Coaches: Win more games by teaching your players the fundamental skills, intangibles and finer points of the game that other coaches don't know. Help your players eliminate costly turnovers by learning to read the defense, score more points by fine tuning your fast break and improve your offensive attack skills. Players: Take your game to another level by learning the skills and details of the game the elite players know. Learn how character issues can impact a player either positively or negatively. Gain insight into the minds of coaches and learn to think like a coach on the court. Fans: Have a deeper appreciation of the game beyond just recognizing the type of defense or offense being used. Impress your fellow basketball fans with your knowledge of the finer points of the sport and become a true connoisseur of the game of basketball. "There has never been a book before for coaches, players and fans like The Game of Basketball. For the coach, this book is about moving a player's game to a higher level. For the player, the information in this book can make the difference between being an average player and a good player or even a great player. For the fan who wants to appreciate the sport and the nuances of the game, this book provides many of tiny details the average fan is never aware of." Rusty Rogers - 2 Time NAIA Div. II National Championship Coach and 2 Time National NAIA Coach of the Year "Once again Kevin Sivils has produced a book that ought to be in every coach's library. Too often, we fall into the trap of thinking that Xs and Os are the holy grail, but Coach Sivils reminds us of the truth articulated by John Wooden over 50 years ago, "It's not what you do, it's how well you do it." I've never seen a better compilation of the little things that can turn a basketball player into a "Player." Coach Doug Porter - Head Coach Olivet Nazarene University Women's Basketball - 8 Time Coach of the Year

Sound offensive basketball, regardless of the style or type of offense, involves several key principles that include spacing, moving the ball, moving people, offensive rebounding and cutting and screening. This short book covers the basics of sound cutting and screening. Cutting and screening are the hardest of all offensive basic building blocks to defend. The principles described in this book apply to any offense. There is always more for a coach to learn and the principles included in this book will help any coach improve the offense he or she already runs. The principles and concepts in this short book are illustrated with both diagrams and photographs. Also included are simple drills to improve the basic skills and fundamentals needed to improve the skills required to effectively execute cuts and screens.

There is something about teams who play intense, effective and hard nosed man-to-man defense that sets those teams a notch above other good teams. These great defensive teams exude a confidence that other teams often find intimidating. What sets these great defensive teams apart from average man-to-man defensive teams is usually not the overall defensive system. It is a combination of small details, intensity and an emphasis on the team concept. Fine Tuning Your Man-to-Man Defense contains 101 concepts capable of improving any man-to-man defense plus 60 drills designed to teach defensive skills and concepts. The concepts and drills, as well as additional bonus content, are illustrated with over 150 diagrams.

Say the word coaching and most people think about the so-called Xs and Os and think that is what coaching is all about. Other individuals will add teaching fundamental skills to the list. Not many individuals will look beyond that short list of skills and knowledge needed by coaches to be successful. Planning to Win: The Unseen Side of Coaching and Building a Successful Sports Program looks at the core of what it takes to build a winning sports program, a program that fields successful teams every sports season. Just a few of the topics covered in Planning to Win include: --Do you have a plan to win? --Essential keys to building a winning program --Building a culture of success --Developing player confidence --Relational coaching --Scheduling for success --Proactive relations with player parents --Developing an overriding purpose for the program These topics and more are covered in this Planning to Win, the second book in the Teach to Win Series: Skill Building for Coaches. The author has won nearly 500 varsity wins as a basketball coach and in the process has started a varsity program from scratch, rebuilt others and coached both boys and girls. The principles and concepts described in Planning to Win were essential to his success in building programs that could withstand the passage of time and yet continue to be successful every season.

Coaching Youth Basketball is challenging in many ways for the adults who undertake the task. While many club and youth league coaches have a good understanding of how to play the game of basketball, these same coaches often struggle to find ways to teach the skills, tactics and strategies need to have success in the sport of basketball. 201 Drills for Youth Basketball provides the solution to this challenge. Included in this 400+ page manual are drills for: --Man-to-Man Defense --Competitive Rebounding --Lay-ups --Free Throws --Shooting Drills --Fast Break Drills --Drills for Essential Fundamentals Illustrated with extensive diagrams, each drill is described in as concise a manner as possible. Use the drills as described in the book, adapt the drills to your own specific team and the requirements of the players or use the drills as a basis to design your own drills. Eight time Coach of the Year award winner Kevin Sivils has shared many of his favorite drills that helped his varsity teams win nearly 500 games in 22 seasons. Also included in the book are brief suggestions for planning practice, selecting drills and guidelines for planning to develop shooters.

