Your First Place Lady Maroons

After starting last season 1-7; the Lady Maroons are off to a great start in year two of Coach Williams' tenure. Clinton is now 7-3 overall and 4-0 in the Okaw Valley Conference. The Lady Maroons are currently in a three way tie at the top of the league with Tuscola and Tolono Unity. The past two weeks have been exciting for Clinton fans as the girls have won 4 games in a row. It started with a 74-52 win in the home opener over Warrensburg-Latham. The girls followed that with a 68-38 win over rival Maroa-Forsyth. Last Thursday, the Maroons travelled to Shelbyville for a 63-40 win. On Saturday, December 11th, Clinton defeated Blue Ridge, 62-22. The Lady Maroons were led by Brooklyn Gregory's 31 points and 12 rebounds. Clinton is averaging 55 points a game while only giving up 38.9 points. "Everything has been so much easier in year two. Our kids know our system, they know what to do, and how we want it done" Coach Williams said. The Lady Maroons have been snowed out for Monday's game vs. Sullivan. However, they will be back in action on Thursday, December 16th, when they travel to Meridian for another conference game. Be sure to come out and support your 2010-2011 Lady Maroons!

Heart, Desire, Passion..."Our Team. Our Time."

Clinton Basketball Slideshow

A free picture slideshow by Smilebox

Preview: 2010-2011 Lady Maroons Basketball

After a very successful season last year; the Lady Maroons Basketball team is ready to shine in 2010-2011. The season rolled into a very impressive summer where the Lady Maroons won the DISC League Championship; beating Decatur Eisenhower on the campus of Millikin University. Also this summer, our JV won 2 out of 3 games in the Tolono Unity summer league under new coach Justin Deters. Not to mention the program had a record high 34 campers participating in the summer skill development camp for 4th-8th grade girls.

Clinton finished last year with 12 wins during the season, their most since 2001-2002. The girls also posted a 5-3 record on their home court, won 6 games in a row in December, and over their last twenty games of the 2009-2010 season the Lady Maroons posted a winning 11-9 record. They finished fourth in the Okaw Valley Conference in scoring at 47.6 points per game, trailing only Warrensburg-Latham (53), St. Teresa (49), and Central A&M (49). The Lady Maroons are returning four starters and seven players from last year's roster. Those players include: Sr. Brooklyn Gregory (14.3 points; 6.1 reb.), Sr. Hannah Holt (5.7 points; 4.6 reb.), Sr. Alicia Mitchell (4.7 points; 2.8 reb.), Sr. Kailey Hurst (0.4 points; 0.2 reb.), Jr. Madi Bevins (8.5 points; 60 three-pointers); Jr. Amber Miller (1.7 points; 1.2 assists), and So. Morgan Hickman (3.2 points; 5.9 reb.)

Joining the varsity team this year and eager to make an impact will be Jr. Alex Hunt. Also returning to the program will be So. Alivia Powers, who saw action this summer at both levels. It is hard to say how large this year's Freshmen class will become, but we are hopeful that our recent success will increase the numbers at our lower level. The coaching staff has seen several freshmen and a couple new sophomores at open gyms and summer workouts including: Haley Toohill, Morgan Witzke, Miranda Ennis, Mally Hickman, Alexis Hammer, Libbey Thayer, Whitney Eads, Carissa Blankenship, and Amber Underwood. The coaching staff is always looking to add more players who have the heart, desire, and passion to be a part of a championship program.

My Life on a White Board: Game Preparation and Basketball Lessons

If you are new to coaching basketball, or you've never worked as an assistant for a championship basketball coach, then this article might be educational. Going into my 10th year as a basketball coach I consider myself blessed in the profession. I have had the fortunate opportunity to learn many lessons from two of the best boys' basketball coaches in the state of Illinois. As a 22 year old rookie, in 2001-2002, I worked as the JV boys' basketball coach at Midland High School. The head coach at the time was Chris Gibson, and I had no idea what was in store for me. During that season the Midland Timberwolves won a school record 20 basketball games, won the Seneca Regional Championship, beat Herscher (at Herscher) in the sectional, before finally losing to Chicago Hales Franciscan in the sectional championship.
Coach Gibson left Midland after that season to work for Coach Hodge at Olivet Nazarene University. It wasn't until 2009-2010 that Coach Gibson returned to high school boys basketball. This past year he led the Dwight Trojans to a record of 28-4, the regional championship, and another sectional final appearance. In 2006-2007, I moved on to a new coaching adventure at Dee-Mack High School with head basketball coach Mitch Holmgren. Mitch spent eight years working as an assistant coach for IHSA Hall of Famer Ron Oloffson at Herscher High School. During the past two years Mitch's Dee-Mack teams have accumulated 39 wins, won the 2008-2009 regional championship, and advanced to the sectional finals after defeating Warrensburg-Latham in the Ridgeview Sectional.

