Practice Organization
What to Discover or Recall:
Discover the reasons for well organized and planned practices.
Learn how to create an efficient master practice plan.
Find out how to carefully plan out daily practices in advance.
Learn about the various components that go into a daily practice schedule.
Printable Daily Practice Schedule form
| Master Plan | Daily Plans | Practice Components | Drills |
Practices should be well organized and planned. Emphasis should be focused on execution and hustle. Every drill must have value or purpose otherwise throw it out. Alternate physically tough drills and easy ones. Be sure to include individual player work in each practice. If a drill is going poorly, stop it and go onto something else. Come back to it later or in the next practice.
Reasons for planning:
-
Guarantees the maximum use of the time available.
Assures coverage of all phases of the game.
Eliminates over emphasis of any one phase.
Maintains better player interest.
Creates an environment more conducive to learning.
Allows for daily evaluation and at the end of the season.
Two phases of planning.
Creating a Master Plan
Breaking the Master Plan down into daily plans.
Creating a Master Practice Plan
The Blue Print for a Successful Season
Before undertaking any offensive or defensive system, coaches must be well organized and prepared. This requires careful planning and thought in creating a master plan. In developing a master plan in advance, it not only assures an organized, sequential coverage of all phases of the game, but, in addition, insures the maximum use of the time available. A well thought out master plan will also create an environment that is more conducive to learning, making it possible to get much more accomplished during each practice. A master practice plan is basically a composite list of all the phases of the game that must be covered in practice.
Must first determine the style of play to be used:
Based primarily on available player personnel.
Influenced by the coach's experience and basketball expertise.
Style is also influenced by opponents, schedule, available time, and other factors.
Types of drills and other practice procedures which will be used is determined by this decision.
-
Determine the amount of material to be covered:
Individual offensive and defensive fundamental skills to be taught.
Team offense and defense to be taught.
Special Situations to be covered.
Breakdown drills to be used. It is helpful to create a drill checklist and revised each year.
-
Determine the number of practices.
Do not cover too much. It is by far better to do a few things well than a lot of things mediocre.
May have to extend some of the master practice plan into the season.
-
Use the master plan as a guide in planning daily practice sessions.
Daily Practice Plans
Referring to the master plan, carefully plan each practice in advance. Do not ever take the practice court unprepared. All phases of the game should be considered with early emphasis on physical conditioning, fundamental drills and team organization. Teach well and do not give players too much. It is better to do a few things well and many things mediocre. You may have to extend some of the master plan well into the season.
Proper distribution of practice time within a practice is essential.
Maximum length for a single practice should be 2 1/2 hours. Little is accomplished after 2 hours.
Long practices also reduce player enthusiasm and performance.
In addition, problems of fatigue, reduced effort and injuries are encounter after 2 hours.
As season progresses length of practice should decrease.
On days before a game, cut the practice time down in length, but not in intensity.
Daily practice schedules should be flexible enough to make modifications or changes at team progresses or regresses.
No perfect plan. Do not hesitate in making necessary changes as needed.
Do not set up daily practice plans too far in advance.
Note any changes on master plan.
If/when things are going badly skip to the next item and come back at the end of practice or next practice.
Write out and carry daily plan to practice
No coach should take the practice floor without a written daily practice schedule. Mental plans will elude you on the floor. Use a 3 X 5 card.
Include each drill and phase of game to be covered. Points of emphasis. Amount of time for each phase.
Players will feel a sense of organization and respect coach’s efforts.
-
Prepractice. Go over practice plan.
Teach and add new things at start of practice when player attention is greatest.
Printable Practice Schedule Form
Always end practice on a positive note
It is best to leave floor with the players looking forward to next practice. There is no substitute for eagerness to play. Be sure to have a post practice review of what was covered and accomplished in practice along with the needs for future practices and games. Always keep a written record of any player injuries and their treatment.
Practice Components
Early Time
Early Time or "ET" is the time allotted before practice actually begins. This 20 to 30 minute period allows for players to arrive and prepare for practice. This is especially needed, when players have to travel to practice.
The importance of Early Time cannot be over emphasized. It is the foundation of a successful workout.
-
Early Time does not only prepare players physically, but more importantly, it puts them in the right frame of mind. It sets the tone for a successful practice. With a proper use of early time they will be able to better concentrate, understand, and learn. As a result, you will be able to accomplish much more during the ensuing practice.
It is a time for individual work assignments and One-on-One coaching.
Warm-up
The main purpose of a warm-up is to prepare for muscular activity, and is not an exhausting activity to bring on fatigue.
Starting a strenuous physical activity, such as basketball, without proper warm-up is not only detrimental to a player's health, but to their athletic performance as well.
The warm-up period for basketball should be composed of some light running or shooting followed by a thorough stretching program. It should be of sufficient duration and intensity to adequately prepare oneself for the physical demands of the workout
Cool Down
The importance of cooling down after exercising cannot be over emphasized. Not only does it prevent serious health problems and injuries, but also, prepares players for the next day's practice or game.
The cooling down period is an excellent time to practice free throw shooting. Successfully shooting free throws, when tired, is vital to end of game situations.
The cooling down period should conclude with various stretching exercises. This is especially true after a strenuous work out. By stretching after practice, it actually prepares players for the next day's workout by lessening the tightness and stiffness build up that would otherwise occur.
Drills & Scrimmages
Drills
Be a skills coach not a drill coach. Drills are just vehicles to teach and refine basketball skills and techniques. Be creative and design your own break down drills to fit your specific needs of the team and individual players.
-
Emphasize drill work early in the season. During the season, review the breakdown drills as needed.
-
Whole/Part/Whole method – drills must have a definite correlation with offense or defense.
Short with time limits. If/when things not going well, go on to next drill.
Pay close attention to details demanding proper footwork and execution at all times.
Make drills competitive and challenging.
-
During the off season individual drills and self-training become paramount.
Scrimmages
“Game Slippage” actually starts with practice. During practices most coaches do an excellent job of teaching through break down drills. However, when it comes to scrimmaging, the majority are very poorly conducted, officiated and very seldom analyzed. Do not over scrimmage. Cannot teach during scrimmages.
Conditioning
To be successful, each player as well as the team collectively, must be possessed with the desire and determination to develop superior physical condition. Throughout the course of the season the team will be pushed and trained hard. However, it is going to be up to each individual to see that their maximum physical condition is achieved and maintained.
Because of the importance of physical condition and team morals to a successful season, willful violations of the training code cannot be tolerated or ignored. It is going to be up to "team pressure" to see that the code is adhered to and followed.
Prepare to be in better condition than any team that you will play.
Condition with the ball. Use fast break drills.
Return to Practice Guidelines - Click Here
Return to Coaching Strategies - Click Here
Return to HoopTactics - Click Here>
-
