| Whenever we undertake a new venture, be it | | | | In the 1960's, I fell in love with teaching |
| coaching basketball, some kind of business | | | | basketball defense after reading a book |
| startup, a hobby or whatever-we usually need | | | | entitled, "Mosquito Defense", written by Al |
| help. | | | | McGuire, Marquette University's coach. I used |
| | | | his methods of swarming defense successfully |
| Help could come in as simple a form as a | | | | for many years, at the junior high and then |
| brochure, but if we're really starting | | | | at the high school levels. |
| something that is taking us into our own | | | | |
| unchartered waters, we will be better served | | | | I worked hard at teaching myself how to coach |
| having a guide, rather than trying to figure | | | | basketball and each season I improved, but it |
| out how to do whatever it is we're trying to | | | | was a slow process. |
| attempt. | | | | |
| | | | A few years later, and with some seasoning |
| Henry Ford, in running his company, had a | | | | behind me, my journey to "teaching-coach" |
| bank of buttons on his desk. When he needed | | | | moved up a notch from just reading about |
| advice on accounting, he pressed a button to | | | | basketball to becoming proactive--attending |
| call in his accounting guru. For engineering, | | | | clinics, seminars and camps. Among the |
| he pressed another button. Henry Ford was | | | | clinicians to whom I owe much of what I know |
| successful, in part at least, because he knew | | | | about teaching defense was Bobby Knight. This |
| that he couldn't know and do it all by | | | | was in the 70's. Knight, at that time, was |
| himself. He kept a stable of mentors-gurus | | | | the acclaimed guru of defense. His approach |
| who were knowledgeable in areas where he | | | | to playing defense and how to teach it, was |
| wasn't. | | | | innovative and genius to this young coach |
| | | | from California. His man-to-man defense |
| Most of us don't have the luxury of having | | | | philosophy and techniques gave me the ability |
| gurus at our beck-and-call. However, in this | | | | to teach individual defense and then be able |
| computer age, we are closer to being able to | | | | to build this knowledge right into my team |
| reach out for a mentor, anywhere in the world | | | | defense. What I learned from Coach Knight, |
| we may be, and anywhere in the world a mentor | | | | combined with my early success with "Mosquito |
| might be. | | | | Defense", enabled me to develop my own brand |
| | | | of defense and my "Giant Killer" defense |
| We can go one-on-one with someone who knows | | | | emerged. Defense was to become my hallmark as |
| what we want to know without ever leaving our | | | | a coach and later as an international |
| home. | | | | consultant and lecturer. |
| | | | |
| I was in a group with a financial mentor who | | | | These talented "mentors" inspired me to want |
| told us to, "find someone who has what we | | | | to be more than just a successfulhigh school |
| want, do what they did, to get what they | | | | coach. I read what they wrote; took notes on |
| got". I'll admit, I tried that, but didn't | | | | what they had to say at coaching clinics; I |
| get quite the results I'd aspired to, however | | | | participated as a coach in their camps; I |
| I learned a lot. This method works for some | | | | even took my players and my small sons to |
| highly dedicated people, but most of us | | | | listen to them speak, to attend the camps as |
| average folks may come up short, as I did. | | | | players, and to watch their teams practice. |
| | | | None of these "mentors" knew my name or would |
| I'm ready to retire, and want to have a | | | | remember me, but they influenced my early |
| renewable income source to keep me | | | | growth in becoming the teacher of the game |
| financially secure for the rest of my life. I | | | | into which I evolved. |
| decided to take everything I'd been doing for | | | | |
| more than fifty years in basketball and | | | | Now I'm a basketball coaching mentor for |
| market it to the world.This would have been | | | | others. Oh, certainly not like Bobby Knight, |
| extremely difficult for me in the 70's, 80's | | | | Abe Lemons, Pete Newell, or John Wooden. But, |
| and 90's, but now in the new millennium, I | | | | I bring my teaching DVD, e-Books, basketball |
| can accomplish this via the internet. | | | | coaches tutoring, monthly newsletter and more |
| | | | to a special niche market. My more than 50 |
| Cool. I'm ready to go. Now, exactly how do I | | | | years of basketball playing and coaching |
| go about this? My computer knowledge and | | | | experience have been successful, by won-loss |
| abilities are minimal. So, I got a mentor. | | | | standards and in the number of coaches and |
| That got me started. Now I have three | | | | players I've helped to develop all around the |
| mentors, and have gone through a couple of | | | | world. |
| others. Because I need new information all | | | | |
| the time, I can keep reaching out there into | | | | My focus is on the niche market where new, |
| cyberspace to find the help I need. I ask, | | | | aspiring coaches venture into the sport |
| "what do I need to do?" and they tell me what | | | | without much more of a clue than a 19 year |
| to do and how to do it. Do I pay for this? | | | | old boy in California had in getting started. |
| Yes. What's the alternative-going to school | | | | I work with these "newbie" basketball |
| for years to hopefully gain some of the | | | | coaches, with coaches who have some |
| knowledge they bring to me immediately, or | | | | experience but are still learning, and even |
| use the trip-fumble-stumble method of trying | | | | with more experienced coaches looking for a |
| to do it myself? | | | | splinter of information which might give them |
| | | | the help they need to get to the next level |
| When I first started out as a basketball | | | | of basketball coaching success. I work with |
| coach, I was a nineteen year old and college | | | | high school players, whose goal is to play |
| student running an after-school recreation | | | | college ball,and teach position specific |
| program at an elementary school. Even though | | | | skills to help them be successful. My |
| I had played basketball in high school, I was | | | | goal-and my promise-to each coach or player I |
| by no means qualified to teach it. | | | | work with, is that I will take them to a |
| | | | higher level of teaching and playing than |
| Upon graduation from college my first | | | | they were at when we got started together. |
| basketball coaching position was at the | | | | |
| middle school level and I found quickly that | | | | The role of the mentor is to teach and guide |
| I needed more education. | | | | the student to a higher level of |
| | | | understanding and skill, no matter what the |
| During those formative years of my coaching I | | | | field of interest may be. |
| searched for as much help as I could get and | | | | |
| found it from some of the most talented | | | | Are you looking for a higher level of success |
| people of that era. | | | | from where you are? Who is your mentor? |
| | | | |