ROUND TABLE 54 – WHAT IS A TRADITION YOU HAVE IN YOUR PROGRAM THAT BONDS YOUR TEAM(S) TOGETHER? – EPISODE 808

Welcome to the 54th edition of the Coach’s Corner Round Table on the Hoop Heads Podcast. Each episode of the Coach’s Corner Round Table will feature our All-Star lineup of guests answering a single basketball question.  A new Coach’s Corner Round Table will drop around the 15^th of each month.

June’s Round Table question is:  What is a tradition you have in your program that that bonds your team(s) together?

Our Coaching Lineup this month:

• Erik Buehler – Chatfield (CO) High School\
• Jerry Buckley – Bishop Kenny (FL) High School
• Doc Eslinger – Caltech
• Joe Harris – Lake Chelan (WA) High School
• Bob Krizancic – Mentor (OH) High School
• Dell Leonard – Mountain Home (AR) High School
• Dan Miller – San Marcos (TX) High School
• Dave McGreal – Penn State Altoona
• Raul Placeres – Maryville College
• Don Showalter – USA Basketball
• John Shulman – University of Alabama Huntsville
• David Sloan – Carnegie Mellon University

Please enjoy this Round Table episode of the Hoop Heads Podcast and once you’re finished listening please give the show a five star rating and review after you subscribe on your favorite podcast app.

If you are a basketball coach at any level please check out our Hoop Heads Coaching Mentorship Program.  You’ll get matched with one of our experienced Head Coaches and develop a relationship that will help take your coaching, your team, your program, and your mindset to another level.

Be sure to follow us on twitter and Instagram @hoopheadspod for the latest updates on episodes, guests, and events from the Hoop Heads Pod.

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Click here to thank Jerry Buckley on Twitter!

Click here to thank Erik Buehler on Twitter!

Click here to thank Doc Eslinger on Twitter!

Click here to thank Joe Harris on Twitter!

Click here to thank Bob Krizancic on Twitter!

Click here to thank Dell Leonard on Twitter!

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TRANSCRIPT FOR ROUND TABLE 54 – WHAT IS A TRADITION YOU HAVE IN YOUR PROGRAM THAT BONDS YOUR TEAM(S) TOGETHER? – EPISODE 808

[00:00:00] Narrator: The Hoop Heads Podcast is brought to you by Head Start Basketball.

[00:00:21] Mike Klinzing: Hello, and welcome to the 54th edition of the Coaches’ Corner Round Table on the Hoop Heads Podcast. Each episode of the Coaches’ Corner Round Table will feature our all-star lineup of guests answering a single basketball question. A new Coach’s Corner Round Table will drop around the 15th of each month.

June’s Round Table question is:  What is a tradition you have in your program that that bonds your team(s) together?

Our Coaching Lineup this month:

• Erik Buehler – Chatfield (CO) High School\
• Jerry Buckley – Bishop Kenny (FL) High School
• Doc Eslinger – Caltech
• Joe Harris – Lake Chelan (WA) High School
• Bob Krizancic – Mentor (OH) High School
• Dell Leonard – Mountain Home (AR) High School
• Dave McGreal – Penn State Altoona
• Dan Miller – San Marcos (TX) High School
• Raul Placeres – Maryville College
• Don Showalter – USA Basketball
• John Shulman – University of Alabama Huntsville
• David Sloan – Carnegie Mellon University

Please enjoy this Round Table episode of the Hoop Heads Podcast and once you’re finished listening please give the show a five star rating and review after you subscribe on your favorite podcast app.

If you are a basketball coach at any level please check out our Hoop Heads Coaching Mentorship Program.  You’ll get matched with one of our experienced Head Coaches and develop a relationship that will help take your coaching, your team, your program, and your mindset to another level.

Be sure to follow us on twitter and Instagram @hoopheadspod for the latest updates on episodes, guests, and events from the Hoop Heads Pod.

Hey Hoop Heads! I wanted to take a minute to shout out our partners and friends at Dr. Dish Basketball. Their Dr. Dish shooting machines are undoubtedly the most advanced and user friendly machines on the market. Learn more at drdishbasketball.com and follow their incredible content @drdishbball on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

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[00:02:41] Jim Psaras: Hi, this is Jim Psaras from the Psaras Skills Academy and you’re listening to the Hoop Heads Podcast.

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Check out the links in the show notes for more. Fast Model sports is the best in basketball.

Let’s hear from our panel about some traditions they have in their programs that bond their teams together.

[00:03:43] Mike Klinzing: Jerry Buckley, Bishop Kenny High School, Jacksonville, Florida.

