Coaching Management 20.3

ManagementCoaching

POSTSEASON 2012 | VOL. XX NO. 3 | $7.00

> Multi-Sport Participation> Healthy Weight Gain

TIME TO ElEvaTEOffseason player development

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CONTENTS | BASKETBALL EdiTiON | POSTSEASON 2012 | VOL. XX, NO. 3

2 POSTSEASON BULLETIN BOARDAAU and HS coaches discuss differences … Coaching clinic teaches leadership … Teams help a town recover … insight on morning games … Summer league utilizes alumni … Binghamton nets perfect APR score.

12Q&A JAmEs sULLINgERRecently retired from Northland High School in Columbus, Ohio, James “Satch” Sullinger discusses his coaching path, teaching players to be accountable, and his plans for the future.

18COVERSTORY TImE TO ELEvATE Top coaches know that the seeds for player development are sown in the offseason. However, the path to improvement requires a careful plan and the right message.

26 LEADERSHIP mULTIpLE ChOICE ANswERA high school coach and teacher makes his case for reviving multi-sport participation, detailing how to promote the practice among your own athletes.

34 NUTRITION A wEIghTY IssUEWhen athletes want to gain weight to meet performance goals, they require careful guidance to avoid packing on pounds of unhealthy fat.

Publisher Mark Goldberg

Editorial Dept. Eleanor Frankel, director Abigail Funk, dennis Read, R.J. Anderson, Patrick Bohn, Mike Phelps, Kristin Maki

Art Director Pamela Crawford

Special Projects dave Wohlhueter

Production Dept. Maria Bise, director Neal Betts, Trish Landsparger

Circulation Dept. dave dubin, Sandra Earle

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Mailing lists for Coaching Management Basketball are provided by the Clell Wade Coaches Directory.

The Coaching Management Basketball edition is pub lished in August and March by MAG, Inc. and is distributed free to college and high school coaches in the United States and Canada.

Copyright © 2012 by MAG, Inc. All rights reserved. Text may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without the permission of the pub lisher. Un solicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Coaching Management, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, N.Y. 14852. Printed in the U.S.A.

32 ADVERTISER’S DIRECTORY43 BASKETBALL FACILITIES44 STRENGTH TRAINING & CARDIO45 COACHING AIDS

46 TEAM EQUIPMENT AND APPAREL47 MORE PRODUCTS 48 COACHING GUIDES

ON THE COVER

Perry Jones III elevates for Baylor University. The Bears’ Head Coach, Scott Drew, talks about motivating players to improve in the offseason in our cover story, beginning on page 18.

PHOTO BY KEVIN jAIRAj/US PRESSwIRE

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ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

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AAU BAsketBAll

In The Same RoomIt’s no secret that hIgh school

and aaU Boys’ BasketBall coaches don’t always see eye-to-eye. In north carolina, Marque carrington, head Boys’ coach at cardinal gibbons high school in raleigh, is trying to do something about that.

In late october, carrington organized a symposium to which he invited high school coaches, aaU coaches, and media members in the state, with the goal of beginning a discussion about the differ-

ences. “there’s a gap between the two groups that needs to be bridged,” car-rington says. “If we as coaches all have the athletes’ best interests in mind, then we all need to be on the same page—and right now we’re not.”

nearly 30 coaches met and covered several topics. discussion included the influence coaches have over players; a coach’s role in a player’s eligibility, charac-ter, and discipline; a coach’s role in edu-cating parents; and the visibility of aaU and high school coaches during their “off” seasons. the agenda allotted between 10 and 25 minutes to each with coaches exchanging thoughts and looking for common ground.

“I feel one of the biggest problems we have is the issue of eligibility and char-acter development,” carrington says. “let’s say an athlete gets kicked off his high school team as a junior because of his grades or not handling himself correct-ly. It’s not that big a deal to him if he knows he can just turn around and play

aaU ball. I feel there needs to be some type of model where aaU players, just like high school players, need to have a certain gPa and meet certain other stan-dards to be able to play.”

the coaches at the symposium also discussed the need to recognize that play-ers may fill different roles on different teams. “we came to an understanding that just because a kid is playing point guard for his aaU squad doesn’t mean he should be the point guard for his high school team,” carrington says. “we also talked about communicating to the play-ers and their parents that they have to do what each coach needs them to do for their team to be successful, not just listen to one or the other.”

carrington would also like to see aaU programs—and especially the play-ers and their parents—focus less on hop-ing to earn college scholarships. “when I played, the coaches preached to us day in and day out that we were playing aaU ball to represent our city and the state of north carolina while improving our game by competing with and against some of the best talent in the area,” he says. “we never had the mindset that we were play-ing to get a college scholarship. as a result, there wasn’t the selfishness or cra-ziness of parents moving kids from pro-gram to program that we see now. If we can get back to that point I think we’ll see a big difference in attitudes.”

carrington will broaden the audi-ence for his next meeting, which he expects to hold in the spring, inviting players’ parents to participate (but not the players themselves). he also plans to have both a college academic advisor and a compliance staffer participate and will ask the north carolina high school ath-letic association and the aaU to send representatives as well.

“at the first meeting, everyone was very respectful,” carrington says. “to get to the root of the problems and solve these issues, however, it might have to get a little heated. It’s not going to be all berries and smiles.”

carrington also hopes to broaden the audience of aaU coaches. “we had esPn recruiting analyst dave telep serve as the moderator at the initial meeting and the first thing he said was, ‘you’re all here at 8:30 on a saturday morning and you traveled across the state on your own dime, so you’re probably one of the good guys,’” carrington says. “now, I feel we have to get some of the guys

who are not holding players to a high standard to join us.

“I plan to do some research to find out who these ‘other’ coaches are,” he continues. “then I’ll put some pressure on them and say, ‘you say you want to do this and that for your players, so let’s do it. come be involved. let’s sit down so we can help these players.’ and if they don’t get involved, their name and organization are going to be exposed.”

carrington’s advice for individual high school coaches interested in tackling similar conflicts is to try to bridge the gap with their aaU counterparts. “you have to find out who your kids are playing for in the summer and establish relationships with those coaches,” he says. “you need

Marque Carrington, Head Boys’ Coach at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, N.C., is working to bridge the communication gap between the state’s high school and AAU coaches.

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2 AAU, HS coaches meet

4 New lessons in leadership

6 Teaming up for a community

8 Utilizing alumni in the summer

8 Binghamton hits the books

10 3 Qs on early morning games

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“You have to find out who your kids are playing for in the summer and establish relationships with those coaches. You need to make sure everyone is on the same page and your players are not being taught the wrong things.”

MaRQUe CaRRInGTOn Cardinal Gibbons High School

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to make sure everyone is on the same page and your players are not being taught the wrong things. It’s not about telling an AAU coach, ‘You don’t know what you’re doing.’ It is about looking out for the best interests of the kids.”

Professional DeveloPment

Teachers Become the Students

Most coAches know theIr Xs And os And hAve A fIle cAbInet fUll of drIlls. but they don’t always know as much as they want to about leader-ship. the women’s basketball coaches Association (wbcA) is trying to bridge that gap through a new elite training program called the center for coaching excellence (cce).

the center debuted its first three-day educational session in May with a second in June. held at columbia University, each session included about 30 coaches.

“there are a lot of issues facing women’s basketball, and the wbcA felt it was important to create a conference for professional development that would cen-ter on growing value-based leadership and helping coaches become more effec-tive leaders,” says charli turner thorne, President of the wbcA and a participant in the first session. “we’ve had a few things at other clinics that addressed lead-ership, but these courses are specifically designed to help coaches answer ques-tions like, ‘who do I want to be as a coach?’ and ‘why do I want to coach?’”

turner thorne says the leadership ses-sions went beyond the typical suggestions offered at most seminars and instead focused on helping coaches learn more

turner thorne says. “but let’s face it, col-lege athletics is on the honor system. It really comes down to whether or not you are willing to break a rule, because 99 times out of 100, you probably can get away with it.”

Attendees at the initial sessions included the wbcA executive board and coach representatives from each of the ncAA division I conferences. the plan is to have the remaining division I coaches go through the program before opening it to head coaches at other levels and eventually assistant coaches.

for now, the participants in the first two sessions are trying to speed the edu-cational process by sharing their experi-ence with other coaches. “before we left, we all talked about going back to our conference meetings and using what we learned to mentor younger coaches,” turner thorne says. “one of the knocks I’ve heard against women’s coaches is that we don’t always share with each other as much as most men’s coaches do. I think we’re getting a lot better at that, and it’s important we continue to

Last May, nearly 30 top women’s coaches (above) visited Columbia University for a training program called The Center for Coaching Excellence. Organized by the WBCA, the program provided unique lessons in leadership.

absence for the 2011-12 season from her job as head women’s coach at Arizona state University. “You have to know your-self to be a good coach and lead other people. You need to recognize your strengths and weaknesses, so you can build a staff around you that comple-ments what you bring to the table.

“Another big thing the program addressed was dealing with conflict,” she continues. “As a head coach, I teach our players it’s not a matter of if we’re going to have conflict, it’s a matter of when. And learning more about addressing conflict and how to manage it was very helpful.”

there was also considerable discus-sion about coaching ethics. “women’s basketball has become a very big business, and there’s a lot of pressure on coaches,”

BULLETIN BOARD

“Another big thing the pro-gram addressed was deal-ing with conflict. As a head coach, I teach our players it’s not a matter of if we’re going to have conflict, it’s a matter of when.”

ChArli TUrNEr ThOrNE Arizona State University

improve these relationships so we can eventually have the culture we want in women’s basketball.”

Group learning sections were head-ed by dr. cathie t. siders, a clinical psy-chologist, organizational consultant, and executive coach from washington, d.c. there were also several panel discussions featuring outside experts. At one session, for example, an administrator’s panel featured dick baddour, former Athletic director at the University of north caro-lina; ceal barry, Associate Athletics direc-tor at the University of colorado; and dr. Jon steinbrecher, commissioner of Mid-American conference. big ten commis-sioner Jim delaney led another panel on the state of women’s basketball, and ncAA vice President of enforcement

Julie roe lach addressed compliance. for-mer and current coaches Jody conradt (University of texas), Marsha sharp (texas tech University), doug bruno (dePaul University), and brian Giorgis (Marist col-lege) led an ethics panel.

“we really didn’t get lectured at,” turner thorne says. “there was always opportunity for give-and-take. It was great to hear an administrator’s perspec-tive, then listen to feedback from coaches in the room who have a lot of experience and were encouraged to share ideas relat-ed to the common problems we’re deal-ing with.

“the attendees in the first session said there was so much knowledge among the coaches attending that it would have been nice to have had more

about themselves. before starting the con-ference, coaches completed the Myers-briggs personality assessment, which uses the answers to a questionnaire to deter-mine people’s preferences in how they perceive the world and make decisions.

“It’s important to do some introspec-tive work on yourself,” says turner thorne, who was on a personal leave of

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time to discuss things,” she continues. “We never really get an opportunity to do that anywhere else, so for the second ses-sion, we added more discussion time to each panel.”

The program itself is free for attend-ees, who only have to pay for their trans-portation. The NCAA is helping financially and University of Connecticut Head Wom-en’s Coach Geno Auriemma, who was WBCA President when the program was developed, donated $150,000 to help get it going, according to the Associated Press.

“We’re not sure if the funding is going to continue, so those of us who have gone through the program have talked about kicking in a little bit of money to make sure it is available for the next group of coaches,” Turner Thorne says. “The feedback from the coaches who attended has been overwhelmingly positive. One person who’s been coach-ing for more than 30 years said it was the best professional development she’s ever done. So I think we’re off to a good start, and hopefully, we’ll be able to keep it going.”

Community Relations

Teaming Up For A Cleanup

THe dAy BefOre THey TOOk THe COUrT AS OPPONeNTS fOr A GAme IN OCTOBer, players from the University of North dakota and minot State men’s teams were working side by side to help a community rebound from devastating floods that tore through minot, N.d., a few months earlier. decked out in safety gear, players from both squads lent much-needed muscle and elbow grease to afflicted residents, clearing their homes of debris and demolishing damaged walls.

The volunteer work was part of an effort by both schools to contribute to the minot Area Community foundation, which organized cleanup efforts in the area. The schools also staged a “flood fight” exhibition game and all the money from ticket, concession, and program sales was donated to the foundation.

fighting Sioux Head Coach Brian Jones says the decision to make a rare trip nearly four hours away to minot and lend his team’s support to community members in need was reflexive. “I think we have a responsibility as an institution in situations like this,” Jones says. “Not only to help directly when we can, but to also raise awareness about challenges people are dealing with. We want the residents of North dakota to know that, as athletes and coaches, we’re always ready to help. As a smaller state, we have a large sense of community pride.”

