Dick Bennett's Five Biblical Principles

About 95% of my defensive philosophy comes from Coach Bennett. I believe Coach Bennett ranks as the top defensive coach of all time. Here are his five biblical principles.

1. HUMILITY

Know and be who you are, not what others think you are.
Know the shots you can make and shots you can take.
Know the ability you really have.
Don't let the pressures of the game take you out of your idenity.

2. PASSION

Don't be lukewarm.
Don't try to be cool.
Die Hard...Take losses hard.
It's about concentration.
Lack of passion will keep you from being great.

3. UNITY

Tough team. Team tough.
Unity is the only way you can touch greatness.
The way normal people become great is through unity.

4. SERVANT ATTITUDE

Serve one another.
It is the basis of everything we do.
Go out of your way - on and off the court - to make your teammates better.
Get every charge, every loose ball, every rebound, every save.
Help the helper on defense.
Help get each other open.
Hit the open man on offense.

5. THANKFULNESS

Acknowledge any help from a teammate.
If you can be thankful in all circumstances, it can bring great wisdom.
Take something positive from every situation.

A Half-Hearted Commitment Is Worse Than No Commitment At All

Another worthwhile passage from Lou Holtz's autobiography:

Every athlete who has ever played for me has heard me preach against the pitfalls of entering anything halfway. In my mind, a half-hearted commitment is worse than no commitment at all.

If you decide to take a class, you should give the professor and yourself the full benefit of your undivided attention., If you don't, you are wasting your time and taking up a valuable seat in the classroom.

If you're on a team, you owe your coaches and your teammates your total commitment. If you don't - - if you're unhappy because the coach doesn't start you, or because you aren't getting as many touches or as much playing time as you think you should - - you are hurting yourself and the entire organization. You and the team would be better off if you played somewhere else.

Commitment is the most critical component in any relationship. In sports, it's become axiomatic: Commitment beats talent every time!!!

THOUGHTS FROM COACH K

Team USA will play Turkey later today for the gold medal at the World Championships. Here are some thoughts from Coach K:

"This is what I do. I determine how good our kids can be by watching them, by getting to know them, by building relationships with them. I constantly try to take a realistic look at our team and try not to let the final outcome of any game spike emotions too high or too low. And then I also work with the guys over the course of the entire season to help raise them to their highest potential."

EVERY SEASON IS A JOURNEY:

During the season, your team should be led with exuberance and excitement.

You should live the journey.

You should live it right.

You should live it shared.

You should try to make one another better.

You should get on one another if somebody's not doing their part.

You should hug one another when they need it.

You should be disappointed in a loss and exhilarated in a win.

It's all about the journey.

It should be honest and it should be real.

It's not about winning games or what other people's expectations of us may be. We're not going to fall into traps that so many people fall into. That's not why we are going to play. We are going to play for innocence.

ON BEING A GREAT TEAM:

"When everyone on our team believes that our own personal signature is on everything our team does - then we have a chance to be as great basketball team. And not until we believe that every ball we play with says "DUKE" on it, will we be proud of our performance."

ON MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS:

"Playing hard together, being the best defensive team and players building strong bonds with one another are shared goals that involve working together as a group over the entire year. If a team consistently concentrates on goals like that, major achievements happen."

THE RICHEST MAN IN TOWN

Wanted to share this short movie with you!!!!

BUILDING TEAM UNITY

Coach Smith is one of the greatest coaches in the history of basketball. I thought I would share some things he thought were important about TEAM UNITY...

"My philosophy is team unity - Basketball is a team game. We can't succeed unless we do it as a team. Point out to the players that everyone must play defense. It is important to have goals for team unity. Points are not the only thing. You need each other. Team play is built in practice. Our idea is to have an emphasis of the day, and then give credit during a practice to those players that are accomplishing that emphasis. Players must be aware that if they let down at any time they are huting the team."

BUILDING TEAM UNITY:

1. Do not let one teammate yell at another.

2. No one is perfect. Have you ever seen a perfect game by a basketball player?

3. A player needs encouragement when he or she makes a mistake. You must care about the last person as much as you care about the stars.

4. Never substitute on a mistake. If a player is trying, what more can you ask?

5. Respect every player on the team.

6. A life lesson is tolerance for one another. We should go out of our way to respect and satisfy each and every person, even though society evaluates success by the number of wins and losses.

7. Build a respect and rapport between each player and coach.

8. Praise correct performance and effort.

9. Players on the bench should always stand and applaud team plays and players coming to the sidelines following a substitution.

10. Give emphasis to unselfishness among team members and to give credit to the players who do the little things.

11. Acknowledge the passer. Point your finger to the player. (Give both a verbal and physical response).

12. Always have players on the floor let you know when they are tired. (we do it by having them raise a fist). Starters usually come out five to six times in a game.

