Here at Dr. Dish Basketball, we're passionate about helping basketball teams maximize their off-season training to develop every aspect of their game. And, with all there is to do in the off-season, here are 8 things coaches should be focusing on to feel prepared going into summer.
The off-season for basketball coaches looks a lot different than basketball players, and their parents. With limited on-court time they must come up with unique ways to communicate and offer opportunities to players.
1. Communication Methods:
Communicate with your players how they prefer to be communicated with - probably on their phone! A few ways to engage parents or players during the off-season are through a Facebook group, group text, WhatsApp group, mass email and/or optional regular get-togethers. It's essential to establish consistent communication with your team to build a cohesive environment.
2. Training Equipment:
If you haven't already, now is the perfect time to dust off and evaluate all of your training equipment, like your team's basketball shooting machine. And if you do notice something's not working properly, you'll have time to request the necessary budget and order the equipment your team deserves.
Worried about what to do with your old shooting machine if you do happen to need a new one? Dr. Dish offers significant discounts when you trade-in your shooting machine, even if you have The Gun® by Shoot-a-Way. Not only do we offer a discount, we will take your old Gun when your new machine arrives as a convenience to you. Learn more about our Trade-In program here.
3. Skill Development:
Before players begin their off-season training be sure to communicate areas of growth as they set their goals. Did you know you can assign workouts to players who have access to a Dr. Dish machine? The Dr. Dish Training Management System (TMS)® makes this especially easy and customizable. You can assign complete, personalized workouts to each player and they can easily check on their progress by using the Dr. Dish Player App.
4. Strength & Conditioning:
Players will be working on their strength and endurance throughout the off-season. Help them establish a method to track progress. Whether it's through a spreadsheet, notebook, or some other tracking method, it holds players accountable. If there can be transparency amongst players with this resource that's even better because seeing their teammates' progress may be more motivating.
5. Team Building:
Teams with great chemistry leave it all out there on the court when it matters the most. The off-season provides a chance to build strong bonds between teammates in a more casual setting. Offering open gyms, sending camp info out, and league play opportunities will allow teammates to connect outside of practice. Need some new team building and activity ideas? Download 50+ activities from Dr. Dish's FREE All-In Coaching Guide below.
6. Academics:
There's no better time to get ahead or caught up on academics than the off-season. Players can study/prep for ACT/SAT, work with tutors in struggle areas, and attend summer courses to stay on track. Emphasize the importance of academics with your team and share resources to tutoring, counselors and more.
7. Staff Development:
A basketball coaching staff that is aligned in goals and philosophy helps build a successful program. Work with your staff this offseason to define areas of growth, attend coach development clinics, and establish goals for the upcoming season.
8. Coaching Materials:
Last but not least, the off-season is a great time to reorganize and refresh your coaching materials. And good new! Dr. Dish has over 100 pages of FREE plays, shooting drills, practice resources, and more all designed to help you be more prepared than ever going into the summer practices and beyond. Click below to browse and download all of our featured coaching resources.
Whether you're new to basketball coaching or have been doing it for a lifetime there is always room for improvement. In order to set expectations for player development, it's important to have those standards for yourself and program staff as well. Let our 8 focuses help guide your off-season plans for players, and staff this year! And if you're looking for more ways to level-up your training check out our basketball shooting machine models and see which is the right fit for you!
The Gun® is a registered trademark of Shoot-A-Way, Inc. There is no sponsorship, endorsement, or affiliation between Airborne Athletics and Shoot-A-Way, Inc.