WELCOME TO THE YOUTH COACHING NETWORK


A Free Coaching Newsletter
August 2000 Issue 6 (Links Edition)
Kelly P. Hanaway, Editor (editor@teamanizer.com)

Welcome to 100's of coaches around the world!
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IN THIS ISSUE (Table of Contents)

1. "Youth Coaching Network" Newsletter Update

      T ogether
      E veryone
      A chieves
      M ore

2. Feature Articles by Sport:

BASEBALL: "How do they select the All Star Team and why isn't my child on it?"  - Coach Ken Gamble

BASKETBALL: "“Know your Position and Know it Well: Basketball Positions and Their Responsibilities Part 1” - Coach Matt Swanick

BASKETBALL: Drill of the Month – "11 Man Fast Break" – Coach Michael Wells

FOOTBALL: "Football Drills and More"  - Coach Michael Roth"

SOCCER: "Referees are Soccer's Unsung Heroes" - Coach John Haydon

SOCCER: "Great Values at LiveSoccer liquidation  sale"

 3. Monthly Poll Question Suggest a question for next months poll 4. Next Issue - Please Contact Me if you'd like to contribute
 


"Youth Coaching Network" Newsletter Update

Dear Fellow Coaches,

Summer seems to be coming a very quick end.  Time to start preparing for that first game of the autumn season.  Great addition to
the newsletter for football coaches.  Basketball is only a month or so away and great drills and coaching tips continue to pour in.
Thanks to all the contributors.  Please help make this newsletter sucessful by contributing. You sure don't need to be a professional
writer to take part.

Drop me an email if you'd like to become an author to this newsletter

"Swing Hard; In Case You Hit It"

Very Best,

Kelly P (Coach Kelly) Hanaway :-)
 

If you haven't already done so, please forward this issue to one or two of your friends or fellow coaches. Thanks so much!
 
 




BASEBALL: " Everything You Always Wanted to Know About All-star Selection
                                 also known as: How do they select the All Star Team and why isn't my child on it?"
                                   - Coach Ken Gamble
 

Other than the draft very few things are as controversial as the
selection of an all star team to represent a league. Why is that? Well in
most cases only 12 or 13 players are chosen to represent an entire league.
And at least half of the parents believe that their child belongs on the all
star team. Now, they may not believe that their child is an all-star but
they certainly know that their son or daughter is at least as good as one of
the players they see selected to the team. Well, he did out-hit that other
boy in the two games when they played my son's team - didn't he? It is not
the first eight or nine players chosen that are controversial (everyone
knows they belong) but rather the last two or three. This is true in any
sport - just look at the selection process for the 64 teams in the NCAA
basketball tournament.

        There are two reasons that All-stars are selected: to honor those
who had outstanding seasons and also to put together a team that will be
competitive with other teams in the areas or regions where the all-star
competition is held.  These two requirements are not always the same when
selecting players for an All-star team.  The pitcher that may have won most
of his team's games may only be the fifth best pitcher in the league which
means he probably will not pitch in all-star games.  Can he hit or catch?
If not, he probably will not be able to contribute to the all-star team in
competition.  Or the hitter that hits .400 but is slow or strikes out a lot
may not be selected or may be passed over for a fast .300 hitter who seldom
strikes out.  In all-star games speed is essential and a player who puts the
ball in play is preferred over a player who strikes out often.  Can he hit
the faster "all-star type" pitching?  A player who is on a last place team
may never get to see the better pitchers in the league and therefore his
batting average may be inflated by 100 to 150 points.  If he has a long
looping swing he may be able to hit slower league pitching with power but he
is unlikely to hit the faster pitching he will see in the all-star
tournaments.  Does he get along well with other players or is he constantly
bickering with the other players and coaches?  Is he disciplined?  Does he
make the players around him look better because of his play or does he
always blame everyone else for his own mistakes?  If he has played infield
all season can he, or is he willing, to play in the outfield?  Everyone
can't play in the infield in every game.

        Another part of the controversy is that it seems that the managers'
or coaches' kids always seem to be selected. That perception is probably
true. The managers are the ones that select the all star teams so they
probably just vote for each other's kids - right?  If you read the selection
criteria below you will see that the league frowns on any conspiracy among
managers or coaches to "fix" the all star selection. Most leagues have
severe penalties for collusion among the managers but it is doubtful
collusion could ever be proven or is ever prosecuted.  It is probably true
that some managers vote for other manager's kids because they know the other
manager. Quite often just the opposite probably happens, too.  On the field
rivalries can cause bias against another manager's child. The league tries
to see that neither of these scenarios occurs but that the best players are
chosen irregardless of who their parents are. Also, whether it is cause or
effect, the best players are usually sons or daughters of coaches because
the coaches put in more time with their own children or because they got
into coaching because they saw some ability in their own child or because
league rules allow coaches' draft options for their own child.

