David Saur: New BLOG Contributor

I am pleased to announce that there will be a new BLOG contributor.  Coach David Saur has a great mind for the game and has a wealth of knowledge to share with all of us.  Thanks Coach Saur for your future contributions.  

Bio - David Saur just completed his first year as an assistant coach for the IUP women's basketball program (Pa). Saur helped lead the Crimson Hawks to a 23-9 record and a berth into the 2013 NCAA D2 National Tournament. The Crimson Hawks also reach as high as #12 in the national rankings. Saur served as both the recruiting and skill development coordinator this past season.

Coach Saur came to the Crimson Hawks from Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West rival California (Pa.), where he was an assistant/recruiting and skill development coordinator with the women’s basketball program last season.

While at Cal, Saur secured commitments from highly rated players in Maryland and Pennsylvania while also acquiring a pledge from a Division I transfer. Under Saur’s tutelage the Vulcans saw two players earn first team All-PSAC West honors for their outstanding performance during the 2011-2012 season.

Prior to his time in the PSAC, Saur served on the coaching staffs of both the men’s and women’s basketball programs at Thiel, a NCAA Division III program in Greenville, Pa. While with the Tomcats, he was involved in all aspects of both programs, including on-court coaching, game preparation, preseason workouts, scouting, recruiting and daily operations. During Saur's time with the Tomcats, the men's program had their best season in school history in 2010-2011. The season saw the Tomcats set the school record for wins and earned the conference’s player and coach of the year awards.

Saur a native of Baltimore, MD has also earned a reputation as being a high level player development coach. Coach Saur has worked with numerous high level players and coaches including a four-year stint with current Washington Wizards assistant coach Joe Connelly. He’s worked with several current and former NBA players, including Rudy Gay (Toronto Raptors), Donte Greene (Memphis Grizzles), Sam Young (Indiana Pacers), and DaJuan Summers (Los Angeles Clippers).

Saur graduated from Laurinburg Prep in Laurinburg, N.C., in 2007. While at Laurinburg, he averaged nearly 15 points per game and helped lead the Tigers to a top-15 finish in the USA Today prep school rankings.

Saur earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Thiel in 2011 and his master’s in sport management from Cal in 2012.

2008 Tasman Coaches Clinic

Today's clinic notes were taken at the 2008 Tasman Coaches Clinic.  The featured presenter was Damian Cotter, Head Coach - New South Wales Institute of Sport Basketball Program.  One of the things that really stood out to me was his breakdown of skill development.


3 Phases of skill development
1. Learn the skill
2. Learn to apply the skill
3. Apply the skill

• The most neglected phase in developing skill is phase 2
• Coaches fear this stage – lack of control?
• Players need to learn by doing
• Players must be held accountable during this phase

Hope you enjoy these coaching clinic notes.

2008 Tasman Coaches Clinic

Make Today Matter…What Matters Most

The average person spends
-100 hours a year commuting to work compared to 80 hours of vacation time.
- 91 hours a week at work for dual – career couples with kids.
- 1.8 hours a day doing household activities.
- 2.6 hours a day watching television.
- 8.6 hours a day sleeping.

Time is a non-renewable resource. Once it’s used up, you can’t get it back.

TAKE ACTION TODAY
1. Stop and think…then make a list of what matters most to you.
2. Create a list of how you currently spend your time each week.
3. Organize your list of weekly activities and identify activities that are required and those that are optional and waste time.
4. Take steps to rearrange your schedule or reduce optional activities so that you can spend time doing what matters most.
5. Don’t waste time.

--- An excerpt from EveryMonday Matters ByMathew Emerzian & Kelley Bozza

Nothing Is Stronger Than Gentleness

We had a team of mules named Jack and Kate on our farm. Kate would often get stubborn and lie down on me when I was plowing. I couldn’t get her up no matter how roughly I treated her. Dad would see my predicament and walk across the field until he was close enough to say “Kate.” Then she’d get up and start working again. He never touched her in anger.


It took me a long time to understand that even a stubborn mule responds to gentleness.

I remember a young man whipping a short-tempered team of horses, trying to get them to come out of a gravel pit. They were pulling against each other, jumping back and forth, fretting and stomping. By talking to each of them and patting them, he quieted them down. Then he went behind them and took the reins, let go, and they immediately pulled out together. His gentleness made all the difference.   --- By John Wooden

Coaching Quote #45: Work or Play

Granted, this is not specifically a coaching quote, but it is something that I found could easily apply to what we do.



