The Basketball Teacher Podcast

Coach Wade Mawdesley joins us to talk defense in this episode which focuses on the fundamentals. Coach shares his approach to teaching fundamentals and how to have a cohesive and fundamentally sound team. We discuss the defense he likes to run, how he teaches it, the use of practice time and much more. We also discuss how he plans for the different offenses he sees and opponent preparation. Need a better defensive team? Then check this out!

Want to know what it takes to build a winner at a small school with a unique cultural population? Enjoy this enlightening conversation with Coach Konrad Dziewulski as he breaks down his process of bringing a winner to a small school. Coach shares the unique challenges and struggles he's been presented with and how he overcame them to still build a quality program. He also shares how he integrates the community and build a culture of passion and excitement to elevate on-court play as well as managing with a lack of resources. Hear this inspiring story and know that success can come at any school!

Do you need that special play to help you get a bucket? Are you looking to refine and improve your BLOB and SLOB's? Coach Steve Spiehs comes to the show and discusses how his team executes during these special situations. Coach describes the actions he looks for, how he practices them and how to keep you team focused in these situations. Coach also shares insight on transition and how to execute your special plays out in transition. If you want to execute during those big time moments, check this episode out!

We focus this episode on the concept of service leadership. While you may be familiar with this term in other settings, what does it look like in a basketball sense? Coach Brent Sowder joins us to discuss how he coaches with service leadership in mind. He shares how he built his program, builds his practices and establishes culture with service leadership as its foundation. We also discuss staying mentally sharp throughout the season along with some X's and O's on the offensive end. Use this episode to help become a better leader through the act of serving!

Are you looking to get more out of your practices? Do you want to achieve goals through practices? Then you need to hear Coach Vinny Daniels' insight as he breaks down his practices and how he designs his practices to achieve those goals. Coach talks about his game goals, his practice plans and what drills and skills he works on. He also share some of his training methods that go against traditional methods of teaching and his reasons behind. it. Additionally, coach shares some of his keys to program building. Make your practices more meaningful with this episode!

The term "hard work" can be ambiguous for both coaches and players. To help define what the term means for her program, Coach Mallory Liebl shares her definition along with how she teaches the term to her players. Coach shares how she defines a hard working practice, her expectations for players developing their skills along with how they work hard to understand and learn the game. Coach also shares relationship building advice along with college recruitment. Use this episode to help get your players bought into the concept of hard work!

How does being attentive relate to being a good coach? Coach Erik Leafblad shares his insights as he discusses what attentiveness means to him. We discuss what it means to build relationships and know your players, player motivation, managing the grind of a long season and much more. Coach also shares his in-game mentality and how he stays focused and attentive during game situations. If you want to improve your focus as a coach you need to check this out!

We blend together two great topic in this episode: culture and player development. Coach Isaac Sanders shares his process for getting players to play his style of basketball. We discuss his expectations for culture as well as his preferred playstyle. Coach also shares how his players play on the court once bought into the culture. If you want your players to play your way then you need to hear the great insights this episode has to offer you!

It's all about defense in this episode as Coach Ethan Leist shares his keys to installing a man to man defense. We get into individual and defensive responsibilities, practice planning, communication and combating offensive actions. Coach also shares his thoughts on culture and general coaching philosophy. Unlock the secrets of a good man to man defense in this episode and lock your opponents down!

We talk about what it's like to coach and work at the highest levels of travel ball with Coach Robert Holloway. Commonly known as the "shoe circuits, coach shares his experiences coaching high level athletes and what parents should know if they are wanting their player to be playing at this level. Coach also shares how highly skilled players can stand out, what the recruitment process looks like at this level and changes he would like to see within these organizations. If you want to know more about high level basketball at the prep level, then check this out!

The rosters you have will change year to year and it's important you're ready to make the adjustment every season. Coach Rick Smith joins us to discuss how he adapts based on his personnel and still finds success. Coach shares some of the different teams he has coached and how he coached to their strengths. He also shares his own coaching philosophy and how to be flexible and a lifelong learner. In addition, coach talks about how his practices have been adapted to fit the needs of his teams. Become more flexible as a coach and maximize your team's skillset with this episode!