13. Get players to go as hard on defense as they do on offense.

14. Stress constantly recognizing the need for each other.

15. After a game, try to give recognition to the opposing coach.

16. Why do we run sprints?? For PRIDE. We think we are in better shape than the other players. Sprints help build team morale.

17. Convince your players not to let their teammates down. The best way to build team unity is to teach players the correct way to play the game is to play hard. Secondly, players must understand that every player is important.

18. Emphasize to the seniors that this is their team; they will make the rules and the coaches will enforce them. Do not allow any phony rules - they hurt team unity.

19. A player wants to be disciplined; this helps to develop both team and self-discipline. Give a player a second chance when it is appropriate.

Giving Yourself a Head Start

Received this from Coach Kevin Eastman, assistant coach of the Boston Celtics. If you want to see a great web site go to: www.kevineastmanbasketball.com

Sometimes it is good to take a minute and think about success and how to get there. I can safely say if you commit the following thoughts to your everyday life, they will give you a head start on those you compete against.

The neat thing is that all of us have a choice each day to do with that day what we want. Some choose not to do much; some choose to talk a good game. And some choose to invest in that day. My eyes tell me those who choose to invest usually get that HEAD START we all would like to have. Enjoy and internalize these thoughts......Good Luck!!

1. In an effort to become the best, the best always give their best. Its not a very elaborate formula - just one that separates you from the pack.

2. A LITTLE MORE usually produces a lot more. A little more focus, a little more effort, a little more thought, a little more sacrifice - doing a little more produces a lot more. And a lot more allows you to become more!

3. Indecision is the single biggest thief of our goals, our dreams and often the opportunities we could have had. Don't sabotage your own success; be decisive!

4. Successful people seem to do all the things that unsuccessful people think they're too big for, too cool for, too good for. Nothing is too big or too small for successful people!

5. Simple truth about the best players and coaches in the NBA is that the best always want to get better. They're always trying to learn more; they never want to stay the same!

6. In a 24-hour day, is it important to you to improve? Make it mandatory to find a minimum of an hour to work on yourself. If you become more, you become more valuable! Spend the time you need to do a great job at your job, but don't neglect spending time on your own improvement. It comes back to help your employer in the long! To get more you must become more!

7. Someone is going to be the best at something on your team or in your company, so why don't you be that person? Being the best requires hundreds of sacrifices that the public or even your boss may never see. That's just the price of admission to join the BEST club.

8. Success requires hours and hours of sustained thought, work and passion. Everyone wants the success, but so many want it on their own terms. They don't want the hours and the preparation that goes into it. Take this daily challenge!!

9. Success is not free. There are down payments that must be made - in hard work, in high-quality work, in consistent work, in teamwork. You must be willing to invest in your own success!

10. Opportunities don't always knock on your door; they often sit around and wait until you recognize them. The key is to be prepared for that opportunity when it presents itself. Preparation is what turns opportunity into good fortune!

Who will cry for the little boy?

Was watching the movie Antwone Fisher last night....I love this poem...

Who will cry for the little boy?
Lost and all alone.
Who will cry for the little boy?
Abandoned with out his own?

Who will cry for the little boy?
He cried himself to sleep.
Who will cry for the little boy?
He never had for keeps.

Who will cry for the little boy?
He walked the burning sand.
Who will cry for the little boy?
The boy inside the man.

Who will cry for the little boy?
Who knows well hurt and pain.
Who will cry for the little boy?
He died again and again.

Who will cry for the little boy?
A good boy he tried to be.
Who will cry for the little boy?
Who cries inside of me.

Kevin Eastman: Thoughts on Defense

Five Things in Half-Court Defense:

1. Get back and SET
2. Be a great HELP team
3. Be a NO PAINT team
4. Be a no-corner three team
5. Be an alert & aware team

The best defensive teams can still defend in disadvantage situations.

Six Musts of Defense:

1. Communication:

• Talking intimidates
• It gives defense head start
• It gives man on the ball more confidence
• You can wake up a disengaged defender
• It catches the mistake before it happens
• Energizes the team

2. Trust

• Teams that don't trust foul more

3. Position

4. Awareness

5. Alertness

6. Multiple Effort Mindset

Three Must Haves of Communications:

1. Early

2. Loud

3. Continuous

Six Cant Haves of Defense:

1. Lack of the six must haves
2. Personal Defense
3. You cant have gambles - Leads to open shots and fouls
4. Dare shot - Dare offensive player to shoot
5. Close byes - going past offensive player on close outs
6. Helping with outside foot.

Five Areas of Consistency:

1. Focus
2. Effort
3. Positioning
4. Awareness
5. Alertness

You can play any defense and be good if you have four things:

1. Player commitment
2. Habits
3. Focus
4. Passion

Special Teams Mentality in Basketball

I am a huge fan of Coach Tom Izzo at Michigan State. I love the way his teams play on the defensive end as well as the toughness his team display on the floor.

