Comments on: 1-3-1 Press: Question and Answer http://www.perfectpractice.net/coaching-basketball/basketball-defense-articles/1-3-1-press-question-and-answer/ Basketball Drills | Basketball Plays | Coaching Basketball Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:54:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Coach Stinson http://www.perfectpractice.net/coaching-basketball/basketball-defense-articles/1-3-1-press-question-and-answer/#comment-828 Coach Stinson Tue, 16 Dec 2008 02:45:11 +0000 http://www.perfectpractice.net/?p=1523#comment-828 I’m glad you feel strongly about the issue. I wouldnt ever teach zone to a 5th grade team either. But who made the unspoken decree that teaching basketball and running a zone cannot be done at the same time? And exactly what developmental milestone does a player have to reach before he is physiologically equipped to attack a zone trap? Beating a trap can almost always be done successfully with a ball fake and a ball reversal. Doing that is only out of the developmental reach of a team whose coach has not taught them how to do it. Lou Henson was right. Coaches at lower levels do a LOT of coaching. Including the ones who run zones. I used to freak out any time I read anything about youth coaches running zones. And despite all of my ranting, they kept running them. Even more shocking, some of their players went on to do very well in highschool, college and some in the NBA. Those coaches lived up to their responsibility to teach the game well, and then some. Moreover, I’ve known some horrible coaches who run nothing but man to man; they can’t teach it to save thewir lives. The issue is TEACHING the game well…that is something that needs to be given more focus at alll levels. A lot of teams that run zone do so because their coach is ‘getting cute’ or is a bad teacher…that does not mean that anybody who is running a zone at the youth level isnt teaching their kids.. I’m glad you feel strongly about the issue.

I wouldnt ever teach zone to a 5th grade team either.

But who made the unspoken decree that teaching basketball and running a zone cannot be done at the same time? And exactly what developmental milestone does a player have to reach before he is physiologically equipped to attack a zone trap? Beating a trap can almost always be done successfully with a ball fake and a ball reversal. Doing that is only out of the developmental reach of a team whose coach has not taught them how to do it.
Lou Henson was right. Coaches at lower levels do a LOT of coaching. Including the ones who run zones.

I used to freak out any time I read anything about youth coaches running zones. And despite all of my ranting, they kept running them. Even more shocking, some of their players went on to do very well in highschool, college and some in the NBA. Those coaches lived up to their responsibility to teach the game well, and then some. Moreover, I’ve known some horrible coaches who run nothing but man to man; they can’t teach it to save thewir lives. The issue is TEACHING the game well…that is something that needs to be given more focus at alll levels. A lot of teams that run zone do so because their coach is ‘getting cute’ or is a bad teacher…that does not mean that anybody who is running a zone at the youth level isnt teaching their kids..

