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ALSO:Hints for coachingadolescents

Australia Post Boomersplayer pathways

Spotlight onWestover and Graf

ALSO:Hints for coachingadolescents

Australia Post Boomersplayer pathways

Spotlight onWestover and Graf

THE

FOURTH

QUARTER

2006

Volume13Issue3

THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN BASKETBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION

The fourpillarsof team

defence

The fourpillarsof team

defence


2/28

Basketball Australia gratefully acknowledges its major sponsors:

ABCA Life MembersLindsay Gaze Barry Barnes Ian Laurie

Merv Harris Dr Adrian Hurley Patrick Hunt

Ken Watson Brian Kerle Ray Tomlinson

EDITOR

Bill Baxter

GENERAL MANAGER, COMMUNITY BASKETBALL

Michael Haynes

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mark Pokorny, Lisa McGinnigle, Yvonne Milbank,

Ian Knight, Wollongong Hawks Media,

Daisy Lee, Getty Images

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Sales & Marketing Department Tel: 02 9469 7200

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CONTRIBUTIONS & FEEDBACK

We welcome news items, feedback and

suggestions. If you have an upcoming event or

program you would like included, or if you would

like to comment on any of the articles in this or

previous editions, you can email us [email protected], or submit content to us

at the following address: The Editor, Xs and Os,

PO Box 7141 Alexandria NSW 2015.

Xs and Os is produced by the Community Basketball

Department of Basketball Australia. Xs and Os is a

quarterly publication with cover dates of March, June,

September and December and is available only

through membership of ABCA.

Reproduction of any material without written

permission from the Editor is strictly prohibited.

Signed articles represent the views of the author and

are not necessarily those of Basketball Australia.

Xs and Os is included on Sport Discus,and other

information databases maintained by EBSCO.

Basketball Australiawww.basketball.net.au

Level 3

256 Coward Street

Mascot NSW 2020

Tel: (02) 9469 7200

Fax: (02) 9469 7201

Cover

Sydney Uni Flames

guard Alicia Poto is

dwarfed by

Dandenong's defence

Photo: Mark Pokorny

CONTENTS

1 In the news

1 Book review - Gold Medal Nutrition 4th Edition

2 Spotlight on Al Westover and Carrie Graf

4 Lets play minibasketball: teachingor coaching? By Carlos Pampanini

6 Coaching adolescents:Handy hints from

sport psychology

By Tom Cotterill

10 Drills

12 Congratulations

14 The four pillars of goodteam defence

By Christopher Riches

and Shane Rogerson

22 The Australia PostBoomers hydration

game plan

24 Interstate coachingexperience

18Player pathways - Featuring Australia PostBoomers Brad Newley, CJ Bruton, MarkWorthington and Sam Mackinnon


3/28

www.basketball.net.au Official Journal of the Australian Basketball Coaches Association 1

In the newsNew ITCP Head Coaches in NSW & ACT

Peter Lonergan has accepted the

position of NITCP Head Coach of NSW,

taking on the role after eight months as

the ITCP Head Coach of Basketball NT and

recently returning from Brazil where he wasan Assistant Coach with the World Champion

defencejobs Opals. Peter will certainly bring

plenty of enthusiasm and experience to the

NSW program.

Brendan Parnell has accepted the position of

NITCP Head Coach of ACT. Brendan has

previously been employed with Basketball

NSW and most recently as the Competition

Manager of the WNBL and the ABA. Basketball Australia is sad to see

Brendan go, but his passion has always has been coaching and so we all

wish him well in the nations capital.

Book Review -

Gold Medal Nutrition (4th Ed)

Glenn Cardwell

E

very coach needs to know a little bit

about nutrition, if only to be able to

explain to athletes why they need to

drink water and what to eat and when.

Gold Medal Nutrition is now in its 4th

edition and, like all books in the Human

Kinetics range, is easy to read. It has a

depth of information that will suit both the

casually interested coach and an elite level

athlete and their coach.

The book explains what foods we need to eat

and how we get energy from food and drinks. It

answers the question, who should take a sports

drink? The book also addresses a number of

important topics for athletes, like what to eat

before, during and after exercise, the timing of

meals, shopping tips when buying food, meal

tips for eating at restaurants and facts about

nutritional supplements

Finally, the book has information on weight

management for athletes, including fat burning

and weight loss strategies.

Gold Medal Nutrition will help you to understand

the basics of how to fuel the body, an area with

as many myths and as there are experts. It is a

must for every coach and is available for

purchase from the Basketball Australia online

store - www.basketball.net.au

Do you want to know what your young players are thinking?

SUBSCRIBE TO HANDLE MAGAZINE,AUSTRALIA'S PREMIUM

BASKETBALL MAGAZINEA 12 MONTH SUBSCRIPTION NORMALLY COSTS

$35, BUT THANKS TO Xs AND Os, YOU CANSUBSCRIBE FOR JUST $30!

For further enquiries call 02 9389 7855.

handle - COVERING THE GAME ANDTHE PLAYERS IN AUSTRALIA AND ABROAD

NITCPs new

Head Coach of ACT,

Brendan Parnell.

Benefit for ABCA members

Basketball Australia has introduced an Intranet feature

for ABCA members that will help you to receive

coaching information without waiting for the next

edition of Xs and Os. To get access all you need to do is

provide us with your email address.

The Intranet is a web-based system that enables you to record

the progress of your teams programs through the online diary as

well as being able to receive training programs and information

useful to you direct from Basketball Australia.

To access the Intranet simply send an email to

[email protected] and a password will be allocated to

you via return email.


4/28

2 The Official Journal of the Australian Basketball Coaches Association www.basketball.net.au

Al Westover

L

ed by head

coach Al

Westover, theMelbourne Tigers prepared well for the

new season, competing at the Champions

Tournament in China, the Singapore Cup and

the NBL Blitz where they were runners up to

the Brisbane Bullets.

When comparing the progress of this years

Tigers team to the equivalent time last year

Westover said, We are in better shape with our

execution and in understanding each others

roles. Were more settled because we know

what is expected of each other.

The Tigers face some tough challenges this seasonbut as Westover explains, Each week is a new

challenge but its how we rise to those challenges.

Good teams get better as the year goes on - but the

Philips Championship has improved a notch or two

so you need some luck as well.

It is no secret Westover will cater to the talent of

centre Chris Anstey, but another strength for the

Tigers is their depth and versatility, with key

role players Nathan Crosswell and Axel Dench

recruited to play alongside experienced players

Rashad Tucker and Darryl McDonald.

Westovers training sessions in the early stages

of the season have a large emphasis on fitness

and on executing new plays added to last

seasons book.

The whole experience of last year and our time

together should work in our favour,but I want us to

get better in whatever we do. We have recruited

well and the depth and talent has improved,so it is

now up to us to utilise what we have.

