The offseason for high school and college programs is the primary time to grow as a coach. Now is the time to GET BETTER! From the last game of your season until the first practice of your next season, you must be studying the game. “Players are made in the offseason, teams are made in the fall!” (Note: make sure your players have individual off season skill development programs) This is also true of coaches. YOU must get better in the offseason!

How:

1. Attend Coaching Clinics
   • PGC Glazier clinics are great!
   • Nike Basketball Coaching Clinics  
   • Coaching_U Live is the best clinic I’ve ever attended!
   • A Step UP Symposium combines X and O’s with leadership, inspiration and networking.
2. Attend WNBA Training Camps – Watch a week of drills and practice. Talk to the pro coaches.  Ask if you can sit in on their pre-practice meetings. Take Notes!
3. Review – Review your system from last season. Meet with your assistants and decide what to keep and what to change. Review drills, practices and watch game film from last season. Pick 2-3 areas you really want to get better at and research those areas. (ex: defending 2 man; horns actions, defending OB’s)
4. Collaborate – Get together with coaching peers you value. Brainstorm ideas and philosophies
5. Connect -Reach out to a coach you respect. Ask for help in an area you are weak in.
6. Watch NBA – Watch the NBA playoffs. Study systems you like
7. Watch WNBA – Watch WNBA games. Study systems you like
8. Search – Look for coaching articles.
   • Team.FastModelSports.com is a great place to start!
   • Coachingtoolbox.net is one of my favorites.  
   • Bob Starkey has a great website
   • Watch videos on the internet that grow your knowledge of the game. Many are FREE! (Loads of coaching videos on YouTube)
9. Read – Read books on coaching, motivation, leadership, improve you emotional intelligence.
10. Think – Spend quality time alone thinking about your players. How can you be a better coach/teacher for them? How can you better motivate them? How can you better maximize their potential?
11. Write – Write down your thoughts and philosophies on your system. Develop a master notebook on all areas of the game.  Grow your notebook every season.
12. Evaluate – Evaluate your statistics from the past season;  Develop statistical goals for next season

Remember:  “When you are through learning… YOU are through! “

Aug. 23, 2014 – Washington, DC, USA – 20140823 – Indiana Fever head coach Lin Dunn, left, speaks to her players during the first half of Game 2 of the WNBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Washington Mystics at the Verizon Center in Washington. (Credit Image: � Chuck Myers/ZUMA Wire)