]]> By: Tom http://www.perfectpractice.net/coaching-basketball/basketball-defense-articles/1-3-1-press-question-and-answer/#comment-826 Tom Sun, 14 Dec 2008 21:36:46 +0000 http://www.perfectpractice.net/?p=1523#comment-826 This is the problem with youth basketball, and it travels upwards to all levels. At the fifth grade level kids should be learning to move their feet correctly, maintain good position, and see man and ball. If a coach is spending the proper amount of time teaching these concepts and the basic offensive skills he should be teaching, there will be no time left over for zones, traps, or presses. These defenses are effective at lower levels because the offensive skills possessed by players at his age are not developed to the point that they can successfully attack them. This turns the game into steal lay-up, steal, lay-up, steal, lay-up. No one learns to play properly this way and it can become frustrating and discouraging for the players. Coaches at this level should stick to the basics and quit watching ESPN getting all these X’s and O’s from wherever it is they are getting them. They should instead go to the local high school coaches, who will without a doubt tell them what I am telling them. I have been blessed to learn the game and coaching it from some of the best coaches in the nation. For 18 years I coached at a feeder school to Peoria Manual High School, in Peoria , Illinois during a period when they won a National Championship, four straight Illinois AA championships, finished second once, and third in twice. During that Period their cross-town rival, Peoria High School finished second twice and won back to back state championships, and a third local school, Peoria Richwoods finished second twice and third once. The coaches of these schools were more than generous to me with their time and input and I learned a great deal from them and several others. The most important lesson I learned was that players who really learn the basics at a younger level and have fun while doing it are a key factor in the success of high school programs. These coache’s, and many others I had the great fortune to learn from didn’t even like their freshman teams to play zone or use traps and presses, let alone fifth graders. The job of younger level coaches is to develop player’s skills so that the High School Varsity and College coaches can X+ O. This does not make them unimportant or irrelevant. Just the opposite, IT MAKES THEM MORE IMPORTANT. Another coach to whom I had the great privilege to speak with and learn from was Hall of Fame coach Lou Henson. I was at a clinic sponsored by his program and had the opportunity to speak with him during the “Social Hour.” He was quite gracious and inquired where I coached. I replied tha I was “just a Jr. Hi coach” and he interrupted me, saying “Son, don’t you ever say that you are just a junior hi coach. You do more coaching at that level than I ever dream of doing at this level.” I have always remembered that. So remember, at the early levels of sport, coaches have a tremendous responsibility. They have as much if not more impact on the future success of their players than anyone. When coaching at the early levels you will be more effective, and meet this responsibility if you remember two things: 1. It’s not what you know that counts, it’s what they learn. This is the problem with youth basketball, and it travels upwards to all levels. At the fifth grade level kids should be learning to move their feet correctly, maintain good position, and see man and ball. If a coach is spending the proper amount of time teaching these concepts and the basic offensive skills he should be teaching, there will be no time left over for zones, traps, or presses.
These defenses are effective at lower levels because the offensive skills possessed by players at his age are not developed to the point that they can successfully attack them. This turns the game into steal lay-up, steal, lay-up, steal, lay-up. No one learns to play properly this way and it can become frustrating and discouraging for the players. Coaches at this level should stick to the basics and quit watching ESPN getting all these X’s and O’s from wherever it is they are getting them. They should instead go to the local high school coaches, who will without a doubt tell them what I am telling them.
I have been blessed to learn the game and coaching it from some of the best coaches in the nation. For 18 years I coached at a feeder school to Peoria Manual High School, in Peoria , Illinois during a period when they won a National Championship, four straight Illinois AA championships, finished second once, and third in twice. During that Period their cross-town rival, Peoria High School finished second twice and won back to back state championships, and a third local school, Peoria Richwoods finished second twice and third once. The coaches of these schools were more than generous to me with their time and input and I learned a great deal from them and several others.
The most important lesson I learned was that players who really learn the basics at a younger level and have fun while doing it are a key factor in the success of high school programs. These coache’s, and many others I had the great fortune to learn from didn’t even like their freshman teams to play zone or use traps and presses, let alone fifth graders. The job of younger level coaches is to develop player’s skills so that the High School Varsity and College coaches can X+ O. This does not make them unimportant or irrelevant. Just the opposite, IT MAKES THEM MORE IMPORTANT.
Another coach to whom I had the great privilege to speak with and learn from was Hall of Fame coach Lou Henson. I was at a clinic sponsored by his program and had the opportunity to speak with him during the “Social Hour.” He was quite gracious and inquired where I coached. I replied tha I was “just a Jr. Hi coach” and he interrupted me, saying “Son, don’t you ever say that you are just a junior hi coach. You do more coaching at that level than I ever dream of doing at this level.”
I have always remembered that.
So remember, at the early levels of sport, coaches have a tremendous responsibility. They have as much if not more impact on the future success of their players than anyone. When coaching at the early levels you will be more effective, and meet this responsibility if you remember two things:
1. It’s not what you know that counts, it’s what they learn.

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