For me, 2001-2002 and 2006-2007, were "eyes wide open" experiences, as I got an insider's view on two very different, yet very successful basketball programs. One program was built on trapping half court zone defenses, quick transition offense, set plays and continuities. The other program; a tough and gritty sagging man to man defense, and a deliberate ball control motion offense, that seemingly opposed its will on opponents to their demise. Sure, I played in a great high school program at Maroa-Forsyth, but until you've worked beside and seen things from the perspective of a great coach, you may as well be diagramming with crayons. Here are some of the lessons I have learned from my mentors that I have carried with me to this day.


1.) Plan your practice. This is the backbone of your program. Write out in detail your practice schedules and file them for future use. Be detailed and picky in practice. Stay on schedule and work quickly from drill to drill. If they don't get it after 6 minutes, they won't get it after 26 minutes. Just move on and revisit the concept the next day. (See other articles on this blog about practice planning)

2.) Have a play card on game day. Organize your offenses, defenses, and possible game adjustments on a notecard, etc. I always have a card that looks something like this:

POST
Illinois, Kansas, Zipper, Chase, Marquette, 2-Game, 3-Game, Baseline
PERIMETER
Tiger, Horns, Twist, 4-Up, Quick, Memphis, Minnesota
ZONE
2-Out; 3-Out; 4-Out, Temple, Stack, Blue, High, Wake, Top
PRESSURE
Trailer Zone Press Offense, Arrow, Basic, Call #, Cardinal, Diamond, Fresno, Flash
BLOBS
MAN - "43", "42", "41", "35", "34", "33", "32", "31"
ZONE - #2, #4, #6, #10, "Amboy Paige Play"
SLOBS
Sideline, UCLA, Duke, Irish, Spartan, Zip Down
HALF-COURT
Match, Staple, Sack-It, Minus 1, Minus 2, Paint, Sand
TRAPS/SCRAMBLES
Cross, Fist, Amoeba
FULL-COURT
"10", Hawk, Smother, "22", "34"

3.) Always meet with your players in a pre-game meeting to review game plans and keys for success. An example pre-game meeting might look like the following:

STARTERS
Megs (#4-Morrison)
Madi (#5-Smith)
Mo (#3-Sobol)
Hannah (#34-Jackson)
Brook (#10-Mandrell)
OFFENSE:
First Possession - Illinois
DEFENSE:
"22" Back to "Match"
KEYS
1. Early Offense - Sprint to spots, push tempo.
2. Rebound the ball! Find a jersey, leave the lane, block out.
3. Sprint Back - No layups.
4. Be a great help defender - Talk your job!
5. Head hunt on screens, seek contact.

4.) Work hard for your players. Show them you care and tell them you care. Always believe in them and stay as positive as your personality allows!

5.) Show your passion and enthusiasm for basketball and for practice. You must do this every single day. The season is long, but make each day like your first day!

6.) Teach them the game and encourage them to be student's of the game. Tell them why you are playing a certain way. Help them understand the game so they can take more pride in their achievements and the team's philosophy.

7.) Teach them lessons that go beyond basketball. Relate the game to life, and show them the importance of teamwork and giving your best effort. Help them become outstanding people; not just outstanding players.

8.) Be a professional. Be a role model for your players. Dress the part and speak the part. Give them your best; give them life; no matter the wins and losses.

9.) Never be satisfied with your knowledge about the game. Strive to learn as much as you can. The game is always changing and we need to adapt as coaches. Go to clinics, watch dvd's, read books, and talk with as many coaches who will speak to you!

10.) Promote your basketball program and your kids. Create as much excitement in your community as you can. You want to create the best atmosphere possible for your kids on game night. If you work hard for them, they will work hard for you.

Example Practice Schedule

In an earlier post I talked about "practice planning." I thought it might be helpful for some of our coaches to look at what a typical practice schedule might actually look like for one of our practices. I have posted our first practice schedule from the 2009-2010 season. If any of our CGBA coaches or Jr. High coaches want to come in and watch one of our practices, simply let me know ahead of time and arrangements will be made.

