Category: For Coaches

Jadon Haller is a Senior who plays for the Marion Warhawks.  Jadon comes to the gym with a plan every day to work on game-like shots.  You can see his focus on the details of his game in every workout.  Catch and Shoot, Catch off the turn, off the dribble, and more.

He is extremely efficient with every minute, and his consistent effort and hard work can be seen with his improvement.  Even his two brothers, who shoot on adjacent courts, both voted him as the best shooter in the family. We are excited to see Jadon’s senior year, and the leader he will be on his team! 

You made a mistake in a game, what is your next reaction as a player? Do you hang your head, jog back to the other end, complain to the ref, or show frustration (palms to the ceiling, punch the air)? One of the hardest things for any athlete is to move forward and focus on the next right play.

The concept of next play mentality is simple; don’t let one mistake affect how you play for the remainder of the game. If there are 70 possessions in a game, there are going to be a lot of mistakes or lapses, resulting in either a score or a defensive stop. If you commit a turnover on offense, don’t let that one mistake lead to a quick score in transition because you didn’t sprint back on defense. Basketball is unique in the sense that it is a fast paced and continuous game. There is no time to think or worry about the missed shot or bad pass. The difference between a winning and losing effort may come down to who has a better response. Not dwelling on the past but playing in the moment.

There is a time and place to correct and deal with a bad play or possession, but in the middle of the game is not one of them. If it is misunderstanding a play or coverage, wait for a timeout or stoppage in play to regroup and talk to a coach. Postgame, on the car ride home, talk about what you saw or what gave you problems during the game. Even If you’re having an off night, focus on what you can control. Continue to lead with positive body language, communication, effort, and a next play mindset. Relax and play basketball.

I challenge you to see how fast you can move on to the next right play. It’s not about the turnover you committed or the made three to tie the game, what’s next. Watch this clip and notice whether it’s a scoring play or turnover how quickly Michael Jordan transitions back into making winning plays for his team. He scores at the rim, and immediately turns, sprints back on defense to get a steal. When he starts attacking, the ball gets stolen from him. Instead of feeling sorry for himself, he sprints back to prevent an easy layup on the other end. Jordan moves on to the next play. “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

Every team has a leader. Every coach looks for players that know how to lead and that
stands out. One thing some people fail to realize is, you do not have to be the best
player to be the best leader for the team. Leadership comes in many different forms.
Not every leader is the same. However, there are qualities that many leaders do have in
common. Some of these qualities are:

● Always on time
● Accountable
● Hard worker
● Adaptable
● Leading by example

When you talk about leadership, it is a learned skill just like anything else. In order to
lead you must first learn to follow. You have to learn what it takes to succeed, how hard
you have to work, and be able to bring others along with you so you all can be
successful. One thing I have always thought good leaders are is unselfish. They want to
see others progress and do well to complete the overall goal.

Leadership is a process. It is not perfected or learned overnight. Sometimes it takes
failure to reach success. A good leader has experience and knowledge. In order to gain
that experience, they have had to go through trials of not winning but learning from their
mistakes. Being mentally tough is a trait that also allows good leaders to be able to
learn from their mistakes. They do not dwell on the bad, but figure out a way to use it to
their advantage. The way a player can respond to a situation that didn’t go their way,
rather it be a loss or injury, shows their character. When you can respond positively,
and own up to doing whatever you can to help better the situation, then that is showing
growth as a leader.

JD Seago is a 5^th grader at St. Brigid and has been a member at Just Hoops for nearly 2 years.  Although JD had been a part of Just Hoops, it was not until Summer 2020 that he consistently dedicated himself to improving his game. 

You will find JD shooting an hour a day at Just Hoops, as well as taking part in classes and clinics, as he understands he needs to improve all areas of his game to be an effective player.  His improvement mirrors clearly his dedication to getting 1% better each day.  We are proud of the consistent, hard work JD has put forth and are looking forward to more of it as he develops over the years to come.

In the game of basketball as players, we want to be efficient around the basket. The closer we are to the basket the higher percentage the shot. Competitive games are often won or lost by how well a team converts layups and finishes.

Here are 4 keys to finishing around the rim:
1. Eyes Up, Chest Up. Find your target early
2. Don’t avoid contact
3. Two-Hand Pick Ups. Finish with two hands, protecting the ball away from the defense, keeping the ball high and away by the opposite ear.
4. Finish High and Soft using the backboard. Our spot target should be the top ball-side corner, finishing with touch off the backboard. 

