GOLD STANDARD COACHING - @CoachLok

From Championship Productions web page: Ray Lokar's Fundamentals Factory for Youth Basketball with Ray Lokar ("Coach Lok"), 30+ year basketball coach at the youth, high school and college levels; Positive Coaching Alliance/Stanford University - Lead Trainer; Director - Basketball4All,net Editor - Basketball-tips.com Ray Lokar presents his "Fundamentals Factory," a place where developing basketball players go to build their game in a competitive, fun environment! Coach Lok simplifies the fundamentals of basketball, highlights the key points, and leads the demonstration of fun and effective drills, competitive contests, and short-sided games to benefit any youth basketball team. Prepare to encounter fresh and innovative concepts and insightful teaching points from a basketball coaching veteran that will help you improve all of your players, on both sides of the ball, in all areas. Learn about: The "Golden Triangle" The ball-man-line Why you need "yo...

Has there ever been a team covered with as much scrutiny at the beginning of a season than the Miami Heat has at the dawn of the 2010-11 NBA season? I would only say... be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. The scrutiny has been brought on by their actions and now that they've made their own bed, they must lie in it. So is it justified? Lebron has been set up for this scrutiny since high school, some he brought on himself, some of it no fault of his own. The national media exposure (TV games, books, documentaries, etc) was not his fault, although those around him allowed it to happen and benefitted from it is well. However Lebron contributed to it as well as he embraced the MJ comparisons while saying he wanted to be "a global icon." That will turn up the expectations, across the board, for sure. At that point you better play, and act, accordingly. Jordan was the first real global basketball player and in such made the largest impact on the game today. LB...

A good friend of mine on Twitter is Clarence Gaines, a former scout and front office exec with the Bulls in their heyday. Clarence also the son of Clarence "Big House" Gaines , Hall of Fame coach at Winston-Salem. @cgrock24 , as he is known on Twitter, offers some great insight on the book "Play Their Hearts out" by George Dohrmann. @cgrock24 said: "Finished "Play Their Hearts out" by @georgedohrmann What can be gained by reading this book? If you're a parent of a talented basketball player, it's a must read. You'll learn a lot about the pitfalls of youth basketball and the importance of shepherding your child through this maze of deceit, corruption and confusion. Hopefully, readers will understand the folly that is grassroots basketball and how it's not a necessity in the middle or early high school years to expose your child to the endless stream of games that are a part of travel team basketball." ...read the rest here

When I used to coach my daughters youth team , we ran a 5 out offense with alot of give & gos, pick and rolls, and backdoor cuts. I used an interesting teaching technique with this young team that provided a nice visual guideline for spacing. To teach them proper positioning and spacing I put 5 "hula hoops" on the floor (point, 2 wings, and 2 short corners) and made a girl stand in each one. The object would be to have the hoops next to the ball filled at all times.The girl with the ball would pass and then cut to the basket, looking for a give & go, thus leaving her "hula hoop" open. The player closest to that open hoop must v-cut and fill that hoop, leaving her hoop open. The player next to an open hoop must fill that hoop. Eventually the 1st cutter ends up filling an open hoop in the weakside short corner. All the players have to do is look around for the closest "open hula hoop". If you have a cutter that is especially adept at inside play, ...

This is a great podcast featuring Jim Thompson, who talks with NBA coaching great and Positive Coaching Alliance National Spokesperson Phil Jackson, who shares his insights on how to build a true community within teams, finding voice for star players while encouraging role players to embrace their vital place on any successful team. Phil also shares his philosophy on balancing talent versus effort, the role of rivalries to motivate teams, and how to extend the lessons of sports beyond the court. You can download the podcast or the transcript of the interview here:

( That's S ide l ine O ut-of- B ounds ) It's always a good idea to keep a pad & pencil handy when watching a game. As I was cleaning out my desk, I came across an old pad of paper. Here's a Sideline Out-of Bounds play I jotted down while watching the Spurs this past season. They are one of the best teams in the NBA with Special Situations after time-outs.

I remember a comic strip, I think it was Frank & Ernest, where one of them was praying and said "God,how long is a million years? "A voice from above said, "To me, it’s about a minute." The man asked, "God,how much is a million dollars? "The voice bellowed, "To me, its a penny. "In the next frame the man smiled and asked, "God, can I have a penny? "God answered, "In a minute." I think of this all the times when something doesn't seem to be happening on MY schedule or as fast as I want it to. In the coaching profession so many coaches are looking for that next job, or how to "move up". Life's not always on OUR schedule. Keep working. Do the right thing. Make the big time wherever you are. Be patient. Have faith. An often overlooked feature of John Wooden's Pyramid of Success are the sides of the Pyramid - which is the mortar that holds the 15 blocks together. Notice the mortar at the top of the Pyrami...