Another reason for my appreciation of Coach Izzo is his innovations of other sports into his philosophies. Coach Izzo is a big fan of the gridiron. His best friend is Steve Mariucci, longtime NFL and college football coach.

He discusses how SPECIAL TEAMS in football have been emphasized by all the great football coaches. In Michigan State basketball, he firmly believes that the Spartans SPECIAL TEAMS have been a key ingredient in their success.

Knowing that so many games are decided by six points or less, and that the majority of NCAA Tournament games are decided by even less, Izzo, has decided to focus on five areas that would make up their SPECIAL TEAMS. Their goal is to have their SPECIAL TEAMS produce 15-20 points per game. If they achieve their goal, close games become very comfortable wins and, more importantly, devastating losses can be turned into exciting victories.

The Five Areas of MSU SPECIAL TEAMS are:

1. Jump Ball Situations
2. Baseline Out-of-Bounds
3. Sideline Out-of-Bounds
4. Free-Throw Situations
5. After Time-Out Plays

1. Jump Ball Situations:

We want to set the tone and tempo of the game from the opening tip. Our scouting report will cover if we can control the tip or, if we lose the tip, which direction our opponent tends to tip the ball. For example, if we feel that we cannot win the tip and our opponent consistently tips the ball in the back court, then we will set up a play to steal the tip and run a set action in order to get a high percentage shot immediately. Our mindset is to begin every game in the ATTACK mode and score our first basket before the defense has time to set up. You would be surprised at how many times a defense can be caught off guard on the very first possession of the game.

If you can control the tip, I would suggest coming up with two different quick hitters your team can run and feels confident in. We end every game-day shoot around executing our tip play, always concluding the practice on a made basket. Its great for the teams confidence to know that they have a plan to start every game with a quick lead.

2. Baseline Out-of-Bounds - Attack When They Relax:

We take great pride in scoring on what we call our BLOBS (baseline out-of-bounds). You will be pleasantly surprised at how many baskets you will score if your team develops a mentality that they have a great offensive advantage when taking the ball out along the baseline. We work on our BLOBS every day, spending ten minutes of practice time. We execute our BLOBS at game speed, calling out which option we want the shot coming from. We will also scrimmage live on BLOBS, with each team getting five opportunities to score. Again, we constantly emphasize how important this aspect of the game is to our teams success.

In many cases, we will put in special plays for each opponent. If our opponent had a difficult time guarding a BLOB in their previous game, we may steal that play and put it in for that specific game. One thing we will always do in this situation is review that play on game day and inform our players that we will run that BLOB on the first out-of-bounds opportunity.

3. Sideline Out-of-Bounds - Get an Open Three:

Many teams main objective in their sideline out of bounds (we call them SLOBS) is to get the ball into play safely. Again we differ in this philosophy because we want to use every potential scoring opportunity to attack the defense in a situation that they might not spend a lot of practice time on.

At Michigan State, we try to run our variety of SLOBS to get a quick, open three-point shot. Many teams defend SLOBS by flattening their defense and we have found success in screening this defensive set and bringing our shooters to an open area for a high percentage three-point shot. SLOBS are a great time to catch the defense relaxing and reward your offensive execution with a great looking shot from the three-point line.

4. Free Throw Situations - Turning a Miss into Points:

A main emphasis in our championship program has been on dominating our offensive backboards. In many games, our best offense has been the missed shot. Obviously, it would be great if our team never missed a free throw, but since even the best teams only shoot 75% from the free-throw line, we decided to also emphasize attacking the offensive glass during a free-throw situation.

Im sure every coach can recall a game that was won or lost on an offensive put-back off a missed free throw. Although there are many different techniques or actions you could use to attack the glass on free throw situations, the most important point is that you get your players to go to the boards and go hard. Just like the chart we use to determine the percentage of how often we go to the offensive boards in our offensive sets, we also use the same chart for our free throw situations.

5. After Time-Out Plays - Execution and Discipline:

There may be nothing more frustrating for a coach than to call or diagram a play during a time-out only to have it improperly executed on the floor. To combat this problem and to increase the focus and execution of our after-time-out plays, we will periodically call time-out during practice to diagram and set up a play. We will do this at any time during practice, during a drill, after sprints, or even when the team is shooting free throws. The players will grow accustomed to increasing their concentration and executing a play during this important time.

We have had great results because of this practice habit. In our 2001 regional final versus Temple, out players executed and scored on seven of our nine time-out plays. All the credit should go to the players because they conditioned themselves to be successful in those important situations.

There is no doubt that one of the reasons why our team has been so successful in these SPECIAL TEAMS area is because we emphasize them every day in practice. We will work on at least two of our SPECIAL TEAMS every day in practice and also cover all five areas during our game-day shoot-around. Our players are highly motivated and take great pride in turning what some would consider boring aspects of the game.

