BOOMERS COACHING CLINIC

Conducted by Mike Dunlap (Head Coach Metro State University)

Venue: Cranbrook College, NSW
Date: 26/06/06
(Notes prepared by Michael D’Agostino – BNSW Participation and Development Officer)

Coaching

Teaching Methodology
1. Tell them what to do
2. Show them what to do
3. Have them show you
4. Correct them
5. Repetition

“The biggest mistake made by teachers is spending their time with the negative children. We must spend
most of our time with the children who are displaying the behavior we want.”

“Basketball is a privilege. There is no negotiation with behavior.”

If you want discipline, don’t tell players twice. After the first time, reprimand them (correct their behavior).
“This is what I want you to do.”

“You have to get on top of that or that is going to cost you down the road”

When they do something good tell them. If you see a repetition of a mistake let them know.

If players cannot do what you want them to do, (counter instruction), take the privilege away from them. E.g.
if players are stationary when they catch and shoot (and make the shot) do not count the score they just made,
and have them now play defence.

Re-enact the crime

When a player makes a repetition of errors, stop the play, and have the players re-enact exactly what they did.
At the point of the error “freeze” the play and have them correct their actions.
It’s O.K. to miss a shot but it’s not O.K. to be down on yourself about it – be a poker player and play through
mistakes.”

“Never dribble the steal” – instead run lanes, and play slow off a fast situation.

“Know your confines and limitations (your constraints)”

1. Time
2. Players
3. Facilities

“You need to make complex things seem simple, with common denominators.”
When teaching drills
1. Drills should be of short duration – 5 to 10 minutes
2. Label the rotation – Offence to defence, and then to the end of the line (players should rotate on their
own)
3. Art of confusion – unpredictability to the drill (game like)
4. Time / Score
5. Brief and debrief (give feed back) ask players questions “what did you get from that?), and encourage
self correction.
6. Prompt them to the next thing to do (e.g. we will shortly this 2 on 2)
7. “Flip Flop” change sides of the court in the drill

Slowing down
Players must learn how to slow down - to change speed you first have to slow down. Perform a stutter step,
dribble move and then explode pass your defender. On penetration, players must look up on their second
dribble to be able to score.

Jump Stops
When dribbling, make a stride stop a jump stop. From a jump stop, players can forward and reverse pivot,
use fakes and step throughs, and by slowing down this enables more time to make a passing / scoring
decision.

Bounce Passes
Fast passes made when dribbling at speed can often miss players’ hands or be fumbled, as the ball is moving
extremely quickly. Make these passes bounce passes to take the speed off the ball to assist team mates catch
the pass.

Players must practice to gain a conditional response (offence to defence) – repetition.

“Good habits are hard to break. Get rid of the basketball while you are teaching and then introduce it in the
drill” Have players use their imagination, and then add the ball (e.g. dribbling, passing, shooting drills).

“Make players go hard at everything.”

“Ensure your players have routine.” E.g. from the start of training, activities bring them in to focus on the job
at hand.

“A great culture / team have trademarks.” Mike Dunlap’s team does not dribble a ball for 6 weeks of training
as he wanted them to be the best team at passing and catching, and moving the ball by keeping it off the floor.

Important things to teach:

1. Passing and catching
2. Integrity of spacing (keep players far apart)
Have players start their own activity to promote communication. E.g. have three lines of players on the
baseline. The middle player tells their line when to start, and when they have passed the foul line, the player
in the middle of the next line tells their group when to start.

Communication
1. Get rid of the word don’t. Instead, tell then what you want them to do.
2. Use inflection in your voice when speaking.
3. Ask player’s questions “to do this, what do you have to do?”
4. Use reverse psychology – If a player doesn’t shoot when they are supposed to – bench them. “I want
you to shoot that shot because…”
5. Where you place yourself on the practice court is important. Try to be in the centre circle – or on the
sideline at the middle of the court as players are performing activities, so you can see them all.
6. Do not stick yourself at one end of the court.

Scoring
“You must allow the best scorers to receive the ball and score. The best scorers must have the most shots.”
E.g. ask your players – who is the best player at cutting on our team. When we run our offence, who do we
want to cut and receive the ball? Players need to recognize each others strengths and provide opportunities
for these players to use their strengths during games.

Defensive Transition
“On defence you have to “choke” the ball and get under the ring to stop the lay up.”

3 on 2
Dribble through the elbow to move the defence and open up passing and
scoring lanes

1 on 1 off the dribble

Use 1 dribble move only to beat the defender:
From fast speed to stutter step, dribble move and then look to score
1 on 1 off the dribble off a pass
Use 1 dribble move only to beat the defender:
From fast speed to stutter step, dribble move and then look to score

2 on 2 off the pass

Coach dribbles into key to commit a defender and then passes to a player.
Players are now in a 2 on 2 game.

3 on 3 from ½ way