SPOTLIGHT on the 2005/06 cha

3-Sep-05 Sat Tigers 102 v Hawks 61

10-Sep-05 Sat Tigers 115 v Wildcats 105

18-Sep-05 Sun Bullets 83 v Tigers 85

25-Sep-05 Sun Wildcats 73 v Tigers 91

1-Oct-05 Sat Tigers 88 v Kings 95

5-Oct-05 Wed 36ers 94 v Tigers 92

8-Oct-05 Sat Tigers 97 v Crocodiles 72

15-Oct-05 Sat Kings 116 v Tigers 104

16-Oct-05 Sun Razorbacks 86 v Tigers 112

19-Oct-05 Wed Wildcats 100 v Tigers 93

22-Oct-05 Sat Tigers 94 v Bullets 85

26-Oct-05 Wed Razorbacks 77 v Tigers 106

30-Oct-05 Sun Tigers 109 v Pirates 91

5-Nov-05 Sat Crocodiles 95 v Tigers 99

12-Nov-05 Sat Tigers 115 v 36ers 103

19-Nov-05 Sat Tigers 97 v Taipans 88

23-Nov-05 Wed Tigers 103 v Breakers 88

26-Nov-05 Sat 36ers 109 v Tigers 92

3-Dec-05 Sat Tigers 117 v Wildcats 106

10-Dec-05 Sat Tigers 106 v Pirates 99

14-Dec-05 Wed Pirates 102 v Tigers 121

17-Dec-05 Sat Tigers 108 v Kings 99

21-Dec-05 Wed Tigers 111 v 36ers 104

23-Dec-05 Fri Tigers 102 v Hawks 89

6-Jan-06 Fri Bullets 93 v Tigers 118

7-Jan-06 Sat Tigers 118 v Razorbacks 92

13-Jan-06 Fri Crocodiles 100 v Tigers 103

14-Jan-06 Sat Taipans 110 v Tigers 104

25-Jan-06 Wed Tigers 95 v Taipans 88

28-Jan-06 Sat Hawks 94 v Tigers 91

1-Feb-06 Wed Breakers 93 v Tigers 109

4-Feb-06 Sat Breakers 94 v Tigers 108

14-Feb-06 Tue Tigers 94 v Wildcats 78

16-Feb-06 Thu Wildcats 101 v Tigers 106

24-Feb-06 Fri Kings 93 v Tigers 100

26-Feb-06 Sun Tigers 103 v Kings 99

28-Feb-06 Tue Kings 83 v Tigers 88

Date Day Match (Home v Away) Date Day Match (Home v Away) Date Day Match (Home v Away)

Melbourne's 2005/06 season

Photo: Sport The Library


5/28


Carrie Graf

H

aving won the

defencejobs

WNBLchampionship last

season, theres very

little the Canberra Capitals and there head

coach Carrie Graf havent accomplished in

the domestic competition. But thats not

how Graf sees it. She advocates taking

each season as it comes. Instead of

focusing on repeating, her team is

concentrating on winning a championship

this season, regardless of their past

successes.

With the losses of superstar Lauren Jackson,

world champion defencejobs Opal Jenny

Whittle, and team captain Eleanor Sharp,

winning a championship would seem to be

quite a challenge. Yet incoming talent Jessica

Bibby, Donna Loffhagen, Caitlin Cunningham

and Abby Bishop meant Canberras favourite

franchise would certainly be competitive an

undefeated run of six wins to start the season

proved that!

Coach Graf believes the personnel changes

have been good for the team, preventing any

hangover from last years championship and

keeping the team motivated to win another

championship this year.

She plans for the team to go to a more equal

opportunity offence this year and to utilise their

smaller line-up with a more up-tempo game.

This wont be entirely new to Capitals

supporters as Coach Graf also utilised a smaller

line-up last year when Lauren Jackson was

injured.

The combination of fresh faces and returning

veterans has created both high expectations

and high excitement at training. Worldchampion Opal Tully Bevilaqua and Abby Bishop

are also undergoing weekly individual fitness

training sessions at the Australian Defence

Force Academy.

With Carrie Graf in charge, dont expect a

letdown from the returning champions.

pionship winning head coaches

Regular season Playoff Season

Carrie Graf's Year By Year Coaching Record

Year Team Win Loss Pos Win Loss Notes

1993 Sydney Flames 17 1 1st 2 0 Won Championship

1994 Sydney Flames 14 4 4th 0 1 lost Semi Final

1995 Sydney Flames 16 2 2nd 0 2 lost Preliminary Final

1996 Sydney Flames 17 1 1st 1 1 lost Grand Final

1999/00 Canberra Capitals 16 5 1st 2 1 Won Championship

2000/01 Canberra Capitals 17 4 1st 1 1 lost Grand Final

2001/02 Canberra Capitals 15 6 2nd 2 0 Won Championship

2003/04 Canberra Capitals 13 8 4th 0 1 lost Semi Final

2005/06 Canberra Capitals 14 7 3rd 3 0 Won Championship

Totals 139 38 11 7

Overall Record 150 45

Photo: Lisa McGinnigle


6/28


Lets play minibasketball

- Teaching or Coaching?BY CARLOSPAMPANINI

FOR FIBA ASSIST

Over the past few

years, much has been

written about mini-

basketball and of the best

ways to teach it. Based on

my own experience, which

comes from coaching the

sport and listening to

hundreds of coaches at

clinics over the years, more time is

dedicated to the practice and correction of

the fundamentals.

At first, this initial premise might be understood

to be positive, but to clarify my statement, I

have to say that I am not against the

development and teaching of basketball basics.

Its exactly the opposite! I think that basketball

basics are the keys that open all the doors in

this game.

I think that the most important thing for a coach

to care about is what is best for the child. The

coach has to realise that young children areable to express their individuality through the

game, and that through basketball they can

come to learn how their bodies work. Finally,

basketball is a way of communication and

learning for young children, an important

medium that allows them to socialise and grow.

However, a big problem will develop if coaches

restrict themselves to only practice sessions

with repetitive basketball drills. When they do

this, they run the dangerous risk of:

1) making the children so bored that they

quit basketball

and avoid other organised sports, and

2) preventing children from coming to

understand the true sense of the game.

Children have many opportunities with their

free time, ranging from schoolwork, time on the

Internet and the study of languages. But what

about play? Children need to be active and

play. By playing basketball not working on

repetitive basketball drills they will come to

learn the basics and the tactics of the game.

This little bit of trial and error that a youngplayer goes through by playing basketball and

having to make decisions will allow him to

come up with answers to the variety of

problems that the game offers.

As coaches, our duty is to create, by means of

the game, adequate opportunities for learning

for the developing children, but it doesnt mean

ignoring the basics. Teaching and training are

generally confusing concepts. Teaching means

introducing new concepts, but to train is toautomate and correct known concepts, and

there is the difference.

While the child grows, his basic knowledge also

increases and his actions and expressions

improve with the passage of time and better

training.At ages of six and seven, the motor and

perceptive abilities must be developed through

physical activity. The technique is not important,

but developing a childs ability to run, jump,

catch and throw certainly is.

At the age of eight and nine it is necessary to

continue developing a childs basic motor

diagram while introducing new skills of

dribbling, throwing, passing and defense, in that

order.

At 10, 11, and 12 years of age, a childs motor

abilities continue to develop, forming clear

ideas of time and distance and about the

knowledge of the offensive basics and the

feasibility of playing in a team under definite

rules. The basics are nearing perfection and the

corrections are more analytical.

Following are four games you can use to teach

dribbling:

Coaches can help children to understand the game

1) INSIDE AND OUTSIDEMain objective: Progressive dribbling.

Equipment: One ball per player.

How to play: All players, each with a ball, run around the

court while dribbling. At the order inside, all players run

to the centre circle while continuing the dribble. At the

order outside,everyone runs to the outside of the court,

continuing to dribble the ball the entire time. (Diag. 1).

Variation 1: Players switch dribbling hands when they

arrive at the corner of the court.


7/28


3) THE FOUR CORNERS

Main objective: Dribbling speed, rhythm changes,

court sense, and direction.

Equipment: One ball for each player.

How to play: The players are placed on four

teams, with one team at each corner of the half

court.At the teachers signal, each team must run

while dribbling the ball. The orders are: red,

which means running towards the right, green,

which means running towards the left, and blue,

which means running on a diagonal.After this first

phase, the orders will change for the dribbling. 1

means to run backwards to the right; 2 means to

run backwards to the left; and 3 means to run

backwards on the diagonal. (Diag. 3).

4) RACE

Main objective: Changing hands while dribbling.

Equipment: One ball for each team.

How to play: The players are divided into two

teams. Each team lines up and each player

extends outside the arm at the shoulders level and

grabs the hands of the other teammates at his left

and right side. The last player of each team has a

ball, and, at the whistle of the teacher, dribbles in

and out under the teammates arms, changing the

dribbling hand, until he reaches the end of the line.

The second players make the same moves (Diag.

4).

2) THE OCCUPIED HOUSE

Main objective: Nonstop dribbling,

immediate response to a command.

Equipment: Enough hula hoops or chairs

for all but one player. One ball for each

player.

How to play: The hula hoops are

distributed to form a circle on the court.