Player Checklist

This time of year, we are looking to improve our individual development. Here is a great checklist for players:


ATTITUDE:

____ I am teachable

____ I learn by watching

____ I am enthusiastic

____ I am a good listener

____ I concentrate in practice

____ I am a hard worker

____ I set specific goals

____ I am developing my strength

____ I am team oriented

____ I encourage others

DEFENSE

____ I have a defensive attitude

____ I am aggressive

____ I work from a good defensive stance

____ I have my hands up and active

____ I pressure the ball when it is passed, dribbled or shot

____ I deny my man the ball.

____ I jump to the ball on the pass or dribble

____ I use a pistols stance when I am in help

____ I block out on every shot

____ I look to take charges.

____ I get to loose balls

OFFENSE

____ I move without the ball

____ I catch the ball with my feet in the air

____ I face the basket in triple threat

____ I work low and on balance

____ I dribble well with both hands

____ I use pass fakes and shot fakes

____ I know how to set and use good screens

____ I know and use the steps to the shooting progression

____ I know and use the steps to free throw shooting

____ I know my rebound responsibilities

Wisdom from Rose

I don't have a picture of Rose, so I thought I would use a picture of the greatest woman who has ever lived, Mother Teresa.

I received an e-mail the other day about a lady who got it right....Here is the story!!!!

The first day of school, our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up here entire being...

She said, Hi Handsome. My name is Rose. I am eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug???

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, Of course you may! and she gave me a giant squeeze.

Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age? I asked. She jokingly replied, I am here to meet a rich husband, get married and have a couple of kids...

No seriously, I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

I always dreamed of having a college education and now I am getting one! she told me.

After class, we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this TIME MACHINE as she shared her wisdom and experience with me...

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I will never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her speech, she dropped her 3 X 5 cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed, she leaned into the microphone and simply said, I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for lent and this whiskey is killing me! Ill never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.

As we laughed, she cleared her throat and began. We do not stop plying because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything, I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody! Can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.

She concluded her speech by courageously singing...THE ROSE.

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At years end, Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those moths ago.

One week after graduation, Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it is never too late to be all you can possibly be.

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings it to you, He will bring you through it.

Good friends are like the stars........You don't always see them, but you know they are always there!!!!

BIlly Donovans Daily Attitude Plan

Wanted to share Coach Donovan's Daily Attitude Plan with you.

1. Always making today my best day.

2. Taking pride in a job well done.

3. Treating others with respect.

4. Isolating my negative thoughts

5. Treating tasks as opportunities.

6. Utilizing my talents every day.

7. Doing the job right the first time.

8. Expecting positive outcomes daily.

9. Speaking well of others every day.

Things I Wish I Would Have Known Earlier As A Player...

Northern Illinois University Assistant Men's Basketball Coach Sundance Wicks has a great web-site that coaches need to look at: www.sundancewicks.com

Coach Wicks played for Coach Don Meyer at Northern State University. If coaches require their players to take notes in notebooks, Coach Wicks has his notebook for sale. Contact Coach Wicks on his website for more information. His notebook is a must-read!!!

One of Coach Wicks posting on his web-site talks about things you wish you would have known about as a player. Here are some of the things Coach Wicks talks about:

• What it feels like to be a senior (The sacrifice for the team)
• How much time the coaching staff puts in trying to prepare the team for life, practice and games.
• How much time the coaching staff spends thinking about what is best for the team.
• Your team is only good as the last player to buy in (weakest link) - you have a true team only when every last player has bought in.
• When you win with a team, the victory tastes much sweeter.
• Team Chemistry is the most important thing in the game of basketball - without it, championships are hard to come by.
• That the TEAM is not the coaches team, its your (PLAYERS) Team.
• That it can take an entire season to BUILD a team, and one incident to destroy the chemistry that was built.
• How you play in practice ultimately affects your performance in the game.
• If you want to be the best player, you have to be the hardest worker.
• It doesn't matter how good you are, if you are not mentally tough.
• That you win games by preparing properly in practice and not just lacing up the sneakers on game night.
• Its hard as a coach to sit a player who makes hustle plays consistently and works hard in practice.
• The importance of ball pressure and jumping to the ball and how to play it properly.
• Communication is a must to be successful on and off the court.
• I have a better chance to play if I am a great defender vs. a good shooter.
• The sooner I realize that everything starts with defense the better I will be able to prepare myself for the practices and games.
• The key to becoming a great rebounder is putting forth the effort to go to the glass and ability has little to do with it.
• A good team defense is built on the foundation of trust.
• How much you have mentally for the second night of play in conference; Friday / Saturday Games - After Losses, more so Wins.
• Its not who starts games, its who finishes the game - Be a Finisher!
• You have to have a great second half warm-up physically to get yourself ready mentally (perceived ability that we are ready to go.)
• That you can control two things in life: 1. Attitude 2. Effort - and more often than not, positive words and actions create positive reactions.
  

