The following are some notes I took at a Nike Clinic in Robinsville, MS in the spring of 2004. The speaker was Gail Goestenkors, then coaching at Duke. I had the privilege of watching some of her summer practices a few years before when she was preparing for a foreign tour and have always admired how she teaches and prepares her team. On this day her topic was Fast Break Options and Quick Hitters but she opened with some thoughts on developing her team and they are to follow:"It is important that players take ownership of the team."
Coach Goestenkors allows team to help set team rules.
Periodically in practice, she lets them pick teams for competition purposes...they learn the roles this way and see how they are viewed by their peers.
She feels it is critical that the head coach discusses roles with players both individually and as a team...here are some thoughts she mentioned:
1. It is difficult but important
2. Meet after several practices (use stats and video for support)
3. Let players know that roles can change -- but it is up to them
4. They dictate their roles by how they practice
5. Must be brutally honest (non-player -- be a bench leader)
6. Always give them hope (tell them how they can improve/change role)
7. Type up roles (let team know ALL roles)
