A Pen And A Napkin

In our latest (both figuratively and literally) episode of "A Pen And A Napkin", Chris Strathman, the highly successful GBB HC at McPherson (KS) comes on the pod! In this pod, we discuss the value of continuity of our coaching staff, building a youth program, transition basketball, half court defense, and the lost art of the live scout. Alot of great information in this late night conversation!!

At this point of the season, we're all looking at our teams and what we can or need to do to improve our teams. Some of us might be considering radical adjustments to our teams and lineups, while others are looking at tweaks. Here are some things to consider before you make any major adjustments to your team, both for the short term and the long term.

In part two of our podcast, Carl Pierson goes through the writing of "The Other Side of Glory". The book details the journey of the Waconia Wildcats' 2019-20 season and their pursuit of a state tournament berth that has eluded the program for over four decades. In a season of ups and downs, high expectations, joys and disappointments, the spirit of the team and the joy of high school athletics shines through. A great read for any coach and team!!

In this special two-part podcast, we talk to Carl J. Pierson, the author of "The Politics of Coaching". We talk about how the book came about and then dive into some of the major political pitfalls that a coach can get caught up, from parental agendas to working with administration to the structure of your program. A great listen and a lot of really important topics discussed for all coaches at all levels!

Some of us are big scouters, spending alot of our practice time and time with the team, while other coaches don't spend nearly as much time on our opponents. Both methods have produced successful results, and you have to do what you're comfortable with. In this "Foundation Friday", here are the methods that we use to prepare for our opponents.

Legendary Harlan (IA) boys basketball coach Mitch Osborn, owner of over 700 wins, jumps on the podcast this week to discuss a wide variety of topics. We chat about the overall success of Harlan's athletics, mixing business with coaching, being an administrator, youth programs, practice set up and fighting cancer. A great conversation that you're going to get alot from.

In the hustle and the bustle of the early season, we sometimes forget the details of what we could or should be doing on game days to get prepared for the game, then we're left scrambling at the last minute to get these things taken care of. Here's a preemptive list of things that you should be thinking about before game night!

Lisa Steele, the former GBB HC at Paul VI (New Jersey) comes on the podcast this week! In this terrific conversation, we talk about the adjustments that great players have to make to be a coach, coaching at different levels, the importance of a mentor, taking care of the family first, marketing your program and her fledgling broadcasting career. We also dive into the "Blizzard" match-up zone, working with administration and scouting. Great conversation!!!

Here are a few quick updates about this season and things to expect for the upcoming 3-4 months!

We organized our first youth tournament last weekend, and it was a great success, but it didn't come without some lessons along the way. We had a great group of people that helped organize the tournament, so here are some things that we did well, and there are a few things that we plan on adjusting for next years tournament.