Quotes From Coach Meyer

If you do not know who Coach Don Meyer is, here is a quick bio:

• Just retired from Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

• In 38 years of coaching college basketball, is the all-time leader with 938 wins.

• More than the 938 wins, he has helped so many of his players become better human beings.

• In 2008, after a car crash, doctors discovered cancer in his liver and intestines, during emergency surgery in which he lost one of his legs.

• Coach Meyer is the ultimate ambassador to the game of basketball. He has helped so many coaches become better coaches and people.

I still remember making a call to Coach Meyer. I never thought I would get to talk to him. I thought I would take a chance. His basketball secretary answered the phone and patched me right through to Coach Meyer. We talked for about 15 minutes and I felt like I had won a national championship.

I was sad to hear of the news that Coach Meyer was retiring, but I do understand why he made the decision. Coach will continue to be the great ambassador for the game and he will continue to mentor young coaches and people.

Buster Olney, from ESPN is writing a book titled, HOW LUCKY YOU CAN BE, the story of Don Meyer. It will be out in September of 2010. This will be a must-read!!!!

Here are some great quotes from Coach Meyer:

• Successful programs consist of people working hard, working together, while never worrying about who gets the credit.

• Shout praise and whisper criticism.

• To be a team, you must be a family.

• Discipline and demand without being demanding.

• Recognize and reward players who put the team first, not just the gifted ones.

• Simplify the game as much as possible. When you add, you must subtract.

• There is nothing more important than rebounding...don't just give it lip service.

• Shared suffering: one guy messes up and everyone runs. One guy does well and everyone benefits.

• Players who are late say that their time is more important than the team.

• Its not what you teach, but what you emphasize.

• Good shooters take the shots; best shooters take most of the shots.

• You build your program from the ideas from good coaches.

• Play off your great player...great teams have a go-to player and they play off of him.

• Prepare for every practice like you loss your last game.

• Your program must have an overriding purpose which is clearly visible and which teaches lessons beyond winning.

• When you watch the game, be a student of the game.

• The team is an extension of the coach.

• Players must do what you want them to do in pressure situations.

• When the legs go, the heart and head will follow quickly behind.

• If it comes down to you or the program, that decision was made a long time ago.

• Every day you teach attitude.
  

The Qualities of Skillful Leadership

Reading some great stuff by the late-great Jim Rohn. What a great mentor on leadership. Here are some of his thoughts.

If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself. Leadership is the ability to attract someone to the gifts, skills and opportunities you offer as an owner, as a manager, as a parent. I call leadership the great challenge of life.

Whats important in leadership is refining your skills. All great leaders keep working on themselves until they become effective. Here are some specifics:

1. Learn to be strong but not rude. It is an extra step you must take to become a powerful, capable leader with a wide range of reach. Some people mistake rudeness for strength. It is not even a good substitute.

2. Learn to be kind but not weak. We must not mistake kindness for weakness. Kindness isn't weak. Kindness is a certain type of strength. We must be kind enough to tell somebody the truth. We must be kind enough and considerate enough to lay it on the line. We must be kind enough to tell it like it is and not deal in delusion.

3. Learn to be bold but not a bully. It takes boldness to win the day. To build your influence, you've got to walk in front of your group. You've got to be willing to take the first arrow, tackle the first problem, discover the first sign of trouble.

4. You've got to learn to be humble, but not timid. You can not get to the high life by being timid. Some people mistake timidity for humility. Humility is almost a God-like word. A sense of awe. A sense of wonder. An awareness of the human soul and spirit. An understanding that there is something unique about the human drama versus the rest of life. Humility is a grasp of the distance between us and the stars, yet having the feeling that we are part of the stars. So humility is a virtue; but timidity is a disease. Timidity is an affliction. It can be cured, but it is a problem.

5. Be proud but not arrogant. It takes pride to win the day. It takes pride to build your ambition. It takes pride in community. It takes pride in cause, in accomplishment. But the key to becoming a good leader is being proud without being arrogant. In fact, I believe the worst kind of arrogance is arrogance from ignorance. It is when you don't know that you don't know. Now that kind of arrogance is intolerable. If someone is smart and arrogant, we can tolerate that. But if someone is ignorant and arrogant, that's just too much too take.

6. Develop humor without folly. That's important for a leader. In leadership, we learn that it is okay to be witty, but not silly. It is okay to have fun, but not foolish.

Lastly, Deal in Realities. Deal in truth. Save yourself the agony. Just accept life like it is. Life is unique. Some people call it tragic, but I would like to think its unique. The whole drama of life is unique. It is fascinating. And I have found that the skills that work well for one leader may not work at all for another. But the fundamental skills of leadership can be adapted to work well for just about everyone; at work, in the community and at home.

