"Be Creative"

Being Creative is what's behind evolution. It's putting to use valuable assets like empowerment. Although this applies to many facets of life, because I coach basketball, I'm going to make it specific to the game.


"The key to success is often the ability to adapt."
Many of the drills we use in basketball, the different offensive and defensive schemes, were created by someone. Most have evolved by other coaches taking ownership, improving on what already existed, and adapting what was given to them to their teams, & players. Many times coaches have to adapt and be flexible with what they do by how different teams play them. The bottom line is that we must remain flexible, and seek where we can make improvements. This takes a level of create ability, a sound understanding of the game, and intuit. Don't get me wrong. You can't just go out there and do whatever on the grounds of creativity and be successful. You must adhere to the fundamentals of the game. Good intuitiveness comes from experience, watching others, and having an understanding. You must be willing to make mistakes.


"Any change, even a change for the better is always accompanied by drawbacks & discomforts."
(Arnold Bennet)
Sometimes, you might have a great idea, that just doesn't get executed great by your team, or is well played by another. Don't necessarily give up on it. Maybe another team with other players might fit it better, or another opponent can be very vulnerable to it. Keep working, playing, and adjusting.



Often in youth sports you will see this lack of creativeness. Young coaches, or parent coaches will take something right out of a textbook, or something they learned in their playing days but can't adapt it to their team or teach a team how to play withing the play. The players look like robots, the coach gets frustrated, and parents say 'the offense doesn't work'. It's not that. It's the lack of teaching and creativity within the elements. You can't teach a play if you don't know how the fundamentals of angles, deployment, and match ups work.


(i.e)
I like to use different entries to flow into different offenses if we don't get what we want out of our quick or secondary offense. For example I might use a dribble @ back-cut move to set up a pick&roll on the wing rather than just a pass entry. The back cut will balance the floor into a triangle set. Once we are there and didn't get the shot or roll we have a sideline triangle we can work out of or motion. I often like to use a split high post action to get into the high post UCLA offense, triangle, or motion.



Don't be afraid to mix it up & have fun learning.
"When your finished changing, your finished." (Benjamin Franklin)

Final thought: Don't just do things the way the last person did. Emphasise different points. Put your own style and twist on the things. PUT A SIGNATURE ON EVERYTHING YOU DO.