[00:03:49] Jerry Buckley: This is Jerry Buckley from Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Florida, answering this month’s question. We have a sign above the door where the kids run up onto the floor to our gym before every game that says, play like a champion.

And they all tap that. And I think that’s pretty neat as far as tying in together with each other, but also the alums. The signs been there for over 50 years. And it ties together all the different generations of our program. So I think it’s really good for our current players and also, like I said, ties him into the alumni as well, and a lot of the alums will come back and tap that.

We’re gonna come through the door also. So I think that’s a pretty special tradition that our program is passed on from year to year.

[00:04:27] Mike Klinzing: Eric Buehler, Chatfield Senior High School, Littleton, Colorado.

[00:04:34] Erik Buehler: Hey, what’s going on Hoop Heads? This month we were asked what’s a tradition that bonds our teams together?

I think we have a few I think our style of play and our defenses and systems and stuff like that as part of our tradition, but I would say the one that is most fun to watch is when we go to team camps in the summer. We make it a priority to try and get as many teams to watch other teams play.

And so when teams are playing, there’s. 25, 30 of our guys cheering on the other team. And it’s really fun, especially for our younger teams, to have the whole varsity there, the JV there just kind of hyping them up and cheering them on. It’s pretty unique at the team camp to have a crowd. So I would say that’s one tradition we’re proud of and something that I think bonds us together.

Thanks for having me again and talk to you guys later.

[00:05:29] Mike Klinzing: Doc Eslinger from Caltech.

[00:05:33] Doc Eslinger: Every fall at Caltech, we go to the beach for a sun, sand, and water workout.

[00:05:41] Mike Klinzing: Joe Harris, Lake Chelan High School, Lake Chelan, Washington.

[00:05:48] Joe Harris: Hello, Hoop Heads. This is Joe Harris at Lake Chelan High School, with this month’s round table question, which asks, what is a tradition you have in your program that bonds your team or teams together? We talked about tradition nearly every day and giving your best effort each day to honor those who had played before you. We did a number of things to help build this kind of tradition in our program. Every time our players would walk out of the locker room, they would tap a sign above the door, which says, be champions today.

This is more about being a daily servant to those who you play alongside and being the very best you can be on the court. Well, we also had named some of our drills, our daily drills after former players. Couple of those examples would be Dobbs closeout closeout drill named after one of our players Carlson Rebounding money shots.

Again, each of these drills were named for players who embodied the qualities we wanted in our program and the players we had in it. Other things we did to help build tradition. Each time a player is subbed out, we have our players on the bench standing and acknowledge their, that player’s efforts by giving handshake or a high five or fist pump.

We also ask each of our players on the court to always acknowledge a great pass from a teammate. These are some things that may seem insignificant to some people and, and players and coaches like, but I feel that they can help your program’s tradition continue for years. Appreciate this opportunity and again, thanks for letting me share them.

[00:07:25] Mike Klinzing: Bob Krizancic, Mentor High School, Mentor, Ohio.

[00:07:36] Bob Krizancic: Coach K, Mentor High School. Tradition in our program, the phrase winning tradition is so appropriate. I believe without arrogance, that winning. More importantly, the way we win is a great tradition and the culture of our program. With discipline, great effort, high basketball iq we built that tradition from decade to decade to decade from one team to the other.

And I think it’s powerful and it’s definitely front and center in our program. Best of luck.

[00:08:15] Mike Klinzing: Dell Leonard. Mountain Home High School. Mountain Home, Arkansas.

[00:08:22] Dell Leonard: One of the traditions that we have is before a game, a home game or a road game. The night before, one of our parents or one of our coaches will host a team meal at their home and the players will eat and usually have some kind of a team building game or something that we’ll do. And over the years that’s been a big tradition for us that helps our team bond.

[00:08:51] Mike Klinzing: Your first impression is everything. When applying for a new coaching job, a professional coaching portfolio is the tool that highlights your coaching, achievements and philosophies. And most of all helps separate you and your abilities from the other applicants, the Coaching Portfolio Guide is an instructional membership based website that helps you develop a personalized portfolio. Each section of the portfolio guide provides detailed instructions on how to organize your portfolio in a professional manner. The guide also provides sample documents for each section of your portfolio that you can copy, modify and add to your personal portfolio.

As a Hoop Heads Pod listener, you can get your Coaching Portfolio Guide for just $25. Visit https://www.coachingportfolioguide.com/hoopheads to learn more.

[00:09:43] Mike Klinzing: David McGreal from Penn State Altoona.

[00:09:48] Dave McGreal: What’s up Hoop Heads Nation Coach McGreal here. Penn State Altoona Men’s basketball answering a monthly roundtable this time around. What is your, a tradition you have in your program that bonds your teams together? Well, we do a couple things early on, man, in that they kind of turn into a tradition and it’s a way for the guys to get to know each other and spend a lot of time with each other before season starts.

