Questions From Subscribers...

That's a tough question. The answer is probably a couple books worth of typing, but I'll give you a few thoughts to ponder:

- First, I would celebrate small successes because you won't be able to perform miracles and start winning overnight. You can set small goals. So for example, let’s say your team was out rebounded last game. For future games, set a goal to out rebound the other team by 3. When you reach the goal, celebrate the success. Praise your players and help them feel good about their accomplishments.

You can also start tracking shooting percentage during practice. Show your players how they have improved as the season progresses. You can even show players how the games are getting closer and point margin is getting smaller. That means you’re getting better.

Not everyone can win, so it's important to set small goals and keep improving every day.

If you're players can see how they are improving, they will feel about themselves and stay motivated. Your ultimate goal takes hundreds of small accomplishments. Have fun and enjoy those accomplishments along the way.

- There are more important things than winning, especially with young kids like 7th graders. You might want to have a meeting with the parents and tell them your plan. Tell them you plan to teach the fundamentals and not worry about winning right now, because that's what is best for the players in the long run. You are trying to build their skills for the future. That’s what a good coach would do. Stan Van Gundy took a year off from the NBA to coach his son. He said they were doing great but they didn’t win a game. The other teams pressed and played zone. But Van Gundy’s team worked on fundamentals and situational basketball to prepare these kids for the future. He wasn’t concerned with winning. He was concerned with teaching fundamentals.

Share your small goals with the parents. Set some goals like: reducing turn over margins, improving shooting percentage, improving rebound margins. Set goals that are attainable.

- Pick up our new defense ebook/system that will be released on Thursday. It addresses many of the issues you face when playing bigger and faster players. The nice thing about defense is that 90% of defense is balance, positioning, and intensity. Notice that quickness and size is not one of them. Slow players can get quicker by using good fundamentals. This book will definitely help you.

Keep practicing the fundamentals:
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/fundamentals/basketballfundamentals.html

Keep it simple. Pick a couple things to get really good at. My favorite things to emphasize are:

- Great man-to-man defense
- Great rebounding
- Taking care of the ball and limiting turnovers
- Team work

If you can get really good in those areas, I promise you'll start giving the other teams a run for the money.

Basketball is about shooting percentages and number of possessions. The things I listed above will get you MANY more possessions and help win games.

Even offensive rebounding will improve your shooting percentage because many of those rebounds are tip-ins close to the basket.

I hope this helps and good luck.

Jeff Haefner
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com

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