Phone Conversation with a High School Coaching Legend

I have many great mentors whose characteristics I admire. One of my mentors, Bob Spencer (one of the first women’s college coaches to reach 500 wins), is a big time note writer. He will read an article about someone, cut the article out of the paper, and send that person the article with a note with some of his own thoughts. Most times, Coach Spencer knew the person. Sometimes it was just random.

Back in February, I read a New York Times article on Coach Leta Andrews, the Head Girls’ Basketball Coach at Grandbury High School in Texas. Coach Andrews recently won her 1,346th game making her the winningest high school basketball coach in the country. Although I don’t know Coach Andrews personally, in true Bob Spencer fashion, I decided to write Coach Andrews a random note congratulating her on her 1,346th win.

A month went by and I forgot all about it. One day out of the blue, Coach Andrews called me. I was very flattered that a coach with her level of success took the time to respond to someone like me. Maybe that’s a lesson in itself. Don’t forget to acknowledge the people who look up to you and never underestimate the positive impact you have on others. I had a similar experience once with Dean Smith. I wrote him a note about his Point Defense and he was nice enough to write back. I kept his letter and have it tucked away at home.

While I had Coach Andrews on the phone, I took the opportunity to ask my standard question I always ask the veteran coaches, “What advice do you have for a young coach like me?”

Coach Andrews responded with the following:
1. Work Hard - One thing you can always control is your effort.
2. Set the Bar High - Be demanding of your team-high expectations.
3. Players need to work on their own commitment. They need spend extra time in the gym.
4. Teach the Fundamentals - You can’t go from A to C to E. You need B and D.
5. Have Time to Laugh - Coach Andrews said “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”

I really appreciated Coach Andrews taking the time to talk with me. Her advice seemed so simple, but it is very consistent with the advice I’ve received from other experienced coaches. Maybe that’s what experience teaches you. Keep it simple, otherwise you forget the obvious.

To read the NY Times article on Coach Leta Andrews:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/15/sports/basketball/15coach.html

Top 10 Basketball Movies Ever

There are a lot of basketball movies that have been made over the last few decades--more than you might initially think. After conducting a little research, I’ve counted a total of 102 basketball movies that have been made. This number includes documentaries, made for TV movies and even an episode of Gilligan’s Island where the Globetrotters get stranded on the island. Somehow, but perhaps not surprisingly given the magic of showbiz, the island is equipped with a court and hoops. Competition is high when the Globetrotters must play “the Invincibles”—a team of robots that are fighting for territory on the island. I have to admit that it’s corny but extremely entertaining! Check out a clip from the episode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqJxz5EM2kc
Interestingly, one of the first basketball movies was “High School Hero” done in 1927! It starred Nick Stuart, Sally Phipps, and William Bailey. The plot follows two basketball studs trying to win the heart and attention of Eleanor Barrett, the most popular girl in school.

I have put together a list of what I think are the top 10 basketball movies of all time:

10. A Season on the Brink (2002)- A made for TV movie that depicts the bestselling book about Bobby Knight and Indiana’s 1985-86 season.

9. Rebound (1996) – (The one with Earl the Goat not Martin Lawrence) This made for TV movie was interesting to me because it portrayed the same characters as the book “The City Game” which I had read a few years earlier. Growing up, I had a phase where I was fascinated with the Rucker Park playground legends.

8. Pistol: The Birth of a Legend (1991) – This movie describes the life of Pistol Pete. The most memorable scene is when he’s spinning the ball on his finger while inside the café. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0Ee6aFv0SI

7. Love and Basketball (2000) – I figured it was only fair that I include at least one love story. Good movie though.

6. Glory Road (2006) – This is a well made movie about a true story. It has a great sound track!

5. Coach Carter (2005)- Great movie. Everyone loves the true stories with happy endings. One of my former players Seyram Gbewonyo’s brother Nene played Junior Battle in this movie.

4. Blue Chips (1994) - This move is full of great basketball players. Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway, Bobby Hurley. Surprisingly it comes with a good story line too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgeSww9uCAo

3. He Got Game (1998)- This might be one of Spike Lee’s best movies ever. It’s another great flick with a lot of great basketball players.