This wasn’t the first time Jones and his players had contributed to disaster relief. Two years ago, they did something similar when tornadoes damaged parts of the state. While some of his players had already seen the devastation natural disas-ters can cause, Jones tried to prepare first-timers for what they would experience.

“I explained that they were going to see things that might be tough for them to handle,” he says. “They had heard about the floods, but I told them they shouldn’t expect to understand the dam-age until they saw it first-hand. I also emphasized that we were going to be in someone else’s home and they needed to respect that.”

Jones says both the community and the players benefited from the experi-ence. “Our players have big bodies, and because of that, we’re able to move things and gut out houses; things that would be difficult for others to do,” he says. ”There was a lot of labor involved, but I think the community appreciated it.

“It was also a very humbling experi-ence for the players,” he continues. “When they spoke to individuals who were affected by the flooding, the guys saw that they had a blue-collar mentality and that they weren’t going to let this get the best of them.”

To play the exhibition game against division II minot State, North dakota, an NCAA division I school, had to get a waiv-er from to the NCAA and give up a game against a division II opponent next sea-son. But scheduling issues were the last

thing on Jones’ mind when he agreed to the contest.

“Our goal was to give the fans something special,” he says. “A basket-ball game may not change anything, but if we can take their minds off the strug-gle for a couple of hours, I think we’ve done something good. We consider our-selves servants to the public, and that’s part of our job. When you’re in our posi-tion, you need to constantly stress what it means to sacrifice and come together for a bigger cause.”

As for the game, the fighting Sioux won handily, 80-60, although the result was the least important component of the day. The event raised over $3,700 for the community, and more importantly, sent an important message to both individuals affected by the flood, and Jones’s team.

“As head coaches, it’s our job to get our players prepared for life, and both the game and the community service were excellent teaching tools,” Jones says. “There are going to be times where they’ll need to lend helping hands to oth-ers, but also times when they’ll need to ask for help. This lets them know that there are always people out there willing to assist them and that it’s also okay to ask for it.”

Minot State guard Chris East (left) and University of North Dakota Assistant Coach Dean Oliver (right) clean up debris from a house that was destroyed by floods that tore through the Minot, N.D., area last summer.

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each player who he should guard,” Con-stantino says. “For example, I’d make my varsity point guard go up against an alum who was playing in college. This way he could see the level of play I wanted him to reach in the future.”

The league, which was insured by the PAL, cost nothing for Constantino to oper-ate. He enlisted a volunteer to run the scorer’s table, and there were no coaches. Instead, players instructed each other. “That was really valuable for some of the college players,” Constantino says. “I’d see them talk to one of my players and explain the move he used and why it was effective. Several of them went back to their teams much more comfortable in a leadership role, and it’s made them better players.”

Constantino says he’d like the league to expand in the future, possibly to eight teams. He has good relationships with sev-eral NCAA Division I programs in the area, including the University at Buffalo and Canisius College, although adding players from there, or other NCAA Division I schools, would require the league to be approved by the NCAA. For now though, he’s happy with the results. “It’s been great for my players,” he says. “I saw improvement every day.”

Skill enhancement

Alumni Improve Summer League

For NIAgArA FALLS (N.Y.) HIgH SCHooL HeAD BoYS’ CoACH SAL CoN-STANTINo, oPeN-gYm TIme IN THe SUm-mer IS A BIg PArT oF PLAYer DeveLoP-meNT. But recently Constantino became concerned about the quality of competi-tion his players faced in the offseason. His solution was to create a summer league featuring alumni from his storied program to give current players a more challenging experience.

“We have a lot of alums in the area, and I’ve been the Director of Basketball for the Niagara Police Athletic League (PAL) for the last 20 years,” says Constan-tino, who was an assistant on the Wolver-ines team that won the 2005 New York State Public High School Athletic Associa-tion Class AA state championship. “Those connections allowed me to reach out to quality players that our high schoolers can compete against and learn from.”

Constantino was able to locate enough players from NCAA Division III schools and junior colleges to put togeth-er five teams that competed in a 10-game schedule, followed by a round-robin play-off. Constantino kept the teams as bal-anced as he could, sprinkling in his varsity players throughout the squads. He would even assign individual matchups himself to ensure his high schoolers were suffi-ciently challenged. “I was the referee, and right before the opening tip-off, I’d tell

academic ProgreSS

Binghamton Posts Perfect APR Score

WHeN SCANDAL roCkeD THe BINg-HAmToN UNIverSITY meN’S ProgrAm IN 2009, the school made national head-lines for all the wrong reasons. Six players were dismissed from the team, including the starting point guard, who was charged with possession and sale of cocaine. Head Coach kevin Broadus was placed on administrative leave and later resigned, and Athletic Director Joel Thirer also stepped down.

Now, Head Coach mark macon is working hard to restore the Bearcats’ rep-utation. The team recently took a big step in the right direction, as Binghamton achieved its first perfect Academic Perfor-mance rate (APr) score of 1,000. That score boosts the program’s four-year aver-age to a level where it can regain its full scholarship allotment.

“It’s great to have the scholarships back, because that means we can start fielding enough quality players to truly compete,” macon says. “We can go out, do some more recruiting, and start build-ing on our future.”

What are macon’s secrets to boosting his players’ academic achievements? To start, he recruits players who fit the school’s academic profile. “The key is the kids,” macon says. “It’s about getting good players who also want to be stu-dents. I want players who have an under-standing of the academic realities of col-lege and want to go on and get their master’s degrees.”

once they arrive on campus, macon talks continually to his players about the importance of education. “most players are not going to be able to play sports as their livelihood, so they have to think about doing something else,” macon says. “The only way they’ll really be able to do that is to get an education.”

To drive his point home, macon fre-quently talks to his players about how dili-gence in the pursuit of education will impact the rest of their lives. “College is about perseverance,” he says. “It’s about working hard and doing the right things to stay eligible to pursue something you really like, such as basketball.

“I constantly talk about the role of education in life,” macon continues. “Bas-ketball can be taken away from them someday, but nobody can take away what they learn in the classroom.”

To help his student-athletes succeed, macon utilizes Binghamton’s educational programs, including academic advising, study halls, and tutoring sessions. “They have to be at study hall, make their meet-

Niagara Falls (N.Y.) High School rising senior JJ Wilkins defends alum Rahshon Tabb during a 2011 summer league game. In the league, current players work on their game against talented alumni.

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For many college students, simply being awake at 6 a.m. is a tall task. But for the men’s team at Drexel University, the crack of dawn was a great time to open the 2011-12 bas-ketball season. For the third time in four years, the Dragons participated in ESPN’s College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, during which the network televises 24 consecutive hours of college basket-ball. After hosting and defeating the University of Pennsylvania at 10 a.m. in 2008 and falling on the road to Niagara University at 8 a.m. in 2009, this past November Drexel opened its season in the 6 a.m. time slot with a road tilt against near-by Rider University.

Rising and Shining

Despite arriving at the gym at 4:45 a.m., the Dragons were energized when they took the court and cruised to an 80-62 vic-tory. Afterward, the players returned to campus in time for morning class-es and Drexel Head Coach Bruiser Flint took a well-earned nap. So what is it like to play a basketball game before most people have had their morning coffee? We waited until mid-afternoon and tracked down Flint to find out.

CM: What is the appeal of playing so early in the morning?

Flint: We were originally hoping to play Rid-er in the 8 a.m. or 10 a.m. slot, but we ended up having to do it at 6. It’s a little early, but we knew we would be on national television, and you can’t beat that.

Way more people than I expected told me they watched the game. We ended up being on when a lot of people were getting dressed and ready for work, and many said they watched at least the second half. It’s always good to hear your program is getting that kind of exposure.

How did you prepare yourself and the team for the early wake-up call?

I tried to go to bed early the night before. I fell asleep around 9 p.m., but I woke up at 12:15 and couldn’t fall back asleep. I was ready to go around 1 a.m., even though I didn’t need to leave until 4:15. When the game was over, I slept until the next day.

To get the team ready, we had a couple of 5 a.m. practices so players could get used to play-ing basketball at that time. Once the game start-ed, everybody was fine. Rider did an unbeliev-able job as the host and there was a great atmosphere. We had some fans from our school show up and when we were getting off the bus, we saw that Rider had 500 to 1,000 students lined up waiting to get in. That got our juices flowing a little bit.

Did you find any advantages to holding morning practices?

Practicing early in the morning can wear on you, but we do it occasionally because it frees up the rest of the day for our players and coaches. For example, I’ll do it if I want to do some recruit-ing in the afternoon. Sometimes, I’ll schedule an early-morning practice the day before a day off, because it’s almost like giving the coaches and players two full days off.

Drexel University’s Derrick Thomas shoots a jump-shot over a Rider University defender in a nationally televised contest that tipped off at 6 a.m. The early morning game was part of the ESPN College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon on Nov. 15.

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ings, and go to their tutoring sessions,” he says. “The responsibility we have as edu-cators is to make sure they’re aware of what’s available to them and make sure they know they have to go.”

Still, much of the onus for making the most of those opportunities is on the athletes themselves. “We can only do so much,” Macon says. “But we let them know that there are consequences and that if they don’t get the grades, they don’t play. And if they don’t play, they could lose their scholarship.”

Macon says it’s also important for players to realize that their own actions affect their teammates as well. “With the APR, someone who doesn’t want to go to class is affecting the athletes who come after him,” Macon says. “Not only are they hurting themselves, they’re hurting the entire program.”

Binghamton University Head Men’s Coach Mark Macon is helping the Bearcats rebound from tough times by emphasizing academics. The team took a big step last season by posting a perfect APR score.

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James “Satch” Sullinger, former Head Boys’ Coach at Northland High School in Colum-

bus, Ohio, made the deci-sion to retire just hours after his team’s record fifth consecutive City League championship in February 2011. He was walking with his grandchildren, halfway between a restaurant and an ice cream shop, when the thought crossed his

mind: “What’s stopping me from doing this all the time?” The answer, of course, was coaching basketball. So Sullinger decided then and there that he’d hang up his whistle at the end of the season.

Q&A

Northland went on to lose in the Ohio Divi-sion I State Championship game, but despite a loss in his final game, Sullinger walked away with no regrets. A Columbus native who still plans to teach a couple of more years at Northland, Sullinger has coached at one level or another since 1978, includ-ing stints at several high schools in Ohio and his alma mater, Oberlin College. He led Northland to a 121-6 record in his final five seasons at the school, won a state title in 2009, and in 2010 was named the Nai-smith Boys’ High School Coach of the Year. That same year, Sullinger’s son, Jared, who went on to star at Ohio State University, was named the Naismith Boys’ High School Player of the Year.

Q&A with james sullinger | northland high school, columbus, ohio

Coaching Management recently talked to Satch Sullinger, who also worked as an administrator for USA Basketball in the early 1980s. He spoke about how he got into coaching, his greatest memories, and his keys to getting the most out of his players.

CM: What was it like when the 2011-12 high school basketball season tipped off and you weren’t on the sideline?

Sullinger: It was kind of awkward. After 50 years of spending the fall preparing for a season, either as a player or a coach, I had to get used to a new routine. But I don’t miss it. I’m the type of person that when I’m done, I’m done. I got everything I wanted

In 2010, James “Satch” Sullinger was named the Naismith Boys’ High School Coach of the Year, and his son, Jared, was honored as the Naismith Boys’ High School Player of the Year.A LASTING LEGACY

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Circle No. 106

out of coaching and it’s time to move on. Someone had to move on for me to get my start when I was young, and last year it was my turn to clear the way for someone else’s opportunity.

How do you spend your time now?I’m staying in athletics, but I’ll never

coach again. I work with adidas Nations, and I’ll be helping develop basketball in China. I also have feelers out there for pos-

sibly becoming an NBA scout, and on Friday nights I work with a local TV station here talking high school basketball.

Did you always want to be a coach?That’s a funny thing. In

1975, I was with the Ohio Youth Commission, work-ing with delinquent kids. Of the 23 kids in my cot-tage, 18 of them were there for homicide. One day I received a memo with a list of things to do with our groups. I remember thinking these kids weren’t going to do that stuff. It looked good on paper, but the kids weren’t going to respond to it.

I asked myself, “What’s the difference between me

and the guy who wrote the memo?” The answer was a college degree. And so, at age 26, I decided I was going to go back to school and become a social worker and train to work with delinquent youth.