Player growth is on the front of the mind of many coaches which is why we brought on Coach Jonathan Perez to discuss how he does it. Coach shares everything from identifying areas of growth, making plans to improve players, the life talks he does with players as well as lifting players confidence. We also discuss getting players ready for the next level and touch on AAU as well. Use this episode and maximize player growth!

In addition to being a coach, Tyde Coffey also teaching a Principles of Coaching Class. Coach shares with us what he teaches in that class and how he helps others build their coaching foundation. Coach shares his own foundation and philosophy, the advice he gives to new coaches and how to find your "why". Coach also shares what players are looking for in a coach and how to connect to today's athlete. Build your coaching foundation or improve upon it using these great tips!

Have you ever been curious about how high powered offenses get so many points on the board? Coach Jere Johnson specializes in shooting at Olivet Nazarene University and is here to share his insights. Coach talks about shooting form, shooting mindset as well as ways he unlocks his player's free throw ability. We also discuss high paced offense and preparing players for that environment. Need more points? Then listen to this episode!

Is your program in need of more energy? Are you trying to get more effort out of your players? Coach Rob Yates talks to us in this episode about how he gets his team to put in more energy and effort. Coach shares his definition of energy, what it looks like on the court, how to get smart effort and maintaining that high energy throughout the course of the season. Coach also shares his thoughts on being a USA Gold Coach and so much more. Get your program filled with energy using this episode!

Having a floor general is vital to a team's success which is why we are so happy to have a discussion with Coach Iuzzolino about training this important position. Coach shares the expectations he has for his point guards, how he trains them and makes them fit into his offensive scheme. Coach also shares his insights on how to make point guards leaders on the court and become true floor generals. Get your point guard better with this episode!

A great episode diving into offensive concepts with Coach David Rohrbach. We get into the popular 4 out in 1 offense with discussion on ball movement, finding ways to score within the offense and other offensive principles. Coach also shares how to build the offense and get players to understand how to execute it at a high level. Love offense? Then you'll love this episode!

It's all about offense in this episode with Coach De Giorgio has he gets into the topic of quick offense. Coach shares his offensive philosophy, how he trains his players to make quick decisions and how the offense flows smoothly into smart and effective actions. Coach also breaks down his practice plan as well as the individual skill work that goes into training quick decision makers. If you need faster offense then you need this episode!

Coach Julian Gomez shares with us how he teaches his players to handle the mental pressures that the game brings. He shares how he keeps his his players focused, trains them to overcome adversity and how he structures his practices and training to focus on pressure filled situations. Coach also shares how he teaches his players to succeed in in-game situations and remain calm. This episode will be sure to help you help your players!

We get into the critical aspect of ball movement in this episode with Coach Luke Davis. Coach gets into how he gets the ball moving, how ball movement fits into his overall offensive scheme along with breakdowns of key components of ball movement. We discuss passing, movement and other key fundamental skills. Coach also shares practice habits and much more. Get the ball moving using the great suggestions and ideas brought about in this episode!

It's more important than ever for all players on the court to be playmakers. With that in mind, Coach Palmer breaks down how he gets all his players to be playmakers. Coach shares his training strategies as well as how he empowers his players to make decisions and be leaders on the court. We also get into teamwork and how to make sure your players play selfless basketball with a team focus. Give this episode a listen and learn how to unlock all your player's playmaking ability!

You know the 2-3 well but if you're looking to get the most out of it then listen as Coach Luke Palmer dives into how he gets the most out of this defense. Coach shares his teaching techniques, how he gets his defense in good position and how he makes sure to force the offense into the types of shots he wants. He also shares how he is able to use this against any offense and how to counter what the offense throws at him. If you want to see more success in your 2-3, you need this episode!

We end the year with some great wisdom with from Coach Chris Juergens who shares his wisdom and story to give advice to young coaches. Coach shares his journey, how he developed his philosophy, what he wished he had learned sooner and how he has navigated through the challenges that the coaching profession brings. He also shares what caught him by surprise and how he has handled in-game adjustments throughout his career. Reminisce or share this with a young coach and enjoy the end of your year!

Coach Brad Shaw has spent the last few years at a successful JuCo at Fort Hays Tech Northwest and is now here to share how he did it. We discuss culture, offensive and defensive concepts as well as guiding players as they navigate JuCo on their wait to their next destination. We also talk about advice for new coaches and much more. Learn all about this successful JuCo program here!

