Take One For The Team

What if your conditioning were a source of pride,
unity, and a champion attitude instead of
punishment for your team.

And what if running and sprints and intervals
were the part of practice both players and
coaches looked forward to the most. What if it
was that time in your practice when nobody
wanted to let the rest of the team down.

That's probably different than anything you
have ever seen on a basketball court, but it
is exactly what Coach Bruce Brown wants
you to experience.

He calls it:

'Team Building Through Positive Conditioning'

That is part of the DVD series 'Character Based
Coaching', the book 'Teaching Character Through
Sport', and a $5.00 booklet I mentioned back in
November. Since I forgot the link before though
you can find all that and more at:

http://www.proactivecoaching.info/

If you want to coach or be coached with winning
attitudes like that you owe it to yourself to
investigate further.

Don't worry. I'm not forsaking the shooting game.
Every area of your game you sharpen up will help
you be a better shooter and have more mental
toughness. And if you're concerned about recruiting
remember most coaches will take high character
guys and girls in a heartbeat.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. A reader emailed asking me what DVD(s) I'd
recommend for his high school freshman daughter.
I got a little long-winded (Imagine that) but it
turned out well so I'm going to be writing it up
soon for all to see.

Please note too there are other shooting DVD's I
love and will feature in the future. I just haven't
had the time to do the writing and web
development yet.

P.P.S. In case you're wondering I like Tom
Nordland's Swish 2 DVD for kids and most
females. It's an easier, more intuitive method to
learn, and the eye, arm, elbow, hand, and basket
all being in alignment makes targeting easier.

Push the 'Easy Button' for shooting hoops today
at:

http://www.deandelker.com/swish2.html

Make Every Shot Count

Get The Most Out Of Your Team Picture

You'll never get much of a chance to shoot if you
don't have good administrative support for your
team. If you are coaching at a school here's a
great tip for you. And if you are a player you can
suggest this to your coach.

ALWAYS have your athletic director and/or
principal in your team picture . Tell them several
days in advance to make sure their time is freed
up, but I guarantee they'll appreciate it and love
you.

After you get the picture back buy a nice frame,
put the picture in it, and have your team make a
big deal of going and giving it to the AD and
principal. I'll bet they put the pics up on their
office walls.

Coach Billy Gillispie, Head Basketball Coach at
Texas A&M University gave me this tip through
retired Texas Coach Duane Silver. He says last
year one coach he knows did this, and the lady
principal started crying.

After she calmed down enough she said in 30
years as a principal no one had ever asked her
before to be in the team picture. It meant the
world to her.

That's how to get the most out of your team
picture, and it emphasizes the "Power of We" to
your team. Besides it being good school politics,
it is also a nice subtle lesson in the value of
teamwork and honoring those who support you.

Shoot For The Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. You can also build tremendous unity and
chemistry if your whole team feels they can shoot
the rock. Some will always excel more, but if your
least-skilled player is confident shooting don't you
think they'll work that much harder on the rest of
their game?

Coach Tom Nordland has designed the recently
published Swish 2 DVD to teach you not only a top
notch shooting stroke, but also how to teach
shooting to others. Catch Tom's vision today and
watch your team soar at:

http://www.deandelker.com/swish2.html

Make Every Shot Count

Copyright 2006 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Why Coach Locked His Locker Room

Coach Kenny Sacht from Boise, Idaho recently sent
the following question:

"What is an alternative to running to "get their
attention" (as I state it). If my kids aren't paying
attention or they don't run to the next drill, I let
them know this is not punishment but a simple
way to help them learn it is important to do what
I say when I say it. It gets their attention! What
is a good alternative?"

How DO you maintain discipline if you can't hold a
big negative stick over their heads? And how do
you take what's usually the hardest part of
practice and turn it into a positive experience the
kids will aspire to.

Coach Bruce Brown teaches proactive coaching and
team building through positive conditioning. He
uses drills that condition but are positive, fun, and
emphasize team building. He also presents
conditioning as a source of pride. If you want to be
in the "inner circle", or the "champions club" here
is what you'll need to do.

According to newspaper reports Florida's new
football coach Urban Meyer thinks much the
same. He has presented conditioning from the
beginning as a prerequisite for entering into full
status as a Florida Gator. If you don't have the
right attitude about staying in shape, you aren't
even part of the team.

I remember his first summer here when players
were doing voluntary workouts he kept the locker
room locked. Players had to work out in their own
clothes, get their own showers, etc. They had to
earn the right to even wear the school's colors in
a practice uniform by showing they took pride in
their conditioning.

It's a year later now though, and this group of
Gators has bonded together as a truly well
conditioned team. Maybe that's why they are
undefeated and rising in the polls as I write.

I've ordered some materials from Coach Brown,
and I'll have a more complete answer for Kenny
down the road, but I did think of one factor that
will help a lot.

The way Coach Kauppinen teaches sprinting and
especially uphill sprinting you can get great results
without killing yourself in conditioning.

You don't have to run, and run, and run to build up
endurance. I know that goes against conventional
wisdom, and it's hard to believe but you owe it to
yourself to get up to speed on the latest research
on the benefits of sprinting. One of them is saving
time, and wear and tear on your body.

Coach Tim will get you up to speed in short order
if you sprint right over to:

http://www.deandelker.com/hill_sprints.html

Shoot For The Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Danish scientists at the University of
Copenhagen saw runners who performed high
intensity sprints increase their V02 max by 7%,
even though they ran half the mileage of a
control group.

Find out how to maximize your training today
by speeding over to:

http://www.deandelker.com/hill_sprints.html