First and foremost we do a a big cookout at my house. Invite the team managers, coaches, all players, have them over to the house, cook for them, hang out. Spend some time together with them in the backyard, play games, whatever it may be. So that’s one that we do. That’s more so you know, fun, fun-filled day.

And, and the other thing we’ve been doing the last five years that I’ve been at Penn State Altoona is we’ve been lucky enough to go up and work the first three home football games up at Beaver Stadium at the main campus here at Penn State University. Watch some Big 10 football. Some of us get to be on the field.

It ends up being a fundraiser for us as well, but it really turns into some team bonding as we spend all those Saturdays together and watch watch the Big 10 football players and how they hacked, how they interact with each other. And we’ve gotten to, to where Penn State team’s basketball is well known to Beaver Stadium at the home football game.

So those are two big ones. We do, obviously the cookout at the house just getting a chance for them to meet me and my family and all the new guys meeting the returners and then getting a chance to go up and work football games at Beaver Stadium for Penn State University is another thing that we do that gives our guys an opportunity to interact and get to know each other outside of basketball, which I think is very important.

Hope everybody has a great week and look forward to talking to you guys next time.

[00:11:53] Mike Klinzing: Dan Miller, San Marcos High School in San Marcos, Texas.

[00:12:00] Dan Miller: A tradition that I like to use as a coach for programs is a battle practice. And what a battle practice is, is just a competitive practice where we let players, upperclassmen sometimes choose the teams. We mix up the teams. It’s not first group, second group. Like a lot of other practices, it’s just kind of random teams that are chosen, and then we go through a list of competitive drills.

And they compete and they take a lot of pride in winning these, these battle practices, or each drill gets a point and it just brings about the competitive fire within our team, within our program. The guys look forward to it. It’s a way to have kind of a, a team activity within a practice structure at our school, on campus in our gym.

So I’d say our battle practices are definitely a ritual that we do within our program.

[00:13:00] Mike Klinzing: Raul Placeres from Maryville College

[00:13:04] Raul Placeres: Coach Raul Placeres here, men’s basketball coach at Maryville College. Love this month’s question, and what tradition bonds your team closer together? Without a doubt, it’s our individual camp that’s going on for its 45th year. Actually starting today through Thursday to traditional Camp 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM skills stations, three on three championships, five on five championships.

Every contest you can think of. Hot shot, one-on-one, free throw challenge, buzzer. Beater challenge. And you know, we will have lunch together as a group and we just. Really enjoy the ability to give back to our community, which gives so much back to us. Love seeing the smiles and the happiness that camp brings to all of our individual campers.

You know, the majority of our campers are ages six to 13. It’s a pivotal stage in, in the development and the foundational piece of learning how to play the game the right way. And we definitely take that part of the camp very serious. Our players are officiating. They’re, they’re coaching teams, they’re teaching skills in the individual stations, so it makes it for a great growth in, in regards to being a leader, teaching the game the right way and just seeing the overall.

Growth of the individual camper throughout the week. We also use it as a time to bond even closer together as a, as a ball club. We do the three H’s, which you speak about who’s the biggest hero in your life what is the biggest hardship you’ve, you’ve faced in your life up to this point, and then what’s the biggest highlight of, of your life up to this point as well?

So we get to learn about one another. At great lengths and at great depths throughout the week. We also have dinner each and every night w with the ball club. This year’s a unique year where each, basically all of my players will be working camp, so that’s definitely gonna help us as we transition into the school year.

During those n times at night, during dinner, we’ll talk about specific topic, whether it’s social media responsibilities to academic responsibilities, to what to expect. When we get on campus. So the camp serves multiple purposes, but I just as much work as it does take and it will and will go down.

I just love the smiles on the faces once they leave here Thursday at five o’clock of how much fun they’ve had, how much learning they have attained and knowledge they have attained throughout the week. And new relationships that we form with the players, with us as a staff. And we look forward to seeing them during the regular season watching us play inside the Boyds and Beja Navy.

So to all coaches out there that are doing camp, I’m praying for you cause I know how hard it is. And man, I hope you’re having a, a good camp and remember that the game has given a lot to us and I believe it is our duty to get back to the game. So I hope everyone’s having a great summer. And love, love this month’s question, man.

Definitely our individual camp bonds our team closer together more than anything we do during the summer.

[00:16:12] Narrator: Don Showalter, USA Basketball.

[00:16:18] Don Showalter: Hi, Don Showalter with USA Basketball. Question is, what is one tradition that we’ve had with our teams that have bonded us together. I think there’s several, and we do this with our junior national teams as well. But one thing is how we end practice is kind of a tradition. We use our communication circle and we have a question each day.

