Practice Intensity

Below I have posted our practice plan for today as we reviewed our press vs. made shots and missed shots, as well as our OB-Side and OB-Under defense.

As often happens after a day off, it took us awhile to get into a groove.  One thing we are trying to develop this time of year is an attitude towards practice that we are going to go at game speed every time we step on the court.  For us, a "light" practice does not mean a half-speed practice.  We vary our practice routine by changing the length (1:45, 1:15, 45 minutes), or the amount of contact work we do:  vs. Press, vs. No Press (half-court defense only), or vs. No Defense (Dummy offense only).

This idea of varying the intensity of practices based on length and amount of defensive contact is something I stole from Bill Walsh (who probably stole it from Paul Brown... we're all thieves!)  Anyway, when Walsh took over the 49ers back in the early 1980s, he was one of the first NFL coaches to assert that every practice didn't have to be a test of manhood.  So practice intensity went from "No Pads" (Helmets, T-shirt, and Shorts only), to "Shoulder Pads" to "Full Pads."  But EVERY practice was at Game Speed.  He was teaching speed as well as technique, so he never liked to "walk through" a drill or play.  Same goes for System practices.  If you need a "light" practice, go full-speed vs. no defense for 30 minutes.  Then go home and watch Dancing with the Stars.

Today was a 1:45 practice (105 minutes), using press defense.  In other words, it was supposed to be a tough workout.  But players don't always come with the same level of intensity and effort.  That's where your ability to motivate comes in.  Once we stopped and challenged the players--once I reminded them in my own, subtle way that they couldn't press my 104 year old Grandma Douglas with the level of effort they were currently giving--they rose to that challenge and we had a pretty good defensive workout from that point forward.

Which was discouraging news to Grandma, given all the extra time she's been putting in lately on her ball-handling.

12:05-12:15    WARMUP
                         Elbow Layups                2 of each
                         Dynamic Warmup

12:15-12:30   SHOOTING

                        12 minute Threes          Sound buzzer at each minute           

12:30-12:40  TRANSITION

                        Carolina Break              # made in 2 minutes after warming up

                        HC 3 on 2

                        HC 3 on 3                       Use Dribble out

12:40-12:50   GROUPS

                        Chase & Turn            Partners, in each corner; start w/toss to partner

                        1/2 Trap (MN); HC 2/1 (DP)   Switch ends after 2½ minutes                                    

                        Water Break

12:50-1:15     TEAM OFFENSE

                        Review 55 vs. 2-up; 3-up;  Show vs. 4-up

                        5-count Drill:  55 vs. 3 up

                        Missed Shot Press Drill vs. our Press Break 

                        Water Break

1:15-1:30       SITUATIONS

                        11 Press vs. Sideline 3, Sideline Stack                                  

                        11 vs. OB 2-3-5

1:30-1:40       COMPETIVE SHOOTING                                

                        4 Minute Shooting                                         Record: 85