The GOLD Standard

I am reading for the third time, The Gold Standard by Duke and USA Basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski. If you haven't read Coach Ks book, you need to do so.

The book is a blue print in how to lead a to put together a team as well as lead a team through all sorts of adversity.

Here are some key points from the book:

• Remember that everyone on the team must adapt, including the leader, so that your team benefits from the best of each member. Your team will not be the best that it can be if everyone adapts to a single individual...Remember that the sacrifice is worth the reward because teams can accomplish things that no individual could ever accomplish alone.
  

• The way you practice will determine the way you play...I do believe that strong relationships are the foundation for great teams and that team bonding is essential...Players improve individually when internal competition is created during practice.

• The practice plan is a living thing; it is fluid and ever-changing. But writing out the plan beforehand is a step I always take. I cant ask my players to be prepared to improve and to pursue our goal if I am not prepared.

• I love practice. It is when a coach exercises the most control over the improvement of his or her team.

• I constantly told our team...We are not going to let them run plays. We want to force them to make plays. If we could disrupt their system, we could reduce them to a group of individuals on the court as opposed to a team.

• On our team, there were two things that we talked about every single day; the gold medal and defense, our goal and our competitive edge.

• I do believe that strong relationships are the foundation for great teams and that team bonding is essential.

• Just as a team gets better as a whole in the face of competition, players improve individually when internal competition is created during practice.

• My goal was to seek out at least three guys at each practice and try to have a personal interaction with them...a leader wants all members of a team to feel included and invested all the time.

• I also try to think about which players I may want to single out for personal interaction, whether it be on the bus, while the players are getting taped and lacing up their shoes, during practice itself, or while they are working on individual shooting at the end.

• Part of what makes practices successful is attention to detail and respect for the opponent.

• I always tried to explain to the players their roles on the team, roles that were always revolving...when you give time to a person and explain their ever-revolving role, it makes them feel good. It is a reminder to them that their role is important enough to warrant explanation.
  

12 Simple Yet Significant Daily To Do List For Leaders

I received a to-do list for leaders from Steve Smiley, Head Men's Basketball Coach and Athletic Director from Sheridan College.

Coach Smiley also played point guard for Coach Don Meyer at Northern State and also wrote a book about playing for Coach Meyer.

1. Be the Hardest Worker at Practice Today: Without fail, one of the quickest ways to impact a team is with your work ethic. Choose to be one of the hardest workers on your team today. Not only does it set the tome for the work ethic of your program, it is also one of the best and quickest ways to enhance your leadership credibility with your teammates and coaches.

2. Be a Spark of Energy and Enthusiasm Today: Let your passion for the sport shine through today. Spread a contagious energy and enthusiasm amongst your teammates. Think about how lucky you are to be able to play and compete. Remember back to when you were a young child and reconnect with the joy you played with back then. Make your sport fun again for yourself and your teammates.

3. Model Mental Toughness Today: Because your teammates will look to you under pressure, adversity and stress, be sure to model mental toughness today. Bounce back quickly after errors to show your teammates how to respond to negative situations. Maintain your poise and optimism despite any mistakes you might make so that your teammates can trust and rely on you to get them through the tough times.

4. Connect With a Teammate Today: Leadership is all about relationships. Invest the time to build and strengthen the relationships you have with each of your teammates. Inquire about their day, challenges and goals. Make a special and ongoing effort to get to know every athlete on your team, not just your friends and classmates. The relationship building you do each day will pay off immeasurably down the road.

5. Compliment a Teammate Today: Be on the lookout for teammates who are contributing to your team. Call out a teammate for making a hustle play, pushing through a weight workout, recovering quickly from a mistake, getting an A on an exam, etc. Praise the actions and attitudes you want to see repeated. As Mother Teresa once said, Kind words are short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless.

6. Challenge a Teammate Today: Challenge at least one of your teammates today. Positively push them and yourself to make the most of your workout. Make a friendly wager to see if they can be successful at least 4 out of 5 times in a drill. See if you both can improve your times in conditioning. Offer to stay after to help if there is anything they want to work on. Good leaders consistently invite, inspire, and sometimes implore others to greatness.

7. Support a Teammate Today: Odds are, at least one of your teammates is struggling with something today - it could be a performance slump, with a coach, an unglamorous role, struggling with a class, or a sick family member. Good leaders are consistently on the lookout for teammates who might be struggling and are ready to offer an ear to listen, an encouraging word, a pat on the back, or a shoulder to cry on.

