Hardwood Hustle

Today we discuss whether or not coaches should make leadership and teaching life lessons a priority in their program. With occasional comments from parents or administration about how coaches should ‘just stick to basketball’, this is a conversation that needs to be had!

In our recent survey asking coaches what they think players could improve upon, one of the common replies dealt with a common response coaches receive from players after any kind of coaching or instruction. Players often naturally respond to this coaching or instruction saying “I know, I know, I know” which can be a frustration […]

Today’s shoot-a-round episode features a first half discussion on the noteworthy ejection numbers during the early stages of this NBA season. We finish the second half with our thoughts on the recent headlines made by the Ball family.

Have you recently assessed your ability to concentrate and be mentally tough? If not, use today’s episode to help you reflect on your ability in these areas as it may be a much needed practice to get you back to your highest level of performance. Make sure to share today’s episode with a coach or […]

Continuing our series of player pitfalls, today we discuss one of the most common areas coaches told us they believe players can improve upon, with that being how players handle trips to road games. Coaches and players need to be on the same page in their demeanor when traveling to road games, and we believe […]

One of the most important aspects of coaching is to know when to push certain buttons with your team, whether that be asking even more of them or pulling back the intensity for a short time. Today Adam and TJ share how you can decipher these situations to get the most from your team.

With questions coming from our hustlers around the subject of how to handle large leads in games by demonstrating proper coaching etiquette, we bring you a conversation with thoughts that will help you decipher how to act in these situations. When to pull your starters, pull back on a full court press, and tweaking your […]

We’re back with part 2 of our player pitfalls series where we discuss areas players can improve based on direct feedback from coaches. Today we focus on something that isn’t talked about very much but can be a major distraction for players, with that being looking into the stands during games. Whether players are concerned […]

Stemming from a powerful concept in a book Adam recently read, today we share a 3 step practice that will help take your communication to a new level.

Coaches can be quick to micro-manage their players, which at times may interrupt the learning and development capabilities of the players. Today we share a discussion about when to step in and instruct and when to step back and allow your players to learn through their mistakes.

In a recent poll we ran on twitter we asked coaches about the pitfalls they see in players today. One of the most common responses we received was about eye contact from players, and in today’s player episode Adam and TJ share the importance of great eye contact as well as how players can improve […]

As coaches it’s important to respond and adjust to current situations, but equally important to prepare for things that are to come. How do you become a coach who can anticipate things well? Adam and TJ break down this coaching skill in today’s episode.

Players who have to constantly try to ‘turn on the switch’ may need to re-evaluate their mindset. In this player episode Adam and TJ challenge players to assess their approach the game and avoid having to rely on flipping the switch.

Merry Christmas! In this festive episode Adam and TJ discuss hoops and the holidays. We hope our Hustlers enjoy this time with their families and are able to re-charge for the new year.

Getting a ‘spark’ off the bench can sometimes change the outcome of a game, and today we share how you can be more effective in coming off of the bench in whatever your role is on the team. Make sure to share this episode with another player today!