Coaches always want to improve their teams. Usually they go about this by searching for the perfect offense or defense. Few coaches stop to realize one of the best ways to improve their team is to improve their players. Fine Tuning Your Team's Position Play provides position specific concepts to improve player's skills. Included are concepts for point guards, perimeter players (shooting guards and small forwards) and post players (power forwards and centers). Illustrated with 120+ photographs and 120+ diagrams in an 8.5 x 11 inch sized format, Fine Tuning Your Team's Post Play also includes drills to teach the concepts described. The author, a long time coach, includes ideas on the importance of using mastery of fundamentals to build confidence, ideas for planning practice sessions and additional bonus material. Fine Tuning Your Team's Position Play is an excellent reference manual for veteran or young coaches as well as players who want to learn some of the finer points of the game. Some examples of concepts included are: --Two different tactics to inbounds the ball to point guards when pressed. --How to best enter the ball into the post - coordinating the perimeter and post players. --Passing from the low post. --Setting and using screens. --Techniques that will reduce turnovers. Also included in Fine Tuning Your Team's Position Play are 34 Drills and Drill Progressions designed to improve player's skills. Some of the drills described include: --Basic Movement Drills --The Shooting Progression --Feed the Post Skill Progression --Daily One Minute Drills --Drills designed to master lay-ups in game-like conditions. Fine Tuning Your Team's Position Play is part of a five book series, each of which is full of concepts and ideas about how to improve a specific part of your basketball team's game. Other titles in this series include: Fine Tuning Your Fast Break, Fine Tuning Your Zone Attack Offense, Fine Tuning Your Man-to-Man Defense and Fine Tuning Your Three-Point Attack.

Basketball coaches around the world are constantly looking for ways to improve their team's rebounding on both the offensive and defensive end of the court. The Rebounding Workshop contains both drills and concepts designed to help improve your team's rebounding. Included are 40 drills that cover a wide range of techniques to be repeated until perfected and honed into habits. Areas covered include: -individual technique -the best way to secure a rebound -offensive rebounding -defensive rebounding -outlet passing to initiate the fast break -rebounding agility drills -competitive drills Also included are a wide range of concepts for coaches to consider when designing their team approach to rebounding. Traditional and out-of-the-box rebounding concepts are presented for coaches to consider. Regardless of the strategy and tactics adopted, the drills in The Rebounding Workshop can be modified and adapted to the needs of any team regardless of age, skill level or experience.

Shooting the ball successfully is the most important skill in the sport of basketball. The latest in the Coaching Basketball Series, 101 Shooting Drills for the Game of Basketball provides coaches who are searching for drills to improve their players shooting ability will find this book invaluable. Illustrated with both diagrams and photographs, 101 Shooting Drills for the Game of Basketball contains drills to cover nearly every instructional situation a coach will face. Some of the chapters included are: - Warming up the Shot - Lay-ups - Free Throws - Developmental Shooting Drills - Competitive Shooting Drills - Fast Break Drills - Shooting Drills for Fun - Post Play Shooting Drills Each drill is described in detail, provides information on organization, estimated time to be allotted, and the concepts the drill teaches. There is something for every basketball coach in 101 Shooting Drills for Basketball, veteran and rookie coach alike.

Every basketball team needs to capitalize on fast break opportunities, even teams that play at a slow and deliberate pace. As simple as a well executed fast break may appear, for teams and players to consistently execute the fast break and score on each "fast break chance" there are many items that need to be executed correctly. Coaching Basketball's Fast Break Attack includes concepts that will improve every team's primary fast break conversion rate, generate a consistent up tempo offense and create easy scoring opportunities by building sound transition offense habits. For coaches who are looking to improve their ability to teach the running game to their team Coaching Basketball's Fast Break Attack includes over 50 drills covering skills such as: - primary fast breaks - utilizing the 3 pt. shot on the fast break - converting from defense to the fast break - improving ball handling skills in offensive transition - reading and attacking the defense Other benefits of Coaching Basketball's Fast Break Attack include concepts and strategies designed to build a consistent all out running game that is controllable for the coach. Players love the up tempo style of play. Basketball is meant to be played fast None other than the Wizard of Westwood himself, John Wooden, was an advocate of the fast break approach to basketball. Regardless of the style of play, there is something for every coach and every team in this book.

