Category: For Coaches

One of the toughest parts about sports are injuries. In a perfect world, no one would ever get injured but let’s be real, it’s a big part in sports today. In time of injuries, there are two options one can choose from:

1. Feel sorry for themself and do nothing
2. Embrace it and do everything they can to better the situation.

My advice would be to embrace it and control only the things you can control. When having a positive attitude during your time of an injury, can refocus your mind and make your time sitting out go a lot faster.

Just how you give 100% effort on the court, you must give the same energy in your rehab and recovery. Effective rehab leads to better and faster healing time to get back on the court. Eating right and making healthy decisions are also important during this time.

Even though it is tough, attitude plays a big part in the rehab process. Every day it’s a grind to rehab and sit out from practice and games. Even when you don’t feel like it, the best thing you can do during this time of sitting out is to challenge your mind. All Summer and preseason you get to train your body and work on your game physically. Use this time sitting out to watch game film, study plays, scout other teams and help yourself and teammates understand the game better from a different perspective.

In my playing career I’ve suffered two major injuries. A bone chip in my knee after my freshman year in college. This sidelined me for 7 months and missing a pivotal summer to progress and prove myself to my coaches. Another injury I had was an orbital bone fracture in my left eye during my junior season of my college career. This forced me to redshirt and miss the rest of the season. Both times during my injury I was upset and frustrated but I was given the same advice I just stated earlier. Remain patient, control what I can control and work on my mental state during this time.

Returning from both injuries, my stats, leadership, work ethic and role all increased because of how invested I was to my rehab, commitment to the team and to coming back stronger. So if going through an injury and having to miss time on the court, remember to use this time to work on areas of your game that you can control. Rehab to the best of your ability and become mentally strong through a tough time so when you do return, you’re better than ever.

Kellon Thomas

Just Hoops Coach and Professional Basketball Player

Respect Yourself and Others
There is no such thing as self-respect without respect for others.
Individual success is a myth. No one succeeds all by themselves.
People who do not respect those around them will not make good team members and
probably lack self-esteem themselves.
When you ask yourself, “Do I deserve to succeed?”, make sure the answer is yes.

Take Full Responsibility
There are no shortcuts to success.
You can’t assume larger responsibility without taking responsibility for the small things, too.
Being responsible sometimes means making tough, unpopular decisions.
Admit to and make yourself accountable for mistakes. How can you improve if you’re
never wrong?

Develop and Demonstrate Loyalty
Loyalty is not unilateral. You have to give it to receive it.
The family business model is a successful one because it fosters loyalty and trust.
Surround yourself with people who are better than you are. Seek out quality people,
acknowledge their talents, and let them do their jobs. You win with people.

Learn to Be a Great Communicator
Communication eliminates mistakes.
Listening is crucial to good communication.
We communicate all the time, even when we don’t realize it. Be aware of body language.
Make good eye contact.
Silence is a form of communication, too. Sometimes less is more.

Discipline Yourself So No One Else Has To
Self-discipline helps you believe in yourself.
Group discipline produces a unified effort toward a common goal.
When disciplining others, be fair, be firm, be consistent.
Discipline helps you finish a job, and finishing is what separates excellent work from
average work.

Make Hard Work Your Passion
Do the things that aren’t fun first, and do them well.
Plan your work, and work your plan.
See yourself as self-employed.

Don’t Just Work Hard, Work Smart
Success is about having the right person, in the right place, at the right time.
Know your strengths, weaknesses, and needs.
When you understand yourself and those around you, you are better able to minimize
weaknesses and maximize strengths. Personality profiles help.

Put the Team Before Yourself
Teamwork doesn’t come naturally. It must be taught.
Teamwork allows common people to obtain uncommon results.
Not everyone is born to lead. Role players are critical to group success.
In group success there is individual success.

Make Winning an Attitude
Combine practice with belief.
Attitude is a choice. Maintain a positive outlook.
No one ever got anywhere by being negative.
Confidence is what happens when you’ve done the hard work that entitles you to succeed.

Be a Competitor
Competition isn’t social. It separates achievers from the average.
You can’t always be the most talented person in the room, but you can be the most competitive.
Influence your opponent: By being competitive you can affect how your adversary performs.
There is nothing wrong with having competitive instincts. They are survival instincts.

Change Is a Must
It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts the most.
Change equals self-improvement. Push yourself to places you haven’t been before.
Take risks. You can’t steal second base with your foot on first.

Handle Success Like You Handle Failure
You can’t always control what happens, but you can control how you handle it.
Sometimes you learn more from losing than winning. Losing forces you to reexamine.
It’s harder to stay on top than it is to make the climb. Continue to seek new goals.

Coach Summitt won 1,098 games with a 84.0 career winning percentage. Every player who completed her eligibility between 1976 and 2011 appeared in at least one Final Four. But most importantly, every player who entered the program and completed her eligiblity across Summitt’s 38-year career earned a degree.

To learn more about the career & lasting legacy of Coach Summitt: http://www.patsummitt.org/our_role/pats_story/pats_definite_dozen.aspx

Are you looking to help improve the arc of your shot? Shooting with a low set point will result in a flat, line-drive shot. Players must understand how lifting the basketball to their proper set point will dictate their arc
Three Quality Teaching Points that Players Must Answer Yes to:

1. Does their elbow clear their shoulder?
2. Does their thumb clear their forehead?
3. Can they see the rim underneath the ball?