Developing Offensive Skill Sets

This post is designed to help our players and parents determine what our kids need to focus on during the summer to develop individual offensive skill sets. Often times we pick up a basketball and then become unclear of what we need to do to improve. I've attempted to breakdown what we feel is important in taking that next step forward. The following areas can take a player from average to good and from good to great. Ultimately, affording them an opportunity to play at the next level if their heart desires.

1.) Weak Hand Development - It is imperative that every player can dribble, pass, and shoot with both hands. I suggest a 2-1 ratio on weak to strong hand repetitions.

2.) Proper Footwork - I often hear people talk about this, but I seldom hear them elaborate on what this actually means. To us, at the most fundamental level, it means being able to shoot off the dribble, or shoot off the catch, with 1-2 footwork and on an inside foot pivot. It's getting ten toes squared to the basket while shooting the basketball without drifting.

3.) Ball Handling - A large portion of our skill development time is spent on this aspect. We focus on dribbling the basketball, but we also strive to improve our passing. You can incorporate weak hand development, increase confidence, and get a player comfortable with having the basketball in her hands. If kids can use either hand to drive and attack the basket, they will see their game grow by leaps and bounds.

4.) Shooting the Basketball - Game shots, game spots, game speed. Yes, technique shooting is very important, especially at our lowest levels. It is crucial that they can shoot the basketball with the same shot form on each repetition. Muscle memory must be created at an optimum level before game shots are encouraged. We don't want a player training their body with incorrect technique. However, the more our kids take shots that are simulated to game conditions, the faster we'll see an increase in their shooting percentage.

5.) Perimeter and Post Play - We want all of our players to be able to face the basket and make a play. They need to be able to shot fake and drive, rip through and crossover, and use jab moves to attack the top foot of a defender. We also develop ALL of our players post games. If players are comfortable playing with their back to the basket; they become twice as hard to guard. In the post each player should have a go-to move and a counter.

I've attached a video that shows a few of our current and former players working on some of the 5 areas discussed above.


"Don't hope for a lighter load, but work hard for stronger shoulders."


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

Summer of 2012

It's almost June and that means summer basketball is right around the corner. Last summer the Lady Maroons posted a 9-11 record at the varsity level and an 11-1 record at the JV level. The experience it gave our kids, however, was apparent and invaluable for the regular season. Because our system of play is quite unique and extensively comprehensive, the summer season allowed our kids to get a head start in learning our offensive and defensive philosophies. The attendance last summer was terrific and we're hoping for much of the same this year.

The 2011-2012 season was one to be remembered for all of our Lady Maroon fans!  The girls posted their first winning season since 2000-2001. They won the most games of any Clinton High School Basketball team since the turn of the century with 18 wins. The Lady Maroons ended with an overall record of 18-11, while finishing tied for 4th, with a 7-4 record in the Okaw Valley Conference. They won 3rd place in the 16 team Okaw Valley Holiday Tournament.  They were the only conference team to beat state ranked Tuscola. Incredibly, they won 17 games out of 23 from November 28th through January 31st.  Also, for the second year in a row, The Lady Maroons received a #1 seed. Last season they were the #1 seed in the conference tournament, while this season they were the #1 seed in the Clinton Regional.  Lady Maroons Basketball continues to rise to excellence. It's an exciting time for our community as we continue our endeavor of "Winning Championships, Developing Champions."

Click on the link below to be directed to our 2012 summer schedule.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fd5ridlv8251o50/1rJGG3VZyA/GBB%20Summer%202012.doc

Summer of 2011

The Lady Maroons hosted their 3rd annual summer basketball camp this past June. We had over 30 campers once again this summer and got to work with some outstanding kids. Camp staff this summer included assistant coach Justin Deters, First Team OVC selection Brooklyn Gregory, 2nd Team OVC selection Haley Toohill, Madi Bevins, Amber Miller, Morgan Witzke, Miranda Ennis, and Nolan Snyder.

The Lady Maroons summer basketball schedule wrapped up the second week of July after utilizing 24 of our 25 allowed contact days per the IHSA. We played 20 varsity games and 12 Fr/So. games this summer for a total of 32 games. The varsity team finished 9-11, while the Fr/So. team went 11-1. Their only defeat was the last game of the summer (3rd game of the day) against a large 3A school in the Pontiac Lady Indians.

This summer we saw several players at our skill development workouts trying to improve their fundamentals. Those we got to work with on a regular basis include: Haley Toohill, Morgan Witzke, Miranda Ennis, Jessica Scott, Payton Bieber, Megan Tool, Shalyn Houston, Mylee Tarbox, Ally Green, and Haley Ginger (who was our only player with perfect attendance...congratulations Ging)! We were also able to work with Amber Miller, Madi Bevins, Morgan Hickman, Alivia Powers, and Alex Hunt. It's very difficult for our players to attend our summer stuff and balance their schedules with so much going on such as: softball, volleyball, track, and summer jobs! I appreciate the time we did get to spend with our players and I know we were able to help them improve and grow as players.

For those of you who got to watch us and followed us throughout the summer you probably saw how much we improved as the summer went along. We had a lot of young players working with us and the adjustment period of going from Jr. High, to varsity basketball, was a slow process. By the end of June; our kids were starting to catch on to our team philosophy and what it feels and looks like to be a Lady Maroon. We still have a long way to go, but I have a feeling that I'm really going to enjoy teaching this team how to play the game the way we think it should be played.

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

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.