Based on a clinic lecture given at the 2nd Annual TPSCA Convention by the author, the contents of this book outlines basic information needed to create a brand, how promotion works, and many ideas on how to promote both TEAMs and athletic events.

Breathe new life into your off season workouts by making them fun for your players. Bring back the joy you and your players felt when first discovering how much FUN the great game of basketball is to play Run a 3-on-3 off season league for your players. Combine fun with needed playing time and individual skill development in a competitive 3-on-3 off season league. Author and veteran coach Kevin Sivils outlines a detailed plan on how to make a 3-on-3 league fun, exciting, different and something your players will look forward to in the off season. Topics covered include: The need for change, getting players to take ownership of the league, how to score games, a unique way to keep standings, providing players with focus so they will improve their individual skills, officiating, and much more. Don't let your off season be drudgery for your players when it could be fun and something they look forward to

When the 3-point shot was introduced to the game of basketball it was a bit controversial. Today, the 3-point shot has not only become an accepted part of the game, it has changed the game. The 3-point shot has forced defenses to extend in order to cover the shot, creating better offensive spacing. The penetration game has improved as a result, creating even more offensive opportunities. Players love the more open game and so do the fans. Yet not every coach or every team has embraced the 3-point shot. Some coaches still struggle with how to integrate the shot into the team offense. It is no longer enough to simply space the offense behind the 3-point line as the defense has become more sophisticated in defending the shot and great 3-point shooters. Fine Tuning Your Three-Point Attack offers 150 concepts to improve your team's 3-point offense, drills to teach offensive building blocks essential to a balanced and effective 3-point offensive attack. Nearly 200 diagrams and photographs are used to illustrate the concepts included in the book. Also included are inbounds plays for the baseline and sideline, quick-hitters and secondary breaks for the fast break attack. Attack a zone defense is covered as well as concepts for basic offensive building blocks that can be incorporated into any offense to generate 3-point shots. In addition to the offensive concepts included, Coach Sivils takes a look at the reasoning behind utilizing the 3-point shot, possible issues with the 3-point shot as well as the opportunities the tactics can create for a team. What are coaches saying about Fine Tuning Your Three-Point Attack: "Kevin Sivils's books should be required reading for coaches I'm always impressed by the shear number of solid, time-tested and thought-provoking ideas he presents, giving the reader a "one-stop shopping" resource. In Fine Tuning Your Three-point Attack he has great suggestions not only for coaching the shooter, but the concepts and drills you need to be aware of generate open looks from the arc. His section on quick-hitters, sideline and underneath OB plays alone are worth the price of the book, and will help you make the three-point shot an integral part of your offense " Coach Doug Porter - Head Women's Basketball Coach Olivet Nazarene University - National Collegiate Scoring Champions "His thought provoking approach makes for an easy read and will definitely stimulate thought and, most likely, change the way you go about coaching offense." Rusty Rogers - Two-time NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship Coach and Two-time NAIA National Coach of the Year "Coach Sivils does an outstanding job of breaking down the individual components, skills, and base blocks of being an efficient and effective 3-point shooter, then putting the pieces back together to highlight the impact of the 3-point shot and how it continues to shape the game today." Daniel Koutsis - Assistant Men's Basketball Coach Calumet College "Coach Sivils clearly brings his experience in the game of basketball to his writing. He is a great teacher who acquire great gifts over the years and it's great he wants to share those gifts with other coaches." Bill Reidy - Long time successful High School and AAU Basketball Coach "Prolific basketball author Kevin Sivils provides another soup to nuts scoring guide. While at its core, offensive basketball is a game of cutting and passing, Coach Sivils helps players and coaches achieve their full potential SHOOTING the basketball. The three-point rule revolutionized basketball over thirty years ago, and "Fine Tuning" presents an advanced treatise on the benefits, limitations, and mechanics of enhancing your perimeter game." Ron Sen, MD, - Middle School Basketball Coach

