“Three Ideas” Newsletter
Hello, everyone! Springtime in Colorado is always a tease. Great weather, followed by snow, and great weather, all in a week. Today, it’s awesome! I’m changing the newsletter’s format, hopefully streamlining your reading. Each newsletter will have three thoughts for you to consider in your coaching. They will be brief, but hopefully, you will find them interesting and worth trying in your practices. A spoiler alert: I avoid preaching about the “right” way to do things. I prefer to present ideas that you can experiment with in your practices. Lastly, I will be uploading videos that you will be able to access for free. Each newsletter will have a link for the latest upload(s).
As always, if there is any topic you would like me to explore, please let me know.
Thank you for reading!!
~Jim
Quote for the Week: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse.” ~Henry Ford, Founder of Ford Motor Company
Three Ideas
#1 – Ben Josephson – In a recent interview, the University of Texas Associate Head Coach, Ben Josephson, discussed how he evaluates performance with his players. He divides skill performance into three layers. First is the organization, which is the player understands their responsibilities and executes what is expected. Second is the mechanical component, which is performing the skill technically correctly. Is good footwork being used, is their defensive court position correct, etc. Lastly is the skill component; when the players know what to do, their execution is correct, and they compete against the opponent. Sometimes, the opponent executes better and scores even if the organization and technique are correct. That’s okay! You are doing great if most of your coaching time is spent on the skill component area. If there are issues in the organization or mechanical area, it won’t be easy to succeed in the skill area. WATCH THE INTERVIEW WITH BEN
#2 – Run To Space – One of the teams I enjoyed watching at the U-18 World Championships a few years back was Japan. Their sideout-out offense was very effective and fun to watch. The basic concept was they attacked “gaps” in the block. They would see the areas between the blockers and run their offense routes to attack the gaps. This seems like a simple concept, but so many teams in this country run their attackers directly to where blockers are standing. Here are some clips with a voiceover. Watch Japan U-18 Offense
#3 Repeatability – If you listen to Ben’s interview, you will see that he discussed the importance of “repeatability.” I define repeatability as “the ability to continuously and successfully execute a skill or concept.” How can a coach instill this? First, the player must know what they are attempting to do. Then, the coach must put the player into a situation where they must have repeated success in execution. I did a lot of drills that fall under the umbrella of “in a rows.” For example, we challenged a team to sideout five times “in a row” before they could rotate. Or, when working on serve receive, players must pass 20 good passes with the last 4 “in a row.” Players can learn this concept when coaches put them into an environment where repeatability is the goal.
Video Library: I have generated a video showcase that features instructional videos, drills, and match footage. The goal is to generate a video library that is a resource for coaches. I will be adding videos regularly. The library is free to all coaches. Feel free to forward this link to your colleagues. Jim Stone’s Video Library
Thanks for reading. Have a great week!
~Jim
