A Pen And A Napkin

Your "Improvement Season" progress needs to be measured and have an analytical component, so how do you do it? Not only do you need to have analytics, you also need to make sure that you're working on the right things, building culture and keeping things fresh for your program. In today's podcast, we talk about all of these things and more, including a great quote from James Clear ("Atomic Habits") and one of America's most underrated coaches (with a personal connection)!

Scott Gullion, the head boys basketball coach at Scottsbluff (NE) HS, comes on the podcast this week! Coach has a great story of coming back to his home region after his apprenticeship with Nebraska basketball and how he worked his way up the ranks, taking over the helm of the Bearcats 10 years ago. We discuss his influences, how he's grown as a coach, failures before success, reloading this season, scouting, program and player development and much more! This was a really fun conversation with an up and coming coach in Nebraska!

As Coach Meyer would say, it's not called "Zone Offense", it's called "Zone Attack"! In today's episode, we discuss various plans of attack that you should be implementing into your zone offesne, regardless of what you run. We also discuss one of my favorite drills that you can run to prepare for any zone defense in practice. In addition, we also break down a great quote by Robert Greene, and we discuss one of the greatest coaches that was at the same school for over four decades!

For most coaches, perhaps the most difficult relationship(s) that we navigate in our career is our relationship with our players parents. In this episide, we discuss ideas for a preseason parent social, the benefits of it, different ideas for running a social gathering and some outside the box suggestions for the coaching staff. In addition, we've got a great quote from James Clear, along with suggestions for studying one of our great modern coaches, Tara VanDerveer.

Rebounding is one of the two major ways in which you can create more opportunities on offense (the other is forcing turnovers), so today we're talking about one of the most important, yet one of the most primal skills of the game! We'll talk about different philosophies, along with the discussion of how to implement rebounding into practices. In addition, we've got drills for you to use, but you can't get those drills here . . . We've also got a great quote about rebounding and a coach to study!

One of the hardest things for any head coach to do, especially newer head coaches, is to delegate tasks and manage a staff. In today's podast, we discuss some tips on how to delegate authority on your staff, what you can do as an assistant coach to make your head coaches job easier and a discussion on a couple of mistakes that I made when I was not as "seasoned and experienced". We also have a great coach to study today that is one of the legends in the game and a great quote to help with today's topic!

In order to be successful at anything, let alone coaching basketball, you have to become organized! In this podcast, we talk about the importance of organization, how to get organized, what to prioritize and how to eliminate distractions. In addition, we have a great quote from Philip Dormer Stanhope and a coach study on a forgotten but absolutely terrific coach!

One of the most important things that you can do as a coach is to look back on your past experiences, both positive and negative, and adapt them to your upcoming team. In today's podcast, we're going to discuss some of the things that you should look back upon from last season and how you can apply it to your upcoming team. In addtion, we've got a GREAT quote and an underrated coach to learn about!

Hunter Price's first book, "Care to Compete", is a winner! In this episode, we discuss the origins of the book, its structure, the four different types of players that you usually have in your program, and how to build a culture in your program where everyone buys in and cares about what you're doing! This was alot of fun to break down this book with Coach Price, and I encourage you to go out and get a copy of it for yourself!Get your copy of The Last of the Cowboys: The Story of Snow Valley Basketball School here! https://www.amazon.com/Last-Cowboys-Valley-Basketball-School/dp/B0F634Q15L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1I7UIZVBBLG4W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.heOr37WpWb4zoZq4z37horroiq1GFk5UscQzNFDnhSPru1-ZKfQ9t8X429WajU9_.OMSsO-LEZeccMt3hWc05FAViiPTki7MYhUGyi2bQzBw&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley&qid=1780411806&s=books&sprefix=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley%2Cstripbooks%2C311&sr=1-1Get your copy of King Of Their Court: Three Teams, One City and the Greatest Season in Nebraska High School Basketball History here! https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Their-Court-Greatest-Basketball/dp/B0DD3RL5G2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TBSC7YT6F3E&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V9yFwwyDNGIVloFLbXrJQlbd3IFwG6iRuOcb1P7TD5gZ6w2HafNocG7pROWL-VKAAkg-OY1HgbyM_4T-jAhiINsgr5RT0a-w_vKe7LA_Oey6vxwImTR9P1B97MRmeivRH5c_kRi9fTrvUZBH_KY7mg.8iyfVCRj83gLILGcBpZ9pIE5kSdX15BGlPy3QPm1udU&dib_tag=se&keywords=Kings+of+their+court&qid=1780411893&s=books&sprefix=kings+of+their+court%2Cstripbooks%2C166&sr=1-1Want to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

There wasn't alot of major planning on arranging topics with Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO, but one thing that was planned was that "Defensive Transition" was going to be the first X's and O's topic that we would cover, and that is the same for the "Win The Season" podcast! In this pod, we talk about strategies to build your defensive transition, why it's so important & how to implement it! In addition, we've got a great quote from Shane Parrish and a discussion on one of the best modern coaches of our time period!