2. White Men Can’t Jump (1992) - This might be the movie that I’ve seen the most in my life. During my junior year in high school it played continuously in my VCR on the weekends. It was the perfect combination for me, a basketball movie with comedy. White Men Can’t Jump inspired me to work on my hops! Who knew that Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson could play a little bit?! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtYYuHuCBvQ

1. Hoosiers (1986) – Last but DEFINITELY not least! ESPN voted Hoosiers as one of the best sports movies of all time. I make a point of making my team watch this at least once every year on a long road trip. I am SHOCKED that many of our players have never even heard of Hoosiers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fttt3fFTxk

The best Ol’ School basketball moives:
- The Fish that Saved Pittsburg (1979)- Dr. J and Kareem are in this one. A lot of razzle dazzle in this one. One of Shaq’s favorite bball movies. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOuI0rXrOmA
- Heaven is a Playground (1991)- Bo Kimble, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Kendall Gill.

Basketball Movies that involve animals:
- Air Bud (1997)- Basketball playing Golden Retriever!
- Teen Wolf (1985)- Michael J. Fox turns into a basketball Ware Wolf with some sick handles.
- Space Jam (1996)- Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and other assorted cartoon animals.

Longest Basketball movie ever:
- Hoop Dreams (1994)- Good story but it loses you because it’s almost 3 HOURS LONG!!

Great basketball movie that doesn’t have much basketball in it:
- Finding Forrester (2000)- Sean Connery & Rob Brown- Great story about basketball and writing. I love the BMW scene

Basketball movies in the Ghetto:
- Above the Rim (1994)- Tupac as the thug kingpin- Some cool dunks.
- Sunset Park (1996)- Fedro Starr from Onyx.

Follow Through

The foundation of our Bengal Basketball program is outlined in our Bengal core values. Highlighted with discipline (because it’s the most important), our core values summarize the goals and morals that our program abides by. To us, discipline ultimately means “follow through”. It is easy to set large goals, but not as easy to achieve them. As the old cliché goes, “easier said than done!” An individual can have lofty goals such as commitment, academic excellence, improving free throw percentages, acting as good role models and setting good examples, but if you don’t have the discipline to follow through with it, your goals end up insignificant. They may look good on paper, but they are not really helping you.

Our coaching staff shares our core values with every recruit and their family when they visit campus. We occasionally share them with community members at speaking engagements. Each and every one of us firmly believes that if we continue to follow our core values and stay disciplined, we will be successful on the court, in the classroom and ultimately in LIFE.

Why I don't like Numbers

It would be impossible for me to write anything on this blog without the influence of my mentors emerging. So much of the person and coach that I am today has been shaped by my mentors. One of my mentors always talked about how numbering a certain position puts limitations on player and their abilities. People think that the 1 (the PG) has to be the player who is the primary ball handler and the person who leads the team in assists. They assume that the 1- player is always the smallest and fastest player on the court and is restricted to the perimeter. On the contrary, people think the 5 (center) player has to be the post scorer, the leading rebounder, a poor ball handler, and stuck in the low post.

In many areas of life, people become overly-focused in a certain way of thinking and don’t allow themselves to explore great opportunities. This is extremely relevant to basketball, as some coaches become fixated on a certain style of play, or trapped in a mentality that doesn’t allow their players any freedom.

A narrow mindset also affects the way that some coaches recruit. Certain coaches refuse to recruit a 5 player unless they are 6’2”, an excellent low post scorer and lead the team in rebounding. What about the 6’2” players who can shoot the perimeter shot consistently? What about the 5’8” 2 player that has a stellar repertoire of low post moves? I don’t believe that either of these players should be restricted to playing within the confines of “their number”. I feel that a 6’2” player who can shoot the perimeter shot and the 5’8” player who is a low post scoring threat causes more match up issues for the defense and could be better for your team offensively. By relegating a player to stick to what their position is supposed to do creates a weaker and more predictable offense for opponents to play against.

We’ve experienced the power of interchangeability first hand. Two seasons ago we had a 2-guard score 31 points in a game and it was mainly in the low post. She was a strong post player at 5’8 and her opposing 2-guard defender was powerless against her strength and array of post moves. This is only one of the beauties of Idaho State basketball philosophy… flexibility. By enabling our athletes to play to their strengths, whatever they may be, allows us to adjust to our opponents weaknesses from game to game. When you’re competing against the Bengals, you just never know what to expect!

Kicking Off New Blog!

The Idaho State women's basketball program is excited to kick-off it's brand new blog! We hope you become a follower as we look to regularly update this site with fun tidbits to fill your women's basketball information cravings!