From the Bench »
Features
January 29, 2018
Psychologically healing injured athletes
Because of the high demands placed on elite athletes, injury is virtually inescapable. With increasing early sport specialization comes a particular vulnerability to developmental and overuse injuries. In 2013, an estimated 27 million athletes betw...
January 23, 2018
Three strategies to battle the conference grind
Conference season can be one of the toughest parts of the year. I like to call it the “conference grind.” It’s the same routine every week: Play Tuesdays and Fridays, while practicing on a regular basis. It's our job as coaches and leaders of ...
January 1, 2018
Winning Hoops’ most popular Xs/Os features of 2017
Winning Hoops has helped educate basketball coaches throughout the world for more than 32 years. With another year in the books, we thought we'd take a look back at some of our most popular Xs/Os features over the past 12 months. Here are the 12 art...
December 5, 2017
How to turn around a failing program
Losing happens. Sometimes, losing happens too often and for too long, whether it’s over the course of a season or several years. Overcoming a losing season or a losing program can be a tremendous challenge for some coaches. If you have been charged...
December 1, 2017
13 tips to sharpen your daily practice plan
A major part of coaching is the ability to prepare your players and your team. That process takes place on the practice floor. The limited time you have for practice is sacred. It’s the time that you have the most influence on your players’ prog...
October 30, 2017
Teaching your players to get tough
The most important virtue for any basketball player is talent. But what’s talent without the competitive spirit, or toughness, that consistently motivates your team and drives it to victory? Teaching your team to play tough and battle during every...
October 2, 2017
Refining your communication skills
Skilled coaches always look for ways to improve themselves. This can be done in many ways, including developing better communication skills. Here are seven ways that coaches can use communication in developing team success. 1. Establish a respectful...
September 28, 2017
Good coaches ask great questions
The idea for this article comes from the book, “Good Leaders Ask Great Questions” by John Maxwell. It’s a wonderful book and I would strongly advise you to both read and take notes from it. It’s full of information that I feel is extremely be...
September 25, 2017
Structuring a well-organized plan for practices
After more than 40 years of coaching high school basketball, it has become apparent to me the importance of having an organized practice plan. How a coach sets up his or her practices and how effectively they are run ultimately determines a team’s ...
September 12, 2017
Tubby Smith offers three keys to program building
Memphis men's basketball coach Tubby Smith last weekend offered his keys to program building at a USA Basketball Coach Academy. Smith has coached high school and college basketball during his 45-year career, and during the 1997-98 season he led the ...
Some #TuesdayTips via The Aspen Institute Project Play on coaching priorities.
