DMV Coaching Clinic Delivers as Designed

Ron Bailey, Publisher

Second Annual DMV Clinic provides hands on instruction

September 20, 2009 – Yesterday’s 2nd Annual DMV Coaching Clinic, achieved its goal, one expressed by the event’s organizer, Keith Stevens as “to have quality college coaches come into the community and teach the game”. Held again at DeMatha Catholic High School, Stevens, also the Director of Team Takeover (AAU) opined after the gym had cleared “I thought it was a step up from last year”. (For a review of that event, click here)

The results were affirmative on both counts; Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh), Tony Bennett (UVA), Jay Wright (Villanova), Bobby Huggins (WVU) and Vance Walberg (UMass) all participated, sharing some of their knowledge and experience with attendees, and should be lauded for it. Following is a brief synopsis of their presentations, which were aided by pre-high school players.

Jaime Dixon got hands-on in demonstrating.

Jamie Dixon: Give Me Space

Via drills and demonstration, Dixon stressed the necessity of spacing offensively, as well as continuity.

“Spacing, it’s simple” said Dixon of what he wanted to impart to the greater than 60 coaches – guys ranging from youth team leaders to those who direct college programs. “But you have to be consistent every time”.

Dixon on DeMatha and its area: “I think it’s great. You are talking about a legendary school (DeMatha)…This place, DC-Baltimore is just putting players out at an unbelievable rate”.

Tony Bennett (right) was aided by one of his assistant coaches, Jason Wiliford.

Tony Bennett: Off the Floor is Core

Bennett, in his first year at Virginia noted the focus of many coaches is to secure drills and strategy when attending coaching clinics. His teaching approach included that, but concentrated on much more. “I talked a little bit about intangibles” he said.

What specifically? “Our program has five pillars your players have to buy into it” Bennett shared. They are “Unity, Passion, Humility, Servanthood, and Thankfulness”.

Team Takeover's Co-Director, Kenny Johnson (left), poses with Jay Wright.

Jay Wright: Habitual and Connected

“When you practice shooting, you have to realize you are creating good or bad habits” summed Wright afterward. “Everything matters”.

In his opinion, something like shooting is interrelated to other aspects of the game, as good or bad practices in getting up shots reveals themselves in learning the entire game; shirk in one part of the game, you will let yourself down in another. Basically Wright’s approach is holistic in terms of development.

Bobby Huggins actually taught some of his strategy to coaches.

Bobby Huggins: Get the Rock

Huggins’ teams are known for strapping up defensively and rebounding, both effort driven facets of the game. When asked to summarize his talk, Huggins, who discussed the defefensive concepts of defining a box/denying said “Don’t let the offense do what it wants…Take them out of what they want to do”.

Vance Walberg (front), along with UMass colleague, Antwon Jackson and young players, physically demonstrated the school's four-around-one dribble peneration-centric offense.

Vance Walberg: Rack It

Walberg, know nationally as a mastermind of drive and kick offenses, relayed an interesting story, one that drove his understanding of dribble penetration. “I was always the guy who took it to the rack” reminisced the coach of his offensive proclivity as a player. “One time we had two big guys, and I couldn’t get there”.

That got Walberg thinking about penetration, leading him to over several decades develop techniques/strategy related to “How to pace, open up gaps, penetrate and more (like shooting) with them”. All of this was touched upon, and demonstrated, by the coach on Saturday.