Life is far too short to not enjoy what we do, so as you prepare for the upcoming season, are you still enjoying coaching your team and your program? Do you get excited to go to the gym? When inevitable obstacles get in the way of your program, do you have the necessary energy to fight for the good of the program? These are all questions that you need to ask yourself as you prepare for the upcoming season!In addition, we've got a great quote to think about, along with all the reasons why you should study "The Godfather of Modern Basketball Coaches" . . . enjoy the "Win The Season" Podcast!

The highly successful girls basketball out of Centralia, Kansas, Dusty Thompson joins the pod this week. Coach Thompson has built a highly successful small school program in Northeastern Kansas, and in this episode, he tells us about his program building philosophy, along with discussions on pressure defense, influences on his career, preparation, scouting and alot more! This was alot of fun to break down the game with Coach Thompson, so enjoy!

In our second consecutive Zoom roundtable, I whole-heartedly welcome back to the pod two of my dear Snow Valley Basketball School friends, Liz Kay and Nichole Dixon!! In addition to all of our inside jokes (including our newest "sponsor"), we discuss our favorite drills, advice that you would give to your younger self, what you're working on to make yourself better and important coaches that you've studied to make yourself better! Hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed recording it!Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! https://www.amazon.com/Hoops-365-Guide-Becoming-Basketball/dp/B0FPBD7QPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PYZOTGAM7OHT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sEuPkF0Nk-evy2O2iGy4zhOpGEgiAGP99esg3xF5OPz9EY0RYWKgal-JRlGgnkb6Fb28rxptX_Lc2kgmC4n0ZuzKcFtGhbMweHFxSRAOAeLJ2J9VjTqXlaKOuinrOmQ_FVuhrlmltmbb6G-qBz3A8igaBz2ssffgLItwd_sNjB3CpG_48B0iWFjK6RRjWttkmFAFopwzecUqIvbmOEXyOg.geclG40Oi09NgLDoNvoITm9hh0pkd-M6IFu79HpE-4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=hoops+365+book&qid=1779136298&sprefix=hoops+365%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1Get your copy of The Last of the Cowboys: The Story of Snow Valley Basketball School here! https://www.amazon.com/Last-Cowboys-Valley-Basketball-School/dp/B0F634Q15L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1I7UIZVBBLG4W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.heOr37WpWb4zoZq4z37horroiq1GFk5UscQzNFDnhSPru1-ZKfQ9t8X429WajU9_.OMSsO-LEZeccMt3hWc05FAViiPTki7MYhUGyi2bQzBw&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley&qid=1780411806&s=books&sprefix=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley%2Cstripbooks%2C311&sr=1-1Want to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

The first of two June roundtable Zoom chats features Matt Thomas, the boys basketball coach at Highland (MO), Tom Stannard, the boys HC from Brownell-Talbot (NE) and Brandon Schwab, the girls HC at Algona Garrigan (IA). In this pod, we discuss building a culture, summer development philosophy, organizing a youth camp, favorite quotes and sayings and much more! We had a lot of fun recording this pod, and we hope that you enjoy listening!

Perhaps the greatest team ever to not win the championship at the end of their season, the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors have numerous buzzwords and phrases that bring you right back to a decade ago; 24-0, 73-9, "The Death Lineup" and "The Splash Brothers" amongst others, It was Steph Curry as unanimous MVP and close to his apex as a player who broke one of the great records in team sports; the Chicago Bulls 72-10 record. Without a doubt, this was a great team, but how great were they? Nate Wall, Jacob Brindle and I had our opinions, but you tell us . . .

