Hardwood Hustle

This week TJ and Sam jump into the topic of player development and the 4 steps you need to take to ensure your players are improving for next season.Show Notes:Nick Saban quoteGetting talent v. developing talentWhen development is your only optionGetting to actionWhat if you focused on development over systems & strategiesEvaluating the quality of your player developmentVarious facets of player developmentHaving a shared vision & creating a planFocusing on strengths or weaknessesGood coaches are problem solversDeveloping the mental aspectMaking it tangible and measurableSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

This week TJ and Sam are joined by Head Coach Andre Cook from St. Edward’s University. With over 400 collegiate wins and 20 years of coaching experience Coach Cook shares how he coaches the offensive side of the ball - specifically looking at their pace, shot selection, player development and more.Show Notes:• Setting his offensive foundation & keeping the ball moving• Implementing sets & constant pressure on the defense• Defining shot selection for your team• Developing pace in practice• What are the hardest actions to guard & paint pressure• What translates from player development• How his coaching has evolved and finding the path• Know thy self• Adapting to zone defenses• Offensive rebound philosophy• Marrying the offense to the defense• Find what's best for youMore about Coach Andre Cook:Andre Cook has helmed St. Edward’s men’s basketball since the 2009-2010 season, becoming the program’s all-time winningest coach during the 2022-23.The Hilltoppers have posted 11 consecutive winning seaso

This week TJ and Sam tackle the topic of how to best approach summer basketball with your club or high school team because when it comes to spending your time and money wisely as a coach, parent, and player, you want to be confident you're getting it right. In this episode the topics range from having the right goals, understanding referees, setting expectations with parents, and ultimately how to think outside the box to ensure everyone wins.Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

This week Coach Graham Maxwell joins TJ and Sam to go through 4 Quarters discussing tips for coaches when it comes to having a better passing teams, working with Parents, designing your practices, and what we’re seeing in the NBA Playoffs.Show Notes:Passing• Grow their understanding• Take coaches out• 4 T'sParents• Expectations on communications• Letting go• The parents perspective• Doing betterPractice• Less is more• The arc of a practice• Let the drills be the teacherNBA Playoffs• How role players show up• Defense, Role ID, & Coaching• Adjustments & Style of playSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

In light of Gregg Popovich’s decision to step down as head coach of the Spurs, this week TJ and Sam discuss the impact he’s had on the game and specifically 5 learnings from his leadership you can apply to your own coaching.Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

This week TJ and Sam are joined by PGC Basketball Owner and President, Mano Watsa, along with Better Basketball founder Rick Torbett, first to discuss how relationships are foundational to everything we do as coaches, and how to build them and grow your network. They’re also excited to share an important announcement with everyone about PGC Coaching and Better Basketball once again coming together to deliver resources and build community with coaches.Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

This week we’re excited to be joined by Coach Jamon Copeland, head men’s basketball coach at Ave Maria University. This past season he led his team to a conference tournament championship and a win in the NAIA national tournament. With 15 years of head coaching experience, in this episode Jamon shares the ins and outs of how he implemented an aggressive style and fast paced system.Show Notes:• Having an identity as a coach• Switching Styles, 'touch the wall' drill, and marrying offense & defense• Winning possession battle: turnovers and rebounding• Full court defensive pressure concepts & decision making• Starting Aggressive then pulling back• Ability to make adjustments• Dictating the pace and fast paced principles• Half-court principles• Selling your system to your players• How it looks in practice and manipulating load• Different defensive looks and teaching points• Personnel implications• Advantages of playing fast• Match your coaching style with your personalitySend us a Message. If you

This week Sam and TJ dive into how important it is for coaches to be great teachers and we can level up in this area.Show Notes:• What is master teaching• Finding teachable moments• Being intentional about what you're focusing on• Opportunities to coach the mental side of the game• Priming the environment and priming the mind• Using constraints in drills to emphasize what you're teaching• Coaching habits• Paying attention during practice• Two common teaching errors• Having a common language• Early season practice musts and tapering off• Having a team identity• Humility as a teacher• Increasing efficiency and improving over time• Progressing and layering in teaching• Challenge yourself and applySend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

This week we’re joined by Coach Raul Placeres from Maryville College. He's led his program to 5 straight regular season championships and won 3 out of the last 5 tournament championships. As the quickest coach in program history to 100 wins, we're honored to have him share with listeners what he's learned throughout his coaching journey, especially now as a head coach, and how he's defined his own success.Show Notes:• Following a hall of fame coach• Transitioning from assistant to head coach• Making the decision - fatigue, pressure, and time• Listening to and talking with your players• Working through the mental side of the game• Listening to your players• Coach Raul's practice setup• Focused on the most important boxscore• How do you know you're getting it right• Leadership examples• Culture examples and player to player mentorship• Player development• Empowering your players• Growth mindset• Knowing your teamSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact

Whether it’s parents, recruiting, or analytics the game is changing, and this week TJ and Sam discuss how it’s affecting coaching at all levels.Show Notes:• More changes more rapid then before • Coaches staying and going • Players skill level • Parents investing in athletic careers• AAU basketball a waste? • Recruiting today • Freedom and transfer dilemma • Emotional investment in coaching • Officials - Who wants that job... • Women’s hoops • AnalyticsSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

Sam is joined by Coach Graham Maxwell to discuss in-game and late-game coaching tactics that we often see in March or tournament time with our teams.Show Notes:Inbounds underneath / BLOBsShot selectionUsing timeoutsLate clock Fouling up 3Stopping their best playerHaving a non-free throw shooter in the gameSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

