to consider during the recruiting process that are not directly related to basketball. The importance of getting a feel for the environment, the proximity and location of the school from your home, and lastly the academic piece and why they might not necessarily need to be the ultimate factor in your decision.
Repost from my YouTube channel Q&A a couple months back. Answering the most commonly asked questions I get around college basketball and what it's like to be a student athlete at the Division 1 level. Hope you enjoy!
I discuss the importance of doing your research before committing to a school. Watching the team play and figuring out whether or not you fit that style is a crucial part of the recruiting process. Make sure you are aware of that coaches philosophy and where they see you contributing to their team. Also, knowing how many players on the roster are in your position can be another factor that may influence your decision. Hope you enjoy the episode!
I discuss the importance of building relationships with not just one member of a coaching staff whether that be an assistant or the head coach. You want to be sure that you have established connections with all coaches on staff to ensure that they value not only your ability to play basketball, but you as a person as well. This is a crucial step in the recruiting process.
In today's episode I talk about the process of finding your role on a team. I give 5 of my best tips on how you can find a role, embrace it and make the most of that opportunity. Starting over at a new program or team, or even switching positions can be overwhelming but try to look at it as a new found opportunity to enjoy the process of becoming a better player and person.
The first episode of the new podcast! Get to know me and my story in the introductory episode as I discuss my path to and through four years of Division 1 college basketball at Quinnipiac University.