“Never confuse activity with achievement. –John Wooden
Coach John Wooden's most insightful model for discussing his idea is the methodology he used to prepare, execute and improve his practices. He was not satisfied with having simply succeeded in each activity, but rather sought to maximize achievement without stifling initiative.
The four components used by Coach Wooden were proper planning and execution of the plan, consistent attention to detail, maximizing the use of time, and post-practice analysis for the 'improvement. He described the importance of each in his book Practical Modern Basketball .
1. Correct execution of the plan
“A daily training plan should be prepared and followed. If you don't follow the program on one thing, it can affect others. If you plan poorly, make corrections for the next day, but never change your schedule on a specific day once practice has started. Working overtime can be unpleasant for you and your players and should be avoided. »
2. Attention to detail
“The coach should be on the pitch early to make sure everything is ready for training. I like having a checklist for managers, but the coach has to make sure. Some of the checklist points:Make sure the floor is clean. Check that the desired number of balls are available and that they are clean and properly inflated. Make sure scrum shirts are on hand and extra shoelaces and other emergency gear items are on hand. Prepare statistical tables. Make sure towels, tape, and anything else that might be needed to ensure good practice are available.
“Anticipate past experience and be prepared. »
3. Maximize the use of time.
“While a particular exercise may emphasize a specific fundamental, the other fundamentals in use should not be overlooked. Sometimes players are wary of their passage during shooting practice, which can lead to breaking one foundational piece while building another. ”
When Coach Wooden performed a rebounding drill, his players were also improving their passing, cutting, timing, and movement off the ball.
4. Post Practice Analysis
“The coach should do a careful analysis of each practice while it is still fresh in their mind, so they can plan intelligently for the next day. I like to sit down with my assistants immediately after practice and briefly analyze and discuss that day's practice. I take notes at this time to serve as a reference to help me the next morning when I plan to train for that day.
It's easy to see why not to prepare is to prepare to fail and never confuse activity with success get along so well.
What activities on your team aren't yielding the most productive results possible?