This week Sam is joined by Josh Merkel, Head Men’s Coach at Randolph-Macon to discuss end of season evaluations, off-season plans, and ways to continue improving your program.Show Notes:• Postseason feelings• Locker room after your last game• Finding 1%ers• How do you talk about championship goals• Value of player IQ• Getting better during the season• Getting player feedback• Off-season goals• Leadership lessons• Evaluating and implementing changes• Josh's off-season plan• Implementing shooting challenges• Sam's practice shooting routines• Evaluating offensive and defensive systems• Finding the curve ball• Taking notes from March Madness• The hedgehog concept• Knowing your strengths and who you are• Focusing on the most important thingsMore about Head Coach Josh Merkel and his program.Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

Having just finished their seasons, TJ and Sam discuss how they process that end of season feeling we all have as coaches.Show Notes:• The feeling of it being over• Approach to the locker room • Expressing gratitude• Modeling for your players• Approaching individual players• Adapting to the new reality• How recruiting has changed• Transitioning to a new routine• Turning the page to growth• Finding shortcuts and mentors• Post season evaluations and exit interviews• How to helpful feedback• Committing to telling the truth• Putting yourself out there• The opportunity to impactSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

This week we’re joined by Coach Charli Turner Thorne winningest coach in Arizona State program history and now assistant coach with the Phoenix Mercury. In this episode she shares both successes and learnings from her long coaching career.Show Notes:• What's changing in the game• Everyday fundamentals• Characteristics of the best teams• Investing in your culture• Role of rest and recovery• Creatively holding your team accountable• How to build toughness• EFT • Helping your players perform• Investing in relationships with players• Fatigue in coaching• Leading yourself well• Being a learner• Book recommendations• What it takes to develop leadersAbout Coach Charli Turner Thorne:• 2024 Arizona Sports Hall of Fame Inductee• WNBA Phoenix Mercury Assistant Coach• The winningest head coach in ASU women’s basketball history and No. 2 all-time in career wins (488) by a Pac-12 coach, Two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year, 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, 3 Pac-12 championships (two regular season titles and the league’s

This week TJ and Sam share 3 tips for your late season and postseason success. To finish on a high note they discuss how to rebound well, keep your team fresh, and strategies for performing under pressure.Show Notes:• Double down on rebounding• The little things win games• Habits and desire• Utilize your best rebounding lineups• Celebrating rebounding• 3 winning stats to know• Fresh February• Why teams get worn down• Player check-ins & getting pulse of your team• It's never too late - keep fighting for what is right• Handling pressure• Focus on the right things• Coaches - understand how you show up• Players - keep it simple• Where you put the extra energy• Calming your team downSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

Whether it's a game plan, season plan, or plan for your program, at some point when it doesn't go well we're all faced with questions, concerns and challenges about if our plan should change. In this week's episode TJ and Sam discuss how coaches adapt and assess while also staying true to who they are.Show Notes:• The skill of being adaptability as coaches• Culture & Leadership are the base• Failure to adapt• When to change strategies and schemes• How to assess the situation• Style of play• What type of coach are you?• Fringe things v. winning habits• When your adjustments won't make a difference• Preparing for the best teams• Winning multiple waysSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

This week, in order to unpack some best practices and strategies to coach development and growth, TJ and Sam reflect on 4 ways coaches can choose the best approach.Show Notes:Intro to topic, different approaches to takeHow to pick the right oneFind your authentic voiceWhen it's time to reinvent yourselfKnowing yourselfIdentifying your gifts & blind spotsCoaching to your North starDeveloping coaching skillsApologizing to your former playersLoving, hostile, firm, and permissiveRecapSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.

This week, Coach Graham Maxwell joins Sam and TJ to discuss how your leadership and team culture affect your Xs and Os, especially your team’s shot selection.Show Notes:• The art of coaching - mastering all facets• Identifying what each team needs• Getting buy-in about shot selection• Playing CIA - Confident, Intelligent, and Aggressive• FG%'s - Educating players and coaches• Hearing the player's perspective• How players earn freedom• Being able to 'show' players• Playing fearless and riding the edge• Transparency with the team• Being able to back it up with the #'s• Teaching shot selection• Do you know your team?• Letting players in on your coaching• Heartset and mindset• Film sessions focused on when they're getting it right• The fundamental of winning and losing• Talented v. less talented teams• Every player should anticipate shooting• Adjusting game to game - season to season• Confident yet responsibleSend us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info

This week, Sam and TJ discuss 4 important tips and strategies for your player development that you’re going to want to incorporate right away.If you're interested in going deeper on this topic, or joining our community of coaches, go to https://coach.pgcbasketball.com/ to learn more about upcoming coaching tracks and membership.Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.Mark your calendars! The first 300 coaches to register for a PGC Basketball camp this summer will receive FREE tuition!  2025 camp dates and locations will be announced Jan 21st and registration opens Monday, Jan 27 at 9am EST. Spots sell out fast!Go to https://PGCbasketball.com/coaches/ to learn more and see why over 12,000 coaches have attended a PGC camp.

This week, is a reminder of the importance of the mindset and approach you bring to every practice and every game throughout the entire season. TJ and Sam discuss how to avoid complacency and maintain enthusiasm for the standards.Send us a Message. If you'd like us to reply, include your contact info.Mark your calendars! The first 300 coaches to register for a PGC Basketball camp this summer will receive FREE tuition!  2025 camp dates and locations will be announced Jan 21st and registration opens Monday, Jan 27 at 9am EST. Spots sell out fast!Go to https://PGCbasketball.com/coaches/ to learn more and see why over 12,000 coaches have attended a PGC camp.