Get Organised This Season

One area of basketball coaching I’ve noticed a big improvement from coaches on in recent years is in daily organization.

Whenever I want to attend a local practice and reach out to a coach, more times than not I receive that coach’s entire season schedule broken down by day. There are practice or game times on it, bus times (for away games), special events, in which gym them are playing and if they are practicing with the junior varsity teams or not.

It seems like a simple concept but one that is critical for the first day of practice for your players.

I saw Dave Thorson speak a couple years ago and he mentioned this as well. I mentioned Thorson in this space in April. He’s won six straight 3A state titles in Minnesota while coaching De La Salle (Minneapolis). "I didn’t understand this as a young coach but I do now. At the start of the season - be organized. Hand them something at the start of the season with a practice schedule, game schedule and travel expectations," he said.

"Do it now so you aren’t dealing with it later. It saves you headaches and questions."

While you may not know exact times and gym spaces straight away, talk to your athletic director about squaring away these details as early as possible.

And, at least get a schedule grid set up for you to fill in as details become available.