The children run around the circle while

dribbling their basketballs.At the teachers

signal, each player tries to sit within a

hula-hoop. The player that doesnt have a

ring to sit in is eliminated. One of the hoops

is taken away, and the players begin

dribbling again.The game is finished when

there is one player left on the court

(Diag.2).

Variation 1: The hoops are distributed

irregularly on one half of the playing court.

At the other half of the court, several

obstacles are irregularly placed. The game

begins and children dribble their

basketballs, changing hands and direction

on the court as they move around the

obstacles. At the teachers signal, they run

to the other side in the playing court to find

a hoop to sit in.The player without a ring to

sit in is eliminated.

Steve Carfino and kids from Wollongong enjoy an Aussie Hoops Clinic.

Photo: Wollongong Hawks Media.

DHave you seen the

new Aussie Hoops

website yet?

Visit

www.aussiehoops.com.au

Its where the

fun begins!


8/28


Coaching adolescents:

Handy hints from sport psychology

BY TOM COTTERILL

We already know how to do that. This is boring! Why do we

have to do this? If youre a coach of an adolescent basketball

team, then chances are youve heard one, two,or all three of these

statements before. Coaching an adolescent sporting team is a

daunting task even for the most seasoned coaching professional. From

a psychological perspective, players between the ages of 13-18 are

experiencing a developmental transition in their life. Hormonal levels

are changing and brain synapses are plasticising, influencing players

thought processes, emotional volatility, and behavioural responses. If

you treat players too much like children, theyll dislike you for being

patronising; treat them too much like adults and theyll dislike you forbeing too hard on them! However, dont give up just yet. There are a

few simple things that you can do to make coaching adolescent

basketball players less of a challenge and more enjoyable.

Tip 1: Foster group cohesion from the

beginning of the season

A good team environment can lead to improved performance and a

reduction in player discontent.While its ambitious to think that all players

will gel perfectly in a team, there are ways of encouraging team

cohesion and reducing player isolation.

Strategy for Group Cohesion:Simple getting to know you or icebreakeractivities can work well early in

the season when players arent familiar with each other. As the season

progresses, team-building activities can help maintain this group cohesion,

particularly when the team is experiencing poor performance. An excellent

example of a team-building activity is the human knot.Players are requested

to form a tight circle and link arms with random team members, therefore

creating a knot.They are then required to untangle the knot without breaking

any of the chains. Activities like this help to create a supportive environment,

allowing all team members to feel that they have a voice.

Evaluation:

In psychology we often test the effectiveness of our ideas by administering

paper-and-pencil measures at regular intervals. This enables us to see ifchanges have occurred in target behaviours between time periods. To gauge

the level of team cohesion, freely available cohesion questionnaires can be

administered during the pre season, then again mid season and end of

season. This will allow you to determine if players attitudes towards each

other and the team have developed over the course of the season.

Example questions:

1. Our team works well together in defence

2. Our team works well together on offence

3. Our team is united in trying to reach its goals for performance

4. Our team has the ability to bounce back from a poor performance

5. Our teams on-court communication is superior to our opponents

6. Our teams off-court communication is superior to our opponents

7. I enjoy socialising with other players in this team

A response rating scale for these questions should look like this:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Strongly StronglyDisagree Agree

Tip 2: Avoid repetitive

training sessions

Adolescents, like adults, dislike repetitive, monotonous practices. Research

from the sport psychology field has shown that information retention is

highest when players engage in a wide range of meaningful tasks.

Strategy for avoiding repetition:

If youre looking to develop a particular skill, try to use a variety of drills.

For example, if youre looking to improve fitness, dont always turn

immediately to sprints. Try a fitness circuit containing shooting elementsor skipping. This helps break the monotony of training. When the

unavoidable does happen and training becomes tedious (usually around

mid-season), cross-training (e.g., playing volleyball, soccer, etc.) is a

particularly useful way of re-energising players minds.

Evaluation:

Player feedback forms, including questions on session enjoyment and

satisfaction, can be used to determine the success of training programs. If

players are rating training sessions quite low, then it may be time to alter the

session content or design. These results can then be viewed in conjunction

with player performances to determine the best training strategy.

Example questions:

1. I enjoyed todays training session

2. I learnt a lot from todays training session

Can you keep teenagers in line like this?

Photo: Daisy Lee

These kids are obedient, but what about in a few years?

Photo: Wollongong Hawks Media.


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3. I was bored with todays training session

4. Todays session challenged me

5. Todays session was innovative and fun

Use similar rating scales to the questions in Tip 1.

Tip 3: Provide individualised feedback and encouragement

Participation in sport as an adolescent has a profound effect on

psychological development. Overly negative coaches who constantly

belittle or criticise can leave psychological scars on players well into

adulthood. The focus should always be on letting the individual determine

what they have done well, and what they can learn and work on for the

future. Your role is to help them complete this process.

Strategy for providing quality feedback:

One strategy to use is Good, better, how. Ask the player what they did

well, what they could improve on, and how they are going to ensure that

they improve. This way the focus is on player achievements and player

development, rather than player shortcomings or mistakes. This can bedone in an individual or group setting, with players rating themselves or

each other. Sometimes asking players to give each other feedback can

reinforce positive skills and attributes in less confident players minds.

Evaluation:

If possible, video record your teams training or match. Show the team 5 or

10 minutes of the session/match where every team member is involved,and

engage players in the Good, better, how process. The following week, ask

them to view another 5 or 10 minutes and see if they have taken on board

the better, how part of the previous weeks session. Each week ask 2

players to be responsible for collating the information generated by the group

and create a handout for the coach and other players. Continue this process

throughout the season. This will enable both you and your players to visuallyevaluate information retention and learning.

Tip 4: Encourage a balanced lifestyle

Many great players have coasted through school believing their sporting

ability will pay the future bills, only to suffer a career ending injury at a

young age. Its important that adolescent athletes have a variety of

interests and hobbies outside of their chosen sport.

Strategy for encouraging a

balanced lifestyle:

While were not suggesting you become the next Coach Carter and lockout

players in your team who underachieve at school, we do encourage you totake an active interest in their lives outside of basketball. Players may be

embarrassed talking about their extracurricular activities with their

coaches, so parents are an excellent source of information. If you find out

that one of your players performed well in a musical competition during

the week, praise them. Youll find that this will build rapport with your

athletes and their parents, as it shows youre interested in the adolescent

for more than just their sporting ability.

Evaluation:

This will probably be more of a subjective evaluation. Its hard for athletes

to quantifiably measure their balance, so perhaps it would be more

effective if you kept your own tabs on players.Try creating a chart for each

player ranging from 0 (unhealthy obsession with basketball) to 10 (healthybalance of basketball and other interests). After each week, rate your

players and provide a rationale for these ratings

Tip 5: Encourage questions and seek

feedback from players

Research on coaching styles indicates that adolescent athletes prefer

democratic coaches to autocratic (authoritarian) or permissive coaches.

Just as you expect players to be open to your suggestions and feedback,

you should also be open to theirs.

Strategy to facilitate discussion

and encourage feedback:Where possible, enlist athletes opinions on training sessions, team

activities, or playing styles, and provide players with a rationale for

performing specific drills. At the end of training sessions, ask your players

the following questions:

1. What did you like about the session?

2. What did you dislike about the session?

3. How would you structure a training drill to practice X (e.g., defensive

transition)?

Try to ensure that everyones voice is heard during these discussions. Dont

get defensive. Sometimes an adolescents perspective can trigger different

ways of thinking and ultimately improve your coaching. Similarly, athletes

who feel heard will be more satisfied with the training experience, and will

be more likely to respond to your coaching. If you do happen to notice an

athlete displaying a particularly low mood or being uncharacteristically

withdrawn, remind them that you are always available for a chat, and if

necessary, refer them to an appropriate counselling source.