I started polishing up my basketball skills, took the SAT, and scored pretty high. I ended up attending Oberlin College, where I played basketball for Pat Penn.

There, I saw what he was doing to affect my life and how he developed me into a man. It hit me that if I went into coaching, I could work with kids and help them before they got in trouble. So I changed my major to education. I then got my first job in 1978, coaching the j.v. team at Oberlin—while still playing for the varsity.

After coaching at a few different high schools, you went back to Oberlin to be the head varsity coach, but only stayed for three years. Why?

Oberlin approached me to come back and turn the program around. But when I got there I realized that the kids at Oberlin didn’t need me. I didn’t have to worry about their lives, because those kids were going to achieve no matter what. I didn’t feel like I was accomplishing anything.

So I left Oberlin and returned to the high school level. I became the head coach at Northland and taught at a middle school

“It was the dIstrIct semI-fInal and I dIdn’t allow my son Jared to play. he wasn’t doIng hIs schoolwork, so he dIdn’t even dress for that game. ever sInce then, he’s had a 3.0 gpa or better In hIgh school and college.”

Circle No. 107 Circle No. 108

Q&A


in the district. My very first day as a teacher, a young lady named Jackie was in the hall and I said, “You’ve got to go to class.” Her response to me was something that can’t be printed in this magazine. My immediate thought was, “Yes! I’m back! This is what I needed to be around.”

But my experience at Oberlin taught me a lot of things. For one, it showed me that I needed Columbus. I also learned that in order to be successful, three things need to happen: You have to understand, you have to feel understood, and you have to be wanted. For me, those things existed in Columbus. I had to come back. And I realized my niche was high school.

How did you get the most out of your players?

You never ask someone to do something you’re not willing to do yourself. You have to model the behavior and tell players things in a way that makes sense to them. I always felt like if you make sense to kids, they’ll buy into your plan.

I also taught my players about account-ability. When crunch time comes and the game is on the line, what’s normal will come out. If what’s normal for a player is garbage and there’s no accountability, then that’s what’s going to come out. If you’re not accountable in your everyday life, then you’re not going to be accountable on the court when crunch time rolls around. If players hear me talk about being account-able for two hours at practice but spend 22 hours of the day not being accountable, the 22 hours of garbage is going to win out.

Not every young person buys into that, but the ones who don’t, weed themselves out. The ones who really want to succeed buy in and start seeing their lives change. Those players go off to college and succeed, rather than being sent home by Thanksgiv-ing because their coach kicked them off the team for not being accountable.

How did you make sure your players understood how important account-ability is to you?

Here’s an example: In 2008, we had one loss, which came in our last game of the sea-son. It was the district semifinal and I didn’t allow my son Jared to play. He wasn’t doing his schoolwork, so he didn’t even dress for that game. Ever since then, he’s had a 3.0 GPA or better in high school and college.

He and everyone else received the mes-sage loud and clear. If I had played him when he wasn’t holding up his end of the bargain, what kind of behavior would I be encouraging? Would he be the person you

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Circle No. 109

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800 790 7611Circle No. 110

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see now? Any time you put winning ahead of what’s right, it will bite you in the butt.

Was that decision more difficult because it involved your son?

No. When he came into the gym, I was his coach. And when we left the gym, I went back to being his dad. When we were at home, I couldn’t talk to the rest of the play-ers about our team, so I didn’t talk to him about it either.

It was very important for me to have a clear line between coach and dad. Every-body has to have a safe haven. When you’re at work or on the court, you have to take some beatings, but you suck it up and keep going. When you turn your key at home, you should be safe. I let my hair down and have fun at home, so why can’t my kids?

What was your approach to summer basketball?

With my program, I quit all summer activity on July 1. I knew my best players were going to play AAU anyway, so I didn’t have to worry about them not playing. I also

realized they needed some other coaching influences in their lives. They weren’t going to get better by just playing for me—they were only getting better at the roles I gave them.

I always taught my players that teams are made from November to March, but players are made from March to Novem-ber. That’s their time to go out and work on their game. Then, whatever skills they brought back in November were what I had to work with as a coach.

What did winning the Naismith award mean to you?

It meant that there are quite a few young men out there who have bought into my les-sons on accountability. The award wasn’t a result of any rebounds I got or shots I made. It was because I sold something and the young men bought into it. When they won games and championships, it made people take notice of all the positive things we were doing on and off the court.

What will you think of first when you look back on your career?

Just being a part of these young men’s lives and helping to create something very positive. Having the chance to get up and go to work every day and watch them grow from boys to men is what I really enjoyed and is what means the most to me. It wasn’t a particular championship, a number of wins, or any of those things that stands out. It was all about watching the final product walk out the door and being proud to see them move on to the next phase of their lives.

You’re still teaching sociology and physical education at Northland. Why did you want to keep teaching?

I’m the kind of guy who has to do some-thing. I’m not going to wake up and wonder what day it is. I’ve got irons in the fire and plan to do some other things down the road, and as those other projects start taking off, then I’ll retire from teaching. But until then, I’m not going to just wake up and watch CNN and ESPN all day. The day that I die, someone’s going to say, “Man, I just saw him out working yesterday.” That’s the way I want to check out. CM


Q&A

Circle No. 111

COVER STORY

Berggren’s rise from backup to quality starter is a typical example of how Badger players, many of whom were not elite blue-chippers in high school, improve in the off-season to keep Wisconsin consistently among the Big Ten’s elite and a fixture in the national rankings. “We’re not going to bring in the same level of talent other top pro-grams will,” says Wisconsin Assistant Men’s Coach Gary Close. “For us to be competitive nationally, we’re going to have to develop players.”

There’s an old saying in sports that championships are won in the offseason. And one of the key components to develop-ing a winning squad is getting your players

to improve between the final buzzer of one season and the opening tip-off of the next. Whether it’s spending time breaking down a player’s shot to eliminate flaws, or giving your point guards drills to boost their ball-handling, an offseason plan is a critical pre-cursor to inseason success.

Meeting of the MindsEnd-of-season meetings with players are

an important first step in the offseason improvement process. But how do you make these discussions useful and more than just a formality? Close says one of the keys is to not pull punches with players about the areas they need to get better in.

This pasT season, The UniversiTy of Wisconsin fronTcoUrT goT a mUch needed boosT from Jared berggren. The forward/center turned from a role player his sophomore year into a major contributor for the Badgers as a junior. After averaging 2.4 points per game during the 2010-11 season, Berggren blossomed into a top rebounder and the team’s second leading scorer in 2011-12.

Top coaches know that the seeds of player development are sown in the offseason. however,

the path to improvement requires a careful plan and the right message. | by patrick bohn

TIME TO ELEVATE

Perry Jones III throws down a dunk for Baylor University in an early season game against Bethune-Cookman University. Baylor Head Coach Scott Drew says he motivates players to improve in the offseason by focusing on their goals and aspirations. PHoto By KevIn JaIraJ/US PreSSwIre

“These meetings are the time to hit your players between the eyes,” he says. “Empha-size that they have a short window of time with you, and if they want to get to the next level, they need to get the most they can from it.”

Scott Drew, Head Men’s Coach at Baylor University, says understanding the player’s role on the team and identifying his or her aspirations is helpful when determining what to discuss. “You’re not going to have the same conversation with a starter that you have with the 13th man,” he says. “If you’re talking to a player who’s going to be playing 35 minutes a night for you and wants to go to the NBA after college, you need to be brutally honest and say, ‘Your numbers are not getting it done, and to get

to where you want to be, you need to be in the gym several hours a day, every day, over the summer.’

“On the other hand, if you’re talking to a senior bench player who’s a team leader and wants to go to law school after he graduates, don’t just hammer him about what he does poorly,” Drew continues. “Understand his goals and encourage him to focus on the things he does well, like providing great leadership.”

Dori Oldaker, Head Girls’ Coach at Mount Lebanon High School in Pittsburgh, recommends inviting your assistant coaches to participate in these end-of-season evalu-

ations. “It helps avoid a situation where you and the player later disagree about what was discussed,” she says. “Additionally, if the assistant has been working closely with the player during the year, he or she can provide another voice and unique feedback.”

When it comes to providing additional opinions, Florida State University Head Women’s Coach Sue Semrau says there’s also value in looking beyond your own sideline. “I often show players their weaknesses identi-fied in opponents’ scouting reports,” she says. “That allows them to understand that an area they’re struggling in is not just some-thing we’re noticing. It’s something the other team can exploit in order to beat us.”

Showing video during these meetings can be helpful, especially if you don’t see eye

to eye with a player regarding what they need to do to get better. “We constantly use video to illustrate our points to players,” says Diane Richardson, Head Girls’ Coach at Riverdale Baptist High School in Upper Marlboro, Md. “We’ll tell them, ‘You’re doing it your way here and you’re getting beat, so now you need to try it our way.’”

Remember too, that end-of-season meetings shouldn’t be you delivering a monologue. Allow your players a chance to talk. “Our meetings are as much about get-ting a player’s input as they are about giving them feedback,” says Niki Bray, Head Girls’ Coach at Memphis (Tenn.) Central High

Patrick Bohn is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management. He can be reached at: [email protected].


COVER STORY

School. “A lot of times, when they start talk-ing about how their year went, they’ll ver-balize things they probably knew, but hadn’t really thought about in detail. That can be very helpful to them.”

Aaron Roussell, Head Women’s Coach at the University of Chicago, makes sure it’s a two-way conversation by asking a lot of questions. “Often, I’ll ask a player to explain something to me that I just told them,” he says. “Not in a ‘repeat after me,’ type of way, but to make sure they’ve interpreted the message the way I want them to. Sometimes, players internalize things and it’s tough to know if you’ve gotten through to them if they don’t respond.”

Above all, coaches say the key to making end-of-season meetings helpful is to find a way to tap into a player’s desire to improve, not bully them into the gym. “I never ques-tion a player’s work ethic,” says Roussell. “I want basketball to be a priority for my play-ers, but I don’t force them to make it their top priority. I want my players to work out in the offseason because they want to get better, not because they fear what I’m going to say to them at a meeting.”

“The effectiveness of an end-of-season meeting is always going to be based on your relationship with that player,” says Drew. “If the player doesn’t believe you have their best interests at heart, they’re not going to listen to anything you have to say.”

what to work onOnce strengths and weaknesses have

been discussed, the next step is to decide what players should concentrate on most during their downtime. At Wisconsin, Close says coaches want players to spend offseason time primarily addressing weaknesses.

“Our team philosophy is that we’ve never reached the top, and there’s always some-where we can improve,” he says. “We take the same approach with individuals. We stress to them that by working on their weakness-es, they make us better as a team and move us closer to our goal.”

For Bray, one strategy for helping players improve their weaknesses is to come up with shortcuts. “We tell players to use what they have when it comes to fixing a deficiency,” she says. “If a girl who plays poor defense has slow feet but long arms, I’ll have her work on using her arms, which are a strength, to make up for her feet. It’s a way to help her get better without asking her to do some-thing she can’t.”

LEaRning TO Land While using video is a common way to point out flaws in a player’s game that they need to work on during the offsea-son, using it to help make adjustments to a strength and conditioning regimen is less prevalent. But that’s exactly what Diane Richardson, Head Girls’ Coach at Riverdale Baptist High School in Upper Marlboro, Md., did.

concerned about the high incidence of acL injuries among female ath-letes, richardson wanted to make sure her players were protected. So last offseason, she had a physical therapist observe her players jump-

ing for rebounds and also video-taped how they landed.

“it was incredibly valuable,” richardson says. “My strength coach and i were able to see which girls were landing poorly, and that showed us we needed to have them focus on strengthening their quads in the offseason, to take stress off their knees.

“We showed the players the tapes, and they were really concerned for their health,” she continues. “When players can see things like that on film, it really opens their eyes to an issue and makes them more willing to work to correct it.”

Circle No. 112

At Florida State, Semrau addresses play-ers’ strengths more than weaknesses. “I don’t like to have my players focusing on their big-gest weakness,” she says. “We don’t have athletes here long enough to completely change who they are, and we don’t want them to do things they aren’t comfortable doing. Instead, I want them to work on expanding areas they’re already strong in. If a player is exceptional at getting to the rim, we’ll have her focus on that, and teach her to add a pull-up jumper instead of going all the way to the hoop every time.”

Bray says having players focus on strengths can, in a roundabout way, help them fix their weaknesses. “If I’ve got a player who struggles with her defense, but is a great shooter, I might tell her to make 150 three-pointers every day,” she says. “She’ll start shooting well, feel more confident about her overall game, and then be more motivated to work on her defense.”