We deep dive into the concept of work ethic with Coach Fisher. We have a great discussion on how to assess a player's work ethic, how to develop it into something greater. Coach also shares how he designs situations where player work ethic is tested and how to put your player's in situations that will reveal how hard they want to work. We also get into adverse situations Coach has been in as well as off court expectations. Use this episode and have it help you get even more out of your players!

We dive deep into the art of the practice plan in this episode. Coach Borruso shares his insights on how he builds his practices and how you can structure yours. We discuss his goals for practices, how a practice of his looks like and how they vary as the season goes on. We also discuss drills and skill work that can be incorporated into the practices. Listen and learn some great ideas on how to get the most out of your practices!

We are so excited to have Coach Holbrook on as he passionately describes his earn everything culture. Coach breaks down what the term means to him, what it looks like in his program and how players earn every minute on the court and earn all the success they have. We also discuss how this culture looks on the court as well as habits that are established outside of it. Looking for ways to get your program to completely buy into your vision? Then check this episode out!

All about defense in this episode with Coach Martin. We have a great discussion about getting your players to buy into defense, how to built it from the ground up and what coach likes to run on defense. We also discuss defensive minded practices as well as how Coach has adapted and adjusted his defense throughout the years and seasons. If you're serious about getting your players to buy into defense you need to listen to this episode!

It's so important to make sure that assistant coaches feel valued and contribute to a program. That's why Coach Manning is on to talk about his experience as an assistant and how he made the most of his role. He shares what was expected of him, how he helped stepped up and lead in certain situations and how to have effective discourse with the head coach. We also discuss roles and responsibilities and how to find your voice as an assistant coach. For head coaches or assistants, this is a must listen to learn how to make the most out of this crucial role.

We dive into the ins and outs of gameplanning with Coach Winemiller. We discuss the process of making a gameplan, how to scout effectively and how to communicate what's learned to the players. We also discuss watching film, the process of becoming a better planner and how all of this led to Coach Winemiller having successful seasons. Get better at the finer details and gameplanning using this episode!

In today's coaching world it's important you push your players but also know they care about you. How do you balance the two? Coach Marks shares his insight on how he does it by sharing his non-negotiables, talking high standards and also how to have fun but demanding practices. We also discuss the term "player's coach" and how that has shaped his coaching tenure. Use this episode to get some valuable insight to have on and off court success!

As a coach, you may have multiple stops in your career. How do you know what to take with you and what to leave behind? What makes sense to maintain regardless of personnel? We get into that with Coach Hand who shares what he has kept consistent during his coaching journey. We discuss what he sticks with, why it works and how he developed his coaching philosophy. We also discuss changes he has made and lessons learned throughout his career. Enjoy this reflective episode and think about what's important to you as a coach!

We all know the pressures on teen athletes is greater than ever and that's why we have on Coach Frederickson to discuss how he grows and maintains his players' confidence. Coach shares what he feels is currently affecting his players, relationship building and handling high pressure environments. We also discuss how to keep things positive and energized so player's always leave the gym in a good mood. Use this episode to get your players in the right state of mind!

Pressure is one of the best ways to create defensive havoc and Coach Vetter shares with us how he shows pressure in multiple ways. Coach shares the different types of defenses he runs, how he teaches a defensive mindset and how he knows which ones to run in different situations. Coach also shares his practice philosophy as well as ways to make individuals great defensive players. Get your defensive pressure up with this episode!

We all know how important it is to have a high energy team who gives it their which is why we brought on Coach McGill to speak on the subject. Coach shares what energy means for him as a coach, what that looks like on the court and how to have a culture which emphasizes energy and maximum effort. We also get into how this energy translates into running and offense and defense as well as discussion of energy killers. Get your program's energy up with this episode!

We get the opportunity to talk to Coach LeMay on finding your coaching identity. We discuss his journey in finding out what worked, what didn't and how he became the coach he is today. Coach shares his philosophy on X's and O's, overcoming adverse situations and other milestone events that transformed his coaching self. Learn a lot through his story and gain some valuable insights!

As a coach you know how important it is to maximize your team's strengths. Coach Hill talks about personnel based offense in this episode with a focus on making the most of who you have on your roster. Coach shares the different offenses he has ran in the past, how to make mid-season adjustments, installing and running practices and so much more. Use this episode as a way to maximize your offensive potential!