I'm really excited to have on Tim Strauser, the head girls basketball coach at Gothenburg (NE) High School for Episode #330! Coach Strauser's program is known for pressure defense and fast paced offense, and he gets into both topics on this podcast. We also touch on his day job as a funeral director and how that helps him with his coaching, influences on his career, community service and connecting with the community, taking the next step and much more! Hope you enjoy this fun conversation!Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! https://www.amazon.com/Hoops-365-Guide-Becoming-Basketball/dp/B0FPBD7QPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PYZOTGAM7OHT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sEuPkF0Nk-evy2O2iGy4zhOpGEgiAGP99esg3xF5OPz9EY0RYWKgal-JRlGgnkb6Fb28rxptX_Lc2kgmC4n0ZuzKcFtGhbMweHFxSRAOAeLJ2J9VjTqXlaKOuinrOmQ_FVuhrlmltmbb6G-qBz3A8igaBz2ssffgLItwd_sNjB3CpG_48B0iWFjK6RRjWttkmFAFopwzecUqIvbmOEXyOg.geclG40Oi09NgLDoNvoITm9hh0pkd-M6IFu79HpE-4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=hoops+365+book&qid=1779136298&sprefix=hoops+365%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1Get your copy of King Of Their Court: Three Teams, One City and the Greatest Season in Nebraska High School Basketball History here! https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Their-Court-Greatest-Basketball/dp/B0DD3RL5G2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TBSC7YT6F3E&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V9yFwwyDNGIVloFLbXrJQlbd3IFwG6iRuOcb1P7TD5gZ6w2HafNocG7pROWL-VKAAkg-OY1HgbyM_4T-jAhiINsgr5RT0a-w_vKe7LA_Oey6vxwImTR9P1B97MRmeivRH5c_kRi9fTrvUZBH_KY7mg.8iyfVCRj83gLILGcBpZ9pIE5kSdX15BGlPy3QPm1udU&dib_tag=se&keywords=Kings+of+their+court&qid=1780411893&s=books&sprefix=kings+of+their+court%2Cstripbooks%2C166&sr=1-1Want to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

Harvard Men's Basketball Associate HC Mike Sotsky comes on the podcast this week to discuss a bunch of different topics, including his experiences with Duke basketball, winning a national championship in 2015, what he's learned from Coach K and Tommy Amaker, growing as a coach, defensive transition, favorite drills, game day procedures and more! This conversation was a lot of fun with one of America's up and coming coaches who is destined to have a great career!Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! https://www.amazon.com/Hoops-365-Guide-Becoming-Basketball/dp/B0FPBD7QPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PYZOTGAM7OHT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sEuPkF0Nk-evy2O2iGy4zhOpGEgiAGP99esg3xF5OPz9EY0RYWKgal-JRlGgnkb6Fb28rxptX_Lc2kgmC4n0ZuzKcFtGhbMweHFxSRAOAeLJ2J9VjTqXlaKOuinrOmQ_FVuhrlmltmbb6G-qBz3A8igaBz2ssffgLItwd_sNjB3CpG_48B0iWFjK6RRjWttkmFAFopwzecUqIvbmOEXyOg.geclG40Oi09NgLDoNvoITm9hh0pkd-M6IFu79HpE-4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=hoops+365+book&qid=1779136298&sprefix=hoops+365%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1Get your copy of King Of Their Court: Three Teams, One City and the Greatest Season in Nebraska High School Basketball History here! https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Their-Court-Greatest-Basketball/dp/B0DD3RL5G2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38TBSC7YT6F3E&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V9yFwwyDNGIVloFLbXrJQlbd3IFwG6iRuOcb1P7TD5gZ6w2HafNocG7pROWL-VKAAkg-OY1HgbyM_4T-jAhiINsgr5RT0a-w_vKe7LA_Oey6vxwImTR9P1B97MRmeivRH5c_kRi9fTrvUZBH_KY7mg.8iyfVCRj83gLILGcBpZ9pIE5kSdX15BGlPy3QPm1udU&dib_tag=se&keywords=Kings+of+their+court&qid=1780411893&s=books&sprefix=kings+of+their+court%2Cstripbooks%2C166&sr=1-1Want to get more from A Pen And A Napkin? Go to apenandanapkin.com for videos, handouts, links and more!Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

