"A wealth of information creates
a poverty of attention."
-Herbert Simon
In other words, less is more. The art of keeping it simple goes a long way in retention and concentration.
For coaches this can come in just about every phase of your program.
Offense & Defense: How simple is your system of play and the concepts in regard to how you play? I once heard Buzz Williams speak and in all parts of his schemes, he has three bullet points to maintain consistency and simplicity for his players. For instance on posting and sealing, there will be three point to remember. Blocking out? Three keys for success.
Scouting: How much information are you giving to your team in regard to preparation? We keep our reports to our team around 5 pages and make them consistent in size and format no matter if we are playing the #1 team in the nation and a team that hasn't won a game.
Recruiting: How much do you give to your recruits in helping them make a decision? The best recruiters target the two or three key important areas (and it will vary with each student-athlete) and hit those point thoroughly. You can go overboard and give them a boat-load of information but you will end up muddying the water of things they really need to know about you and your institution.
Practice: Earlier today I shared a short thought on Rick Pitino who he and his staff utilize 7-Second Corrections. It keeps practice running smoothly and quickly -- maintaining it intensity and conditioning value -- not to mention making it more game-like.