People all around the world have different lives, different, jobs, different cars, different homes - but we all have one thing the same and that is TIME. Every day- everyone has the same amount of time. 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day. 86,400 seconds. How those 86.400 seconds are used often defines ou lives. Now, one of Coach Wooden's most famous quotes is, "Don't mistake activity for achievement." Many folks get caught up in going, going, going and "appear" really busy. Often times those people are in a a hurry - and we all know to "Be Quick - but Don't Hurry" . I See people rushing around all the time because they are in one of two extremes. They either lack planning or preparation and "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." At times they are at the other extreme where they micro-manage and work far harder than they need to. The key is to work smarter , and that often involves organization. So...

Need a summer improvement program? Do mine w/me in honor of Coach John Wooden. Pick up a copy of Coach Wooden:One-on-One . It's a 60-day devotional reading. Each day starts with a 1-page Guiding Principle presented by Coach Wooden and a supporting scripture from the Good Book Coach drank most deeply from. A former UCLA assistant, and co-author of the book, Jay Carty then presents a 1-page message. I hope it will be a discussion starter for the rest of each day on how it impacts our coaching, our daily lives, and what we can do better. Beginning Saturday July 3rd I will start every day at 6 AM PST and Tweet the subject and the scripture Coach & Jay have chosen, maybe followed by a commment/question. ( you can follow me at http://www.twitter.com/CoachLok ) I'll create a list of everyone contributing so you could follow the list too. If we "hashtag" each "tweet" with #JW1on1 it will create a searchable database of related posts. The rest is up to us.

If you haven't picked up a Los Angeles Times today (6/13/10) you are missing out on a great John Wooden commemorative section. Take a look. The life of John Wooden, 1910 - 2010 - More The Indianapolis Star Galleries View this gallery at The Indianapolis Star: The life of John Wooden, 1910 - 2010

The early Years Martinsville, and a star forms Nell, Purdue, and a coaching career begins South Bend, pro basketball, and the war Indiana State, breaking the racial barrier and farewell

At almost every speaking engagement I have I find myself asking the room full of coaches, "are their any John Wooden fans in the room?" Invariably I'm shocked that everyones hand does not skyrocket upward immediately. In the years that number is dwindling. I'm hoping that with Coach's passing, younger coaches will be called to do some research into the best coach of all-time, in any sport. You can start with this reading list of books by, and about, Coach John Wooden. A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentoring Adventure Underground (Inch and Miles) D2 Children's book Be Quick But Don't Hurry Coach Wooden One on One: Inspiring Conversations on Purpose, Passion and the Pursuit of Success Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success: Building Blocks For a Better Life Coach Woodens Leadership Game Plan for Success:12 Lessons for Extraordinary Performance & Personal Excellence Fiesta - Children's book Heroes of Beesville - Children's book Inch and Mi...

FoxSports West has a nice compilation of articles, videos, and galleries you can view here, with the topics below John Wooden's legacy has been a great weight on his successors - LA Times Video: Wooden: Much more than just a coach Above all else, John Wooden's selflessness stands out - LA Times Denny Crum: He Was My Coach, Mentor, Brother, Father... Dan Guerrero: Remember His Humility, His Integrity Dick Enberg: Wooden's Greatness Exceeded by His Goodness Video: The Wizard preached loved and patience Video: Stars stand in awe of the legendary coach Wooden John Wooden was a man of his time, and for all time John Wooden was a man of his time, and for all time - LA Times Readers pay tribute to John Wooden - LA Times John Wooden's championship years at UCLA - LA Times Mark Kreigel: Integrity R.I.P. Bill Walton: Coach Made the World a Better Place John Wooden was an icon to ex-Mavericks assistant Del Harris A blue streak: When UCLA won 88 consecutive games - LA Times Woode...