         Another controversial aspect is that it always seems that the all
star manager has more players off his own team than any other team. That is
almost always so. It would seem that since his team came in first place that
they probably had better players overall than other teams. Also, in most
leagues, the all-star manager usually gets to choose a couple of players on
his own in addition to those selected by ballot. He will usually choose
"position" players if he is lacking a catcher or needs an extra pitcher. But
if not, he is more likely to choose someone off his team since he knows
those players better or because he wants their parent to help coach. In my
experience the managers I know have used their "free" choices to choose
players (yes - usually off of their own team) who may not have had the best
statistics or power or pitching ability but rather were good TEAM players
who hustled and had good attitudes. A team of all stars is not easy to coach
and a couple of kids who hustle and have good team spirit can be
instrumental in having fun during those long hot July practices and in
winning tournament games.

         The manager is also at a disadvantage if he had a very good or
great regular season team.  He may have had six, seven or eight players off
of his team that are truly deserving of being on the All-star team.  At the
same time every other manager is trying to get at least one or two players
from their regular season teams onto the All-star team.  The result is a
numbers crunch and compromises are usually made.  Usually all of the teams
will end up with at least one player on the team and most teams will have
two players selected.  That leaves precious little room for players who were
third or fourth best on their own teams but who were also in the top ten in
the league.  They are usually left out. Players on the second place team
usually suffer the most from this scenario.

        In leagues where the teams are made up of multi-age players, great
younger players are often left off in favor of older players with less
ability with the reasoning that the younger players will have their chance
"next year". Is this correct?  I don't know but it is often included in the
thought process.

        You may not agree with these criteria and they may or may not be the
proper criteria for all-star selection but as long as the coaches choose the
players this is the way it will be done.

        Most leagues adhere to a process very similar to this. I hope after
reading this that the process becomes a little clearer. It is a compromise
and may not be a perfect method.  But, it beats a popularity contest like
Major League Baseball runs, and it allows a League to honor those who played
well during the season and also be represented well when they participate in
post season competitions.

         Let me know what you think.
 

Ken Gamble
dsports@hiwaay.net
http://www.decatursports.com/

BASKETBALL: “Know your Position and Know it Well: Basketball Positions and Their Responsibilities - Part 1” - Coach Matt Swanick

Point Guard is arguably the most difficult of the five positions to play on the floor. He is responsible for getting his team into its offense, making sure all of the players are aware of their roles on the floor, and, above all, creating scoring opportunities for both the players around him, and himself—in that order. One of the most difficult responsibilities of playing point guard is his need to have his mind moving in several directions at once. He has to recognize and respond to the type of defense that the opposition is playing (i.e. zone, man-to-man, etc.), and make sure his players are in the correct spots in order to start the offense or the play. He has to initiate the offense while having to worry about taking care of the ball, oftentimes against tremendous defensive pressure from his opponent(s).

Also, he is the only player within the offensive structure that has to juggle his
responsibilities, both as a passer and as a scorer. It is, to varying extents, the other four players jobs on the floor to create scoring opportunities for themselves, the point guard must make sure that his attempts to score are not coming at the expense of his teammates. In other words, he has to score without disrupting the flow of the offense or “freezing” out his teammates. Therefore, he is faced with juggling the ultimate paradox: reaction vs. thought. He must constantly think about what is best for the team in the given situation—i.e. the score, the quarter, the time remaining, which players are on the floor, etc—controlling his natural reactions to the events around him. He can never do just one or the other. If he thinks and does not react, then he is nothing more than a robot running his team through their offense. If he reacts and does not think, he is a mindless drifter who has no idea what is going on around him. However, the point guard can also be the most satisfying of the five positions, given that he is able to most fully exert his will upon that of the team; he is in control. By the very nature of the demands of his position, the ball is in his hands more often than it is not, and he can therefore act as an integral part of his team’s success. Much like a quarterback in football, he must be the most aware of all elements of the game. Because of that, he also stands to gain substantial glory if his team succeeds.