This bonus pod features the 2016-17 South Carolina Gamecocks, Dawn Staley's first national championship team! Staley had been knocking on the door of greatness, but she finally gets over the hump with this team, led by future WNBA super-duper star A'ja Wilson and a slew of terrific role players. The first team other than UConn to win a national championship in half a decade, Staley's squad got the job done in Dallas. Nate Wall, Jacob Brindle and I break down this team; it was a championship team, but was it a great team? You tell us . . .Get your copy of Hoops 365: A One Year Guide to Becoming a Basketball CEO here! https://www.amazon.com/Hoops-365-Guide-Becoming-Basketball/dp/B0FPBD7QPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PYZOTGAM7OHT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sEuPkF0Nk-evy2O2iGy4zhOpGEgiAGP99esg3xF5OPz9EY0RYWKgal-JRlGgnkb6Fb28rxptX_Lc2kgmC4n0ZuzKcFtGhbMweHFxSRAOAeLJ2J9VjTqXlaKOuinrOmQ_FVuhrlmltmbb6G-qBz3A8igaBz2ssffgLItwd_sNjB3CpG_48B0iWFjK6RRjWttkmFAFopwzecUqIvbmOEXyOg.geclG40Oi09NgLDoNvoITm9hh0pkd-M6IFu79HpE-4M&dib_tag=se&keywords=hoops+365+book&qid=1779136298&sprefix=hoops+365%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1Get your copy of The Last of the Cowboys here! https://www.amazon.com/Last-Cowboys-Valley-Basketball-School/dp/B0F634Q15L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1I7UIZVBBLG4W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.heOr37WpWb4zoZq4z37horroiq1GFk5UscQzNFDnhSPru1-ZKfQ9t8X429WajU9_.OMSsO-LEZeccMt3hWc05FAViiPTki7MYhUGyi2bQzBw&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley&qid=1780411806&s=books&sprefix=the+last+of+the+cowboys+snow+valley%2Cstripbooks%2C311&sr=1-1Want to learn more about coaching basketball and becoming a complete basketball coach? Subscribe to The Opening Tip newsletter on Substack! https://apenandanapkin.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search

Ryan Stanley is the new WBB HC at Union Commonwealth (KY) University, and he jumps on the pod to discuss his unique basketball journey, going through the interview process, melding AAU experiences with his new job, networking, player development, special situations, statistical analysis and a lot more! Coach Stanley has already made inroads in kickstart the Union program, so enjoy our conversation!

It's the day after Memorial Day, and we are officially into summer, so I thought it would be a good time to do a short, one-off pod on some things that are changing and things that are coming from APAAN, including:*No more napkins! (But we're still sending stuff out there daily)*Send me stuff so we can send it out to other people!*"Win The Season" Podcast starting July 7th!*The importance of daily improvement and "Hoops 365"*Six goals that you should have for the summerHope you like it; enjoy!

We had a lot of fun breaking down a bunch of topics with Josh Thompson, the head boys basketball coach at Bishop McGuiness (NC), "Weekday" Wade Coulter, the GBB HC at Gretna East (NE) and Jordon Klein, the WBB HC at Fort Hays Tech CC (KS)! We chat about a variety of topics, including the summer focus for each program, favorite drills, personal summer improvement and learning from higher levels. We had a blast recording this; I hope you enjoy listening to it!

"Woo, Pig Suey! Razorbacks!" was one of the most commonly heard chants of the 1990's as Nolan Richardson's 1993-94 squad dominated the season, finishing it up with an epic victory over Duke in Charlotte for the national championship. Led by Corliss Williamson and Scotty Thurman, Richardson's "40 Minutes of Hell" dominated the game while playing 9-10 players regularly. Myself and my co-hosts, Nate Wall and Jacob Brindle, had our opinions on this team, but as always, you tell us . . .

Liz Flooks, the women's head basketball coach at East Stroudsburg State (PA), is our guest this week! Coach Flooks has had a interesting career to this point and is one of the rising stars in the community. In this episode, we discuss her journey, her communication style, player development, practice scheduling, building a program and much more! This was alot of fun to record, so enjoy this episode!

We reopen "The Notebook" to look at a variety of topics this week, including the NBA Draft Lottery and predictions for the draft (one of my favorite days of the year), a quick preview of the WNBA season, tips to help run a good youth camp and make it productive for both you and the campers, "Range" and much more. At the end, I tease our big summer project that will be in more detail in the coming weeks!

Dr. Tony Miller, the head men's basketball coach at Bob Jones University (SC) and the host of "A Quick Timeout" podcast, jumps on the podcast to talk about a variety of topics, including teaching the game, small sided games, when is information too much information, influences in his career, transition and conceptual offense and much more! This was alot of fun talking with a terrific coach!

