TEAM ANALYSIS

Team: Julian

Level: High School

Conference: Chicago Public Schools

Team Profile:  Coach Jackson (current Head Coach at Boys to Men Academy) was interviewed to determine the strength and weaknesses of his team.  Working with him, we determined the performance goals for his team.

1. Improve the footwork and speed of his players. Playing in the Chicago city league requires his players to move explosively.
2. Loren's players were young and lacked body control. They had to be stronger and use it on the court.
3. A demand for his players to elevate quickly.  They need to have the core strength and explosive power to go get the ball.
4. Improve conditioning and endurance. Basketball is a fast paced game. Tired ballplayers are slower and tend to make poor decisions. Not what you want as a player or coach.
5. Individually our players need to understand how to process and think the game more quickly.  They forget plays, who they're guarding, what defense is being played, etc.  This creates confusion and frustration for the team.
6. Team wise we need to generate better chemistry; the ability to read and create off of each other. 
7. As a team, they needed to create a common language that would allow them to communicate freely and effectively with one another.  Teams where coaches and players are operating off the same page - WIN and have FUN!

Team Plan:  Coach had most of his players available for August, September and October to participate in the program.  Through the Mind & Movement Training System we designed a training program to meet the above goals.  Every player was fitted for a weighted vest (SmartVest); and we had enough medicine balls for partners to work together.  We used four stations with agility ladders to teach the footwork.

Phase 1: Focused on teaching the players the proper mechanics and body posture for moving. As they mastered these, we worked on basketball specific moves and good footwork.  All of these skills were trained with out a basketball.  After 3 weeks you could see them gaining confidence with their ability to move effortlessly, quickly and more explosively.  At this point we added the SmartVest with 6 pounds and in 2 weeks we were already seeing positive gains.  We measured the players at the start of the program in the areas of speed, agility and vertical jump. After 6 weeks, we measured again to discover, on average, they were stacking 3-8 inches on their vertical jump, cutting 2-5 tenths a second off their 40 yard dash time.  Across the board, they improved their times in the agility drills and 300-yard shuttle. 

Phase 2: Here the intent was to learn to use the mental skills outlined in the program.  We started in the classroom by illustrating the meaning of each of the skills.  We gave basketball specific examples of how to use each skill.  The goal was for each player to learn how to operate in his performance zone.  We used role-play and visual imagery to teach each skill. 

Phase 3: Drawing upon the mental skills they learned in the classroom, we designed basketball specific drills that required them to use movements taught and the mental skills.  These drills are outlined in the program.  Again this process was achieved over a 6-week period.  It takes time for players to integrate the mental skills to a point when they flow instinctively through their game.  At first we noticed the players struggling and informed them that this was natural since we were asking them to move and think differently.  After a couple of weeks, the players were noting how much easier the game flowed, as they gained confidence with their newfound skills.

Key Factors:

1. It takes time to develop an athlete; you need make a commitment to the Mind & Movement Training System of mentally and physically teaching your players to perform the game.    We do endorse the results you make with a long-term commitment to teaching and training your athletes with this system.  Teach them how to think and move, and they will learn to master the game. 
2. The SmartVest is essential to reaching peak physical conditioning; The SmartVest can be used aggressively in the off/pre/in-season to accelerate power (speed, agility, quickness and vertical jump).  The 1-pound adjustable weights allow you to start out with low weight and progressively increase as the athlete becomes stronger.  This insures safe and maximum results. We had the players use it scrimmaging, individual workouts and during strength and conditioning drills.  In general, they used it with all activities.  What we found effective was contrast training. Players would wear the vest for 25 minutes then take it off for 10-15 minutes throughout a training session.
3. The medicine ball and agility were also great tools for strengthening movement and perfecting footwork.

Quote:  "I've used weighted vests before and because of their loose fit, you couldn't do basketball specific drills with the players.  The SmartVest has fixed that problem.  The players never complain about wearing them, in fact at first I didn't have enough and they argued over who was going to wear them.  Then because of the body-glove fit I'm able to use the SmartVest during all seasons and during all phases of the program.  I recommend that coaches stop using them two weeks before entering the state tournament.  It's a great product that produced amazing results; all of our players had made notable gains in the athletic abilities - a must when playing in Chicago!"  Coach Jackson