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Graphics honor past, present athletes at Northwestern Oklahoma
Northwestern Oklahoma State University last year made a number of improvements to its weight room and football facilities, and now other teams want in on the action.Ryan Kaiser, associate director of athletics, said the university is upgrading its me...
There’s no harm in dreaming big
Very few of you have ever had the luxury of coaching a future NBA star. The odds are overwhelmingly stacked against young athletes, and regardless of the jumpers they put up in practice or the hours they spend in the weight room, most are doomed well...
Finding the Right Fit
Coaches dedicate countless hours conducting repetitive drills designed to improve their team performance, but most don't give a second thought to the shoes their players are wearing. That's a critical mistake that results in injuries, decreased perf...
Still Waiting for the Shot Clock Rule
Waiting for the shot clock rule in high school basketball reminds me of an old saying amongst us Chicago Cubs fans: there's always next year.Each spring, the National Federation of State High School Associations' Basketball Rules Committee meets. And...
It’s time for a season in review
I love lists. Everyone who knows me accepts this as fact. Even as I write this, I'm flanked by lists of today's tasks and sources I need to speak with for upcoming stories. Organization keeps me sane. At this time of the year, most programs — dep...
Perfecting your end-of-season evaluations
Regardless of how successful of a season your team had, it's important to conduct a thorough postseason evaluation to improve your program in the future. It's also important to undergo such an evaluation immediately after the season ends, ensuring th...
A blue chip program without blue chip players
Good teams don't always need to be loaded with seniors. Last season our team was 28-4 and we started two freshmen and two sophomores with just one senior on our team. Another comment I constantly hear is, "We don't have any basketball players at my ...
Power rebounding: Drills and strategies for improvement
Many coaches agree that rebounding is the most important phase of basketball when it's weighed in comparison to offense or defense. For instance, we may not be a good shooting team, but we would not have to be if we rebounded well enough to get the s...
Rushing the court poses too many risks
But Utah Valley's upset victory over New Mexico State this season showed us why we should consider a universal ban on court storming. It's dangerous and unpredictable, and if allowed to continue it's only a matter of time until someone is seriously h...
Training with a Passion
Coaching is a logical career choice for athletes unable to shake their passion for the game, but that never quite satisfied Ganon Baker. Countless hours of paperwork and months spent on the recruiting trail meant more time away from the court, where ...