The center is, quite simply, the most physical of all five positions on the floor. It requires an ability to score while absorbing large amounts of physical contact. On the defensive end, the center must be able to play with a large amount of body control and finesse, while not sacrificing his physicality and aggressiveness. Offensively, the center is oftentimes called upon to score in close situations, given that he is the most likely of anybody on the court to be able to get off a high percentage shot or draw a foul. A team with an offensively talented center has a tremendous advantage, given that they can rely on him to get the points when the perimeter players are not shooting well. Or when the game is close and they don’t want to risk taking a long range shot they can turn to their dominant center. Defensively, the center is the most important position, as he is the last line of defense against people driving towards the basket. The best centers block three to four shots a game, and change countless others. They are excellent rebounders, which helps a team’s offense immensely, as they are given numerous fast-break points capitalized off of the opposing team’s missed shot. Historically, the best NBA centers are players like Kareem Abdul Jabaar and Patrick Ewing, who have been able to combine their fierce competitive desires with very advanced offensive and defensive repertoires.
 

This above information is a continuing piece and each month we will insert a few more positions and their responsibilities. Or if you’d prefer, check out our web site for full details. (this section is in the “Basketball Practice” sub page. Have Fun!!!!

Yours In Sports,
Matt Swanick
SportsAssistant.com
 
 

BASKETBALL: "ONE ON ONE FULL COURT DRILL" – Coach Michael Wells

This is one of the most popular fastbreak drills used by coaches today.  You need a minimum of 11 players.  Start with 4 defenders - 2 defenders in each lane on the floor.  Three players begin in the middle of the floor facing the basket.  The remaining 4 players are located in the outlet areas of the court, which would be the free throw line extended area, on the sideline.  See diagram A.

(1) The drill begins with a regular 3 on 2 situation.

(2) When a shot goes up all 5 players in the 3 on 2 group go after the basketball.  Whoever secures the ball outlets to the outlet man.  When making the outlet pass you fill the lane of the side of the floor of the outlet pass.  The rebounder and the two outlet players now go on a 3 man fastbreak toward the other basket.

(3) The 4 players who are left (on the previous 3 on 2 fastbreak) locate in either an outlet spot or stay in the lane area and play defense - 2 players will go to the outlet spots and 2 players will stay on defense.

(4) The outlet man who receives the pass from the rebounder will dribble the ball hard up the floor toward the middle lane - as shown in diagram B.  The outlet man who does not receive the ball will sprint the far lane.  We now have a 3 on 2 going the other way.  The drill runs continuous, following the above rules.

 



FOOTBALL - "Football Drills and More" - Coach Michael Roth

Need help jump-starting your football program?  Perhaps you could just use some fresh drills to liven up your teams' workouts.
I have a genuinely unique football site.  I offer proven football drills through state-of-the-art technology.  Coaches from around the world
regularly add to my vast library.  Take a look for yourself.  Help me make this site all that is can be to coaches everywhere.

http://www.footballdrills.com


 

OBJECTIVE:
To teach defensive linemen to react and recognize different blocking schemes.

EQUIPMENT:
Ball

DRILL DETAILS:
1. Three OL align along the line of scrimmage.  Two DL line up on the other side.
2. The coach stands behind the Dl to hand signal the blocking scheme and to give the snap count and cadence for the OL.
3. The coach teaches the DL to watch the football and get off on the ball.
4. The DL react and read the offensive blocking schemes on the run.

EMPHASIS:


 
 
 
 

SOCCER "Referees are Soccer's Unsung Heroes"- John Haydon

         Excellent SOCCER TIMES article:  A must read! http://www.soccertimes.com/oped/2000/aug08.htm
 
 
 

SOCCER "Great Values for Soccer Coaches" -

Ron Zighelboim ronzig@livesoccer.com at "LiveSoccer" is having a liquidation sale.  I have personally done business with Ron and find his product offering exceptional and his liquidation prices unbeatable.  A great way to get stocked up on coaching supplies for the upcoming season!.

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/livesoccer

3. Monthly Poll Question

Youth Coaching Network Monthly Poll

Please suggest a question you would like to see here!
 
 

4. August Edition

BASEBALL : Guest Coach Article

BASKETBALL : Guest Coach Article

HOCKEY: "Guest Coach Article

CHEER: Guest Coach Article

FOOTBALL: Guest Coach Article

SOCCER : Guest Coach Article

If any coaches out there would like to contribute as guest authors (or in any other way), please email me at mailto:editor@teamanizer.com.