The 5 out offense is one of the most popular ones in today's game and we discuss it with Coach Buaku. Coach talks about how he has implemented the 5 out offense to success and gives tips and advice on how you can as well. Coach shares drills, practice ideas, how he teaches decision making and winning 1 on 1 matchups. Learn more about this versatile offense and see success on the court!

We dive into analytics in this episode with Coach Mortellite. We discuss the way he uses analytics to help the University of Washington Men's team see success, We talk about his role, how he communicates to coaches and players and the information he's looking for when scouting or analyzing another team. We also discuss his role in helping player's understand analytics and suggestions on how to balance the data versus your instincts as a coach. Learn about analytics at some of the highest levels of basketball in this episode!

We are honored to be joined by Coach Mel Abrams Jr. as he breaks down his man to man defense. We have a great discussion with coach about installing the defense, the teaching points and the way to execute in game situations. Coach breaks down drills, talks about expectations, and shares insight into his program's culture along the way. Become a better man to man defensive team using this episode!

Small schools bring their own unique challenges and opportunities. Coach Sheffield shares his journey and how he was able to build a competitive program in his location. We talk about the unique culture that comes at a small school, navigating having a small pool of players to choose from and the importance of a youth program. We also discuss school culture and creating an environment that brings the community together. Find out how to build something big even in a small school.

Offense is dynamic and everchanging in this sport and Coach Limberiou is here to talk about how to create offensive advantages and get more points on the board. Coach shares his insights on finding advantages, how to practice them, how to dissect defenses and teach your players how to find holes in the defense. Need more points? Then learn the secrets in this episode!

As coaches we know how important it is to have every stakeholder on board for a team's success and this episode we discuss the importance of a strong relationship with administration. Coach Arnold shares his expertise and knowledge having worked for many administrators. We talk about expectations coaches should have, what to ask in an interview and how to work together positively with an athletic director. Use this episode to build your coaching IQ and become a great relationship builder with adults!

We discuss an interesting topic in the coaching world as Coach Crumbley Jr. joins us to discuss how to teach and train players while also keeping it fun. We discuss how to properly push your team while also keeping the energy high, how to gauge the "pulse" of your team and know when it's time to slow down as well as maintaining personal positivity. Listen to this to help your players have a fun and rewarding basketball experience!

Coach Kyle Rouse shares his knowledge on practice design and practice planning to explain how he makes every practice count. Coach talks about his goals for practices, how his goals change depending on where in the season he's in and how he works on individual and team objectives during these practices. If you're serious about your practice planning then give this episode a listen!

Coach and trainer Tim Howell joins us to discuss his work in guiding players to the next level. Coach talks about training sessions, work he does with players and how today's athlete has different expectations than previous years. We also discuss the small details that separate players and can get a player to stand out from the pack. If you are training high level athletes or just want to know what gets a player to the next level, give this episode a listen!

Coach Birch shares his experience coaching a team with talented players - many who are playing in college. He shares how he instills team concepts, gets his team to work together and finds ways to maximize his player's exposure. We discuss the balance of players wanting to individually stand out versus being a great teammate as well as how to get these already great players even better. Gain some insight with this episode so you, too, can find great success with great players!

We bring you a fantastic culture-based episode today with Coach David Bailey. Coach shares how culture has translated into on-court success, how he establishes winning practices and the role culture had to his team's push to a championship game run. We also discuss moments where the culture was tested and when he saw that things had "clicked". Want a great or better culture? Listen to this episode!

We all know how important having shooters on the floor is during a game, so we bring on Coach John Stockton to discuss how to build them. We get into what it means to be a great shooter, how to build drills and teach the finer points to improve shooting and where to find game-like shot opportunities in practice. Coach also shares the mentality of being a great shooter and much more. Make more shots this season with this episode!

We celebrate 4 years with clips from every interview over the past year! Thank you for your support!

It's the perfect time to talk team bonding and we talk just that with Coach Stickles. Coach shares her fun and unique ways she brings her team together, how she keeps the team fighting hard and playing for each other and also about the importance of intentionally bringing players together. Coach also shares lots of positivity, fun ideas and inspirational stories. Use this episode and bring your team closer!