Evaluation:

Ongoing anonymous feedback should be garnered from players. Do they

feel they have a say in session content? Do they feel that you are open to

suggestion? Do they feel that you are listening to them? If you are finding

that players are still answering no to these questions, try holding a training

session run by the players. Give everyone in the team the opportunity to

conduct an original drill for 5-10 minutes. Incorporate some of these drills

in future sessions, so that players feel you are listening to them.

Recommendations

Coaching adolescents requires a delicate balance between being the

players friend and mentor.

Try to show athletes that you value them for being more than just a

basketball player.

Give players individual feedback, always remembering to reinforce what

they did well.

Be open to suggestions from your players and make decisions regarding

training content a more participative process.

Remember that sport is fun. Mix-up your training sessions accordingly.

Visit www.beyondblue.org.au to learn more about how adolescentsexperience changes in mood.

Tim Cotterill is a Performance Psychology Consultant with the Australian

Institute of Sport.

You do the talking, but let them ask questions too.

Photo: Daisy Lee


10/28


Evaluating your season:

From the Building Better Basketball seriesWhen the competition part of the season is over, it is a handy time to

reflect and evaluate and rate yourself honestly on your own coaching

efforts, so that improvements may be made for next year. You can askyourself these simple questions and rate yourself on a scale from 1 to 6:

poor to excellent.

1 ______ 2 ______ 3 ______ 4 ______ 5 _______ 6

(Poor) (Excellent)

1. Did your players have fun?

- The practice and playing environments were positive and enjoyable.

- I effectively organised practices.

- My players learned the skills they needed to be competitive.

- I allocated playing time appropriately.

- I didn't overemphasise winning.

- Overall, I would say my players had fun playing basketball this season.

2. Did your players learn new skills and improve on

previously learned skills?

- My ability to teach skills enabled my players to learn what they

needed to learn.

- I pushed player development of skills at an appropriate rate, neithertoo fast nor too slow.

- I helped all my players improve and didn't just focus on a certain set

of players.

- I adjusted my teaching plan as necessary, according to the skill levels

of my players.

- I planned and conducted practices effectively.

- Overall, I would say my players learned new skills and improved on

any previously learned skills they came in with.

3. Did you help your players understand the game andits rules?

- presented game-like situations for players in practice so they could gain

a better understanding of how to respond to similar situations in games.

- I taught my players the appropriate rules and strategies of the game.

- Overall, I would say I helped my players understand the rules and

strategies of basketball.

4. Did you communicate appropriately and effectively?

- I let parents know my coaching philosophy before the season began.

- I let players and parents know what they could expect from me and

what I expected from them.

- My players understood my skill instruction.

- My communications with my players were positive and authoritative.

- I was well-prepared for delivering the technical instruction my

players needed.

- My players paid attention to me when I spoke.

- Overall, I would say I communicated appropriately and effectively with

everyone involved.

5. Did you plan and conduct effective practices?

- Players paid attention to me because I had a purpose to what I was doing.

- Players were active ; they weren't standing around during

training sessions.

- I used games and drills that were designed to teach a specific skill or

tactic that I wanted my players to work on that day.

- My players learned new skills and refined ones they already had.

- My players had fun in practice. I had fun, too.

- Overall, I would say I adequately planned and conducted

effective practices.

6. Did your players give maximum effort in practices

and games?

- I didn't yell at players for errors and for their general quality of play.

- I didn't compare one player to another.

- I taught players the skills they needed to know.

- I provided specific, positive feedback.

- I encouraged my players, especially when they got down, and praised

correct technique and effort.

- I praised hustle, desire, and teamwork shown in practices and games.

- I ran efficient, purposeful practices in which players were active and

engaged the whole time.

- I didn't play favourites with my players.

- listened to my players.

- Overall, I would say my players gave maximum effort in practices

and games.

7. Did you conduct yourself appropriately?

- I communicated in positive ways with opposing coaches and players

and with referees.

- I coached within the rules and had my players play within them.

- I maintained control of my emotions in practices and games.

- I was an appropriate role model for my players.

- Overall, I would say I conducted myself appropriately as a coach.


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8. Did you communicate effectively with parents and

involve them in positive ways?

- I had few or no misunderstandings with parents regarding my

coaching philosophy.

- I delegated responsibilities (such as duty), sharing the workload with

many parents.

- Overall, I would say I communicated effectively with parents and

involved them in positive ways.

9. Did you coach appropriately during games?

- I kept my strategy simple and based it on my players' strengths

and abilities.

- I helped my players get mentally prepared for a game by focusing them

on the fundamentals they needed to execute and on the game plan.

- I provided tactical direction and guidance throughout the game.

- I was encouraging and supportive.

- I used a positive coaching approach.

- I effectively rotated players in and out.

- My players conducted themselves well during and after the game.

- Overall, I would say I coached appropriately during games.

10. Did you win with class and lose with dignity?

- I and my players shook hands with the other team, offering

them congratulations.

- I thanked the referees after each game.

- My team celebrated victories fully and in a way that showed respect

for the other team.

- My players didn't hang their heads after a loss, no matter how hard

the loss was.

- I helped the players regroup and take home positives from games we lost.- Overall, I would say we won with class and lost with dignity.

11. Did I make the experience positive, meaningful and

fun for my players?

- My players still had the same enthusiasm at the end of the season

that they did at the beginning.

- My players seemed to want to come back for another season.

- My players learned the skills, tactics, and rules of the game.

- My players learned about themselves and learned what it means to

be a member of a team.

- Overall, I would say the experience for my players was positive,

meaningful, and fun.

Add up your scores. If you repeatedly scored 3, your total would be

195. If you repeatedly scored 6 your total would be 390. If you scored

over 375, you may be in denial.

Adelaides Chris Lucas.

Photo: Yvonne Milbank

Canberras Carrie Graf.

Photo: Lisa McGinnigle.

Sydney Unis Karen Dalton.

Photo: Ian Knight.


12/28


DrillsThis month we feature some two and three man game sense drills sent to us by Michael DAgostino from

Basketball NSW.

Two man drill, no defence

Players 1 and 3 pass and cut, then post

up to receive the ball. Players perform a

baseline drop step to the basket to score.

Players 1 and 3 cut and set on ball

screens for players 2 and 4.

Players 1 and 3 pass and cut to make a

lay up

Player 2 passes to player 3 for a lay up,whilst players 2 and 1 go to receiver

spots for a rebound.

Players 2 and 4 drive to the basket and can

either score or pass to players 1 and 3 who

roll and open up to receive the pass.

Players 1 and 3 drive, jump stop in front

of the defence (coach) and pass to

players 2 and 4 (drive & dish) for lay ups.

Dribble entry and play

Key teaching points:

Point player: must push to wing with a

minimum of dribble, then seal wing player

Wing player: head under basket look to

attack and score

Communicate: dribble, dribble

Dribble hand off

Key teaching points:

Wing player: push to point with a minimum

of dribbles then seal defence

Point player: look to attack and score

Communicate: work it, work it

3 man transition pass,

lay up drill

1 throws ball off back board and

rebounds, pivoting to player 2 and

making an outlet pass. Player 3 begins

running a lane.

After passing player 1 runs up the

middle of the court and player 2 (may

need 1 bust out dribble) passes the ball.

Player 3 continues running a lane.


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Congratulations defencejobs Opal

Penny Taylor

Most Valuable Player

2006 FIBA world championship for women

Sao Paulo, Brazil

Photos: Getty Images.


14/28


Congratulations silver Pearls

Congratulations bronze Rollers

Australias womens team for athletes with an

intellectual disability, the Pearls, claimed silver at

the 2006 INAS-FID world championship in October.

Photo: Sally Duncan

The Australian men's wheelchair basketball team, the Rollers, claimed bronze at the 2006 Gold Cup in Amsterdam.


15/28



16/28


The four pillars of good team defence:

ball pressure, individual defensive

awareness, rotation and reboundingBY CHRISTOPHER RICHES (BHMS)AND SHANE ROGERSON (PHDEXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY)

Pillar 1: Ball pressure

No defence can be effective without providing

adequate pressure on the ball and, particularly

with the improved offensive skills of players, the

stifling of individual offence created off the

dribble is a must.