"The Heatles" burst onto the scene after "The Decision" by LeBron James and the simulataneous signing of Chris Bosh to join Dwayne Wade in Miami. What was once thought to be potentially one of the NBA's greatest dynasties lasted only four years, but it produced two NBA championships and one of the greatest seasons ever. In this episode, Nate Wall, Jacob Brindle and I break down this squad, it's forgotten depth, the 27 game winning streak and "The Shot" by Ray Allen? Was this a great team? We have our opinions, but you tell us . . .

A terrific coach originally from the Hawkeye State, Rob Brost is our guest this week! Coach heads up the program at Bolingbrook (IL) HS with the boys program, where he has built one of the most consistent winners in the state! In this episode, we discuss his journey, coaching his son, coaching the elite player, being the hunted, building great relationships, playing fast on offense and much more! A really fun conversation with one of the best out of the Windy City!

It was great to have on old friend Ryan Psota, the head girls basketball coach from Lincoln Pius X (NE) this week! Coach Psota discusses a variety of topics, including working effectively with his assistant coaches, winning multiple state titles early in his head coaching career, creating numbers in your program, not beating yourself and adapting to your personnel offensively. This was a really fun podcast as we went down memory lane a little bit, so enjoy!

One of the great, but forgotten teams, in WNBA history is the 2010 Seattle Storm. Lead by two all time greats in Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson, the Storm (no pun intended) stormed their way to a terrific regular season before pulling off the very rare perfect postseason, sweeping their way to a championship. One of the best runs in WNBA history is a great story, but was this a great team? Nate Wall, Jacob Brindle and I try to answer that question!

Welcome back to "The Notebook"! We crack it open once again to discuss a bunch of different angles in the game, including the transfer portal in both the men's and women's game, North Carolina's hire of Mike Malone, player movement in the WNBA, the WNBA draft, NBA playoff predictions and 'Controlling what you can control'. Enjoy this Friday edition of "The Notebook"!

Some people call her "The Diva Coach", but I think it's safe to say that we should just call Dawn Thornton a winner! Coach Thornton has led Alabama A&M's women's program to multiple 20 win seasons and is our guest for episode #322. We discuss a variety of topics, including her growth as a coach and as a person, the recruiting landscape and how her program is adjusting to it, offensive transition, gap defense, and her connections to the HBCU universe. A really fun conversation with a terrific basketball coach!

Episode #321 features TJ Eskildsen, the head men's basketball coach at McPherson (KS) University. Coach Eskildsen has built a great program at McPherson, including an NAIA national tournament berth this past season. In this podcast, we discuss the influence of his father, building his program, developing players, pressbreaks, transition offense and much more! A really fun conversation with one of the best NAIA coaches in the country!

Perhaps Pat Summitt's greatest squad, the 1997-98 Tennessee Lady Vols was, without a doubt, one of the most entertaining teams in NCAA women's basketball history. "The Three Meke's", along with Summitt, was one of the most dominant teams in history, with only minimal challenges on their way to a 39-0 record and a national championship, all while playing an exciting brand of basketball. We had our opinions on this team, but as always, you tell us . . .

Scott Moore, the highly successful men's head coach at Grace College (IN), comes on the pod to discuss his basketball journey, running an efficient offense, the possibility of small school colleges advancing to higher levels, coaching the great player and much more, including an extended conversation about Coach Wooden! A great conversation with one of America's best small school coaches!

Welcome back to "The Notebook", where we take a look at a variety of topics within the game of basketball. In this edition, we break down the men's NCAA Final Four with a couple of predictions, we take a look at both the hot teams and the sinking ships in the NBA, some great quotes from some of the best coaches in the country and much more!

It is a great day to talk "March Madness" and how teams are working their way through the end of the season with three terrific coaches; Brandon Henderson of Riverside Prep (CA), Caleb Kluender of Columbus Lakeview (NE) and Steve Klein of Bellevue West (NE)! We discuss lessons learned from watching basketball all weekend, things learned from this past season, building a strong youth camp, getting your kids into the gym in the offseason and much more! Enjoy a really fun conversation!

THE story of the NCAA tournament so far has been the Nebraska Cornhuskers and their Cinderella season and run in Oklahoma City this past weekend. One of the great subplots of the Oklahoma run by the Huskers was the overwhelming fan support that followed Hoiberg's crew to OKC. Unless you were there, it's hard to describe what happened, but in this special narrative podcast, I'm going to try to tell you the story of what happened this weekend in OKC from the ground view. For our family, and more specifically, for our oldest, this was not a story of this weekend, but it was a story that was finally finished after seven long years . . . Enjoy "Four Days in Oklahoma"

We're back with another episode from "The Mellow Mushroom" in downtown Lincoln to talk hoops! We've got Steve Self from South Sioux City (NE), T-Shaw from Sidney (NE) and Nate Wall from the suburbs of David City (NE) to chat about a variety of different topics!