Along with broad goals for the offseason, players should be given specific advice, too. At Mount Lebanon and Wisconsin, players go through workouts using a ball developed by

InfoMotion Sports Technology that has a lightweight circuit board with accelerometers and gyroscopes attached on the inside and provides objective feedback. The circuit board wirelessly transmits data on players’ dribbling and shooting skills to a computer, which ana-lyzes the data, then identifies areas where players need improvement and provides vid-eos of drills that can help them get better.

Oldaker started using the ball with her girls this past year and has already seen posi-tive results. “The ball is great because if a player struggles to dribble well with her left hand, the program will recognize that, and come up with a drill that addresses that skill, and then provide a video illustrating that drill,” she says. “Players can see the problems and solutions laid out for them and there are no excuses.”

Close says the technology’s ability to quan-tify things players have had trouble tracking in the past has proven extremely helpful. “We’re always telling our big men to work on their ball handling,” he says. “But it’s really difficult for a player to know if they’re getting better in that regard. They could think they had improved, when in reality, they were still struggling. Now, they can look at their score and see exactly how they’re progressing.”

When players are working on specific skills, Bray adds that patience is critical. She recalls a freshman with poor shot mechanics who, despite using a drill to help, would quickly revert to poor technique. “I thought she was putting too much pressure on her-self to get it fixed right away,” Bray says. “I know her learning curve, so I told her that her goal should be to come in to her junior season with great mechanics. That took away the pressure and gave us more time to work on it.

“There are some players who want to get better instantly,” she continues. “But you have to tell them that they can’t just work on something for five hours one day in the gym and expect to be better the next time out. When you’re making major changes to your game, it’s going to take a long time to do so.”

Hands offWith a plan in place for players, it can be

tempting to work with your athletes every step of the offseason. Some coaches cannot do so due to governing body rules, but even if you are allowed, many suggest taking a hands-off approach for at least part of the time.

“When our players finish with their sum-mer leagues, I have them go play street ball for a few weeks,” Oldaker says. “I’ll observe them, but they do their own coaching and call their own fouls. It helps them significantly, because


For high school athletes, another piece of the offseason puzzle is AAU. For high school coaches, that component can present a slippery slope.

That’s why Dori Oldaker, Head Girls’ Coach at Mount Lebanon High School in Pittsburgh, maintains a hands-off approach once her players join their AAU teams. “Sometimes my players call me to complain about their AAU coaches,” she says. “But I just tell them to suck it up. Their AAU coach isn’t telling them anything I don’t already say, and getting a second opinion validates everything I’ve told them.”

Niki Bray, Head Girls’ Coach at Memphis (Tenn.) Central High School agrees. “My players will text me from an AAU camp where they think they’re struggling, and it’s my job to put things in perspective for them,” she says. “Those coaches know what they’re doing, and I’m not going to tell them how to run their teams. If a player is used to scoring 25 points a game for me, and she’s only scoring 15 a game for her AAU team, I’ll draw her focus to her rebounding, pass-ing, or other areas she is excelling in. These teams have such talented players that you need to remind play-ers that their roles may change in that environment. When you put it to a player that way, they feel better about how they’re performing.”

Bray also finds the AAU season is a great time for her players to work on skills they may not have time to focus on during the high school sea-son, especially ones that translate to playing in college. “Last season, we had a freshman post player who played AAU ball,” Bray says. “With her size, I know she’s not going to play the post in college, so I told her to concentrate on shooting from outside the paint and to work on her ball-handling when playing for her AAU team.”

Diane Richardson, Head Girls’ Coach at Riverdale Baptist High School in Upper Marlboro, Md., coaches sev-eral of her players on an AAU team, but follows a similar philosophy of helping her players use that time to prepare for the next level. “The tournaments we enter are attended by a lot of coaches from the ACC and Big Ten,” she says. “So I always look ahead at what colleges with be there and what style they play. I then mod-ify some skill work so my players get experience doing things that way.

“I’ve been doing this for years, and college coaches frequently tell me my players transition to the college game well,” she adds. “This also enables you to get a lot more buy-in from players, because they see that what they’re doing will help them get ready to play in college.”

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Circle No. 113


it opens up lines of communication about what they need to do without having a coach yell at them. And it’s an opportunity to have fun with the game they love, which I think has been lost a bit over the years.”

At Wisconsin, Badger upperclassmen are responsible for teaching the underclassmen the offense in the offseason. “The upper-classmen know the offense inside and out, so they’re the perfect ones to teach it,” Close says. “Our staff sends the message that this is the players’ team, and we’re just here to direct it. That creates a sense of ownership in players and gets the entire team to buy into the idea of coaching, and being coached, by their peers. Additionally, when you’re working on improving your game in the

offseason, having support from your team-mates is critical, because everyone is going through the ups and downs together.”

Drew agrees that teammates can be a great source of encouragement in the sum-

mer. “Players are going to hear things from a lot of different people about what they need to improve on,” he says. “But they’re only going to be motivated to work on things if they hear it from a player they respect. If a teammate or former player is working with them in an open gym, and says, ‘You need to be more aggressive and look for your own shot,’ that message is going to get through.”

Roussell says once you’ve created a culture of accountability and hard work among play-

ers, things tend to take care of themselves. “It’s not that players work harder because their teammates will come down on them if they don’t work out,” he says. “But when they see their teammates going to the gym to work

on skill development, they’re more motivated to come along and push one another.”

And buy-in is critical when it comes to just about all their offseason work. Semrau says getting your players to improve in the offseason won’t happen if you simply give them some drills and leave it at that. “As coaches, we need to infuse a level of passion into players if we want them to work on get-ting better on their own,” she says. “Only then will the tools and skills they have be useful.” CM

“Players are going to hear things from a lot of differ-ent people about what they need to improve on. But ... If a teammate or former player is working with them in an open gym, and says, ‘You need to be more aggressive and look for your own shot,’ that message is going to get through.”

SCOTT DrEw, BAylOr UNivErSiTy

COVER STORY

Circle No. 114

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Circle No. 115


A high school coach and teacher makes his case for reviving multi-sport participation,

detailing how to promote the practice among your own athletes. By Jim Fornaciari

MULTIPLE CHOICE ANSWER

LEADERSHIP

Every region of the country is proud of its homegrown athletes who go on to make a name for themselves at the colle-giate or professional level. Here in the Chicago area, two athletes I especially enjoyed watching develop were Cliff Floyd and Antwaan Randle El.

Granted, I wasn’t thrilled to see Floyd come to the plate against my team with the bases loaded, and I’m sure area football coaches were stymied when trying to stop Randle El from scoring another touchdown. But we all developed great respect for them as athletes and competitors.

Floyd and Randle El come to mind because they are part of a quickly disappear-

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28 Coaching Management POSTSEASON 2012 CoachesNetwork.comCircle No. 115

ing era—that of the multi-sport athlete. Floyd was an all-state basketball and base-ball player before moving on to professional baseball. Randle El starred in three sports in high school and continued to compete in all three at Indiana University before playing in the NFL.

Both of these athletes came through high school when kids were encouraged to play two or three sports. That emphasis on diver-sifying one’s talents seems to be all but gone now, and in my mind, that is a negative. I believe we are doing a disservice to today’s young people by steering them toward sport specialization. And I also believe that as coaches, we should play a prominent role in bringing back the multi-sport competitor.

Better Athletes?There is little doubt that modern training

and weightlifting programs have helped pro-duce stronger athletes. There is also no ques-

tion that earning a starting spot on a high school sports team is more competitive than in years past. So it would seem to make sense for an athlete to spend his or her primary sport’s off-season lifting weights and concen-trating on sport-specific skill development.

But doing so comes at a price. The ben-efits of competing in different sports—with different coaches and different teammates—are many. When added up, they trump the plusses of an athlete spending all his or her time focusing on one sport alone.

One major positive of going multi-sport is that the athlete will become a stronger competitor. Take, for example, a point guard going to the foul line for a pair of game-deciding free throws. If he faced the same type of pressure situation a few months earlier as a quarterback on the football team, he can use that recent competitive experi-ence to mentally overcome it. Although that guard did not work throughout the fall with a private shooting coach, the confidence he gained by directing a last-minute drive on the football field will pay far greater divi-dends.

Becoming a stronger competitor also entails taking risks and learning to fail, which doesn’t happen much in a weight-

Jim Fornaciari recently retired as Head Baseball Coach at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, where he continues to serve as a history teacher. His teams went to the state finals in 2002 and 2003 and his program produced a number of college and professional players. He can be reached at: [email protected].

room, says Steve Stanicek, a former Major League Baseball player who recently resigned as Head Baseball Coach at Lockport (Ill.) High School where he is an Assistant Foot-ball Coach. “I do not see enough kids deal-ing with failure very well,” he says. “Even more importantly, I don’t see them taking the risk to give 100 percent every time—even though it might result in failure.

“They feel better in a safe environment like a pitching lesson, rather than getting on a wrestling mat and taking the chance they might get their tail kicked,” Stanicek contin-ues. “The good thing about getting their tail kicked is they have to try to figure out how to not let it happen again. If they are com-peting in only one season a year, it’s tough to learn how to do that.”

Our student-athletes can also receive important team building lessons through playing other sports. A few years ago, my top pitcher found a way to help make everyone

on the team feel valuable. The previous fall, he had completed his senior football season as a little-used backup quarterback. Despite seeing limited playing time, he still felt val-ued by the football team’s leaders.

When the baseball season started, he brought this experience to our team. He understood that even though he was going to be one of our key players, he needed to appreciate every member of the team. That, of course, bolstered team camaraderie in a huge way.

Even negative experiences can help an athlete in his or her next sport. If our basket-ball team struggles through a difficult losing season, the lessons learned about persever-ance and holding one’s head high can be used in whatever sport is waiting for those athletes come spring.

Another benefit is increased athleticism, which is what you want when your out-fielder needs to make a leaping catch or your volleyball player has to save a ball rebound-ing off the net. “Learning how to move your body the way your brain is telling it to when you have to make adjustments on the fly is crucial to being a great athlete,” says Stan-icek. “Today’s kids are bigger and stronger and faster than in the past, but they have a

hard time moving their bodies in subtle ways.”

When Scott Lawler, Head Baseball Coach at Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois, was an Assistant Baseball Coach at the University of Notre Dame, he saw this when recruiting players for the Fighting Irish. “Multiple-sport athletes train different muscles in their body and seem to be more athletic than athletes who play only one sport,” he says. “One-sport players have trained their body to do sport-specific movements, but so many movements are required in an actual athletic contest.”

Single-sport athletes also risk developing an injury through overtraining. The Ameri-can Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness recommends two to three months off per year from any one sport.

One more nod for the multi-sport ath-lete can be seen in attitude. As a baseball

coach, I always looked forward to the arrival of winter sport athletes to our early season practices. My experience was that boys coming off a long basketball season or a tough wrestling campaign were often much more excited to start baseball prac-tice compared to boys that put in monoto-nous hours in a batting cage all winter. The kids who played a different sport in the winter seemed energized by a change in their athletic routine.

DevelopmentAl BenefitsAthleticism, competitive drive, team-

work, and enthusiasm are all things coaches want to see in athletes. But there are addi-tional benefits for the multi-sport competi-tor as an individual.

The first is that it allows a young person the flexibility to follow more than one inter-est. In high school, it wasn’t clear whether Randle El was best at football, baseball, or


“multiple-sport athletes train different muscles in their body and seem to be more athletic than athletes who play only one sport. one-sport players have trained their body to do sport-specific move-ments, but so many movements are required in an actual athletic contest.”


uals who can adapt to changes and develop new skills with ease. The experience of shift-ing gears to a different sport each season is great preparation for the working world.

For example, the quarterback/star pitch-

er I mentioned earlier learned the lesson of appreciating everyone’s value during the football season. What a great life lesson he could then bring to so many situations! Had he played fall baseball and missed the limit-ed snaps he received on the football field, he would have missed an opportunity to grow as an individual.

Finally, let’s think about what we really want kids to get out of sports. In most cases, we want them to have positive educational experiences that help them mature. By play-

ing different sports for different coaches, they will have a vast array of experiences and thus more opportunities to learn and grow. They will also meet more people, which can open new doors. Adding variety to a stu-

dent’s experience helps them to emerge as balanced young adults.

Culture Shift for CoaCheSThere are many factors that have played

a role in the disappearance of the multi-sport athlete, which is why there is not just one solution. Overall, it will take a change in the attitudes of a lot of people. And it starts with us as coaches.