LADY MAROONS BASKETBALL
PRACTICE PLAN SCHEDULE
Practice #1 November 2, 2009
Maroon: Meghan; Madi; Alex; Alicia; Hannah H
White: Amber; Kaylie H; Rylie; Brooklyn; Morgan; Cami
PRACTICE OBJECTIVES
I want to welcome everyone to Lady Maroons Basketball. Everyone has something different they can offer our program; we are searching for players who have the passion and the commitment to take our program to the next level. Since our rules meeting is tonight, our practice guidelines for today are listen when being given directions, don’t swear, and run from drill to drill. Be a student of the game. Thought: “The voices that you listen to determine the choices that you make.” (Be a positive voice for each other)
DRILLS: SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
3:30 – 3:45 Practice Jerseys (Form Shooting; Around the Horn; Ball Toss Out)
3:45 – 3:49 Carolina Passing Drill (3:00; Running, Passing, Catching)
3:49 – 3:54 1 Ball Full Court Dribble (Cross; Between; Behind; Pull Back Cross)
3:54 – 3:59 Dynamic Flexibility: Knee Hugs; Quad Walk; Ankle Pull in; Straight Leg March; Over the Fence; Spider Man
3:59 – 4:00 PRACTICE OBJECTIVES (SEE ABOVE)
4:00 – 4:08 Saluki Drill (3:00 each; paint & ball; 1st two passes; FTX; ball side L; 2 passes-1 shot…1 pt. score – 1 pt. Off. Reb. – 1 pt. stop) 8 touches in :35
4:08 – 4:11 Triangular Passing (jump stop; pivot-boss; 2 rips; fake & make)
4:11 – 4:14 Loose Ball / Stick Drill (Partner Up; Loser has 5 push-ups)
4:14 – 4:19 Illinois Defensive Slides (Discourage Crossover; Hand Up)
4:19 – 4:24 Lay-Up Chase (1:30 each side; inside hand; 5 push-ups miss, cone)
4:24 – 4:28 16 & 8 FT Shooting & Conditioning (:35 and 1:10)
4:28 – 4:30 DRINK BREAK
4:30 – 4:32 Full Court Close Outs (sprint 2/3, chop feet 1/3, tail down; hands up; ball)
4:32 – 4:36 Shadow Drill (Don’t break string; Don’t open gate; 1/2 dribble; 30 sec.)
4:36 – 4:42 New Mexico Close Outs (3 dribble max; high & short; 5 push-ups for: hands down; scored on; foul; don’t block out)
4:42 – 4:50 War Rebound (Find Jersey; Leave Lane; hit-find-fetch; butt in gut
1 pt. def. rebound. 2 pts. Off. = Dribble Suicide :35
4:50 – 4:56 Swish City (1pt. make; 2pts. Swish; -2 miss) Losers 16 touches 1:10
4:56 – 4:58 DRINK BREAK
4:58 – 5:12 4 Man Shell Drill (jump to the ball; front the cutter)
5:12 – 5:20 Bull in the Ring (high side wrap; dead front)
5:20 – 5:38 Secondary Skeleton (5 on 0; Teach Spots; Deep Wing & Swing)
5:38 – 5:40 DRINK BREAK
5:40 – 5:48 Dive & Fill Shooting (4 Lines; Extra Pass; 2 Shots)
5:48 – 5:56 Flare & 7-Cut Shooting (4 lines; 7-Cut & flare; 2 shots)
5:56 – 6:15 Teach Fist Man Offense (Spacing; Sprint to PNR; 2 Angles)
POST PRACTICE COMMENTS
Outstanding Teammate! Show & Tell; Parent and Player meeting at 6:30. You will receive practice schedules; game schedules; philosophy; guidelines; Goal Sheets; etc.

Yours in Hoops,
Josh Williams
Head Girls Basketball Coach
Clinton High School

One Thousand Ways to Win!

First of all, this article is about all of us, because this is human nature. If you don't say some of these things, chances are pretty good you've thought about some of this stuff. Just sit in a crowd of people during a basketball game and listen to all the things that you hear. It is astounding to listen to all of the philosophies that each of us have about the game. Even sitting in a room of coaches, we all have a certain way that we think is the "right" way to play. We've all played the game, we watch hundreds of high school, college, and pro games and somehow that makes us the foremost expert on what needs to happen. Yes, I've even found myself guilty of this from time to time. The fact is though, if we aren't in the practices to see what is being taught and how it is being taught, then how do we know what is best for a particular team or an individual player? For example, if they don't practice a specific shot because it is not a part of their offense, then why are we yelling at them to shoot the basketball in those situations. That is like putting your 12 year old in your new car and yelling at them to drive and drive faster! Just like them never having driven a car, they haven't practiced that shot either. They don't need to shoot it in a game. The same thing is true on defense. If they don't practice playing a certain way on defense, then they don't need to try to do that during their game. My reason for this article is to try to convince my readers that there are a thousand ways to win in the game of basketball. It doesn't need to be done your way or my way, the most important thing is that your players know "their way." Your program must have an identity. Your players must know what they are doing and why they are doing it. Whatever it is, they go through it time after time during practice. They are trained and drilled to a specific action that they do over and over. Here is the best part of this...it can be any style, if you believe in it and you can teach it...it will be successful!