Good ball pressure makes movement of the ball

harder and makes it more difficult for offences

to create scoring opportunities. Limiting the

ability of offensive players to create the play will

result in less need for defensive help and the

less a team needs to rotate defensively, the less

chance of athlete error.

Characteristics

Team defence is about a group of people

working together to achieve a common goal

which is the getting possession without

allowing the offensive team to score. Gooddefensive players are easy to identify as they

have the ability to change the game through

their individual input.

Ball pressure has a number of key

characteristics:

1. Defensive stance

2. Footwork

3. Hand positioning

4. Communication

5. Will to compete

1. Defensive stance

Developing the habit of staying in a good

defensive stance is a skill for life in basketball.

A good, balanced, defensive stance enables the

defender to react and move quickly. The key

teaching points for a good defensive stance are:

Squat into position of sit down (not just

bend forward at the hip!)

Feet wide, providing low centre of gravity

Feet slightly splay outwards

Back straight but leaning slightly forward

One hand should be in to pressure the ball

keep this arm bent at the elbow. The other

hand extends to pressure the passing lane

Head should be positioned so the nose is over

toes (Boxer Stance)

Whilst these points cover the basic stance of a

defensive player a player is rarely, if ever,

stationary during a game and a good defender

must be able to move with good defensive

footwork.

2. Footwork

Footwork is the basis of all defensive positions.

The two biggest causes of fouls during a game

are poor footwork and incorrect positioning of

the hands during on-ball pressure.

Key teaching points for the defensive slide (or

crab step) include:

Feet start apart in a big stance

Body must remain low at all times

The lead foot (i.e. right foot if moving to your

right) must point in the direction you are

moving

Push off with the trail foot, step with the lead

foot (moving from big to bigger or widerstance)

Small step with trailing foot to return to the

original big stance

This footwork is often described as big to

bigger (and back to big) and importantly, the

feet do not actually slide along the floor but take

quick, small steps. A common mistake is for the

back foot to take a bigger step than the lead

foot, which brings the feet together.

It is also important for a defensive player to be

able to change direction, particularly when

guarding someone in the full court. To changedirection the defender uses a swing step. Key

teaching points for a swing-step are:

Strong balanced stance

Feet shoulder width apart throughout muscles

flexed to adsorb addition power

Reverse pivot turning heels should be under

control at all times

Smaller steps at a quicker rate for speed in

turn

Hand position changes

Slide-Run-Slide

Another important aspect of defensive footwork

is the ability to go from sliding to sprinting. If the

It's never 1-on-1 for the Bogey Man. Photo: Getty Images.


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offensive player starts to get past the defender,

the defender should sprint to beat the offensive

player to a spot. If the defender keeps sliding

(big to bigger footwork) they will be slower. So,

why do we use big to bigger footwork if it is

slower?

Big to bigger footwork primarily enables a

defender who has established good defensive

position to take a charge (if contact is on their

chest) and having their chest facing the

defender keeps them wide.

3. Hand positioning

Hand positioning is a high risk area and is a

common cause of fouls, when players reach for

the ball. Good hand position can cause a great

deal of distress to offensive players and when

combined with the correct footwork

opportunities can effectively limit offensive

options.Generally, one hand should be pressure the ball

and one hand should restrict passing options.

When guarding a dribbler in the full court the

lead hand (the direction you are going) should

be extended and into the passing lane

restricting the vision of offensive teammates

and high percentage passing options. The trail

hand should reach toward the ball, to help stop

any crossover move.

In the half court hand pressure must focus on

the lead hand being again being pressuring the

passing lane. However, it should be slightly

forward of the defender to take away the

offensive players space. The trail hand

becomes the spear hand, which has two

purposes: firstly, to push the ball out of the

hands of the offensive player when the player

attempts to bring the ball from one side of their

body to the other, and secondly, the spear hand

gives a visual indication to the defender of the

gap which is needed to be maintained when

playing defence.

The gap helps in providing a buffer in reactiontimes from the offensive player to the

defensive. The teaching points for the spear

hand include:

Arm extended to towards the ball isolating the

movement to one side of the body

Keep the arm bent if it is straight it will tend

to drag the players body forward and out of

balance

Palm facing the ball with fingers extended

point up

4. Communication

The need for defensive communication cannot

be overstated and coaches should develop

specific key words, such as:

Ball: when the defender is guarding the ball

Help: when the defender requires help in

defence

Rotate: when a defender moves to help a

team mate

Shot: when the offensive player shoots the

ball (this tells team mates to find their

defender and establish contact in a box out.

Effective and specific communication can

reduce the reaction time of defenders.

Particularly with junior athletes the voice can be

used by players to disrupt concentration and

focus.

6. Will to Compete

The will to compete is a state of mind. In any

game of basketball many one-on-one contests

happen. If enough of these moments are won

there can be a change in momentum and a shift

in the performance of the player and ultimately

the team.Defensive examples include gaining possession

of a loose ball, getting to a spot in a help

possession and applying constant ball pressure.

These small roles that everyone can perform

are often the difference in the end between a

good player and a great player.

Pillar 2: Individual defensive

awareness

The smallest component of any team is the

individual and the coordinated movement ofdefenders will result in deterring perimeter

offence and isolating the ball resulting in limited

offensive output and structure.

Characteristics

To be a successful defensive player you must

be aware of what is happening space around

you. A poor defender will only be conscious of

the player that they are guarding. Not only will

they be unable to help their team mates they

are also susceptible to screens as they are not

aware of what other offensive players aredoing.

The characteristics of defensive awareness

include:

1. Positioning

2. Defensive Stance

3. Communication

4. Footwork at Speed

5. Habitual Reaction

1. Positioning

If the defensive player is in the correct positionwithin the teams strategic plan, they can

anticipate what is going to happen and react to

it before it happens.

A common error by defenders is to lose sight of

either the player they are guarding or the player

with the ball. In its most basic language, if I

dont see you I cannot react to you.

Correct position focuses around the flat

triangle, which is a teaching cue to help

athletes maintain a position where they can see

the player they are guarding and the player with

the ball. The flat triangle constantly changesdepending on the movements of the ball in

relation to the strong-side or help-side of the

basketball court.

2. Defensive Stance

An athlete that is in defensive stance is

physically prepared to react quickly and

powerfully and it is usually a good indicator that

they are mentally ready they are in the

game. Needless to say, this physical and

mental state of readiness is the basis of good

defence.

3. Communication

The quickest player can only react once

significant movement has been made that

triggers a response. For example, the trigger for

Who needs help here?

Photo: Getty Images


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a help defender to rotate may be being able to

see both shoulders of the driving offensive

player. This form of defensive reaction is visual

based and in help defence situations is the

slowest form of reaction, as vision may be

obscured. A way to trigger a faster reaction is

to give a verbal cue.

However, for communication to be effective it

must be specific. E.g. Ball, help, split, shot, box.These five simple calls once imbedded within

the team defensive training and games will be

used and understood by all players on the court

and off of it.

Communication will help all athletes maintain

concentration and provide a quicker specific

movement within the team defensive rotations.

The ability for offensive players to make reads

on the second line of defence is a higher order

skill which must be counter by defensive

players in help positions acting swiftly and in a

unified method.

4. Footwork at Speed

Footwork has a significant place in defensive

awareness, as often those players with the best

footwork are able to recover from a poor

position to still move into a successful defensive

position. On particularly important skill is the

drop step where the defender changes

direction.

A drop step is simply a reverse pivot but a

common mistake is to pivot 90, which results

in standing side on to the offensive player and

they will easily drive past. The drop step should

be approximately 45.

5. Habitual Reaction

A habit is an action or behaviour that is regular,

repetitive and often conscious and can be good

or bad. A good defensive player, and a good

defensive team, is one that habitually moves to

good position, applies hand pressure and so on.

