Coaching Youth Basketball - Chapter 31

CHAPTER 31 = WHO YA GONNA CALL? ZONE BUSTERS!

So you're down in the dumps just a little bit. You can handle the fact that your dog hates you, your boss hates you, and the horse you bet on came in 4th. What you can't handle, is watching your team suffer against these coaches who think they are Super Coach. They are great because their team plays a zone and they win their games.

Now before I go into the next part, I want you to do something for me. Sit straight up in your chair. Come on, you can do it. No slouching! Now stick out your chest very exaggeratedly. Head up! Come on now, humor me. Now keep this posture while you read the next section. Remember, it's the Christmas season, and I have Santa's twin brother here. His name is St. Mortimer and he can tell if you are following the directions. So sit straight, head up, and chest out. When you read this, read it out loud like a tv announcer would, in a low distinquished voice. And do not read this in a monotone voice, put some juice and excitement into it. Ready?

It's not the players who win these games, it's HIM/HER, it's .... Super Coach. Super Coach is king of all he/she surveys. See the kids play their hearts out? They play for him, Super Coach. If one of his players mess up in a game, Super Coach knows what to do. Super Coach jerks the kid out of the game and benches them. Super Coach then looks at the player that is going into the game.

"If you make the same mistake as this unlucky soul," Super Coach yells to the sub as he points to the kid that just came out of the game. "Then you will suffer the same horrible fate as this dweeb."

Super Coach knows what to do and how to motivate children. Super coach makes his players fear him. Who is able to jump off the bench faster than a speeding bullet? Whose lungs are more powerful than a locomotive? Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound to make sure you do everything he screams at you to do? IT'S SUPER COACH !!

And who are we? Why we are meek and mild mannered Clark Kent. Every week, we Clark Kents have to go into the gladiator's arena and play against Super Coach. Everyweek we come out of that arena with our tail between our legs and what is Super Coach doing? Gloating! "See how MY GREAT ZONE DEFENSE beat you, Clark Kent! No one beats Super Coach!!!!!

Now sing along to the tune of Ghost Busters.

When there's something wrong -

in your neighborhood -

who ya gonna call?

ZONE BUSTERS!!!!

There are lots of complicated plays that will bust up a zone, but you, Clark Kent, coach younger kids with a 2 minute attention span. Complicated is a bad thing! Simple is a Good Thing! So here is your kryptonite so you have a chance against Super Coach.

Here's a secret. Hopefully this comes out in a small font like I am typing it, because secrets should be in smaller type. Coaches hide their weakest defensive players on the left side of the basket.

There, now you know something about Super Coach. Knowledge is Power. Now you hold your 1st piece of kryptonite. The first thing you do against a zone is attack the left side. I guarantee you that if Super Coach's zone has a weakness this is it.

Want another piece of kryptonite? OK! Overload his left side! You've heard of overweight, overfed, and overtaxed, but you aren't familiar with overload? This is where you have 3 of your offensive players on the left side of the basket. Have these players constantly move to get open and make sure they don't stand in the paint for over 3 seconds. When one of them finally gets passed to, the other 2 players in that area screen the defensive player or players. At this age, you should be able to get a clear shot from within 10' of the basket about 70% of the time. Overload is a Good Thing! Overload can beat Super Coach.

Want another piece of kryptonite? Let's try passing around the zone. Here's a simple little drill.

Keep a forward close to the basket where they are running from one side of the paint to the other. They look for a pass, or for the rebound if another player shoots.
Keep a forward at the freethrow line running from one end of the freethrow line to the other. They receive passes and look for a cutter or an open shot.
Your other 3 players play pass and cut just outside of their zone. They can also pass to the player on the freethhrow line and then cut to the basket. The whole time you are doing this, your players are having fun, and Super Coach's players are running their tails off to catch up with yiour passes. If your players can be patient, someone will end up wide open for a layup. The secret is the person with the ball has to keep their head up and look for the pass.
These are 2 simple Zone Busters. If you will teach your players these 2 simple ideas or plays, you can then become ZONE BUSTER. And Super Coach doesn't have a chance against ZONE BUSTER!! You will be King of all you survey - but - you never deserted your m-2-m defense. You have now become a TEACHER OF THE GAME!!!!!

I hope I gave you enough so you can TEACH YOUR KIDS HOW TO WIN THEIR NEXT GAME.