8. Constructively Confront Negativity, Pessimism, and Laziness Today: As a leader, have the courage to constructively confront the negativity, pessimism, and laziness that will crop up on your team from time to time. Instead of fueling the fire by joining in or silently standing by, be sure to refocus your teammates on solutions rather than dwelling on and complaining about the problems. Left unchecked, these problems can quickly grow to distract, divide and destroy your team.

9. Build and Bond Your Team Today: Team chemistry naturally ebbs and flows throughout the course of the season. Take the time to monitor and maintain your teams chemistry. Let your reserves and support staff know how much you appreciate them. Stay connected and current with each of the natural sub-groups on your team. Douse any brush fires that might be occurring and continually remind team members about your common goal and common bond.

10. Check In With Your Coach Today: Invest the time to check in with your coach today. Ask what you can do to best help the team this week. Find out what your coach wants to accomplish with today's practice. Also discuss if there is anything your coach is concerned about regarding your team. Discuss your collective insights on your teams chemistry, focus and mindset. Work together to effective co-lead your team.

11. Remind Your Team How Today's Work Leads To Tomorrows Dreams: It is easy to get bogged down during your season with monotonous drills, tiring conditioning, and demanding workouts. Remind your teammates how all the quality work you do today gives you a distinct advantage over your opponents. Help them see and even get excited about how today's hard work is a long-term investment in your teams goals, rather than just a short-term hardship or sacrifice.

12. Represent Yourself and Your Team With Class and Pride Today: Leaders have the awesome privilege and responsibility of representing their teams. Take advantage of this opportunity by representing your team with class and pride today. Hold an open door for someone, sit in the front rows of class and actively engage in the discussion, say please and thank you, dress in respectful attire, etc. These tiny pushes represent you and your team with class and distinction. And they ultimately set you up for a lifetime of respect and success.

How Does One Define Toughness In Basketball?

The Michigan State Spartans are one of my favorite teams to watch on the college basketball scene. Coach Tom Izzo teaches the game the right way. His teams define the word TOUGHNESS.

You have doubtless heard, countless times about a coach preaching TOUGHNESS to his team. A team or player needs to be tougher, or their TOUGHNESS is being questioned.

Are coaches talking about the Chuck Norris toughness? Do they mean Jack Youngblood playing on a broken leg in the NFL playoffs? Are they referring to Ronnie Lott having his finger amputated so he could play in a football game? Or is it Randall TEX Cobb taking a bloody beating in the ring but never going down on the canvas?

What exactly is TOUGHNESS in the context of basketball? In the Gonzaga - Tennessee game this past year, while the Volunteers are bending over at the waist, Gonzagas 7-foot-5 Will Foster dove on the floor for a loose ball, secured the ball and passed it out. Gonzaga got a lay-up and a foul in transition on the other end. Gonzaga went to overtime and won. Without Fosters TOUGHNESS play, the Zags go home with a loss.

Here are just a few examples of how you can demonstrate true TOUGHNESS in basketball:

• Going after rebounds with both hands.
• Stepping to the line and knocking down pressure free throws, especially when tired.
• Talking on defense and letting your teammates know that you are there in case they get beat.
• Bump and stand up a cutter.
• Close out to a shooter under control.
• Sticking with your teams defensive principles, and doing it under pressure.
• Having a sense of urgency to stop the other team from scoring, not just your man.
• Getting on the floor for a loose ball.
• Taking a charge.
• Getting down in a stance and staying there
• Finishing plays.
• Setting up your man and making hard cuts.
• Getting your teammates together and keeping them together on the road.
• Not allowing yourself to be screened.
• Moving on to the next play, and displaying positive body language to give confidence to your teammates.
• Sprinting in transition, both on offense and back on defense.
• Filling your tank on the defensive end, and not the offensive end.
• Putting a body on someone.
• Jumping to the ball and taking away the ball side of the cut.
• Catching and facing the defense against pressure, not catching and dribbling.
• Blocking out on Free Throw situations every time.
• Taking good shots, and having the judgment to pass up challenged ones.

TOUGHNESS isn't just about being physical. It is far more than that. It is mental and physical discipline under pressure, to do the right thing every time!!!

Six Keys to Quality Shooting Work

Working on your game is not an easy thing, but below are tips from Boston Celtics assistant coach Kevin Eastman to help you work on your overall practice habits as well as some shooting drills that can help you become an improved shooter.

The general theme of these drills is to work hard and at game speed, while also maintaining form to your shot. Work on these skills and we have no doubt that you will become a better player.

1. Catch & Shoot: Catch and shoot is the best way to start a good shooting workout. It allows you to get a rhythm and work on form with minimal movement. Simply pick a few spots, usually five going around the horn, and shoot ten shots from each spot. Have a rebounder give you good outlet passes and remember that although you're not moving at a rapid pace around the floor, it is important to shoot shots at game speed.

