WHAT DISTINGUISHES OUR PROGRAM

In many respects, high school athletics programs resemble each other. Some of this is due simply to the fact that we are all engaged in the same events, goals, schedules. There is some diversity in that different places have unique constraints one way or another, but there is an umbrella that envelops us all. We endeavor to have a unique experience unlike others in the pursuit of innovation and authenticity. The things that will differentiate us are…

The Player Curriculum: For us, this is akin to having the Death Star plans. The player curriculum is a 50 page document detailing every fundamental, skill, or movement for a player to learn from the ground up. No matter at what level an athlete of ours starts, we can teach them how to become a complete player and have planned precisely what that looks like. So too, the player curriculum includes 14 pages of coaching cues for our coaches to make sure we are on the same page but also to help coaches at all levels as well. Regardless of who is in our program, coach or player, they will know and come to know the entirety of basketball fundamentals and technique from scratch.

Curriculum Vitae: The curriculum vitae goes hand in hand with our player curriculum. When a player in our program begins in 7^th grade, she will have her own file that we as coaches will revise and amend over the course of her six year tenure in our program. The CV files will encapsulate skills, fundamentals, and technique from the Player Curriculum that a player mas mastered and those which she has yet to have in her toolbox. As well, any noteworthy items that coaches feel important to include to help us understand a player on and off the court can be provided. Many coaches say that they care about fundamentals, but for us it is the very bedrock and thesis of our entire program that we will perpetually use as our guide. We will take pride in and have “the best technique in Texas.”

Cardio Emphasis: Basketball players average roughly two miles of running per game. Is it any wonder that soccer, track, and cross country participants make the most dual sport athletes? And how many times have we witnessed 1A and 2A schools whose athletes are shared across every program exhaust “big school” programs over four quarters? Exactly. Yes. “You have to run!” Many coaches say they like to play fast, but how many say they want to be built to last to go the distance? We will get stronger as the game goes on in due part to the fact that we will work on and increase our aerobic capacity throughout the year. Opposing teams will need to be prepared for and mentally prepare for a cross country meet when they play us.

Mental Health Initiative: Possibly the number one thing plaguing young people today are struggles with anxiety, self-image, stress, and emotional overflow. While I love book studies and leadership focuses that many programs do, we must first take care of the basic needs of our children and give them the tools to cope with debilitating mental health issues. Before we can become leaders, we need to foster an environment where the leaders take people somewhere worth following and they cannot do that without mastering themselves first. We have to take care of the human beings first. Only then will they become good students, players, etc.

Players’ Expectations for Coaches: I have never heard of another program grant this level of agency to its constituents. But why? If we are to foster connection and trust for a working relationship of those who play for us, should we not take into consideration how they wish to be treated and coached? But also, we must remember what it is like to be in the other person’s shoes, namely a teenager who has probably never been treated with this level of respect. Many people can say that it takes respect to get respect but we will explicitly make sure that we form a bond with our players based on a social contract of transparency and communication.

Unique Social Media Presence: It goes without saying that we need to have a social media presence but we also do not want to get lost in the shuffle of all the other girls basketball programs on social media. At the same time, we want to maintain a clean and professional brand that our district can be proud of without resorting to the novelties of pandering to the younger demographic. Ultimately we want to showcase our kids as much as possible in that which they care about by way of pre-game and post-game interviews as well as having a signing day for our middle school commits just like college signing day. As much as possible we want to give our kids the literal start treatment similar to ESPN, NBC, and the like with their sports coverage.

Quality Care Approach: As we take great care in making our players feel important, we also understand that for many young people, athletics is the sole reason they come to school or care about school as a whole. We forget what it is like to be a teenager where the teams of which they are apart completely consumes them (tied for first with their social and romantic lives). With this in mind, we will treat our program and basketball itself with the same energy as if it is the most important thing in the world. Is it the most important thing in the world in actuality? Obviously not. However, athletics being the ultimate metaphor for life, we can “trick” our kids into caring about their academics, their futures, good working relationships, their mental health, respect for decorum, good manners, and so on. We must engage them where they are currently if we are to lead them to where they need to be.

Game Day Pride: If we are to demonstrate a commitment to the severity of our program and very lives, one way to easily demonstrate this is with pride for our profession in everything we do of course but especially on days for which we prepare so much. Back in my day as an athlete, we dressed up on game days. At every school I have coached, we as a coaching staff always made it a point to wear our Sunday-best for our games. We will always be dressed well and respectfully no matter where we go.

Sub-Varsity Treatment: If we wish to be a truly top to bottom program, not only do we need to stress sub-varsity success, but we will treat our sub-varsity as equally important as the varsity. We are going to grow our own talent and those players will eventually be our varsity; the future comes quickly. Beyond this, everyone in our program should feel and know that they are important.

Innovation: Firstly, the manner in which we hope to teach and learn about the game of basketball is through a focus on technique and biomechanics involved in the game. We can have the greatest X’s and O’s but if players cannot perform the movements and skills that comprise the game, we will be no better for our all strategies and schemes. While other programs often follow the flow whether it be drills or offensive systems or culture copies, we will take the initiative to do things our way, that being that the most personal is the most creative and innovative. “Initiative means not to be bound by preconceived ideas, but to think creatively and act on your own initiative and judgment, while understanding that you must take responsibility for the results of those actions.” We will strive to be at the forefront of ambitious and fresh ideas. We cannot live and work in the past and expect to win the future.