One of the main reasons for sport spe-cialization is the influence of coaches who

Most employers want to hire individuals who can adapt to changes and develop new skills with ease. The experience of shift-ing gears to a different sport each season is great preparation for the work-ing world.

“Multiple-sport athletes train different muscles in their body and seem to be more athletic than athletes who play only one sport. One-sport players have trained their body to do sport-specific move-ments, but so many movements are required in an actual athletic contest.”

basketball. He was encouraged to compete in all three sports until he could figure out where his passion lay.

And what if Jim Brown were in high school today? The NFL legend won a total of

13 letters in four different sports, even set-ting a Long Island basketball scoring record (that was eventually broken by future base-ball Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski). But now, he would likely be pushed into choos-ing one sport over the rest and football or lacrosse may have missed one of its greatest players ever.

Playing several sports also teaches a young person how to use their talents in more than one way. In our changing work-force, most employers want to hire individ-

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believe winning comes through a year-round commitment. Can we change our tune? Can we also tell our athletes that off-season training is optional and playing another sport is encouraged? And can we show them we sincerely mean it?

One way to do this is for coaches to work more collaboratively. As a head coach, con-sider being an assistant coach in another sport and asking head coaches in other sports

to serve as your assistants. Multi-sport coach-es are in a great position to help foster the right culture and attract more students to play more sports.

It can also be helpful to discuss this topic as coaches. Formal and informal

meetings are a good place to talk about the benefits of multi-sport participation and build bridges between coaches of different sports. Newly hired coaches may need to be educated on the importance of encourag-ing multi-sport participation. We can turn to our athletic directors to help us with meetings on this topic.

We also each need to do as we say, since it can be easy to send mixed messages to ath-

letes. For example, a basketball coach who publicly talks about the benefits of playing a spring sport but coaches a club team during the spring sends a confusing message.

Coaches should also consider special recognition for multi-sport athletes. Some

schools give out patches or awards to stu-dent-athletes who play several sports during the school year.

Educating ParEntsParents are often the main culprits behind

sport specialization, so it’s important to edu-cate them about the benefits of multi-sport participation. We can take time during pre-season parents’ meetings to broach the topic

and then continue communicating the mes-sage throughout the year.

Along with explaining all the physical benefits, talking about college scholarships will often get a parent’s attention. Many parents think the path to a college athletic

In practice I would reference examples of mental toughness or physical preparation in a sport other than the one I was coaching. From time to time, I gave my players brief reading assignments that focused on being competitive, and many of the stories highlighted contemporary athletes who made a multi-sport commitment in high school.

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scholarship is through specialization. But more and more college coaches are looking for multi-sport athletes.

“I often ranked kids who played more than one sport at a higher level on my recruiting list because I knew they stayed competitive all year long,” Lawler says.

Some college coaches are also concerned that a young person who has been special-izing for several seasons has already reached his or her ceiling. While the athlete who played multiple sports might be raw in some areas, college coaches can foresee tremen-dous growth once that athlete gets their coaching at the next level.

You can also emphasize the importance of multi-sport participation to parents through any communication you put out. As head baseball coach, I produced newsletters three times a year to keep parents and community members informed about important team news. With each issue, I was sure to provide a list of the multiple sport players involved in my program, along with their accomplish-ments in their other sports.

Athletes on BoArdOf course, we must also get the message

across to our athletes. I found it worked well

to simply talk a lot about multi-sport par-ticipation. For example, in practice I would reference examples of mental toughness or physical preparation in a sport other than the one I was coaching. From time to time, I gave my players brief reading assignments that focused on being competitive, and many of the stories highlighted contempo-rary athletes who made a multi-sport com-mitment in high school.

Along with a lot of communication, coaches need to walk the walk. For example, we can attend games of our athletes in other sports, which shows everyone we really do encourage our players to be on other teams. And your athletes will appreciate the fact that you made an effort to support them.

Transition times—when one sport sea-

son is coming to an end and a new one is beginning—present more opportunities to show your belief in multi-sport participa-tion. I observed a veteran girls’ softball coach make a great statement last spring by canceling an indoor batting practice in favor of having her squad watch a bas-ketball tournament game. Her message of support for a multi-sport culture was clear.

As a head coach, I learned that in order to get the most out of my multiple-sport athletes, I needed to give them time to recharge their batteries prior to starting our practices—whether they wanted it or not. They may be eager to start your sport, but giving them a few days off to rest and get caught up in other aspects of their lives often times pays great dividends, especially in the long run.

If we really want to encourage multi-sport athletes, coaches should recognize and appreciate the difficulty of such a task and be flexible at the outset of the season. In most cases, they are your best athletes and will quickly catch up to the rest of the team.

One last example I learned from a rival coach. During the fall and spring sports seasons, this basketball coach clipped local

newspaper articles about his players com-peting in other sports. He then sent the articles along with a positive note to his players highlighted in them. Although this was not done on a public level, it sent a very powerful message to the athletes.

There is certainly value in working with private instructors during an off-season. There is also benefits to working hard in the weightroom to build strength and speed. However, encouraging these activi-ties at the expense of playing an actual sport is not in the best interests of young people that rely on our coaching and teach-ing. Let the kids play! CM

This article was previously published in other editions of Coaching Management.

I learned that in order to get the most out of my multiple-sport athletes I needed to give them time to recharge their batteries prior to starting our practices ... Giving them a few days off to rest and get caught up in other aspects of their lives often times pays great dividends.

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Gaining weight isn’t difficult. Our coun-try’s obesity rate, currently over 30 percent, provides ample evidence of that. But when players want to gain weight, obesity isn’t what they have in mind.

When athletes want to gain weight to meet performance goals, they require careful guidance to avoid packing on

pounds of unhealthy fat. By Ingrid Skoog

PH

ALA

NX

PH

OTO

A Weighty issue

NUTRITION

Adding muscle mass, sometimes called “positive weight gain,” without accumulat-ing fat in the process is much more chal-lenging. Popular fitness magazines and Web sites often tell athletes the secret is in special supplements, protein powders, and high-energy shakes. Yet while some of these prod-ucts may be helpful, they’re only a small part of the picture.

If a player wants to add mass to improve their performance, do you know how to

Oregon State players looking to gain muscle mass are taught about

meal planning in relation to their body composition

and training demands.

CMBBALLexcelad.indd 1 1/27/12 2:02 PM

CMBBALLexcelad.indd 1 1/27/12 2:02 PM

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NUTRITION

INGRID SKOOG is a sports dietitian in Eugene, Ore., specializing in performance nutrition for collegiate and elite athletes. She is a faculty member in Oregon State University’s Nutrition and Exercise Sciences Department and also provides nutrition advice to OSU athletes. She can be reached at: [email protected].

For a plan to succeed, the answer to all those questions must be yes. If not, this isn’t the right time to pursue weight gain. Other-wise, we can move on to the next steps in creating a plan.

CritiCal CompositionBefore we talk about eating, it’s impor-

tant to first determine the athlete’s baseline body composition. There are several good methods for determining body composi-tion. A BodPod or hydrostatic weighing test are two very accurate methods, but aren’t always readily available. A seven-site skin-fold test using Harpenden, Lange, or Accu-Fitness calipers can work well—AccuFitness also offers digital body fat calipers. Other options include bioelectrical impedance or a

body comp scale, but research has shown these methods to be less reliable.

There are several reasons why an initial body comp test and regular follow-ups are important during a period of planned weight gain. The extra calories that the ath-lete will consume are almost certain to pro-duce weight gain—body comp will reveal whether it’s the kind of weight they want. For instance, if an athlete isn’t following his dietary plan carefully but still sees higher numbers on the scale, he may think he’s doing fine, even if he’s actually gaining adi-pose tissue (fat) and little or no muscle.

Likewise, some athletes with higher ini-tial body fat see no progress on the scale in the first several weeks of a quality training and nutrition program aimed at weight gain. This is because they’re simultaneously gaining muscle tissue and losing fat, so their overall body weight barely moves. Body comp tests will show that they’re still mak-ing good progress and just need to be patient and stick to the plan—the weight

advise them? An optimal strategy involves paying careful attention to meal planning, body composition, and training demands. Healthy weight gain is a long-term goal that requires serious commitment over an extended time period, with plenty of oppor-tunities for pitfalls along the way. But with the proper guidance, any athlete can increase their size and strength.

Controlling FaCtorsBesides the most obvious things—nutri-

tion and training habits—several other fac-tors determine how easy or difficult it is for an individual to gain weight. Here’s a brief summary of three key players.

Body type. You can’t change your DNA. I have worked with many people whose

body type and genetic makeup undermine their goal of getting six-pack abs or gaining 20 pounds of muscle mass. There are three main body types, each with its own unique characteristics that affect weight gain:

Endomorphs have stocky builds, and usu-ally see rapid improvements in strength when training. They tend to gain both muscle mass and body fat more easily than other body types, but due to their higher body fat levels they may have a harder time achieving visible muscle definition.

Ectomorphs have tall, naturally thin and lean bodies. These are the people who seem able to eat anything and everything without gaining weight. Due to their long bones, they have longer muscles and often struggle to achieve large changes in muscle size and girth. They can and do still gain strength, but they don’t add muscle mass as easily as other body types.

Mesomorphs typically have wide shoul-ders, large chests, narrow waists, more mus-cle definition, and the sort of body shape and proportions traditionally seen as most desirable. These individuals have the best of both worlds—they tend to gain muscle eas-ily while being less prone to packing on body fat.

Knowing and understanding an athlete’s body type will help you talk with them

about setting reachable goals. It will also help them to view progress toward weight goals realistically —two athletes with differ-ent body types shouldn’t expect the same gains just because they perform the same workouts and share similar eating habits. But they can both improve fitness level and overall strength with a comprehensive strat-egy for diet and training.

Hormones. The most important mem-bers of this category are testosterone, growth hormone, estrogen, progesterone, insulin, glucagon, cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin. They all influence the body’s ability and predispo-sition to gain muscle mass and body fat. Their exact mechanisms are diverse and very complex, but for our purposes, it’s suf-ficient to say that anabolic and catabolic

hormone levels increase and decrease according to an athlete’s stage of physical development, age, nutritional status, and stress level.

Males have the most success gaining mus-cle mass in their late teens and early 20s, when anabolic hormones like testosterone and growth hormone are elevated. Females in that age range have an advantage in adding muscle mass as well, but it’s less pronounced.

Timing and application. This may be the most overlooked of all factors related to successful and healthy weight gain. Before an athlete makes a serious attempt at adding mass, you should discuss these five ques-tions with them:

n Do you have the time and motivation to commit at least six months of consistent hard work to reach your goal?

n Throughout that time, will you have consistent access to resources (lifting facili-ties and control over food quality and quan-tity) to support your goal?

n Is your goal healthy and realistic?n Will reaching your weight goal help you

achieve the performance improvement you want?

n If a coach is involved, does he or she agree that gaining this amount of muscle mass is an appropriate goal for your sport and position?

Knowing and understanding an athlete’s body type will help you talk with them about setting reachable goals. It will also help them to view progress toward weight goals realistically—two athletes with different body types shouldn’t expect the same gains just because they perform the same workouts and share similar eating habits.


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gain will come eventually, and the strength gains have already begun.

One other reason body composition is such a valuable tool during planned weight gain is that it helps guide nutrition strate-gies. For example, if someone starting a weight gain program is very lean—say, with less than eight percent body fat for males or 16 percent for females—they’re actually bet-ter off gaining a small amount of body fat along with the muscle mass. This is because individuals with very low body fat probably already have energy expenditure greater than energy intake due to existing dietary habits, activity level, and metabolism. Such an energy deficit (too few calories coming in) while training will result in difficulty gaining significant muscle, and even worse, possible muscle loss as the body becomes “starved” for energy.

Meanwhile, people in the healthy initial body fat range of around eight to 15 percent for males and 16 to 24 percent for females probably have energy intake fairly well matched to expenditure. These individuals are in the best position to gain muscle mass without additional body fat. Their bodies


NUTRITION

can draw on fat stores as needed to cover some of the energy costs of exercise, but they don’t have excess fat standing in the way of their health and performance goals.

For males with body fat levels above roughly 20 percent and females above 25 percent, it may be best to follow a weight loss plan to decrease body fat before focus-ing on significant muscle growth, because the stress of strength training for hypertro-phy on already overloaded joints could increase injury risk. Plus, adding extra mus-cle to a body that’s already laden with heavy fat stores can result in a slower, less respon-sive athlete with decreased overall perfor-mance in their sport. In these cases, it’s wise to seek personalized advice from a registered dietitian (RD) or physician who specializes in sports nutrition before proceeding.