Why the 1-4 High? Why run all of your set plays, quick hitters or entry plays from a 1-4 high set? Good question. Here are the reasons this alignment is great for all set plays: Less is more. This one set keeps things simple for your players. It creates excellent spacing. Offense is all about good spacing. This alignment creates good scoring opportunities for every position. It is easy to create plays for any type of shot necessary from this alignment. The plays can be run to either side of the court simply by running the mirror image of the play. It is very easy to get into from a numbered fast break system. It denies the defense from establishing its defensive priorities, making this alignment difficult to defend from the onset. What are defensive priorities? Regardless of the type of defense run, most traditional defensive systems want to establish the following priorities: Be able to apply tremendous pressure on the ball and provide help to the on-the-ball defender. Be able to provide help in any situation. Protect the rim and low post areas. Force the ball out of the middle to one side to establish a ball side and help side, allowing the defense to outnumber the offense 5-3 by virtue of the two help defenders. Defend two offensive players with one defender if possible (usually a zone defense). Establish good inside positioning for defensive rebound coverage. Clog the lane area with help defenders to prevent lane penetration via pass, cut or dribble; low post entry passes;backdoor cuts for lay-ups. Some of the ways the 1-4 high alignment prevents the defense from establishing its priorities include preventing the defense from being able to establish a help side defense, forcing the defense away from the lane area and rim, opening the area up for penetration of one form or another, and requiring the defense to guard each offensive player, including the ball, with only one defender, and operating the offense from the middle of the court to initiate the attack. In addition to the advantages the 1-4 high set denies the defense, it is versatile due to the fact all of the plays can be run as mirror images. Any play depicted being run to the right hand side of the court can be run in its mirror image on the left hand side of the court. This short book contains 30 plays to attack man-to-man defenses, zone defenses, to obtain 3-point shots, low post shots, and on-the-ball screens to create penetration opportunities. These simple plays are an excellent way to score after a time out, a dead ball or as an entry to motion or other offenses

Success in team sports depends on many factors with preparation being at the top of the list of elements that can be controlled by the coach. In order to insure a team in any sport is prepared as well as possible, effective practice sessions are essential. For many coaches designing effective well-planned practices is one of the most difficult tasks involved in teaching sports. Putting it all together to craft a single effective practice can seem daunting to any coach. Coaching legend John Wooden spent nearly two hours planning his daily practice sessions during his tenure as the Wizard of Westwood at UCLA. Considering the skill Coach Wooden possessed in conducting practices, this single example shows the importance of being able to plan effective practices. Wooden was not alone in his attention to detail in planning practices. The Showtime Lakers coach Pat Riley was known to spend 3-5 hours in preparing for a ten minute meeting with his team. Football coaches are legendary for the time spent in preparing for practices. This seemingly mysterious process is not that hard. It simply takes time and some knowledge of what must happen in order for practice sessions to be effective, both for a single practice session and over the course of an entire season. Planning practices is both an art and a science. Based on both research by experts in the fields of sport psychology, motor control and motor learning and the nearly 30 years of the author's experience as a varsity coach, Designing Effective Practices for Team Sports examines a wide range of factors essential to designing effective practices. Planning effective practices is requires more than just effective teaching of team sports skills. There is so much more that goes into a great sports practice than just teaching sports skills. Just a few of the factors to be planned for on both an individual practice session and the entire sports season include some of the following: Crafting an overriding purpose for the program and team Creating a culture of success Goal setting Effective teaching strategies and tactics Maximizing the use of time, facilities, staff and space available Preventing burnout Drill selection Theories of learning motor skills The author takes a look at all of these issues and more in the more than 20 chapters in the book. Mixing research with practical experience, the author addresses issues rookie and veteran coaches, regardless of the sport face in practice. These include: Setting the tone of practice Dealing with difficult to motivate athletes Avoiding common practice planning mistakes Building intensity in practice The role of confidence in sports Designing Effective Practices for Team Sports was written for coaches who would rather develop their coaching skills and design their own effective sports practices than purchase a book with sample practice sessions for their sport. Designing great practices is on of the most important elements in sports coaching. Not only do effective and efficient practice sessions play an important role in preparing teams to win, these types of practices are much more fun for everyone involved

Regardless of the sport, when it comes to team sports, there is nothing more important than building a united team. If the team concept is the most important principle when it comes to success in team sports, why is it the most difficult principle to teach players? Coach Kevin Sivils has spent nearly 30 years focusing on the challenge of developing the team concept in athletics. With the team concept always a priority, his teams are noted for their team attitude, playing hard and being fundamentally sound. An 8 time Coach of the Year and winner of awards for excellence in teaching including Teacher of the Year, Coach Sivils shares 101 ideas on how to instill the team concept, promote the idea of the team concept and build a fun environment for fans and players alike while building a successful program.