It's the best weekend of the year for hoops heads, so let's not just break down one bracket, but both! I brought in Nate Wall and Jacob Brindle from "The Greatest Coaches" podcast and we coaxed Mr. Tony D. Vis out of retirement to do a one off with us to not only give you a national champion in the men's bracket, but also the women's bracket. 134 games x 4 predictors = 536 different predictions in 75 minutes . . . enjoy!

We had a great time at the Mellow Mushroom last week at the Nebraska girls state tournament with three terrific coaches; Elkhorn's Jen Wragge, Central Valley's Devon Beck and Norfolk Catholic's Tim Kassemeier! We discuss lessons learned from this season, what they're looking to learn about during the off-season, favorite shooting drills and a debate over a proposed rule change . . . enjoy!

Episode #316 (why do I hear breaking glass and Stone Cold Steve Austin walking out when I say that?) features Jimmy Motz from Norris (NE) and Jim Simons from Omaha Westside chatting it up about alot of late season topics, including getting ready for post season play, the important tasks you have to perform after the season concludes, rebounding and many more things! We had alot of fun putting this one together, so enjoy it!

Jamie Parish, the longtime head girls basketball coach at Sioux Falls Washington, jumps on the podcast to discuss a variety of topics in a really fun conversation! Coach Parish and I discuss growing his program through culture building activities. growing as a coach, coaching at different levels of enrollment, player development and much more! Had alot of fun recording this podcast with one of South Dakota's best!

We're back with another edition of "The Notebook"! We talk about . . . *Bracket previews for both Men's and Women's College Basketball and the tiers they fall in*A crazy weekend in hoops*Is it okay to criticize players publicly?*Things you could/should look at for your tournament run*Keeping perspectiveEnjoy!

My friend Nick LoGalbo is back on the pod to discuss the philosophy of Stoicism and how it can help you become a better coach! Coach LoGalbo has spent the last few years studying the Stoics and applying it to both his daily and professional life, and while we worked together at Snow Valley Basketball School, Coach turned me onto Marcus Aurelius's "Meditations", which has led us both to many different resources, including Ryan Holiday. We talk about the history of Stoicism, earlier influences and how you can apply Stoicism to your coaching. Enjoy!

What many people consider to be one of the greatest teams of all-time, if not THE greatest team of all time, the 1985-86 Boston Celtics featured NINE Hall of Famers or future Hall of Famers in various ways, including "Old Testament" players Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, along with one of the greatest guards of the era in Dennis Johnson, along with 6th man Bill Walton. The stats and the eye test speak for themselves, but how great of a team was this truly? You tell us . . .

Really excited to share Babe Kwasniak's story with "Maverick Leadership", a new book highlighting taking risks in your leadership style. A good read detailing 20 different leadership styles, "Maverick Leadership" covers everything from coaching to business to military thoughts. Coach Kwas dives into the book and his own story and how "Maverick Leadership" can help any leader, including basketball coaches, be better at what they do!

We had alot of fun recording a Zoom podcast with three great coaches; Dexter Goodner, AC for Hastings (NE) WBB, Ryan Cahak of Tennessee United AAU program and Brandon Shaver, Boys HC at Lake Travis (TX)! We talked about a variety of topics, including practices in February and March, shooting drills, using the shot clock (kind of . . . ) and other topics! Enjoy this really fun conversation!

Featured in this edition of "The Notebook":*Here comes KU Men's and UCLA Women's teams*Potential #1 seeds in both tournaments*The importance of the FT Line, team length and proper preparation for each game*The NBA trade deadline*Why girls basketball numbers are dipping, and some strategies to fix it

Episode #311 features Nick Thompson, the head boys basketball coach at Elkhorn (NE). Coach comes from a lineage of great coaches and has learned from some of the best coaches in the state of Nebraska. Coach discusses his journey, being selective in the jobs he applied for, why Elkhorn was the job for him, growing as a coach, building a fundamentally sound program, the importance of defense and more! This was a fun conversation with one of Nebraska's best up and coming coaches!

We've got a lot of great stuff to talk about in this edition of "The Notebook", including:*College basketball achievements by freshman and old coaches*Fixing collegiate eligibility*Navigating up's and down's of January*Preparing for late game scenarios*Putting together your rotation based on analyticsENJOY!