What a Coach Can Teach a Teacher

I ran into Ernie Vanderwegh, Kiki's father, at a basketball camp a while back and mentioned to him that I had wanted to send a message to Coach Wooden for quite a while and he encouraged me to do so. I was always concerned with the time Coach spent on matters such as this and felt needed to have some time to himself just to concentrate on his declining health. I never sent that message that would have been one of hundreds like my own - although now I suspect he knows the draft has been on my computer for some time. This is the Wooden I grew up with, giving instruction, with rolled up program, to players listening intently in a huddle - and the team then proceeding to execute to perfection. I graduated from an L.A. area high school in 1976 (go ahead - do the math), so my entire basketball youth was during the string of UCLA championships from '64-'75. The first basketball game I remember seeing on TV was a televised Bruin game from the Astrodome when UCA took on Elvin Haye...

Here is a new feature that should be interesting. From time to time I'll scan some old hoop notes and post them. One - it will be fun to share and two - it will force me to go over some of my old stuff. If you've been coaching for a while you probably have a veritable clinic in your file cabinet. Take out a folder now and then and "re-learn" Alvin Gentry Conditioners (from Self-Improvement Clinic, 1987) If you have any questions about the individual drills go ahead and comment and I'll explain.

Zone defenses, at times, are our biggest nightmare. I heard Larry Brown (College and NBA Head Coach) once say that when he plays a zone defense he feels the other team will make EVERY outside shot, and when the opponent plays a zone he thinks his team will NEVER make an outside shot. I feel the same way sometimes. Players need to understand WHY they are attacking a zone in a particular way. Concentrate on the SKILLS of the game, not just SYSTEMS. Understand these "principles" not just running "the play". A good grasp of some of the following zone offensive "habits" will put your mind at ease. A little bit. To start your zone offense it is a good idea to get in a "GAP ALIGNMENT". Against an even front zone (2-1-2, or 2-3) get in an odd front set (1-3-1,1-2-2 or 1-4). Against an odd front zone, get in an even front set. This is to make two defenders think about which one should guard you. If a defender is in a direct line between you and the baske...

Players should Respect Themselves by living up to their high standards of performance & behavior-even when others aren't http://is.gd/ck6Gq Sat May 22 07:12:28 via TweetDeck Ray Lokar CoachLok

Here is a new feature that should be interesting. From time to time I'll scan some old hoop notes and post them. One - it will be fun to share and two - it will force me to go over some of my old stuff. If you've been coaching for a while you probably have a veritable clinic in your file cabinet. Take out a folder now and then and "re-learn" INDIVIDUAL PERMITER WORKOUT If you have any questions about the individual drills go ahead and comment and I'll explain.

I'll admit it - I'm a "Survivor" junkie. First of all, I'm a sucker for any kind of competition, and the team and physical challenges are usually pretty creative and typically quite grueling. As exciting as the challenges are the group dynamics and social interaction is just as intriguing. Plus - there's always a "basketball type" challenge every season. The fact that you compete against a group that determines who might be sent home then have to decide who to vote off all while creating alliances that could help you now - or later in the game. Winning individual challenges down the stretch gives survivors immunity from being voted out during crucial "Tribal Councils." The irony is that the competitors that you vote to send home are also the ones that sit on a jury that decides the ultimate winner. While some players resort to lying or going back on their word during a vote to advance in the game, the trend has been for the jury is to vote ...

Here is a new feature that should be interesting. From time to time I'll scan some old hoop notes and post them. One - it will be fun to share and two - it will force me to go over some of my old stuff. If you've been coaching for a while you probably have a veritable clinic in your file cabinet. Take out a folder now and then and "re-learn" INDIVIDUAL POST WORKOUT If you have any questions about the individual drills go ahead and comment and I'll explain.

Just like fashions and furnishings, certain basketball strategies travel in cycles and make a comeback every now and then. In the 60`s the Boston Celtics (and even the Harlem Globetrotters) made the dribble weave a very popular offense. With the advent of the passing game dribbling was discouraged and the weave went by the wayside. When defenses started to really pressure passes, dribble penetration became a major strategy again - hence the return of the dribble weave and the importance of the Dribble Handoff. Dribble Handoffs (DHO`s) when properly executed, are very similar to the pick and roll. The major difference is that the "pick" is essentially being executed by the player with the ball. What makes this most effective is how do you call an "illegal screen" on the player with the ball? When the DHO is executed correctly, and most effectively, the dribbler should dribble directly at the defender of his teammate who will receive the handoff. While that is happ...

"Be aggressive. you make a couple mistakes - that's fine... just be agressive!"