Pillar 3: Rotation

Rotation refers to the coordinated movement by

defenders to help a team mate. The

movements can be specific to the type of

defence being played and the nature of the

offence

The Characteristics of good rotation are:|

1. Strategy specific knowledge

2. Vision of the ball3. Communication

4. Effort

5. Constant rehearsal

1. Strategy specific knowledge

For every defensive system there is a rotation

pattern. A good defensive team understands

those patterns and habitually performs them.

2. Vision of the ball

Without seeing the ball a defender cannot react

to it as quickly as someone who is in a position

where line of sight is taking place. The few

seconds it takes for either verbal

communication or defensive players own

movement to get back into the correct

positioning can result in a poor scoring

opportunity becoming a good one. The defence

will be far more effective if the help defenders

anticipate what is about to happen.

3. Communication

Good communication gives your teammates

confidence that they have back up and can

accordingly be more aggressive in applying

pressure (players often dont apply pressure as

they fear they wil l be beaten). This

communication can also deter the offensive as

it shows the defence is prepared. Secondly,

good communication can be a cue for rotation

to occur.

4. Effort

Effort is the cornerstone of every successfulendeavour. A defender can be in the right

position, they can be communicating in the right

language with all the other characteristics but if

they will not put in the effort they will always fall

short of providing good defensive help in

defence. The next hurdle will become the

consistent application of reads and actions in a

game realistic pace and intensity.

5. Constant Rehearsal

Once all other characteristics of rotation have

been covered then it is time to introduce

activities that build upon these individual reads

Belinda Snell knows Argentina were hands on at the World Championship. Photo: Getty Images.


19/28


and simulate the action need for each one via a

series of drills which can be used to build up to

Shell Drill. But in each of the simulated game

paced activities athletes must be challenge to

make decisions under pressure with little time

for judgment. This will assist in actions

becoming automatic and developing players

understanding and ability to play defense.

Pillar 4: Rebounding

Players should be encouraged to think of

rebounding as their team getting the ball. A

player that stops their opponent from getting

the rebound is just as, if not more, valuable as

a player that gets the rebound.

Characteristics

Rebounding is not a difficult skill and indeed it

is often said that 90% of rebounding prowess is

desire not skill. However, rebounding can be a

very hard skill to develop consistent effort in.The basic skills are often very simple to

demonstrate and teach during training, but the

application of these skills during game

scenarios and games can be poor.

The characteristics for effective rebounding can

be broken down into five key points:

1. Communication

2. See

3. Hit

4. Seal

5. Bury

1. Communication

Good communication will directly benefit

rebounding. The player guarding the ball must

call shot as the offence shoots this is the

cue for all defenders to rebound.

2. See

The first mistake most players make in

rebounding is that they turn to face the basket

as soon as the shot is taken. Once they have

done that they cannot see their opponent and,most importantly, cant stop them from getting

the rebound. The first thing a player should do

when a shot is taken is to see their opponent!

3. Hit

This characteristic refers to the initial

movement establishing body contact. Key

teaching points for the Hit sequence are:

Lower stance to give a lower centre of gravity

and absorb contact with your opponent

Forearm must be extended to make initial

contactAlthough we generally teach boxing out in the

context of being the defensive player, it equally

applies to the offensive player if they can

establish good position they can increase their

chance of getting the rebound.

4. Seal

The Seal characteristic refers to the movement

of the defensive player once contact has been

established. They should try to now face the

basket while keeping their opponent behind

them. It is important to still have contact. The

key teaching points for the Seal are:

Maintain contact with offensive player

Reverse or forward pivot into offensive

athletes

Problems will arise with maintaining contact

with the offensive player if the box-out is

executed too early.

Problems can also be found in the technique of

athletes in the reverse or forward pivots into the

offensive athlete. The highest percentage of

problems relate directly to not having a low

enough centre of gravity before trying to seal

the athlete.

5. Bury

The Bury is an important stage in the box-out

and is the most common element that is not

executed by defensive athletes. The ability to

create space in front of you will significantly

increase the capacity of the athletes to secure

the rebound and ultimately possession. Key

teaching points for the Bury characteristic

are:

Maintain contact with offensive player

Lower stance and centre of gravity

Shuffle in small quick steps backwards

Raise arms up with hands above head

The vast amount of problems with technique in

this stage of the box-out occur in the quick

steps needed to create space between the

defensive athlete and the basket. If they are too

close to the basket the ball will bounce over

their head.

If Jackson misses, the rebound is critical. Photo: Getty Images.


20/28


Player pathwaysThe art of coaching is to inspire athletes to love the game and to help them achieve to the highest level of their

abilities. To do that, coaches should have a good understanding of the pathways players take to reach the elite level

and the importance of the coachs role along the way. We caught up with four Australia Post Boomers to talk about

their trips to the top.

Brad NewleyWhen did you first start playing basketball?

In 1992 for the Forestville Eagles Basketball

club in South Australia.

Who introduced you to the game?

My parents. Dad played in the NBL and Mum

played in the state league in SA.

As a junior, who had the biggest impact on

your development?

Probably Marty Clarke, the head coach at theAIS. Marty helped me out a lot and taught me

how to be a better basketball player, not just a

shooter.He also taught me a lot of things off the

court, like how you should conduct yourself and

how your mental state relates to how you act on

the court.

What development programs were you

involved in?

I tried out for the State U16 team and only made

the reserve list but I later made the U18 State

Team. While I was trying out for the U16 State

Teams I was selected to the National ITCProgram, which was a great opportunity to

develop my skills, and when I was 17 I got a

scholarship to the AIS, which was awesome. Its

the best place for a kid who hopes to be a

professional basketball player. They have five

courts that are open all day and coaches to help

you out, but you have to have the self

motivation to work on your game too and to

push yourself.

Do you have any regrets about your

basketball development?

In hindsight I would have liked to pay more

attention to my body. I sacrificed that a bit while

I was working on my game and I probably

would have benefited from getting in the gym a

little bit more. My game isnt a bulk game or a

strength game but I think it would have helped.

I did it at the institute, but I could have worked

a bit harder. I really noticed it on the

international scene at the world championship.

What was the best advice a coach gave you

in your junior career?

Rob Beveridge (Australia Post Boomers Assistant Coach at the 2006 FIBA world

championship) always used to say to me that

even the best shooter is going to miss 4 out of

10 shots, so you cant hang your head after youmiss. I dont know why, but that has kind of

stuck with me.

What advice would you give to todays

juniors?

To make sure they work on all areas of their

game. If you are a point guard, work on your

shooting. If you are a shooting guard, work on

you ball handling skills. If you are one of those

guys that are going to be a big, get outside and

work on your perimeter game, so internationally

you can do it all. Thats one thing I noticed in

Japan: no matter how big the guys were, theyall had very good skills and fundamentals.

What sacrifices did you make on the way to

the top?

I left home and went away from all my friends

to Townsville, where there is basically just a

basketball team. But you cant be scared to

sacrifice your friends.Youve got to get out there

and put it all on the floor.

What was your best experience as a junior?

Winning the gold medal for the Emus at the U19

World Championships, definitely. It was a greattournament; we won all our round games then

lost to Lithuania in our first cross over final. We

had to beat the USA by 12 or something to get

through to the next round and we ended upbeating them by about 16. Then we knocked off

Croatia and we were on so much of a high we

destroyed Lithuania in the final when everything

went right. We had a very talented side with

Andrew Bogut, Luke Martin, Rhys Carter, Aaron

Bruce and Greg Vanderjagt --in fact the whole

team was great and a good bunch of guys to be

around, but we really deserved that gold medal.

Brad Newley channels Doctor J.

Did Marty Clarke teach Newley this?

Photo: Getty Images.

Photo: Getty Images


21/28


CJ BrutonWhen did you first start playing basketball?

When I was 9 years old I tried for an under 14

team in Brisbane that my older brother was in.

I didnt make the team and I was devastated

and I cried my eyes out all the way home.


My dad [Hall of Famer Cal Bruton]. I started

going to his games, but I couldnt sit still to

watch a full game of basketball so I made sure

I always had my basketball with me. If there

was a court behind the stand I was there with

the other 30 kids. Then I started wiping the floor

for the games and thats where I started to fall

in love with the game.


your development?

