I was thinking the other day about skill work - how we can make it so complicated, technical, and even scientific.
And those aren’t bad things. They help us to optimally improve the skillset of our players and provide an edge.
But I think sometimes we make it a little more difficult and complex than it is.
Here are a few thoughts on keeping skill work simple as you start to dive into spring and summer workouts:
Make sure your players know exactly where they need to improve. (One offense, one defense, one intangible)
Here’s a good exercise: ask your players to think of 1 specific offensive area, 1 defensive area, and 1 intangible (playing through mistakes, handling coaching, being a better teammate, etc.) that they believe they should improve.
Then, you do the same for them.
This can help focus and simplify what they are working on this off-season. And it offers added accountability/something to reexamine in the fall since you both have sat down and talked about these areas
Hit the same boring shot over and over again…but vary how you get there
There’s obviously a ton of value in repetition. But look, if you’re just going to tell your players to shoot 5 sets of 20 threes from 5 spots…over and over again at every practice/workout. It’s just not going to work.
Here’s an example: I’m a teacher - we don’t just do worksheets over and over again on coordinating conjunctions. Do we complete worksheets? Absolutely. But we also incorporate games. We try to make it fun or challenging. We have competitions in small groups. We offer different activities for different kids based on their skill levels. We provide different ways of reaching the same goal. Do this with your workouts.
And a hoops example: The drill is “3 Minute 3s” (3 minutes on the clock, one shooter, one rebounder/passer - make as many 3s as you can in 3 minutes).
Change the scoring (you only get a point if you hit 2 in a row OR your final score is the most amount of 3s you hit in a row in the 3 minutes)
Alter the shot type - every shot has to be caught on the move or pump fake + 1 dribble pull or whatever else you want to add
Do the drill from one spot for the entire 3 minutes OR make it around the world
Catch my drift? You’re doing the same things…but you’re not.
Provide your players with specific workouts
Here are some great examples from Chris Abaray:
Or something like “Quick 250”
Or just make your own. I’ve found the most success with giving players something simple that will take them 45-60 minutes (maybe even just 30). Tell them to do it a few times a day if they want extra work. Your hardest workers will; most won’t. But you might get some kids to do more work than they usually would.
Chart as much as you can.
If you have a few shooting drills that you consistently use, why not chart results and turn them into a competition? Create a leaderboard/ladder and up the focus of your workouts.
PLAY AGAINST PEOPLE BETTER THAN YOU
There are a few ways to encourage this:
invite alumni back to open gym runs - nobody likes punking your younger players more than players who used to be in the program
play up (if it makes sense) - expose your JV to lower-level varsity teams; expose your varsity to higher-level varsity teams; get some of your AAU teams playing up a year - it makes you get better
Provide opportunities for players to apply their skills
Yes, you need to do skill work individually and 1v0 to get the footwork and technique down. Do that. But also find ways to make your drills as gamelike as possible (and scrimmage plenty) and add decision-making as much as you possibly can. It’s the ultimate skill.
And finally - as a coach, pick one skill area you want to vastly improve as a coach this year and add it to your toolbox.
Maybe you want to get better at teaching/developing shooting with your team. Maybe you’re weaker in explaining rebounding technique. Or transition defense. Or teaching the stride stop.
Whatever it is - choose one area and MASTER it this offseason!
That’s all from me - see you next time!
P.S. - Whenever you’re ready, there are a few ways I can help you as a coach!
Hoops Companion Master Playbook/Drill Book with almost 500 pages of plays and drills
2023 NCAA Tournament Playbook - 3 sets/actions/concepts from each of the 68 NCAA Tournament teams (204 total) - in video AND diagram form!
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