A Pen And A Napkin

Steve Lutz, assistant men's basketball coach at Purdue University, joins the pod this week to discuss recruiting and team building, player development concepts and drills, what separates pros like Carsen Edwards and Doug McDermott from everyone else and what to look for while hunting for a job. Great information from an outstanding coach!

The dog days of the season are upon us, and everyone is tired. How do you keep everyone fresh, both mentally and physically? Here are some ideas for your team and your program to move your squads forward with positive activities while also give them a break from the grind of the season!

Our first group taping in a live setting was a great success, as we sit down with three highly successful coaches in Kelly Flynn of Fremont (NE), John O'Connor of Bennington (NE) and Jerome Skrdla of Gretna (NE). We discuss the influence and legacy of Kobe Bryant, how coaching has changed, changes we'd like to see in girls basketball, attacking pressure defense, creating chaos in practice and how you pace a season as a head coach. So much good information to share for all to hear!

As the season moves along, it is easy to get sucked into the latest crisis or to feel TOO good about your team. You need to remind yourself to come to practice and competitions every day ready to teach the game as you would in the classroom. Here are some important reminders about teaching during this important stretch of the season!

We step outside the realm of basketball and crossover to soccer in this week's Book Club. Chris Brady and David Bolchover wrote "The 90 Minute Manager", analyzing the qualities of a soccer manager to leadership. A lot of good, crossover information comes out of this book!

This episode features Tyler Struck, the head boys basketball coach at Nevada (IA). Struck discusses the influence of Greg McDermott on his career, and also the pros and cons of taking over a highly successful program. He also gives us insight on the process of switching from a man to man defensive scheme to more zone, dribble drive implementation and developing the concept of "mindfulness" with his players. Great episode!!

As we move into mid-January, teams are starting to hit their stride with their own schemes, so you should be able to move into a more detailed scouting report and prepping your team. What to look for, how to present it to your team, and how to divide scouting responsibilities amongst your staff are all touched on in this pod!