Let’s eatCalories are the currency of weight gain,

and the body needs regular fueling through-out the day to support muscle growth. But this is an area in which many athletes are inconsistent, negligent, or downright lazy. The busy schedules of today’s high school

and college student-athletes often provide an easy excuse for going long periods of the day without taking in any calories at all, and this must be discouraged when seeking weight gain.

Nutrition planning is most effective when tailored to an individual athlete’s needs, training habits, schedule, and other unique factors. But here are some basic points of advice that can help you advise them properly:

n Eat small meals every two to three hours throughout the day.

n You should never feel hungry. If you do, you’ve gone too long between meals.

n Don’t drink a lot of liquid at meals, as this fills you up faster and displaces whole food.

n When drinking between-meal liquids, choose high-calorie shakes or healthy bev-erages that contain calories, such as choco-late milk, fruit juices, and vegetable juices, instead of water.

n Start eating early—have breakfast before 9 a.m. This will allow you to take in more energy in the form of a mid-morning snack before lunch in the early afternoon.

COMMON MISTAKESToo little fiber. Some athletes stay away from whole fruits, vegetables, and grains when trying to gain weight, assuming that these foods

are relatively low in calories and/or fat. As a result, they end up without enough fiber, which can lead to con-stipation.

Too much protein. Protein-rich foods promote

satiety, which basically means they more quickly signal the brain that the stomach is full. They also take longer to break down during digestion, which delays the onset of subsequent hunger. Taken together, the result is decreased overall calorie intake. Encourage moderation in protein consumption, and remind athletes that feeling full doesn’t necessarily mean they have consumed enough energy to fuel muscle mass gains.

Too few carbs. During periods of weight gain, around 50 to 65 percent of overall energy should come from carbohydrates, but some ath-letes still remember the anti-carb craze of a few years ago and mistakenly think “carbs = fat.”

Taste fatigue. Athletes who rely on “weight gainer” products such as high-protein shakes tend to get tired of them quickly. Such shakes can be a great choice for a between-meal calorie boost with a good mix of carbs, protein, and a little fat, but encourage ath-letes to switch up their choices—a shake as a snack one day, a sandwich or bowl of granola the next.

Sleeping in. Believe it or not, this is sometimes an athlete’s biggest bar-rier to successful weight gain. Getting up late simply pushes breakfast back to lunch, lunch to dinner, and dinner to a late-night snack. It’s much more difficult to spread energy intake evenly throughout the day and to support the critical periods before and after strength training when an eating schedule is “running late.”

Overdoing fast food. Athletes may hear the advice to increase their calorie intake as an invitation to hit the drive-thru early and often. Remind them that not all calories are created equal, and the highly processed, nutrient-poor options available at many fast food windows won’t provide the quality carbs and protein they need to support muscle growth.

When athletes struggle to achieve weight gain goals, it’s often because they made one of these mistakes:

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n Plan ahead and be prepared by having an ample supply of food available at all times.

As for the composition of meals, there is no universal secret to eating for weight gain—the standard rules of healthy food selection apply, with a greater emphasis on choosing calorie-dense options over lower-

calorie “fillers.” For example, a salad of fresh veggies is very healthy, but to boost the calo-rie content of a salad, a weight-gaining ath-lete should be encouraged to add cubed cheese, lean meat, croutons, dressing, and perhaps almonds or walnuts. Likewise, a baked potato at dinner should never be eaten plain—add fixings such as low-fat

NUTRITION

Sample meNUThe menus below provide one day of optimal food intake for an athlete with low body fat (less than eight percent for males and 16 percent for females) and one day of intake for an athlete with body fat in the healthy “middle range” (eight to 16 percent for males and 16 to 24 percent for females).

BREAKFAST

MID-MORNING SNACK

LUNCH

AFTERNOON SNACK

DINNER

LATE-NIGHT SNACK

(Note: Serving sizes can be reduced as needed for smaller athletes.)

LOW BODY FAT

1,200 calories

2-3 egg omelet with lean ham and grated cheese2 large pieces of toast with margarine and jam, honey, or peanut butter2 cups of 2% milkBanana

700 calories

Peanut butter and jelly sandwichLarge fruit juice

900 calories

Large bean, chicken, and rice burrito with cheese and salsaTortilla chips with guacamoleVegetable or fruit juice

400 calories

1/2 cup of mixed nuts

800 calories

Lean roast beefRice with seasoning and margarine1 cup of steamed carrots2 cups of 2% milk

400 calories

Bowl of granola with milk and fruit Total: 4,400 calories

MIDDLE-RANGE BODY FAT

1,000 calories

2 cups of fruit and nut granola mixed with 2 cups of 1% milkBanana

700 calories

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich2 cups of 100% fruit juice

700 calories

Whole wheat pasta with meat sauceSide salad with croutons and light dressing

300 calories

Fruit and yogurt smoothie

800 calories

Baked chicken piecesBaked potato with fixings1 cup of steamed carrots2 cups of 1% milk

300 calories

Low-fat cottage cheese and fruit Total: 3,800 calories

chili or refried beans, low-fat sour cream, and grated cheese.

In terms of more specific advice, guide-lines vary based on the athlete’s initial body fat as determined by the body comp test. Those in the aforementioned lowest range (below eight percent for males and 16 per-cent for females) should focus on adding more unsaturated fats to their diet in addi-tion to carbohydrates and protein. They should include higher-fat snacks through-out the day, such as trail mix, mixed nuts, sandwiches with mayo, and tortilla chips with guacamole.

Athletes in the middle range of body fat (eight to 15 percent for males and 16 to 24 percent for females) should increase total calorie intake mainly by upping their con-sumption of complex carbohydrates and lean proteins. They don’t want to take in lots of extra fat, but shouldn’t look for non-fat options either—for instance, a turkey or chicken burger on a whole wheat roll is a better choice than regular ground beef on a white roll, and great snack choices through-out the day include milk shakes, fruit smoothies, and bagels with light cream cheese. (See “Sample Menu” at left for an entire day’s food choices for athletes with low and medium-range body fat.)

As mentioned earlier, those with high body fat (above 20 percent for males and 25 percent for females) should receive individ-ualized attention before actively attempting to gain weight. In most cases, they’ll want to bring their body fat into a healthier range before adding significant muscle mass.

Gaining “positive weight” is one of the most challenging goals for a competitive ath-lete to achieve. It involves increasing overall food intake and usually accompanies heavy strength training, so carelessness can easily result in too much fat in the daily diet or too few calories to support the high activity level. But with proper planning and regular moni-toring of body comp progress, athletes can eat smart, lift hard, and get bigger. CM

A version of this article appeared in our sister magazine, Training & Conditioning. To access more articles from T&C, please visit: www.training-conditioning.com.

MORE INFO > To read articles about athlete

nutrition visit: www.training-conditioning.com/nutrition.php

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Basketball Facilities

Great For DisplaysThe ModStar® A-Frame System works great for displaying sponsor advertisements or stadium graphics on any courtside, sideline, or end zone. ModStar® is collision-safe because it’s made with player-friendly coroplast that collapses

when struck but then pops right back into place. ModStar® folds flat for easy storage and is easy to set up. With Ultra-Brite inks, graphics are vivid and stand up to harsh lighting and the elements.BigSigns.com • 800-790-7611www.bigsigns.com Circle No. 501

a smart UpGraDe packaGeReplace old backboards and rims with a regulation 42” x 72” x 1/2” tempered glass backboard with bolt-on padding and a competition breakaway rim. Pre-installed mounting brackets in the board easily affix to your existing fan-shaped or rectangular backboard mounting points. The mounting bracket absorbs all stress from the rim, and the backboard comes with a lifetime warranty. Consider adding the industry’s only height adjuster with a 10-year warranty to allow stable rim height adjustment from eight to 10 feet. Institutional Basketball Systems • 877-272-5430www.institutionalbasketballsystems.com Circle No. 502

easy to installBison’s new LED system is easy to install behind virtually any manufacturer’s 42- or 48-inch glass backboard. With no drilling or visible hardware, this system gives you six pre-assembled LED light

strips mounted in aluminum tracks with high tack, self adhesive mounting tape for a quick and easy installation. The system includes LED strips for two backboards, transformers, and all necessary components except wiring. Bison, Inc. • 800-247-7668www.bisoninc.com Circle No. 503

top-oF-the-line GoalSpalding manufactures quality-driven basketball products for professional, collegiate, and recreational use. The Slam-Dunk® Precision 180 Goal is a high-performance goal with 180-degree flex action and an adjustable reflex mechanism to break away while being dunked on. The Slam-Dunk® Precision 180 Goal is a top-of-the-line goal and the official goal of the 2012 NCAA Final Four.Spalding • 800-435-3865www.spaldingequipment.com Circle No. 504

hiGhliGht yoUr achievements Showcase your athletic teams’ accomplishments, promote your conference, retire a jersey, or give recognition with Championship Banners from BigSigns.com. Both available materials, Dura-Fab or Tru-Satin Vinyl, minimize the glare of fluorescent gym lights, so graphics are seen from all around. The banners are printed with Ultra-Brite inks for bold and vivid colors. Banners can be finished many ways, depending on your needs.BigSigns.com • 800-790-7611www.bigsigns.com Circle No. 505

a classy aDDitionSchelde Sports has expanded its line of custom graphic scoring tables with the recent introduction of its new backlit model. Custom team graphics are printed on a durable, translucent substrate, and protected by unbreakable clear

polycarbonate for long-lasting, vibrant images. Scoring tables are fully padded, easily moved with built-in casters, and fold up for easy storage. Custom lettering is available on side pads. Design assistance is available and the structure carries a five-year limited warranty.Schelde North America • 888-724-3533www.scheldesports.com Circle No. 529

Better DesiGnWith its patented Dynamic Sub Frame (DSF) technology, Schelde SAM™ portable goals are a world leader, with 5,000 goals in use in 111 countries. Available in 8-foot and 10-foot, 8-inch extensions, every detail of its steel superstructure has been refined to provide greater rigidity, simplicity, and strength. New features include Quick-Set™ goal height adjustment, a spring-activated locking mechanism (for the easiest setup ever), and a new power beam design. SAM continues to raise the world standard for quality and innovative design. Visit the Schelde Web site to see the SAM video.Schelde North America • 888-724-3533www.scheldesports.com Circle No. 530

makinG the Best BetterEvery T-Rex basketball portable system has a new deadlock tensioning devise that gives these portables absolute rigidity during play. Bison makes four models of T-Rex portables for competition, side court, club, and recreation with features for low maintenance, one-person set up, and seven- to 10-foot height adjustment.