I wouldnt have played if it wasnt for my dad. Ive

got all his game tapes at home. Dad grew up inAmerica and played a different style but I found

that in Australia that if you want to be the best

you need to learn how to make the players

around you better.So my dad had a big influence

but I didnt base my game completely on him.My

State U18 coach also had a big influence too. He

explained what I needed to do to get better.


involved in?

I was playing club ball at Lang Park and when I

was 10 years old I made the Bullets team as

captain.Then we moved to Perth and I played onthe Scarborough rep team and I remember at the

U14 nationals, Aaron Trahair was 64 and

dominating. I represented WA on the U16, U18

and U20 State Teams before representing

Australia on the Junior team. I was in the ITC

program when it first started and I had a chance

to play in the state league. In the first year I won

the MVP and a championship so it was a great

start, then at 17 I had a chance to train with the

Perth Wildcats, which really helped me. At 18 I

went to the Australian Junior Camp, with players

like Mackinnon, Dwight, Saville, Drimic andShanahan.



I dont think I have any regrets. My first coach at

City Beach was all about conditioning and

learning all the positions, so you were able to find

out what you can and cant do. I didnt think it at

the time, but I learnt how to play my role and all

the other positions too and I learned early on that

size doesnt matter as much as some people

think.That coach did me a real favour.


during your junior career?

Steve Williams was a player in the state league

while I was a junior. He played for East Perth

during the Vlahov and Longley era. He told me,

youve earned everything youve got and youve

worked hard, but dont rely on your gifts.


juniors?I had an AFL guy come to my school when I was

a kid to tell us we needed to work hard and do

our homework and its a clich, but thats what

Im saying these days when I do school visits.

The time is so short in high school and before

you know it youre in the real world and the real

world is hard and nothing is handed to you easily.

Its the same in basketball, nothing is going to be

given to you and you have to work hard. Just

because youre gifted at 14 and youre the best

player, let me tell you,each year you are going to

have to come back with something special toprove why you are the best.

CJ Bruton surveys the action

until it's time to celebrate.




22/28


Mark WorthingtonWhen did you first start playing basketball?

When I was 13 a group of my friends from

school decided to put a team in the Australind

Basketball Association League in Western

Australia and they asked me to play because I

was the tallest.


your development?

My Mum and Dad had a big part in it, but so too

did a coach called Steve Hawkins. He coached

me in the Bunbury Juniors and he also had me

for the ITC stuff in WA Country and he taught me

all the basics.


involved in?

From the U14 State team I started to make rep

teams, then I missed out the first year of U16

State but made it in the second year, along withITC, and then I had two years of State with the

U18s. After that I trained with the Cairns Taipans

and I was up there for 7 months living with John

Dorge, the new assistant coach of the New

Zealand Breakers. John became a second

father to me up there and with his experience

playing for Australia he helped me to get in the

mode of being a professional athlete.

Can you tell us about your experiences in

the US college system?

I went to Metro State after the Taipans stint and

stayed there 4 years, despite being out of myleague from the get go. I wasnt in the starting

five and I was really out of my comfort zone, but

it ended up making me a better basketball

player. The head coach there, Mike Dunlap,

teaches you things off the court as well by

talking about life and what values to stand for,

but playing under him was tough. His whole

deal was to make it as difficult as possible so

that everything else in life would seem easier by

comparison. We would train for 5 or 6 hours

straight, but when it came to the games they

werent anywhere near as hard as the trainingsessions.



I cant remember anything particular, but I was

always being told to work hard at training and it

would pay off on the court -- and it did. I also

remember being told never to look back. What

happens in the past has happened in the past.

You can only build towards the future.


juniors?

My advice would be to practice and to look at

what the guys are doing on the TV -- watch the

Brad Newleys and the Sam Mackinnons and

try and emulate their games, but always have

your own twist on things. Try to copy what they

do on the court and it will pay off in the end.


the top?

I had to move out of my comfort zone and

across the country and then I had to move to the

other side of the world. Before that, when I was

a kid, all my mates decided to play football and

I decided to play basketball and there were

some people that didnt talk to me any more

because I was going in a different direction. Butthey are not your real friends. I have three

friends that stuck by my side all the way

through and we are still great friends today.


This sounds weird but the best thing for me was

not getting selected for the U16 State team as a

bottom age. It made me realise I was going to

have to work harder and that I couldnt just rely

on my athletic ability alone. It really fired me up

and made me hungry to make the next team

and to be successful. At the time it was pretty

crushing and demoralizing, but overall it has

been a blessing in disguise.

Wortho: a kid from Bunbury Juniors at the World Championship in Japan

Photo: Getty Images


23/28


Sam MacKinnonWhen did you first start playing basketball?

I had been playing at school and I asked my Dad

if I could get into a comp and he took me up to

the Diamond Valley Telstars and I started

playing for them when I was 9 years old.


I think my Dad knew someone from back in the

footy days whose son was playing for the

Telstars, so it kind of just fitted. I only ended up

playing for them for a year, then I moved to

Kingsbury Youth Club and I played with them

under coach Fred Liddy until I was about 18.


your development?

Definitely Fred Liddy, because I was with the

same club for so long. He was an old boxer, so

we have some fun. Hed have the magic spray

out for the back of you neck to cool you downand hed fire you up like a boxer. It was a good

mix. We had a lot of fun playing together and a

lot of good times. Later I was in the ABA with the

North East Melbourne Arrows and that was

when Mike Kelly became my role model. He

would pick me up from in front of my house and

cart me to practices, and I learned a lot from

him. I was also training with the Giants in 93,

with Brett Brown so I have had a lot of positive

influences.


involved in? As well as playing for Kingsbury I started

playing for Diamond Valley in the VBA on Friday

nights and then from there I got picked in the

U16 State team and the Elite Squad, which

meant special training sessions on a Monday or

Tuesday night, and then I moved up through to

under 18s and U20s. In 1993 I was recruited by

the Giants, the Magic and the West Side Saints,

but the West Side Saints became defunct so I

ended up signing with the Magic.



I dont have any regrets. I think I developed

pretty soundly.



Honestly, just to enjoy it and have fun. I do

remember Fred working me really hard, but we

had a good time and I enjoyed it.


juniors?

Its hard because Ive got the value of hindsight,

but I had so much fun back then. Going to

tournaments on weekends with my family was

a really good time. So yeah, Id say work hard

and enjoy where it takes you.


the top?

I think as a young kid you always want to hang

out with your mates and go to parties and all

that kind of stuff, but I think you have to

sacrifice the social side of things a bit. I was

travelling around Victoria on a Friday night

rather than going to a local party and I wouldntchange it for the world -- and Ive still got a lot

of mates from back then.


Probably my dad was always getting us lost. (He

was called Melways. His names Mel, but the

street directory in Melbourne is called the

Melways, so it was a fitting name.) And having

MacDonalds every Friday night after my game

was another good memory. In terms of

basketball, I was lucky enough to play with a

group of 5 or 6 guys that went all the way

through and won the U18 Nationals for

Diamond Valley which I think was the first and

only time thats been done, so that was pretty

special. I was a part of 5 national

championships from U16 to U20s which is

pretty awesome. Ive got lots of great

memories.

Sammy Mac has come a long way since the Kingsbury Youth Club

Photo: Getty Images


24/28


The Gatorade Sports Science Institute

and the Australian Institute of Sport

sweat tested 16 members of the

mens national basketball team during a

regular practice session (2? hours in a gym.

The test measured pre-practice hydration,

fluid balance and sweat composition to

determine how much fluid and electrolytes

(e.g. sodium and potassium) were lost

during a practice or game. As a result, the

players found that sprint speed and

shooting accuracy are reduced if players are

even slightly dehydrated.

The differences in sweat rates between

individual players were significant, ranging from

1.4 litres to 3.8 litres (over 1.5 litres per hour).

This was probably because of differences in

intensity and duration of play as well as

individual variations in sweat production. The

training environment was cool, so under hot

conditions sweat rates would have been much

greater.

