1. HAVE A PLAN
- Goals/Vision
- Masterplan
- Offensive and Defensive System
- Philosophy
- Identity
- Develop drills to grow your system
- Instill your CORE VALUES
”Here is WHAT we are going to do..and here’s HOW we will do it!”
2. TALENT
- Find it!
- Recruit it!
- Sign it!
- DEVELOP it! This is the lifeblood of your program
- Bring in players who fit your system and your CORE VALUES
- Connect with your captain or star player. You must be on the same page, must build trust
“Great Talent…makes great coaches!”
3. STAFF
- Hire great people to help you and challenge you
- Know your weaknesses—hire people who fill those voids and that compliment you in areas of technical knowledge, experience and communication styles
- Delegate practice and bench responsibilities
- Give ownership to your assistants
- Never underestimate the importance of loyal/hardworking support staff!
- All staff understand their role and embrace your CORE VALUES
“Surround yourself with GREAT people and make them better!”
4. PRACTICE AND PREPARE
- Wise use of practice time creates opportunity for success
- Use practices to implement your system;
- Practice must be planned, organized, detailed and timed
- Practice must be game like, intense and competitive. Instill a sense of urgency, every possession matters!
- See your CORE VALUES in your team practices
- Develop fundamentals and team skills
- Whole-part-whole
“Failing to prepare..is preparing to fail!”
5. TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
- Know the game. Keep learning. Improve your knowledge of the X and O’s. Seek clinics, books and videos that will help you grow.
- Watch – study tv college-men/women, NBA/WNBA games
- Ability to teach the game in practice
- Coach the game from the bench. Make adjustments, adapt, be decisive.
- Make decisions under pressure in highly competitive atmosphere; anticipate, multitask
- Find a mentor-coach (email me!)
- Ask for help and support
“When you are through learning, you are through!”
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Sept. 28, 2012 – Indianapolis, Indiana, United States – September 28 2012: Indiana Fever head coach Lin Dunn during a game between the Atlanta Dream and the Indiana Fever at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.(Credit Image: � Pat Lovell/Cal Sport Media/ZUMAPRESS.com) 
Lin Dunn
Current consultant for the WNBA's Indiana Fever and a "Coach for Coaches" (college and pro head coaches) I can be reached at c4coaches@gmail.com

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