Contact Future Pro, the authorized Bison dealer that offers everything Bison at the most competitive pricing, for more information.Future Pro, Inc. 800-328-4625www.futureproinc.com Circle No. 533


TrusTed aT every LeveLThe SuperGlass™ Prosb Backboard measures a 72” x 42” and is recommended for professional, collegiate, and international competition. It is the official backboard of the 2012 NCAA

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Basketball Facilities

JumpsTarT TrainingThe high-impact TurfCordz™ Jump Belt, used by professional sports teams and international Olympians, strengthens leg muscles to enhance your vertical leap. With five resistance levels, it’s ideal for

basketball, football, and track training. The easy-to-use Jump Belt features an adjustable cam buckle closure that fits up to a 36-inch (90-centimeter) waist and two 30-inch (75-centimeter) rubber tubes that connect to foot straps. TurfCordz resistance products are designed to meet the extreme demands of high-level athletic training.NZ Manufacturing • 800-866-6621www.turfcordz.com Circle No. 519

Train Like They used ToGo “old-school” with the 14-inch Mega™ Medicine Ball. The soft pliable shell allows the user to perform dynamic sport-specific strength moves for basketball and other sports. The size allows for easier catching for just about any ability level. The heavy-duty construction is designed to minimize

bounce. The ball is available in weights of six, eight, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20 and 25 pounds, and comes in red/white.Power Systems, Inc. • 800-321-6975www.powersystems.com Circle No. 518

power TrainerPowernetics offers the Power Trainer, which for more than 10 years has made the power clean a safe exercise for athletes from junior high to the collegiate level. The Power Trainer enables an athlete to not only do cleans safely, but also to reverse the clean. The unit can be used to perform seven different exercises: the clean, reverse clean, deadlift, lift jump, high row, bench press, and shoulder press. The Power Trainer has proven over the years to be among the safest and most effective tools used to perform the power clean.Powernetics • 800-829-2928www.powernetics.com Circle No. 521

CompeTiTion keTTLebeLLThese steel kettlebells are color-coded by weight for easy identification. A unique quality is that they are all the exact physical size and shape. This can help eliminate detrimental effects to skill technique. The unpainted handle allows for ease of movement as well as chalk application. Available in weights of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16,

18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, and 48 kilograms. Power Systems, Inc. • 800-321-6975www.powersystems.com Circle No. 520

reduCe groin inJuriesThe High Stepper develops explosive power in the hip flexors and legs in a running motion, substantially increasing athletes’ speed, quickness, and durability. Coaches notice fewer groin injuries with their athletes after training on the High Stepper. It can improve 40-yard dash times, decrease groin injuries, and train the legs to explode higher and more powerfully. Powernetics • 800-829-2928 www.powernetics.com Circle No. 523

opTimizing movemenTsIn Developing Agility and Quickness, the National Strength and Conditioning Association hand-picked its top experts to present the best training advice and programs for optimizing athletes’ linear and lateral movements. Packed with more than 100 drills to help in the development of agility and quickness training programs and applicable to almost every sport, this book focuses on improving athletes’ fleetness of foot, change-of-direction speed, and reaction time. Human Kinetics • 800-747-4457 www.humankinetics.com Circle No. 522

Strength Training & Cardio

gym upgrade paCkages Save money and guarantee component compatibility on court upgrades with Future Pro. Future Pro’s gym upgrade packages fit existing wall or ceiling mount structures regardless of the original manufacturer. Packages include glass backboard, competition breakaway goal, and DuraSkin backboard padding (which comes in 16 colors). Backboard options are 42 and 48-inch boards in premium or standard grades. Future Pro, Inc. 800-328-4625www.futureproinc.com Circle No. 532


Coaching Aids

EliminatE ExcusEs from PlayErs94Fifty’s Total Skill Measurement system gives coaches the tool to instantly measure and track shot speed, shot arc,

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ProVEn By tHE nation’s BEstSimplicity and dependability best describe the 6000 Series Gun. It zips out passes from 15 to 35 feet and will throw to one spot or rotate to different spots around the perimeter. The optional computerized scoreboard displays made shots, total shots, and shooting percentage. The fast-paced workout forces players to use

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all aBout tHE off-sEasonBring accountability to your off-season, intensity to your preseason, and maintain skills during the season with 94Fifty’s Total Skill Measurement system. 94Fifty gives coaches the ultimate tool to motivate any player to work hard on his or her own time. Instantly measure and track skills for shooting and ball handling so that players listen to your objective feedback.94Fifty Sports Technologies • 508-463-3601 www.94fifty.com Circle No. 509

lEarn coacHing sEcrEtsWBCA Offensive Plays & Strategies presents the best offensive plays for the women’s game based on the strategies of 25 top coaches in women’s collegiate basketball. Learn their secrets, strategies, and insights on game planning, developing offensive skills, preparing for in-game situations, and

breaking down the opponent’s defense and exploiting their weaknesses. Included are more than 100 plays for scoring, in-bounding the ball, and breaking a defensive press. Human Kinetics • 800-747-4457 www.humankinetics.com Circle No. 507

tHE ultimatE sHooting macHinEThe all-new 8000 Series Gun is the ultimate basketball shooting machine. Efficiency, dependability, and repetition with instant feedback take this open gym magnet to a whole new level. Spot-to-spot programming, customizing, and saving your favorite drills along with easy set-up give 8,000 owners the ultimate shooting practice. Workouts can now be controlled by a multi-function remote, and coaches have the ability to specify shooting locations and number of shots per spot as well as requiring made shots before players can move to a new location. Player accountability is enhanced with the optional ticket printer and the ability to upload shooting sessions to a computer through the new Shot Tracker option.Shoot-A-Way • 800-294-4654 www.shootaway.com Circle No. 510

adVancEd sHooting macHinELike the Dr. Dish, the iMake basketball shooting machine utilizes Airborne Athletics’ original “smart” technology. Program the iMake to throw where you want, when you want, at game speeds. The iMake comes standard with 23 pre-loaded drills (includes drill chart) or you can customize and save 50 of your own drills right on the machine.

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smart tEcHnologyDr. Dish invented Court Smart Technology, which allows you to throw where you want, when you want, from anywhere on the court. It’s a basketball shooting machine that not only operates from under the basket, but also moves away from the basket to train perimeter shooters with game-position passes, bigs with post-entry passes, and rebounders with precision “missed” shots. Add trajectory control (bounce, chest, skip, and lob passes), full-court mobility, 45 pre-loaded drills with drill chart, and you’re starting to understand the versatility of Dr. Dish. It’s also remote controlled, battery operated, and has fingertip controls for tempo, rotation, and ball speed. Airborne Athletics, Inc. • 888-887-7453www.airborneathletics.com Circle No. 536

magnificEnt monitorThe PN-L702B is a high definition (1920 x 1080) LED-LCD monitor and interactive whiteboard display. This product features touch-screen operation with pen or finger, is engineered for 24/7 commercial use with a three-year onsite limited warranty, and is available as a complete package with optional floor stand and PC. The monitor has a 70-inch class (69 1/2-inch diagonal) screen, which provides exceptionally large high-definition images for viewing by the entire team.Sharp Electronic Corporation • 866-484-7825www.sharpusa.com Circle No. 538


Team Equipment & Uniforms/Apparel

Decrease ankle InjurIesAnkle injuries are a pain—they occur all too frequently and are difficult to come back from. A major study done by the University of Wisconsin, involving more than 1,400 high school basketball players, proved that those wearing the McDavid 195 Ankle Brace were three times less likely to experience ankle injuries versus those who

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unrestrIcteD MoveMentThe Cramer ESS Ankle Compression Sleeve’s patented articulated ankle joint allows for unrestricted movement while providing mild compression and support to the joint. Compression provides a performance enhancement benefit as well as mild muscular support. The unique knitted design allows for lightweight fit and

exceptional stretch and comfort.Cramer Products, Inc. • 800-345-2231 www.cramersportsmed.com Circle No. 515

all-sport protectIonThe McDavid Adult Hex™ Leg Sleeves features simple and brilliant engineering and will be every athlete’s most versatile piece of gear. The McDavid 6446 Hex™ Leg Sleeves are lightweight and provide all-sport protection. Individual hexagon shaped pads conform to the body for ideal comfort and uninterrupted coverage. McDavid’s compression fabric secures the pad while keeping muscles warm and delaying fatigue. McDavid hDc™ Moisture Management Technology keeps all moving parts cool and dry. McDavid • 800-237-8254www.mcdavidusa.com Circle No. 516

towel of the futureHave you figured out an easy way to manage all your belongings in the locker room? Are you afraid that the knot holding up your towel will give out at the worst possible time? Do you want coverage and comfort to and from the shower? Check out the towel of the future, the Aqua Short by Wave Wear. It’s a towel and short all in one, good for any time of day. Aqua Short • 732-414-6333 www.theaquashort.com Circle No. 513

exceptIonal protectIonActive Ankle T2 provides exceptional ankle protection for active lifestyles during exercise or athletic activity. The solid U-shaped design relieves pressure from the ankle and provides superior inversion/eversion protection. With a bi-lateral anatomical hinge, T2 allows freedom of motion in plantar flexion/dorsiflexion. The T2 also has a single quick-fit strap that adjusts

for high or low top shoes and custom molded EVA padding for a comfortable fit and firm support.Active Ankle Systems, Inc. • 800-800-2896 www.activeankle.com Circle No. 512

Best of Both worlDsFor athletes looking for the best of both worlds, the Excel lace-up ankle brace provides the comfort and mobility of a lace-up with the support and security of a tape job. With its circumferential strap that helps stabilize the brace and lacing system that tightens all the way around, Excel provides a conforming and comfortable fit. Excel is also lined with neoprene for maximum comfort and fit with nylon eyelets for reducing pressure points.Active Ankle Systems, Inc. • 800-800-2896 www.activeankle.com Circle No. 517

pressure to healCho-Pat’s Compression Sleeve combines warmth, compression, and reinforcement to help reduce pain and discomfort in the calf and enhance healing. The four-way stretch knit material contours anatomically for maximum fit, comfort, and effectiveness. The material is also breathable and facilitates movement of moisture away from the skin. This

American-made sleeve does not contain neoprene or latex and is available in three sizes to provide specific and effectual results. It’s available in white and black. Cho-Pat • 800-221-1601 www.cho-pat.com Circle No. 514

settIng the stanDarDThe Wilson NCAA Game Ball sets the standard for performance and innovation on the court. Wilson’s patented features include a moisture absorbing cover, laid in channels creating a 100-percent composite basketball, and a cushion core carcass. The result is the ultimate game ball that the NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments rely on to deliver championship performances.Wilson Sporting Goods Co. • 800-443-0011 www.wilson.com Circle No. 531


Team Equipment & Uniforms/Apparel

Great education, Great ValueYou are one degree away from changing your world. You are one degree away from achieving more. Which one will it be? American Public University has 87 online degrees. APU’s tuition is far less than other top online universities so you can further your education without breaking the bank. APU was recognized in 2009 and 2010 for best practices in online education by the prestigious Sloan Consortium.American Public University • 877-777-9081www.studyatapu.com/athletic-mgmt Circle No. 525

insure Your teamsPurchase insurance for your sports teams and events quickly and conveniently online with K&K Insurance. K&K offers essential, affordable coverage for sports teams, leagues, tournaments, events, camps, and clinics. The company’s Web site is simple to use and provides an option to buy coverage immediately when using a credit card. Celebrating 60 years of insuring the world’s fun, K&K Insurance is a trusted provider of coverage for the sports and recreation industry.K&K Insurance • 800-426-2889www.sportsinsurance-kk.com Circle No. 526

Perfect for athletic trainersEvery roll of Cramer 100-percent cotton porous tape is like the next, which means you can count on it to unwind consistently, conform better, and adhere longer. Cramer 950, constructed with a latex-free adhesive, is perfect for athletic trainers or athletic programs looking for a high-quality, economically priced porous tape alternative. Cramer Products has been the industry leader in sports medicine and athletic training room supplies for more than 85 years.Cramer Products, Inc. • 800-345-2231www.cramersportsmed.com Circle No. 524

enerGY to fuel athletesG Series™ Energy Chews are a pre-game fuel in a convenient form, with 25 grams of carbohydrates and 20-percent DV of B vitamins. Carbohydrates before activity are important to top off fuel stores in the muscle and liver, providing energy to help optimize performance. B vitamins aid in energy metabolism as part of a daily diet. G Series Energy Chews are designed to be used in

the 15 minutes before training or competition.Gatorade • 800-884-2867www.gatorade.com Circle No. 527

Protein to rebuild musclesG Series™ Protein Recovery Shake delivers 20 grams of protein that contains essential amino acids to help support muscle rebuilding after training or competition. It also contains 45 grams of carbohydrates to replace depleted fuel stores and to help muscles use protein more efficiently. G Series Protein Recovery Shake

should be consumed within 60 minutes after exercise for maximum muscle benefit.Gatorade • 800-884-2867www.gatorade.com Circle No. 528

More Products

Versatile backPackThe NCAA Student/Athlete Backpack is designed to meet the daily needs of the classroom and the gym with long-lasting, heavy-duty material. The front compartment designed for school items like a laptop and books, while the huge back compartment is designed to hold shoes and practice clothes. This backpack also features a front slash pocket, mesh water bottle holder, and zippered valuables pocket.Wilson Sporting Goods Co. • 800-443-0011www.wilson.com Circle No. 534

awards and Promotional itemsSMi Awards is the official awards supplier of the NFHS. The company offers a full line of custom logo watches,

plaques, rings, gift sets, and more. They’re perfect for senior/letter-winner

awards, championship teams, staff gifts, golf outings, and donor gifts. More than 300,000 promotional products are now available. The company offers significant pricing incentives for annual purchases and will work with you on an unparalleled personal level to provide the service you expect and deserve. If you’re looking for a reliable awards supplier with quality products, outstanding prices, and 24 years of business experience, contact SMi Awards. SMi Awards • 800-326-8463www.smiawards.com Circle No. 537

Get what You need, fastYou believe in women, and so does girls got game. The company offers performance-driven products for women’s basketball players who take their game seriously. These products include uniforms, footwear, practice gear, fundamentals, bags, and warmups. In-stock items ship the next business day, and customized items ship in two to four weeks. See the quality for yourself: Order a sample from girls got game today.

girls got game • 800-554-2779www.girlsgotgame.com Circle No. 539


COACHING IS MORE THAN XS AND OS

Name: _______________________________________

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Would you be interested in receiving a complimentary digital copy of An Athlete’s Guide to Nutrition? ____________________

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INTRODUCING NEW COACHING GUIDES from

For every decision about lineups and strategy, there is another one about dealing with parents, developing leaders, and handling budgets.

