Fundraising ideas for struggling programs

Cutbacks mean teams must develop their own revenue streams similar to club sports An athletic program's biggest annual hurdle is raising enough money to pay for travel and apparel, among other costs. It's even more... more »

6 keys to maximizing your assistant coaches

A characteristic of good basketball programs is that they have great assistant coaches on all levels. Assistants play a vital role in a team’s success. There were certain qualities I looked for in assistants, and... more »

10 ways to improve before next season

When basketball coaches talk about the offseason, usually we think of what the players will be doing. This is an extremely important aspect for any program, and there is a lot that can and should... more »

Delivering criticism to athletes

I recently asked a group of coaches to give me their main challenges with athletes. Almost immediately, the majority of coaches agreed they see many athletes shut down upon receiving negative feedback or criticism. They... more »

Four principles for offseason basketball training

Another season is in the books, and by now you’ve had time to audit your program, your work and your players. The offseason is where programs create separation between themselves and their rivals. Long before... more »

A letter to communicate your philosophy to parents

Basketball programs must effectively communicate to parents as a way to avoid altercations or disagreements during the season. Coach Mike Bailey, who leads the boy’s basketball team at St. Patrick High School (Illinois), does this... more »

Challenging your team to get more deflections

Every coach wonders how they can improve their defense or score more points. Getting more deflections is one way to limit your opponent, leading to easy baskets for... more »

‘Mouse’ counters help defense, attacks players in foul trouble

Coaches are always thinking of new plays to attack the defensive schemes they encounter during the season. Basketball is a game of adjustments, with one coach or team running a play while the other coach... more »

10 tips for breaking zone defense

This article looks at offensive concepts against the zone defense. Rather than provide specific plays or actions to run, I want to look at certain concepts that enable you to tailor your offenses to fit... more »

Dear parents: I want your kid to fail

Yes, you read that right. I want your kid to fail. Specifically, I want your kid to fail in basketball, and the earlier he or she can start failing, the better. I am so convinced... more »