Let's take a look at some of the NCAA national champions since 2000. Michigan State and Tom Izzo. They play as fast in transition as anyone in the country. They run the sideline break, which is often referred to as the North Carolina Break and popularized by Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith. Yes, they run different actions from the UNC teams, but it is in theory the same style. They also play a sagging man to man defense. I didn't say a "no pressure" defense, I said a sagging man to man. This is often categorized as "packline" defense. They do not deny passes, instead they play inside the packline and protect the paint to keep the ball out of the lane. Offensively, Michigan State loves to runs plays, and they run a ton of them. This style is similar to the pro game, because in the NBA they only have :24 to get a shot up, and they need actions to quickly get them looks.

Duke has won two championships in the 2000's and they have morphed over the years. They denied passes when one pass away in 2001. In 2010, they stopped denying the wing entry pass because they were getting beat by all the dribble penetration in the ACC. Teams were becoming more athletic and using the dribble to get into gaps of Duke's defense, so they decided they needed to change. They did and they won once again in 2010. They have also phased from a motion offense to a spread offense and they have utilizied more ball screens. The point is you must do what is best for your team, and what is going to beat the best teams on your schedule.

Maryland and coach Gary Williams used the Flex offense and a variety of full court zone presses to the 2002 National Championship.

In 2003, Syracuse and Jim Boeheim used half court zone defenses, such as the 2-3 and the match-up zone all the way to the championship.

Florida won back to back National Championships with Spread Pick n' Roll Offense.

North Carolina won twice with a fast transition game and hard nosed man to man denial defense.

It doesn't matter what style you play, they can all win! Winning comes down to players. If you have the talent you've got a chance. If you don't have the talent...then you better build a solid fundamental base, work hard on skill development, and do whatever you can to make your players better. Even in those down years when the skill isn't quite there...their will to succeed...and sound basketball fundamentals will give them a chance to win games and possibly have a winning season.

Yours in Hoops,
Josh Williams
Head Girls Basketball Coach
Clinton High School

Mental Toughness

What is mental toughness? It appears to be this mystical enigma that everyone talks about and wants in their athletes. I witnessed a great example this year in a regional championship game. A player got called for a charge with only 25 seconds left in the game and they were down by 1 point. The player got up from the floor; handed the ball to the official, and ran to her position on defense. Not only was she the first player from her team to get to her defensive assignment; she did it without one word or one emotion. To me that is mental toughness! It is confidence, pride, and humbleness in one's persona. It is doing everything you are capable of doing to the best of your ability, and no matter the outcome; you keep your head held high; your emotions inside, and the future in mind. What happens in the past stays in the past. You are a selfless and tireless worker. You walk like a champion; talk like a champion, and think like a champion. You surround yourself with successful people, and you lift those up who are in need. Mental toughness is a combination of all of these things. You can teach it to your kids. Here are some ways you can begin to instill this in your players.

It begins from the very first second you walk into the gym for your first practice of the year. Your players are evaluating everything that you do. You cannot allow anyone to exceed your enthusiasm for the game. You must be prepared with a plan, full of confidence, knowledgeable in your philosophy, know what your teaching and why your teaching it, teach everyone, teach equally, and don't let negativity ever get in your way. You are positive and you are punctual. You make each practice your best practice ever. Are you with me? Great, and now so are your players.
STEP #1: GIVE...AND YOU WILL RECEIVE.

Now that your kids are on your side; you can start to teach the ways of a champion, and champions are mentally tough. This involves holding each one of them accountable for all of your non-negotiables. This might include things such as: sprinting back to defense, diving on the floor for a ball, defeating every screen, or talking on every possession. The very second you see a head go down, you lift it back up. The second a player gives up on a play, you lift them back up. You must inspire each one of them, so they will aspire to be something greater.
STEP #2: ACCOUNTABILITY WITHOUT DISABILITY.

Teach them about competition. They need to know what it feels like to win. Involve them in drills where they will succeed, but they must respect the game and the opponent. However, they also need to know what it feels like to lose. Put them in situations where you know they cannot win. When they lose, they run, but you must embrace their efforts, encourage them, and teach them that winning and losing are processes. Neither one of them are final. There will always be another game, another day, and the rest of your life. It doesn't stop there; you must get up and do it again. Life is about tenacity and it's about being engaged in the present. Make the most of every opportunity, and more opportunities will find you.
STEP #3: COMPETE...EVEN IN DEFEAT.

Never assume they are supposed to do anything for you or for themselves. Be thankful for what you get, but continue to teach them what you want. Mental toughness is a state of mind...you either create it in your practice, or you destroy it. If you believe in them they will rise up and they will play for you. No harsh words for officials and no unnecessary emotions. Just the game; the players, and the outcomes. Fair or unfair; it's all a part of life; it's all a part of the game, and it becomes a part of them.

Yours in Hoops,
Josh Williams
Head Girls Basketball Coach
Clinton High School