The players replaced less than half of the fluid

lost during the session. The Boomers who wereleast effective in replacing fluids chose to drink

only water during the session, while the player

who replaced most fluid drank a sports drink.

The result: the Boomers lost an average of

1.5% of their body weight during the session.

Most players were dehydrated before they

even started to train so total dehydration

would be even greater. When athletes lose more

than 1.5-2.0% of their body weight during

practice or competition, their performance can

suffer performance deteriorates roughly in

proportion to weight loss.

What were the tests?

Pre-practice hydration: the Boomers

hydration level was assessed using an analysis

of their urine before the session.

Fluid balance: the difference between the

volume of fluids the Boomers drank (water and

sports drinks) and the volume of fluids they

produced through sweat and urine was

carefully monitored.

Sweat composition: the scientists used sweat

patches to measure sodium in the athletessweat and determine if there were any salty

sweaters on the team they would need to be

monitored for low levels of body sodium. Low

sodium levels can slow rehydration and

potentially lead to serious muscle cramping and

other problems.

What did the tests reveal?

14 of the 16 players were dehydrated at the

start of the session

sweat loss average was 2.1 L during the

session - losses ranged from 1.4 L to 3.8 L

average total fluid loss (sweat + urine) was

2.4 L

the players lost an average of 1.5% of their

body weight; 2 players lost more than 2%

players replaced an average of 44% of total

fluid loss the range was 12% to 78%

players drank between 0.2 L and 2.5 L during

the session, averaging at 1.1 L

the average sodium concentration in the

Boomers sweat samples was normal for fit

athletes (467 mg/L), although one of the

players had a concentration higher than

average (977 mg/L)

How are the Boomers

beating dehydration?

experts recommend athletes replace all of the

fluid they lose during exercise to optimise

performance and keep cool athletes should

aim to maintain, neither lose nor gain, body

weight.

each player drinks an extra litre of fluid during

the day and another litre in the evening before

bed to correct pre-exercise dehydration

the Boomers, and especially the two players

demonstrating the greatest dehydration, were

advised to drink an extra 500-1000 mL

during similar practice sessions

the player with saltiest sweat was advised to

eat pretzels, chips, and other salty foods and

snacks, add plenty of salt to his food, and opt

for sodium-containing sports drinks rather

than plain water during practice and

competition

players should opt for a scientifically

formulated sports drink. This is sports drinks

contain flavour to encourage them to drink,

and electrolytes to help speed fluid

absorption into the blood, stimulate thirst, and

reduce urine formation. They also contain

carbohydrate for energy to help players

perform better.

DR XIAOCAI SHIPrincipal Scientist,

the Gatorade SportsScience Institute.

Boomers urged to drink up:

The Australia Post Boomers

hydration game plan

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why should athletes drink during a practice/game?

To help regulating body temperature and maintaining normal physiological functions for peak

performance.

Why is water not good enough for fluid replacement during a practice/game?

Water does not contain electrolytes and carbohydrates that your body needs for effective

drinking, fast absorption, faster and better hydration, and instant energy source.

What is a sweat test?

A sweat test includes two parts:body fluid monitoring and sweat collection. The purpose of thistest is to determine the loss of body fluid and sweat electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium

during a practice/game.

Dehydration leads to fatigue.

Photo: Getty Images.


25/28


Start your practice and games in

a well-hydrated condition

Monitor your hydration status during the

day by checking the colour of your urine. (Ifyour urine is the light-yellowish colour of

lemon squash, you are probably well-

hydrated. If your urine colour is dark like

apple juice you need to drink more.

Hydration charts can be ordered through

the Coaches Edge

[http://www.coachesedge.com.au/hydratio

nkit/hydrationkit.asp])

Drink 500-1000mL of fluid 2-3 hours

before practice or games to make certain

you are well hydrated. By drinking this far

in advance, your kidneys will have time toeliminate any excess fluid.

Keep track of how much you

drink, and record your body

weight before and after practice

to find out if you drink too muchor too little

If you lose weight, drink more to maintain

body weight. For example, if you lose 500g

of body weight during a 2-hour practice,

you should drink an extra 250 mL of fluid

every hour during subsequent practices.

If you gain weight, drink less during

exercise. Gaining weight during exercise

can lead to low blood sodium

(hyponatremia), a dangerous although

uncommon condition.

Try to replace 90-100% of the

sweat you lose during practices

and games while you are

exercising.

When you are sweating heavily, drink early

and often, every 10-15 minutes if possible.

Thirst lags behind dehydration, so drink

before you are thirsty. During games,drink

during every timeout and at halftime.

Favour sports drinks over water because

sports drinks contain carbohydrate for

energy, flavour to encourage you to drink,

and electrolytes, especially sodium, to help

speed fluid absorption into the blood,

stimulate thirst, and reduce urineformation.

Hydrate for peak performance

Coaches need to hydrate too


26/28


BY DAVE LAURIE

Irecently attended the Australian Institute of Sport as part of Basketball Australias

Interstate Coaching Experience.

The program included discussions with strength and conditioning coaches, biomechanics guru DrKeith Lyons, former Boomers coach Barry Barnes, AIS mens and Emus head coach Marty Clarke and

AIS womens and Gems head coach Dean Kinsman. We also toured the large resources centre and

water recovery areas.

We had the fortune to see strength and conditioning sessions, AIS mens and womens team

trainings, specific individual sessions, shooting sessions and a training session for the Canberra

Capitals WNBL team.

I would like to thank Basketball Australia for the invitation to participate in the program and, in

particular, Patrick Hunt and the AIS coaches who made us feel very welcome.

I found the following drill useful in encouraging players to catch and shoot.

See the Philips

Championship NBL on 9and the defencejobs

WNBL on ABC and ABC2!The Philips Championship has continued the on-going

expansion of its broadcast presence with National Basketball

League (NBL) games now broadcast weekly on Channel Nine

throughout Australia. The one-hour highlights program

airs on Sunday mornings at 11:30am AEDT. Meanwhile,

FOXSPORTS has expanded its coverage and now airs

three NBL games each week.

The defencejobs Womens National Basketball League (WNBL)

can now be seen LIVE on ABC2 every Friday night at 8pm

AEDT, replayed on Sunday at 12:30pm AEDT. For those without

digital television, the ABCs Saturday afternoon coverage of the

defencejobs WNBL continues unabated at 4pm AEDT.

Interstate Coaching Experience

4-on-3 Catch and Shoot drill

Teaching points:

Recognising when to penetrate

Being able to find and hit receiver withpass

Receiver having the ability to catch and

shoot quick release

Defence move while ball in air

Communication

The offense has an advantage, playing 4

on 3! They pass around the perimeter,

with the defence closing out on every

pass. Defenders must not chase the pass.

The offence may penetrate off any pass,

and the other players must sprint to

receiver positions ready to catch and

shoot. Their hands and feet must be

ready early.

The dribbling player must pass off the

dribble and the defence must scramble

on the close out. The receiver must catch

and shoot without putting ball on floor.


27/28


With the success of Aussie Hoops Month in November you may have seen clubs around

Australia participating in fun activities during game nights. One thing we discovered is that

with a large group of kids it is sometimes difficult to keep everyone involved. The followingtwo activities proved very helpful when dealing with large groups of participants

Aussie Hoops Month DuncansFun Activities for Game Night!

Activity: Numbers Lay-ups

Teams stand on the outside of the court. Each team

member is given a number (i.e. each team will have a #1, #2

etc). If the team numbers are not even a player may be

given more than one number (or a coach could step in to

even team numbers!).

Balls are put in the centre circle (one ball per team). Coach

calls out a number. The player with that number must pickup a ball and try to score a basket. They must dribble the

ball, not run with it. The first team to score a basket gets a

point.

Continue to a set number of points or a set time. The

diagram has only two teams, but it can be played with more.

Time: 10mins

Equipment: 1 ball per team

Variation:

Call out more than one number. Each

player on a t

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