Teams play like they practice. Even in ideal circumstances time for practice is limited. Coaches need to make the most of available practice time. Better Basketball Practices contains valuable information in the areas of: * Overriding Purpose * Planning for optimum learning during practice * Planning to plan practice * Setting the tone for practice * Creating organized, efficient and productive practices * Building intensity in practice * Planning for special situations * Planning for late season practice * Ideas about quality practices * Common coaching mistakes in planning practice Includes 34 simple drills designed to teach essential fundamentals of the game. Complete with 74 diagrams and descriptions of each drill and possible variations. Learn from a veteran head coach with over 460 career varsity wins and 8 Coach of the Year awards. Build a better team and a better basketball program by planning, organizing and conducting better basketball practices.

The industry of self-publishing has seen enormous change in the past decade. The internet and online retailing via Amazon and Barnes & Noble has given self-published authors access to readers they were previously denied under the old model of publishing. Print-on-demand via companies such as CreateSpace and Lightning Source not only makes self-publishing as a business venture financially possible, it also provides authors with access to distribution to book retailers. CreateSpace and Lightning Source are the two biggest names in the print-on-demand industry and choosing which of the two companies to use can be a difficult decision, especially for a first time author. Selecting a Print-on-Demand Company: Comparing CreateSpace and Lightning Source for POD Self-Publishing is meant to clarify the advantages and disadvantages of using either company in a clear and easy to understand manner. By gathering all of the information in one place and organizing it, this book is a valuable tool in the decision making process of selecting a POD service to self-publish and distribute a book.

Fine Tuning Your Zone Attack Offense contains 50 zone offensive concepts and an additional 50 drills to teach basic key fundamentals and zone concepts, illustrated in 180+ diagrams. If your zone offense needs some refining or you are interested in creating your own offense, the concepts in this book are the place to start. In addition to zone offense concepts, the author takes a look at common zone defenses and their strengths and weakness. Also included are ideas about the importance of team play, teaching zone offense and additional material. Over 25 years of coaching experience is behind the ideas in Fine Tuning Your Zone Attack Offense. The ideas in this book have all been used in actual games by Coach Sivils en route to winning over 460 career varsity wins.

Whether you run the famed Loyola Marymount fast break made famous by Paul Westhead, the Grinnell "system," the "Tiger Ball" break of Olivet Nazarene or just leave your fast break to chance, the concepts in Fine Tuning Your Fast Break: 75 Concepts To Improve Your Team's Fast Break Offense will improve your team's running game The book is organized so each concept can be found easily. The concepts are grouped by areas of specificity such as concepts specifically for point guards, the entire team, etc. Detailed diagrams are included for concepts that benefit from a visual depiction to help clarify the concept. Just some of the topics covered include concepts on how to train your point guard to be more efficient, resulting in reduced turnovers, ways to convert turnovers into points, making certain every fast break opportunity is as efficient as possible and 7 Bonus Concepts on how to slow down the opponent's fast break attack. Coach Kevin Sivils shares his years of experience coaching the fast break and developing up tempo offensive attacks utilizing the concepts and principles described in this book. Winner of 8 Coach of the Year awards, as well as awards for excellence in teaching and Teacher of the Year, Coach Sivils has nearly 30 years of experience as a highly successful varsity basketball coach, college assistant and varsity assistant coach.

The mental side of sports is often overlooked. Goals are powerful motivating tools, providing athletes and teams with direction, focus, a reason to commit and a means to evaluate their performance. Goals allow athletes and teams to deal with adversity, adapt and persevere, to continue to be motivated even when events do not turn out as planned. Goal setting, when done properly helps athletes and teams tap their potential to its fullest. Properly established and utilized goals not only motivate, but provide athletes and teams with a constant source of direction and feedback, allowing for constant, steady improvement and the best opportunity for achieving at a high level. Goal Setting for Sport: A Concise Guide for Coaches and Athletes provides the essential basics of developing a plan of well defined goals, enabling an athlete or team to achieve at the highest possible level. Coach Kevin Sivils shares his years of experience with the goal setting process. In this book he shares with athletes and coaches what goals really are, common mistakes to avoid, ten steps to creating a sound plan of goals and the role of both athletes and coaches in the goal setting process.