And the kids players stand in a circle and we’ll tell the person beside them what the answer to that question is, for instance. Might be what did you do good in practice today? Or what’s your favorite food? Just to get them to know each other. That’s one kind of tradition that we use.

Another tradition is we always went to an Iowa basketball game. When I coached at in Iowa at City High and, and mid Prairie we always went to a basketball game. I thought that was great for the kids. We got a stop for pizza either before or after. The game and just had a great time there.

We also have a bowling night, kind of a tradition that we have a bowling night with our team that was fun and we kind of, yeah, a lot of teasing and a lot of bantering going back and forth on the bowling night. So that was fun as well. So I think those are traditions that you that you give your kids give your players that make a huge difference in your program.  Thank you.

[00:17:50] Mike Klinzing: John Shulman, University of Alabama, Huntsville, and the 720 Sports Group.

[00:17:57] John Shulman: Yes. This is John Shulman, head coach at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Question this month, what is a tradition you have in your program that bonds your teams together? That’s a good one. That is a good one.

I’ve only been here four years at Huntsville. The tradition here at U AH and it’s not something in particular some people have a we used to have a bootcamp we used to do at Chattanooga. That was a tradition. You know, here it’s culture. It’s, I’ve, I’ve done nothing but protect our culture.

And since I got here that, that line, AK in the previous regime here at UAH and the players, and they expect a certain type of culture. And That’s not a tradition, that’s not something set in stone. It’s just how we do our business. And we move the ball and we play unselfish and we run Princeton offense and we look a certain way and play a certain way and play together and play hard and compete.

And that’s our deal. When I was at Chattanooga, we did, we had a bootcamp or we did the first two days of practice. We did. Two a days on that Saturday and Sunday a tradition may be going to, to do a bootcamp. And we went up one year up to Fort Bluff in, in Tennessee and stayed in dorms and barracks, and that’s what we did.

I would say one tradition we actually do here is right before the conference tournament, we actually play Wiffle ball. To take a break from basketball and laugh at each other and, and Google and laugh and try not to get anybody hurt playing whiffle ball. But we do. That’s a tradition that we have here at UAH.

But I’ve only been here four years. There’s a lot of great traditions out there that your team has to go through, whether it be a, a bootcamp, whether it be a, a couple hard practices at the beginning of the season. And those are great and everybody can talk about their deal, but reminder, Every time your old guys come back, they always think that they, they had a much harder and much tougher than the guys you coach, you were tough on us.

You’re being soft on this new bunch. So, so be ready to listen to that. But I think it’s a great question. And I think people can learn from each other off the different traditions, but it’s still have to fit you and your personality. I just got back from Jay Bill’s camp and heard a lot of different things.

The be the best thing that you hear is you have to do what fits you and fits your personality. And I will challenge Mike. The next good question was give us some good camp ideas in the summer different camp ideas, whether it be running camp or whether it be concession stand or whatever.

We had a great time talking at Bilas camp about the different ideas, kind of moneymaking ideas you can do at camp that that is fair to you and fair to the kids coming to camp and, and having a good time. Hope. I know this probably didn’t help. But the whiffle ball thing, I do think going to a movie and, and getting a bite to eat during the middle of the season just to tell them you love em and you care for them is a, is a good idea.

I never, I always thought that playing whiffle ball and getting away from basketball during the t, during the bad times and tough times is a good idea. The Celtics, I just saw that the Celtics. Down three oh in that series bi bypass film and went to top golf and, and, and played and, and hit a golf ball and had fun.

Remember as, as we’re right in the middle of camp right now, it’s a basketball game. It’s have to have fun, but you also have to have great traditions and, and to link your teams together. I know this probably wasn’t huge help. Hope all’s well. And good luck. Have a rest. Have a great rest of, of June and I guess we’ll talk to you in July.  Thanks.

[00:22:09] Mike Klinzing: David Sloan from Carnegie Mellon University,

[00:22:20] David Sloan: Winter basketball without having to worry about class, but for our guys it’s also home to one of their favorite things, which is secret Santa. So every year we, all the players and, and staff, we go all into opportunity. Other players and staff included and just have a lot of fun when you kind of preparing for our conference season and, and right in the middle there. So it’s, it’s definitely a lot of fun. I know our guys really enjoy it.

[00:22:57] Mike Klinzing: Thanks for checking out this month’s Hoop Heads Podcast Round Table.

We’ll be back next month with another question for our all-star lineup of coaches.

[00:23:09] Narrator: Thanks for listening to the Hoop Heads Podcast presented by Head Start Basketball.