How would you define your role on your team? Are you the primary ball handler, spot up shooter, lock down defender, hustle player, or the team leader? Everyone has a role that is extremely valuable in the success of their team. Once you figure out what that role is, it is your responsibility to accept it and embrace it. As a player, owning your role means constantly looking for ways to improve your game, being coachable, and working hard toward your goals. Coaches want players who are disciplined, accountable, and great teammates. There is tremendous value in a player who is always in the right position, who is engaged in the game at all times, and who responds in the right way.

“Do your job.” A phrase used a lot by Coach Holtmann and the coaching staff at Ohio State. These three words, simple, but effective in getting the message across that you should focus on only what you can control and do whatever it takes to help your team win. Doing your job means being prepared for when your name is called, paying attention to the little details and putting the team first. Winning is a result of one side executing better than the other and when everyone on a team is connected, bought-in and understanding of their role, it puts the team in a good position to do just that.

In my experience, I was blessed with the opportunity to be a part of some very successful teams that shared great chemistry and common goals. My role within each team may have changed each year, but the quality of my effort, attitude and confidence stayed the same every time I stepped onto the floor. In high school, having made it to two State Championships my role on the court was significant in being a leader by example, helping my team win whether it was on the offensive or defensive end. At Ohio State, my role had changed. Understanding that now it wasn’t about playing time or scoring, it was more about the experiences and being a part of something bigger than myself. Ranging from pushing the starters around in practice to help prepare them for games to cheering them on from the sidelines whether we were winning or losing. Having positive body language throughout all the ebbs and flows of a season is contagious and is what helped contribute to our success as a team.

In the video above, Geno Auriemma talks about body language and the type of player he looks for on his team. I suggest you watch it and think about how you are impacting your team, not only from a playing aspect but also as a teammate. As the legendary coach John Wooden puts it, “when no one worries about who will receive the credit, far more can be accomplished.”

“I think the biggest thing for young players now is to ask, “why”?”- Kobe Bryant 

This was Kobe’s answer when he was asked about air-balling four shots in a row during overtime in a playoff game. He explained that he asked himself why he air-balled those four shots. The answer to his “why” was “my legs were tired”. He didn’t make excuses like “it wasn’t my day” or “ I just couldn’t shoot  today” , instead he figured out what he needed to improve on. That off-season, Kobe worked on his leg strength and conditioning so that next year he could make those shots. 

The last few weeks you may have participated in tryouts for your school’s basketball team. If you didn’t make the team ask yourself “why?” If you know what your “why” was, you know what you need to work on to improve your chances of making the team next year. If you don’t know what your “why” was I know someone who does… the coach! If you are serious about wanting to make the basketball team next year, ask the coach why you didn’t make the team this year and what you can do to improve. One of the keys to improving is knowing what you need to improve on. You can improve all of your skills, but it is important to improve your weaknesses first. That way your weaknesses can catch up with your strengths. 

Skill development requires a devotion to habits that create precision. Skill is developed through repetition and a blend of learning and reflection. The seed of every habit is a tiny, single decision.

We should be engaging in reflection after a game. By reexamining what occurred during the game once we are outside of it, our workouts acquire an element of intentionality and purposefulness.

It is paramount that players work on specific game movements and positional concepts to enhance their development. Increase the return on your investment by working on shots that most often show up in the games. Watch a game at your age level and evaluate shot selection + quality.

How many shots were stationary off the catch? Off lateral slides rotating on the perimeter? Straight line cuts? Uphill or downhill movements? How many dribbles took place before the shot? How many were assisted vs self-created?

Why invest your off-season workouts to situations + shots that present themselves infrequently?

At Just Hoops, we believe firmly in devoting your time on skills that translate to live play situations. Player have access to our 250 Shot Daily Vitamin tracking sheet so they can make progress in game shots from game spots with individualized precision in mind. The 250 shots are broken down into form shooting, catch + shoot, lateral slides, 1-dribble pull-ups, and free throws. With creating shots off the dribble, we believe the most effective ways to set up your drive is utilizing your shot fake and jabs while attacking a closeout.

Develop a shooting routine that is intentional and work on it consistently. Enter the gym with a plan, be purposeful, and stay committed to the task through the ups and downs. Hold yourself accountable to a new habit, and chase improvement rather than a number.