Hardwood Hustle

Knowing that the use of the shot clock isn't universal in basketball, TJ and Sam share why it’s beneficial and how coaches can think about their tactics in this area. They touch on defaulting to a late ball screen, changing defenses, and how to use the clock to their advantage.

Today we're joined by Lee Taft who shares with us what he's learned in his 30 years of developing athletes.  He's spent much of this time teaching his multi-directional speed methods to elite athletes and top performance coaches all over the world. As basketball coaches, when it comes to defensive stance, lateral movements, speed, and agility, how do we know if what we're teaching is helping or hurting?  Known as the 'Speed Guy' Lee  shares his expertise on the podcast to help coaches make sure they're on the right track when it comes to coaching their players in this crucial area. Check out Lee's website: LeeTaft.com

Today we're joined by one of PGC's own and current high school coach, George Ellis. George shares what he learned from coaching with a Living Legend, Coach Larry McKenzie at Minneapolis North High School, winning a state championship in 2016 and how he's able to apply the best learnings to his own coaching. We cover a coach's growth mindset, setting player standards, and getting players to commit to their goals. George is also a director with PGC Basketball leading initiatives to partner with like-minded organizations and help provide access for under resourced athletes and communities to positive basketball experiences such as PGC camps and more.

This week we mix an Xs and Os discussion of what coaches choose to run offensively with how we can maximize player buy-in and enroll them in what we're doing. Of course there's not a one size fits all approach, but there are some key considerations and questions coaches should be asking themselves all season long.

There are times in coaching where you feel like you've done everything you can, and you just can't get a win. If you haven't been there yet, you probably just haven't coached long enough. In this episode, TJ, Sam and former hardwood Hustle Host, Adam Bradley from Lead'em Up, talk about how coaches can approach this challenge and breathe life into their programs.

It's a little cliché, but it's also a real challenge for coaches to keep perspective during the season and to not only trust the process, but to also enjoy it. Dive into this episode to hear how you can stay the course and reap the benefits of that commitment.

This week the team discusses Dean Pees, Defensive Coordinator for the Atlanta Falcon's sound bite about paying your dues in coaching. It's a reminder that we're in the people business and we might not all climb the ladder the same way. Hear in this episode how you can double check yourself along your coaching career and ensure you're climbing the right ladder for you.

It's typically easier for us as coaches to identify the big ticket items we want our teams to improve in, but we also know it's the little things invested in over time that will become the ultimate difference makers. With experience, coaches can improve their diagnosing and prescribing skills and take big steps forward in their coaching. This week TJ and Sam discuss how you can can best identify the small daily wins that will lead to biggest payoffs for your team.

What do you do when your team is facing an uphill battle? Whether it's in a single game or the rest of the season, not only do we have to strategize and problem solve, we also need to get our players to buy-in to any adjustments and changes we're making. This week's conversation will gives you ideas and tips on how to approach these situations so your team can reach its potential.

At some point every coach wrestles with how to manage, challenge, and continue to develop their bench players throughout the season. As much as possible, we want every player engaged and excited about the team and the opportunity to compete. In this episode TJ, Sam and Lisa dive into how we as coaches can manage practice reps, playing time, development, and team chemistry.

When you reach the mid-season checkpoint, it's important to evaluate where your team is at and where you're headed. In this episode TJ and Sam walk coaches through some important questions related to on court strategies they should be asking to finish the season strong.

 400 wins is more about being willing to learn hard lessons, overcome obstacles, and  stay the course than it is about the satisfaction of winning. Recently, our host, TJ Rosene won his 400th game as a head coach and in this episode, Sam  interviews him to find out what he's learned at different stages of his career, what you can take back and apply to your coaching, and how we can all continue to be great learners of the game and even better transformational coaches regardless of the number in the win column.

In this episode, Sam is joined by Dr. Matthew Raidbard, former college basketball coach and now leadership consultant and author of Lead Like a Pro, Effective Leadership Styles for Athletic Coaches. They discuss how we as coaches can be more intentional with our leadership style and grow in our communication in order to be the best leader possible for our teams.

What makes the best offense for your team? Today's episode is all about your philosophy behind choosing your offensive system and strategy. TJ and Sam discuss the questions you need to ask yourself heading into a new season. We all know there are many ways to run good offense, but to be confident in what you're running, it needs to fit you, your goals, and your players. 

We're joined by special guest, Dre Baldwin who shares his story about how he went from getting cut from his high school team 3 times to playing professionally overseas for 9 years. It's an incredible story that's sure to inspire coaches and players alike as Dre shares strategies for how we can embrace challenges and reach our potential. Free book, The Third Day: http://ThirdDayBook.com   FREE 30-minute "Game Session" : http://www.WorkOnYourGameUniversity.com/Hardwood More about Dre: For the past 15 years, "DreAllDay" has changed the lives of over 75 million entrepreneurs, athletes and business professionals, sold  thousands of copies of his books, courses and programs, pioneered personal branding through content, and built a business that helps tens of thousands of people master their "Game" in business, sports and in life, from the inside-out. http://YouTube.com/Dreupt http://DreAllDay.com