2. Cut - Catch - Shoot: Now that you have a good sweat and rhythm going, it is time to move to cut-catch-shoot. In this drill you will need a passer at the top of the key to give you the entry pass. Start foul line extended and use a V-cut (running to the low block and cutting back out towards the wing) to get yourself open. Remember to set the defender up when making the V. You want to walk the defender down to the low block, then quickly cut back out. After receiving the entry pass, square up and shoot your shot. Do this drill on both sides of the court at game speed.

3. Shots off the Dribble: This drill is similar to #2, but this time after catching the entry pass, take a few dribbles right and pull up for your shot, then repeat going to the left. As always, make sure you go game speed.

4. Perfect the Form on all Shooting Drills: Another key to a good shooting workout is using proper form on each drill. That's why we want to go game speed, so we are used to using perfect form in game conditions. If you don't go at game speed, when you do get into a game, your form will be off.

5. Contest all Shots: These drills will be much more productive if you can find a partner to contest your shots. In game situations, you most likely will have a hand in your face when you shoot, so practicing that way will allow you to adjust to game situations. If you cant find a partner, use a chair or trashcan to shoot behind.

6. Game Shots From Game Spots At Game Speed: Game speed has been a theme throughout this workout plan. Practicing at game speed is vital to your workout regimen. If you don't work on game situations at the same speed as you would in a game, then your practice will not translate to games, and you are basically wasting your time.

Coach Eastman has a basketball web-site and is full of great information. Check out his clinic called Coaching U Live, that is held in Las Vegas, July 20 & 21. A must for the basketball coaching junkie...

Sean Miller and his 5 Keys to Winning Road Games

I was reading an article in the Arizona Basketball newsletter that Coach Sean Miller puts out. Coach Miller talks about key to winning games on the road. I think Coach Miller is one of the top coaches in the country.

I started following Coach Miller when he began his head coaching career at Xavier. You might remember he was the young kid doing 2,3 and 4 ball dribbling drills on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

If you are interested in a great basketball newsletter, contact Ryan Reynolds in the basketball office at the U of A and he will get you on the list.

Knowing that they have many tough road games on their schedule, here is what Coach Miller's 5 keys to winning on the road:


1. BE A FAMILY!

Develop trust in each other, the staff and the system. Work together to win as a team.

2. BE A PLAY MAKER!

Always play to win - do not play not to lose. Be aggressive in your approach. What do you have to lose?

3. WORK HARD AND CONCENTRATE!

Be willing to prepare to win. Know the scouting report and your teams game plan. How can you win when you don't know what you are doing?

4. SILENCE THE CROWD!

Enjoy the atmosphere and the challenge of doing it. There is nothing more fun than winning on the road. Have fun doing it.

5. BETTER THAN ANYONE!

To win on the road, you must Defend, Rebound and Communicate at the highest level.

BE ROAD WARRIORS!!!

Lou Holtz - 10 Keys to Excellence

1. The Power of Attitude:

The attitude you choose to assume toward life and everything it brings you will determine whether you realize your aspirations. What you are capable of achieving is determined by your talent and ability. What you attempt to do is determined by your motivation. How well you do something is determined by your attitude.

2. Tackle Adversity:

You are going to be knocked down. I have been on top and I have been on the bottom. To achieve success, you are going to have to solve problems. If you react positively to them, you will be stronger than ever. If you react to setbacks more quickly and positively, you gain a distinct advantage. I have never encountered a person who achieved anything worthwhile that did not require overcoming obstacles.

3. Have a Sense of Purpose:

Understand what you are trying to do. Stay completely focused on your primary purpose. Do not get sidetracked. Give a first rate performance every day.

4. Make Sacrifices:

You can not be successful without making sacrifices. Most losing organizations are overpopulated with people who constantly complain about life and their difficulties. They will drain your enthusiasm and energy. Take pride in making sacrifices and having self - discipline.

5. Adapt or Die:

Things are always changing, so embrace the fact that your life and career are always in transition. Yes, you will achieve goals, but do not fall into the trap of not thinking you do not need to go further. Even when you reach the top, remember to stay focused on the fundamentals.

6. Chase Your Dreams:

All great accomplishments start with a dream. Dreams fuel your enthusiasm and your vision. They will give you the burning desire to get up and achieve.

7. Nurture Your Self-Image:

A positive self-image grows out of having strong character. To be trustworthy, committed to excellence and to show care for others are the underpinnings of a successful person.

8. Foster Trust:

Relationships are based on trust. Many people have ruined tremendous opportunity because they did not have the discipline and decency to do what is right. Continually ask yourself, Is this the right thing to do? Do what you feel is right regardless of peer pressure or personal desires. Success and confidence will follow close behind.

9. Commit to Excellence:

Do everything to the best of your ability. Everyone wants to be associated with people who set and maintain high standards. When you lower your standards, you only invite mediocrity.

10. Handle With Care:

Treat others as you would like to be treated.