"You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what you're doing is work or play."

--- Warren Beatty

1-4 High Continuity Offense Playbook

For those of you who like offenses out of a 4 across set, I would take a look at this 1-4 high continuity offense.  The offense is based off of different entries thus give the defenses different looks and actions based on the type of entry.

1-4 High Continuity Offense

Continuing with the Mike Dunlap theme, here is a short video segment from Mike Dunlap's 1-1-3 video.  Each time I watch his video's, his attention to detail continues to amaze me. 

If you are interested in learning more about this type of defense, I would strongly recommend purchasing a copy.  Personally, I thought the Encyclopedia to the 1-1-3 is better of the 2.

Mike Dunlap: 1-1-3 Man Zone Defense

Mike Dunlap: Encyclopedia of the 1-1-3 Match-Up Zone Defense

Coaching Quote #21: Will

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."

--- Vince Lombardi

Ball Line Defense

Here are some diagrams of the Ball Line Defense used by Tubby Smith.  Mutch like the PACK defense, this defense strives on getting defensive players into help positions in relation to the placement of the ball.  It is ideal for teams who want to plug up driving lanes while also being in great rebounding position. 

Ball Line Defense

Coaching Quote #16: You're To Good

"If something works for another school, use it.  Don't act like you are too good to use other ideas."

--- Hubie Brown

Double Pump Clinic Notes

Here is a great set of Double Pump notes.  You will find lots of good coaching ideas in here to help you learn the game. 

Double Pump Clinic Notes

My Favorite Drills #5: Circle Trapping

I got this drill from Larry Shyatt, head coach of Wyoming, when he talked about his defensive philosophy at the Sanford Power Clinic a few years back.  He did a great job of presenting and justifying his defensive philosophy.  One of the drills that he showed was called Circle Trapping.  Being I am an aggressive defensive minded coach, this is a drill that I really like to teach proper trap techniques, as well as how to properly throw out of traps.

Circle Trapping

Coaching Quote #16: Great Shooters

"Good shooters take the shots, the best shooters take the most of the shots."

--- Billy Gillespie

Lon Kruger: UNLV Playbook

Here is a great resource of some offensive plays that Lon Kruger ran when he was at UNLV.  Coach Kruger is currently coaching at Oklahoma and just recorded his 500th win against Northwestern State.

Lon Kruger UNLV Playbook

Don Meyer: A Playbook for Winning Basketball

These notes I took while watching a Don Meyer video called A Playbook for Winning Basketball.  As always, Coach Meyer provides a wealth of basketball information in a simplistic form that any coach can apply to his/her system.

Don Meyer: A Playbook for Winning Basketball

Kevin Reilly: Getting the Most Out of Bench Players

Here are some great ideas from Kevin Reilly to get your bench players inolved in the game.

1. Establish roles for your players (i.e. defense, passing, three point shooting.
2. Try to get substitutes in end of first quarter and during second quarter
3. Reward players for their efforts in practice with more playing time.
4. Getting players in the game early gives them confidence if they are needed later.
5. Getting players in early gives you one less thing to think about down the stretch of a close game.
6. Matchup your substitutions with your opponent's substitutions.
7. Establish positive relationships between first stringers and reserves.
8. Work with second team in practice.
9. Get kids ready to play.
10. Use different combinations and different starting lineups.
11. Take kids out of a game on a good note, if possible
12. Don't yank kids out of a game after a bad pass, missed layup, etc., if possible.
13. Make all kids feel involved in the game and practice.
14. Give kids opportunities to see for themselves why they are not getting more time or playing with the first unit.
15. Talk and explain substitution process when possible.

Coaching Quote #7: Passing

"Passes go over or under the defense; never through the defense. Create long passes."

--- Frank Martin

Kevin Eastman Coaching Notes

Here is a great set of notes from one of the greatest assistant coaches in the NBA, Kevin Eastman.  Coach Eastman does a lot to grow the game of basketball.  Check out his website, Kevin Eastman Basketball, where he has tons of coaching resources. 


Kevin Eastman Notes