Athletes - are we seeing the "ME" you want us to see? http://chir.ps/4SY less than a minute ago via TweetDeck Ray Lokar CoachLok

The will to prepare is more important than the will to win.- - Bob Knight The following practice structure chart helps the coach cover the all aspects of the game and ensures that they are emphasized accordingly. Listed in columns are things that we do every day, every other day, skills and strategies that are covered weekly, or just occasionally. What the drills are, specifically, isn't as important as having your favorite drills organized in a similar way. Using a daily practice plan ensures that you’ll be prepared throughout practice. I like something simple with a place to draw diagrams if necessary. Try to adhere to the time as much as possible. Avoid going too long on a drill in an attempt to “get it right”. Sometimes going longer actually makes it worse. At times it’s better to just move on to the next item and come back to the next practice. I’d make a seasons worth of copies, with this Daily Practice Structure on the back. Looking at them in a 3-Ring binder, I’\d have ...

I was watching as an eliminated American Idol contestant in tears says," I don't understand how you could do great, do nothing wrong, and still get let down-I did everything I could" Obviously the poor 16-year old kid (who was a very talented singer) never played sports. One of the lessons you learn in sports, over and over again, is that it is possible to work really hard, do your very best, be proud of your performance, yet end up disappointed in the result. Not all of the valuable lessons are "rainbows and unicorns" and some of the toughest ones are the most valuable ones. Allowing young kids to lose and fail in sports prepares them to deal with disappointments in life later. While counter-intuitive to most parents, protecting our kids from failure is robbing them of the opportunity to learn this lesson.

Change of pace...change of direction....change the rhythm of your dribble - and get wherever you want to go on the basketball court. My oldest son was very good at this and used angles to get into the lane at will versus some very good defenders. I particularly remember a fairly one-sided matchup between him and a pretty athletic looking defender. After a number of penetrating drives leading to baskets or assists the other coach yelled, "LOOK AT HIM! ... LOOK AT YOU! ... HOW?!?" Change of pace...change of direction....change the rhythm of your dribble ... Thats how!

I don't believe in Quantum Physics when it comes to matters of basketball. While reading - think "Crash Davis " in Bull Durham (remember - Bull Durham comes with an "R" rating.) BAKETBALL BELIEFS I believe in the basketball. I believe in running the floor, the first open man, the ball reversal, the open shot, the jump stop, and the pivot foot. I believe in setting screens, using screens, dribbling for a reason, good passing angles, being "shot-ready" and catching passes with two hands. I believe in spacing, court vision, the"assist/turnover ratio", and the concept of "relative motion". I believe that there oughtta be a constitutional amendment outlawing the dunk and the hand-check. I believe in a good, defensive stance, pressure on the basketball, influencing to the sideline, preventing penetration, fronting the post in the "red-zone" and playing behind in the "smile". I believe in the "ball-man-line",...

We ran this against all Odd Front zones (3-2, 1-2-2, 1-3-1) I've found out that the best attack was also the simplest. Here goes: 2 post players at the block-who may flash a step or two when the ball is at the diagonal guard - no farther. 2 guards in a 2 guard front who should not move more than a step or two. Be a threat to shoot off the catch I always told them that "the second best thing that can happen in this offense is that you are guarded!" Your best player (read "smartest") goes WHEREVER HE SHOULD, basically - "go where they ain't", and the other players need to FIND HIM. The runner needs to go to the wing, corner, flash in the middle, wherever he needs to go to get open - but KEEP MOVING! The players just need to be in tune with the runner and at least every 3rd pass should find him (or her). He should be a threat to score, but maybe having good vision, being a good passer, and knowing WHERE to go is more important. Often times the ...

In light of the 170-35 blow-out victory by Yates High School over Lee High School in Houston, I though I'd repost a newsletter topic I wrote first back in 2004 , with a few additions/edits. Coaches should try to schedule games against teams that will present somewhat of a challenge. While padding the schedule with wins may seem attractive, playing teams of inferior talent will actually hinder a teams development. However, many times in preseason tournaments obvious mismatches between two teams occur or a league may be set up where you have to play someone far inferior. The tough thing for coaches in this situation is figuring out a way for their team to get everything out of the game that they can, without humiliating the opponent. Coaches, in the 1st half - do your thing, play your game, anything goes. If the lead starts to get real big, your regulars may not be benefiting anyway, so play your substitutes a little more. Mix up some lineups and play a couple of subs with the start...