That’s why Coaching Management is producing a series of Coaching Guides addressing these important off-the-court topics. Topics will include strength training, leadership, nutrition, management, and sports medicine. Read advice from experts and other coaches about handling these vital, yet often overlooked, areas.

For a limited time, we are offering a sample guide that will include articles on each of these important subjects. You can get your e-version by submitting the form below or going to coachesnetwork.com.

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L E A D E R S H I P

JOB DESCRIPTION

Here is a sample list of responsibilities coaches can give to team captains:

Lead warmups and drills: We expect you to get your teammates organized and keep everyone in line, literally and figuratively.

Set the right tone for the team: We expect you to start practices off with the right attitude, focus, and work ethic. You must also refocus the team when practices get sloppy, create a positive momentum going into competition, and recharge the team when needed. We expect you to be the mental and emotional catalyst for the team.

Keep coaches informed: We expect you to keep us informed about issues that impact the success and psyche of the team. We want to know who might be in conflict with whom, whether players are accepting their roles, if anyone’s social life is getting out of control, and so forth. Of course, we don’t need to know every little thing. You’ll have to use your discretion to decide which issues might have a negative impact on the team. Be careful to respect the trust of your teammates as well. You don’t want to be viewed as a tattletale.

Provide input on team decisions: We will ask your opinion on a variety of decisions that will affect the team. This could include minor decisions like what warmup gear to wear or where the team prefers to eat. Or it could involve more serious

issues like how to best discipline a teammate who has broken team rules. Whatever the case, we will expect you to add your insight to help our decision making.

Talk with struggling teammates: We expect you to talk with teammates who might be struggling with their performance or role on the team. It is your job to understand them, support them, challenge them, and figure out how to get them back on track.

Handle conflicts: We may ask you to get involved with team conflicts when they arise. If a small problem crops up, we may ask you to find out exactly what is going on and develop a workable solution.

Plan team activities: We will ask you to plan and coordinate various events so your teammates can better get to know each other. We will rely on you to initiate these events and make sure everyone is invited and involved.

Be loyal: Understand that we are putting a tremendous amount of trust in you. For example, we may tell you things that we will not tell your teammates. In return, we expect you to respect and support the decisions we make for the team. You may disagree with them behind closed doors, but we will expect you to show a united front to the team. We also will insist on your loyalty and that you never bad mouth us to your teammates. There must be a sacred trust between us.

them.

Throughout these discus-sions, let your leaders know how important they are to the program. Don’t be afraid to tell them how much you will rely on them to set the standards, keep the team focused, and handle conflicts. You may even want to tell them that it is “their” team. You will be there to help them, but ultimately it’s the athletes—particularly the leaders—who determine how far the team will go._____

Provide Opportunities_____

While talking about their responsibilities is important, your captains need con-tinual opportunities to make real leadership decisions. It often works well to start small and build up to more complicated tasks.

For example, let them oversee warmups before practice and make any team announcements. Have them contact teammates to inform them of sched-ule changes. You can even let them lead some prac-tice drills, or take it a step further and let them plan a practice from time to time.

It’s also key to solicit your captains’ input on team de-cisions. These can be minor

L E A D E R S H I P

JOB DESCRIPTION

Here is a sample list of responsibilities coaches can give to team captains:

Lead warmups and drills:We expect you to get your teammates organized and keep everyone in line, literally and figuratively.

Set the right tone for the team:start practices off with the right attitude, focus, and work ethic. You must also refocus the team when practices get sloppy, create a positive momentum going into competition, and recharge the team when needed. We expect you to be the mental and emotional catalyst for the team.

Keep coaches informed: We expect you to keep us informed about issues that impact the success and psyche of the team. We want to know who might be in conflict with whom, whether players are accepting their roles, if anyone’s social life is getting out of control, and so forth. Of course, we don’t need

issues like how to best discipline a teammate who has broken team rules. Whatever the case, we will expect you to add your insight to help our decision making.

them.

Throughout these discus-sions, let your leaders know how important they are to the program. Don’t be afraid to tell them how much you will rely on them to set the standards, keep the team focused, and handle conflicts. You may even want to tell them that it is “their” team. You will be there to help them, but ultimately it’s the athletes—particularly the leaders—who determine how far the team will go._____

Provide Opportunities_____

While talking about their responsibilities is important, your captains need con-tinual opportunities to make real leadership decisions. It often works well to start small and build up to more complicated tasks.

We expect you to get your teammates organized and keep everyone in line, literally and figuratively.



help our decision making.

depend on you for leadership, guidance, and support as they step up to their challenge. They rely on their coach to create a positive and productive environ-ment that is conducive to helping them lead.

In other words, great team cap-tains are made when both roles of the coach-captain equation are tended to. What can eas-ily occur, however, is that one side becomes frustrated with the other.

Some coaches’ frustrations stem from a belief that the athletes of today don’t seem to have the strong leadership skills they did in the past. I often hear coaches lament, “Kids today don’t un-derstand what it means to be a leader. They aren’t nearly as vo-cal as they need to be.” Another frequent complaint is, “They aren’t willing to stand up and confront their teammates when necessary.”

And captains don’t always feel they have the necessary guid-ance or support from their coaches. A recent poll I conduct-ed of student-athletes revealed that over 60 percent of captains felt their coaches needed to do a better job of working with them. In essence, captains complain that too many coaches preach the need for athlete leadership but don’t teach it.

Rather than both sides blaming the other, they must make the effort to work together and forge a strong coach-captain part-nership. I like to think of it as a leadership team. When coaches and captains are on the same

page and leading together as a unified front, great things can happen in your program._____

Starting on the Right Foot_____

Spending time at the very start of the season working with your captains builds the basis for this leadership team. To be on the same page, you need to talk through what being a team captain means and how to be an effective one.

Step number one is to clarify your expectations of them. Many coaches simply say to their cap-tains, “You’re our leader. I expect you to step up and lead.” But this alone is too vague to give proper direction.

Rather than assuming your captains understand their du-ties, as well as your philosophy and expectations, sit down and carefully clarify what you need from them. Create a job descrip-tion of the eight to 10 priorities you expect them to handle. (See “Job Description” on next page.) Clarification of their roles and responsibilities on the front end will prevent misunderstandings as the season goes on.

Next, discuss the risks and chal-lenges of leadership. Let your captains know that this new re-sponsibility might be difficult and demanding at times. They will encounter many gray areas and bumps along the way, and they should understand that these

challenges are a normal part of leadership. Most importantly, let them know that you will be there to support them through thick and thin.

From there, ask your captains to describe what they think it means to be an effective leader. Their ideas of leadership might be quite different than yours. Ask them to talk about the leaders whom they respect in their lives and why, and the ones they don’t respect and why. This will give you insight into their model of leadership and can start great discussions that get you both on the same page.

It can also be helpful to provide your captains with an assessment of their leadership style. Just as each athlete has certain physical strengths and weaknesses, so do leaders. I use a two-part evalu-ation that rates how a person leads by example and vocally, in several areas, from composure to team building. (Click here for a Web link to the survey.) This type of analysis can help make the captains aware of their strengths and weaknesses in their leadership qualities.

Encourage your captains to uti-lize and maximize their strengths and acknowledge areas to improve in. For example, some of your leaders might have a hard time confronting their team-mates when necessary. Or, some of your leaders may be too blunt and lack the necessary tact to get their messages across well. Whatever the challenge, encour-age them to make sure that their weaknesses are not a leadership liability as they work to improve

L E A D E R S H I P

We expect you to get your

figuratively.



We expect you to get your teammates organized and keep everyone in line, literally and

depend on you for leadership, guidance, and support as they step up to their challenge. They rely on their coach to create a positive and productive environ-ment that is conducive to helping them lead.

In other words, great team cap-tains are made when both roles of the coach-captain equation are tended to. What can eas-ily occur, however, is that one side becomes frustrated with the other.

Some coaches’ frustrations stem from a belief that the athletes of today don’t seem to have the strong leadership skills they did in the past. I often hear coaches

page and leading together as a unified front, great things can happen in your program._____

Starting on the Right Foot_____

Spending time at the very start of the season working with your captains builds the basis for this leadership team. To be on the same page, you need to talk through what being a team captain means and how to be an effective one.

Step number one is to clarify your expectations of them. Many coaches simply say to their cap-tains, “You’re our leader. I expect you to step up and lead.” But this alone is too vague to give proper

Rather than assuming your captains understand their du-ties, as well as your philosophy and expectations, sit down and carefully clarify what you need from them. Create a job descrip-tion of the eight to 10 priorities you expect them to handle. (See “Job Description” on next page.) Clarification of their roles and responsibilities on the front end will prevent misunderstandings as the season goes on.

Next, discuss the risks and chal-lenges of leadership. Let your captains know that this new re-sponsibility might be difficult and demanding at times. They will encounter many gray areas and bumps along the way, and they should understand that these

challenges are a normal part of leadership. Most importantly, let them know that you will be there to support them through thick and thin.

From there, ask your captains to describe what they think it means to be an effective leader. Their ideas of leadership might be quite different than yours. Ask them to talk about the leaders whom they respect in their lives and why, and the ones they don’t respect and why. This will give you insight into their model of leadership and can start great discussions that get you both on the same page.

It can also be helpful to provide your captains with an assessment of their leadership style. Just as each athlete has certain physical strengths and weaknesses, so do leaders. I use a two-part evalu-ation that rates how a person leads by example and vocally, in several areas, from composure to team building. (Click here for a Web link to the survey.) This type of analysis can help make the captains aware of their strengths and weaknesses in their leadership qualities.

Encourage your captains to uti-lize and maximize their strengths and acknowledge areas to improve in. For example, some of your leaders might have a hard time confronting their team-mates when necessary. Or, some of your leaders may be too blunt and lack the necessary tact to get their messages across well. Whatever the challenge, encour-age them to make sure that their weaknesses are not a leadership liability as they work to improve

L E A D E R S H I P

forth. Of course, we don’t need forth. Of course, we don’t need forth. Of course, we don’t need in the past. I often hear coaches Step number one is to clarify

your expectations of them. Many coaches simply say to their captains, “You’re our leader. I expect you to step up and lead.” But this alone is too vague to give proper direction.

Rather than assuming your captains understand their duties, as well as your philosophy and expectations, sit down and carefully clarify what you need from them. Create a job description of the eight to 10 priorities you expect them to handle. (See “Job Description” on next page.) Clarification of their roles and responsibilities on the front end will prevent misunderstandings as the season goes on.

Next, discuss the risks and challenges of leadership. Let your captains know that this new responsibility might be difficult and demanding at times. They will encounter many gray areas and bumps along the way, and they should understand that these

LeaderOf The Pack

Your team captains can make or break

your season.

If that sounds like an overstate-ment, think back over your coaching career. during your most successful seasons, I bet

you had great team leaders. Now consider your most frustrating years. did they include poor lead-ers?

and not only do your captains have a huge impact on your team’s suc-cess, but also on your sanity and your satisfaction as a coach. You’ll usually remember a year you had fantastic team leaders with a smile, regardless of the final record.

You rely on your captains to help set and uphold the standards of the squad, monitor team chemistry, and be your voice in the locker room and on the weekends when you’re not around. You need your captains to consistently reinforce the team’s standards and hold their team-mates accountable.

at the same time, your captains

Lea

der

ShIP

and expectations, sit down and carefully clarify what you need from them. Create a job description of the eight to 10 priorities you expect them to handle. (See “Job Description” on next page.) Clarification of their roles and responsibilities on the front end will prevent misunderstandings as the season goes on.

Great teams always include great leaders. But it doesn’t happen magically. coaches must invest time in explaining roles, providing opportunities, and giving feedback.

By Jeff JanssenJeff Janssen is director of the Janssen Sports Leadership center, in cary, N.c., and a former athletic administrator at the University of arizona. This article is an adapted excerpt from his book, The Team captain’s Leadership Manual.

Use this form for your free sample guide.

Name: _______________________________________

School: _______________________________________

Title: _________________________________________

E-mail: _______________________________________

Phone: _______________________________________

Use this form for your free sample guide.

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